Dan’s EPL Predictions A massive test for Arsenal at Villa Park
Palace 1-2 Liverpool
There were some boos at Selhurst Park in midweek.
That could be due to a perception that the Eagles are too negative, waiting for moments of individual brilliance instead of taking the initiative.
Roy Hodgson is too long in the tooth to have his ethos dictated to by the crowd.
Law of averages says that if his tactics were not ambitious at home to Bournemouth they are not going to be when welcoming Liverpool?
Brighton 2-0 Burnley
I thought last Saturday was what Kompany needed to convince his youthful squad they can compete at this level.
They play pretty patterns and passes until they get to the final third.
That will be the key difference at the Amex.
Two teams who have an attractive ethos and play the sport in the right manner.
Yet the home side know and believe they can unlock the door.
The away side only hope but don’t believe.
Man United 2-1 Cherries
They say when someone is feeling the pressure, they start to make erratic decisions.
Instead of ignoring generic rumours from the media, Ten Hag banned certain journalists from his press conference last week.
All that does is give the stories more noise.
Domestically United remain productive by beating the teams they should be beating and that will carry on here.
Their fans still though are craving a performance to give them hope.
They will get over the line against the Cherries without being convincing.
With Bayern Munich and Liverpool next they need to find their mojo
Sheffield United 2-1 Brentford
Since last managing at Bramall Lane, Chris Wilder failed at two Championship clubs, sacked at Middlesbrough while Watford wouldn’t renewal his contract.
In other words, the 56-year old’s only way of getting a job in the topflight is working with owners he knows, with both parties accepting the business model is to take the money from being in the topflight, then parachute payments after relegation.
It means that he can worry about going back to basics.
I give the Blades more of a chance of winning Saturday than if Heckingbottom was in charge, but they are still going down.
Wolves 3-0 Forest
I wrote in midweek that now that Sheffield United have sacked their manager, the trend is for other owners to panic and copy.
I felt that put Steve Cooper’s job at risk. Given that, his players didn’t exactly play for him, did they, in midweek?
When Jimenez and Iwobi are both getting braces against you, you know you’re in trouble.
It wouldn’t shock me if Cooper is sacked by the time, you guys read this.
Another heavy defeat on Saturday could spell the end.
Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
On one hand I was grateful on Wednesday night for the favour from Aston Villa. Yet I also realise we have to reach another level to not equally drop points at Villa Park.
There are worse things than being top of the table despite not yet playing to the standards we set last season.
The biggest compliment I can give Unai Emery is this is no longer a fixture you can win without playing well.
Luton 0-4 Man City
Even in the rare games they lose, it’s unusual to find many occasions where the majority of stats go against City.
That’s what happened at Villa Park.
Even in the last 10 minutes Villa controlled the game more than there being any siege on the home goal.
Yet didn’t so many spend last Xmas saying how something wasn’t quite right with the Champions?
Wasn’t that said all the way up to February?
They went on to win the Treble.
Luton showed heart against us, but they didn’t need to do much for their 3 goals.
Ederson isn’t Raya!
Everton 1-1 Chelsea
Despite being deducted points, Everton are already out of the bottom three thanks to their two best performances this week.
If their appeal is successful, they will find themselves in the top 10.
You need to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and fight to get a result at Goodison.
I believe Chelsea are able to do that, it’s just will they take their chances?
Fulham 2-2 West Ham
Two teams buzzing with confidence after big wins in midweek.
Hard to separate them.
It’s great to see Iwobi playing with a smile on his face.
Let’s see if he can do it consistently now.
Spurs 3-1 Newcastle
So, there were Spurs fans boasting lasting Sunday that without their brave ethos that their manager refuses to adapt they wouldn’t have held Man City.
In reality it’s now just 1 point from 5 games.
Spurs gamble by pushing up high, but Newcastle’s system means they might not take advantage.
This comes down to which team adjust their tactics.
Eddie Howe’s injury hit squad looked like they were running out of legs on Thursday. This is one game too many.
Top 24 qualify for euros.
Prince 122
Baron 119
GB 118
Drayton 118
Stephanie 117
J gunner 114
Terrah 114
Matthew 113
Tom 112
NOAS 112
Dendrite 112
Gunsmoke 110
Sid 109
MTG 109
Ackshay 109
Adeski 108
Me 108
IGL 107
Sue P 105
Antivirus 103
Goonersia 103
Big slim 102
Okobino 101
Indian Gunner 100
JRA 100
Top 24 qualifying for Euros
Onyango 99
Kenya 001- 96
Yayo 94
Samson A 94
Sagie 93
Vz 92
Toney 92
Diehard 92
Fanuel priston 90
Zeek 91
Bang bang 91
J gunz 90
Edu 87
Splendid 86
I 85
Gundown 85
Williamrick 75
Taiwo 4321- 84
O Achiel 83
Angelo 82
J legend 79
Dan kit 71
Oluseyi20- 66
Oladimeji 64
Ayodale A 61
Prince Layote 59
Admin 57
Walidomy 56
Ayan 51
Davars 49
Famochi 49
Akeno Bonniface 43
Eblaze 43
Amir 39
Jen 38
Jimmy B 37
Kobin 36
Dotash 36
Elvis 34
Uzi Ozil 32
SWS 27
Longbenark 26
Uzi Ozil 23
Jimeigo T 17
Illiterate 17
Chuck 16
M leashim 16
Peter 15
Koktafo 14
Gunner 4 lyfe 14
Oslogunner 11
Flash G 11
Wale 11
Caxbury Dan 11
Shola 10
Gerald king 9
Samchidy 8
Gio Bag 7
Evansibility 7
Mading East 7
Olaraj propertie / partners 5
Elsammy 6
Gordan 5
TGOTA 5
Ralph 3
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Eddie Howe guided Newcastle United to a fifth-place finish in their 2024/25 Premier League campaign and won the EFL Cup, defeating Liverpool 2-1 in the final. He will be eager to strengthen his squad ahead of the club’s return to Champions League football, but the Magpies are struggling to keep hold of Alexander Isak, who looks destined to leave the club this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Swede has rejected a move to Saudi Arabia, with Liverpool now the only club in concrete talks. Newcastle Face Tough Battle to Keep Star Striker Alexander Isak Rejects Saudi Riches as Liverpool Remain Newcastle have endured a quiet summer thus far, with only Antonio Cordero and Anthony Elanga joining. Howe will be eager to strengthen the squad ahead of the 2025/26 season. According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Isak informed Newcastle of his desire to leave the club, with reports they are working on numerous deals, including Yoane Wissa from Brentford. Despite the latest developments, it appears Newcastle are hopeful they can persuade their star striker to stay, with manager Eddie Howe addressing the rumours: “There are no contract talks taking place with Alexander Isak. That will be for a later date, potentially,” said the Newcastle manager. “There are things going on behind the scenes. Whatever happens has to be for the best of the club.” “Of course, I hope Isak stays,” added Howe. Alexander Isak Replacement Options It appears likely that Isak will start the season at Anfield, which will be a blow to Newcastle United. Eddie Howe must sign the right replacement, and the club seem to be looking at various options, including Benjamin Sesko, Wissa and Lois Openda. The Magpies were reportedly interested in Joao Pedro, having a £50 million bid rejected before the Brazilian decided to join Chelsea, where he impressed immediately at the Club World Cup. Among the strikers linked, Sesko and Openda appear the most sensible options due to the attributes they share with Isak. However, don’t discount Wissa, who offers Premier League experience and a proven eye for goal.
Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.
Three days of Green Bay Packers training camp are in the books and cornerback Carrington Valentine has reinforced his status as the default CB3. It’s only a minute sample size, of course, and the team hasn’t even moved to padded sessions yet. Nonetheless, it’s encouraging to see the former 232nd overall pick put down some roots in a cornerback group that will need meaningful contributions from a slew of less than household names. Carrington Valentine starts strong in Green Bay Packers training camp Writing for Packers Wire, Mark Oldacres observed that Valentine has already picked off a pair of passes in the early going. Stats don’t much much in training camp, but it’s a reflection of Valentine’s keyed-in performance thus far, which included matching up well with standout rookie receiver Matthew Golden. Each player has impressed so far in camp. The Packers are counting on Valentine to backup Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs on the depth chart, or take the field with them in nickelback formations. While he is still developing his overall tools, he already has a place on an NFL field due to his coverage skills. Says Oldacres, “Arguably Green Bay’s most gifted cover corner, Valentine is showing signs of hitting his upside in coverage specifically, although proving he is reliable enough in defending the run will still be crucial for him to truly become a full time player.” Valentine enjoyed a decent chunk of playing time last season as a sophomore, taking advantage of Jaire Alexander’s extended injury absence to amass 546 snaps. He notched the first two interceptions of his career and earned a PFF grade of 70.4, which ranked in the 80th percentile of qualified cornerbacks. With Alexander released and Eric Stokes leaving in free agency, Valentine will have an even greater opportunity in 2025. The players behind him on the depth chart are fringe reserves, draft picks, or ex-receivers (Bo Melton). The job behind Nixon and Hobbs is his to lose. If the latter hits the injured list again – Hobbs missed 17 games across his last three seasons in Las Vegas – Valentine could step into an elevated role. Promoting him naturally at some point, injuries or not, might not be such a bad thing. For his part, Oldacres is pretty high on Valentine’s potential. “Entering year three in the NFL and soon to turn 24, Valentine is probably the best bet to lift the ceiling of Green Bay’s cornerback group as a whole.”
CHICAGO –– With the MLB trade deadline approaching on Thursday, the White Sox made a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. Minor league infielder Tristan Gray is headed to Tampa in exchange for cash considerations, the White Sox announced. It's not a major trade that will move the needle significantly for either organization this season, but perhaps it plays a small role in moves to come. By trading Gray, the White Sox opened a spot on their 40-man roster, which now sits at 39. All of Gray's in-game experience this season has come with the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights. Across 282 plate appearances, he slashed .270/.333/.472 with nine home runs, 15 doubles, 44 RBIs, three stolen bases, 24 walks and 67 strikeouts. The White Sox briefly promoted Gray on July 7, when Ryan Noda was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain. But they sent Gray back down to Triple-A the very next day, as a result of activating Luis Robert Jr. from the injured list. Gray didn't appear in any games for the White Sox. In somewhat related news, Noda began a rehab assignment in Triple-A on Thursday. Robert was in the midst of a season-high nine-game hit streak, but he was not in the lineup on Friday due to adductor soreness, per manager Will Venable. The White Sox defeated the Cubs 12-5 on Friday, and continue the Crosstown Classic Saturday at 6:10 p.m. CT at Rate Field.