Sportingbet Australia’s EPL preview of the important games this weekend Manchester City vs Liverpool and West Ham and Hull City.
Manchester City v Liverpool – Eastlands, Sunday 21st February 2010
The battle for 4th place and the Champions League berth that goes with it seems destined to go down to the wire with Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa all still very much in the frame. City currently hold 4th, but are only a point clear of Liverpool, who in turn are a point above 6th placed Tottenham whose lead over Aston Villa is also just a single point. A draw at Eastlands would therefore be the ideal result as far as both Spurs and Villa are concerned and that looks a decent bet with four of the last five clashes between City and Liverpool ending with honours even.
City boss Roberto Mancini could not hide his disappointment after his side laboured to a draw at Stoke in midweek, but the Italian could have a fully fit Stephen Ireland, Craig Bellamy and Vincent Kompany at his disposal on Sunday, with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Martin Petrov also likely to be promoted from the bench to the starting eleven. It remains to be seen whether Carlos Tevez will be available after being granted permission to return to his native Argentina for family reasons earlier in the week.
For all the talk of a crisis at Anfield, meanwhile, Liverpool have only lost one of their last eight Premiership games and could have more grounds for optimism this week with reports suggesting that Fernando Torres may be fit enough for a place on the bench at Eastlands. The 25-year-old Spaniard had been expected to be out for up to six weeks after injuring his knee against Reading, but is poised to return to full training on Thursday. Jamie Carragher, however, is regarded as a major doubt as he battles to overcome a groin strain, fellow defender Glen Johnson is still a month away from full fitness and a paperwork delay means that striker Milan Jovanovic will not complete his move from Standard Liege in time to feature.
Both sides had loftier ambitions than securing fourth place back in August, but now such a finish will make or break their respective seasons and possibly determine the futures of both Mancini and Rafael Benitez. A 2-2 draw was the outcome when City travelled to Anfield back in November and a repeat performance on Sunday looks a strong possibility.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool
West Ham United v Hull City – Upton Park, Saturday 20th February 2010
West Ham United fans may still have their reservations about new owners David Gold and David Sullivan, but at least results have shown a slight improvement since the former Birmingham City duo arrived at Upton Park and the Hammers have climbed to 14th in the table. They are still just one point clear of the drop zone, however and a victory over fellow strugglers Hull City is vital if they are to continue to ease their relegation fears. Boss Gianfranco Zola clearly felt that it was his strikers who had been letting him down as he snapped up no fewer than three new frontmen during the January transfer window in the form of Benni McCarthy, Ilan and Mido. Unfortunately for the Hammers, McCarthy picked up a knee injury in the defeat at Burnley and remains in doubt for Saturday’s game, along with Kieron Dyer, Danny Gabbidon and Guillermo Franco.
Hull also remain just one point above the bottom three after losing to Blackburn last week, but the Tigers received a boost this week with the news that the red card handed to George Boateng in that defeat at Ewood Park had been overturned on appeal. There is also a slight chance that midfielder Jimmy Bullard will feature at Upton Park after two months on the sidelines with a medial ligament problem and if the former Fulham man can recapture the kind of form he showed before picking up his injury, City’s survival prospects will improve considerably. Defensive duo Andy Dawson and Kevin Kilbane are expected to pass late fitness tests, while highly-rated teenager Tom Cairney could be handed another start in midfield.
Upton Park has not been a happy hunting ground for the Tigers who have won there just once in their last twelve visits and as they are yet to record a single win on the road this season, it’s hard to back them here. West Ham are no great shakes either, but might just have enough quality to secure a narrow, vital victory.
Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 Hull City
