The close battle for places in Europe has kept the excitement high in the Premier League this year. Between fourth-placed Newcastle and tenth-placed Fulham, there are seven teams separated by eight points, all with a genuine desire to secure one of the six places guaranteed to play in European competitions. It was a very close championship, the most contested in recent years. These are the five most notable matches of matchday 22.
1
Newcastle-Bournemouth
Saturday 18, 1.30pm (DAZN)
Alexander Isak’s goals, in a state of grace, put Newcastle in the fight for the Champions League. After scoring in eight consecutive games, the Swede is chasing Jamie Vardy’s (Leicester) record of scoring in 11 consecutive games, set in 2015. Against the uncomfortable ‘cherries’ led by Andoni Iraola, who have already surprised with Chelsea (2 – 2) On Wednesday, Isak’s streak could be extended to Eddie Howe’s in-form side, who face his former team with a string of good results. They have a nine game winning streak.
2
Brentford-Liverpool
Saturday 18, 16.00 (DAZN)
A visit to the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, west of the English capital, is always unpleasant and physically demanding. It is a very difficult field, where the ‘Bees’ base their permanence in the Premier League, insisting on their pressing, fast and direct game. So far only the surprising Nottingham Forest have done them. As a reference for the leader Liverpool, we already saw on Wednesday how Thomas Frank’s team fought and competed. The ‘bees’, with the threat of Wissa and Mbeumo, were able to overcome a 0-2 deficit against Manchester City.
3
Arsenal-Aston Villa
Saturday 18, 6:30 pm (DAZN)
Arsenal will once again rely on defense and set pieces to try and catch Liverpool. Three consecutive games without a win in all competitions left the Gunners with some doubts, but another goal from a corner by Gabriel Magalhaes and his solid defensive performance was enough for him to win in ‘North London derby’ at the Emirates Stadium. Now a forward will sign in January. “Let’s try, sure. Let’s see what we can get,” promised Mikel Arteta, before welcoming an Aston Villa team that made his life miserable last year.
4
Everton-Tottenham
Sunday 19, 3:00 pm (DAZN)
Two hard-pressed teams will battle it out for points at Goodison Park. “I can’t make all those magical changes in a day and a half,” said Scotsman David Moyes, returning to reality after the defeat (0-1) against Aston Villa. Moyes has returned to the club he coached nearly 12 years ago. During that time, he led the Toffees to nine places in the Premier League’s top eight, prompting his selection. Their problem is the lack of forwards. Only bottom club Southampton have scored less than Everton. The ‘Spurs’ are no better. They have won just five points in their last nine games in the English league.
5
Ipswich-Manchester City
Sunday 19, 5:30 pm (DAZN)
City’s visit to Portman Road was marked by the renewal of Erling Haaland, who signed a nine-and-a-half-year contract extension with Manchester City. The loyalty to the ‘skyblues’ was praised by Pep Guardiola: “A lot of things can happen in 10 years, but this is a test of trust between him and the club.” This is a great step in their planning to deal with the coming years around the figure of their scorer. Against Ipswich, under pressure after losing to Brighton, Haaland will have another chance to lead City’s expected Premier League response.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
