Chelsea play host to Man United at Stamford Bridge
Two faltering Premier League giants under immense pressure and at risk of failing to achieve their respective European targets will lock horns on Thursday night, as Chelsea play host to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
The West Londoners will be seeking revenge against the Red Devils after they lost 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in December. Chelsea were dealt a fresh blow in their quest to secure European football for next season after they were pegged back twice to draw 2-2 at home to the 10 men of relegation-threatened Burnley last weekend.
Mauricio Pochettino admitted that his Chelsea side lacked ‘heart and head’ and were “missing something” in what he deemed a “must-win” match against Burnley. With just 11 victories on the board from 28 Premier League fixtures, the Blues are languishing in 11th place and sit four points behind the top seven, while they are eight points adrift of Thursday’s opponents Man United in sixth.
Defensive frailties have been a key contributor to Chelsea’s inconsistent campaign, with the Blues conceding exactly two goals across their last five games, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 11 matches across all competitions, shipping 22 goals in the process.
Back-to-back league fixtures against Chelsea and leaders Liverpool are up next for Man United, who travel to the capital on Thursday having won only one of their last nine top-flight away games against London-based opposition, losing four of their last six during this run. However, the Red Devils are unbeaten in their last five league visits to Stamford Bridge.
Although Man United may boast the psychological edge considering their recent record against Chelsea, there is little to separate these two under-performing and defensively vulnerable teams heading into Thursday’s showdown.
Neither side can afford to drop too many more points heading down the home straight, but considering five of the last seven top-flight meetings between the two clubs have ended all square, the points could be shared once again in a closely-fought contest this time around.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Valenciatravel away to face relegation-threatened Granada
Valencia will travel to the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes for a rescheduled La Liga fixture with relegation-threatened Granada.
Los Che will enter the contest in eighth position in the league table, while the Andalusian side are currently languishing in 19th spot. After failing to win any of their final nine games under Alexander Medina, Granada opted to have one last throw of the dice, replacing the 45-year-old with Jose Ramon Sandoval.
Sandoval has previous experience of pulling off a great escape at Granada, collecting 10 points in the final four games of the 2014-15 season to help the club preserve their top-flight status
However, his hopes of masterminding another unlikely survival bid have already taken a significant setback, after he began his second tenure with a narrow 1-0 defeat with relegation rivals Cadiz.
As a result of that disappointing result, Granada have now lost four consecutive games, extending their winless run to 10 La Liga matches.
Granada may find it tough to secure all three points on Thursday, having failed to win any of their last four meetings with Valencia.
Despite sitting eight points adrift of the top six, Valencia could still have a realistic chance of securing European qualification if Athletic Club beat Mallorca in Saturday’s Copa del Rey final.
An Athletic victory would likely open up seventh spot as a Europa Conference League spot, and such a scenario would certainly interest a Valencia side that are sitting just one point adrift of the top seven.
Valencia may have experienced a dip in form in recent weeks, but we still believe that they will have enough quality to beat a Granada side that are low on confidence following a 10-game winless run.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Trabzonspor ordered to play 6 games behind closed doors after fan violence
Trabzonspor have been ordered to play six games behind closed doors after violence broke out following last month’s Turkish Super Lig defeat by Fenerbahce.
Fans ran on to the pitch and attacked Fenerbahce players and security forces at Papara Park in Trabzon.
Fenerbahce players Jayden Oosterwolde and Irfan Can Egribayat were given one-game bans for fighting with rival fans.
Trabzonspor have also been fined 3m Turkish lira (£75,000).
Egemen Korkmaz, Trabzonspor’s coach, has been banned from the dressing room and bench for one match for fighting with a rival player.
Fenerbahce’s Nigeria winger Bright Osayi-Samuel, who was seen knocking one pitch invader to the ground, was not sanctioned.
The punishments were decided following a meeting of the Turkish Football Federation’s disciplinary council.
On Tuesday, Fenerbahce members voted against a proposal to withdraw from the Turkish Super Lig in response to the violence.
In the match at Trabzonspor, tensions started to rise in the 87th minute when objects were thrown on to the field after Michy Batshuayi scored what proved to be the winner for the visitors.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the incidents were “absolutely unacceptable”.
The Turkish Football Federation called the events “unacceptable” and said in a statement that “the necessary criminal sanctions will be imposed on those responsible for these incidents”.
Fenerbahce are second in Super Lig after 30 games – two points behind leaders Galatasaray – and are scheduled to host Adana Demirspor on Wednesday.
Credit: bbc.com
