Premier League Notebook Heading into Week 17
All season Liverpool have been bemoaning the star player that left them in the summer. On Sunday, they may also end up pining after another player, one who didn't arrive.
So far Liverpool's season has been defined by who hasn't been there—Luis Suarez and, a lot of the time, Daniel Sturridge—rather than who has. That is rarely a good situation for any club to be in, and the disappointing early season results have led to growing pressure on Brendan Rodgers, the first real pressure the Northern Irishman has had to deal with since emerging on the other side of an inconsistent first campaign at the club.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
It seems safe to say the scrutiny is starting to weigh heavily on Rodgers, judging by his Friday press conference—which lasted less than five minutes and generally involved only curt, begrudging answers. Rodgers may feel that he has endured an unfair time of it in the press in recent weeks, as some start speculating wildly about his continuing employment, but only winning games will change that.
Sunday will see Liverpool come up against Alexis Sanchez, a player who the Reds chased in the summer, seeing him as one of the rare attainable potential replacements for the Barcelona-bound Suarez. So far, the Chilean has proved that comparison not to be too far off—the two share a curious number of similarities, although Suarez is perhaps the more clinical in front of goal—and the Reds doubtless regret missing out on him.
"He is a world-class player," Rodgers acknowledged, per The Telegraph, although the line of questioning did not amuse him. "He was identified as somebody who could come here and be perfect for us. He is a brilliant footballer with outstanding quality and a great work rate."
Arsene Wenger acknowledged that Liverpool had been in the race for Sanchez, suggesting that such competing interest is inevitable when the player in question is of undoubted quality.
"We were interested in Luis Suarez last year and he scored 40 goals for Liverpool," Wenger said at his pre-match press conference, via Sky Sports. "That's part of the competition.
"I think at the end of the day every great player has a choice to make. He chose us and we're very happy for that. I don't know why he has chosen us over anyone else but we're very happy that he has done that."
When asked to expand on that, Wenger highlighted the importance of the Champions League, and playing in the competition on a consistent basis. Arsenal may never go particularly deep in the competition (not in recent seasons at least), but at least they are always in it—unlike Liverpool.
"I just tried, like every manager, to convince the player that you can help him to develop the quality of his game, that the way we play football would suit him and that’s why I think he has chosen us in the end," Wenger said.
"As well, we have continuity. All the player wants to do is play in the Champions League—it is quite simple. We have quite a good continuity on that front."
Sanchez has been a real bright spot for Arsenal so far, regardless of some of the imbalances and issues elsewhere within the squad. The Chilean has nine goals and five assists in 15 games to date, almost a Suarez-esque rate of return. How Liverpool would crave that sort of attacking contribution this season (instead, they have Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli).
Neither side enters the game as the finished article, far from it in many ways. But it's not too much of an exaggeration to suggest that the reason Arsenal arrive at Anfield entering the game sixth in the table, two points off the Champions League spots and not five points worse off in 11th (as Liverpool currently reside) is a result of Sanchez's tireless effort.
Five points is not exactly that much, however. If Liverpool win on Sunday, that gap is reduced to just two—suddenly getting back into the Champions League, as Rodgers expressed his determination to do following this season's European elimination against Basel, would once again be a viable ambition.
Lose, of course, and suddenly Liverpool will be well adrift of both the Gunners and Manchester United, the two presumed favourites to join Chelsea and Manchester City in the top four come the final standings. If it is Sanchez who delivers the defeat, that will be an additional bitter pill to swallow.
Week 17 Fixtures
All games 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET) unless otherwise stated.
Saturday
Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace (12:45 p.m.)
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United
Hull City vs. Swansea City
Queens Park Rangers vs. West Bromwich Albion
Southampton vs. Everton
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Burnley
West Ham United vs. Leicester City
Sunday
Newcastle United vs. Sunderland (1.30 p.m.)
Liverpool vs. Arsenal (4 p.m.)
Monday
Stoke City vs. Chelsea (8 p.m.)
1. What to watch out for this week
White Hart Lane sees form sides collide
Burnley currently sit fourth in the Premier League form table, taking 11 points from a possible 18 in their last six games—an impressive run that has coincided with the reintroduction of Ashley Barnes (everybody's favourite former Austria under-20 international) to the first team. The results have seen Burnley entertain renewed thoughts of surviving this season, although travelling to Tottenham Hotspur may give the Clarets a bit of a pre-Christmas reality check.
Spurs have hardly been impressive in recent weeks (and months), but they delivered a valuable away victory at Swansea City last weekend and, in midweek, Mauricio Pochettino sounded like a man who thought his side had turned a corner following the 4-0 triumph against Newcastle United in the Capital One Cup.
Pochettino said in his pre-match press conference, via Sky Sports:
"Every game you need to win, more here, at Tottenham. In our mind is to get three points, but we have full respect for our opponent.
It's important to keep the level of performance that we had on Wednesday and to go ready to compete.
...
When you create this relationship between the supporters and the team, after that comes only good things. The energy is positive after a victory like Wednesday.
"
As Burnley look to move themselves away from the relegation zone, so Spurs are starting to contemplate how quickly they can play themselves into the battle for the top four. If they are to do that, then winning a home game against Burnley is almost a requirement.
Pressure growing on QPR to keep performing at home
After losing at Goodison Park on Monday to extend their record in away matches this season to eight defeats in eight games, Queens Park Rangers return to Loftus Road with their home form becoming almost unbearably vital to their hopes of Premier League survival.
That cannot continue forever (especially as home games with Leicester City and Burnley have already been successfully negotiated)—at some point the away form will surely have to yield a few points if Harry Redknapp's side are not to be weighed down too heavily to cope.
In the meantime, however, Loftus Road needs to continue to be a happy hunting ground. West Bromwich Albion are another side in and around the relegation battle that QPR would benefit hugely from beating: With Redknapp doubtless eyeing up a few transfer dealings in January, the more points his side have on the board the better his chances of persuading his owner to loosen the purse strings.
Chamakh absence has Palace stumbling into 2015
Positioned precariously above the relegation zone, the hamstring injury suffered by Marouane Chamakh does not come at an ideal time for Crystal Palace. It is instructive that, while Neil Warnock has juggled Fraizer Campbell and Dwight Gayle in a bid to find one player capable of finishing a chance, Chamakh has remained virtually an ever-present in the Eagles' lineup.
The Morocco international is hardly a prolific goalscorer himself, but his physical presence, hold-up play and general work rate for the side cannot be overlooked. As much praise as the likes of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha have attracted in recent times, it is often Chamakh's dirty work that affords those skill players the time and space to make an impression.
With Chamakh out until January, his influence might become fully evident. Other Palace attackers will have to redouble their efforts, otherwise Palace might find themselves dragged down into the bottom three—and perhaps forced into panic-buying in January in a bid to preserve their top-flight status.
2. Video of the week
3. Player to watch
Jack Colback
It's rare for either Sunderland or Newcastle United to be involved in perhaps the most exciting game of the weekend, especially if they are not playing one of the best sides in the division. The north-east derby is the exception that proves the rule, however—one of the most passionate games of the season that almost guarantees an exciting contest.
For Jack Colback, this weekend's game should be particularly memorable. A Sunderland player until the summer, the midfielder made the frowned-upon move to Newcastle on a free transfer in the summer. Since then, he has excelled at the heart of Alan Pardew's midfield, earning England recognition—a call-up to Roy Hodgson's squad, at least—in the process.
Facing his old team at St James' Park will afford him a certain protection (the trip to the Stadium of Light might not be too enjoyable), but it remains certain to be a new experience for Colback. He cannot afford to let that affect his performance level, however; alongside Moussa Sissoko, he is integral to Newcastle's hopes of getting a positive results.
Ahead of the derby, Newcastle boss Pardew said, per the Shields Gazette:
"Jack Colback’s been fantastic since he’s been here. His conduct has been impeccable and I’m looking forward to seeing him play.
It’s a great occasion and the best players respond to that. It’s the sort of atmosphere you want to play in.
...
I hope we can put on a show which is fitting of the occasion, that the best team wins and the fans conduct themselves with class.
"
4. Game of the weekend
Stoke City vs. Chelsea
Really, this is a weekend bookended by the two biggest games in the context of the title race. Manchester City kick things off, facing Crystal Palace at home early on Saturday, and Chelsea finish it, as they travel to Stoke City.
Three points behind the Blues, City can (temporarily) leap to the top of the table with a four-goal win this weekend. Their record against Crystal Palace is very good, although both games last season were very tight.
Winning by four goals seems an optimistic ambition, especially considering Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic have all been ruled out of the game, per Goal.
Nevertheless, the odds would suggest that Chelsea will kick off their game at Stoke on Monday evening having been caught at the top of the table for what feels like the first time all season.
When Stoke first arrived in the Premier League the Britannia Stadium was considered something of a fortress, although in recent seasons that has no longer proven to be the case (if anything, Mark Hughes' side have been more impressive away from home this season). Nevertheless Chelsea will be respectful of Stoke's threat, aware that it will not be an easy win.
“We started the season on the same points as them so if tomorrow we have the same points as them, then that’s fine,” Mourinho said on Friday, per the Express. “It’s normal. Every game is three points, every game is important.
“Everybody has to play these four matches in a short period of time so everybody is in the same circumstances."
Mourinho may be acting unconcerned, but this feels like another of those points in the Premier League season where momentum can really start to shift. If City can win, they will apply real pressure to Chelsea and could move into the thick of the festive period with the momentum on their side.
Lose, however, and by the time they next come to play they could be nine points off the top spot (Chelsea play before them on Boxing Day). This weekend seems an obvious potential turning point for both sides.
