#lostandwon

Everton and Chelsea will both be looking to get back to winning ways when they meet at Goodison Park on Sunday. A win for the Blues could take them back into the top four, whilst the Toffees will be looking to bounce back from their embarrassing collapse against Newcastle United last time out. Both Everton boss Marco Silva and Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri have come under intense pressure and scrutiny at times this season but one could get a major boost with victory this weekend. Ahead of the 4:30pm kick-off, Football FanCast have taken a look at the key areas where this game will be lost and won… THE KEY BATTLE – GYLFI SIGURDSSON VS JORGINHO Jorginho has come under fire at times this season for the way he operates at the base of the Stamford Bridge club’s midfield. The 27-year-old lacks pace and is certainly less effective defensively than teammate N’Golo Kante, who Sarri has preferred to deploy in a more advanced role. He may, then, struggle to cope with the guile and creativity of the Toffees’ No. 10, Gylfi Sigurdsson. The 64-cap Iceland international isn’t the most consistent player but on his day he can dominate matches. If he’s at his best against Chelsea then he has the capacity to make it a very long afternoon for Jorginho indeed. THE KEY DYNAMIC – WASTEFULNESS VS FRAILTY If Chelsea were more efficient in taking the many chances they create, their top four credentials wouldn’t be in such doubt. However, despite often getting the ball in good areas, they regularly fail to commit enough men forward or find the killer finish when it matters most. The January arrival of Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain has helped somewhat in this regard but Sarri’s side remain wasteful. Everton, on the other hand, have the opposite problem. The Toffees have been frail at the back all season. What’s more, the likes of Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Yerry Mina are prone to the occasional howler. Sunday will likely become a battle between which side can best offset their flaws – whether Chelsea can find a clinical edge, or Everton can muster up some resilience. Think you’ve seen and heard everything on the Kepa controversy? Think again! Check out the brilliant new video by 442oons below… THE DECIDING FACTOR – SET PIECE EFFICIENCY These aforementioned issues with wastefulness and defensive weakness are exacerbated for both sides when it comes to set pieces. For Everton’s part, defending dead-ball situations has emerged as a real Achilles heel this season. According to WhoScored’s stats, the Toffees have conceded fourteen times from set pieces this season in the Premier League – more than any other team in the division. Chelsea, on the other hand, have had great difficulty in capitalising on set piece opportunities in an attacking sense. They’ve only scored seven times times from set pieces in the Premier League so far in this campaign – less than any other ‘big six’ side. If one side is able to improve their record in this department on Sunday then it could go a long way towards deciding the outcome of the match. THE IMPACT SUBS – ADEMOLA LOOKMAN VS CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI If the game is a stalemate, or one side find themselves desperately chasing a goal to get back in it, as the final whistle approaches, then the managers may find themselves turning to their bench in order to find something extra. Both Everton and Chelsea have exciting young wingers likely to be named amongst their substitutes – Ademola Lookman and Callum Hudson-Odoi respectively. Both would bring pace, drive and flair to the fold, which could make all the difference in the dying moments of this contest. #EvertonVsChelsea #StamfordBridge #LostAndWon

Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Monday night in an FA Cup fifth round clash. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will be looking to bounce back with a win, with the Norwegian coach having suffered his first defeat as Red Devils boss against PSG in the Champions League last time out. However, the loss of Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial to injury will come as a real blow to the visitors. Maurizio Sarri needs a positive result too. The Blues have lost three of their last four Premier League games. The Italian manager now finds himself under pressure in west London, but the boost of cup progression could spark his ailing side back into form. Monday night promises an exciting encounter between two of the heavyweights of English football. Ahead of the game, Football FanCast have taken a look at the key tactical factors that could decide the outcome of the match… THE KEY BATTLE – DAVID LUIZ VS MARCUS RASHFORD Solskjaer has made it plain that he prefers Marcus Rashford to Romelu Lukaku, so it will almost certainly be the 21-year-old Englishman leading the line against Chelsea. The striker has been in fine form in recent weeks and will fancy his chances against the Blues’ unconvincing backline. With his pace, Rashford can offer a constant threat by running in behind the Chelsea defence and his athleticism and intelligent movement will surely test David Luiz in the heart of the home side’s backline. The Brazilian defender is more than capable of losing focus and committing a costly error, and Rashford will be alert to that fact. However, Luiz also has the capacity to hurt United. The 31-year-old has great creativity and vision and the ability to play accurate long balls over the top of the opposition defence with regularity. Rashford must be diligent in harrying, pressing and closing down Luiz to ensure that he isn’t given the time and space to pick out these potentially killer passes. Jurgen Klopp has gotten quite inventive with his excuses this season. FFC’s James Jones think he has no one but himself to blame for Liverpol’s poor form in the video below… THE DECIDING FACTOR – REMOVING CHELSEA’S LYNCHPIN Sarri’s team have a very defined style that the manager trusts. This system is heavily dependent upon midfielder Jorginho. The 27-year-old sits at the base of the Blues’ midfield, where he can see a lot of the ball, dictate the pace of the game, and orchestrate play. If allowed to perform this role unchallenged, the 13-cap Italy international can pull the Red Devils apart. However, when Jorginho has been targeted by opponents this season, Chelsea have often come unstuck. As Arsenal recently demonstrated, tasking a man with the duty of constantly marking Jorginho and putting the midfielder off his rhythm has a devastating effect on Chelsea. With Jorginho’s limited mobility and physicality exposed, Chelsea lose their lynchpin and then begin to look listless and bereft of fresh ideas. Solskjaer must appropriate this tactic himself and set one of his men on Jorginho. Ander Herrera would be the perfect candidate for this task, as he possesses the requisite pace, agility, stamina and work rate to unsettle Jorginho for 90 minutes. THE IMPACT SUBS – OLIVIER GIROUD VS ALEXIS SANCHEZ Olivier Giroud’s reputation as an impact substitute is as stellar as they come. The Frenchman has a knack of coming off the bench and reinvigorating his team by bringing a new dimension to their attack. Giroud is an extremely effective target man, able to hold up the ball and bring his teammates into play in the final third. The likes of Eden Hazard and Willian can then thrive off linking up with the former Arsenal striker. United’s injury worries mean that Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku are both now likely to feature in the starting XI, the Belgium international reprising his role on the right. This will of course mean a weakened bench for Solskjaer to be able to call upon, but Juan Mata still offers a lot of quality if he is needed. The former Chelsea midfielder lacks pace, so won’t offer the Red Devils a great deal of threat on the counter-attack. However, if Chelsea begin to sit deep, then the Spaniard’s vision and creativity could prove key to breaking down the Blues’ lines of defence. The introduction of Mata may change the pace of game, but that could play into Solskjaer’s hands. The addition of Mata’s guile and invention offers the United manager a plan B he could decide to turn to – a decision which could turn the tide of the battle on the pitch. #MarcusRashford #LostAndWon #TheBlues

Liverpool and Manchester United suffered contrasting results in the Champions League during midweek, and in some ways the two results were indicative of their seasons so far. The Merseyside outfit scraped through to the knockout stages of the competition thanks to an impressive 1-0 win at home to Napoli whilst, even though they were already through to the next round, United suffered an embarrassing loss to Valencia. Things will be interesting when United visit Anfield on Sunday then, and as form often goes out of the window when these two old foes meet, here at Football FanCast we’ve taken a closer look at the tactical factors that will decide the outcome. THE KEY BATTLE – MARCUS RASHFORD VS JAMES MILNER Although much of the build up will be dominated by how Liverpool can hurt United, and rightly so given their league positions, Marcus Rashford could be the key weapon for the visitors on Sunday. The 21-year-old has been in blistering form in recent weeks and is perhaps one of the main reasons that the wheels haven’t completely fallen off for Jose Mourinho. In fact, Rashford has netted twice and provided four assists in United’s last four games in all competitions, so he is certainly the man that Jurgen Klopp will be worrying about. Rashford also netted both of Manchester United’s goals when the two sides last met in the league in March earlier this year. The youngster bagged twice in the first half at Old Trafford that day to give his side all three points, and he will be hoping to do the same this weekend. He will be boosted by the fact that Liverpool have had a deluge of defensive injuries in the past week, and it would seem that Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the game, along with Joe Gomez who would be the natural second choice at right-back for the Reds. Given that Nathaniel Clyne won’t be back to full fitness either, it appears James Milner will once again fill in at full-back. The 32-year-old is an exceptionally versatile player and he played the role in the recent 4-0 win over Bournemouth. Rashford though will provide a completely different test for the former Leeds and Manchester City man. THE KEY DYNAMIC – ATTACK VS COUNTER ATTACK In recent seasons, games between Liverpool and Manchester United have been extremely tight and often scrappy affairs, with the same fixture at Anfield last term resulting in a 0-0 draw. With Jose Mourinho in charge, the Red Devils have tended to set up with plenty of men behind the ball and the sole intention of not losing the game to one of their most bitter rivals – we can’t see the Portuguese boss straying from tradition this weekend. Liverpool then will have to play on the front-foot, but luckily for Klopp this is how most teams have approached the Reds this season and his side have produced some extremely impressive and professional performances. United will be hoping to hit the home side on the counter attack, but if Liverpool can dominate possession then Mourinho’s side may not have a chance to get out of their own half. THE DECIDING FACTOR – CAN LIVERPOOL BREAK DOWN UNITED? The deciding factor in the game then could be whether Liverpool’s midfield and strike force are able to open up a packed United defence. So far this season we haven’t seen the blistering starts from Liverpool that were custom at the start of Jurgen Klopp’s reign, but they are now a far more balanced team. It also says a lot that when watching them, we now expect the Reds to find a way to break the deadlock no matter how long that may take. For example, in the 3-1 win against Burnley at Turf Moor, Klopp’s side had to wait and wait, even falling behind before they eventually found the key to unlocking Sean Dyche’s well-drilled side. Comparing Manchester United to Burnley won’t please many Red Devils fans, but that is the reality of the situation under Mourinho when playing a top six rival. THE IMPACT SUBS – XHERDAN SHAQIRI VS MAROUANE FELLAINI Liverpool’s £13m signing of Xherdan Shaqiri now looks to be one of the best bargains of the summer window. The diminutive Swiss winger has serious quality and his eye for a pass means he could be the one to breach the United defence on Sunday, especially if he comes off the bench when legs are tiring. Since his move from Stoke, the 27-year-old has recorded three goals and three assists for his new club, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he added to that against the Red Devils. For United, their impact sub is someone at the opposite end of the spectrum to Shaqiri, but he can be just as effective in his own right. When United are in trouble, Mourinho calls upon Marouane Fellaini. The 6 foot 4 former Everton man has plenty of experience in derby games against Liverpool, and up against Dejan Lovren you would back him to win the header every time. #LostAndWon #FixtureInFocus #ManchesterUnited

FootballFanCast.com’s Fixture In Focus coverage is brought to you by 5p0rtz. Try 5p0rtz’s Beat the Streak Predictor and you could win £1million! Click here to play. Liverpool vs Manchester City looks set to be the Premier League clash of the season so far. This rivalry has steadily moved to the forefront of English football in recent years and we’ve now reached a point where both sides are expected to push each other all the way for the 2018/19 title. Add to the fact both are the Premier League’s resident entertainers, netting a staggering 36 times already this term, and partook in a series of high-scoring thrillers last season, and Sunday’s meeting at Anfield has all the makings of another classic. But what will be the key factors that decide a potentially crucial title clash? Football FanCast take a look at where the 4.30pm kickoff will be lost and won… THE KEY BATTLE – ALISSON VS EDERSON It may seem unnecessarily hipster to focus on the two goalkeepers for a match involving two fantastically entertaining, attacking teams but that’s precisely why Alisson and Ederson’s efforts at their respective ends of the pitch will be so important on Sunday. City and Liverpool stand first and second for shots on target this season, so both No.1s will need to be at the top of their games to hope for a clean sheet. But in terms of buildup play too, these two modern goalkeepers who look to start attacks from the edge of their own penalty box will be of intrinsic importance. Especially with both sides looking to press high and win the ball in dangerous areas, their distribution will be as crucial as their shot-stopping at Anfield. Throw in the fact both goalkeepers, who were both brought to the Premier League for record-breaking transfer fees, are vying for Brazil’s No.1 jersey and it could quickly develop into an exciting individual battle of one-upmanship. THE KEY DYNAMIC – MEASURED FOOTBALL VERSUS MOMENTARY BURSTS A big part of the reason Liverpool caused Manchester City so many problems last season was their ability to suddenly explode into bursts of unstoppable dynamic football, coinciding perfectly with City’s knack of suffering from momentary capitulations. From Liverpool’s three wins last season, there were two sets of three goals scored within twenty minutes of each other. Perhaps as a consequence though, there has been something more measured about both teams this season. Liverpool have been efficient rather than rip-roaring, sparing themselves those awkwardly nervous ends to matches when Jurgen Klopp’s boys hold on having clearly run out of steam. City, likewise, feel like they’re a little more cautious and a little less gung-ho this time around – potentially because Pep Guardiola doesn’t want his side to peak too early into the campaign. But that could actually cost Liverpool this weekend, because those injections of energy were so crucial to their wins over City last season. The visitors, on the other hand, can take confidence in how measured they’ve been – knowing they’ll need a much steadier and more composed performance to take something away from Anfield. THE DECIDING FACTOR – WHO CAN DELIVER WITHOUT THEIR STAR TALENT? It would be unfair to argue Mohamed Salah will be essentially absent for Liverpool on Sunday, but it’s already clear the Egyptian international is some way off the standards he set for himself last season – tellingly, Klopp hauled him off with around half an hour to spare in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend. Indeed, Liverpool’s potency has been much more of a collective effort this term, with just three clubs boasting a higher number of different goalscorers in the Premier League, and unless Salah’s form completely transforms in the space of a week, they’ll be relying on that again versus City. City, meanwhile, are still without Kevin De Bruyne – albeit there have been rumours of surprise involvement in the matchday squad this weekend. Although it’s hardly affected them in terms of results, it has impacted the Etihad outfit’s ability to launch sweeping attacks from back to front with quite the same velocity – David Silva and Bernardo Silva, as talented as they may be, are far more sideways in terms of their passing games. Having largely faced considerably inferior opposition so far, the Belgium international’s absence could be truly felt for the first time this season at Anfield. THE IMPACT SUBS – DANIEL STURRIDGE AND GABRIEL JESUS Liverpool found just two goals and two assists from the bench in 38 games last season, but have almost met that total this term with just seven matches gone. Daniel Sturridge has of course played a huge part in that, scoring against West Ham on the opening weekend and then netting an absolute ripper against Chelsea last time out, and the oft-crocked striker appears to be back to his best after so many years of frustrating injury problems. With four goals across all competitions, Klopp will have no hesitation in throwing the Englishman on in search of a late equaliser or winner. Manchester City, even in De Bruyne’s absence, still have an embarrassment of riches in the middle and final thirds – not least including Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian probably hasn’t reached the levels expected since initially exploding into his Manchester City career 18 months ago, but he’s no doubt a fantastic talent and his ability to play anywhere across the front-line, or even just behind the central striker if necessary, gives Guardiola the ability to change the shape and structure of City’s attack. #LiverpoolVsManchesterCity #LostAndWon #ManchesterCity