English Premier League Predictions – Matchday 4

The English Premier League enters its third matchday this weekend and as always, there are intriguing matches lined up to get your heart racing, your nerves scaling the ceiling and your knowledge, or lack thereof, of your team’s preparedness for a good result put to the test. Only four teams have had a 100% start, current holders Manchester City, fellow title favorites Chelsea and of course the early pace setters this time being Tottenham and Swansea City. Spurs have a stern test when they welcome Liverpool and so does Chelsea who travel to Everton. Swansea and Manchester City have fairly winnable fixtures in West Brom and Stoke City but it’s never a given in the Premier League. So how will your team fair this weekend? Here’s my take, Thesteifmastertake!

Burnley 1 2 Manchester United (Saturday, 1445hrs)

Bottom half duo, Manchester United and Burnley will open the Premier League matchday 3 action at Turf Moor when they clash at lunch time. Neither teams have had a good start with United looking comfortable in 13^th, just a point ahead of Burnley who look uncomfortable in 19^th position. United haven’t gotten their season going and are yet to register a win in their last three matches.  A 4-0 hammering at the hands of MK Dons in the midweek Capital One Cup clash laid bare the frailties at the club but the record signing of Angel Di Maria in a British transfer record seem to have convinced the Red Devils fans that Louis van Gaal is the right man for the job. Burnley have lost all their last three matches and don’t look like they have the mettle to stay in the Premier League. You would expect United to roll over them on Saturday but will the visitors’ defence be free of Johnny Evans-esque mistakes? I don’t think so. A very nervy win here for United.

Manchester City 2 0 Stoke City (Saturday, 1700hrs)

Manchester City made a statement last Monday night beating Liverpool 3-1 at the Eitihad. The Citizens looked the class and while they didn’t dominate the Reds, they were clinical in front of goal though all the goals were contributed by Liverpool’s defensive shortcomings. The win took City to second in the league. They next face Stoke City who drew 1-1 with 10-man Hull last weekend. The Potters have never beaten City in the Premier League since their 1-0 win at the Britannia Stadium in January 2009 while their last win at City was when both clubs were in the Championship in 1997. City won this corresponding fixture 1-0 last season through a Yaya Toure 70^th minute strike. Manuel Pellegrini’s expensively-assembled squad will be favorites for the three points here again and with Stefan Jovetic on fire, getting victory shouldn’t be a problem.

Everton 2 1 Chelsea (Saturday, 1930hrs)

Chelsea old boys, Romelo Lukaku and Samuel Etoo will have a chance to show Jose Mourinho just what he’ll be missing this season when Everton host the Blues at Goodison Park. Lukaku switched the blue of Chelsea for the Everton blue after first failing to impress Mourinho who shipped him out to Merseyside on loan last season. However, with the resigning of Didier Drogba, the signing of Diego Costa and the rise of Andre Schurrle, Lukaku’s time at Stamford Bridge came to an end and Roberto Martinez moved fast to tie snap up the Belgian in a club record signing. Etoo’s time at Chelsea wasn’t fruitful as he ended up making headlines for his alterations with Mourinho rather than his goals for the Blues. The duo will have revenge written all over their faces when Chelsea clash with Everton on Saturday evening. Chelsea made it a 100% start with a labored 2-0 win at Leicester while Everton let a two-goal lead slip within 10 minutes in their 2-2 draw with Arsenal. Focus will be on Etoo however and Lukaku who I tip to fire in and exact revenge on Mourinho whose attack could be blunt in the absence of injured Diego Costa.

Tottenham 1 2 Liverpool (Sunday, 1530hrs)

Oh boy, he’s back!! Yes he’s back!! The super, the entertaining, the dramatic, the cocky, the controversial, the feisty, the adrenalized Mario Balotelli. The Premier League prodigal son has finally come, home! In what is probably the most exciting signing of the summer, Mario Barwuah Balotelli made his return to the Premier League after signing for Liverpool from AC Milan for £16m ONLY. I emphasize ONLY because Mario’s drama is worth more than that, let alone his sometimes underrated football brain. The Italian forward was on the stands last Monday night to watch Liverpool fall to his former employers Manchester City. Had he been in that game, the scoreline for sure would have been different. But, somehow, fate had it that he would be in that match but denied him the chance to play in it. But the wait is over as Balotelli will most probably lead the line for Liverpool when they travel to London to face highflying Spurs at the White Hart Lane. Spurs are in a rich vein of form having won all their last 8 games including two in the Premier League and their midweek Europa League qualifier match against Cypriot side AEL Limassol. Liverpool on the other hand went down to City on Monday night. All the goals the Reds conceded were defensive mistakes. New signing Alberto Moreno  erred for the first, Gerarrd failed to track his man for the second and Dejan Lovren and Simon Mignolet were all out of position when Aguero slotted City’s third. The Reds’ defence will be put to question again with the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor ready to pounce at any chance. However, the presence of Balotelli will give the Merseysiders a big lift and with the new SAS of Sturridge and Sterling looking ever so dangerous, Balotelli and co should be able to get past Spurs who they beat 5-0 on this ground last year.

Leicester 1 1 Arsenal (Sunday 1800hrs)

Arsenal looked down and out at Everton last weekend with only 10 minutes before the final whistle. However, with the clock reading 83minutes, Aaron Ramsey popped in with a goal from a Santi Carzola cross from the left channel. And then in a flash, Olivier Giroud, Arsene  Wenger’s version of a ‘prolific’ striker headed in the equalizer in the 90^th minute to ensure the spoils were shared as Alexis Sanchez failed to really lit up the pitch as widely expected. The Gunners had a midweek Champions League qualifier clash against Besiktas which they had to win and so they did, Sanchez netting his first goal since his move to send the London side to Champions League for the 17^th season in a row. It’s back to domestic football for Wenger’s men who travel to promoted side Leicester. The Foxes gave a spirited fight against Chelsea last weekend but they ran out of steam in the second half and allowed Chelsea to score twice. Nigel Pearson’s side welcome Arsenal to the King Power Stadium on Sunday evening. Should they produce a performance akin to the one against Chelsea and just be a wee clinical in front of goal, they will give Arsenal a run for their money. A scoring draw looks likely.

And That’s thesteifmastertake!!

How Liverpool and Real Madrid Squads Have Changed Since the Reds 5-0 Aggregate Win over the Madristas in 2009

Liverpool have been drawn to play Real Madrid when they make their Champions League return after five years in the abyss.

Brendan Rodgers’ side finished runners-up to Manchester City last season which automatically saw them qualify for the competition they have won more than any Premier League club and third most in European club football.

In a group that has Swiss outfit Basel and Bulgaria league champions Ludogorets Razgrad, the Reds and the La Liga behemoths will be favorites to emerge out of the group and into the last 16.

Liverpool fans will be excited to learn that they have never lost any competitive fixture to any of their Group B opponents. They have only ever met Basel once and that was in the 2002-03 Champions League competition with the teams drawing 1-1 and 3-3 over two legs. They have never met Ludogorets.

The Reds last meeting with Real Madrid was in the 2009 Champions League round of 16. Liverpool won 1-0 at Santiago Bernabeu, Yossi Benayoun header securing the Merseysiders the win. In the return leg at Anfield, the home team cruised 4-0, Steven Gerarrd grabbing a brace with Fernando Torres and Andre Dossena also on the scoresheet.

The two teams have however changed exponentially since then, almost as dramatically as the Reds 4-0 capitulation on that Tuesday night. Besides the obvious revamping of the squads, Real Madrid have retained their standing as a permanent Champions League team while Liverpool had fallen backwards and will be making their first appearance in five years. Real Madrid will be going into the campaign as defending champions after beating Atletico Madrid in extra time to lift their 10^th title last season, twice as much as the English side whose last triumph was in 2005.

But just how much has the squads changed since the two clubs’ last meeting in October 2009? Of the 18 players who made it to the Real Madrid squad, only four who got involved in the game still play for the Los Blancos; Iker Casillas, Marcelo, Pepe and Sergio Ramos. The numbers get thinner for Liverpool with only captain Steven Gerrard, Martin Skrtel and Lucas still part of the Reds team.

What this means is that there will be new faces all across when the duo clash first at Anfield in October 22^nd and then at the Bernabeu on November 4^th. The Anfield meeting will come only 12 days past the day they conquered Madrid at the same venue five years ago. But there won't be Juande Ramos in the Real Madrid touchline or Rafael Benitez in the Liverpool one. There won't be Raul, Gonzalo Higuain or Arjen Robben for Real, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, or Javier Mascherano for Liverpool.

There, however, will be mixed emotions for one man; Alvaro Arbeloa. The Spanish defender was part of the Reds team that night but has since transferred to the Spanish capital and swapped the Red of Liverpool for the all white of Real Madrid. It's highly unlikely he will feature though.

Alonso will also not make a return to Anfield having signed for Bayern Munich.  

Bar injuries or suspensions, Steven Gerarrd will lead his troops, and so will Iker Casillas as these two football giants lock horns again. Sweet dreams are made of such.

And That’s thesteifmastertake!!

Champions League Draw: Liverpool Face Madrid, Man City versus Bayern, Again

The draw for the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League was released Thursday night with some intriguing fixtures lined up at the group stage level.

Defending champions, Real Madrid, have been drawn in Group B alongside five-time champions Liverpool, Swiss side FC Basel and Bulgarian side Ludogorets. Madrid and Liverpool will be favorites to emerge from that group but Basel who have gone beyond the group stage only once in their history could be the dark horses. Liverpool have never lost in European competition to any of their Group B opponents and the 5-0 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the Reds’ last appearance in the Champions League will still be fresh in the fans’ memories.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich landed in what is arguably the group of Death after being drawn against Manchester City, Russia champions CSKA Moscow and Serie A side AS Roma in Group E. This will be the third time in four seasons that Pep Guaridola’s men will play the Premier League champions at this stage of the competition. Bayern beat City 3-1 at Allianz Arena last season but City exacted revenge with a 3-2 win at the Eitihad.

Borussia Dortmund once again landed in the same group with Arsenal with the two teams expected to battle in Group D with Turksish side Galatasaray and Belgian champions Anderlecht the other members of the group.

Chelsea were drawn in a fairly easy group that will see them face Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, Bundesliga outfit Schalke and Slovenian side Maribor in Group G. Last year’s beaten finalists, Atletico Madrid will be among the favorites to progress from Group A which also has Scuddeto winners Juventus and Greek side Olympiakos, and Swedish Malmo FF.

Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain will be the top favorites to emerge from Group F               with Ajax and APOEL Nicosia the outsiders. Group C and H will be anyone’s take. Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco are in Group C with FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletico Bilbao and BATE Barisov in Group H.