Premier league team of the week Liverpool,Arsenal and Man Utd. players featured

In a week that saw runaway leader Chelsea pecked back at Burnley and a week Liverpool also remembers how to beat a team albeit with the aid of Saido Mane we look at the premier league team of the weekend.

GK: Victor Valdes (Middlesbrough)  Was the major reason Middlesbrough got something out the the match had series of good saves and notably denying Ademola Lookman twice.

DF:Alfie Mawson (Swansea) Has managed to score three goals in the year 2017 which is very impressive for a defender the 23year old player is brimming with a lot of confidence at the moment helped scored a brilliant goal too.

DF:Michael Keane (Burnley)  The young defender who is attracting plenty of suitors did is reputation no harm aganist a Chelsea team that are know to be dominant Chelsea failed to have a signle shot on target in the second halve which speak volume of the work done by Keane and company.

DF;Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough) Helped to keep the man that scored four goals last week on bay for larger period of the game a wonderful performance from the center back.

DF: Harry Maguire  (Hull City) Although he was on the loosing side still managed to turn in an impressive performance

MF: Joey Barton (Burnley) Has his off the field problems but put in a wonderful performance in the heart of Midfield against Chelsea.

MF: Juan Mata (Manchester United) The Midfielder those not have a constant shirt in the United team but has impressed whenever called upon capped a fine performance with a well taken goal.

MF: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) Capped a very impressive performance with a goal and an assist worked tirelessly on the night.

FW: Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton) For 14m Southampton has gotten a very talented player and if he continues like this i am afraid he might be player at Liverpool next season tookonly two games to become Southampton 3rd highest goal scorer in the league took his two goals camly.

FW: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) Was at it again for the gunner i think he has already earned the right to that big pay rise he is looking to get at Arsenal only time will tell if he will actually get it scored both of the Arsenal goals.

FW: Sadio Mane (Liverpool) The Senegal international showed just how much Liverpool has missed him scoring two good goals on his first Andfield start since the AFCON could have had at least an hat-trick ran gave Davies a game he will never forget.

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Chelsea vs hull city team news,managers opinions,match facts and betting guide

TEAM NEWS

Diego Costa has returned to training with the rest of the first team and Antonio Conte has confirmed he is available for selection this weekend.
Markus Henriksen is ruled out for 2-3 months with a dislocated shoulder, but Hull's injury crisis does now appear to be easing after Marco Silva was able to welcome back a number of players for their 3-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend.

Silva may reward a number of the players that started in that victory with another chance to impress at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, although new signings Oumar Niasse and Evandro may be pushing for a start.

Robert Snodgrass hasn't managed to train in the build up to this match due to a slight muscle injury, but David Meyler and Shaun Maloney should be fine to feature on Sunday.

Dieumerci Mbonkani and Ahmed Elmohamady are absent for the next month due to their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations this month.

MANAGERS OPINION

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte: "If you think this type of game is easy you make a great mistake, and you can pay for it at the end of the season.

"Hull are a good team. They have changed the coach and usually you have a great reaction from the players."

Hull head coach Marco Silva: "It will be a difficult game at Chelsea. They are the best team in the Premier League right now because they are in first position.

"The only difference this week is that we have had more time to prepare ahead of the game. That is important for me and my players.

"They have had more time to work with my ideas and hopefully we will see the benefits on Sunday."
Head-to-head

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea are unbeaten against Hull in the Premier League (W7, D2).
The Blues are looking for a sixth consecutive league win over the Tigers.
Chelsea

Chelsea have won 14 of their last 15 Premier League games.
They are looking for an eighth consecutive home win in the league.
The Blues have kept 12 Premier League clean sheets this season, more than any other side. No team in Europe's top five leagues has kept more.
Diego Costa has scored in all three of his previous Premier League appearances against Hull, and also has two assists.
Eden Hazard has scored three goals and set up another in his last four league games against Hull.
Hull City

Hull earned their first league victory in 10 games at the expense of Bournemouth last weekend.
They have lost their last eight Premier League away games. A ninth straight defeat would represent their worst such run since a club record streak of 11 from December 1997 to April 1998 when in the fourth tier.
Hull have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 19 Premier League matches.
They have conceded 10 penalties this season - only Blackburn, who conceded 11 in 2006-07, have conceded more in a Premier League campaign.
Hull have conceded 20 goals from set-pieces, the most in the top five European leagues.

BETTING GUIDE

Chelsea have won 14 of their last 15 matches (Premier League).

Hull have lost their last 8 away matches (Premier League).

Chelsea have won their last 5 matches against Hull in all competitions.

Chelsea have scored at least 2 goals in their last 5 matches against Hull in all competitions.

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Chelsea transfer round up involving Costa,Shaw,Morata,Lukaku,Ricardo Rodriguez and Benteke

Antonio Conte eyes shock move for Crystal Palace £32m signing

According to The Guardian, Chelsea are lining up a move for Crystal Palace centre-forward Christian Benteke, with Diego Costa is expected to leave the London-based club in the summer transfer window.

The 28-year-old star was involved in a training ground bust-up with the manager Antonio Conte last week and was left out of Chelsea squad for 3-0 Leicester City win at the King Power Stadium.

It is believed the row was over an eye-watering offer the Spain international had received from Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian but the former Atletico Madrid striker was spotted back in training at Cobham in midweek.

However, with the Spaniard is still expected to leave the Stamford Bridge in the summer, the board are eyeing potential replacements and a surprise name is being considered.

The same sources claim Crystal Palace forward Benteke, 26, is on Chelsea’s shortlist in case Diego Costa moves on at the end of the 2016/17 season.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte remains keen on Christian Benteke despite the Belgian’s underwhelming campaign with Liverpool, where he only managed 10 goals in 42 matches.

Alongside Benteke, other top-class strikers are also under Antonio Conte’s radar, including Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku and Fernando Llorente.

Man United’s £30m signing on Chelsea radar

According to the latest transfer news, Antonio Conte is willing to sign Manchester United full-back Luke shaw, as Chelsea officials are reportedly keeping close tabs on Englishman’s situation at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old Shaw has made 41 apps for Man United since becoming the most expensive teenager in the world when he signed for a fee of £30m back in 2014.

The England international has only made seven Premier League apps for the Red Devils this season and it’s believed Jose Mourinho has grown tired of his lack of progress.

As per the Independent, Premier League duo Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are circling, with the future of young full-back at Old Trafford appearing in serious doubt.

Jose Mourinho was interested in signing the Englishman back in 2014, when he was in charge of Chelsea, but he’s not been impressed with the former Southampton man since taking over the reins at Man United in the summer

Antonio Conte’s side have been linked with a number of full-backs during the January transfer window as the Italian head coach scours the market for defensive reinforcements.

It is believed that West Ham United wide-man Michail Antonio and Koln’s Jonas Hector are also on Chelsea’s radar.

Diego Costa reveals the salary he wants to earn at Chelsea

According to the Metro, Chelsea rebel superstar Diego Costa has told the club officials to pay him £300,000-a-week if they want to keep him at the west London club.

The 28-year-old striker has returned to training after being left out of the squad for the Leicester City clash and is set to start against Hull City this weekend.

The Spain international fell out with Antonio Conte after receiving a mega offer from Chinese Super League but he has now come to a truce with his manager.

As per The Sun, Diego Costa only agreed to a return to the side on the condition that contract negotiations reopened.

After the contract talks will be resumed, the Spaniard will demand £300,000-a-week salary, double what he currently works, if he is to extend his stay.

The Blues are reluctant to offer the former Atletico Madrid star that much and are thought to be more likely to hand him a new five-year deal worth £225,000-a-week.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are considering a £21m move for Wolfsburg full-back Ricardo Rodriguez, who has been on radar of several European top clubs.

The 24-year-old Switzerland international has been closely monitored by Arsenal for some time with Arsene Wenger desperate to strengthen his left-back options.

However, the reports from The Sun claim that Antonio Conte’s side have put the wheels in motion to try and pip the Gunners to his signature.

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This Liverpool player performance might have just won Chelsea the league

Liverpool dealt big blow in Premier League title race
LIVERPOOL star Sadio Mane is expected to miss his side's crunch clash with Chelsea later this month.

Mane, 24, is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and his performance has seen his country through to the last eight having found the opening goal in his opening two matches at the competition

And he was on the scoresheet as Aliou Cisse's men beat Zimbabwe 2-0 to seal a quarter-final spot last night.
He will now eventually miss the Chelsea game and a win for Chelsea might just be enough for Conte's men to win the league
Mane has been very influential to Liverpool this season according to popular statistics site whoscored.com he has  recorded 2.3 shots per game,and 2.5 dribbles per game second to known a total whoscored rating of 7.57 is second only the the mercurial Coutinho and he also leads the scoring chats for the reds with 9 league goals.
Senegal are now set to play their last-eight tie on January 28 with Mane almost certain to be involved.
And that means the Reds will have to do without their star forward when they take on Chelsea in a title showdown three days later.

The match at Anfield could prove crucial if Liverpool are to have any chance of lifting their first Premier League trophy this term.

They currently sit third in the table, seven points adrift of Antonio Conte's league leaders.

Idrissa Gueye and Cheikhou Kouyate of Everton and West Ham respectively are also out in Gabon with Senegal.
Jurgen Klopp parted with around £35m to sign Mane from Southampton last summer.

He has hit the ground running on Merseyside, scoring nine goals and five assists in 19 top-flight outings this term.

His absence has already been felt at Anfield with the Reds managing to find the back of the net just twice in four games without him this month.

Up next is the visit of Swansea tomorrow.

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Liverpool ready to beat PL giants in race for 23-year-old quality full-back

According to the English media outlets, Liverpool are ready to rivals another Premier League giants Arsenal in race for Schalke 04 left-back Sead Kolasinac, who has been on Jurgen Klopp’s radar since the last season.

Arsenal have made their desire open this January, though they find themselves up against tough negotiators as Schalke have no intention of selling their key defender at the moment.

The reports from Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb claim that alongside Liverpool and Arsenal, the Serie A champions Juventus are also willing to get the defender’s signature, but the Gunners seem to be stepping up their interest in the highly-rated Bosnia international for a move to bring him to London in summer.

The Gunners already have Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal as options at left-back, but may be planning to replace one of them as 27-year-old Gibbs has been heavily linked with an exit in recent times due to a lack of first-team football.

Kolasinac’s impressive form in Bundesliga has not gone unnoticed by bigger clubs, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also considering the 23-year-old defender as potential target for the Reds.

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Mourinho Makes his former player at Chelsea number one target

According to the latest reports from English media, Manchester United head coach Jose Mourinho has made Chelsea defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic his top priority for the summer transfer window

The reports from Sunday Mirror suggest that the Red Devils boss vis considering the Serbia international as the ‘ideal’ replacement for Morgan Schneiderlin, who has already joined Everton officially, and Michael Carrick, who is coming to the end of his career at Old Trafford.

The Special One has already identified four key transfer targets for the summer transfer window and alongside 28-year-old Matic is Atletico Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann.

But the report claims that Portuguese manager’s desire to get the signature of the Chelsea midfielder is as strong as it is to lure the France international from Diego Simeone’s side.

Nemanja Matic, who joined the Stamford Bridge side in a £21m deal back in 2014, has been one of Chelsea’s key players in midfield this season. The Serbian star also won the Premier League title alongside Jose Mourinho in 2015.

Meanwhile, Man United manager is considering January move for Benfica’s highly-rated duo, Victor Lindelof and Nelson Semedo, as both player have been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in latest times.

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No Costa no Problem Conte to bid record Chelsea for world class striker

According to the Spanish media outlets, Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has asked the Blues hierarchy to ‘make an effort’ to sign Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata this summer, as the Italian manager is desperately chasing for the top-class replacements for Diego Costa.

The reports from Sport claim that the 24-year-old star is unhappy at the Santiago Bernabeu having started just 10 matches in all competitions for Zinedine Zidane’s side this term.

The Spain international is open to returning to Serie A giants Juventus but a move back to Italy is unfeasible due to the transfer fee.

Antonio Conte reportedly remains desperate to bring his favourite striker to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season  and has already spoken to the Chelsea front office about making the transfer deal happen.

As per the same sources, Chelsea have to meet the striker’s £61.5 million valuation to bring him in west London.

Back in September, Morata confirmed that Antonio Conte failed to sign him for Chelsea during last summer’s transfer window.

Morata told SportBild: ‘Chelsea showed the most interest. Antonio Conte had already signed me for Juventus. And it was a very good offer this time. I would have been the most expensive Spanish player ever.’

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CRYSTALPALACE VS CHELSEA MATCH PREVIEW EXPERT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION

CRYSTAL PALACE VS CHELSEA MATCH PREVIEW EXPERT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION

TEAM NEWS

Jason Puncheon returns for Crystal Palace after a ban but Mathieu Flamini is out with a groin injury.

James Tomkins, Connor Wickham, Bakary Sako, Loic Remy, Pape Souare and Steve Mandanda remain sidelined.

Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, who missed the win at Sunderland because of a knock, is fit but could be rested as part of squad rotation.

Willian could deputise again in place of Hazard, while Cesc Fabregas will hope to start ahead of Nemanja Matic.

Oscar may have played his last game for Chelsea as a move to China edges closer

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew on Chelsea's success under Antonio Conte: "The manager's done a great job but the world-class players are at the top of their game. And the best thing he's done is not the system: he's man-managed those people to perform better.

"He's got to grips with the toughness of the Premier League, and the physicality of it. He inherited players that were used to it, and he's been helped by that.

"[But] he's still done a fabulous job, the system suits them, and at the moment they look unbeatable.

"The best we can do is to make sure we give them a game which makes it as difficult as possible and hopefully get ourselves a result. It is possible."

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte on the likely departure of Oscar to China: "The Chinese market is a danger for all teams in the world. Not only for Chelsea but all teams in the world.

"But I think that we must be concentrated on our work. I think that this league is fantastic and to play in this league is a great opportunity, a great honour.

"You must be very proud to play in this league. Because I think now it's the best league in the world. For this season, I don't worry about this."

WHAT WE THINK

• Crystal Palace have now lost four of their last five home league matches and it doesn't get any easier as they welcome Chelsea on Saturday. The Eagles are only three points above the bottom three and have lost three of their last four at home to Chelsea.
• Chelsea have won 10 league games in a row and have already secured more victories this season than they managed in the whole of last season. They are the team to beat in the Premier League and it's hard to see where they will next drop points. They have only managed 1-0 wins in each of their last two matches, which may be a concern for Antonio Conte, but the run shouldn't stop here.
• PREDICTION- CHELSEA TO WIN BUT THEY ARE ALSO VERY LIKELY TO CONCEDE .

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Southamphton Slapped £40million Price Tag on 25-year-old Chelsea transfer Target

Southamphton Slapped £40million Price Tag on 25-year-old Chelsea transfer Target

Premier League outfits Southampton have reportedly slapped a £40million price tag on Chelsea and Man United transfer target Virgil van Dijk.

Claude Puel’s side have dismissed rumors that former Celtic star has a £25m release clause in his current deal and they are believed to demanding at least £40m to allow their star performer to leave during the January transfer window.

Premier League giants Chelsea and Man United both are desperate to strengthen defensive options in the middle of the season to compete for the top place in the English top-tier.

Chelsea have identified 25-year-old centre-back as a long-term replacement for the aging of the clubs talisman John Terry, who is in the final year of his contract.

Man United meanwhile, have been highly unconvincing at the back since the start of the current campaign and Dutch centre-back believes to be a solution got Jose Mourinho’s defensive issues.

Southampton are not under pressure to sell their star on the cheap and slapped £40million is what they’ll be demanding for him if clubs step up their interest this winter, according to the Daily Mirror reports.

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CONTE TO LOOK TO SERIA A TO COMPLETED 22-YEAR-OLD STAR DEAL

The Italian has had a stunning impact in west London despite a slight wobble a few months back and the notion of having him at the helm for a while is a reassuring one for the Stamford Bridge faithful.

So, the drinkers propping up the bar have been happy to read reports from Calcio Mercato suggesting the 47-year-old could be about to further stamp his authority on the squad.

According to their report, Conte is keen on Fiorentina forward Federico Bernardeschi as he looks to bolster his frontline in SW6.

The 22-year-old has been hugely impressive for La Viola in recent months and was even called up to the Italian national side while the current Chelsea coach was in charge.

Despite proving hugely impressive in Serie A, the Tuscan outfit are understood to be willing to cash in on him, with the Blues reportedly lining up a €45m bid.

That figure roughly equates to around £38m and while Conte is said to have wanted him in January, the report states a move next summer is now more likely.

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CHELSEA DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL TO SEAL THIS TOP CLASS TRANSFER BEFORE JANUARY

CHELSEA DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL TO SEAL THIS TOP CLASS TRANSFER BEFORE JANUARY

It’s been a long night of celebration for the Chelsea fans dancing on the pool tables in the Transfer Tavern, having watched their side record a 10th straight win. 

Sitting pretty atop the Premier League, the Blues have completely turned their season around ever since THAT loss to Arsenal at the Emirates in September.

Life under Antonio Conte has been pretty sweet of late and the west London locals have been further delighted by reports from the Daily Mail.

They claim the Stamford Bridge titans are ready to act on their interest in Hoffenheim defender Nicklas Sule in January, following his impressive performances in the Bundesliga.

Conte has plugged the leaky backline in SW6 with a solid 3-4-3 formation, though is said to be keen on the German despite his team’s good form.

Michael Emenalo has reportedly identified the 21-year-old as a man who can operate in the Italian’s three-man defence following his rise to fame in Germany.

Hoffenheim have been a revelation in the Bundesliga this term and are not thought to be under any pressure to sell their Olympic silver medalist, though Chelsea are said to be lining up a £30m move.

Would Sule improve the Blues? Let us know below…

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WILLIAN RETURNS, MATIC REMAINS: IF CONTE PICKS THIS 3-4-3 CHELSEA XI THEN THEY WILL SURELY DESTROY MAN CITY

The games keep on coming for Antonio Conte and Chelsea…

Last weekend’s clash against Tottenham will live long in the memory of Chelsea fans, given that it was a game of such important against a side that has built quite the rivalry with Chelsea over the last few years.

An impressive Victor Moses goal in the second-half sealed the points for Antonio Conte’s men – but the Italian will have no time to rest on his laurels.

Up next is a tough trip to the Etihad, where Conte faces his stiffest test yet – a game against Premier League favourites Man City.

The Guardiola-led side have done well this year, and some are already touting this game as a title decider.

With so much riding on the game, it is absolutely essential that Antonio Conte picks the right team on Saturday – and we’re expecting a change or 2.

With that said, if Conte picks this 3-4-3 Chelsea XI then they will surely destroy Man City

GK – THIBAUT COURTOIS

Thibaut Courtois has been in a rich vein of form over the last few weeks – and he appears to be finally living up to the hype.

He will need to be on form.

 CB – DAVID LUIZ

What a revelation David Luiz has been!

He is the most important man in this defence, and Conte will be hoping that his regular mistakes don’t rear their ugly head.

CB – GARY CAHILL

Chelsea’s captain in the absence of John Terry.

A good performance will be needed.

CB – CESAR AZPILICUETA

Cesar Azpilicueta is the most consistent man in the Chelsea first team.

There is nothing to worry about when he’s in the side.

LWB – MARCOS ALONSO

Marcos Alonso has looked good so far, but he will need to be on form to deal with Man City’s rampaging attack.

Can he handle it? We think he can…

CM – N’GOLO KANTE

This will be N’Golo Kante’s toughest test yet.

He will need to be all over Sergio Aguero in order to stop the deadly forward.

CM – NEMANJA MATIC

A strong performance against Tottenham proved his position in the side was justified – and a repeat performance will be needed.

 RWB – VICTOR MOSES

How good was Victor Moses last week?

He scored the winner and is sure to start this week.

LW – EDEN HAZARD

Eden Hazard is a man bang in form – but he needs to start turning up in the big games.

The clash against Man City is a perfect time to start.

ST – DIEGO COSTA

Diego Costa was unbelievable last week.

His display deserved a goal, but his hold up and transitional play were essential.

A repeat performance please, Diego.

RW – WILLIAN

Pedro doesn’t deserve to be dropped, but the offensive threat of Man City means that Willian could return.

He is a hard worker, and Man City are seriously good going forward. Pedro isn’t as defensively minded as the Brazilian – so this one makes a lot of sense.

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MATCH PREVIEW CHELSEA VS LIVERPOOL - PREDICTED LINEUPS WITH CHANGES AND EXPERT PREDICTIONS

   MATCH PREVIEW CHELSEA VS LIVERPOOL - PREDICTED LINEUPS WITH CHANGES AND EXPERT PREDICTIONS

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says his team will have to beware "world class" striker Diego Costa when they play Chelsea on Friday.

Costa scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Swansea on Sunday, taking his tally to four goals in as many league matches.
German Klopp said: "He is a real warrior on the pitch. He uses his body all the time and that is a quality. He was nearly unstoppable against Swansea.
"He is world class and that's the best thing football fans can say about you."
It was at Stamford Bridge that Klopp enjoyed his first victory as Liverpool manager, beating the Blues 3-1 last October.
But Klopp, who described new Blues boss Antonio Conte as a "great manager", said Chelsea were a different team to the one which struggled under Jose Mourinho last season.

Klopp added: "They've seen us playing and they know we are not easy to play and that is what I thought most about in the last two days and what I will think about because there is always a way to create moments which you are not expecting.
"The problem is they maybe have the same plan.
"They were champions two years ago and then had a difficult year and they changed their manager.
"Last season was not a Chelsea season and now they are back on track, so we need to be ready for a real challenge."
Chelsea, second in the league and unbeaten in the league under Conte, will be without captain John Terry after the defender strained ligaments in his foot against Swansea.
David Luiz, who re-signed for the London club from Paris St-Germain in the summer, could replace the 35-year-old.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Chelsea have only beaten Liverpool twice in the last nine league meetings at Stamford Bridge (W2, D3, L4).
• This is the 175th competitive fixture between the clubs. Liverpool lead by 75 wins to Chelsea's 61, with 38 draws.

Chelsea

• Chelsea could record three successive home wins in the Premier League for the first time since May last year.
• Relegated Aston Villa were the only side to earn fewer home victories than Chelsea's tally of five in 2015-16.
• The Blues have scored at least two goals in each of their opening four league fixtures.
• Diego Costa has already scored four times - it took him until Boxing Day to reach that tally in the Premier League last season.
• Antonio Conte has won his last 21 league games at home as a manager, and not lost in 30 since Juventus were beaten by Sampdoria in January 2013.

Liverpool

• Liverpool's tally of 32 points from their last 17 games is only bettered by Manchester United (34).
• The Reds have scored an unrivalled 50 Premier League goals in 2016, managing three goals or more in eight matches.
• However, their only clean sheet in 12 away games during this calendar year came against Aston Villa in February.
• They could go nine away matches without a clean sheet in the league for the first time since May 2005

To be played on Friday 16th September 2016 at 19:00. Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
Odds: Chelsea 5/4, Draw 5/2, Liverpool 2/1
Liverpool head to Stamford Bridge on Friday evening to take on Chelsea in their latest Premier League clash.
The Reds will be buzzing after their 4-1 victory against reigning champions Leicester City last time out, while Chelsea will want to get back to winning ways after drawing 2-2 with Swansea City courtesy of a late strike from Diego Costa.

The recent results mean Liverpool are sixth in the table with seven points from a possible 12 while Chelsea are second after dropping their first two points of the campaign.
In early team news, Liverpool are likely to be without Emre Can – who is lacking match fitness despite returning to training – while Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez are both ruled out.
As for Chelsea, they cannot call on John Terry or Kurt Zouma, meaning summer signing David Luiz looks set to make his second debut for the Blues at the heart of their defence.

Chelsea predicted lineup

• Thibaut Courtois
• César Azpilicueta
• Gary Cahill
• David Luiz
• Branislav Ivanovic
• Eden Hazard
• N'Golo Kanté
• Nemanja Matic
• Oscar
• Willian
• Diego Costa

Liverpool predicted lineup

• Simon Mignolet
• Nathaniel Clyne
• Dejan Lovren
• Joel Matip
• Philippe Coutinho
• Jordan Henderson
• Adam Lallana
• Sadio Mané
• James Milner
• Georginio Wijnaldum
• Roberto Firmino    
•  

  Prediction

  • Chelsea failed to make their dominance pay against Swansea and somehow ended up drawing the game 2-2. That would have been a disappointing performance to take for Antonio Conte's side and they will need to get their heads up when they welcome a Liverpool side full of confidence.
  • Jurgen Klopp's side were in breathtaking form going forward against Leicester and they will want to put David Luiz under pressure from the off in his second debut for the club. They are unbeaten in their last three competitive matches against Chelsea. Their defence remains a real cause for concern, having failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last six league matches.
  • Chelsea have only managed to keep one clean sheet in their last 11 league games, which suggests there could be goals on offer for both teams on Friday.

  
  

                                         Chelsea  3        Liverpool 2 

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Watford vs Chelsea Match Preview and Expert Prediction

Watford	vs	Chelsea
	Kick off: 15:00 Date: Sat, 20-Aug-16

TEAM NEWS

Watford are on the brink of signing Younes Kaboul and Roberto Pereyra but it remains to be seen whether they will be available to face Chelsea.

Brice Dja Djedje and Isaac Success remain sidelined, while Ben Watson is suspended after being sent off 12 minutes after coming on at Southampton.
Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns and could be unchanged from the side that beat West Ham on Monday.
Mikel John Obi remains on international duty with Nigeria at the Olympic Games.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Watford's only win in the last 15 league and cup meetings came at home in the first Premier League fixture between the sides 17 years ago (W1, D5, L9).

Watford

• The Hornets have only earned four wins and 17 points from 21 matches since Boxing Day.
• Their only home win in the last seven attempts was by 3-2 against relegated Aston Villa in April when Troy Deeney scored two late goals.
• Deeney has been involved in six of Watford's last seven Premier League goals, scoring four and setting up two.

Chelsea

• The Blues have earned an unrivalled 20 points from away matches in 2016, two more than next-best Leicester and Tottenham (W6, D2, L2).
• Antonio Conte has lost just one of his last 31 league games as a club manager (W28, D2, L1).
• Eden Hazard has scored five goals in his last six league appearances - having previously gone 29 league games without scoring.
•  

  Missing Players

  Player	Reason	Status
  Ben Watson		Out
  Brice Dja Djédjé		Doubtful
  Isaac Success		Doubtful

  Player	Reason	Status
  Kurt Zouma		Out
  Marco van Ginkel		Out

  Team News

  Watford

  • Walter Mazzarri will be without Ben Watson for the welcome of Chelsea after the midfielder picked up the Premier League's first red card of the new season. He could stick with the same XI that drew 1-1 with Southampton last time out. Mazzarri will make a late decision on the fitness of Isaac Success.

  Chelsea

  • Antonio Conte is without injured pair Kurt Zouma and Marco van Ginkel for Saturday's away trip to Watford.
  • Cesc Fabregas could only make the bench in the 2-1 win over West Ham and that has fuelled suggestions he will leave the club before the transfer window shuts. All eyes will be on whether he starts on Saturday or not.

  Match Facts

  Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in 6 of their last 8 matches against Watford in all competitions.
  Chelsea are undefeated in their last 10 matches against Watford in all competitions.

  Prediction

  • Antonio Conte's reign at Chelsea got off to a winning start following Diego Costa's late winner against West Ham on Monday. They were fortunate not to have Diego Costa and N'Golo Kante sent off in that encounter.
  • Watford earned a hard earned point against Southampton despite going down to 10 men with less than 15 minutes remaining. They haven't beaten Chelsea in any competitive match since 1999, although they did draw both fixtures last season. 
  • CHELSEA WIN OR DRAW - FINAL VERDICT:

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TODAY LATEST TRANSFER GOSSIP 18/08/2016

Gossip column: Hart, Fabregas, Balotelli, Evans, Fonte, Klopp, Mahrez

Goalkeeper Joe Hart, 29, has told his Manchester City team-mates he will leave the club before the transfer window closes. (Daily Mirror)
Rangers midfielder Joey Barton says City's treatment of Hart is "disgusting".(Talksport)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 26, could move to Wolves or Port Vale following advice from Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. (Sun)
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, will ignore interest from Juventus to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge this season. (Evening Standard)
Hertha Berlin are considering a bid for 21-year-old Arsenal and Germany midfielder Serge Gnabry. (Bild - in German)
West Brom are hopeful of signing 23-year-old winger Jeff Schlupp from Leicester City, despite being told he will not be leaving this summer. (Leicester Mercury)

The Baggies are set to reject Arsenal's £16m bid for defender Jonny Evans, 28. (Sun)
Southampton manager Claude Puel says captain Jose Fonte, 32, has not been affected by being linked with a move to Manchester United. (Daily Mail)
Chelsea are set to make a big bid for Napoli's £40m-rated defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 25. (Daily Mirror)
Leeds United are set to sign 25-year-old Torino centre-back Pontus Jansson. (Yorkshire Evening Post)
Derby County and Fulham are both hoping to sign 20-year-old Manchester United striker James Wilson. (Daily Telegraph)
Benfica, Sevilla and Valencia are keen to sign Liverpool's 23-year-old midfielder Luis Alberto. (Cadena Sur, via Daily Star)
Turkish club Trabzonspor are interested in 23-year-old Tottenham defender DeAndre Yedlin. (NBC Sports)
Valencia striker Paco Alcacer, 22, and keeper Diego Alves, 31, will cost Barcelona 36m euros (£31.15m). (Marca)
Manager Jurgen Klopp has imposed his style of play on Liverpool far too soon, says new Inter Milan coach Frank de Boer. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

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Chelsea agree deal for centre back; Player travelling to discuss personal terms and medical

Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo set to join Besiktas

According to latest reports, an agreement has been reached between the two clubs and the confirmation is only a matter of time. The player is heading to Istanbul to finalise the personal terms and will sign a contract with the Turkish club after the medical is done.
The report adds that Omeruo has already said his goodbyes and the transfer is virtually complete.
The 22-year-old defender had a very good season on loan at Kasimpasa last year and has attracted a lot of interest from other Turkish clubs. The Nigerian defender made 25 league appearances for Kasimpasa last season, who finished 12th in the Turkish top flight.
Omeruo is yet to make a first team appearance for the Blues having arrived from Standard Liege in January 2012. The player has spent most of his time out on loan at ADO Den Haag and Middlesbrough.
Besiktas have been looking at centre backs this summer and were linked with a move for the Liverpool centre back Martin Skrtel. The Slovakian has joined Fenerbache instead.
Omeruo is in the penultimate year of his Chelsea contract and is unlikely to get any more chances of proving his worth at Stamford bridge.
 The reputed Turkish outlet TRT Sport also confirmed the agreement between the two clubs earlier this month.

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Jose Mourinho announced as the new Manchester United manager

 

Moments after Manchester United won their first FA Cup in over a decade, BBC Sports and Telegraph have confirmed the news that Jose Mourinho is all set to be appointed as the next manager at Old Trafford.
The news has come from two of the most trusted source in British media, and it certainly cannot be ignored. At present, BBC have made the news official only pending an announcement from the Red Devils.
It is understood that, Mourinho agreed a deal with the club as early as last Saturday and was assured of a role at the club next season regardless of their result tonight in the FA Cup.
According to Telegraph, Mourinho will be revealed as the new Man United manager in next 48 hours after the club gives a well deserved send-off to Louis Van Gaal.
Despite his troubled time at Old Trafford, Van Gaal signed off in style tonight after clinching the first FA Cup trophy for United since 2004.
However, Van Gaal looks all set to depart after Mourinho is all but certain to be hired as the new Manchester United manager.
With Jose in charge, Premier League will be a manager’s galore next season with Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Antonio Conte, Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino, Claudio Ranieri and ofcourse Jose Mourinho fighting for the top honor in English

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Cheslea set to agree £32m deal for Antonio Conte’s No.1 transfer target

Reports from Italy suggest that Premier League giants Chelsea remain determined to seal the deal for AS Roma star Radja Nainggolan, who has been on top of Antonio Conte’s wishlist.
Chelsea will have to up their offer for the Belgian international, after seeing their first bid rejected for star midfielder.Nainggolan recently ruled out leaving Italian giants this summer. However, Chelsea will get director Marina Granovskaia on the case due to her strong record in the transfer market and asked her to seal the deal for Premier League giants.
The Blues have also been heavily linked with The Foxes midfielder N’Golo Kante as they eye a big-name signing in the heart of the Midfield area.
The bid of £32million could be enough to strike a deal, though it remains to be seen if the 28-year-old will backtrack on his plans to remain in the Italian capital, according to the Daily Telegraph,
The Blues believe that Belgian ace can be persuaded, however, and that his stance has simply been to avoid jeopardising his relationship with the fans at Roma.

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