Premier League preview: Can Tottenham stop Man City?

The 22nd round of Premier League fixtures kicks off this weekend with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool entertaining basement club Swansea City. The biggest match of this gameweek is Manchester City’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur later on Saturday, while league leaders Chelsea host another relegation candidate Hull City on Sunday. Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pep Guardiola […]
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sambafoot_admin
2017-01-18 19:14:00

The 22nd round of Premier League fixtures kicks off this weekend with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool entertaining basement club Swansea City. The biggest match of this gameweek is Manchester City’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur later on Saturday, while league leaders Chelsea host another relegation candidate Hull City on Sunday.

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pep Guardiola is under pressure at City following his side’s 4-0 dismantling at Goodison Park last weekend. City will have their task cut out against high-flying Spurs, who have won six on the bounce. Mauricio Pochettino’s young side are playing exactly as he wants them to: keeping things tight at the back while scoring freely at the other end. Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Christian Eriksen have scored a combined 15 goals in the last six games. On the other hand, the game is a must-win for City, who are all but out of the title race now. Whether it’s Guardiola’s tactics, lack of proper recruitment or the players not perfomring as expected, City are in a mess of their own making.

They must not drop points at home against Spurs if they harbour ambitions of finishing in the top four places. City will be without the services of İlkay Gündoğan (injury) and Fernandinho (suspension), but Gabriel Jesus could make his first Premier League appearance. For Spurs, Jan Vertonghen is out with ankle ligament damage, and Érik Lamela is a long-term absentee. Key stat: Spurs have conceded 14 goals this season, and only five of those have been from open play.

Chelsea v Hull City Chelsea made light work of the Diego Costa issue last weekend with a thumping 3-0 win over champions Leicester. Hull also seem to have got their act together as Marco Silva announced his arrival in the Premier League by guiding them to their first league win since November. Antonio Conte’s side sit seven points clear of their nearest challengers at the top, and there is no reason to believe the Blues will drop points at Stamford Bridge against one of the league’s strugglers. Hull, meanwhile, had the perfect new manager bounce against Bournemouth last weekend as they scripted a 3-1 comeback win. The Tigers are in the relegation zone on goal difference, and any point at Chelsea will be a bonus for them. It will be a surprise should Costa regain his place in the side after the recent events, while the rest of Chelsea’s squad is available for selection. For Hull, Dieumerci Mbokani and Ahmed Elmohamady are on international duty, while Will Keane, Greg Luer, Markus Henriksen, and Alex Bruce are out injured. New signing Oumar Niasse could make his first appearance for the Tigers. Key stat: Hull have never beaten Chelsea in the Premier League.

Liverpool v Swansea Liverpool haven’t yet won in this calendar year, and they’ll hope to put Paul Clement’s Swansea to the sword at Anfield. The Reds have scored the most goals in the league this season, while the Swans have conceded the most, a statistic that suggests there will be only one result. Klopp’s Reds have an FA Cup third round replay in midweek which could have a bearing on their team selection. Swansea have the week off, having been eliminated from the FA Cup by Hull. Philippe Coutinho’s return to the side after an injury layoff is a boost for Liverpool, who have struggled for goals in Sadio Mané’s absence. For Swansea, this will be another testing fixture after their 4-0 loss to Arsenal last weekend. Liverpool centre-back Joël Matip could miss the game due to administrative issues, while Mané is at the Africa Cup of Nations. For Swansea, Neil Taylor and Jefferson Montero are out with injuries, while the rest of the squad is available for selection. Key stat: Liverpool have scored only three times in four matches in 2017 so far after netting 87 Premier League goals in 2016.

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by
sambafoot_admin
Jan 18, 2017