Football News: Premier League Previews 31 March 2019

Sunday March 31st

Cardiff City v Chelsea

This is a big game for both sides, for very different reasons. Cardiff need the points in their battle to avoid the drop, while Chelsea need them to help their push for a top four spot.

Cardiff earned a hugely important win in their last Premier League game against West Ham, but that was over three weeks before this contest with Chelsea, so it remains to be seen how such a lengthy break will affect them. Chelsea have played three matches since Cardiff's last one, although they have only won one of those, away at Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League, and they lost 2-0 at Everton last time out.

Unsurprisingly, Chelsea have a strong head-to-head record versus Cardiff, winning each of their four meetings since the turn of the century in all competitions, last losing to them in the League Cup in October 1986 - their only defeat in these sides' last nine encounters.

Interestingly, both teams have scored in each of the last six meetings between these two sides, so that might just be a good sign for the Premier League's second-lowest scorers in Cardiff.

And the Bluebird's boss Neil Warnock has beaten Chelsea twice in four home league meetings with them, a 1-0 win with QPR in 2011-12 and a 2-0 victory with Notts County in 1991-92. He's beaten them before, and he will hope to do it again today to give his side a huge boost.

Chelsea's away form will give him hope too - they've lost four of their last five away league outings; only Fulham (six) have lost more on the road in 2019 in the top tier, so Maurizio Sarri needs to work on that if Chelsea are to finish in the top four.

Key players:

Callum Paterson - Only Aleksandar Mitrovic and Wilfred Ndidi have won more duels in this season's Premier League than Paterson, and that willingness to get involved and battle epitomises Neil Warnock's attitude, which will be needed for Cardiff as always today.

Eden Hazard - Hazard has five goals in his three league games versus Cardiff - no player has scored more against the Bluebirds in the Premier League, and the Belgian has three goals in his last three home league games. He's the man Neil Warnock's side need to stop to have a chance today.

Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur

This is a hugely important game for Liverpool in their title run-in, with third-place Spurs their highest ranked opponent left to play in their last seven league games of the campaign.

But it's equally important for Spurs, who hit a rocky patch in the Premier League before the international break, going four games without a win, including three defeats. Spurs began those four matches five points behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They go into this game 15 points adrift.

Indeed, Spurs last went five league matches without a win back in March 2012 under Harry Redknapp. It would be a huge result for them should they avoid that today as they look to re-cement their top four hopes.

But for Spurs to win, they will have to improve on what is a poor record away at Anfield, where they have managed to win just one of their last 24 league visits, a 2-0 victory in May 2011.

Indeed, Tottenham's only win in the last 13 games between these two sides in all competitions came at Wembley last season, 4-1 in the Premier League.

And Liverpool are unbeaten in 36 home league games - avoid defeat today, and it will be the joint-second longest unbeaten home run by any side in Premier League history, behind only Chelsea's frankly unbelievable 86-match streak between 2004-2008. You get the feeling that this will be a tough match for Liverpool to continue that run, however.

Key players:

Mohamed Salah - Salah has three goals in three league games against Spurs for Liverpool, including two at Anfield last season, and even though it is his teammate Sadio Mane who is in hot scoring form for Liverpool at the moment, Salah has had a rest away from the Egypt squad this international break, which he will hope has given him the chance to re-focus and re-find his touch in front of goal.

Harry Kane - I've made this a battle between last season's two Premier League top scorers on purpose. Kane has scored each of Spurs' last four goals in all competitions, and has had a hand in four goals in four league visits to Anfield, scoring three and assisting one.

Monday April 1st

Arsenal v Newcastle United

There's something strange about Newcastle and Monday fixtures. This will be their 15th consecutive Premier League game on a Monday to be away from home, since they last played at St. James' Park on this day in December 2012, beating Wigan 2-0. The fixture schedule and TV companies obviously like giving Newcastle long trips on Monday nights.

Newcastle's recent record at Arsenal is torrid. They've lost 11 of their last 12 league meetings, and 10 of their last 11 at the Emirates in all competitions. Indeed, they have conceded 18 goals in their last six such trips there - an average of three a game. They can't afford that to continue if they are to get anything from this match.

And Unai Emery's Arsenal side really are lethal at home. They are unbeaten in 15 league games there since losing to defending Premier League champions Manchester City on the opening weekend, and have won each of their last nine league matches at the Emirates, scoring 25 while conceding just six. Only Man City themselves have won more Premier League points at home this season than the Gunners.

But Newcastle come into this match with confidence. They've only suffered one defeat in their last six league matches, a 2-0 loss at West Ham. Having said that, they are winless in seven away league games since beating Huddersfield 1-0 at the John Smith's Stadium in December, one of just two away league victories they have enjoyed this campaign.

The Emirates is definitely not an easy place to go to change that from their perspective, and with their manager Rafael Benitez having never won away at Arsenal while in charge of an English club in nine previous such visits in all competitions, there's not a great deal about this match-up that points to a Newcastle victory, truth be told.

Key players:

Mesut Ozil - Ozil has three goals and an assist in just four league games against Newcastle - against no other side has he bagged more for Arsenal, and he can be deadly in games like this, at home, against sides where he will have a lot of the ball to dictate play with, particularly with the likes of Lacazette and Aubameyang to create chances to.

Ayoze Perez - With three goals and an assist in his last five league games, and two goals and an assist against Arsenal in past appearances, Perez has hit some form for Newcastle that has helped them move away from the relegation zone. He will be as crucial as ever for them here.

Written by Reid the Red March 31 2019 10:48:28