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BPL Preview: Man City face Liverpool in the league

Jake Davies
FootballJake Davies

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By Jake Davies

  • The Capital One Cup Final rematch just days after City’s big cup win
  • Manchester United aim to continue riding the momentum following beating Arsenal
  • West Ham United face Spurs in one of the midweek matches to watch.

Eleven games each remain to decide the 2015/16 Premier League title winners and the three teams that will face the relegation drop. And the games keep coming thick and fast!

Britwatch Football:

Liverpool vs Manchester City

Liverpool and Manchester City meet in another encounter, just 3 days after a brutal, war of attrition in London on Sunday Afternoon. Historically Liverpool have competed very well against Manuel Pellegrini‘s Blues. The last time Manchester City managed to claim a victory over Liverpool at Anfield, was as far back as the 2002/2003, which is remarkable given the strength in depth in the Manchester City squad rotation in recent memory.

Jurgen Klopp‘s Red Men will take a lot of heart from one of their stand-out performances of the season thus far in the reverse fixture, where Roberto Firmino shone in a 4-1 away victory at the Etihad Stadium. With that being said, Liverpool will be severely dented by their failure to pick up their first trophy under Klopp. A trophy that would have alleviated the pressure off Klopp in his promise to make Liverpool a club enriched with great results once again.

Neither side have additional injury concerns ahead of this mouth-watering league game, but with Liverpool now 9 points adrift from a Top 4 finish, it looks increasingly likely that some star names like Daniel Sturridge may be rested with the Europa League competition becoming increasingly prioritized. Sturridge played the full 120 minutes in the heartbreaking Capital One Cup loss on the weekend, in a rare occasion where he’s completed a full match for Liverpool this season.

Manchester United vs Watford

Watford have been one of the more remarkable outfits in the Premier League this season. Quique Sanchez Flores, a man that arrived with a reputation of delivering Europa League success at Atletico Madrid, has now delivered short term results at Watford. Louis Van Gaal will be considerably wary of the quality of an improving Watford side, especially when considering Manchester United’s failure to back up big results throughout the 2015/16 season. A further question mark over the Red Devils, is their ability to rise for the big occasion this season, but failing to invoke his team for the lesser teams in the Barclays Premier League.

Van Gaal will look to continue his belief in giving the youngsters a chance and provide Marcus Rashford his third consecutive start since he announced his name to football fans worldwide by scoring four goals in his first two Manchester United games.  Manchester United have injury concerns surrounding ten of their outfield players, including the fresh knock sustained by Marcos Rojo against Arsenal. While Watford could be without Jose Manuel Jurado, who’s facing a race to full fitness because of a calf injury.

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur

Two in form teams go head to head at Upton Park on Wednesday Night. Spurs arrive at West Ham winning 3 of their last four Premier League meetings, which includes wins over  Man City at the Etihad, Watford and most recently struggling Swansea City. West Ham are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions, as Slaven Bilic‘s side push for a Champions League place, in which they sit just 4 points off an historic finish to the season for West Ham United Football Club.

Tottenham Hotspur only have one long term absentee, in the shape of Jan Vertonghen, whereas West Ham will be without Enner Valencia, Joey O’Brien and Carl Jenkinson. One positive sign for West Ham in the build up to this game is that Diafro Sakho is approaching his return to first team football. One of West Ham’s better signings in recent memory.

Full Fixtures

Tuesday

19:45 Aston Villa vs Everton

19:45 Bournemouth vs Southampton

19:45 Leicester City vs West Bromwich Albion

19:45 Norwich City vs Chelsea

19:45 Sunderland vs Crystal Palace

Wednesday

19:45 Arsenal vs Swansea City

19:45 Stoke City vs Newcastle United

19:45 West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur

20:00 Liverpool vs Manchester City

20:00 Manchester United vs Watford