SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE ARTICLES

Burnley and Newcastle United have the same exact record through the first 12 games of the season. Both teams are 2-3-7, but Newcastle United have the advantage on Burnley due to having a better goal differential. The Clarets have not been the same team that we saw last year. Burnley finished last year in seventh place, and that sent them into European competition for the first time in over 50 years. However, they are now just hoping to stay afloat.... 

Wolverhampton are right in the middle of the pack a third of the way through the Premier League season. The Wanderers made a huge splash this offseason, spending lavishly with an eye on not only staying up, but competing for a place in Europe as well. It took a while for the club to get on track, yet Wolves are now making their move. They will look to keep winning when they take on lowly Huddersfield Town this Saturday.... 

Arsenal and AFC Bournemouth are currently in fifth- and sixth-place in the Premier League respectively. While many expected the Gunners to be in that spot, the Cherries have been one of the surprises of the season, and their fans would be over the moon if they ended the season in a position to qualify for the Europa League. These two teams will meet in south England on Sunday and a result would be huge for Bournemouth in this one.... 

This week, players return from international break and that means domestic leagues are back in action. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are set to square off for the first time this season in the NBC Match of the Week on Saturday. Both clubs are currently in the top four in the Premier League standings, with Chelsea on 28 points and Tottenham right behind them on 27 points. Each team will be looking for a result in order to stay within striking distance of Manchester City and to stay ahead of fifth... 

Manchester City are starting to pull away from the pack in the race to win the Premier League. The Citizens are still unbeaten on the year after a 3-1 win over rivals Manchester United in the Manchester Derby, and they are looking more and more likely to repeat as champions each week. They have looked just as overwhelming as they did last season, and they are right on pace to finish with just about the same number of points too. ... 

Chelsea have done very well under new manager Maurizio Sarri this season. Sarri made a name for himself during his time at Napoli, and Roman Abramovich pegged him to replace the embattled Antonio Conte just before the World Cup Final. That decision has paid off well for the Blues, as the club is 8-3-0 after 11 games and Chelsea are currently tied with Liverpool in second place in the Premier League. Sarri is out to keep his good start going against Everton this Sunday. ... 

Things could get messy pretty early when Liverpool hosts Fulham in Premier League action this Sunday. Liverpool are currently tied with Chelsea for second place in the league with 27 points through 11 games, while Fulham are in dead last with a measly five points. The oddsmakers have made the Reds massive favorites per the EPL betting line ahead of this one, and Liverpool are looking to cash in. They can’t afford to not have all three points in their bid to unseat Manchester City as Premier League champions. ... 

The Manchester Derby is the premier game of the weekend. Manchester City is looking dominant once more, and the Citizens appear on the verge of creating distance between themselves and the rest of the teams in the Premier League. They have been incredible this season, leading the league in points, goals, and goals allowed just like they did in their record-setting 2017-18 campaign. A result of any kind would be a victory for Manchester United. The Red Devils have turned things around after a dreadful start to the year, and they did knock off the Citizens the last time these teams met. However, that game didn’t mean much to City and United know they have their work cut out for them here. ... 

Coming into the year, Cardiff City was one of the favorites to get relegated per the soccer betting odds. The Bluebirds did not spend much after jumping back into the Premier League from Championship, unlike colleagues Wolverhampton and Fulham, and many pegged them to fall right back down. Thus far, those prognostications have rung true and Cardiff City are currently tied with Fulham at the bottom of the table. However, a win over Brighton & Hove Albion would shoot them out of the cellar and likely out of the relegation zone too. ... 

Crystal Palace’s run through the toughest part of their schedule continues this week when they host Tottenham Hotspur. This will be the third top team that the Eagles face in as many weeks, and they are just out to pick up points and stop their slide down the table. Meanwhile, Tottenham has moved back into fourth after a win over Wolverhampton last week, and Spurs are looking to maintain that spot this week. They have had some trouble in situations like this earlier in the year though. ... 

Both Huddersfield Town and Fulham will be after the full three points when these clubs meet on Monday Night Football. Each side is currently in the relegation zone and in desperate need of any points, but three points would lift either team clear of the bottom three provided the other teams hold their place in the standings. Huddersfield Town are also looking for its first win of the season, while Fulham are after their second. ... 

Manchester City continue to look unstoppable on their march towards a second straight Premier League title. The Citizens might be tied with Liverpool at the top of the table with an 8-2-0 record, but they currently boast the top offense in the EPL (27 goals), the best defense (3 goals allowed), and they have already played some of their toughest foes at their home and walked away with a result. It’s eerily similar to what we saw from Manchester City last year, and Southampton knows that means they will find it hard to pick up a result. ... 

Manchester United are attempting to salvage their season. The Red Devils have a long way to go, but they are back up to eighth in the table and they have a chance to get level with one of the clubs in front of them when they face Bournemouth this week. It’s been a great start to the season for Bournemouth. The Cherries are currently in sixth place at 6-2-2, and they are almost certainly assured of a fourth straight season in the Premier League next year despite being the smallest club at England’s highest level. Their best ever finish is ninth, and they would love to top that. ... 

Liverpool were hoping that Manchester City would slip up on the road against Tottenham last week to give them a little breathing room at the top of the table, but fortune did the Reds no such favors. The Citizens got a 1-0 win over Spurs, and that placed Manchester City and Liverpool dead level at 8-2-0 once more with City having a massive goal differential advantage. Now, the roles are reversed and it’s Liverpool who must not trip up against another quality team when they travel south to take on Arsenal. Dropping points here would be extremely costly in a race that’s sure to be tight throughout. ... 

Two of the top teams in the Premier League will clash on Monday when Tottenham Hotspur host league leaders Manchester City. Tottenham are out to deal City their first loss of the season and hop them in the standings, while City are looking to maintain their position atop the league table. This is one of the most important regular season matches to date this year as a Tottenham loss leaves them with work to do in both the league and their quest to return to the Champions League next season. ... 

Unai Emery’s stock is soaring at Emirates following Arsenal’s performance over these last two months. The Gunners have won seven Premier League matches in a row after dropping their first two, and that has them right in the thick of things in the race to win the league. They are just two points back of league leaders Manchester City and Liverpool and poised to close the gap if one of those two teams stumble. They will look to keep things headed in the right direction against Crystal Palace this week. ... 

Two teams fighting for placement in the middle of the table will do battle on Saturday when Leicester City hosts West Ham. The Foxes are currently sitting two points behind Manchester United in 11^th place, and they have their eyes set on moving back into the top half of the table. Meanwhile, the Hammers are looking to find their form after many declared them a sneaky pick to possibly qualify for European play this year. ... 

Everton were once considered one of the ‘big five’ clubs in England, but over the past decade they have slowly slid down the table. The Toffees have not placed in the top four since the 2004-05 season, and that has deprived the club of desperately needed Champions League money. This year, the results have not been any better, and Everton are in danger of continuing to slide despite significant investment in the offseason. They are currently sitting in 11th place and will look to improve upon that position following this week’s match with Crystal Palace. ... 

The hottest club in the Premier League is Arsenal. Yes, you read that right, Arsenal. After kicking off their campaign with consecutive losses to Manchester City and Chelsea, the Gunners have kicked things up a notch. They have won six straight Premier League matches, and they have been riding some consistently solid performances on offense back into contention. Arsenal will look to make it seven in a row and perhaps crack into the top three when they face Leicester City this week. ... 

Two teams at opposite ends of the table will clash in Premier League play this week when Huddersfield Town hosts Liverpool. Huddersfield Town is currently sitting in the relegation zone with an 0-3-5 record through the first eight games of the season, and they are tied with Cardiff City as the club with the worst goal differential. As for Liverpool, the Reds are in great shape in terms of the standings, with a 6-0-2 mark and are tied with Chelsea and Manchester City. Liverpool are heavy road favorites in this one. ... 

Few people outside of Stamford Bridge expected Chelsea to be level at the top of the table with Manchester City and Liverpool at this point of the season. The Blues have picked up points in every game so far, and it’s not just lower tier teams they have knocked off. A win over Arsenal and a draw against Liverpool are some key results to have in the bag, especially with a manager this is still installing his offense. Chelsea are looking to pick up another big win, and get a spot of revenge against a former manager, when they take on Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United on Saturday. ... 

We are in the middle of the second international break, and at this point in the season it’s time to evaluate the race to win the Premier League. Coming into the season, Manchester City were favored to repeat per the soccer betting odds, while Liverpool were seen as the team most likely to knock them off their perch. Through the first eight games of the season, it’s looking very likely that one of those two teams will win the 2018-19 Premier League, and they are still the heavy favorites to finish top of the table. However, Chelsea is tied with the two favorites at 20 points, so you can’t count out the Blues. ... 

After a slow start to the season, Unai Emery’s Arsenal have turned things around. The Gunners have won five in a row after losses to Manchester City and Chelsea to start the season, and the club looks poised to once again make a run for a spot in the Champions League. They will look to keep the ball rolling when they take on Fulham on Sunday in a London Derby. The Cottagers are craving for a victory over one of the blue bloods after losses to Tottenham and Manchester City earlier in the year. ... 

Chelsea are looking like a potential contender in the Premier League once more. The Blues are off to a very good start this season, and they are currently sitting in third in the Premier League standings. They have yet to lose a match in their bid to make a return to the top four, and they will put their undefeated start on the line against Southampton this week. The Saints have long had one of the better home field advantages for a mid-table club, and they are out to use that to their advantage this week. ... 

The Premier League’s top two teams will clash in the most important game of this young season when Manchester City heads west to take on Liverpool. These two sides were the two betting favorites to win the Premier League at the beginning of the season, and they have both lived up to their billing to this point. A win for either team would be huge and put them all alone in first place heading into the international break next week. ...