Premier League Weekend Talking Points – Last Chance for Liverpool
By Kevin Kelly
With Chelsea wrapping up the title with three games to go while Burnley and QPR all but confirmed their relegation to The Championship for next season The Premier League has entered a half-limbo, with little points of note, a stark juxtaposition to the memories of last May wherein the title went down to the final day. Nevertheless what interesting talking points of there left, Co-Editor Kevin Kelly discusses them below in detail.
Last Chance Saloon For Liverpool’s Champions League Dream:
In what in all honesty seems like infinitesimally small hopes of Liverpool qualifying for The Champions League, the odds could very much open up with a 4-6 points swing this weekend between Manchester United and Liverpool. The eternal rivals of the East Lancs Road have been in poor form this season, but the Manchester club have simply been able to paper of the cracks quicker than Liverpool.
Despite that, last weekend’s shock loss at home to West Brom re-opened up a final glimmer of hope for the Reds. Four points separate both sides with nine points to play four. Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon while Manchester United visit Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.
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Liverpool have not beaten Chelsea in seven attempts, last tasting victory at The Bridge in 2012 under the tutelage of Kenny Dalglish. Liverpool have performed well against Chelsea this season during their two-legged Capital One Cup tie, but still could only muster two draws in 90 minutes – subsequently losing to The Blues in extra time.
What is pertinent ahead of the weekend is Liverpool don’t lose ground on Manchester United; ideally Liverpool will get the win or draw while Manchester United draw or lose. The likely scenario sees the opposite occurring, but the for sake of Premier League fans of the neutral scenario, Liverpool putting pressure on Man United keeps some glimmer of excitement left in this Premier League campaign.
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Tension in the North East:
It seems continually noteworthy the ardent support both Newcastle and Sunderland receive, despite years of unrelenting heartbreak and frustration. We go into this weekend with The Black Cats in 18th place on 33 points, and on the back of a vital win vs. Southampton. Newcastle meanwhile have outdone themselves in the crisis stakes of late having lost eight consecutive Premier League games.
It has got to a point in Newcastle where results have exacerbated fans rightful anger with owner Mike Ashley, leading to dwindling attendances at St. James’ Park (an often unheard of occurrence), and an increase in protests against his poisonous ownership of the club.
It’s not as dramatic in Sunderland, but their plight is arguably worse; The Black Cats travel to Merseyside for the early kick-off on Saturday against Everton knowing anything but a win could leave them seriously in danger of relegation with two games to go following the Everton game.
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Their big black and white hope surely comes in the form of Newcastle, whose woeful run has many fans and pundits alike wondering if they’ll ever not lose again anytime soon. Newcastle host a sturdy West Brom on Saturday and could find it difficult to break down a Baggies side who shut out Liverpool and Manchester United too, while winning in the process.
While it seems only one relegation place is up for grabs, at least it seems like there will be some true excitement surrounding it a this Premier League season goes toward it’s final sunset.
The Most Pointless Game?
This Talking Points column hasn’t exactly talked up the proposition of another Premier League weekend, but it’s time to flip the table; let’s revel in the pointlessness of it all. What’s the most pointless game of the weekend? It’s hard to look past Stoke’s game against Spurs, to be played this Saturday.
Stoke currently sit in 10th place with the only motivation of maintaining their top half status, while it remains unclear whether Spurs will even want to qualify for The Europa League for next season. While likely to be a pointless game, the stats reveal there may be a few goals here.
There have been at least three goals scored in 13 of Tottenham’s last 14 away games in the Premier League while Spurs may want revenge on Stoke for the 2-1 defeat they inflicted at White Hart Lane back in November. Stoke’s season is petering out in inconsistency, and there is very little indeed for them to play for here. They would like to do the double over Spurs, against whom they don’t have the best Premier League record, but may have to settle for a draw.