After a week of riveting international action, club football faithful can rejoice as their favourite teams return to action this weekend. But before that, there are still some teams who are looking to book their place in the UEFA Euro 2020 this midweek.
Here we discuss all the footballing action to look forward to this week and the matches that are sure to steal the show.
EURO 2020 QUALIFIERS
With Belgium and Italy already qualified, many other teams are almost one step away from booking their place in the final tournament in 2020. Major eyes will be on Group B where Portugal face group leaders Ukraine. In other major clashes across Europe, England face Bulgaria in Group A, France face Turkey in Group H and Spain face Sweden in Group F.
WATCH OUT FOR:
Sweden vs Spain
Spain are sitting on top of Group F. They dropped points for the first time in the Qualifiers against Norway, where they played out a 1-1 draw. Romania trails Sweden by a solo point to claim the second spot which makes this match extremely crucial for both the nations.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Before going into the international break, Liverpool managed to beat Leicester City 2-1. In this game, Liverpool’s former boss Brendan Rodgers returned to Anfield for the first time since he was sacked by the Reds in 2015. On the other hand, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City shockingly lost to Wolves 2-0, with their defence ruthlessly exposed in the absence of the injured Aymeric Laporte. However, this week, City will be looking to close on the eight-point gap at the top of the table, while Liverpool will be looking to eke out an easy win against depleted Manchester United.
WATCH OUT FOR:
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City
Manchester City are fighting hard for the top spot, but Liverpool’s hundred per cent record this season combined with City’s unexpected defeats is increasing the gap between them. There is no doubt Guardiola has created a champion side, but injuries have been their major enemy. Crystal Palace will have a chance to score some goals with City still looking to organize their defence, but stopping players like Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling among others will also be quite a difficult task to pull off for the Eagles.
Manchester United vs Liverpool
Manchester United started their Premier League campaign on an astounding note with a 4-0 victory over Chelsea, but have quickly fallen down the pecking order. After losing to Crystal Palace, West Ham and Newcastle in the Premier League and drawing with Rochdale and AZ Alkmaar in the Carabao Cup and Europa League, respectively, United’s form has become a concern for one and all.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, the current champions of Europe, have been working exceptionally well in all departments on the pitch. Jurgen Klopp’s mega army has been brutal in front of goal, with their defence matching up equally well. As it stands at present, the Reds look clear winners unless United manage to pull off something out of their bag to surprise the league leaders.
What to do now? Head to Sportsbet.io to select your picks.
Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Lindsey Parnaby
