Premier League Preview - Home Run

Saturday sees a host of meaningful matches (well for those at the bottom at least) and Footie Frog thinks it could be a clean sweep of home results... cop out? Or does he just know..?

Crunch-time in the race for the title. Or at least that’s what this weekend might have been had Liverpool not thrown their chances away against the likes of Middlesbrough. Though seemingly everyone at the respective clubs will tell you different, the cold, harsh reality is that Saturday’s 12-45 clash between Manchester United and Liverpool doesn’t actually matter that much.
Why? Because (and let’s be honest) this is United’s season. It seems to be written that they will win it all. Even if the Reds can pull off what would be an amazing win at Old Trafford on Saturday (which they might, still buzzing after spectacularly bursting Madrid’s bubble in midweek) it shouldn’t affect anything too much. All it will do is pacify the critics hungry for the blood Benitez, and feed unrealistic title expectations to the Scouse masses by the spoonful. United are still top, will still have a game in hand, still have a far better squad, and (crucially) are still less likely to throw away their chances against weaker opposition.
Wayne Rooney summed everything up perfectly on Thursday, saying to Sky Sports News - "I think we're in pole position anyway, but we can certainly end Liverpool's chances of winning the league if we win, so we're looking forward to it."

United want to pile the dirt on top of the coffin that is the Reds title-hopes, and Footie Frog can’t see it going any other way, despite the ‘Pool’s confidence boosting victory over the lacklustre Spanish giants on Tuesday. United have dropped a mere 2 points at home all season – and they were in the opening day draw with Newcastle. It won’t be an easy victory for United, but their class in attack should overcome the uncharacteristically inconsistent Reds defence. Home win.

A match that has also been much-hyped but that will actually matter hugely to both sides, is the game between Hull and Newcastle. Many Toon fans were ecstatic after the aforementioned draw against Old Trafford at the start of the season, and though many were wearing slightly rose-tinted glasses, hopes were high for a decent campaign. Similarly Hull City had a terrific start to the season, notching some impressive scalps and putting in some perfect performances. Both sides now go into this match after consistently poor results, and fans are left to wonder where it all went wrong.
Footie Frog is pretty sure that at the start of the season the Tigers fans would have taken their points total at this time, but Newcastle fans are (understandably) panicking. In what has to be described as one of the biggest matches of their Premier League history, the Toon travel to Hull, with several of their recent absentees back. The big news for the Magpies is that captain and talisman Michael Owen returns after a 6 week absence, and he should partner Obafemi Martins up front. Duff and Butt could also start for the side whose predicament has been made even more precarious by Blackburn’s unlikely victory at the Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
With matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa in their last ten games, victories against the likes of Hull will be essential. Footie Frog has a horrible feeling that the Premier League could be without Newcastle United next season, and a loss in this match could be the catalyst. The pressure has already got to the ill Kinnear, and his team could now follow suit. Home win.

Staying with the theme of relegation… (Oh, and the North East!) There is a massive ‘six-pointer’ at the Riverside on Saturday, as Middlesbrough welcome Portsmouth. Both sides are fairly even, and have picked up a few points in the last month, but both Boro and Pompey find themselves deep in the relegation mire in 19th and 18th respectively. A draw will do neither of these sides any good, but with so much at stake, it is probably the most likely result. This match could either be an attacking free-for-all or a cagey stalemate, with both hoping to nick a goal from a set-play or counter. Footie Frog thinks the latter.

After that ‘theme’ of the weekend - discovered by yours truly – here is another… the two sides just below Aston Villa’s fourth spot are both playing sides just above the drop-zone, as a fit-and-in-form Arsenal welcome a rejuvenated Blackburn side to the Emirates, and Everton entertain Stoke.
Both games are incredibly difficult to predict because, once again, so much is at stake for all the sides. Though Blackburn thought they could take a breath after beating Fulham on Wednesday, they will be straight back to holding it in fear come Saturday. Arsenal are starting to look good again, and with Eduardo and Walcott added to their ranks (whether Adebayor, Fabregas and Silvestre are to play any part is still unknown) their pace and movement could trouble a slow Rovers defence that has had problems with concentration this season. Home win again. Footie Frog is gunning for a fourth home win in the Everton game too, as the Toffees always seem to respond well to pressure and have looked good this term. Whilst Stoke have managed to get a few points in recent matches, and James Beattie has been more than impressive of late, Footie Frog just thinks that the big Everton defence will be able to deal with Stoke’s route one tactics all day, and it is rare that the Britannia boys have a plan B.

Sunderland fans are so busy smiling at the plight of their local rivals right now, it doesn’t seem to matter what happens to their own side. As confident (or oblivious) as Spurs fans are in regards to retaining their Premier League status, a few bad results and they could (both) find themselves pulled slowly back into trouble. A Wigan side that has struggled since the turn of the year shouldn’t cause too many problems – particularly in attack. Hugo Rodallega has thus far been somewhat uninspiring, not proving to be the boost that Zaki was (or that Bruce wanted!) That little something extra up front gives Sunderland the edge in this one: another home win.

Finally there is the match that all the neutrals have been waiting for. Yes that’s right, Bolton host Fulham. It will be fast flowing action, with goals galore and neither side deserving to lose. Well, sort of. Ok, not really. What’s more likely is that Fulham’s woeful away team will turn up and be outmuscled and outfought. Although Fulham have lost their last two matches at home, maybe they have decided they are now an ‘away team’. Footie Frog will go with form, and of late Bolton have looked the more impressive of the two. A final home win prediction for Saturday.