The Premier League season continues this weekend with Matchday 21, and Sportsnet will have live coverage of five games:
Saturday, January 14
• Swansea City vs. Arsenal, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific, and Sportsnet ONE)
• West Ham United vs. Crystal Palace, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet ONE)
• Hull City vs. Bournemouth, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet World NOW)
• Sunderland vs. Stoke City, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet World NOW)
• Leicester City vs. Chelsea, noon ET / 9:00 a.m. PT (Sportsnet ONE)
You can also follow all of the Premier League action this weekend online with SPORTSNET’S LIVE MATCH TRACKER.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of this weekend…
THE BIG GAME
Manchester United vs. Liverpool: All eyes will be on Old Trafford on Sunday morning for this marquee battle between bitter rivals who are jockeying for a top four spot and who trying to narrow the gap on leaders Chelsea.
Liverpool sits in second, five points adrift of the Blues, while Manchester United is in sixth, just five points back of Liverpool. United is on a hot streak, having won their last nine league fixtures, and they’ve owned Liverpool at home in recent years—the Reds have lost 10 of their last 12 contests at Old Trafford.
One player Liverpool should keep close tabs on is Juan Mata. The Spaniard had a hand in five goals in his last four league appearances against Liverpool, scoring three and assisting on two.
Defender Eric Bailly is out for Manchester United due to his involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool’s top scorer Sadio Mane will miss Sunday’s game for the same reason.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The “Super Swede” is coming off a solid December in which he scored five goals and tallied three assists. No other Premier League player was involved in as many goals throughout the month.
CONTE MAKES HISTORY
Chelsea’s Antonio Conte was named the Premier League Manager of the Month award for December earlier this week.
The Italian also won the award in October and November, thus becoming the first manager to win the honour three times in a row.
Chelsea opened December with a big win at Manchester City, and then collected four more wins in the month, before losing away to Tottenham on Jan. 4. That setback ended the Blues’ 13-game winning streak in the Premier League.
Currently sitting on a five-point lead over Liverpool, Conte’s men face an interesting challenge away to champions Leicester City on Saturday, a game that will mark N’Golo Kante’s return to the King Power Stadium.
EVERTON SIGNS SCHNEIDERLIN
France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin ended his 18-month spell at Manchester United by sealing a transfer move to Everton this week.
Schneiderlin has inked a 4 1/2-year contract with the Toffees, where he will be reunited with Ronald Koeman. Schneiderlin played under the Dutch manager at Southampton for two years before leaving for United in July 2015. “There is a manager in place here that I know,” Schneiderlin said. “I know he can get the best out of me, I know his style and how he likes to play football.”
Everton hosts Manchester City on Sunday.
MAKALELE JOINS SWANSEA’S STAFF
Swansea City added former France defensive midfielder Claude Makelele to its coaching staff this week. Makelele worked with recently-appointed Swans manager Paul Clement as player at Chelsea and a coach at Paris Saint-Germain.
Makelele’s only coaching experience came at French club Bastia, where he lasted less than six months and won only two games before being fired.
Swansea currently sits 19th in the Premier League table, one point from safety heading into Saturday’s home game against Arsenal.
INTERESTING STAT
JAMES SHARMAN’S THOUGHTS
Ahead of every weekend this season, Sportsnet commentator James Sharman will give his three thoughts on what’s going on in the Premier League. These might not always be the biggest stories, but rather his personal observations as the games approach each Saturday.
Here’s an excerpt from this week’s blog…
I always wonder if Wayne Rooney had not threatened to leave the club on two occasions, would his star have shone even brighter amongst the Manchester United faithful? Those two incidents, in particular the first in 2012, continue to tarnish his overall legacy. Regardless of that, we are probably somewhat blinded by his current turn in form. Rooney’s true status at United will not be realized until after his playing career, and I suspect he will be immortalized at the right time.
To read the full blog, CLICK HERE
THE BIG QUESTION
Dimitri Payet caused a stir this week when it was revealed he asked for a transfer. West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic confirmed the news, adding that the Frenchman has refused to train with the Premier league team.
All of which leads us to ask “The Big Question”…
Following his transfer request at West Ham, how should Dimitri Payet proceed?
Sportsnet wants to know what you think, so have your say by voting in the poll. Then tune in to Sportsnet’s Premier League coverage this weekend as soccer commentators James Sharman, Craig Forrest and Danny Dichio debate “The Big Question.”
HE SAID IT
“Last season was something strange. This season it’s normal. Chelsea are in the first position and Leicester are there (15th in the table)—that’s all, last season was strange. We’ll come back, don’t worry.” – Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri ahead of Saturday’s home game against Chelsea.
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