Another weekend, another batch of predictably enthralling Premier League fixtures.
The action kicks off at 12.45pm on Saturday with Norwich taking on Sunderland at Carrow Road in a crucial relegation clash that could decide the fates of both clubs, whilst fallen champions Chelsea and failed title-chasers Manchester City face each other at 5.30pm – in a game filled with some of the Premier League’s biggest talents.
In between, Manchester United could seal Aston Villa’s seemingly inevitable doom at Old Trafford, whilst Sunday sees shock table-toppers Leicester City play hosts to one of the Premier League’s form sides of the season, West Ham, and Arsenal lock horns with Crystal Palace in a feisty London derby.
In fact, there’s so much going on in the Premier League this weekend that you may struggle to truly absorb it all, so we at Football FanCast have whittled the action down to FOUR key battles you should be watching out for. So without further ado, here are the FOUR biggest battles in the Premier League this weekend.
Jermain Defoe vs Sebastien Bassong
Four points behind opponents Norwich City, albeit with a game in hand, only a win will do for Sunderland in Saturday’s early kick-off.
That will hinge heavily on veteran striker Jermain Defoe, whose twelve Premier League goals this season have kept the Black Cats’ survival bid alive. The former England striker has scored three in his last eight, securing vital points against Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton.
And the expected absence of key centre-back Timm Klose, who came off against Crystal Palace last weekend with a jarred knee, leaves a noteworthy hole at the heart of the Canaries defence that Defoe will be keen to take advantage of.
The task of filling the towering German’s void will fall to Sebastien Bassong who, despite replacing Klose from the bench last weekend, has found himself out of Alex Neal’s favour since mid-March. Bassong is powerful and quick but it’s Defoe’s shrewd movement in the final third – not to mention his finishing ability – the Cameroon international must be most wary of.
This key battle will not only have a strong influence on Saturday’s scoreline, but also who avoids the drop this season.
JORDAN AYEW VS DAVID DE GEA
Saturday is Judgement Day for Aston Villa. Unless they claim at least a point or match Norwich City’s result this weekend, their seemingly inevitable relegation from the Championship will become a mathematical certainty.
Avoiding the drop will be an incredibly tough task at Old Trafford, where Manchester United have lost just twice this season – the second-least home losses of any Premier League side after Leicester City – and conceded just seven goals from 15 games.
But their best chance of doing so is sourced in winger-forward Jordan Ayew. He’s produced moments of individual brilliance this season to become Villa’s top scorer in the league, netting six in 25 outings.
That being said, United No.1 David De Gea was nothing short of phenomenal during the dying embers of the Red Devils’ 2-1 FA Cup win over West Ham in midweek.
Considering Villa have created the second-fewest chances of any Premier League side this season and De Gea has kept three clean sheets in his last five Premier League outings, the Birmingham outfit’s hopes could hinge on Ayew producing something special from long-range.
DIMITRI PAYET VS N’GOLO KANTE
This battle sees the arguably the best No.10 in the Premier League this season go directly against unquestionably the division’s top enforcer in West Ham’s Dimitri Payet and Leicester City’s N’Golo Kante respectively – both of whom have been nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder’s return of ten goals and nine assists in the Premier League, whilst averaging the second-most created chances per match, 3.8, of any top flight star and producing moments of sheer magic from dead ball situations, has seen him ascend to cult status in England.
But Kante has been enjoying an equally affluent Premier League campaign, averaging the most tackles per match, 4.8, and second-most interceptions, 4.2, throughout the league to play an instrumental part in Leicester City’s shock rise to the table’s summit.
There probably won’t be two players in such strong form playing directly against each other this weekend and to make this battle even more exciting, both France international are going all out to claw their way to the centre of Didier Deschamps’ plans ahead of Euro 2016.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE VS CHELSEA
Having missed the 3-0 thumping at the start of the season, this will be the first time Kevin De Bruyne faces the club that deemed him surplus to requirements in January 2014.
Indeed, despite initially being included in Jose Mourinho’s first team plans, the Belgium international rapidly slumped down the pecking order and was eventually sold to Wolfsburg – where he flourished into one of the most exciting attacking talents in Europe and earned a £55million move to Manchester City.
The 24-year-old is enjoying a strong debut campaign at the Etihad, mustering up six goals and nine assists in the Premier League, and will be bursting with confidence for Saturday’s game after securing City a Champions League spot with a stellar strike against PSG in midweek.
Of course, the chance of showing his former club what they missed out on will provide extra motivation for the 5.30pm kickoff and worryingly for the Blues, they’re amid a bit of a sticky patch – winning just one of their last five in all competitions.
But City may still be revelling in the high of the most memorable European night in their recent history, so Chelsea could catch them off the boil.
