This week’s second half of the midwinter break fixtures in the Premier League see some fantastic fixtures, all of which look set to go ahead, as opposed to last week’s postponement of Manchester City vs. West Ham United.
Southampton and Burnley play out what should turn out to be a dead rubber by the end of the season, and Liverpool will likely canter to yet another victory at Carrow Road as the already-doomed Norwich City attempt the greatest escape since Steve McQueen took off on his motorbike. Aston Villa host Tottenham Hotspur in a game that is important for both relegation and Champions League place reasons. Those matches are, however, unlikely, to yield many shocks, but the three we’re previewing in detail very well might.
Wolves vs. Leicester (Friday 14th February, 8:00 pm GMT kick-off)
With these players having returned from their midwinter break, Friday’s night fayre is unlikely to get better than this game all season. We’re not joking – this could be one of the games of the Premier League season. It’s all set up for a classic.
The two Midlands sides are flying high, with Leicester City going into the game in third place and Wolves kicking off in ninth, just four points off Sheffield United in fifth. Wolves have Adama Traore, Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez. Leicester go into battle with James Maddison and Harvey Barnes loading the bullets for Jamie Vardy. The attacking talent on show is frightening.
By contrast, both defences don’t look as bulletproof as they did earlier in the season. The Foxes haven’t looked the same since Liverpool humbled them at home while Wolves can only cling onto the odd clean sheet with their side at full stretch, in European competition this season as well as Premier League action.
A score prediction seems impossible, but over 4.5 goals could be a possibility, it’s just knowing which way it could go that might need a crystal ball. Last January saw the corresponding fixture provide a seven-goal thriller:
Arsenal vs. Newcastle (Sunday 16th February, 4:30 pm GMT kick-off)
Nine years ago this week, the greatest comeback in Premier League history took place between Newcastle and Arsenal. It was at St. James’ Park and Arsenal, who were 4-0 up at half-time, threw it all away as the late Cheik Tiote scored what is still one of the most exhilarating goals the Premier League has ever seen.
This year’s clash is very unlikely to be as dramatic for the main reason that the players on either side don’t look capable of the same heroics. But, looking closer, some of those in 2011’s vintage weren’t much better. Sean Longstaff is a better player than Joey Barton was. Martin Dubravka and Bernt Leno are both better goalkeepers than were on show nine years ago.
We still like the draw after all these years, purely down to the guts and determination that Steve Bruce’s side have shown in recent weeks. While Mikel Arteta has hardly got off to a roaring start as The Gunners’ new boss, Steve Bruce has, arguably excelled. Taking over from Rafa Benitez wasn’t easy, and he’s done better with a squad that has been ravaged by injuries.
Chelsea vs. Man Utd (Monday 17th February, 8:00 pm GMT kick-off)
A repeat of the first fixture of the season, Manchester United will be hoping that they can replicate the incredible score in the league opener:
It wasn’t just in the Premier League that Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer’s side got the better of their West London rivals, either. Marcus Rashford’s winner in their Carabao Cup meeting was something to behold:
It’s not going to be so easy for United at Stamford Bridge, a ground that holds both magical memories (who can forget Chicarito and Fernando Torres’ involvement in a previous classic) and horrific flashbacks, but if they can get the first goal, then the pressure will be on Frank Lampard’s side. They don’t have the best home record and with each side having lost eight Premier League games already this season, both might, in the end, be happy with a point apiece.
