Southampton will host Liverpool in a Carabao Cup 2024-25 quarter-final tie at the St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England. 

The Southampton vs Liverpool Carabao Cup 2024-25 match will start at 1:30 AM IST on Thursday, December 19.

Under manager Arne Slot, Liverpool beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 to secure their place in the EFL Cup 2024-25 quarter-finals.

Cody Gakpo netted a brace as Liverpool took a 2-0 lead in their Round of 16 clash. However, Simon Adingra pulled one back for Brighton in the 81st minute.

The Reds later doubled their lead courtesy Luis Diaz’s strike in the 86th minute. While Tariq Lamptey scored another goal for Brighton, Liverpool secured a thrilling win in the end.

Arne Slot’s men will look to return to winning ways after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Fulham in their last game in the Premier League 2024-25.

Having registered 11 wins, three draws and one loss, Liverpool are currently on top of the Premier League 2024-25 standings with 36 points, two points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand. 

On the other hand, Southampton booked their place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 win over Stoke City at home in October.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis provided Southampton an early lead before Adam Armstrong made it 2-0 from the penalty spot. Stoke City later bounced back courtesy goals from Ashley Phillips and Thomas Cannon. 

James Bree later netted the match-winning goal in the 88th minute to guide Southampton to the last eight.

Meanwhile, Southampton will head into the crucial game after succumbing to a 0-5 defeat against Tottenham in the Premier League.

With just a solitary win in 16 matches, Southampton are currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League 2024-25 standings with five points.

Southampton vs Liverpool head-to-head

The Southampton vs Liverpool head-to-head favours the latter. Liverpool have won 63 of the 120 matches that they have played against each other. Southampton have registered 31 victories while as many as 26 matches have ended in draws.

The last time these two sides met, Liverpool pipped Southampton 3-2 in a Premier League 2024-25 game at the St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton in November.

Mohamed Salah netted a brace while Dominik Szoboszlai also added his name in the scoresheet for Liverpool. For Southampton, Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes were the goalscorers.

Where to watch Southampton vs Liverpool Carabao Cup 2024-25 quarter-final live in India 

Live streaming of the Southampton vs Liverpool Carabao Cup 2024-25 quarter-final will be available on the FanCode app and website in India.

There will be no live telecast of the Southampton vs Liverpool EFL Cup 2024-25 quarter-finals on any TV channel in India.

Photo credit: Imago

After clinching the EFL Cup, Liverpool will host Southampton in the FA Cup 2023-24 fifth round at Anfield in Liverpool, England. 

The Liverpool vs Southampton FA Cup 2023-24 match will start at 1:30 AM on Thursday, February 29. Live streaming and telecast of the match will be available in India.

Under the tutelage of manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool will be brimming with confidence after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the EFL Cup 2023-24 final at Wembley to bag their tenth League Cup title.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk netted the match-winning goal in the extra-time to keep their quadruple hopes alive.

The Reds have been one of the most dominant teams in the domestic competitions this season.

Liverpool are currently placed on top of the Premier League 2023-24 standings with 60 points from 26 matches, one point clear of second-placed and defending champions Manchester City.

 Earlier, Liverpool started their FA Cup 2023-24 campaign with a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the third round. They later hammered Norwich City 5-2 at home to reach the fifth round.

On the other hand, Southampton will look to bounce back after they succumbed to a 1-2 defeat against Millwall in the ongoing EFL Championship.

Having registered 20 wins, seven draws and as many losses, Southampton are placed fourth in the Championship 2023-24 standings with 67 points from 34 matches.

Led by manager Russell Martin, Southampton thrashed Walsall 4-0 before they required a replay to overcome Watford in the previous two rounds to set-up a mouth-watering fifth-round clash.

Interestingly, Liverpool are one of the most successful teams in the FA Cup history, having won the title on eight occasions while Southampton have claimed the trophy once in 1976. 

Liverpool vs Southampton head-to-head

Liverpool have a dominant head-to-head record against Southampton across competitions, winning 61 of the 118 matches that they have played so far. Southampton have registered 31 victories, while as many as 26 matches have ended in draws.

The last time these two sides met, Liverpool were held to a thrilling 4-4 draw by Southampton in a Premier League 2022-23 clash at the St. Mary's Stadium.

Where to watch Liverpool vs Southampton FA Cup 2023-24 match live in India 

The Liverpool vs Southampton FA Cup 2023-24 fifth round will be telecast live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD and HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the Liverpool vs Southampton FA Cup match will be available on the SonyLIV app and website in India.

Photo credit: Alamy

The record for the biggest wins in Premier League history is shared by three teams - Manchester United, Leicester City and Liverpool.

Liverpool, for starters, are the latest team to have pulled off the biggest victory in Premier League history.

During their 2022-23 league outing against Bournemouth at Anfield, the Reds secured a 9-0 win, thanks to braces from Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Fabio Carvalho and an own goal from Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham.

Jurgen Klopp’s men’s result equalled their biggest margin of victory in English top-flight football set against Crystal Palace (9-0, 1989) and Rotherham Town (10-1, 1896).

Liverpool’s victory was the club’s first win of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign, having drawn the first two fixtures and lost 1-2 away at Manchester United.

Historically, Manchester United are the first team to score nine goals in a Premier League game. During the 1994-95 season, the Red Devils registered a landslide 9-0 win over Ipswich Town.

In just his seventh game for the MUFC, Andy Cole netted five times in the fixture and became the first to do so in a PL game. Mark Hughes (two goals), Roy Keane, and Paul Ince completed the rout.

The Red Devils would replicate the feat 25 years later in the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Hosting Southampton at Old Trafford, Man United secured a 9-0 win with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial (two goals), Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Daniel James finding the net.

Jan Bednarek scored an own goal as the Saints slumped to a 0-9 defeat for the second time in their history.

Leicester City is the other team to register a 9-0 victory over Southampton in the Premier League era. The Foxes rode on hat-tricks from Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy to pull off their biggest win in English top-flight history.

The pair were supported by Ben Chilwell, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison as Leicester scripted the largest away win in the English top-flight.

Tottenham Hotspur are the last team to have scored nine goals in a Premier League match, as they rallied to a 9-1 win against Wigan Athletic in 2009.

Jermaine Defoe emulated Andy Cole and Alan Shearer as the third player to score five goals in a Premier League fixture. At the same time, his teammates Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon, David Bentley, Niko Kranjčar and Paul Scharner contributed a goal each.

Biggest wins in Premier League history

Team	Opponent	Result	Year
Manchester United	Ipswich Town	9-0	1995
Leicester City	Southampton	9-0	2019
Manchester United	Southampton	9-0	2021
Liverpool	Bournemouth	9-0	2022
Tottenham Hotspur	Wigan Athletic	9-1	2009
Newcastle United	Sheffield Wednesday	8-0	1999
Chelsea	Wigan Athletic	8-0	2010
Chelsea	Aston Villa	8-0	2012
Southampton	Sunderland	8-0	2014
Manchester City	Watford	8-0	2019

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / OLI SCARFF

Southampton host Liverpool in matchday 37 of Premier League 2021-22 at the St Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday, May 18. The match will kick off at 12:15 AM IST (Indian Standard Time).

Liverpool will assess Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk for the trip to Southampton, given the line-up of fixtures in the pipeline. The pair limped off with minor injuries during the FA Cup final against Chelsea but as things stand, their injuries are not considered serious.

The Reds are already without Fabinho and might also rest right Andy Robertson who suffered a cramp in the Cup final win.

Southampton, on the other hand, have no fresh additions to the treatment table besides Valentino Livramento. 

Southampton vs Liverpool odds for Premier League 2021-22

Southampton: 7.60

Liverpool: 1.34

Draw: 5.80

Click here to check football betting odds.

Note: Odds are subject to change.

Southampton vs Liverpool recent form

Liverpool are coming on the back of a hard-fought FA Cup final against Chelsea, which kept their quadruple hopes alive. The Reds, currently second on the Premier League table, will need to win the tie so that they stay alive in the EPL title race.

Southampton, meanwhile, have won just two of their last 10 Premier League games. The Saints, 15th on the points table, lost 0-3 on the road at Brentford in their last outing.

Southampton: L, L, D, L, W

Liverpool: W, W, D, W, W

Southampton vs Liverpool head-to-head

Liverpool lead the head-to-head record against Southampton in the Premier League with 24 wins in 45 matches. Southampton have notched 11 victories in the process. 10 meetings have ended in a draw

The teams met earlier this season in November, where goals from Diogo Jota (two), Thiago Alcantara and Virgil van Dijk earned Jurgen Klopp’s men a 4-0 win at Anfield.

Liverpool have lost just one of their last Premier League matches against Southampton - the away tie in the 2020-21 season.

As far as the overall head-to-head is concerned, Liverpool have 59 wins in 115 games across all competitions. Southampton have claimed 31 victories, while the two sides have played out 25 stalemates.

Southampton vs Liverpool prediction and tips for Premier League 2021-22

Liverpool are backed by the odds to win this fixture. The Reds�?advantage in the head-to-head record against Southampton and the fact that they lost just one of their last 10 Premier League games against the Saints make them the favourites to win Wedneday’s clash against the Saints.

Featured photo: AFP / OLI SCARFF

The FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round will ring in some domestic football action after the recent international break.

Manchester United, 12-time winners of the competition, host Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in the first of 16 games starting February 5.

The Red Devils are among the 14 Premier League still involved in the competition and will look to progress to the latter stages of a tournament they last won in 2015-16.

Frank Lampard will begin his tenure as Everton manager when Brentford visit Goodison Park for their FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round tie, while Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur host Brighton at home.

Nottingham Forest, who knocked out record FA Cup winners Arsenal in the previous round, will entertain defending champions Leicester City. The likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have relatively easy opponents in Plymouth, Fulham and Cardiff City respectively.

Wolves and Norwich City lock horns in the third all-Premier League fixture in the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round. 

FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round schedule, fixtures and live India match times

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Day, Date	Match	Venue	Time
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Manchester United vs Middlesbrough	Old Trafford	1:30 AM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Chelsea vs Plymouth	Stamford Bridge	6 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Kidderminster Harriers vs West Ham	Aggborough	6 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Crystal Palace vs Hartlepool United	Selhurst Park	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Everton vs Brentford	Goodison Park	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Huddersfield vs Barnsley	John Smith's Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Manchester City vs Fulham	Etihad Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Petersborough vs Queens Park Rangers	Weston Homes Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Southampton vs Coventry	St. Mary's Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Stoke City vs Wigan Athletic	Bet365 Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Wolves vs Norwich City	Molineux Stadium	8:30 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2022	Cambridge United vs Luton Town	Abbey Stadium	11 pm
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	1:30 AM
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Liverpool vs Cardiff City	Anfield	5:30 PM
Sunday, February 6, 2022	Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City	City Ground	9:30 PM
Monday, February 7, 2022	Bournemouth vs Boreham Wood	Vitality Stadium	12 AM

Where to watch the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round live in India?

The FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round will be telecast on Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 2 HD, Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the FA Cup 2021-22 fourth round in India will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.

Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates from the world of sports!

Interested in football betting? Click here to check out the list of top sites.

Featured photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis

Table-toppers Manchester City will be crowned Premier League 2020-21 champions if they defeat Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, May 8.

This match is claimed to be a dress rehearsal as both sides will lock horns in the UEFA Champions League final at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on May 30 (as per Indian Standard Time).

On the other hand, defending champions Liverpool will host Southampton at Anfield in matchweek 35 in the early hours of Sunday.

Matchweek 35 also features several other mouth-watering clashes and here are the numbers that will help you ace it:

Manchester City vs Chelsea

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are just three points away from winning the Premier League title and they could seal their third PL title in four years this weekend against Chelsea. 

Interestingly, Chelsea had ended Manchester City’s quadruple hopes after they defeated the Cityzens 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea have kept 18 clean sheets in 24 matches and currently placed fourth in the Premier League table, just three points ahead of fifth-placed West Ham United.

The Blues have a great record Manchester City, winning 26 of the 47 matches played between these two successful teams.

However, Chelsea have lost nine of their 12 fixtures at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions. Furthermore, the Blues have won just one of their last five PL matches at the Etihad.

Last 5 matches at Etihad
Manchester City	Metrics	Chelsea
4	Wins	1
0	Draws	0
1	Losses	4

Going by current form, Manchester City are likely to claim the Premier League title on Saturday by defeating Chelsea.

Liverpool vs Southampton

Liverpool will look to close the gap in the top four race when they host Southampton at Anfield. The defending champions are currently seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand.

On the other hand, Southampton have struggled throughout the ongoing campaign and are currently in the 16th spot in the points table. 

In the Liverpool vs Southampton head-to-head record in the Premier League, the Reds have a clear edge as they have won 22 of the 43 matches played between these two sides.

Furthermore, Southampton have failed to register a single win in their last five matches at Anfield.

In their last five matches in the Premier League, Liverpool have won three matches while Southampton have registered just a solitary win.

Last 5 matches (EPL)
Liverpool	Metrics	Southampton
3	Wins	1
2	Draws	1
0	Losses	3

Jurgen Klopp’s men are tipped to add three points to their tally against Southampton in the early hours of Sunday.

Aston Villa vs Manchester United 

In another exciting fixture, Aston Villa host second-placed Manchester United at the Villa Park on Sunday. 

Dean Smith’s men head into the fixture after securing a 2-1 against Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday.

On the other hand, Manchester United progressed to the UEFA Europa League final on aggregate even after losing 3-2 to AS Roma in the second leg of the semi-final.

Manchester United have always dominated Aston Villa in the Premier League, winning 36 of the 51 encounters. The Lions have a dismal record against the Red Devils, registering just three wins in the Premier League.

Head-to-Head record
Aston Villa	Metrics	Manchester United
51	Matches	51
3	Wins	36
12	Draws	12

Additionally, Manchester United have remained unbeaten in their last five matches at Villa Park. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men have won four and drawn one fixture in their last five PL matches at the venue.

Going by the head-to-head and record at Villa Park, Manchester United are clear favourites to triumph over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Arsenal vs West Brom

Arsenal take on a struggling West Brom side at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta and his men head into the fixture after they were knocked out of the UEFA Europa League by Villarreal in the semi-final.

West Brom, on the other hand, are fighting for survival as they need to win all their remaining four games and hope the teams above them drop points.

Led by Sam Allardyce, West Brom are currently placed 19th in the Premier League points table, with 26 points in 34 games.

Over the years, Arsenal have clearly dominated the fixture, winning 17 of the 25 matches played between these two sides.

Furthermore, West Brom have failed to defeat the Gunners in their last five matches at the Emirates.

Last 5 matches at Emirates
Arsenal	Metrics	West Brom
5	Wins	0
0	Draws	0
0	Losses	5

Arsenal are tipped to bag all three points against West Brom at the Emirates on Sunday.

Featured photo: Ben STANSALL / POOL / AFP

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United put nine goals past a helpless Southampton on Tuesday as the Red Devils equalled their English Premier League record victory from 1995 against Ipswich Town.

The annihilation started in as early as the second minute when Southampton's 19-year-old Alex Jankewitz was sent off for a rugged challenge on Scott McTominay. He became only the fourth player in Premier League's history to be sent off within two minutes of kick-off.

United, on their part, took full advantage, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Jan Bednarek’s own goal making it 4-0 in the first half itself. 

4 - Man Utd have scored four goals in the first half of a Premier League game for the second time this season, also doing so against Leeds. It's the first time they've scored 4+ goals in the first half of two games in a season since 1997/98 under Sir Alex Ferguson. Emphatic. pic.twitter.com/TRj0qXXCtO

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2021

2 - Luke Shaw has as many Premier League assists in the first half against Southampton as he managed in his previous 45 Premier League appearances (2). Delivery. pic.twitter.com/qnkOII9PFK

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2021

Solskjaer made two changes by the stroke of half-time, replacing an in-form Luke Shaw, who provided two assists, and Edinson Cavani by Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial. United continued their rampage as Martial scored twice before Bednarek was dismissed for a late challenge on the Frenchman. Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, finally found himself amongst goals for the first time in five league games. The Portuguese not only scored a goal but also got two assists.

15 - Only Eric Cantona and Dimitri Payet (both 33 games) have assisted 15 Premier League goals in fewer appearances than Bruno Fernandes, with tonight his 36th appearance in the competition. Provider. pic.twitter.com/YOelZkXSp5

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2021

United were at their absolute best at Old Trafford, pouncing on every given opportunity. As far as Solskjaer is concerned, he has often been compared to his predecessors, and this win over the Saints proves why he has been United's best manager since Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils had scored 5+ goals on just two occasions under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. They have done this a whopping eight times under Solskjaer.

A nine-goal routing means United have already scored 46 goals in the league. Only Inter [49], PSG [50] & Bayern Munich [57] have scored more goals than them across Europe's top-five leagues. Manchester United had as many as seven different goalscorers on the night and this is only the second time that a team had these many scorers since Chelsea vs Aston Villa in December 2012.

Manchester United's next opponent in EPL fixtures is Carlo Ancelotti's Everton; a team that United have already beaten twice this season.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Phil Noble

Premier League football returns after an intense round of FA Cup fixtures, with Newcastle United and Leeds United opening the matchweek 20 of the competition. While both the Manchester clubs have rather easy fixtures, the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal face an uphill battle against in-form opponent.

So, as the race for the Premier League title heats up, we take a look at some key statistics that might help you ace the upcoming gameweek.

Southampton vs Arsenal

Arsenal's fortune in the Premier League has seen a surge since their 2-1 defeat to Everton month, as they have gone on a five-game unbeaten run, winning four and drawing one. Arsenal and Southampton have already met twice this season and the Gunners are yet to get the better of Saints. Their first league meeting this season ended in a 1-1 draw and the two then met in an FA Cup tie where an own goal from Gabriel Magalhaes was enough for Saints to run away with a victory.

Southampton vs Arsenal head-to-head
Southampton	Metrics	Arsenal
43	Matches	43
7	Wins	23
13	Draws	13

Southampton vs Arsenal head-to-head record in the Premier League outrightly favours the latter, who have won 23 of the 43 meetings between each other. The Saints have found victory on just seven occasions. 

Arsenal have been utterly dominant in their last five Premier League games. They have, in fact, scored 11 goals in their last five outings, while keeping four clean sheets. The Saint, on their part, have scored a solitary goal in their last five games, but have managed three clean sheets. Despite their recent struggle though, there are high chances of Southampton opening the scoring as nine of their 14 goals at home have come in the first 45 minutes. What further aids the Saints is the fact that Arsenal have conceded seven of their eight away goals in the opening period.

Chelsea vs Wolves

Chelsea taking on Wolves always promises goals, as the teams have produced 17 goals in their last five meetings. The two teams are evenly poised during the period as both have registered two victories while the remaining game ended in a draw. As far as their head-to-head count goes, Chelsea hold the edge with nine wins in 13 Premier League meetings, while Wolves have won three.

Chelsea vs Wolves goal-scoring comparison
Teams	First Half	Second Half	Total
Chelsea (Home)	7	12	19
Wolves (Away)	7	2	9

Both teams have encountered a tough tenure recently, but Chelsea have, at least, registered a victory in their last five games. Wolves are without a win in their last six league games. Their last league win, in fact, came on December 15 against Chelsea. The Blues have scored a whopping 19 goals at home this season and 12 of them have come in the second period, meaning that one can rightly punt on them scoring at least once in the final 45 minutes. As far as Wolves are concerned, 10 of the 16 goals that they have conceded away from home have come in the second half.

Manchester United vs Sheffield United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United haven't lost a Premier League game since November 2020, and their unbeaten form is expected to continue when they take on Chris Wilder's Sheffield United on Wednesday (Thursday, 1:45 per IST). The two sides played out an absolute scorcher of a game last time out, with Manchester United running out 3-2 victorious away from home.

Sheffield United have won just one of their nine Premier League meetings against Manchester United and have lost seven. In those nine games, Manchester United have scored 22 goals while Sheffield have bagged nine. All of their Premier League meetings have seen at least one goal per game.

Manchester United vs Sheffield United goal-scoring pattern
Teams	0-15	16-30	31-35	46-60	61-75	76-90
Manchester United (Home)	3	1	2	1	3	2
Sheffield United (Away)	2	0	0	0	1	1

While United have won four of their last five Premier League meetings this season, the Blades are coming on the back of four defeats and just one victory. Judging by the current form, Manchester United are highly likely to open the scoring and are tipped to bag a goal in the second period as well. As far as Sheffield are concerned, numbers say that they can bag a goal inside in the opening 15 minutes.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool

Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp cross paths once again as Tottenham host champions Liverpool on Thursday (Friday, 1:30 per IST). The Reds are on a seven-game unbeaten run against Tottenham in all competitions, with their last defeat against the Lilly Whites coming in October 2017. During this period, Liverpool have scored at least two goals on six occasions. Even their head-to-head count is pretty one-sided as well, with Liverpool winning 28 of their 57 Premier League meetings against Tottenham while losing.

Tottenham vs Liverpool goal-scoring comparison
Teams	First Half	Second Half	Total
Tottenham (Home)	11	3	14
Liverpool (Away)	6	10	16

The current form, however, favours the home team as they are coming on the back of two victories in their last five games. The Reds, on their part, have lost two and drawn three. Klopp's men have scored more away goals (16) than Tottenham have at home (14), and a whopping 10 of them have come in the second period. As far as Tottenham are concerned, they have scored 11 goals in first-half, making it an even contest.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Clive Brunskill

Four months in an unusual English Premier League season and it is fair to say that the teams and the fans have gotten a better idea of how the clubs are shaping up for a difficult 2020-21 season.

The unforeseen complexion of the league this season, with the global pandemic hampering the summer transfer window and making the pre-season non-existent, has duly brought both excitement and despair for the fans across the globe. As we approach the festive season - a hectic juncture - we talk about five players in the Premier League who have excelled contrary to mass expectations. 

Sam Johnstone - West Bromwich Albion

Full time at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, December 15, saw the host, Manchester City, attempting a whopping 26 shot compared to the visitors�?(West Brom) five. And yet the full-time score read 1-1, much to the credit of one man, the former Red Devil, Sam Johnstone.

In 13 Premier League games so far, the Baggies have registered a solitary victory, which portrays a gloomy picture altogether, but the fact remains that Johnstone has arguably been their best player on the field. His notable performances include a penalty save from Bruno Fernandes against his former club, Manchester United, a 3-3 draw against Chelsea in the matchweek 3, where he made seven saves throughout the game. If not for the 27-year-old stopper, it’s difficult to see how the Baggies would have managed the four draws they have this season.

Jannik Vestergaard - Southampton

Southampton defender Jannik Vestergaard has been a sheer bargain for the fantasy managers, and it rightly explains how terrific he has been for the Saints this season. The towering defender, who is always a target for James Ward-Prowse from the set-pieces, has been a delight to watch, to say the least. Reliable in the air and confident while going forward, his presence has given Southampton the much-needed authority as they aim to finish within the European slots this season.

Jannik Vestergaard has more goals than Aguero, Firmino, Aubameyang and Martial this season by the way.

The pic.twitter.com/hMvWpa12sl

�?fredo (@fredoftbl) December 7, 2020

During Southampton’s recent 3-0 win over a struggling Sheffield United team, his command over his backline was such that the Blades didn’t even manage a single shot on target. An absolute rock at the back, the Denmark international embodies all the traits that the current Liverpool centre-half, Virgil van Dijk, showed during his time at the St. Mary’s.

Jarrod Bowen - West Ham United

Arriving from Hull City in January 2020, versatile forward Jarrod Bowen showed glimpses of brilliance in the 2019-20 Premier League season. It is, however, in the current campaign that the 23-year-old has fully flourished. Deployed as an attacking midfielder, a right forward and even as a right-winger, Bowen has terrorized the opposition to mere perfection.

Jarrod Bowen has an increased conversion rate from 7.1% last season to 30.8% this season so far.

Baller. �?pic.twitter.com/ACWXu2bSSJ

�?Fred �? (@_FredWHU) December 9, 2020

Four goals and two assists in 12 Premier League games may not look like a decent return for a forward, but his contribution goes way beyond that, with his crosses being one of the most dangerous assets. Bowen has attracted comparisons to the likes of Arjen Robben throughout his career as he, too, likes to cut inside and have a go.

Eberechi Eze - Crystal Palace

Signed from Queens Park Rangers for a fee reported to be around £17 million, it took time for Eberechi Eze to get into his usual self, but boy the wonders he has delivered since. A goal and two assists in 11 Premier League outings is once again below-par figure on paper, but watching him dancing around the defender with the ball at his feet is a sight for the savours. 

Palace have been over-reliant on their star winder Wilfried Zaha, but inducing Eze into the team means that the Eagles now pose a greater threat while going forward and look fluid in their movements. Furthermore, not only is the 22-year-old a brilliant dribbler, his set-piece ability has garnered praises as well. Over time, he has become an important member of Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace team.

Pedro Neto - Wolverhampton

Two of Pedro Neto’s four Premier League goals have been the match-winners, and ironically, both have come against the London clubs (Fulham and Chelsea). Neto, who was terrific against the Blues on Tuesday, December 15, has already scored more goals (four) in 13 Premier League matches than he did last season (three goals in 29 games). Stepping up in the absence of Raul Jimenez, Neto has played in as many as six different positions this season and has delivered what was promised. 

Pedro Neto’s 95th minute goal against Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/S0mvugggNb

�? (@DiogenesDorm) December 15, 2020

Neto’s form this season has slipped under the radar as Wolves have been far from their usual self. The 20-year-old’s importance in this Wolves�?team can be underlined through the fact that three of his four league goals this season have come in a one-goal deficit victory. Needless to say how important he has become for Nuno Espírito Santo this season.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Michael Steele

The Premier League returns after the midweek action in UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Burnley will take on Everton at the Turf Moor Stadium to kick-off the weekend action on Saturday.

The first North London derby of the season between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal will undoubtedly be the biggest clash of the weekend.

For several fantasy managers, gameweek 10 was a rather below-par affair as it produced an average tally of 44 points. 

So as we inch closer to the new round of Premier League fixtures, here are five players who could potentially get you maximum points in gameweek 11:

Timo Werner (Chelsea) vs Leeds United

Timo Werner, who came on as a substitute in Chelsea’s 4-0 victory over Sevilla in the Champions League, will look to put on his goalscoring boots when his side take on Leeds United in the Premier League. The German international has been Chelsea’s top scorer this season, netting eight goals in 13 matches in all competitions. The 24-year-old has also managed to score three goals in his last five league outings. The Blues manager Frank Lampard will hope that his decision to rest him in the midweek will pay off against a formidable Leeds side.

Edinson Cavani (Manchester United) vs West Ham

Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been in incredible form for the Red Devils, scoring three important goals in the Premier League. The 33-year-old Uruguayan came on as a substitute in their last Premier League encounter to inspire his side to come from two goals down and clinch a thrilling 3-2 win against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium. Cavani will hope he can continue his glorious form for United when they face West Ham United on Saturday.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) vs Fulham

Kevin De Bruyne produced two assists in Manchester City’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley in gameweek 10 and he was very unlucky to not have his name on the scoresheet. After being rested for City’s midweek clash against FC Porto in the Champions League, the Belgian will be eager to put in a good performance against Fulham in the Premier League. Interestingly, De Bruyne has four assists in the last four gameweeks.

Che Adams (Southampton) vs Brighton

In Danny Ings absence, Southampton has found a great replacement in Che Adams, who has chipped in with three goals and four assists for the Saints. The 24-year-old, who looked in good form in the first half against Manchester United, is expected to be among the points against Brighton who only have one clean sheet since gameweek 2.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) vs Wolves

Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has been in great form for the Reds, netting two goals and two assists in his last four matches in all competition. The 28-year-old had laid an assist and had a goal overturned by VAR in Liverpool’s last Premier League match against Brighton. He has struck once and has assisted one goal against Wolves in the last four encounters. The Egyptian is rightly tipped to play his part against Wolves.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Mike Hewitt