EBPL: Newcastle Displaces Nottingham Forest
By Tanko Bauka
Newcastle United has displaced Nottingham Forest from the third position in the English Barclays Premier League table following an emphatic 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace at Saint James Park in their rescheduled match.
Newcastle United’s resurgent and subsequent charge for a place in the Champion League football next season began to unfold immediately after a 2-1 statement win against the Carabao Cup favourite, Liverpool FC and after that masterclass win, Newcastle United did not look back again and their persistent and consistency is gradually paying off as they are just four points behind Arsenal in the second place, sitting pretty on 59 points while Arsenal are on 63 points.
This weekend Newcastle United will put their credentials to a stern test as they travel to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa for what will be regarded as the top clash of the week while Arsenal will seek to build on their impressive two-leg performances against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final as they travel to take on Ipswich Town.
The Mikel Arteta boys cannot afford any slips at this stage, as other teams are breathing down on their necks.
Manchester United needs to make amend as they host resurgent Wolves in the then dreaded theatre of dream, old Trafford but their neighbour and arch-rival Manchester City have to be in their best form as they travel to confront Everton at Goodison Park as Pep Guardiola continues to rebuild to see the Etihad landlord will get a positive result to salvage what is left for a season Manchester City faithful will consider a failure.
Brentford hosts Brighton Albion, Crystal Palace welcome AFC Bournemouth while Leicester entertain the league leader and run away Champion, Liverpool, as Tottenham will have their hands full as they welcome Nottingham Forest.
Enzo Marasca and his Chelsea boys make a short and tricky trip to Craven Cottage stadium to take on Fulham in yet another London derby as West Ham lock horns with already relegated Southampton.
In the Spanish LA Liga, Real Madrid need to focus on the league by putting behind them the misfortune of going out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarter-final stage to Arsenal to see if they will overhaul the four points led by FC Barcelona but FC Barcelona are on top of their game despite the blip against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the Champions League where they were squarely beaten 3-1 by the German giant.
Real Madrid will host Athletic Bilbao as FC Barcelona welcome Celta Vigo with Las Palmas entertaining Atletico Madrid as they battle relegation while vastly improved Valencia travel to take on Rayo Vallacano.
Villarreal host Real Sociedad and Sevilla will slug it out with Deportivo Alaves as Girona takes on Real Betis.
In the Italian Serie A, AC Monza host second-place Napoli as Lacce welcome Como while Hellas Verona make a trip to the capital to take on AS Roma.
Bologna will seek revenge as they host the league leader Inter Milan, while the star match in the Serie A is definitely the match between AC Milan and Ademola Lookman Atalanta at the San Siro stadium.
In the German Bundesliga, Bayern Munich, which is now shifting its attention to the Bundesliga after being eliminated by Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, travel to battle for the three points with Heidenheim, RB Leipzig host Holstein Kiel as Union Berlin entertain Stuttgart.
FC St Pauli play guest to second place Bayern Leverkusen while Borussia Dortmund engage Borussia Monchengladbach.
Fixtures across Europe
English Barclays Premier League
Saturday
Brentford vs Brighton Albion
Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth
Everton vs Manchester City
West Ham vs Southampton
Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Sunday
Fulham vs Chelsea
Ipswich Town vs Arsenal
Manchester United vs Wolves
Leicester vs Liverpool
Monday
Tottenham vs Nothingham
Spanish LA Liga
Friday
Espanyol vs Gatafe
Saturday
Rayo Vallacano vs Valencia
FC Barcelona vs Celta Vigo
Mallorca vs Laganes
Las Palmas vs Atletico Madrid
Sunday
Real Valladolid vs Osasuna
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad
Sevilla vs Deportivo Alaves
Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao
Monday
Girona vs Real Betis
Italian Serie A
Saturday
Lacce vs Como
AC Monza vs Napoli
AS Roma vs Hellas Verona
Sunday
Empoli vs Venezia
Bologna vs Inter Milan
AC Milan vs Atalanta
Monday
Torino vs Udinese
Cagliari vs Fiorentina
Genoa vs Lazio
Parma vs Juventus
German Bundesliga
Heidenheim vs Bayern Munich
SC Freiburg vs Hoffenheim
Mainz 05 vs Wolfsburg
Werder Bremen vs VFL Bochum
RB Leipzig vs Holstein Kiel
Union Berlin vs Stuttgart
Sunday
FC Augsburg vs Frankfurt
Dortmund vs Monchenglabach
FC St Pauli vs Leverkusen
