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Premier League: Preview and predicted lineups of ‘Matchday 21’ for Wednesday fixtures

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Premier League: Preview and predicted lineups of ‘Matchday 21’ for Wednesday fixtures
Premier League: Preview and predicted lineups of ‘Matchday 21’ for Wednesday fixtures

New Delhi: Matchday 21 of the Premier League promises an exciting midweek slate, with four crucial fixtures on Wednesday. Everton face Aston Villa in a vital encounter for both teams, as David Moyes aims to spark a revival at Goodison Park. Meanwhile, Newcastle United look to extend their impressive form against Wolves, while Leicester City will be hoping to build on their FA Cup win against Crystal Palace in a relegation battle.

The highlight of the day is the eagerly anticipated North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham, where both sides are desperate for a win to reignite their respective campaigns.

Everton vs Aston Villa

 

Everton face Aston Villa in the Premier League under new management, as David Moyes returns to the Goodison Park dugout. Sean Dyche’s dismissal last week came after a poor run of just one win in 11 matches. Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman steadied the ship temporarily, guiding the Toffees to a hard-fought 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough, but Moyes has a massive job on his hands with Everton just above the relegation zone.

In team news, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could return to bolster Everton’s attack after injury, while James Garner is also close to making his comeback. However, Dwight McNeil remains unavailable, and Armando Broja’s season could be over after another knee injury.

Aston Villa welcome Jhon Duran back from suspension, offering Unai Emery options in attack as they look to bounce back from five straight-away losses. However, they will miss Pau Torres in defence, while Ross Barkley and Diego Carlos are doubts. Despite their poor form on the road, Villa are unbeaten in their last five visits to Goodison, winning three.

  • Everton predicted starting XI: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin.
  • Aston Villa predicted starting XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Duran, Rogers.
  • Where to watch: Disney Hotstar, Star Sports
  • Match timing: 1:00 AM (IST)
  • Score prediction: Everton 1-3 Aston Villa 

Newcastle United vs Wolves

 

Newcastle United’s pursuit of silverware continues to gather steam, with Eddie Howe’s side balancing domestic and cup competitions in fine fashion. Their victory over Arsenal in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final showcased their clinical edge, while a 3-1 win over Bromley in the FA Cup demonstrated resilience, overcoming an early scare through goals from Lewis Miley, Anthony Gordon, and Will Osula.

Now firmly in the Premier League’s top-four conversation, the Magpies have strung together five consecutive league wins. Their 2-1 triumph against Tottenham Hotspur may have sparked handball controversy, but it also highlighted their ability to grind out results. With a potent attack that has scored at least twice in each of their last 10 games, Newcastle are flying high.

However, they face injury setbacks. Harvey Barnes has been ruled out for a month, and the likes of Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, and Joe Willock remain doubts. Wolves, meanwhile, are rejuvenated under Vitor Pereira and welcome Matheus Cunha back from suspension.

Pereira’s men have scored in each of their last three away games but remain 17th, with defensive frailties their Achilles’ heel. Newcastle’s sharp attack will look to exploit that vulnerability.

  • Newcastle predicted starting XI: Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
  • Wolves predicted starting XI: Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Bueno; R. Gomes, Andre, J. Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Hwang; Larsen.
  • Where to watch: Disney Hotstar, Star Sports 
  • Match timing: 1:00 AM (IST) 
  • Score prediction: Newcastle United 1-1 Wolves

Leicester City vs Crystal Palace 

 

Leicester City will hope their FA Cup thrashing of Queens Park Rangers can ignite their survival bid when they host Crystal Palace on Tuesday. After five consecutive Premier League losses, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side finally found form, scoring six past QPR.

Yet, defensive issues remain as they conceded twice again, taking their tally to 14 goals shipped in their last five league games. The Foxes sit 19th, two points off safety, but with a chance to leapfrog Ipswich Town and Wolves by securing a win before their rivals play.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, have built momentum with a five-game unbeaten away run in the league. Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles sit five points clear of the relegation zone and will view this as a prime opportunity to extend their cushion. Palace edged past League One side Stockport County in the FA Cup over the weekend but will need a sharper display at the King Power Stadium.

  • Leicester City predicted starting XI: Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Faes, Kristiansen; Winks, Soumare; Ayew, El Khannouss, Mavididi; Vardy.
  • Crystal Palace predicted starting XI: Henderson; Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Lerma, Doucoure, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta, Eze.
  • Where to watch: Disney Hotstar, Star Sports 
  • Match timing: 1:00 AM (IST) 
  • Score prediction: Leicester City 1-2 Crystal Palace

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur

 

Arsenal are set to face Tottenham Hotspur in an eagerly awaited North London derby, with both teams aiming to recover from recent disappointing results. Arsenal have been on the backfoot following consecutive cup losses to Manchester United and Newcastle, where their lack of attacking sharpness has been evident.

To make matters worse, Gabriel Jesus, one of their key players, is expected to miss the match due to a knee injury, adding to the absences of Bukayo Saka and Ben White. Despite these setbacks, Mikel Arteta can take solace in the fact that Arsenal have remained unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches at the Emirates, where their defensive solidity has been a highlight.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have faced their own struggles, especially in the league. Their recent 1-0 victory over National League side Tamworth in the FA Cup was far from convincing, needing extra time to secure progress.

In the Premier League, they’ve managed just one point from their last four games, although they showed promise with a notable EFL Cup win over Liverpool. Injury woes have plagued Ange Postecoglou’s side, with key defenders like Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven still out.

However, the return of Richarlison provides a potential boost for Spurs’ attacking options. Tottenham’s away form against Arsenal has been poor, with the team conceding in 25 consecutive league visits to the Emirates. This makes the derby a challenging encounter for the visitors. Both teams are eager to claim the win, setting the stage for a thrilling clash.

  • Arsenal predicted starting XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard.
  • Tottenham predicted starting XI: Kinsky; Porro, Gray, Dragusin, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Son.
  • Where to watch: Disney Hotstar, Star Sports 
  • Match timing: 1:30 AM (IST) 
  • Score prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham

 North London derby headlines Wednesday’s matchday 21 fixtures of Premier League. Arsenal will look to ascertain their dominance, while Aston Villa faces Everton, Palace faces a tough Leicester test, and Newcastle take Wolves.  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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