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Rediff.com  » Sports » What you should not miss in EPL this weekend

What you should not miss in EPL this weekend

December 08, 2017 13:49 IST
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Two big derbies and an eventful weekend of football awaits us all...

Saturday, December 9

West Ham United v Chelsea (1800, IST)

 Eden Hazard, centre, celebrates with his team mates after scoring Chelsea's opening goal

IMAGE: Eden Hazard will again be crucial to Chelsea's fortunes against West Ham on Saturday. Photograph: Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Chelsea have suffered two defeats in their last 22 Premier League matches against West Ham (Draws- 4 Wins 16), losing both meetings last season with a 2-1 score line.

West Ham, currently 19th, are on an eight-game winless run in the league, their worst sequence of results since December 2015.

 

West Ham manager David Moyes has won four of his last five home league matches against reigning English champions, including three versus Italian managers -- Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Mancini and Claudio Ranieri.

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has scored four goals and made three assists in his last eight league games against West Ham.

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has been involved in 13 goals in his first 14 games for the club (nine goals, four assists).

Burnley v Watford (2030, IST)

Burnley have managed four home clean sheets in the league this season. Sean Dyche's team have conceded three goals at home and not more than one in a match.

Watford have scored at least twice in each of their last eight away league games.

Burnley will be without winger Robbie Brady, who needs knee surgery after colliding with Harry Maguire in last weekend's 1-0 defeat by LeicesterCity.

Marco Silva's Watford have claimed 13 points from seven away games this season, one more than the whole of last season under Walter Mazzarri.

Watford's Richarlison has scored four with three assists in seven away league games this season.

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth (2030, IST)

Palace have not won a Premier League home game against Bournemouth (Won1, Lost 1), and their last league win over the south-coast club at Selhurst Park was in the old First Division in April 1988.

Roy Hodgson's Palace, currently 18th, are the first team to have consecutive 0-0 draws in the league this season. The last side to string together three goalless draws in the competition were West Ham in Dec. 2015.

Palace defender Scott Dann has scored in each of his last three league appearances against Bournemouth.

Bournemouth are currently 15th with 15 points from 15 matches, three points fewer than at the same stage last season.

Palace have scored two goals in each of their last four home games.

Huddersfield Town v Brighton & Hove Albion (2030, IST)

This is the first top-flight clash between Huddersfield and Brighton, with the previous 50 league meetings split across the second and third tiers of English football.

Tom Ince has managed 32 shots without scoring for Huddersfield in the Premier League this season, more than any other player.

David Wagner's Huddersfield have lost their last four league games and are 16th with 15 points, two behind 12th-placed Brighton.

Striker Glenn Murray has scored five goals in his last seven league appearances for Brighton.

Brighton have won one of their last nine away league matches at Huddersfield (D4 L4) and lost 3-1 at the John Smith's Stadium in the Championship last season.

Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion (2030, IST)

Swansea City have won their last three home matches against West Brom.

Manager Alan Pardew guided West Brom to a 0-0 draw against CrystalPalace in his first league game at the club.

His last Premier League visit to Swansea was a 5-4 defeat as Palace boss in November 2016.

Paul Clement's Swansea are bottom with nine points from 15 matches, after a seven-game winless streak.

West Brom striker Salomon Rondon has scored four goals in three league appearances against Swansea.

Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City (2030, IST)

 From left, Danny Rose, Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld warm up during the Tottenham Hotspur training session

IMAGE: From left, Danny Rose, Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld warm up during the Tottenham Hotspur training session. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs have won their last three league matches against Stoke by a 4-0 margin.

Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri has scored four goals and made five assists in his last 11 league appearances.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored 31 league goals in the calendar year, five less than Alan Shearer's record tally in 1995.

Spurs have failed to win in their last four league games, dropping to sixth, 18 points behind leaders ManchesterCity.

Dele Alli has scored in all three of his league appearances for Spurs against Stoke, netting four in total.

Newcastle United v Leicester City (2300, IST)

Jamie Vardy is one goal away from becoming the first LeicesterCity player to score 50 Premier League goals.

Newcastle, currently 15th, have failed to score in three consecutive home Premier League matches for the first time since February 2014.

Dwight Gayle has scored 25 goals in all competitions for Newcastle since his debut in August 2016, more than any other player at the club.

Leicester's Shinji Okazaki scored in both league fixtures the last time the sides met in 2015-16 season.

Newcastle have lost only two of their last 17 home league games against Leicester, but the Foxes came away victorious on their last visit in Nov. 2015.

Sunday, December 10

Southampton v Arsenal (1730, IST)

Southampton have lost one of their last six home league fixtures against Arsenal, although that was in their last meeting in May.

Arsenal have failed to record successive away league wins at Southampton since August 1997.

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster has conceded five goals in five league matches against Arsenal, despite the north London side having 30 shots on target against the England keeper.

Arsenal, currently fifth, have lost four of their seven matches on the road this season, scoring eight goals and conceding 12.

Only two Arsenal players -- Alexis Sanchez (nine) and Ian Wright (10) -- have scored more goals than Alexandre Lacazette's eight in their first 15 appearances for the club.

Liverpool v Everton (1945, IST)

Everton are winless in 17 consecutive Premier League visits to Liverpool, since a 1-0 victory in September 1999 courtesy of a Kevin Campbell goal.

Liverpool have scored four 90th minute winning goals against Everton in the Premier League; no other team has scored more against a specific opponent in the competition.

Everton moved up to 10th in the league after new manager Sam Allardyce guided them to a 2-0 win over HuddersfieldTown last weekend.

Everton's Wayne Rooney has scored twice in the league at Anfield in his career with the goals resulting in 1-0 victories for Manchester United in Jan. 2005 and Jan. 2016.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is the league's top scorer this season with 12 goals in 15 appearances.

Manchester United v Manchester City (2200, IST)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (left) and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (right) will carry forward their famed rivalry when the neighbouring clubs clash on Sunday

IMAGE: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (left) and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (right) will carry forward their famed rivalry when the neighbouring clubs clash on Sunday. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

After four defeats in a row against ManchesterCity, Manchester United have now lost only one of the past five league derbies against their neighbours.

Jose Mourinho's United are on a 24-match unbeaten home run in the league, with their last defeat at Old Trafford coming against City in Sept. 2016.

A victory against United would mean Pep Guardiola's City equalling an all-time English top-flight record of 14 consecutive victories, set by Arsenal in 2002.

Second-placed United are eight points behind leadersCity, who are unbeaten in 15 league matches this season.

Gabriel Jesus has been involved in 21 goals in 24 league appearances (15 goals and six assists) since joining City in January.

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