Tag: Premier League

Premier League suspends season, but seems to have done so for worrying reason

It was only when Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was diagnosed with COVID-19 that the Premier League made the right decision.

On Friday the Premier League and the rest of English soccer — the Championship and lower leagues — suspended their seasons until at least April due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a strain of the coronavirus.

It was a late-made decision — as of Thursday night, the leagues had all plans to move forward with games this weekend as regularly scheduled. It was only after news broke that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had tested positive for COVID-19, and Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi had as well, that the team owners held an emergency meeting on Friday morning and made the decision.

I am glad the Premier League got there and did the right thing. I am worried they got there for the wrong reasons.

Too often we are seeing professional sports leagues only act when one of their own contracts the disease. It is only then that the point is driven home. While the NBA acted more quickly than other leagues in the United States, and was the first domino to fall in a sense, it was only when Rudy Gobert tested positive that the league made the decision.

Twenty thousand plus people in stadiums across the country, packed in during a pandemic, with no way of knowing who is sick or not? Not an issue. One center for the Utah Jazz? League suspended.

The same has happened in the Premier League now, which seemed more than content to hold games … until the Arsenal manager and a Chelsea player got sick. Now every league in English soccer is off.

This is how too many of us think, I fear. A pandemic is an abstraction until it hits someone you know, at which point it becomes very, very real. By waiting until one of their own tested positive, these leagues are making clear they don’t really care about general public health, or if they do care, they are willing to risk it. But when a member of their tribe comes down with it, then it becomes something to react to.

I can understand the hesitance, but Premier League officials needed to understand what a cavalier attitude about this disease can bring. While coronavirus has not rocked the UK yet, it is currently doing so in northern Italy, where the pandemic has led to a nightmarish, post-apocalyptic scenario which medical professionals are describing using war-time metaphors. There is a shortage of hospital beds. People are getting sick, and dying.

Interview after interview with Italians has them saying: We just thought it was the flu. We didn’t take it seriously.

Thankfully, these leagues are now taking this seriously. With the Premier League, it took a positive test for Arteta, who we all pray recovers quickly from this disease. And in a perverse way, Arteta’s positive test could end up doing a lot of good, in that it woke the Premier League up to the real threat here.

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Carabao Cup Finals – How to watch Aston Villa vs Manchester City: Date, time, channel, odds and live stream

FA Cup 2019 – Tranmere vs Manchester United live stream

It all comes down to this as Aston Villa takes on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup finals. You can only watch the EFL Cup finals in the United States on ESPN+.

Man. City is one of the top teams in the Premier League, in second in the standings behind Liverpool. They also dominated Aston Villa back in January to the tune of 6-1. However, don’t completely rule out Aston Villa from pulling off an upset.

Aston Villa has lost its last three matches after getting into the EFL Cup Finals. But their 2-1 win over Leicester City proves Aston Villa has the capability to shock the world and should give them the confidence necessary to make this a tough matchup.

Live stream soccer all year long on ESPN+. Sign up now to catch your favorite teams, including the EFL Cup Finals between Aston Villa and Man. City.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Manchester City:

Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) – Finals

Sunday, March 1, 11:30 p.m. ET (16:30 UK)

Wembley Stadium, Wembley, England

Carabao Cup live stream:

EFL Cup live stream: ESPN+, Sky Sports (U.K.), DAZN (Canada), beIN Sports (Australia)

Carabao Cup odds:

Manchester City (-1429) is heavily favored over Aston Villa (+700) to win the EFL Cup, according to BetMGM.

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Watford snapped Liverpool’s unbeaten run and soccer fans had jokes

Watford stunned Liverpool 3-0 on Saturday.

Liverpool entered Saturday’s Premier League matchup at Watford with a 22-point lead in the table and the title already well in hand, but with a chance to extend their incredible streak of 17 consecutive wins, and their 44-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, which stretches back to January 2019.

The Reds are on pace to obliterate Premier League records for points and wins in a single season – but only one other team in history, Arsenal’s 2003-04 “invincible” squad, has gone undefeated for an entire Premier League season.

Their opponents, meanwhile, are locked in a relegation battle at the bottom of the standings, with only five wins from their first 27 matches – which made the result at Vicarage Road all the more unbelievable.

Led by 22-year-old Ismaïla Sarr, who scored twice in the second half, Watford beat arguably the best team in the world by three goals. Watford struck first in the 54th minute, as Sarr took advantage of a long throw that was allowed to bounce into a dangerous area in Liverpool’s penalty area.

Just a few minutes later, Sarr outran two Liverpool defenders to a perfect through ball and fired a shot past Alisson.

In the 72nd minute, Watford sealed all three points as Sarr pounced on a poor backpass and set up Troy Deeney.

Liverpool will soon be champions once again, but they won’t be Invincible.

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How to Watch Manchester United vs. Wolves, Premier League Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Manchester United vs. Wolves Live Online.

Manchester United and Wolves meet for the third time in less than a month on Saturday. Unlike the previous two matches which took place in the FA Cup, with the first ending scoreless and the second seeing United prevail 1-0, this one has league implications. With both teams sitting on 34 points, six behind the fourth and final Champions League spot, this will be a huge three points up for grabs. 

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Manchester United vs. Wolves 

  • When: Saturday, February 1
  • Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBC
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side must recover from the disappointment of being knocked out of the Carabao Cup semifinals by its rivals Manchester City. However, considering the team’s history over the last several years, rebounding from disappointment shouldn’t be too foreign. 

It’s hard to lay too much blame on the Norwegian manager as his side has been ravaged by injury. Marcus Rashford has been sidelined until March, while Paul Pogba remains out as well. The Red Devils have been handed some good news in the transfer market, as Portuguese star midfielder Bruno Fernandes has joined from Sporting Lisbon in a big-money move. 

On the other side of the coin, Wolves have been one of the most difficult sides to play in the Premier League this season. They have just as good a chance as any other team to chase down Chelsea for the fourth spot. With Mexican international Raul Jimenez scoring nearly every week and explosive winger Adama Traore causing havoc on a weekly basis, Wolves are a nightmare for any team to play. 

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How to watch Manchester City vs Manchester United: Date, time, channel, odds and live stream

FA Cup 2019 – Tranmere vs Manchester United live stream

It’s a rematch of Manchester City vs. Manchester United in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg. City won the last matchup in early January, 3-1, by taking nearly double the number of shots and holding possession for 57% of the match. If you want to catch the rematch live, you’ll only be able to watch on ESPN+.

Man. City is fresh of a 4-0 blowout of Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup. They haven’t lost or tied a game since late December and sit in second place in the Premier League.

Man United is coming off a 6-0 drubbing of Tranmere in the fourth round of the FA Cup but has been less fortunate prior. They lost 2-0 to Burnley FC and Liverpool in back-to-back games and currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League standings

How to watch Manchester City vs Manchester United:

Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) – Semi-Finals

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2:45 p.m. ET (19:45 UK)

City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England

Carabao Cup live stream:

FA Cup stream: ESPN+

Carabao Cup

odds:

Manchester City (-304) is favored over Manchester United (+500), according to BetMGM.

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How to Watch Chelsea vs. Arsenal, Premier League Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Chelsea vs. Arsenal Live Online.

Frank Lampard will greet former foe Mikel Arteta at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, with his Chelsea team hoping to overcome Arsenal for the third consecutive encounter in Week 24.

The Gunners surrendered late in a bitter 2-1 loss at home to Chelsea in December, and the Blues return home midweek chasing a third straight victory at the Bridge in all competitions.

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Chelsea vs. Arsenal 

  • When: Tuesday, January 21
  • Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBCSN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

This maiden meeting between Lampard and Arteta pits two derby giants struggling for consistency against one another in a test that’s likely to have big ramifications on the race for European qualification. Chelsea lies in fourth and boasts a five-point cushion over their nearest threat, Manchester United, while the Gunners sit 10 points below in 10th place and have won twice in their last 15 league games.

Arsenal makes the short trip to west London after drawing its last two games, buckling late at home to Sheffield United on Saturday when the Blades will argue they deserved the 1-1 result.

Jorginho and Tammy Abraham each struck in the final seven minutes at the Emirates Stadium three weeks ago to devastate the host, who had led since the 13th minute following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s breakthrough.

Arsenal’s captain is suspended for the midweek matchup, and Gabriel Martinelli looks ready to again be in attack mode after he scored his second goal in four Premier League starts against Sheffield. Meanwhile, Lampard said in a press conference that star Christian Pulisic will be out for a few weeks.

Emerging right-back star Reece James is in doubt for the home fixture after he limped off in the 75th minute at St. James’ Park. Marcos Alonso is nearing fitness and could beat Emerson to the left-back slot, with Cesar Azpilicueta likely to return at right-back if James misses out. Sead Kolasinac and Reiss Nelson will miss the clash with thigh and hamstring injuries, respectively. 

Sokratis Papastathopoulos could return in central defense after missing Saturday’s draw due to illness, while Kieran Tierney and Calum Chambers remain sidelined.

Chelsea has defeated Arsenal in seven of its last eight Premier League meetings and Lampard will seek to prove himself as the managerial prodigy of the new class.

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Soccer fans are melting down over this controversial VAR call in Norwich vs. Tottenham

This is the worst VAR overturn of the season.

The impact of the Premier League’s controversial Virtual Assistant Referee system has been a major talking point among soccer fans all season long, and many seem to have hit a breaking point over this disallowed Teemu Pukki goal in Saturday’s Norwich-Tottenham game at Carrow Road.

In the 33rd minute with Norwich up 1-0, Pukki appeared to double the home side’s advantage with a goal off a brilliant cross by Mario Vrancic. The goal was subjected to a VAR review, and after drawing a line from Pukki’s armpit down to the field in an attempt to ascertain his position relative to the defender, it was determined that the striker was offside, apparently by a few millimeters.

Even with the help of VAR technology, it was nearly impossible in this case to conclusively say that Pukki was ahead of the defender at the moment the ball was played in to him, and even if he was, it was by such a microscopic margin that no human referee could ever make a definitive call on in real time. Fans and former players blasted the call on Twitter after the Premier League officially confirmed the decision.

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Is Arsenal vs. Bournemouth on TV? Live stream info, listings, odds and more

All the information you need to watch the Boxing Day clash between Arsenal and Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Arsenal fans will get their first look at the team under new manager Mikel Arteta in a Boxing Day match against Bournemouth on Thursday.

Bournemouth currently sit in 14th place, and despite Arsenal’s iffy run of form — their last match against Everton was one of the most unwatchable Premier League games of the last decade — they will hope to get a result under their new manager.

In tough news for American Arsenal fans, the match will not be televised in the United States. The game will be streamed live on NBC Sports Gold, their premium streaming service. They sell a matchday pass for $34.99 for the rest of the season, or the full Premier League Pass, which gives you on-demand access to games, for $44.99.

You can also try to find streams elsewhere online, but good luck with the viruses.

Here’s everything you need to know for the match:

Bournemouth vs. Arsenal

Time: 10 a.m. ET

TV: Not televised

Stream: NBC Sports Gold

Odds: Arsenal +100, Bournemouth +260, Draw +290

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Boxing Day Premier League schedule: All the games, live stream, TV listings

All the information you need to enjoy a day of fantastic Premier League soccer.

It’s the most wonderful Premier League day of the year.

BOXING DAY!

We’ve got a full slate of games, starting at 7:30 a.m. ET and running until dinner time. We’ve made it, soccer fans, and now it’s time to sit back and let a day of games wash over you.

We kick off with Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham taking on Brighton, then move over across London for Chelsea taking on Southampton.

Four games will be on NBCSN, while the rest of the games on Thursday will be televised in the United States on NBC Sports Gold, their streaming service.

We’ve also got a game on Friday, with Manchester City taking on a very good Wolves team, so you can extend the fun all the way to the weekend.

Here’s everything you need to know:

THURSDAY

7:30 a.m. ET

Tottenham v. Brighton – NBCSN (Stream on FuboTV)

10 a.m. ET

Chelsea v. Southampton – NBCSN (Stream on FuboTV)

Aston Villa v. Norwich – NBC Sports Gold

Bournemouth v. Arsenal – NBC Sports Gold

Crystal Palace v. West Ham – NBC Sports Gold

Everton v. Burnley – NBC Sports Gold

Sheffield United v. Watford – NBC Sports Gold

12:30 p.m. ET

Man United v. Newcastle  – NBCSN (Stream on FuboTV)

3 p.m. ET

Leicester City v. Liverpool – NBCSN (Stream on FuboTV)

Friday

2:45 p.m. ET

Wolves v. Man City – NBCSN (Stream on FuboTV)

How to Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea, Premier League Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea Live Online.

The weekend before Christmas in the Premier League offers up an early present, as the battle for the coveted top four spots in the table heats up. Tottenham Hotspur has its sights set on a Champions League spot, while sputtering Chelsea has a fight on its hands to keep hold of fourth place. 

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Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea

  • When: Sunday, December 22
  • Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
  • TV: NBCSN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

The Jose Mourinho era with the Spurs couldn’t have started much better. A disappointing loss at Manchester United aside, four wins in their first five under their new manager has Tottenham well within reaching distance of the top four. They come into the weekend trailing Chelsea by just three points for the fourth and final Champions League spot. This coming off being as far down as 13th in the table a month ago. The turnaround in form since the surprising change in managers is something to behold. If they can continue their sparkling form and knock-off Chelsea ahead of Boxing Day, it could be the turning point in their season. 

You have to admire what Frank Lampard has done at Chelsea, all things considered. However, after getting off to such a bright start to his managerial career at the club he became a legend for, his recent results have been extremely poor. Despite getting through to the Round of 16 in the Champions League, the team’s league form has been dire. Chelsea has lost four of its last five matches, including most recently and most disappointingly at home to Bournemouth. Couple that with a loss to Everton the weekend prior and it might be time to worry for Chelsea fans. There’s no doubt that the inability to bring in transfers has been problematic with an inexperienced squad seemingly hitting a wall. Chelsea’s grip on the top four is weak. Getting to the winter transfer window when the team can finally bring in reinforcements will be key. 

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