West Ham United v Aston Villa

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West Ham United v Aston Villa At the start of the season, few would have expected either West Ham United or Aston Villa to be in a relegation scrap. Both teams have endured as opposed to enjoyed their seasons so far, and this game could be crucial for setting the standard for the remaining matches. The Hammers need a win to ease pressure on David Moyes; Villa need some positive momentum are slowing down from a fast start to life under Unai Emery.

West Ham United News

West Ham will come into this missing three of their most important players. Lukasz Fabianski sits out with a fractured cheekbone, and is unlikely to play anytime soon. Despite his advancing years, he has been an excellent signing for the Irons and they will miss his leadership on the pitch.

Vladimir Coufal also misses out, with the Czech full-back failing to live up to his excellent form last year. Still, he is an important player in the Moyes way of playing and it has hurt West Ham not having him in the first-team. Another big miss will be Michail Antonio, who looks set to miss out.

Despite having arguably his worst season for the Hammers, Antonio still provides something that cannot be easily replaced.

Aston Villa News

Villa are also short of a few of their most important players, with the likes of Diego Carlos out long-term. More medium-term absences include Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara, both of whom are unlikely to be back in first-team contention for a number of weeks. This could mean a spot opens up in the squad again for Leander Dendoncker.

Verdict

Both teams have not exactly set the world on fire with their recent performances, and this could be a game between two sides low in confidence. West Ham, though, have enjoyed a long unbeaten run against Villa – nine games – and will be confident of at least avoiding a defeat at home.

SCORE: 2-2

Manchester City v Newcastle United

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Manchester City v Newcastle United A few months ago, this might have felt like a potential title decider. Before the World Cup break, Newcastle United were a dark horse for the title, while Manchester City looked out of sorts. Now, the Citizens have the chance to keep pace with Arsenal at the top, knowing they have already gone to London and won.

If they see off a stuttering Newcastle team, the pressure is on at The Emirates.

Manchester City News

The home team will not be missing too many players, with only Aymeric Laporte and John Stones set to miss out. Laporte has missed much of the season, while Stones is also out after another injury-hit campaign. Outside of that, though, Pep Guardiola’s only concern will be picking the right team for the second leg against RB Leipzig.

Leipzig play on Friday, so expect Pep to ring the changes here ahead of a crucial week.

Newcastle United News

The Toon might not have many injuries, but they are likely to be missing a key player in Bruno Guimares. Having watched their team get beaten handily by Manchester United in the Carabao Cup Final, Newcastle need to find form again and fast.

They have been poor since the turn of the year, and have lost some pretty big matches. They arrive here with a fully fit team, but not much in the way of hope that they can pull off a meaningful upset against what looks to be the champions-elect.

Verdict

This should not be a tough game for City. Newcastle have seen the wheels fall off and, like many Eddie Howe sides in the past, appear to have run out of energy ahead of the second half of the season. It might be a tight game in terms of score, but City will have too much for a Newcastle team who look out of ideas.

SCORE: 3-1

Newcastle United v Brighton and Hove Albion

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Newcastle United v Brighton and Hove Albion The Premier League loves to throw up big games every weekend, and this tie between Newcastle and Brighton should fit that bill comfortably. Both teams come into this game in an odd run of form, with Newcastle only winning one of their last six. Brighton have won three, but both teams are struggling a little for form and could use the points.

Newcastle News

The Toon need the points because their top four chase is fading fast. A 2-0 reverse at home to Liverpool has left them both missing their goalkeeper Tom Pope and also missing their confidence. Earlier on in the season, the Magpies looked like one of the form teams in England with a system that worked well for them allowing for easy and effective control of the game.

However, Newcastle have lost much of their previous form and now look a shadow of their former selves. Goals are hard to come by at the moment, and they are also conceding more having had one of the best defences in the league.

Brighton News

Brighton have fared better than Newcastle, but have endured the dreaded win, draw, and loss in their last three games. Their last result, a home defeat, was a big surprise and left the Seagulls looking for answers. New coach Roberto di Zerbi has arguably improved the club over what Graham Potter was able to produce, but they do look a touch more combustible.

Already, the Italian tactician has made noises about being unhappy. Another defeat here could see Brighton lose pace with the European qualifying teams, which would likely cause the divide to open further.

Verdict

Both teams need a result, and that desperation can lead to some mistakes on the part of both sides. Newcastle need to get it together soon, but this could be a tough game for them as they face off against a tough side that know how to counter Newcastle’s style.

SCORE: 2-2

Qatar v Ecuador

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Qatar v Ecuador As far as opening games goes, this might not quite whet the appetite as some would want. If you do not pay attention to Asian or South American football, this could make the Russia-Saudi Arabia game of 2018 sound mesmeric by comparison. Strip away the negativity, though, and Qatar are the current Asian champions while Ecuador are a very handy outfit with excellent tactical acumen.

This could actually be a very good opening game. Why? Because it is so open. The Qatar national team is imbalanced and arguably not physically strong enough to handle a robust fight with the more aggressive Ecuador team. They do, though, boast technical proficiency that could match many teams in Europe – this creates a very intriguing dynamic where we could see the host nation surprise a few with their performance.

Given Holland and Senegal make up the other teams, too, both teams know they more or less need a win here or they will face an early exit.

Who will win this tie?

Two decent teams who are better than they are given credit for, but who have enough deficiencies to miss a shot at glory. Ecuador are adept, physically sound, fast in transition, and capable of scoring goals on the break. They also have in Moses Caicedo one of the most exciting young midfielders around.

Qatar have some very interesting players in most positions, but probably no real star names. Their strength is their teamwork and the fact that they have played together for so long. Definitely not an easy game to call, but there is a case that Qatar might end up being out muscled by a tough opponent.

VERDICT: 1-3

Morocco v Croatia

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Morocco v Croatia As two teams who are perennially mentioned as ‘dark horses’ for tournaments, neither arrive in Qatar with that reputation. For Morocco, they arrive with a bevy of issues in their squad and a real imbalance in certain areas. For all of the attacking flair, they lack balance on the left-hand side of the team. Crucially, they also have a gluttony of left-footed central defenders but precious few who could play on the right.

Croatia, meanwhile, are still trying to drain out more from an increasingly veteran core of players. This has left them coming into the tournament knowing that a group stage exit is as likely as a run to the last eight or four. They lack the same balance and clinical style they had in 2018, and will face off on opening matchday with Morocco knowing it is almost a winner-takes-all from day one.

Who will win this tie?

Score draw. Frustratingly for both teams, the deficiencies will comfortably outweigh the qualities. Neither team comes into the tournament in any kind of meaningful or vintage form. In fact, they both look a bit tired and in need of a refresh. This is likely to see a lot of players coming to the tournament who are not really in the form they should be.

While Croatia have made some bold calls, such as leaving behind the ever-aggressive Ante Rebic, Morocco have arrived with more or less the squad expected. This is a pair of teams who have been together for a long time, and now probably look in need of a reset.

That reset will only arrive after the tournament and amid a flurry of retirements. For Luka Modric, this could be his last ever tournament in the famous red and white checkers of Croatia. A score draw helps nobody, but it feels the most likely outcome for two teams suffering from a paucity of offensive quality.

VERDICT: 1-1