WebProNews

Tag: EPL

  • English Premier League: How Will The Season End?

    Manchester City FC won their away game over Everton FC and stormed to the top of the Premier League table. They are now level on games and points with former league leaders Liverpool FC. However, Manchester City boast a goal difference of nine goals. This means that should both teams win their next two games, it will be Man City crowned the league winners.

    Neither team can afford to blink as the English Premier League is set for a dramatic close.

    It’s not just a matter of drama at the top of the league; we will soon be finding out which third team is being relegated from the league altogether.

    Following Saturday’s games, we now know for certain that both Fulham FC and Cardiff FC are going down. Fulham only earned a total of 31 points out of 37 games and Cardiff 31 points.

    Because there is only one game left for both teams to play, the maximum points they will earn will not be enough to stay up in the Premier League.

    The matter of who will be joining them has not been decided yet. That could come Sunday when Norwich City FC travels to Chelsea FC and Sunderland AFC hosts West Bromwich Albion FC. Both Norwich and Sunderland are relegation threatened with the former occupying a space in the bottom three.

    Should Norwich lose Sunday to Chelsea, there is a strong chance they are going down, especially if Sunderland wins. However a Sunderland loss will set the stage for a dramatic final day of football.

    If Liverpool beats Crystal Palace FC while Manchester City drops points to Aston Villa FC, it could also make for a hugely dramatic final day.

    No doubt English Premier League fans are salivating at the potential for a dramatic close to what has been a remarkable season of football.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Arsenal FC falls to Everton FC: Position In Jeopardy

    Arsenal FC has developed an annual habit of imploding spectacularly. No matter how well they do in the first half of the football season, by the time the end draws near, their place in the top 4 is hanging by a thread.

    It is no doubt bitter for the Gunners this year, having spent a sizable chunk of the 2013-14 season as Premier League leaders.

    In the past, Arsenal has been able to rally at the last possible minute to squeak into the Champion’s League playoffs with a 4th place finish at worst.

    Unfortunately for Arsenal this season is not like past seasons; the league’s top four is truly the most competitive it’s been for a long time.

    Arsenal now finds itself in danger of being forced out of the top spaces by a Liverpool football renaissance. Liverpool FC is currently in a three horse race for the league title. Under new manager Roberto Martínez, the Everton squad seems poised to steal 4th from under the feet of a shaky Arsenal.

    With a crushing 3-0 defeat of the Gunners, it appears the Toffees have made their intent clear to all.

    Within the first couple of minutes of play, Arsenal found themselves under pressure courtesy of a Leon Osman near goal. It would prove an grim omen for the London visitors.

    Twelve minutes later, Steven Naismith found the back of the net for the home team. The goal came following a successful block from Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. Szczęsny did his best, but the ball went in anyway.

    It was in the 34th minute that the ever dangerous Romelu Lukaku scored with an assist from Kevin Mirallas.

    The Arsenal defense put on a shambolic performance and it was the same throughout the second half.

    Defender Mikel Arteta actually gifted Everton a third goal through an error with roughly thirty minutes left of regular time.

    There was no answer from Arsenal, whose thin squad lacks the bite necessary for any kind of comeback against truly feisty opposition. No doubt the clubs they have left to face are taking note.

    The 4th place London club had benefited from a four point gap prior to their trip to Goodison Park. Now Everton sits in 5th place and is just a single point behind. Arsenal has a good reason to be worried—The Liverpool team has a game in hand.

    This means that the Toffees can hop ahead of the Gunners thanks to playing an additional game. With a handful of games left to play, there is not much left for Arsenal to do in order to assure Champions League football next year. They are literally at the mercy of Everton.

    Arsenal simply cannot afford to surrender points at this stage of the season. A loss or draw could put the London club out of CL contention for the first time in fourteen years.

    Image via YouTube

  • Liverpool FC: Reds Go Top Of The Premier League

    And now you’re gonna believe us, we’re gonna win the league!

    The song rang out around Anfield during the game and long after. It was sung in pubs and living rooms. It was tweeted merrily and shared on various fan forums.

    Despite what the words suggest, it’s not so much about the opinion of non-Liverpool FC fans. Finally, for the first time in years, it is the Liverpool fanbase that believes the Reds have a chance. With six games left to play, this Liverpool team is no longer the dark horse who might have a chance.

    Going into the 2013-2014 season, it would have been enough for the Anfield faithful if the Reds somehow managed 4th place.

    No one was anticipating that Liverpool could very well have the title in their own hands at this point of the season.

    For the Spurs, it was an unwanted trip down memory lane.

    The London side hosted the Reds back in December and found themselves on the receiving end of a 0-5 thrashing. The embarrassing loss was considered the final straw that cost André Villas-Boas his managerial position. A 4-0 away loss to the same team is enough to suggests some things can’t be pinned on one man’s shoulders.

    Prior to the game current caretaker manager Tim Sherwood attempted to heap pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, insisting that the home team racing for the title would cause nerves.

    The suggestion was coolly deflected by Rodgers who replied that the team is hardly nervous. For Liverpool, this season has been about marching towards qualification for Champion’s League football. The league? An unintended bonus.

    This confident behavior was reflected by Rodger’s side from the opening minutes. Meanwhile, a spooked Younes Kaboul set the tone for a disappointing Spurs showing. Almost every effort by the visitors went high over the crossbar. Except for a couple of on-target strikes, Liverpool goal keeper Simon Mignolet didn’t have much to worry about.

    Following the sound defeat of this latest opponent, fans and non-fans alike are starting to speak of Liverpool as likely champions.

    However, it’s important not to get too far ahead of one’s self; this title race isn’t over until it’s over.

    Man City has two games in hand, six crucial points that could see them on top in a few weeks. And no matter how hard José Mourinho sulks in the press, Chelsea is anything but out down and out.

    These two tough opponents still have to make trips to Anfield, and either (or both) games could decide just who is going to win the league.

    For now, Liverpool fans aren’t too bothered. They believe in their team, and as their song says, others are going to believe now as well: Liverpool FC just might win the league.

    Image via YouTube

  • Why Liverpool F.C. Might Win The EPL League

    Liverpool FC closed out the 2012-2013 English Premier League season in seventh place. They earned 61 points. Rival Manchester United finished with 89 points and as league champions. The gulf between them was 28 points and a superior goal difference.

    Flash forward to March of 2014 and Liverpool sit on 62 points with nine games left to play. They have scored more goals than any other team in the EPL and only Manchester City has a better goal difference. Just three goals separate the two sides.

    Manchester City is the heir apparent to Manchester United’s newly abandoned throne and with three games in hand, they are still heavy favorites to take the league.

    No one is surprised by Man City’a present position, but LFC finds itself in a decidedly unexpected position: Genuine title challengers.

    Before the fan base gets too carried away, this simply means that they have a chance at this stage.

    A title is far from certain.

    Many are still banking on City to take it all, or perhaps Chelsea FC. Despite leading the league for much of the season and being level on points with the Reds, Arsenal FC seems to have somehow fallen out of the title race in the minds of many.

    One thing is for certain—it’s a close race and anything can happen between now and the final whistle on the last day of the season.

    What must Liverpool FC do to find themselves league winners on that last day?

    First, they must get as many points from their remaining games as possible. Considering Liverpool remains the only undefeated team since 2014 began, the odds are in their favor to extend this run late into the remainder of the season.

    Should Liverpool manage to win all of their remaining games, they would finish with 89 points. This was a number that was good enough for Manchester United to win the title last year, but this year it might not be the case.

    The rest of what the Reds need is frustratingly out of their hands: Other top 4 teams must drop points. Both Chelsea and Manchester City specifically.

    The good news is that both teams must come to Anfield in addition to other tough away fixtures. If results go Liverpool’s way, it could make the difference between winning the league and coming up just short.

    Given where Liverpool was just one year ago, to be in such a position is nothing short of miraculous.

    Image via Liverpool FC, Twitter

  • Chelsea Ends City’s Perfect Home League Record

    Before the EPL season began, most soccer pundits would have pegged Manchester City to carry home the title at the end of the year. Coming into Monday’s contest with Chelsea, City boasted a perfect 11-0 home league record and was looking to reclaim its position atop the league standings from rival Arsenal. Unfortunately for City, no one had told Chelsea any of this information.

    In somewhat surprising fashion, Chelsea was able to defeat Manchester City 1-0 Monday, ending City’s home winning streak and tying the standings in the EPL between the two teams. The winning goal came in the 31st minute, off the foot of Branislav Ivanovic from 25 yards out. While only 1 goal was scored by either team, Chelsea threatened on many more occasions, hitting the woodwork 3 additional times.

    The shutout by Chelsea marked the first time City had not scored a goal in a home match since November of 2010. Chelsea is only the second team to defeat City at their home field of Etihad all year, the other being European champions Bayern Munich.

    The victory for Chelsea adds new pressure to the EPL title race. With a victory on Monday, City would have been 6 points ahead of Chelsea and would have surpassed Arsenal for the top spot in the league. After suffering the loss, however, City and Chelsea are now tied in second place, with Arsenal sporting a 2 point margin over both clubs.

    When asked if the two victories over City this year proves his team is a title contender, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was more than humble: “The title race is between two horses and a little horse that needs milk and needs to learn how to jump. Maybe next season we can race.”

    Mourinho followed up his comments by explaining how he sees his team this year: “What we are doing this season is what Arsenal have been building to for years. It means nothing for us to come here and park the bus and win 1-0 in a lucky situation. The evolution is more important.”

    Mourinho did give a hint of optimism concerning his team’s title hopes, however, in saying that, “We can (win the title) if they (City) lose it.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSaOtlTwCtc

    While Chelsea celebrated the victory over the top team in the EPL, City brushed the loss off as a slight disappointment: “Chelsea played very well, but we had important players out missing. A lot of things like this affect the result, but even so, I don’t think we deserved to lose the game… It’s just three points. Now we have 42 more points to play for,” stated Manuel Pellegrini, manager of Manchester City.

    The title race may be heating up,but there is still quite some time until the end of the EPL season (May 11). City manager Pellegrini may feel as if the loss was not representative of the talents of each respective team, yet his teams two losses to Chelsea may prove costly in the end.

    Image via Twitter