Manchester City welcome West Ham to the Etihad Stadium
Seeking to take advantage of one of their precious games in hand, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City welcome West Ham United to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland now has 34 Premier League goals to his name and is just one goal away from breaking the all-time scoring record for a single season in the division which is currently held by both Andy Cole and Alan Shearer (34).
Pep Guardiola‘s side have been unstoppable of late on all fronts, particularly in the Premier League, although defensive frailties have been evident in the last few months having kept only two clean sheets in their last 12 top-flight matches.
Nevertheless, Man City’s exceptional form in front of goal has helped them to outscore opponents on a consistent basis and they will be confident of securing another three points on Wednesday versus a West Ham side against whom they are unbeaten in 14 top-flight matches.
While the Premier League has built a reputation for its unpredictability, West Ham will fancy their chances of finding the net and causing a few problems on the break, but they will likely struggle to keep a rampant Citizens attack quiet at the other end at the Etihad Stadium.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Liverpool to extend their Premier League winning streak
Looking to extend their Premier League winning streak to five matches, Liverpool welcome Fulham to Anfield for a midweek encounter on Wednesday.
The Reds still have a seven-point gap to make up to Manchester United having played a game more, so Klopp was unsurprisingly still pessimistic about his side’s fleeting hopes of Champions League qualification, especially with his side now conceding at least once in each of their last five matches. Liverpool’s domestic unbeaten run at Anfield now stands at nine matches ahead of the visit of a dejected Fulham crop.
Despite the absence of creator-in-chief Pereira, Fulham can still trouble a leaky and fatigued Liverpool backline, but their own deficiencies at the other end of the field should contribute to their downfall here. The Reds have hardly made their wins over West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Spurs comfortable for their supporters, but with a near fully-fit attack firing on all cylinders, a fifth successive win awaits the top-four outsiders. Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Atletico Madrid, Cadiz lock horns at the Wanda Metropolitano
Off the back of eye-catching victories at the weekend, Atletico Madrid and Cadiz prepare to lock horns in Wednesday’s La Liga affair at the Wanda Metropolitano.
With a 13-point lead over fifth-placed Villarreal, Los Rojiblancos could seal Champions League qualification with a win on Wednesday night if other results go their way, and the hosts’ recent exploits at home suggest that Simeone’s side can do their part to seal an early top-four finish.
Indeed, Atletico have won each of their last six La Liga home matches and have only been beaten once in their last 15 in all tournaments at the Wanda Metropolitano – which came against runaway leaders Barcelona – but a six-game run without a clean sheet may offer Cadiz a slice of hope.
Atletico may have lost their defensive nous a tad in recent weeks, but Simeone’s side have more than made up for it in the final third and have been a winning machine in front of their own fans.
While Cadiz have held their own on the road over the past couple of months, their raft of injury concerns and trio of fresh suspensions means that Wednesday’s trip to the capital should not be a memorable one.
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AC Milan host Afena Gyan’s Cremonese
After picking up a solitary point in their most recent Serie A outings, AC Milan and Cremonese will be looking to return to winning ways when they face off at San Siro on Wednesday night.
While the hosts are battling for Champions League qualification, the visitors need nothing short of a miracle to avoid relegation from the top flight.
Milan are now preparing for three successive home matches to begin the month of May, with back-to-back Serie A home encounters with Cremonese and Lazio followed by the first leg of the Champions League semi-final with bitter rivals Inter in a weeks’ time.
The Rossoneri have put together a seven-game unbeaten run at San Siro, keeping six clean sheets in the process, and they will be hoping to have more joy in front of their own fans on Wednesday against a Cremonese side whom they thrashed 7-1 in their last top-flight home meeting back in May 1996.
Cremonese are running out of games to pull off a miraculous revival and they know that anything but a win on Wednesday will put them on the brink of relegation.However, success at San Siro will be a tall order for the visitors.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Juventus aim to end five-game winless streak against Lecce
Facing opponents still to secure Serie A safety, Juventus aim to end a five-game winless streak when they welcome Lecce to Turin on Wednesday.
While third-placed Juve stumbled again in Sunday’s draw with Bologna, their visitors from down south recorded a vital win at Via del Mare last time out, to move four points clear of the drop zone.
Out of the Coppa, and with the Europa League their last hope of salvaging some silverware from a tumultuous campaign, Juve’s main aim is now to retain a top-four place in Serie A, but their recent travails mean that even seventh-placed Atalanta have drawn within five points with six games remaining.
Though Juventus lost their defensive solidity in April, they can start a new month by shutting out goal-shy Lecce and getting back on the winning trail. It might not make pleasant viewing, but Max Allegri’s men will grind out victory to stay one step ahead of their rivals in the top-four race.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
