Sports English Premier League: This Weekend's Fixtures and Manager's comments

The English premier League will be back this weekend after a brief break that ushered in the big guns into this season's FA competition.

Before last weekend's FA Cup, the league took another dimension with the new course it is charting at the moment.

Chelsea lost on New Year's Day in a spectacular fashion that asked genuine questions about the league leaders title hopes.

Jose Mourinho's team capitulated and fell at White Hart Lane by epic proportions that defied belief.

It opened a vista for other teams, well only Manchester City to capitalize and launch the title back track.

With City digging deep to beat Sunderland in their last match, it is now just by virtue of alphabetical order that Chelsea are still top of the log.

This weekend portends a likely banana peel for either of the teams as they are almost back at square one.

Chelsea host Newcastle who inflicted them with their first defeat of the season, but it is highly improbable that there will be a repeat at Stamford Bridge today.

With Newcastle looking rudderless since Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace, there couldn't be a better time to have them for the taking.

City on their part travel to Goodside Park to face an Everton side who are in shambles at the moment. But it will not in anyway be a stroll for them as Roberto Martinez's team would be aiming to get their season right, and which perfect tonic to lift them than against City.

Whatever the outcome of the games, it is still only week 21, and lots of intrigues and twists still lie in wait in the EPL

Below we have drafted the comments of some of the managers with regards to this weekend's matches.



Arsenal:
Arsenal will host Stoke City at the Emirates this Saturday, and Arsene Wenger acknowledges that it will not be an easy task.

"Stoke are always especially motivated against Arsenal," Wenger said.

There are speculations that Wojciech Szczesny is set to be dropped as the number one, but Wenger maintained that he is in contention to be in goal against Mark Hughes' team.

On the issue of the Polish keeper smoking in the showers after their loss to Southampton, Wenger said: "I don't want to talk about that because what happens in our dressing room stays in our dressing room - apart from the fact that it doesn't stay in there," said the Arsenal boss.

"Of course [he has apologised]. He is a serious boy who works very hard, he doesn't need all that. He made a mistake, he is not the first one or the last one.

"You can do what you want at home. You have a freedom. My issue is that the players here are judged on their performances. Ideally, the best way to have as high [a] level as possible is to behave as close to the rules."



Chelsea:
Jose Mourinho did not attend his press conference because of the FA charge against him over the comments he made about referees being against Chelsea.

Rather, he delegated the duties to his assistant Steve Holland: "He's focused on the game against Newcastle tomorrow(Saturday)," Holland said on Mourinho and his preparation for their game. "We lost the away game recently and we are very determined to put that right.

"There is a frustration with all of us, not just Jose, at the accumulation of events. We are all together in this but we all have to move on."

On the pressure for the title he said: "The pressure is equal. If you look at the league table, 20 matches in, the two teams at the top of the table aren't even separated by goal difference. Their records are identical. So just over the halfway mark, the difference between success and failure is so small.

"And in a game like Southampton, when clearly a penalty should have been given, it would have been a good situation for us and we might have gone on to win the game.

"So when managers speak immediately after a match, they are going to be frustrated."

He also denied reports that they were lining up a move for Lionel Messi .

"Jose Mourinho has made it quite clear that nobody comes or goes," says Chelsea assistant coach Steve Holland.

"I recall he said something similar last year but a couple of things happened which meant we had to be reactive. The hope and expectation is that nobody comes or goes."

He further added: "When you look at some of the numbers mentioned around the Messi deal, you would think it is almost impossible for any club working within the Financial Fair Play rules."




Manchester City:
Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini in his press conference, denied reports that he was set to move to Barcelona.

"I have a contract for this year and next year," he adds.

Also they have been linked with a move for Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, and Pellegrini wasn't committal if they were signing the Ivorian

"I will answer this question when I know more about that because I don't talk about rumours," he says. "We are going to replace Alvaro Negredo because it was the decision that we took in the moment we sold him.

"We decided to see in December if we needed another striker. We need another striker so we are going to find which is the best player to bring in."

On the task of facing Everton: "We have a tough game against a rival at Everton," says City boss Pellegrini. "Maybe they are not in their best moment but they have a very difficult team, they play very well with good players and a very good manager.

"If we want to continue in the same way, we must play in the same way if we want to win.

"We start now the second half of the season. Every game will be a final for all the teams involved in the fight for the title. Not only in the Premier League, it is the same in FA Cup or Champions League. If you don't win, you are out of the cup."


Manchester United:

Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal for the first time this season has the full complement of his players to choose from, with Ashley Young being the only player out with an injury.

"They [Shaw and Rafael] can play," van Gaal revealed to MUTV. "They are both not injured. Rafael Da Silva was of course operated on [his cheekbone], and maybe we don't take any risk with him, but Shaw can also play.

"Blind has already trained for more than one week with the group and Fellaini also trained with us already this week."

Meanwhile, centre-back Marcos Rojo is well in line to be fit for the game against Southampton.

"I have to tell you that we have only one injured player, Ashley Young, it's unbelievable!" revealed van Gaal. "Another point is, of course, match rhythm, but everybody is healthy and can play except Ashley Young."

United this week completed the signing of Victor Valdes on an 18-month contract, and Van Gaal admitted that the former Barcelona keeper didn't sign to be the number ytwo.

"Nobody is happy to be number two and Victor has to have ambition to beat David De Gea - but it shall be very hard for him," said Van Gaal.

But Van Gaal is optimistic that David De Gea will sign a new contract and remain at the club.

"I think so, yes," Van Gaal said on the prospect of De Gea signing. "There is no problem for him to sign."

"My ambition is that I have the best players who can collaborate with each other to form the best team of the world," he said.

"When we invited Victor in to have his rehabilitation at Manchester United, we did it for him and ourselves, so I could see if his quality is also still the same. He has confirmed both."



Fixtures:
  • Sunderland vs Liverpool
  • Burnley vs QPR
  • Chelsea vs Newcastle
  • Everton vs Man City
  • Leicester vs Aston Villa
  • Swansea vs West Ham
  • West Brom vs Hull
  • Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
Sunday:
  • Arsenal vs Stoke
  • Man Utd vs Southampton

Pellegrini.jpg
 
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