Barclays Premier League Weekend Review Part Two: Manager Comments, Team News, Stats, and Predictions.
By Marc Gingell
29th March 2019
Part Two Fixtures
| 30.03. 15:00 | Selhurst Park | Crystal Palace | v | Huddersfield | REF: L Probert |
| 30.03. 15:00 | King Power Stadium | Leicester | v | Bournemouth | REF: L Mason |
| 30.03. 15:00 | Old Trafford | Man Utd | v | Watford | REF: S Attwell |
Crystal Palace (14) v Huddersfield (20)
Crystal Palace have scored 11 goals at home this season in 15 games. Their home form is relegation material. Of those 11 goals, 5 have been scored by Luka Milivojevic with 4 of those from penalties. They’ve failed to score in 7 home games. On the other hand their away for is superb and puts them 7th in the table.
Crystal Palace Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Mamadou Sakho Knee injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Aaron Wan-Bissaka Knock. Wilfried Zaha Hamstring injury.
Huddersfield Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Demeaco Duhaney Hip injury. Adama Diakhaby Hamstring injury.
- Expected Back 06 Apr: Jason Puncheon Ineligible to face his parent club Crystal Palace as part of his loan conditions. Laurent Depoitre Foot injury.
- 25% chance of playing. Isaac Mbenza Calf injury.
- 75% chance of playing. Juninho Bacuna Knock. Karlan Grant Knock.
Opta Stats
- Since losing 0-3 to Huddersfield Town on the opening weekend of the 2017-18 season, Crystal Palace have won their last three games against the Terriers in all competitions without conceding a goal.
- Huddersfield have never registered consecutive away league victories against Crystal Palace, although they are unbeaten there in the top-flight (P3 W2 D1 L0).
- The home side has never scored a goal in top-flight fixtures between Crystal Palace and Huddersfield – all 12 goals have been scored by the away side in seven previous meetings.
- Since scoring three times against Crystal Palace in their first away Premier League game, Huddersfield have scored just 20 away league goals in 33 games.
- Only Huddersfield have won fewer points (8) and scored fewer goals (7) in home Premier League games than Crystal Palace this season (13 points, 11 goals).
- Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park has seen fewer league goals scored than any other Premier League ground this season (28), with Manchester United the only side to score more than twice in a game there so far this season (3).
- Despite only making his Premier League debut on February 2nd, Karlan Grant is Huddersfield Town’s joint-top league scorer this season with three goals.
- Luka Milivojevic has scored 45% of Crystal Palace’s home Premier League goals this season (5/11). The Serbian is the only player to score more than once at Selhurst Park for the Eagles this term.
- Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has won three games in all competitions against Huddersfield as Eagles boss – only against Leicester (4) has he won more with Palace.
- Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert could become the first permanent Premier League manager to lose his first five away matches in the competition since Ole Gunnar Solskjær in 2013-14, when the Norwegian was Cardiff City manager.
Prediction
Back in September Palace beat Huddersfield 1-0 thanks to a Zaha goal. For Huddersfield, Karlan Grant scored 2 goals against West Ham which kind of makes him prolific. If he’s fit he could fire Huddersfield to victory.
Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Huddersfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCC79WmX5mw
Leicester (10) v Bournemouth (12)
Back in September Bournemouth beat Leicester 4-2 and Leicester had Wes Morgan sent off in the 69th minute. Last time out Leicester proved they could play with 10 men when they won at Burnley after Harry Maguire had been sent off very early. Jamie Vardy seems happy under Brendan Rodgers. He’s smiling and scoring goals.
For Bournemouth their away form, despite winning at Huddersfield last time out, is poor. That was their first win on the road since they beat Fulham back in October.
Leicester Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Marc Albrighton Hamstring injury. Daniel Amartey Leg injury.
- Suspended until 06 Apr: Harry Maguire sent off at Burnley.
Bournemouth Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Simon Francis Anterior cruciate ligament. Lewis Cook Anterior cruciate ligament. Andrew Surman Calf injury.
- Expected Back 13 Apr: Steve Cook Groin Injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Adam Smith Hamstring injury. Junior Stanislas Thigh injury. Dan Gosling Knee injury.
Opta Stats
- Leicester City have never beaten Bournemouth in the Premier League in seven attempts (P7 W0 D5 L2), facing the Cherries more often without winning than any other opponent in the competition.
- Bournemouth are winless in five away league visits to Leicester (W0 D3 L2) since a 1-0 win on Boxing Day in 1988 under Harry Redknapp.
- Among Premier League fixtures to have played at least five times, only Bournemouth vs Watford (75%) has a higher percentage of draws than Bournemouth vs Leicester (71%), with five of the seven previous meetings ending level.
- Leicester are looking to win three consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since May 2017, when they won their first five under Craig Shakespeare. They are 3.00 to win half-time/full-time.
After a run of nine successive away league defeats, Bournemouth won their last Premier League game on the road. - Bournemouth haven’t won any of their last 12 Premier League games in which they’ve conceded a goal (D3 L9) since beating Huddersfield 2-1 in December.
- Leicester have been shown a league-high five red cards in the Premier League this season, while Bournemouth’s opponents have had more sendings off than any other side in the division this term (6).
- Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe is winless in seven away league visits to Leicester City during his managerial career (W0 D4 L3).
- Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has won all three of his games in all competitions against Bournemouth – the only teams he has a better 100% win record against in his career are Hamilton Academical (9 wins), Fulham (7) and Coventry City (5).
- Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma has received 11 yellow cards in the Premier League this season, more than any other player; the last player to receive more in his debut season in the competition was Cheick Tioté in 2010-11 (14 yellow cards).
Prediction
Leicester are still in their new manager, good feel factor comfort zone, and should be able to account to Bournemouth who are struggling with one win in seven. Jamie Vardy could be the difference to provide Leicester with their first Premier League win over Bournemouth in eight attempts.
Leicester 4 – 2 Bournemouth
Manchester United (5) v Watford (8)
What Goes On, On The Honeymoon, Stays On The Honeymoon!
Ole Gunnar Solskjær is now the ‘Real’ Manchester United manager and after the success of his interim period, the United bosses had no choice really. But now the public honeymoon period is well and truly over. Traditionally honeymoons are private affairs with, what goes on, on honeymoons, staying confidential.
Solskjær’s been under the public spotlight from day one and closely monitored by the press, fans, his bosses, Mike Phelan, and Sir Alex Ferguson. But everything that has happened since United won 5-1 at Cardiff is history. His three-year contract has just started.
Whilst Wolves were beating United to take their place in the FA Cup semi-final, Watford quietly beat Crystal Palace to book their spot. They sit comfortably in 8th place although Liverpool hit five against them at the end of February.
Manchester United Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Antonio Valencia Knock. Matteo Darmian Knock.
- Expected Back 21 Apr. Alexis Sánchez Knee Injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Luke Shaw Knock. Eric Bailly Head injury. Anthony Martial Knee injury. Nemanja Matic Knock . Marcus Rashford Ankle injury. Romelu Lukaku Foot injury.
Watford Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Tom Cleverley Calf injury.
Opta Stats
- Manchester United have won 10 of their 11 Premier League matches against Watford, losing the other in September 2016.
- Watford are winless in all 11 away league visits to Manchester United (W0 D2 L9); they have won once at Old Trafford against the Red Devils, a 2-1 victory in the League Cup in October 1978.
- In top-flight history, the only team to play more away matches against Manchester United without winning than Watford (11) are Luton Town (15 matches between 1955 and 1991).
- Watford have lost 16 of their last 17 away games in Manchester (vs Man Utd and Man City), since a 2-1 win against the Citizens in April 1987.
- Manchester United lost their first league match under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last time out against Arsenal. They’ve not lost consecutive league games since August.
- Manchester United have kept just two home clean sheets in the Premier League this season – only Fulham have kept fewer (1).
- Since their return to the Premier League in 2015, Watford have taken just four points from 66 available away against ‘big six’ sides (W1 D1 L20), losing the last 13 in a row.
- Man Utd haven’t lost three consecutive games in all competitions since September 2016, the third game of which was a 1-3 defeat against Watford.
- Watford’s Gerard Deulofeu has had a hand in six goals in his last four Premier League games (4 goals, 2 assists). 41% of the Spaniard’s total goal involvements in the competition have come in his last 21 games this season (12/29).
- Man Utd duo Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have scored nine Premier League goals each this season, with Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba having already reached double figures. The last time the Red Devils had three players reach 10 Premier League goals was 2012-13 (Hernandez, Rooney, van Persie), while the last time they had four reach double figures was 1995-96 (Scholes, Cole, Giggs, Cantona).
Prediction
Manchester United, with a batch of players with a 75% chance of playing, welcome back their PSG first leg injured midfield trio of Jesse Lingard, Ander Herrera, and Juan Mata. Their return, plus the extra good feel factor generated by the new appointment, should be enough for United to get back to winning ways.
Manchester United 3 – 0 Watford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BoqoY11Dbc
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