Today at 14:45, the eleventh round of the "Premier League" will be opened by the match between "Chelsea" and "Liverpool". Besides these matches on Saturday, there will be six more meetings to be played, and the round will be closed by two matches on Sunday and the clash between "Tottenham" and "Aston Villa" on Monday evening. This Eurofootball.com review presents the most interesting matches of the "Premier League" and other things to pay attention to during this round.
Round match:
"Chelsea" - "Liverpool"
If we exclude the names of the teams from this meeting, it would be an ordinary match between the ninth and fifteenth teams of the league. However, considering that "Chelsea" and "Liverpool" will play in this match, this fact promises us a huge intrigue and interest from all over the world.
The problems of these teams are well known to everyone - "Chelsea" shows a tragic form and has only achieved one victory in their last seven matches in all competitions. Meanwhile, "Liverpool" is struggling with player injuries and will have to cope without seven injured players.
The most important aspect of the match is Mourinho against Klopp. These two strategists last tested their strengths against each other in the Champions League semi-finals in spring 2013. Back then, the victory belonged to the German and his team, "Borussia". Now, the strategists are meeting in a match where both come with different goals and moods.
Jose Mourinho can no longer afford any mistakes. Every match lost adds to Roman Abramovich's patience cup, and it is speculated that if he fails to achieve victory, the Portuguese may have to leave London. Meanwhile, for Jurgen Klopp, these matches are just another test in his new career station. No one expects quick and miraculous results from the German, and considering how many injured players are in the team, the strategist would not be heavily criticized even in case of defeat.
It is difficult to expect a highly productive match in this game. Mourinho will probably try to achieve a result as usual, based on defense, and the "Liverpool" team currently lacks players that would allow Klopp to choose an attacking formation.
Despite all the difficulties this season, the "Chelsea" footballers are considered favorites in the betting offices. However, predicting the outcome of these matches is very difficult. It is obvious only one thing - motivation will not be lacking for both teams in this match, and on the field we will see a fierce and interesting battle.
Other noteworthy matches:
"Swansea" - "Arsenal"
"Swansea" players perform better in matches where they are not considered favorites. They have not lost to "Chelsea" and "Tottenham" clubs and have defeated the "Manchester United" team. In the upcoming match, "Swansea" will again not be the favorites against the second-placed "Arsenal" team. Saturday's match will be a great opportunity to find out if "Swansea" is indeed an unfavorable opponent for the favorites, or if they have just been lucky a few times.
"Crystal Palace" - "Manchester United"
Before the national team break, "Crystal Palace" entered the top-four teams and enjoyed great results. However, after the break, the club faced a tough four-match test against teams at the top of the table. Having suffered two consecutive losses, "Crystal Palace" will try to upset the "Manchester United" club and stay among the leading teams. Another loss could well crush the London team's dreams of a position that would allow them to appear in European competitions next year.
"West Brom" - "Leicester"
This match promises intrigue simply because two teams with different styles will meet on the field. "Leicester" likes to play an attacking game and score a lot, but also concede a lot. Their opponents promote a completely different style of play, and it is very rare to see goal avalanche in their matches. Which tactic will work better and which team will leave the field happier? The answer will be in the Saturday match.
Players to watch:
Harry Kane
After staying silent at the start of the season, the talented forward finally spoke up and scored a "hat-trick" in the last round. In the upcoming matches, the "Tottenham" team will face the league's underdog club, "Aston Villa", so for the English national team player, this will be a great opportunity to once again demonstrate his abilities and extend the goal streak.
Joel Campbell
Recently, one after another, "Arsenal" attacking players have been sidelined with injuries, so Campbell should also have his chance. The forward from Costa Rica has not played in any "Premier League" match so far this season, so when given the opportunity, he simply must take advantage of it. The player's contract with the "Arsenal" club will expire next summer, so in order to stay in the current club, the footballer simply has no time to waste.
Fabricio Coloccini
In the last round, Coloccini received a red card and had to miss the weekend match. However, the English Football Association recognized that the red card was not deserved and overturned the disqualification for the player. The defender should be full of sporting anger and in the match against "Stoke City" will try to show everything he knows. This is also needed for his club, as the current nineteenth position in the "Premier League" is definitely not what the "Newcastle United" team and their fans want.
All matches of the eleventh round of the "Premier League":
Saturday
14:45 "Chelsea" - "Liverpool"
17:00 "Crystal Palace" - "Manchester United"
17:00 "Manchester City" - "Norwich"
17:00 "Newcastle United" - "Stoke City"
17:00 "Swansea" - "Arsenal"
17:00 "Watford" - "West Ham"
17:00 "West Brom" - "Leicester"
Sunday
15:30 "Everton" - "Sunderland"
18:00 "Southampton" - "Bournemouth"
Monday
22:00 "Tottenham" - "Aston Villa"
