LEICESTER vs STOKE CITY
Last five forms
WLDLW. DLDWL
Facts and Stats between the two teams
Preview
Eighth-placed Leicester and 19th-placed Stoke are set to kick off round 28 of the Premier League at the King Power Stadium. Both teams have failed to win in their last three matches and with two points to safe ground, Stoke will be desperate to steal any points here.
Claude Puel’s boys took a hell of a beating in their last 5-1 away loss to Man City. “It is tough for us to concede five goals. It was a big disappointment”, Puel said post-match. However, the Foxes got a needed boost of spirit after advancing to the FA Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Sheffield Utd last week.
King Power Stadium is not a happy place for the Potters. In their last two visits here they’ve failed to score and conceded a total of five goals (2-0, 3-0). Furthermore, Stoke have not won against Leicester in five attempts (D3, L2).
With five points out of nine in their last three games at home, Stoke now need to turn their away form around. Winless since October, the Potters have lost six of their last eight in the league, conceding 21 goals in the process.
Players to watch: Leicester’s main man Jamie Vardy has been in fine scoring form lately, scoring in his last five starts for the Foxes.
Xherdan Shaqiri is Stoke’s top scorer and has found the net in the last two PL rounds. Can he make it three?
Stat attack: The Potters have the leakiest defence in the league conceding 53 goals in 27 games (1.96 on average).
Stoke have only managed one meagre win away from home this season, losing nine times out of 13! Their six away points is a PL low.
Fifty-six percent of Leicester’s games and 63% of Stoke’s games have ended with more than 2.5 goals.
Will not play
BOURNEMOUTH. Vs NEWCASTLE UTD
Last five forms between the two teams
LWWDL WDDLL
Facts and stats
Preview
Two teams aiming for mid-table comforts go head to head at Vitality Stadium. Going into this round in tenth (Bournemouth) and 13th (Newcastle), both teams are under six points away from the relegation zone.
Both teams have enjoyed some positive results lately, and Newcastle especially got a boost after their impressive 1-0 win against Manchester United in the last round.
Man of the match from that game, Jonjo Shelvey has the recipe for the rest of the season: “We fought like dogs…and thoroughly deserved three points. We just have to back that performance up with one at Bournemouth”.
Bournemouth got thrashed 4-1 away at Huddersfield last round, but nonetheless have three wins from their last five with Arsenal and Chelsea among the teams that have been beaten. At the Vitality Stadium, they’ve recorded three wins in a row!
This will be only the fourth competitive meeting between the clubs, with all three previous games ending in an away win.
Players to watch: Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson is the club’s top scorer with seven goals this season and he’s scored four in the last eight PL matches.
Spanish striker Joselu is the top scorer in the PL for Newcastle with four goals, but he has yet to score away from home this season. Can the first come here?
Stat attack: Nine of Bournemouth's last ten PL games have ended over 2.5 goals. Sixty-two percent of their total PL matches (17/27) have ended over 2.5 goals this season.
Twelve of Newcastle's 27 PL matches have ended under 1.5 goals - almost double the PL average of 7.6.
Giving up? Both teams have been losing at half time in eight matches this season, and have only managed to rescue at least one point on one occasion each.
Will not play
Facts and stats
The Swans fly down from Wales to face the Seagulls on the South coast of England for a Premier League (PL) relegation battle. The reverse fixture saw Brighton’s veteran striker Glenn Murray grab all three points with the only goal of the game.
The relegation fight is far more entertaining than at the top of the PL. Brighton, Swansea and three other clubs could still drop into 18th depending on results, and if 18th-placed Southampton manage to win against Burnley.
After round 28 last season, Swansea had 27 points and were in the same 16th position as they are now. Can they take all three points and improve on their record or will fans be gripping their seats until the end of the season?
Brighton manager Chris Hughton had praise for Swansea’s coach ahead of the clash, and stated: "He is a very good manager [Carlos Carvalhal], we know him well from our exploits in the Championship. He is a very experienced manager and at the moment he is getting the best out of them”.
Players to Watch: Reliable 34-year-old Glenn Murray (BRI) was rested from the recent FA Cup clash against Coventry, so will be hungry to score after scoring three goals in his last four games.
Swansea’s top scorer with five goals and two assists, Jordan Ayew, was also rested in their FA Cup draw. Already better than his tally from last year (one goal!), can he reach double figures this time around?
Stat attack: Brighton have lost one game to Swansea at home in their last four head-to-head fixtures and have a record of: W2, D1, L1. The four fixtures featured nine goals - an average of 2.3 goals per game.
On their travels, Swansea have drawn their last five games in all competitions. Three of the five games were 1-1 draws and an average of 1.2 goals were scored across the fixtures.
Swansea have the worst scoring record in the PL, scoring 20 goals in 27 games and are not helped by also having the lowest average of 8.4 shots per game.
Brighton have conceded 16 goals from set-piece situations and have given away three penalties.
Will
BURNEY(LDDLL) Vs SOUTHAMPTON(WLWDW)
Facts and stats
Preview
Two teams in bleak form go head to head in the 28th round of the Premier League (PL). Thanks to an early impressive run of results, Burnley still hold seventh place going into this round, but have taken just five points from their last ten matches - the worst form in the league!
Southampton, on their part, have no such early season successes to rest on, and despite losing just one of the last five, enter this round in the relegation zone. Struggling to score goals all season, they now travel to Turf Moor where PL goals are few and far between.
In fact, only 19 goals have been scored here all season - or 1.5 on average per match. That is by some margin the lowest tally in the league. It has, however, served Burnley well as they’ve kept a clean sheet in six home games already.
After ten PL games without a win, Burnley's Sam Vokes, returning from training camp in Portugal, is ready to turn things around: “I think getting away for a week was a chance to recharge our batteries and now is the time to come back with two important home games and pick up some results.”
Players to watch: Burnley striker Ashley Barnes is one of the few fit attacking players at Burnley, and will hope to add to his three PL goals.
Midfielder James Ward-Prowse has scored three goals in his last five PL games. Can he produce the goods again for Southampton in this clash?
Stat attack: Burnley have kept a clean sheet in six of eight home games against teams from the bottom half.
With 78% (Burnley) and 59% (Southampton) of matches ending under 2.5 goals, it would be somewhat of a surprise to see a goalfest here. Just two Burnley home matches have ended over 2.5 goals thus far.
In eight of Southampton's 11 defeats this season, they’ve been behind already at half-time
LIVERPOOL(WWDWL) vs WESTHAM(WLDLD)
Preview
David Moyes has never guided any team under his command to a win at Anfield. Today is his 15th attempt, as his West Ham side prepares for a backs-to-the-wall defensive job against a mighty attacking trio that recently scored a 5-0 win at Porto in the Champions League.
If Liverpool can emulate their Porto heroics today, it will be the first time ever that the Reds have scored four or more goals against the Hammers in three successive meetings. The reverse encounter saw Liverpool run out 4-1 winners in London.
Despite having a great overall Premier League (PL) record against West Ham, January 2015 is the last time Liverpool tasted a home victory over West Ham. This is the club’s longest run without a home win over West Ham since May 1977.
Though West Ham’s chances of victory appear remote, the East End club lies second in the away form table, with eight points from five games. Moyes’ men have also scored the highest number of away goals over that same period of time.
The current top six is the same top six in the home form table (in a different order), but Liverpool are the only team in that elite group to drop home points after leading at half-time. So far, four points have been squandered in such a way.
Players to watch: The Reds’ ‘bargain buy’ Mo Salah could once more become the league’s leading goalscorer, provided he nets a brace today.
In the visitors’ dressing room, Manuel Lanzini has backed teammate Marko Arnautovic to deliver on his return from injury. Lanzini said: “It’s great that Marko is back now. He is a very good player and we need him.”
Stat attack: West Ham are without a clean sheet against Liverpool in four meetings.
Liverpool have scored first in their last five matches. By contrast, West Ham have conceded first in four out of the last five.
WESTBROM(LLLLW) Vs HUDERSFIELD(LWWLL)
Preview
Two teams who look entrenched in the battle for survival in the Premier League (PL) go head to head at the Hawthorns on matchday 28.
Huddersfield won 4-1 against Bournemouth in the last PL round, stopping a run of five straight defeats. It’s nevertheless been some difficult months for ‘the Terriers’ who after a bright start in PL now reside just a point above the relegation zone.
Even worse off, however, are West Brom. Three losses in a row and counting now for ‘the Baggies’, who from the bottom of the league have had to see the teams in front of them pull away. Seven points separate them from a safe spot, so this match is a must-win.
Whether they can win this one though is hard to say, as just one of the last 12 matches have been won at the Hawthorns (W1, D7, L4). Although three of the four defeats have been against current top four sides, by far too many matches have been drawn.
Players to watch: Although not exactly bursting with goals, Salomón Rondón is tied top scorer for West Brom on four PL goals, and the big striker has found the net in the last two home matches (PL + FA Cup).
Steve Mounie scored in the last PL round, and is tied top scorer for Huddersfield with five PL goals.
Stat attack: West Brom's seven draws at home is the current highest in the PL, and they’ve managed just two wins here all season.
Huddersfield have lost nine of 13 away matches so far - all nine have been lost with a two goal margin (or bigger). They’ve only managed to find the net in three away matches.
Got stamina? When drawing at half-time, no team ends up losing more often than Huddersfield (seven times) - in
With both sides relatively safe in mid-table, and with nothing to play for, fans of both clubs can only hope that this match is anywhere near as entertaining as the reverse fixture. Back in November, Everton battled from 2-0 down to beat Watford 3-2, with the Hertfordshire club missing a penalty in the dying minutes.
Curiously, these two sides met exactly 11 years ago to the date of this match. On that occasion, it was an extremely one-sided affair, with Everton comfortably winning 3-0 en-route to Europa League qualification. Watford, meanwhile, were in last place and were later relegated.
Historically, Everton hold all the cards. The Merseysiders have won 19 games out of a possible 25 against Watford, and have already done the double over them twice in the Premier League (PL) era.
That noted, Watford’s third-stint in the PL has brought better fortunes against Everton. After holding them to a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road in April 2016, Watford got their first PL win over Everton in last season’s corresponding fixture – in fact their first in any competition since March 1987.
Everton’s away form is simply dreadful. The Toffees have won just one away match in the last 398 days. That is a new record – prior to this season, just one away win in 390 days was Everton’s unwanted record.
Players to watch: One of very few players NOT on the treatment table, Abdoulaye Doucoure is Watford’s top goalscorer, and also provides dynamism in the midfield area.
For Everton, Oumar Niasse was back amongst the goals in his last outing as Everton dispatched Crystal Palace on February 10. His pace and work-rate never fails to unsettle opponents.
Stat attack: Expect goals – seven of the last nine meetings between these sides have produced more than 2.5 goals.
Both teams should score! Watford have gone nine games against Everton without a clean sheet. Meanwhile, Everton are without a clean sheet in eight games across all competion.
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