It certainly looks that way as they travel to the Etihad Stadium trailing title rivals Manchester City by 10 points just over the halfway stage of the season. Thomas Tuchel knows his side must leave Manchester with all three points if they are to retain even the faintest glimmer of reeling the defending champions in by May.
But the Blues face a herculean task against arguably the most talented side in Premier League history who, despite suffering a Covid outbreak shortly after Christmas, could easily field a second XI capable of challenging for the title themselves.
Add in to the mix that Chelsea look some way short of form, picking up just two wins from their last five Premier League outings, and all the ingredients are there for a routine City win — surely? But hold the phone because if there is one man of whom City boss Pep Guardiola should be wary in the Premier League, it is Tuchel.
It would be the perfect time to avenge that defeat but with City currently riding an game winning streak across all competitions, confidence will be high as they welcome Chelsea to the Etihad. However, that winning run includes a narrow win over Arsenal on their last Premier League outing in a game Guardiola conceded his side were lucky to win.
The Gunners appeared to be executing a perfect game plan against the Citizens until a mad five minutes in the second half when they conceded a penalty and had a man sent off. Perhaps that was a welcome sign that City are not so unassailable as they appear with such a healthy lead atop the table. There could be an awful lot riding on this fixture for both sides at Carrow Road as struggling Norwich take on out of form Everton. The Canaries are on a miserable run of form and have the all-too-familiar stench of a side destined for the drop about them, despite a brief upturn in form when Dean Smith took over earlier this season.
All that can change over the course of a few games, obviously, but it is beginning to look like an increasingly tall order for the east Anglian outfit to retain their Premier League status.
Coach Rafa Benitez, whose appointment had already rankled fans due to his links with Liverpool, appears to be a man on borrowed time if performances do not substantially improve over the coming weeks. He would argue that the Merseyside outfit have struggled with injuries to key players over the first half of the season but with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure now back and raring to go, it is time for Everton to perform.
However, the Portuguese coach looks to have installed a far more incisive mindset in his attacking players with Wolves taking the game to their opposition far more than we have become used to seeing.
They will be looking up in the second half of the season with one eye on potential European qualification — but visiting Southampton will also have lofty ambitions of their own during the latter stages of the campaign.
News of a potential long-term injury to former Chelsea youngster Tino Livramento, who may require knee surgery, has been softened this week by the continued emergence of on-loan Chelsea striker Armando Broja. Broja, an Albanian international, is highly-regarded on the south coast and Hassenhuttl has already made public his desire to keep the loanee on a permanent basis.
Will he further endear himself to the travelling Saints faithful with another game-winning performance this weekend? Toon boss Eddie Howe is desperate to add at least one new centre back, a midfielder and another striker to his side as they look to climb up from the relegation zone to avoid the drop with 19 games left to play.
Preparation on the pitch has hardly been ideal however with Newcastle exiting the FA Cup Third Round at the hands of Cambridge United last weekend, meaning the Magpies have still won only once all season. Watford meanwhile are on their own miserable run having lost every game since thrashing Man Utd at the end of November. The London side have also added to their ranks in January, bringing in midfielder Edo Kayembe, left back Hassane Kamara and central defender Samir in the first few days of the window.
Newcastle, who have not played in the league since a commendable draw against Man Utd on December 27, will be without long term injury absentees Callum Wilson, Federico Fernandez, Jamal Lewis and the suspended Javier Manquillo. The Clarets will need to move fast to find a replacement for the towering Wood up top given his importance to the club but in a difficult market, there appear to be few viable alternatives. With Burnley currently going through their own availability crisis, Leicester appear to finally be emerging out of the other side of theirs having been forced to pull out of a midweek game against Everton.
Patson Daka, Caglar Soyuncu, Timothy Castagne, Ryan Bertrand and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could all return for the trip to Burnley although nine first team players remain unavailable due to injury and international duty.
However, now business must turn to results as Gerrard looks to make the most of his talented squad by reaping revenge over a Man Utd side who knocked Villa out of the FA Cup last weekend.
A solitary Scott McTominay goal was enough to see off a spirited Villa who might have felt hard done by at the final whistle — but their chance to right the wrongs of Old Trafford last weekend has come around quickly. Recent history suggests it will be easier said than done though; the Villains have not beaten United in their last 22 home league games against them — the longest winless home run one side has had against another in football league history. The German coach was backed by the talismanic Ronaldo this week who called for Rangnick to be given more time to implement his ideas on the team.
We know we aren't playing the best football but we have many games to improve. It's not that easy to change the mentality of players and the way they play, the culture, the system like that.
Arsenal v West Ham. Chelsea v Everton. Liverpool v Newcastle. Brentford v Manchester United. Burnley v Watford. Leicester City v Tottenham. Brentford v Watford. Manchester City v Wolves. Liverpool v Aston Villa. Arsenal v Southampton. Chelsea v Leeds United. Norwich City v Manchester United. Burnley v West Ham. Leicester City v Newcastle. Crystal Palace v Everton. Brighton v Tottenham. West Ham v Chelsea. Newcastle v Burnley. Wolves v Liverpool. Southampton v Brighton.
Watford v Manchester City. Manchester United v Crystal Palace. Leeds United v Brentford. Tottenham v Norwich City. Aston Villa v Leicester City. Everton v Arsenal. Newcastle v Norwich City. Leeds United v Crystal Palace. Southampton v Leicester City. Watford v Chelsea. West Ham v Brighton. Wolves v Burnley. Aston Villa v Manchester City. Everton v Liverpool. Tottenham v Brentford. Manchester United v Arsenal. Arsenal v Newcastle. Norwich City v Wolves.
Liverpool v Southampton. Crystal Palace v Aston Villa. Brighton v Leeds United. Brentford v Everton. Leicester City v Watford. Manchester City v West Ham. Chelsea v Manchester United. Burnley v Tottenham. Leicester City v Chelsea. Aston Villa v Brighton.
Wolves v West Ham. Watford v Manchester United. Newcastle v Brentford. Norwich City v Southampton. Burnley v Crystal Palace. Liverpool v Arsenal. Manchester City v Everton.
Tottenham v Leeds United. Southampton v Aston Villa. Manchester United v Manchester City. Crystal Palace v Wolves. Chelsea v Burnley. Brentford v Norwich City. Brighton v Newcastle. Everton v Tottenham.
Arsenal v Watford. Leeds United v Leicester City. West Ham v Liverpool. Leicester City v Arsenal. Manchester City v Crystal Palace. Liverpool v Brighton. Newcastle v Chelsea. Watford v Southampton. Burnley v Brentford. Tottenham v Manchester United. Norwich City v Leeds United. Tags All tags. Add this game to your web page Share on Website. Add this game to your web page Premier League : Penalties. Join other players talking about games. Visit the Y8 Forum. Go to Forum Hide. Game details. Added on 12 May Please register or login to post a comment Register Login.
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