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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs LIVERPOOL
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are set to clash in the Premier League headline matchup on Sunday, preceding their upcoming EFL Cup semi-final encounter after last night’s draw.
Tottenham enters the contest on the heels of a thrilling 4-3 Carabao Cup win over Manchester United midweek, while Liverpool maintained their quadruple hopes with a 2-1 victory at Southampton to both set up a clash in the semi finals.
Despite their impressive performance against Southampton last weekend where they scored five first half goals, Tottenham remains mid-table, five points shy of the coveted Champions League spot. In contrast, Liverpool continues their outstanding form, boasting a 20-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
The Reds currently lead the Premier League, although their advantage has narrowed to two points following successive draws with Newcastle United and Fulham, amid Chelsea’s recent surge.
EVERTON vs CHELSEA
Chelsea have a golden opportunity to leapfrog Liverpool and claim top spot in the Premier League table if only for few hours at least when they face Everton on Sunday. A win at Goodison Park would propel the Blues to the summit, albeit potentially temporarily, given Liverpool’s game in hand later in the day.
Despite Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca downplaying their title aspirations, a victory would undoubtedly send a powerful message. With the luxury of making wholesale changes to the team that thrashed Shamrock Rovers 5-1 in the Conference League, Chelsea would normally be considered strong favorites.
However, their recent record at Everton is a cause for concern, and the hosts may receive a boost from the recent completion of the Friedkin Group’s takeover of the club.
Chelsea have such an impressive record against Everton and have won 76 out of the 192 matches played between the both sides, as opposed to Everton’s 60 victories.
Although the Toffees have won five of their last six matches at home against Chelsea in the Premier League – as many victories as they had achieved in the 17 such games preceding this run. Chelsea secured an impressive 6-0 victory in their previous game against Everton in the Premier League and have not won consecutive league games against the Toffees since 2017.
CRYSTAL PALACE vs ARSENAL
Arsenal aim to bounce back from consecutive Premier League draws when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday for the second time this week. The Gunners boast an impressive record in London derbies, as they remain unbeaten in all of their 9 Premier League London derbies in 2024 (W7 D2).
This streak is reminiscent of their Invincibles season in 2004, where they went W7 D3 in London derbies.
In head-to-head matches, Arsenal have dominated Crystal Palace, winning their last 4 Premier League encounters. The Gunners are currently on a 9-match unbeaten run across all competitions, and a win against Palace could help them regain momentum in the league especially after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Everton last weekend.
MAN UNITED vs BOURNEMOUTH
Manchester United aim to bounce back from their EFL Cup defeat against Tottenham when they host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday. United are currently 13th in the table, but a win could propel them into the top half.
In their last meeting, Bournemouth held United to a 2-2 draw in April, and they also won 3-0 at Old Trafford in December 2023 – never before have the Cherries avoided defeat in three consecutive games against Sunday’s hosts.
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches and are seeking to win three consecutive away games for the first time in 12 months.
Manchester United have scored at least two goals in each of their last five home matches in all competitions. Bournemouth, on the other hand, are seeking to score in their 10th consecutive Premier League game. The Cherries have also had the second-most shots in this season’s Premier League, behind Manchester City.
ASTON VILLA vs MAN CITY
Reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City, will attempt to revitalize their faltering title defense when they visit Aston Villa on Saturday. City has struggled of late, losing five of their last seven league games, including a dramatic derby defeat to United last week.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s recent resurgence was halted by a late collapse against Nottingham Forest. Prior to that setback, Villa had won three consecutive matches, including a Champions League victory over RB Leipzig. Despite their recent struggles, Villa remains unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games at Villa Park and currently occupies seventh spot on the table.
A win against Manchester City would not only be a significant upset but also potentially propel Villa above City in the standings. Villa has a recent history of success against City, having beaten them 1-0 at Villa Park last season, and will aim to repeat that feat and secure consecutive victories over City for the first time since 1993.
BARCELONA vs ATLETICO MADRID
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, level on 38 points, will clash in a crucial La Liga match on Saturday evening. The winner will claim top spot in the division heading into 2025. Barcelona currently lead due to their superior goal difference, but Atletico, with a game in hand, are in better form, boasting an 11-game winning streak in all competitions.
Barcelona have won 12, drawn 2, and lost 4 of their 18 La Liga matches this season. However, their recent form has been inconsistent, with only one win in their last six league matches. They suffered a shocking 1-0 home defeat to Leganes in their previous match and have now lost two consecutive games at their temporary home, the other against Las Palmas.
A defeat on Saturday would be a significant setback for Barcelona, potentially dropping them to third place by the end of 2024 behind Atletico and Real Madrid, should they win against Sevilla this weekend. Atletico, on the other hand, are seeking to break a long-standing drought, having not won an away league game against Barcelona since February 2006. Barcelona have won five consecutive matches against Atletico, including a 1-0 victory in the corresponding match last season.
REAL MADRID vs SEVILLA
Fresh from their FIFA Intercontinental Cup triumph, Real Madrid returns to La Liga action on Sunday, hosting Sevilla at the Bernabeu in a highly significant matchup. Los Blancos secured their second trophy of the season with a 3-0 win over Pachuca, but their last domestic outing ended in a 3-3 draw against Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid currently sits third on the La Liga table, just one point behind leaders Barcelona with a game in hand.
Sevilla, meanwhile, is 11th on the table and enters the clash on the back of a 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo. The two teams have a rich history, having met 190 times, with Real Madrid holding a significant edge in the head-to-head record, having won 104 times to Sevilla’s 54.
However, Sevilla has struggled against Real Madrid in recent years, going 11 games without a win, including a 1-0 loss at the Bernabeu last season. While the matches between the two teams have been closely contested, with seven of Real Madrid’s last eight league wins over Sevilla coming by just one goal, Sevilla’s last away win against Real Madrid in the league dates back to December 2008.
BAYERN MUNICH vs RB LEIPZIG
Bayern Munich will look to bounce back from their recent Bundesliga loss when they host RB Leipzig at Allianz Arena on Friday night. Bayern currently leads the league with 33 points, but their 2-1 loss to Mainz 05 on December 14 ended their unbeaten streak. Leipzig, meanwhile, sits fourth with 27 points, having defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in their last Bundesliga match.
Prior to their recent loss, Bayern had gone unbeaten in the league since May 18, winning four consecutive matches with a cumulative score of 16-3. However, they have struggled defensively of late, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last five fixtures. Bayern’s recent form has been somewhat inconsistent, with two wins, two losses, and one draw in their last five outings.
Despite their recent struggles, Bayern boasts an impressive home record, having won 12 of their last 15 matches at Allianz Arena. Leipzig, on the other hand, has a poor away record, having lost four of their last five matches on the road. However, they have won three of their last four games, including their last two Bundesliga matches. Leipzig boasts scoring nine goals in their last six league fixtures, but they have also conceded 12 goals in that time.
