West Ham Vs Liverpool
After a heartbreaking derby defeat, Liverpool is determined to revive their hopes for the Premier League title as they head to the London Stadium to take on West Ham United this Saturday.
Similarly, West Ham United is eager to bounce back from their recent disappointments, having suffered defeats in their last two Premier League matches against Fulham and Crystal Palace. Both teams will be looking to secure a crucial victory and regain momentum in their respective campaigns.
Following Arsenal's thumping 5-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, the pressure was on Liverpool to respond with a positive result against Merseyside rivals Everton to ensure that they remain within touching distance of the Premier League leaders.
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool faced a tough 2-0 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park, with goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin securing the win. This loss marked Liverpool's second defeat in three league matches, dealing a blow to their title aspirations.
Captain Virgil van Dijk expressed surprise at his teammates' motivation levels, while Klopp admitted that the team simply wasn't up to par and apologized for their subpar performance. Klopp acknowledged that Liverpool's chances of winning the title now rely on a crisis affecting both Manchester City and Arsenal.
Liverpool currently sits in third place in the Premier League standings, trailing Arsenal by three points. Manchester City's recent 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion has pushed them into second place, with a game in hand over Liverpool.
Despite rumors of a managerial change with Feyenoord's Arne Slot possibly taking over from Klopp in the summer, Liverpool is facing a crucial match against West Ham this Saturday. Liverpool has previously defeated West Ham twice this season, with convincing wins of 3-1 in the league and 5-1 in the EFL Cup. The Reds will be looking to continue their dominance over West Ham and reignite their title hopes.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
After experiencing different outcomes in their last Premier League matches, Aston Villa and Chelsea will face each other at Villa Park on Saturday evening.
Aston Villa showed resilience by coming from behind to secure a 3-1 victory against Bournemouth in their previous game. Meanwhile, Chelsea suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of their London rivals Arsenal on Tuesday. Both teams will be aiming to bounce back and secure a positive result in this upcoming fixture.
There are reports circulating about the uncertainty of Mauricio Pochettino's future at Chelsea, with the club's decision-makers yet to finalize the coach's status for the next season. Pochettino is under pressure to secure European football for Chelsea, who currently sit in ninth place in the Premier League, trailing the top seven by three points and sixth-placed Manchester United by six points.
Chelsea holds a crucial advantage with at least one game in hand over the teams above them in the standings. They are looking forward to their upcoming match at Villa Park, where they have a strong record, winning seven of their last nine away games against Aston Villa and scoring 20 goals in the process.
Despite their success at Villa Park, Chelsea has struggled in their recent away matches outside of London, winning only two out of their last eight games, with five losses and two draws. Additionally, Chelsea has faced difficulty against Aston Villa specifically, losing their last two league encounters. This marks Chelsea's first consecutive losses against Villa since a four-game streak between 1978 and 1984.
EPL Table