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Traderpro
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 4375
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Houstonfan any MLS today?
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10-21-17 04:18 PM |
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Traderpro
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 4375
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oh ok, thanks. Always enjoy your plays, will look tomorrow then
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10-21-17 04:26 PM |
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msudogs
Moderator
Registered: Nov 2005
Posts: 65535
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Everton head into Sunday’s clash against Arsenal at Goodison Park with manager Ronald Koeman under increasing pressure over the club’s current predicament.
Thursday’s 2-1 home defeat against Lyon in the Europa League was Everton’s fourth game without a win, sparking further speculation about Koeman’s future.
Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is a major doubt after picking up an injury against Lyon, but Wayne Rooney could return to the starting line-up after being left out of the tie.
Aaron Lennon remains sidelined with a muscular injury, while Ramiro Funes Mori, Yannick Bolasie, Seamus Coleman and Ross Barkley are all long-term absentees.
Everton have won two and drawn one of their last four Premier League home games against Arsenal and can be backed at 13/5 to emerge victorious this weekend.
The Toffees are currently 16th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone after eight games.
Despite being criticised over his form this season, Rooney has been Everton’s best hope for goals this season.
His three Premier League goals this season have been worth four points for Everton and he is priced at 2/1 to score at any time during the game.
The former England star has scored more Premier League goals against the Gunners than any other player (11).
Arsenal head into the game buoyed by Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League victory at Red Star Belgrade.
Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez were not involved in last week’s 2-1 league defeat at Watford, while Laurent Koscielny was forced off with a thigh problem. The trio should all return at Everton.
Mesut Ozil is also back in contention for a starting role, but Danny Welbeck, Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers are all ruled out through injury.
Arsenal have won 11 Premier League away games against Everton and are available at Evens to add to that record this weekend.
Olivier Giroud scored a superb winner against Belgrade on Thursday and is 4/1 to open the scoring at Goodison Park, while Sanchez looks a good bet at 6/4 to score at any time on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger has beaten Everton 30 times in all competitions as Arsenal manager, but the home side’s desperate need for points could see them make things difficult for the visitors.
A 1-1 scoreline is priced at 11/2 and that could pay dividends.
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10-22-17 12:44 PM |
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msudogs
Moderator
Registered: Nov 2005
Posts: 65535
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The early kick-off on Sunday will be an interesting contest as both Everton and Arsenal need to pick up a positive result. The Gunners will take confidence from their previous success in this fixture as they have won more Premier League matches against the Toffees than any other opponent. However, they have yet to win away from home this season and their disappointing loss to Watford last weekend will be playing on the minds of the players. Ronald Koeman’s side will be lacking confidence after their worst start to a league season in nine years, but they did manage to take the three points in this fixture last season thanks to goals from Seamus Coleman and Ashley Williams.
Everton are currently in 16th position and only two points above the relegation zone. They were lucky to escape with a point last weekend against Brighton and their record of only one win in their last seven Premier League matches underlines the lack of confidence in the current squad. Ronald Koeman is the odds-on favourite to be the next manager to be sacked in the division and the next few matches suggest it will get worse before it gets better. They were talked about as Champions League contenders at the beginning of the season, but they have failed to live up to the hype. If they don’t get a win this weekend, it could spell the end for their manager.
Arsenal are once again showing an inconsistency that makes it impossible for them to challenge for the title. They are currently in 6th position and based on the evidence so far, that is their most likely finishing position. It was always going to be a huge ask for them to regain their place in the top four after making few changes during the summer. The decision to keep Arsene Wenger was a risk, while the decision not to back him with more funds was stupidity. This will be viewed as a fixture they have to win to turn around their away form. It will be fascinating to see if they can deliver.
TEAM NEWS
Wayne Rooney is expected to start this weekend after sitting out of Everton’s Europa League defeat to Lyon. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Leighton Baines and Idrissa Gueye are all expected to return to the starting eleven. James McCarthy is a doubt with a knee injury, although there is hope he will return.
Alexis Sanchez is expected to return to the matchday squad, but Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey are doubts with both set to undergo fitness tests. Danny Welbeck, Calum Chambers and Francis Coquelin are others that are touch and go for this weekend.
INTERESTING STATS
Only in 2005-6 have Everton scored fewer than six goals in their opening nine matches of a top-flight season. They’ll be keen to avoid repeating that on Sunday.
This fixture will be Arsene Wenger’s 400th away game as a Premier League manager. He will become only the second manager to reach the landmark after Sir Alex Ferguson.
Verdict
This is going to be a nervy affair as neither side look at their best. It will be interesting to see how the Everton players approach this game and it will tell us a lot about the current feeling in the dressing room towards Ronald Koeman. The Dutchman is running out of time and he needs his players to deliver a good performance in order to consolidate his position as manager. Based on current form, that seems unlikely. Although Arsenal haven’t been playing well, they have more talent than the home side and should have enough to take the three points. It won’t be a great spectacle, but the visitors are definitely the more likely winners.
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10-22-17 12:46 PM |
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msudogs
Moderator
Registered: Nov 2005
Posts: 65535
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Tottenham Hotspur will take on Liverpool this weekend at the National Stadium – The Wembley, in what promises to be an exciting football game as one could imagine – between two sides managed by Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp.
Spurs, in recent years, have developed a knack of winning games of football – ever so quietly and their presence in the top four; top three in fact, is now almost taken for granted. Tottenham Hotspur have once again managed to accumulate the most points in the calendar year without never really getting a taste of what it means to be leading the pack, at the top of the Premier League pile.
With 5 wins and 2 draws in the opening 8 games and an impressive performance against the European Champions, the North London outfit have made a solid start to their campaign and are placed third in the league with only 3 points separating them and Manchester United. But it remains to be seen whether they will legitimately challenge the Manchester clubs who, at the moment, look the most likely to take the crown back to the North West of England.
Liverpool, on the other hand, after a shaky start and a rough defeat – do seem to have dusted themselves off, raring to go again – like they always tend to do. A rather disappointing result overshadowing a positive performances against their biggest rivals in the weekend paved the way for a rout in Europe, against Maribor in midweek – a 7-0 win which put some confidence back in the side.
The Reds enter this game with the right kind of momentum and in addition to the recent history between the two clubs – Jurgen Klopp will be all the more upbeat to further their already impeccable record against the fellow ‘Big Six’ sides in the country.
TEAM NEWS
Ben Davies is still sidelined through illness and will have to be assessed before the weekend, while key midfielder Mousa Dembele is also a doubt ahead of Liverpool’s visit. Danny Rose made his first appearance in a Spurs shirt since January with a 10-min cameo and could make the bench again. Victor Wanyama and Erik Lamela remain a few weeks from a return. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou could miss the game after suffering a concussion.
Liverpool appear to have no fresh injury concerns however two of their main men – Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana remain on the sidelines. However, Philippe Coutinho looks back to his best after pushing for a summer move and will be chasing his fifth consecutive away game on Sunday.
Interesting Numbers
After a run of four wins and a draw between 2010 and 2012, Tottenham Hotspur are winless in their last nine Premier League matches against Liverpool (W0 D3 L6).
There have been a Premier League record of nine own goals scored in this fixture.
Harry Kane has not scored in either of his PL home appearances v Liverpool (173 mins); the only side he has faced more often without finding the net at home in the competition is Crystal Palace (three apps, 269 mins).
Prediction
I think this is the week when Spurs finally break the Liverpool curse.
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Liverpool
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10-22-17 01:04 PM |
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