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Premier League title race enters decisive phase

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Premier League title race enters decisive phase

With the Premier League title race reaching its climax, attention turns to the crucial remaining fixtures that will determine the destiny of the 2023–24 season.

As 20 teams gear up for the final sprint, analysis reveals intriguing insights into who holds the advantage and who faces an uphill battle in the pursuit of glory.

The race among the current top four contenders showcases a tight battle, highlighting the competitive nature of the league.

With just eight points separating table leader Liverpool, boasting 67 points, from Aston Villa, holding firm with 56 points, every match becomes pivotal in determining the ultimate outcome of the season.

In a season characterised by its unpredictability, the presence of game-in-hand fixtures has emerged as a crucial factor in the English Premier League standings.
Premier League title race outstanding games

Notably, while most teams are contending with one extra match to be played, Chelsea stands alone with the rare advantage of having two.

Among the clubs yet to fully capitalise on this opportunity are Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Brighton, Wolves, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Everton, and Sheffield, all awaiting their respective additional matches to potentially shift the balance of power.

Currently, only Aston Villa, West Ham, Fulham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, and Burnley have completed 30 games, providing them with a clearer picture of their standing as they navigate the final stretch of the season.

As the league approaches its climax, the significance of these remaining fixtures cannot be overstated, with every point potentially altering the trajectory of teams’ aspirations and determining their fate in the race for glory.
Last 10 Premier League winners

In the last ten seasons, Manchester City has won the Premier League title six times, Chelsea twice, and Liverpool and Leicester City have won it once each.

On Sunday, Liverpool beat Brighton to go top of the EPL table.

Manchester City failed to break down Arsenal as a highly-anticipated clash at the top of the Premier League failed to live up to the hype in a 0-0 draw at the Etihad on Sunday.

Liverpool seizes a crucial advantage with the most favourable remaining fixtures among title contenders.

Despite facing relatively tough schedules, all three contenders brace themselves for a nail-biting conclusion, hinting at twists and turns that could shape the final outcome of the season.

The run-in officially starts here, with the remaining fixtures set to decide who wins the 2023/24 Premier League title, who qualifies for Europe, and who avoids relegation.

So, with just nine matchweeks left, which teams have the “best” and “worst” fixtures?

PUNCH Online delves into the average points total of the remaining opponents for every team, unveiling insights into which clubs are poised for a late-season surge towards glory and which ones confront a formidable challenge to conclude the campaign on a high note.

According to data obtained from the Premier League website, the average points of the remaining opponents for Premier League teams vary significantly, offering insights into the challenges they may face in the run-in.

At the lower end of the spectrum, Newcastle has the most favourable average point of 33.5, followed closely by Everton at 34.2 and Brentford and Nottingham Forest sharing 35.4.

As the scale progresses, Burnley stands at 35.8, Fulham at 35.9, and Sheffield United at 37.0.

Manchester United also shares this average, indicating a moderate challenge ahead.

Moving up, Chelsea sits at 38.0, followed by Spurs at 38.8 and Liverpool at 38.9, showcasing a tougher road for these title contenders.

Further up, Bournemouth faces an average of 39.1 points, while Manchester City have 41.0 and Wolves have 41.5.

Arsenal, in pursuit of title aspirations, contends with an average of 42.3 points among its opponents.

West Ham and Luton share an average of 43.2, while Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Brighton face the toughest challenges with averages of 44.8, 44.9, and 45.1 points, respectively.

Title race fixtures club average

By implication, Newcastle United enjoys the easiest remaining schedule with an average of 33.5 points among their upcoming opponents, akin to facing a 14th-placed team in each match.

Conversely, Brighton & Hove Albion faces the toughest fixtures, with their opponents averaging 45.1 points, resembling matches against seventh-placed sides.

In the title race and before Sunday’s game, Liverpool enjoys the most favourable fixtures among the top three contenders, with their opponents averaging 38.9 points.

On the other hand, Arsenal face the toughest challenge, with their opponents averaging 42.3 points, slightly more daunting than those of third-placed Manchester City (41.0).

 

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LaLiga

Kylian Mbappe Scores As Real Madrid Defeat Leganes

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Kylian Mbappe Scores As Real Madrid Defeat Leganes

Real Madrid have made it back-to-back victories in La Liga after they defeated Leganes 3-0 at Butarque in an all-Madrid affair.

The visitors dominated the first half, but they had to wait until the 43rd minute to break the deadlock. It was a monumental error from Adri Altimara that gifted the ball to Vinicius Junior, and he squared for Kylian Mbappe to score his first goal in five matches.

Just beyond the hour mark, Real Madrid would score their second courtesy of Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan, who was captain on the day, fired home a well-struck free-kick for his fourth goal of the season.

Late on, Jude Bellingham made it goals in back-to-back matches as he capitalised on a fortuitous bounce off the crossbar to head into an empty net.

The result means that Real Madrid go back above Atletico Madrid into second place in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have also cut Barcelona’s lead to four points, having played a game less than their bitter rivals.

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Premier League

NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Ruben Amorim Calls Out Two Woeful Man United Stars After Ipswich Draw 

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NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Ruben Amorim Calls Out Two Woeful Man United Stars After Ipswich Draw 

Ruben Amorim pinpointed Joshua Zirkzee and Jonny Evans as two Manchester United players who need to improve after Sunday’s underwhelming 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town.

United were held in Amorim’s first match in charge at Portman Road as they struggled to adapt to the new head coach’s demands.

Marcus Rashford got the Portuguese tactician’s reign off to a perfect start by poking Amad’s cross home after just 80 seconds.

But Omari Hutchinson profited from his long-range strike deflecting off Noussair Mazraoui’s head, putting it out of Andre Onana’s reach and equalising before half time.

United flattered to deceive in the second half, emphasising the magnitude of the challenge Amorim faces after replacing Erik ten Hag in the dugout.

After full-time, he insisted that switching to his trademark 3-4-3 system wasn’t the primary issue, instead claiming his players’ decision-making has to improve.

“Decision-making is a concern; you don’t need to coach them [that] at this level,” Amorim explained on Sky Sports.

“You have to keep the ball and know the momentum to put the ball in front. Sometimes you feel that you can’t keep the ball and you have to put the ball in front.

“Then you have [situations] like at the end of the game [when] we were around the box with two strikers. Josh [Zirkzee] has to understand that he has to go to the box to help the crosses.

“So we are doing some things that were not at the right moments, which we have to address. The 3-4-3 is not the concern; the understanding of the game is what we have to improve.”

Zirkzee wasn’t the only player named in Amorim’s post-match assessment as he lamented his side’s pressing. The 39-year-old also pinpointed Evans’ failure to track Hutchinson.

“If you see the first half, you can see that they [United] were a little bit afraid. [Morsy] was always alone. We have to jump on him,” Amorim added.

“Hutchinson was always in the dead space; Jonny Evans should be pressing his guy, but when we don’t have the training.

 

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Premier League

Casemiro Plays 100th Game For Man United

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casemiro

Sunday’s match against Ipswich Town was a special fixture for more than just the fact that it was Ruben Amorim’s first game – it also marked Casemiro’s 100th appearance for the Reds.

Signed from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022, our no.18 has played a key role in Carabao Cup and FA Cup successes, as well as scoring countless important goals for the Reds.

With a proven pedigree that speaks for itself, Casemiro has been a lynchpin for United ever since his arrival and continues to be a key member of the team, starting for new head coach Amorim in his inuagural match in the Reds dugout.

In 100 games in a United shirt, Casemiro has scored 15 times, with perhaps the most important of these being his unstoppable header that set us on the way to defeating Newcastle United in the 2023 Carabao Cup final.

The Brazilian made his debut in our away win at Southampton in 2022, scoring his first United goal two months later as he rose high at the back post to grab a late equaliser away to Chelsea. The wild celebrations that header prompted live long in the memory.

The five-time Champions League winner has tasted success with the Reds in 58 of his century of games, drawing 18.

A defensive-minded midfielder with an eye for goal, Case found the net on seven occasions in 2022/23, following that up with another five finishes last term. This season, so far, our no.18 has notched on three occasions – including that recent screamer against Leicester in the Carabao Cup.

Adaptable as ever, the Brazilian icon showed once again on Sunday why some of the biggest managers in world football continue to rely upon him, starting at the heart of midfield but this time as part of Amorim’s new-look three-at-the-back formation.

A consistent presence with real quality and a tireless work rate, we congratulate Casemiro on reaching yet another impressive landmark in his decorated career.

 

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