EPL Monday Week 32; LIVERPOOL VS NEWCASTLE

LIVERPOOL LOOKING TO CLOSE IN ON MANCHESTER CITY

The Reds tackle Newcastle at Anfield tonight knowing a win takes them within four points of City and renewed hope for Champions League football next season. These are two sides licking their wounds at the moment, Liverpool having lost to both United and Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways. For Newcastle, it's one win in the last five games, and defeat in the derby to Sunderland left a deep scar to fans and players alike of Newcastle United.

Newcastle edged out the reverse fixture back in November 1-0 and the black and white army will be hoping for a repeat result tonight. Newcastle now just sit nine points adrift of safety with seven matches left to play after four losses on the bounce.

The Reds head into this game on bad form, but will be hungry than ever due to City's slip up once again on Sunday. Liverpool fans will be knowing only three points will revitalize their chances of finishing fourth at most, as second or third spot look to be out of their reach this season.

Liverpool will be without French international Mamadou Sakho who limped off against Blackburn in the FA cup quarter final replay. Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard serve their final match of their three games suspension and Adam Lallana has a groin problem. Rodgers will be delighted to welcome back Jordan Ibe to the line up as well as Emre Can who returns from suspension. Daniel Sturridge should be fit after complaining of muscle tightness while Mario Balotelli may well have recovered from illness.

Newcastle captain Fabriccio Coloccini and stiker Papiss Cisse are suspended while Rolando Aarons and Siem De Jong are back in training but will not make if for this fixture. Long term absentees Cheick Tiote and Steven Taylor are still out.


Probable Line ups;

Liverpool (3-4-2-1)
Mignolet; Can, Lovren, Toure; Markovic, Henderson, Allen, Moreno; Coutinho, Sterling; Sturridge.

Newcastle (4-2-3-1)
Krul; Taylor, Janmaat, Williamson, Jonas; Colback, Sissokho; Gouffran, Cabella, Ameobi; Perez.


Key Players

Philipe Coutinho - With six goals in all competitions, the little Brazilian will be the man to watch. He netted the winner vs Blackburn that sent Liverpool to Wembley for a FA cup semi-final clash vs Aston Villa.

Moussa Sissokho - Tall, energetic, powerful, pacey and a wonderful striker of the ball. This guy has it all. One of the best attacking midfielders when running at the defense, probably on Yaya Toure betters him. If he's on his game, Henderson and Allen will have a long night. He is the key to Newcastle getting anything out of this.

Prediction; Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle

Newcastle just look out of sorts at the moment and with nothing really to play for, while Liverpool know only victory will have them dreaming of Champions League football again.

EPL Week 31 Sunday Preview

TYNE-WEAR DERBY AND SPURS HARRY-KANE VISIT TURF MOOR

One of the most gruesome derbies in English football takes center stage today as arch-rivals Sunderland and Newcastle go head to head. Elsewhere, Pocchetino takes his Harry-Kane Spurs side to Turf Moor to battle relegation threatened Burnley.

BURNLEY VS TOTTENHAM

The Clarets just sit a point of safety welcome a side who have their eyes on a top 4 finish. Burnley have had a tough run thus far having played six teams from the top half of the table, make it seven after today's game and eight when Spurs London neighbors Arsenal visit Turf Moor next weekend. The Clarets will be in high hopes as both Manchester clubs have failed to leave Turf Moor with 3 points this season, United drawing while City lost not too long ago.

Spurs of course bring something different in the form of Harry Kane, the leagues most in form player at the moment. Aside from the defeat at Old Trafford where Kane was a mere spectator, he has been banging in the goals from all angles, a hat-trick against Leicester in their last outing and how about scoring 79 seconds into your international debut?! A victory for Spurs will see them move into 5th place.

Spurs will be without goalkeeper Hugo Lloris who is suffering from a leg injury and Roberto Soldado. Stephen Ward returns for Burnley but Matt Taylor is still unavailable.

Prediction; Burnley 1-2 Tottenham

Burnley will put in a good effort but Harry Kane is on the form of his life and we all expecting him to notch up the winning goal.

SUNDERLAND VS NEWCASTLE

 

The Stadium of Light is the venue for the Tyne-Wear derby, Sunderland host the fiercest rivals Newcastle with new manager Dick Advocaat looking to continue The Black Cats impressive run of results against Newcastle. Sunderland are unbeaten in the last six meetings against the Toons, winning the last four games conceding only once in the process.

Newcastle will be hoping to get one over their rivals but will have to do it without the services of Fabricio Coloccini and Papiss Cisse who are both suspended but Mehdi Abeid returns from a thigh injury. The only absentee for The Black Cats is experienced defender Wes Brown, Lee Cattermole returns from suspension.

Prediction; Sunderland 2-1 Newcastle

Newcastle really have nothing to play for but pride and bragging rights. They sit 10 points off the relegation zone and 9 from their opponents. Sunderland are desperate for a victory to give them a bit of breathing space from the three bottom clubs. With more at stake for Sunderland, I see them continuing their impressive run against Newcastle. It won't be easy but they'll just edge it out.