₦airaland Forum

Manchester City will feel that the return of Aguero has slowly seen their offence get back into the rhythm which they established before he got injured. De Bruyne, Aguero, Silva, Toure and Sterling make for a solid 5 players who can come up with goals and create for the others from any corner of the pitch. They make Fernandinho sit in the midfield ahead of the back 4 for insurance, but that back 4 has been conceding goals and has done so in 7 out of their last 8 games. While they were conceding, the scoring wasn't consistent but that has improved over the last few games.


On the Everton side they showed their improvement in recent games beating Man City 2-1 in the Capital One Cup last week, and will be aiming to continue to do the same in this encounter. They have relied a lot on Lukaku, Barkley, Kone and Deulofeu to come up consistently with the goods for them, but can always change it around adding McGeady, Mirallas or Lennon on the wings to give an extra injection of pace. Defensively Everton have been quite poor since Jagielka has gone down. He has now passed a game in the FA Cup, but it will be difficult for them to get their understanding back together with Stones so quickly against a top offensive unit in Everton.


This is definitely going to be the encounter of the mid-week fixtures, and hopefully the goals will be around to entertain us, and I am backing over 3 goals.


OVER 2.5 GOALS AND BOTH TEAM TO SCORE



visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction

Chelsea star Eden Hazard could be new Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane’s first new signing at the club, according to Daily Star.
Hazard, who has been a shadow of himself this season for the Blues, could be set to leave the club in the January transfer window,
In a previous interview the new Madrid manager admitted that he was a big admirer of Hazard and would like to see him at Real Madrid.
“After Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Hazard is my favourite player,” revealed Zidane. “It is spectacular to see him play.
“Do I see him going to Real Madrid? I love the player, that’s all I will say.” Zindane said.
The Belgian has been criticised this season for his poor performances and was one of the players who was booed by a section of Chelsea fans after the sacking of Jose Mourhino.

Zidane has also been put on high alert about the future of star Gareth Bale and whether he will leave the club to join Manchester United.
Bale is believed to be one player who is against Rafael Benitez sacking as manager and according to the Daily Star, it is believed by United chiefs that he could be lured to Old Trafford.
However when Questioned yesterday about Bale’s future, Zidane said: “Gareth was disappointed with the sacking of Rafa because he was an important coach for him but I will treat him the same way Rafa.
“He is an important player and a key player for the squad. He’s phenomenal and we’re going to give him all the care and support he needs.”
Real Mardrid’s next game is against Deportivio on Saturday




visit www.goalisma..com for more football news and transfers.

The hosts were in action at the Mestalla at the weekend when they twice fought back to draw 2-2 against Real Madrid, a result which helped lead to the dismissal of Rafa Benitez. The former Valencia boss might be a contender for a return to the club in the near future but for now it's Gary Neville in charge and his only win so far came in this competition against Barakaldo in the last round.


Granada come into the game on the back of a huge victory over Sevilla in La Liga at the weekend and a result that lifted them out of the relegation zone. They have won 3 of their last 5 matches now so come into the game with a bit of confidence but were reliant on away goals to see off lower league Leganes in the last round.


Gary Neville would certainly love to add that to his CV and although he is likely to mix things up a bit, he will be determined to win this tie. Valencia with home advantage against a weakened Granada side should be able to seal the win.


HOME WIN


visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction

Everton can at least give themselves a chance for a possible place in the final with a result here before they visit the Etihad for the second leg of this capital one cup semis. No matter how bad this Everton team might have been, they are still pretty difficult to beat. And when the citizens of Manchester visits, there is an extra motivation to up your game. Everton have only suffered 2 losses in the last 12 games in all competition. The first was against Leicester who needed 2 penalties to see off the game and then Stoke who also won the game courtesy of a late penalty.


City might have won here earlier this season but this is certainly a knock out tournament so a positive result remains a priority for both sides. They are coming from a 2-1 win over Watford in the weekend although that was their first away win in the league since September. The manager may make a few change to the side that starts here but am sure he would field players that can possibly get the Job done. City don't have that much of injury worry except for Skipper Vincent Kompany who remains sidelined through injury. Samir Nasri is also injured but he hasn't really contributed much to them this season.


Its a first leg tie so I don't think either side would look to come out here and blow their chances of making it to the final. A draw would suit both sides as City would be OK with the result as they look to finish the Job at the Etihad stadium but Everton ought not be underestimated as they can even get a win here. If Everton would be more efficient with taking their chances here, I think they can win but I just don't expect them to lose out here. GL!

HOME WIN OR DRAW......




visit www.goalisma..com for more football prediction and football news.

Real Madrid confirmed the news.

It's finally official. Rafa Benítez is no longer Real Madrid's coach. The Spanish manager has only been in the Spanish capital since this past summer and his lack of good results and encouraging performances sealed his fate.

Benítez was never able to build a good relationship with his players and some of his decisions were questionable to say the least. Neither James nor Isco have been important under Benítez and that is definitely something that ended up hurting his project.

Zinedine Zidane will now take over as the coach and he will have a very talented roster at his disposal. It's true that Real Madrid have a good point deficit to overcome in La Liga, but this roster is capable of getting some good consecutive wins to keep the race for the Liga BBVA title alive until the very end of the season. And keep in mind that the Champions League is there...



visit www.goalisma..com for more football news....

Watford manager Quique Flores has done a terrific job in the first half of the season and his side have way exceeded expectations. They sit in ninth place, and are actually just two points behind fifth place. The main aim for Watford this season was to avoid relegation, and they surely will achieve that ambition easily as they are a massive twelve points above the relegation places going into the second half of the season.


Much of the credit for their impressive season so far has to go to their striking duo in captain Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo. Surely the main concern for Flores throughout January has to be keeping hold of their best players during the transfer window.


Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is sure to have his eyes firmly on regaining the Premier League title in what looks likely to be his last season in charge at The Etihad. His side have easily the strongest squad in the league in my opinion and I will be shocked if they don’t prove too strong for Arsenal over the course of the season. If they are to win the title however they must improve their away form. So far this season they have been very average away from home with three wins, three draws and three defeats.


Pellegrini will be without the services of left back Gael Clichy so Kolarov will start. He also looks set to keep the faith with Sergio Aguero ahead of Wilfried Bony despite Bony going public this week in complaining about being left on the bench. Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight matches against Watford and have won the last three including a 2-0 win earlier this season where Watford failed to record a single shot on target. City will also take confidence from Watford’s last game where they lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham.
As mentioned, City need to start winning away from home to keep up the pressure on Arsenal, and indeed Leicester who are above them in the table. If they are to be serious title contenders then they need to be following Tottenham’s lead and winning away at Watford. I will be backing them to do just that.

HOME WIN AND BTTS


visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction and latest football news.....

Manchester United failed to win for the eighth successive game against Chelsea and also failed to find the back of the net yet again in another 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

Despite the worst run in their Premier League history, both fans and pundits who watched the Chelsea game seemed to think that Manchester United showed signs of improvement. I do not agree. They faced a Chelsea side without a striker in the team and a side that has its own creative problems due to the poor form of their midfield (with the exception of Willian). I tipped up the draw in the Chelsea game and the game played out exactly as I expected. Manchester United are always going to have a lot of the ball, that is the way that Louis Van Gaal plays, but the team has trouble converting possession into goal scoring opportunities.

The press were reporting ahead of their 2-0 loss to Stoke that Van Gaal would get the sack if his team failed to win against either Stoke or Chelsea, and that is exactly what they did yet he is still here. His position would surely become untenable if the red devils fail to beat managerless Swansea and the recent statistics from the head to heads with Swansea should concern him. Swansea have beaten Manchester United on the last three occasions, including a 2-1 win here last season.

Louis Van Gaal could well name the same team that started against Chelsea with Young and Darmian as the wing backs and Martial, Herrera, and Mata playing as a three behind captain Wayne Rooney. Schneiderlin looked to give the side a better balance so he should play alongside Schweinsteiger, leaving Fellaini and Carrick on the bench.
As much as Manchester United are struggling in front of goal this season, Swansea are worse. The Welsh side have only managed to score two goals in their last six matches and the only team in the league with a worse goalscoring record is rock bottom Aston Villa. Many people were surprised when they sacked manager Gary Monk earlier in the season after a short run of defeats, especially as he led the club to their highest ever league position last season. I personally think they will struggle to attract a better manager than Monk and may have to take a chance on an unproven manager which is not what you want when potentially involved in a relegation fight.

Alan Curtis is in temporary charge of the team and one of his priorities should be getting striker Bafetimbi Gomez back on song. Gomez likes facing Manchester United and has scored the winning goal on his last two appearances against them but seems out of form currently. Curtis welcomes back Routledge after an absence but he is unlikely to start the game. Two of their best player in Ayew and Sigurdsson should surely start after being benched for Swansea’s last game against Crystal Palace.

Manchester United have home advantage (where they have only actually lost once all season despite being in poor form) against a team who are even worse than them in front of goal. A lot of players have come out and given their support to Van Gaal in recent days and say they are willing to run, fight and play for him. If they even match their performance against Chelsea then United will win this game. I still think they will struggle and lose a lot more matches this season, but I would be surprised if Swansea are one of the teams to take points from them.

Home win @ 1.57 OR OVER 2.5



visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction and football news....

After five matches without victory, West Brom took an important 1:0 victory against Newcastle United at home last Monday evening. It wasn’t very impressive game, with both teams being more oriented to their defensive tasks, but the hosts were without any doubt, quite better side on the field and deservedly took all three points with a goal from Fletcher in 78th minute.

With this victory behind their backs, they are once again safe from the relegation battle, being currently at thirteenth position, six points above relegating placed Newcastle. In front of own fans, they tend to play a bit more offensive which worked well for them in recent weeks, with the exception of a 1:2 defeat against Bournemouth. Otherwise, they did well to win over Newcastle, Arsenal and drew against Tottenham. Home side continues to miss their goalkeeper Ben Foster who is injured from the start of the season. Jonas Olsson (defender, 13/1) and Victor Anichebe (forward, 2/0) will probably miss this game after hamstring injuries against Newcastle. Forward Salomon Rondon (16/3) and offensive midfielder James McClean (17/1) will both serve their second game suspensions. They should be playing in 4-1-4-1 formation with Lambert as alone striker.

Stoke City, on the other side, comes from a very entertaining game away to Everton in which they surprisingly managed to take all three points in a 4:3 victory. Overall, it was probably one of the best offensive performances of Stoke’s players in this season, while the team did have some defensive gaps, but still the victory was completely deserved this time.

Shaqiri had a great first halftime with two goals, but the game became much more interesting in the second when the players of Everton managed to get a 3:2 lead within seven minutes, while the guests sealed their victory with two late goals in last ten minutes – via Joselu in 80th and Arnautovic from the penalty spot in first minute of additional time. Visitors will be playing in their typical 4-2-3-1 formation with Bojan upfront. They continue to miss goalkeeper Shay Given (no performance this season anyway), forwards Peter Crouch (3/0) and Peter Odemwingie (2/0), as well as midfielder Stephen Ireland (6/0) and central defender Marc Muniesa (5/0), all being more of a long term absentees. Coach Mark Hughes anyway surely won’t change much after two back to back victories with the same team.

Odds are too good to miss in my oppinnion. Stoke comes from two consecutive victories and there is no reason for them to change their tactics – and I expect them to play a bit more freely and attack. That should open up the game, while West Brom anyway remains a bit more offensive in front of own fans.



OVER 2.5 OR AWAY WIN\DRAW



visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction and football news.

Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo has turned down the chance to join Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish side sent scouts to watch the Nigerian striker on five occasions this season, according to The Sun, and were willing to table a £12-million bid for him.

The Watford striker has told Atletico Madrid: “I want to stay in the Premier League.”

Ighalo, who has scored 14 goals this term in the Premier League, is also the top scorer in all four tiers of English football in 2015 having amassed an incredible 30 goals.

A source close to Ighalo was quoted in The Sun as saying that Atletico Madrid were ready to double the Nigerian’s current earnings in England.

“Atletico have watched him five times already this season and are desperate to take him to Madrid. They have practically offered to double his wages, with big bonuses added on.

“He remains their top priority and they have refused to go away even though he has twice told them no," the source explained.

Meanwhile, Watford FC released an official statement on Friday saying Ighalo “is not for sale at any price”.


visit www.goalisma..com for more football news and predictions

Celta Vigo still continues with positive performances and surely is the most pleasant surprise this season, as the side continues keeping the fourth position and now really has a nice chance to end up playing in Europe next season, maybe not in Champions League, but even playing in Europa League would be more than decent success for the team from Vigo. Currently, they are at fourth position as said, having just two points less than third placed Real Madrid and seven more than Bilbao that stands on seventh place, first one that doesn’t have guaranteed European ticket.

The team comes from fourth consecutive undefeated matches in Primera, counting six matches with no defeat overall (Copa del Rey included) – actually having five victories and only one draw. In the most recent game, they managed to get a victory over Granada away from home with a 2:0 result. They opened the game in the best possible way, scored two goals in the first halftime, via Orellana in 21st and Aspas in 45th, lowered down the tempo in the second half and staying rock solid at the back, while the home side anyway didn’t do much upfront. It was their second consecutive victory in Primera and there is no doubt that the team will be going for another one tonight as they host Bilbao. Pablo Hernandez, Nolito and Borja Fernandez are all available again after serving suspension, but Nolito (15/8, forward) is injured now. Central defender Fontas (7/1) is also injured, while doubtful remains left back/defensive midfielder Nemanja Radoja (9/0).

In the last game before the small break Spanish league had, Bilbao was superior to their opponent, however didn’t threat much, but still managed to get a convincing 2:0 victory over Levante at home. Goals were scored in second halftime, when the pressure of Bilbao looked bigger and bigger, in 55th minute via San Jose and eight minutes before the full time whistle via Williams.

Overall, it was a game where players of Bilbao demonstrated how should they play against less quality sides. With this result, team of coach Ernesto Valverde broke a streak of two consecutive matches without a victory (a draw and a defeat) and now came to seventh position at the standings, being just two points away from the sixth position that will be leading to Europa League. No doubt that they want to close the 2015 with a convincing performance and a positive result, while the coach will surely be making at least one change in comparison to previous game – since winger Markel Susaeta (13/2) sustained injury and surely won’t start, with Sabin Merino probably replacing him. Defensive midfielder Iturraspe (4/0) is injured.

Very interesting, offensive and demanding game is what I expect here. Both teams are looking well right now, they both play in quite decent pace and it won’t be much of a surprise if we see four or more goals scored.



BOTH TEAM TO SCORE AND OVER 2.5 GOALS.



visit www.goalisma..com for more prediction and football news.

Manchester United are in talks with Real Madrid star James Rodriguez as they try to persuade him to ditch the Spanish capital for the rain of north-west England.
The Colombian has failed to light up the Bernabeu since moving there after the World Cup last year and Louis van Gaal has sensed the time is right to swoop, according to Fichajes.
Rodriguez would cost in the region of £59m and could see United as a fresh start after struggling to secure a starting spot at Madrid this season.
Meanwhile, United have emerged as favourites to sign AC Milan's 16-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, says Calcio Mercato.
Donnarumma only made his first team debut for the Serie A side at the end of October but has since kept three clean-sheets and Milan have only lost one league contest that he has played in.
Manchester City are also eager to sign the Italian youngster, but their red rivals are thought to be the favourites to lure him away from the San Siro to the Premier League.
United have one of the world's best goalkeepers in David De Gea, but the Spaniard has previously been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid and there is speculation that the Spanish side could resurrect their interest next summer.
Donnarumma could fit the bill as the man to replace De Gea between the Old Trafford sticks.
The Milan keeper is not the only teenager that United are interested in, with scouts identifying Everton's Joe Williams as someone they want Van Gaal to snap up, according to the Daily Mail.
The 19-year-old has impressed for Everton's under-21 side this season and has been with the Merseyside club since the age of seven..
A number of top-flight clubs are interested in signing him, but Williams has 18 months on his current deal and Everton may look to extend it to fend off growing competition.



visit www.goalisma..com for more football news.

Not many high profile keepers can say that the world's best player hasn't scored against them

Arsenal keeper Petr Cech has revealed his incredible record against Lionel Messi – and hopes to make it a perfect 10.
Barcelona superstar Messi has never scored against Cech in eight previous meetings and even crashed a penalty against the crossbar in the Nou Camp in 2012.
Cech will go head-to-head with the world’s greatest player when Arsenal meet Barcelona in their Champions League showdown.
And Cech believes Arsenal can cause another upset against the might of Barcelona and repeat Chelsea’s victory on the way to their European glory in 2012.

Cech said: “I didn’t realise myself for a long time, but, last time we played them, somebody found out and then he missed a penalty and we managed to go to the final and we went on to win the Champions League.
“It’s great, not many people can say they’ve played eight games or how many minutes against Messi and he hasn’t found a way to get past me.

“But, if he scores and we progress to the next round, it’s not important.
"What’s important is for us to make sure that we give ourselves a chance to progress to the next round.
“As long as we keep progressing, if he scores a hat-trick and we go through, then I won’t mind.”



visit www.goalisma..com for more football news and prediction.

lsea fans have not taken kindly to the decision and still chant Mourinho’s name, as do the Manchester United fans who want him to replace under fire boss Louis Van Gaal.


At the time of writing this preview Louis Van Gaal is still Manchester United manager, although he did hint that he may resign during a news conference after the very disappointing 2-0 defeat to Stoke. My thoughts are that he surely will not last the season as he has clearly lost the players and fans, and is acting like a petulant child during media interviews. I do not think Manchester United want to be associated with the image that Van Gaal is giving them and I would expect Ryan Giggs to take over until the end of the season. Jose Mourinho is obviously a very good manager but he is associated with short term success and his affiliation to Chelsea may be difficult to move past.


Manchester United have been simply awful for the last seven games and have barely managed to string three passes together. The tactics have been wrong, the team selection has been wrong and the substitutions made during games have been wrong. All these things are down to the manager who does not seem to have the slightest clue about English football. He may have had the balls to drop captain Wayne Rooney for the Stoke game but he still persists with Fellaini in an advanced role and his performances have been shocking. He has been brought in as a physical and aerial presence yet gets brushed off the ball, misses his headers, loses the ball far too often and his shooting has been abysmal. The visit of Chelsea may motivate his players to put in an improved performance but I would not bet on Manchester United to win until things change drastically.
Hiddink will have been pleased at his teams spirit in fighting back from 2-1 down to draw 2-2 with Watford on Saturday, but he will not have been pleased with his side throwing away a 1-0 lead to go 2-1 behind in the first place. It is clear that problems still remain within the Chelsea team although some players do look a lot happier and are playing with more freedom than they were under Mourinho. Diego Costa returned to form with two goals but got himself a yellow card and a suspension which rules him out of this game. His loss is a big blow to Chelsea’s chance of winning this game. Loic Remy is likely to come in and lead the line.


For me, the likely result here is a draw. It would stop a run of four straight defeats for Manchester United, and keep Hiddink’s unbeaten record since his return to Chelsea. It all makes for unmissable viewing whatever the result in what may be Van Gaal’s last game in charge.





CHELSEA WIN OR DRAW



visit www.goalisma..com for more football updates and prediction.

Anfield will be the venue here as the Foxes come to town.


Liverpool seems to have lost some of that steam under Klopp. It no wins in 4 now with 2 draws and 2 losses. I watched the last game against Watford as I had a tip in that game and was utterly disappointed with the one way traffic. I tipped a draw in that one as opposed to Watford dnb as I din't want a push as opposed to a sizeable return. Watford asserted themselves early on and the rest was history.


Back to the pick.


Liverpool are favourites for this game, expected and I agree with that.


Odds on quotes to win this game? Rubbish. I'm not having that one bit.


The Foxes are unbeaten on their travels this season with 6 wins and 3 stalemates. Won their last 4 away games with a pair of 2-0 and 2-3 results taking the scalps of Everton, Swansea, Newcastle and West Brom in the process. The victories at Goodison and condemning Pulis' side to no points on their own ground stand out there. Against Newcastle and Swansea it was 3-0 away from home in games where they completely outplayed their counterparts.


Liverpool must be respected under Klopp but like I said, some of that steam seems to be evading them and I would rather a chance to double my money on the Foxes to avoid defeat on the road as opposed to climbing into odds on pretenders winning at Anfield.


Take the dnb if you want puff in your ruff.



visit www.goalisma..com for your more football prediction.

Arsenal travel away to Southampton sitting firmly in 2nd spot in the table and have the opportunity to progress to the top of the table. Arsenal have been in resolute form coming into this game with a 6 match unbeaten run behind them with 5 wins and a draw during that time. Arsenal despite having injuries all around the pitch missing players like Arteta, Rosicky, Sanchez, Welbeck, Cazorla, Wilshere, Coquelin have still managed to put on results on the pitch. The main reason is that their offensive unit of Campbell, Walcott, Ozil and Giroud has finally started to click in form, scoring goals. On the other side the defence has been improving led by veterans Cech and Mertersacker.


The Gunners take on a Southampton team who has struggled to produce results in the recent time despite having nearly a fit squad to chose from. The Saints have not won for the last 6 matches on the trot; grabbing just 1 point on those games. Struggles have come offensively for sure; but defensively they have been horrible; keeping only 2 clean sheets in their last 13 games. Ronald Koeman has been having a struggling motivating the squad who are languishing in the bottom half of the table after losses to Man City, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Stoke & Liverpool.


With the Gunners offence in rhythm and the Saints defence in tatters; I expect Arsenal to walk away with a victory in this game.



visit www.goalisma..com.....for your latest football news and prediction.

1. Barcelona (+1)

Another trophy for Luis Enrique and Barca this week as a 3-0 rout of River Plate earned them the 2015 Club World Cup. That makes it five in the calendar year along with La Liga, the Copa del Rey, European Super Cup and UEFA Champions League: no easy feat in the modern era. Luis Suarez scored twice and Lionel Messi scored once in the comfortable victory while Neymar played provider: expect that theme to continue well into 2016 as it has done all season.

2. Bayern Munich (-1)

It wasn't the most commanding week for the Bundesliga giants as football's worst-kept secret -- Pep Guardiola's departure at the end of the season -- finally emerged. Carlo Ancelotti has already been named as his successor but all the excitement culminated in a rather anxious 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Hannover, thanks to Thomas Muller's penalty. The Bavarians head into the winter break with a commanding eight-point lead atop the table and will hope to emerge in January with a much healthier team: Guardiola only named four substitutes, one of whom was a goalkeeper, for Saturday's game.

3. Paris Saint-Germain (no change)

Will Laurent Blanc's side be the first in Europe to clinch their league title? With a gargantuan 19-point gap after 19 games, it seems likely. Angel Di Maria scored twice and Zlatan Ibrahimovic once in their 3-0 win over fourth-place Caen, with their focus surely on the Champions League to provide this season's stiffest test.

4. Real Madrid (+1)

Typical fun and chaos from Los Blancos this weekend: a stunning early 2-1 deficit at home to minnows Rayo Vallecano soon turned into a rampaging 10-2 victory but all the goals in the world still weren't enough to appease the home fans. Two red cards helped their cause in the first half, before four goals from Gareth Bale, three from Karim Benzema made for an eye-opening (and goal difference-boosting) result. It still might not be enough to save Rafa Benitez's job, mind you.

5. Atletico Madrid (-1)

Not the greatest week for Diego Simeone & Co., losing 1-0 at Malaga to an 87th minute goal in a game that also saw the always useful Gabi sent off for two yellow cards. The defeat cost them a chance to open a tiny gap at the top of La Liga but still, being tied for first with Barca isn't a bad early Christmas present.

6. Leicester City (no change)

Can anyone stop the Foxes? Every week offers a fresh challenge but every week, Claudio Ranieri's side rise above. A pair of Riyad Mahrez penalties led to a nervy 3-2 win at Everton that keeps Leicester top of the league at Christmas. It's a remarkable turnaround from their last-place this time last year and proof that something truly special might be happening at the King Power Stadium this season.

7. Arsenal (+2)

Is this Arsenal's year after all? The North London side haven't won the Premier League since their Invincibles season of 2003-04 and with all their expected rivals struggling, the omens are good. We've said this before about their pre-Christmas form but their 2-1 win over chasers Man City on Monday night was a stylish, confident rebuttal to the usual creeping doubts. Mesut Ozil notched yet more assists in a season deserving of individual awards.

8. Juventus (+2)

Look out, Serie A: Juve are coming. An early 1-0 deficit at Carpi on Sunday was no big deal as goals from Mario Mandzukic and two from Paul Pogba turned it into a 3-2 win (Leonardo Bonucci's injury time own goal was too little, too late for their opponents). Seven straight league wins have vaulted Massimiliano Allegri's side up to fourth, just three points behind Inter Milan. They'll surely push Bayern to the limit in the Champions League round of 16, too.

9. Fiorentina (new)

Paulo Sousa's side may be living in the shadows of Inter Milan and Juve but Paulo Sousa's side have been every bit as impressive this season. Last weekend's 2-0 win vs. Chievo was simple enough but kept them in second place just a point behind Roberto Mancini's rebuilt Nerazzurri, who lost at Lazio.

10. Borussia Dortmund (-3)

Thomas Tuchel deserves endless praise for restoring Dortmund to their expected perch directly beneath Bayern, but it wasn't enough to prevent a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Cologne on Saturday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his 18th goal of the Bundesliga season to give BVB an early lead, but two goals in the final seven minutes gave their mid-table hosts all three points. It's the kind of result that upsets but doesn't concern in the long-term, though it does drop them down the rankings.

Dropping out: Inter Milan



visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news.

2015 has been all about one Premier League team, the Flying Foxes — Leicester City and the club owners are showing their appreciation of the club’s powerful fan base by giving away free beer at their last home game at the King Power Stadium against Manchester City.
Owners Vichai and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha along with club partners Singha Beer will foot the bill for all the drinks before the Manchester City clash on Tuesday, December 29, at 7.45pm, according to The Leicester Mercury.
Vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said:”2015 has been a wonderful year for our football club but we know that none of this would be possible without the incredible support of our fans.
“They continue to inspire our players to greater things on the pitch and for that we want to say thank you. Their loyalty and belief has helped to make 2015 a special year and we’re delighted that our friends at Singha Corporation will be helping us to give something back.”
Legendary Year
Last year the Foxes were lying at the bottom of the table on Christmas, but now they are in the unbelievable position of being at the top of the table after an insane year that saw them pull off the great escape under former manager Nigel Pearson to stay in the Premier League and then take the competition by storm this season.

Leicester City have only lost once — to Arsenal — and have scored 37 goals in the league so far and are sitting pretty at the top of the table. The goal scoring heroics of the likes of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have propelled them to this position, while manager Claudio Ranieri has been the quiet mastermind behind it all.
This has been an unbelievable year for everyone involved with the club and calls for a huge celebration, and that’s exactly what the Foxes will be doing at the King Power Stadium on the 29th.



visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news.

Gent v Wolfsburg
Roma v Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain v Chelsea
Arsenal v Barcelona
Juventus v Bayern Munich
PSV v Atletico Madrid
Benfica v Zenit
Dynamo Kiev v Manchester City





visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news

Monday night football in the barclays premier league sees the highflying Foxes up against the resurgent london blues at the King Power stadium. Real kudos to leicester city as they have really achieved a lot this season being top of the league in december. Their manager Claudio Raneri doesn't seem carried away by their position in the league as he insists his priority at this time is to get to the 40 points mark that would at least guarantee them a place in the top flight next season. Liecester start this match on 3rd position after Manchester city and Arsenal won their games in the weekend so its yet to be seen if they can regain their position back. Leicester have a 9-5-1 record this season. Their home record reads 4-2-1 with those 2 draws coming against teams in the top 5; Manchester united and Tottenham. Their only loss this season have come against the gunners. No doubt this month will pose the greatest test to them to truly access their title challange ability. Matthew James, Ritchie De Laet are their injured players.


Chelsea are pretty much going from strength to strength with 3 wins in their last 5 in all comp. Their only loss in their last 5 was against Bournemouth; a game in which they were the better side but the creativity to break through the bournemouth defence was lacking. 0-1 it ended in favour of bournemouth who score late on into the game courtesy of Glenn Murray. They are coming from a game against porto which they won 2-0. I must say that they were wasteful of their chances that day and that could haunt them here if they fail to make the necessary correction before heading into this game. Jose Mourinho has a full squad to make a selection.


Leicester are in a good form winning 4 of their last 5 while chelsea are obviuosly improving game after game in recent weeks. Chelsea would look to win here they did the double over them last season including a 1-3 win here after going down at half time but at that time chelsea were not 16th but 1st on the log. I think Leicester would come into this game with a 'don't get beaten' mindset as they did against Manchester utd. When their chance comes on the counter, they have a jamie Vardy to slot home for them. This game could produce goals but I think that would mainly be if Chelsea score first at the early stages. For me, I strongly don't see leicester losing in front of their strong home fans especially with Chelsea winning only 1 of their 7 played away from Stanford Bridge. So I am going full here. GL!




LEICESTER WIN OR DRAW




visit www.goalisma..com .........for your latest football news,transfers,pre and post match conference,bet tips and lots more.....

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho does not believe Diego Costa is poised to leave Stamford Bridge in the near future.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has brushed off rumours of a potential Diego Costa exit.
The out-of-sorts striker told Spanish radio station Onda Cero that "life is full of surprises" and "you never know" when asked about a potential return to former club Atletico Madrid.
Mourinho said his words had been taken out of context and insisted the striker was committed to the reigning Premier League champions.
"He never said he'd like to go back, he said that in football you never know," Mourinho said.
"Atletico is a great club, Madrid is a great city, La Liga is a great league, so why shouldn't a player, 27 years old, think that in football it is possible to go back?
"I don't see that as a problem. Diego is happy here, he likes to be here. He has more than three years on his contract.
"I see him staying at Chelsea for three more years, no problem."
Costa, who signed for Chelsea for £32million in 2014, has struggled to hit the heights of his first season at the club, scoring just four goals in 17 appearances across all competitions, after netting 21 goals in 37 games last season.


Mourinho's struggling side travel to high-flying Leicester City on Monday, with the hosts – under the guidance of ex-Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri – moving top with a win.
Mourinho, who replaced Ranieri in his first stint at Chelsea in 2004, said the Italian had plenty to be happy about heading into the clash.
"Why be unhappy, top of the league at Leicester? It's difficult for me to smile, not for him," Mourinho said.


visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news,transfer updates,pre and post match conference,bet tips and lots more.

After an even and unpredictable Premier League campaign, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini feels fewer points are needed.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes fewer than 80 points will be needed to win the Premier League this season.
Only three times since the inaugural season in 1992-93 has the title been won with such a low tally, with the 1998-99 Manchester United team the last to achieve the feat.
But the unpredictable first half of the current campaign sees Arsenal topping the table on just 33 points.
Pellegrini, whose City side sit second, said not even 80 points would be needed to be crowned champions.
"It is a very difficult title to win because the amount of points all the teams have now is not normal. You don't have that in every Premier League season," he said.
"Maybe this season the teams are stronger, maybe the games are closer.
"Every season is different but to win the Premier League this season will be very difficult and take less than 80 points."
City will find out their Champions League last-16 opponents on Monday, but Pellegrini's focus is on domestic action.

The Chilean said the league was always his priority.
"For me, I always think the Premier League is the most important," Pellegrini said.
"In the Champions League, you can have a bad game and go out in the semi-final, and nobody remembers what you did.
"The Premier League is the work of the whole year. I always say it must not be an obsession to win the Champions League.
"It's a very important title, and beautiful to do it. But you must not try to win the Champions League and lose focus on the Premier League."



visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news,transfers updates,pre and post match conference and lots more.

West Ham host Stoke here and the odds have been heading in only one direction as Stoke has attracted a lot of interest. In fact, from an opening price of 5/2 with bet365 they have shortened all the way to 2.9. That's some shortening.


No win in 5 for West Ham and just one defeat in 7 for Stoke so on face value that seems justified. Let's delve a bit deeper.


Payet is out for the Hammers who won't be as strong in his absence (pun intended...hammers? strong? get it? tough crowd...) He was one of the most intriguing additions to the league and he was involved in 8 of the goals West Ham scored.


Stoke are undefeated in the last 4 games versus the Hammers with 2 wins and 2 draws. Undefeated last 2 times they were on the road versus West Ham.


Stoke fresh off beating the market favs for the Premier League this season with an impressive display that had the game wrapped up my half time.


Two teams who look to be heading in different directions and with the draw returned in case of a stalemate you would be hard pressed to find a better investment of your funds for the weekend coupon.


Stoke to avoid defeat for me here. Better team and better players playing better football at the minute. Also, there forward players look like they can comfortably fall into most Champions League sides.


Odds are reasonable even though I was late to post this.



STOKE WIN OR DRAW


visit www.goalisma..com for more betting tips

Steven Gerrard was asked to rank Keane, Frank Lampard, Patrick Vieira and Paul Scholes in order
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has named Roy Keane as the best midfielder of his era in the Premier League and revealed he would like to invite ex-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson around to his house for a dinner party.

In an interview with the Daily Mail to coincide with the imminent release of his autobiography, Gerrard was asked to rank Keane, Frank Lampard, Patrick Vieira and Paul Scholes in order and he had little hesitation in naming the Irishman as his top pick.

"Roy Keane No 1. The rest? They’re all different," he stated.

"Frank (Lampard) is the best goalscoring midfielder, (Paul) Scholes the best footballer, Patrick Vieira the most difficult opponent... I loved playing against all of them."

Gerrard also revealed that he is eager to ask Ferguson about one of the more controversial comments in his recent book, with the retired Man Utd boss claiming the Liverpool talisman was little more than an ‘average’ player.

"I’d get Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Rafa Benitez — and Jamie Carragher to really stir up the s*** between them," he responded when asked for his dream dinner party guests.

"I’d ask Alex Ferguson, ‘Do you really think that I am average?"

In a wide-ranging interview, Gerrard touched on a host of topics and admits he misses the Premier League and his status as Liverpool captain.

"As much I am enjoying it out here with a fresh challenge, I’d like nothing better than being 25 again and with 10 years ahead of me in the Premier League, playing for Liverpool, but I’ve had my time," he stated.

"I do miss the Premier League. I miss everything about it. When I switch on the TV and see the stadiums, with 50, 60, 70,000 people — the aggression, the intensity, the tension. I am jealous.

"I miss the build-up, competing with better players, I miss being Steven Gerrard, Liverpool captain and walking out in front of my people with that pressure and trying to get a result for them.

"Yes, I felt like s*** some days because we lost. I would ask myself, “why are you putting yourself through this?” but the contrast is when you beat one of the top sides, the texts are flying in on your phone and you are on top of the world. I miss that.

Meanwhile, Gerrard confirmed he would have stayed at Anfield if he had been offered a chance to be an assistant coach.

"I don’t know if I am going to be good enough to be a manager, or a No 1, No 2, No 3 or No 4," he added.

"Liverpool replaced coaches Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh in the summer, so they were looking for a new No 2, or No 3 or No 4. I would have been tailor-made to fill one of these roles, as well as making myself available as a squad player.

"I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy."






visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news, livescore,pre and post conference,transfers betting tips and lot more.

A decision has been made to suspend Karim Benzema from France duty, potentially ruling him out of Euro 2016.
Karim Benzema has been suspended by the French Football Federation (FFF) and will not be considered for national team duty until the legal investigation surrounding an alleged plot to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena has been concluded, FFF president Noel Le Graet has announced.
Benzema has been charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail and participating in a criminal conspiracy as part of an investigation into a sex-tape plot involving Valbuena. The Real Madrid striker denies the charges.
The decision to suspend Benzema was announced by Le Graet on Thursday and could jeapordise his involvement at next year's European Championship, which will be played in France..
"Today, Karim Benzema is no longer available for selection," he said. "It's a personal decision, I have informed [France coach Didier] Deschamps."
"Benzema will not be available for selection in March, nor for Euro 2016 if the situation has not evolved.
"The Benzema affair for me hurts, but I am sanctioning him because I am the president of the FFF."




visit goalisma..com for your steady football news.

Steven Gerrard admits that he would have loved to have played alongside Mesut Ozil during his career

Steven Gerrard admits that he would have loved to have lined up alongside Mesut Ozil in his career following the German’s impressive recent form for Arsenal.

The Gunners playmaker has been one of the Premier League’s top performers in recent weeks and notched up his 12th assist in the top flight during the 3-1 win over Sunderland last weekend.

Ozil was voted Arsenal’s player of the month for November last week after also scooping the award in October.

And former Liverpool captain Gerrard has been thoroughly impressed by what he has seen of the World Cup winner in recent weeks.


The Gunners playmaker has been one of the Premier League’s top performers in recent weeks and notched up his 12th assist in the top flight during the 3-1 win over Sunderland last weekend.

It’s happening for him at the moment and he’s an absolute dream to watch

''Steven Gerrard''

Ozil was voted Arsenal’s player of the month for November last week after also scooping the award in October.

And former Liverpool captain Gerrard has been thoroughly impressed by what he has seen of the World Cup winner in recent weeks.

“He’s a striker’s dream,” said Gerrard, speaking on BT Sport ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Olympiacos.

“I would have certainly loved to have played with a player like him. His assist statistics are frightening and scary.”

Gerrard continued: “He’s a fantastic player, one of the best technical players in the league and in Europe.

“I think the reason he divides opinion is because when it doesn’t come off for him, he is easy for the critics to attack.

“But it’s happening for him at the moment and he’s an absolute dream to watch.”

Ozil and his Arsenal team-mates will now turn their attentions back to the Premier League and their trip to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Arsene Wenger’s men are currently in second place in the Premier League table and will move top with a victory at Villa Park ahead of Leicester’s clash with Manchester city on Monday night.




visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football news,transfers,pre and post match conference and betting tips.

Arsène Wenger says his team must prepare “to adapt to every situation” if they are to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Arsenal must beat Olympiacos by at least two goals or by a one-goal margin of 3-2 or more on Wednesday if they are to progress beyond the group stage for the 16th consecutive season.
Wenger believes remaining patient may prove vital in Piraeus.
“We have to put every scenario in our head, it is important we focus on the performance,” the manager said. “The results come if we play well so let's focus on that. When the goal comes I don't know, but if we play well we have a chance to score.
“Mentally, you prepare yourself to adapt to every situation and give the right response to every situation you face.
“We will have to adapt to what is happening on the pitch and to all of the scenarios, accept them and respond.
“Ideally, you would like to not have to be patient but we might need to be. What is important is that basically the same for every game in Champions League you attack well and defend well, that is the best way, go into the game with a desire to win it and knowing you need to do both sides of the game well.
“Of course, we have a history where we have positive results. We know we can do it so the best way to do it is with a top-quality performance and that is what we want to focus on.”



visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football updates,pre and post match conference,transfer,betting tips.

Manchester United: De Gea, Varela, Smalling, Blind, Darmian, Fellaini, Schweinsteiger, Lingard, Mata, Memphis, Martial

Subs: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, McNair, Carrick, Pereira, Young, Powell





visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football updates,pre and post match conference,transfers and betting tips.

Sevilla would certainly be disappointed with their European outing this season. They are title holders of Europa league last season but they can only defend their title this season if they can win Juventus and Man city wins Gladbach. That would put pressure on them which I am confident the Italians can exploit. Juve has been profitable to me as a punter so I expend our 'flow' to continue. Sevilla are coming from a 1-1 draw against derpotivo but now they are back to their home turf where they often get Maximum points. They defeated Barcelona and Real Madrid here this season and would look to do the same to the Italian football giants. They need to win here or get Knocked out. Sevilla has injury worries in Kakuta, Pareja, Carico.


Juventus seem to be getting better game after game as the results they are producing has given them confidence. They are on a 5 match winning streak in all competition and would look to build on that here. They are coming from a 0-2 win over Lazio on Friday so they ve got an extra day rest for this game. Pogba returns to the starting 11 here after being out of the Lazio game due to yellow card suspension. Khedira and pereyra are injured here. One player that has been firing all cylinder for the old ladies is Dybala and for me, he is the player to watch here.


Sevilla badly need a win here If they are to resuscitate their European dream this season but against Juve who got 2 past them in Turin, its not going to be a smooth ride. These two teams play a pretty contrasting pattern of football while Sevilla likes to attack and score goals real good, the old lady pretty doing it the Italian way and getting the most important thing; result. I don't think Juve will lose here. But I will go with the goal option as Juventus don't score much and they don't concede a lot either so I expect them to keep the game decent as usual. 2 goals or less.1-1, 0-2 correct score.


MY PICK IS UNDER 3.5 GOALS....



visit www.goalisma..com for more bet tips and football updates.

Man City are coming off a very dissapointing loss to Stoke City. Stoke dominated them and could have made it embarrassing. Man City seem to be really missing their key players - Aguero, Kompany and Toure. Their lost 3 of their last 5 games now and the fans seem to have been turned against the manager. However, they did get results to be 2nd in the group so they are already qualified and unlikely to reach 1st place in group.


Mochengladbach on the other hand are in great form! They are unbeaten in 13 games and the only game they lost since the getting a new manager is the loss to City in the reverse fixture. In that game, Gladbach were quite unlucky. They missed a penalty in the 1st half and Hart made many big saves. In their last match, Gladbach beat Bayern Munich 3-1. Gladbach are flying high and they will want to win this game so they can play in the Europa league.


Different forms for the 2 teams, and many key missings for City. I think the guests can provide a shock and get revenge on losing the reverse fixture and win here. Odds on their win are falling too.


MY PICK IS AWAY WIN OR BOTH TEAM TO SCORE.



visit www.goalisma..com for more betting tips

Romelu Lukaku notched his 50th goal for Everton but it was not enough to seal the three points against Crystal Palace.
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku said it was a proud moment to score his 50th goal for the club but was disappointed they could not secure the three points against Crystal Palace on Monday.
Lukaku was making his 100th appearance for the Merseyside club and celebrated the milestone with another as he reached 50 goals in all competitions.
It was also the fifth successive Premier League game in which the 22-year-old has scored in.
The goal sealed a point for Everton after Scott Dann had put Palace ahead on 76 minutes, with the game finishing in a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
Lukaku said it was a proud moment for him but also rued Everton's failure to move above Palace in the Premier League table.
"Obviously we felt we should have had three points," Lukaku said. "We had a lot of chances, we were unlucky with the post, the crossbar and they scored out of the blue.


"We reacted well and it shows great character in the team, but if we want to be in the top six, top four, in the league we need to be winning games like that today.
"I'm proud of the landmark. But as a footballer I'm a team player and I want to win games. I'm proud but disappointed it didn't bring three points."
Everton's next fixture is away to Norwich City in the league on Saturday.


visit www.goalisma..com fpr ypur latest football updates,pre and post match conference,transfers and betting tips.

David Beckham was a mixed bag of emotion after his son Romeo told him that he was no longer interested in a career in football.
Having ended his career as England most capped outfield player and a host of winner's medals from around the globe to boot, many have simply assumed that at least one of his three sons would inherit his footballing talent.
They have all done pretty well. Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz have all spent time in Arsenal's famous Hale End academy this year.
Brooklyn, 16, failed to earn a new contract and was released in February. The Daily Mail then reported in October that Romeo, 13, would also leave, but Cruz, 10, remains on the books. Brooklyn is now pursuing a career in photography rather than looking for a new club.

Romeo, who is the face of fashion giant Burberry, has since decided to follow his older brother out of the game and into other fields. It was a decision that left Beckham Sr feeling 'devasted' and 'relieved' at the same time.
DEVASTATED

He told the Radio Times Christmas issue: “The other day Romeo turned round to me and said he didn’t want to play football anymore.
"Part of me was devastated, but part of me was relieved, too. He’s got other passions and I like that.”
FIFA SCANDAL

Beckham rarely breaks into the realms of controversial opinion, usually maintaining the highest standards of balanced, neutral views, but he broke away from that when asked about the ongoing FIFA scandal.

A large number of FIFA officials have been charged with bribery in an ongoing international investigation with the bidding process surrounding Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 coming under particular scrutiny. Plenty of pundits believe Qatar should be stripped of the right.
Beckham does not share that belief, saying: “Whether it’s corrupt or not, those countries have been chosen. People need to get behind that. It’s all about bringing football to new countries. I think they should stick with it.”


visit www.goalisma..com.....for your latest football updates,pre match and post match conference,transfer,betting tips.

Liverpool are coming into this game winning 4 straight games and lost just 1 game under Klopp. He has managed to rejuvenate this team since taking over, playing an attractive brand of football with his new 4-2-3-1 formation. Klopp has managed to build up the form of all his 3 strikers in Origi, Benteke and Sturridge in his short time working with them; that offers Liverpool enough threat going forward as the season will go. In the midfield the likes of Firmino and Coutinho are feeling more at home with this fluid football style that is giving them license to roam in attacking positions, but have to still be more discipline when it comes to defence.


The defence if Liverpool has been the one with a major improvement, conceding just 5 goals in 8 games, and concede just 2 goals once against Crystal Palace. Liverpool showed a marked improved performance in the Capital One Cup with a lot of attacking freedom, going 1-0 down inside a minute; to thrash a full strength Southampton team by a score of 6-1.


Newcastle are in the doldrums of the Premier League, sitting in the relegation zone with just 2 victories all season, that too against teams that are closer to them in form in Norwich and Bournemouth. They have lost to poor sides like Sunderland, Watford and the good teams like Man City, Arsenal, Leicester, Crystal Palace this season. The Newcastle defence has been the major cause for problems in recent weeks. They do not have one quality defender that would claim a spot in any of the top Premier League teams; and that has been the biggest cause force concern.


Up front they have some decent talent in Wjnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic and Cisse; but having a good attacking talent will not help them win Premier League games, if they are going to concede a lot of goals for fun. McClaren claimed that the last 2 weeks were the most embarrassing losses they have faced all season, and rightful so, after conceding 8 goals for the return of one against Palace and Leicester.


Liverpool will be smelling the Newcastle blood, and will be going all out for victory in this clash on Sunday.


LIVERPOOL WIN/OR DRAW/BENTEKE TO SCORE




visit www.goalisma..com for your latest football updates,pre match and post match conference,transfers,betting tips.