SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE ARTICLES

The holiday season is always a time for tricky fixtures and a crowded schedule in the Barclays Premier League. You can bet there won't be a lot of holiday cheer in the air when Arsenal plays against Manchester City in a match which will be for top of the table in the BPL heading into Christmas week.Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu... 

It's going to be a tall order on Saturday for Norwich City to muster anything on the road against Manchester United. The Canaries though, have to be a little confident knowing that Man U has really struggled offensively all campaign long, particularly here at home with just nine goals in seven matches.... 

Perhaps the best question in all of Europe this week is whether Jose Mourinho is going to make it as Chelsea's manager to the weekend. By reading the tea leaves, it's very possible that he won't. Whether he is or isn't still at Stamford Bridge come Saturday, Sunderland could be at a real advantage even though it's sure to be a huge underdog.... 

Last week, Newcastle managed to take a major step towards survival when it took three big points against Liverpool. The test this week though, is probably going to end up being too tough against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.... 

All isn't quite lost for Aston Villa at this point, but the more matches that go bye and the bigger the gap becomes between it and the rest of the teams in the league, the more likely relegation is in the near future.A home date with Arsenal isn't likely to be a pretty game for the regulars at Villa Park.... 

Last week, Manchester City was beaten down by a Stoke City team which it probably never should've struggled against. There are hiccups along the way in the Premier League grind for sure, but with the way the rest of the teams are playing at the top of the table, the Citizens can't afford many more slips. Saturday's match against Swansea really shouldn't be a problem.... 

The argument could be made that last week's win for Bournemouth on the road against Chelsea was the biggest win in its history.The Cherries now have a shot to take out a second of the major teams in England, this time back on their home turf when they take on Manchester United.... 

It's hard to think that we're nearly at the halfway point of the 2015-16 Barclays Premier League season. Fifteen of the 38 fixtures are said and done with, and the separation which many forecasted would take place between the big time teams and the rest of the pack hasn't happened quite yet.That said, there could be a lot of value betting on the teams which are still packed tightly at the top of the table who might not have the same name recognition we're used to from the winners of the BPL.... 

Stoke City committed one of the cardinal sins in the Premier League last weekend when it was beaten by Sunderland, a team which was mired in the relegation fight and likely will be for the rest of the year.It would be something if the Potters were able to come right back and knock off the team at the top of the table, Manchester City.... 

Defensive consistency has kept what we view as an undermanned Tottenham side right in the thick of the fight for a Top 4 spot in the Premier League. Matches on the road are tricky no matter the foe though, and Saturday's tussle at The Hawthorns against West Brom is certainly no exception.... 

West Ham has scored 13 goals on the road this year, the third most in the Premier League. That could put Manchester United on high alert at home against the Hammers.... 

Arsenal has been a bit sluggish in recent matches, and it badly needs a "get better" game.Perhaps a match on Saturday against Sunderland, a team which figures to be in the relegation fight for the entire year, can be the panacea.... 

The last time Chelsea seemed to start to pull itself out of the fire in the Premier League, it started with a convincing win against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League. The Israeli team was on the docket for the second time on Tuesday, and the Blues predictably came up with another massive 4-0 win. If they respond going forward on Sunday, Tottenham could be in a lot of trouble, especially with the Spurs having to play on Thursday 5,000 miles away from home in Azerbaijan.... 

Manchester City was the odds on favorite to win the Premier League a month ago, and most figured that it would never ultimately give up the lead this year. That said, the Citizens enter Match Day 14 third on the table, albeit just two points back of Leicester City.This week's match against Southampton isn't going to be easy for sure, knowing that the Saints have been the model of consistency these last couple years as middling club.... 

You won't find a more surprising team in all of soccer right now than Leicester City. The fact that it is even here in the Premier League is a shock, knowing that it had to go on a huge run at the end of the year just to stay in the top flight. Now, 14 matches into the season, the Foxes are at the top of the table in the top level. Arguably their biggest match in their history comes this Saturday at home against Manchester United.... 

Somewhere along the way, Vicarage Road became one of the toughest places to play in the Premier League. Watford has evolved from the team that everyone figured was a doormat on the schedule to the one that no one wants to face, and Manchester United might find that out the hard way on Saturday in the first match of the EPL weekend.... 

The ultimate optimist of Liverpool soccer will point out the fact that a win on Saturday over Manchester City on the road would leave it within striking distance of the Premier League title. Yes, the Reds look a lot better now under Jurgen Klopp than they did under Brendan Rodgers, but they still have a huge mountain to climb to beat arguably the best team in England, especially at the Ethiad.... 

The English Premier League has taken yet another odd twist, as there are two massive teams in Chelsea and Liverpool who are still residing outside of the Top 5 by huge margins. That's left things wide open for the rest of the teams at the top, as we are a third of the way through the season and clear packs have been formed.... 

Remi Garde has inherited a bit of a mess at Villa Park. He has taken over for the departed Tim Sherwood and interim boss Kevin MacDonald, and he takes his seat in charge of Aston Villa with it sitting at the foot of the Premier League table. His first task? Figure out how to get a result from Manchester City, the club currently staring down at the rest of the teams in England.... 

You won't find many more bitter rivals in the Premier League than Arsenal and Tottenham. These two have been fighting for Champions League spots for years as second-tier teams, and with just five points separating them on the EPL table heading into Match Day 11, this clash at the Emirates should be just as fierce.... 

Any day at this point, Jose Mourinho could be on his way out the door at Chelsea. The Blues are actually only four points clear of the relegation zone almost a third of the way into the season, and they're taking on a Stoke City team on Saturday which has been disappointing, yet is still ahead of them on the EPL table.... 

Manchester United has a long week in front of it. The Red Devils have to host CSKA Moscow on Tuesday in the Champions League, and they have to turn around in a hurry to get ready for what could be a dangerous fixture against West Brom.... 

Jurgen Klopp made his debut for Liverpool on Thursday night at home against Rubin Kazan in the Europa League, a match which generally wouldn't have drawn all that much interest. Though Anfield was buzzing for its new boss, the Reds weren't exactly in tip top form, settling for a 1-1 draw against a team which was outmanned and had just 10 on the pitch for two-thirds of the encounter. All of a sudden, Sunday's game against Southampton is starting to look awfully scary for Liverpool.... 

Don't look now, but West Ham United legitimately looks like it has a chance to stick around in the Top 4 this year. If the Hammers can find a way to get all three points from Chelsea at Boleyn Ground on Saturday, they'll certainly have the attention of, not just the rest of England, but the rest of Europe as well.... 

There was a point in time where Manchester United dominated the Manchester Derby. They have generally been looked upon as the big brothers in this crosstown rivalry, but in recent years, Manchester City has come to town and beaten up the beast with three wins in four tries. Old Trafford will again be the setting for a massive showdown, one which could be a crucial factor in deciding who will win the Barclays Premier League title in 2015-16....