Raul Seixas - Maluco Beleza (Clipe Oficial 1977)

ARRAIAL DA VENDA DE SEU BIU -OLINDA 19.05.2018

O nosso Arraial já escalou a cerveja oficial: Amstel Larger, com o sabor de Amsterdã! 🍺 É muito amor para uma festa só. ♥️
Compra o ingresso, senta e espera, que 19/05 é dia de gastar a sola do chinelo. 
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ATRAÇÕES:
Pinduca
Dirimbó
Forró na Caixa
Dinda Salú
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PONTOS DE VENDA:
A Venda de Seu Biu
Figueiras Calçados - Boa Vista, Shopping Recife e Shopping Tacaruna.

ARRAIAL DA VENDA DE SEU BIU

 Clube Atlântico de Olinda - Bairro do Carmo -Olinda -PERNAMBUCO-BRAZIL

 19 de maio de 2018, 22h - 20 de maio de 2018, 05h

Premier League 17/18 Week 38: West Ham United vs Everton – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

The Premier League’s two most experienced British managers battle it out against a backdrop of uncertain futures

15:00 BST, Sunday 13th May, London Stadium (London, England)

David Moyes has achieved his primary aim with West Ham this season, seeing them to safety after they were lingering dangerously close to relegation. Beyond this basic requirement, Moyes has delivered little more to his new club. The Hammers are on course to record their lowest league finish (previously 13th) since they regained their Premier League status 6 years ago, while the football being played can best be described as attritional. 

When it comes to attritional football though, Allardyce has taken Everton to a new level this season. While he has made the Toffees far more effective than they were for the first half of this season, their current 8th-placed standing has left many fans feeling hollow about his achievements. Unbeaten now in their last 5 games, Everton can stretch that further with a win, however, Allardyce needs to add panache to the results which he’s slowly bred with the Toffees.

Last Time Out

West Ham United 0-0 Manchester United (Premier League)

The Hammers took a dignified point from 2nd-place United in a game of little quality and even less excitement. A lot of the game became bogged down in midfield as the Hammers sat deep and swamped the visitors’ attacks. Despite this, West Ham looked relatively comfortable in defence as they recorded a rare clean sheet.

Adrián was a large reason for this, producing 6 saves throughout the game to provide a strong last line of defence. At the other end of the pitch, Marko Arnautović worked tirelessly but was given little to work with. An isolated figure in the game for long periods, the Austrian forward appeared to have the beating of Chris Smalling when the chance arose, however, unfortunately for him and the Hammers, there were few chances created during the whole game.

Everton 1-1 Southampton (Premier League)

The Toffees snatched a last-gasp goal to draw against a Saints side who were fighting hard to avoid relegation. In what was the Toffees final home match of the season, they again failed to find a creative spark, putting only 3 shots on target in the game, the third of which bringing the goal 6 minutes into time added on at the end of the match.

Before that goal, the game was a stilted affair devoid of any real quality from both sides. Following a grim first half in terms of entertainment, Allardyce replaced the ineffective winger Yannick Bolasie with centre-back Ramiro Funes Mori who is returning from injury. What at first seemed a bizarre decision allowed the wing-backs to drive further up the field, however, it also left the Toffees exposed to breaks by Southampton which led to the opening goal. With time almost up, Tom Davies bundled in a late goal to salvage a draw for the Merseysiders.

West Ham United Lineup

Winston Reid (knee) Sam Byram (ankle) James Collins (hamstring) and Michail Antonio (hamstring) will all miss out for the Hammers final game although Pedro Obiang has recovered from his knee problem and will be available once more if selected.

Everton Lineup

Eliaquim Mangala (knee) James McCarthy (leg) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (knee) Theo Walcott (calf) Dominic Calvert-Lewin (back) and Wayne Rooney (knee) will all be absent while Mason Holgate will have a late fitness test to assess his recovery from an ankle injury.

Key Battle: Marko Arnautović (West Ham) vs Michael Keane (Everton)

Arnautović has fully justified his £25m price tag since joining the Hammers last summer, although he didn’t shine at his new club until Moyes arrived at the club. His first goal did not arrive until December, Moyes’ 5th game in charge in East London but was quickly followed another 4 over the following 4 league games. With his 10 goals and 6 assists all coming in the last 22 matches, Arnautović will once more be the main threat for Moyes this weekend.

Everton’s defence also experienced a slow start to the season, however, it took Allardyce much longer to elicit a positive change from this problem. Despite his £30m transfer fee, Keane has arguably struggled more than any other of the Toffees defenders this season but has found a regular place back in the team recently. With 3 clean sheets in his last 5 games, Keane will want to end the season on a relative high which another shut-out will certainly deliver him.

Talking Points

Jurassic Park

This season has witnessed the fall of several established figureheads within English football. Clubs and managers who previously enjoyed their status of being at the top of the game have struggled to deliver and are now in grave danger of being labelled as outdated.

The setting for this match may be that of the latest stadium to be introduced into the Premier League, but the two clubs contesting the game are currently managed by the two most experienced top-flight managers after Arsène Wenger. David Moyes has been in charge of 525 Premier League games while Allardyce has 511 already tucked under his belt. 

Despite both managers fulfilling their brief of delivering their respective clubs from danger, they have both fallen foul of fans who want to be entertained. With only half a season each to deliver all expectations, it still seems too quick to call them out as extinct artefacts, especially given the relatively poor tools they had to work with.

End of a (boyhood) dream

Wayne Rooney’s knee injury means the former England captain is likely to have now played his final match for the Toffees. In what has been a vastly underwhelming season for the 32-year-old, it now seems he will only be left pulling on the Everton colours before stepping into bed each night.

Heavily rumoured to be on his way to America, Rooney has not had the impact on Merseyside he would have hoped for. Through all the fanfare in making the move back to his boyhood club last summer, Manchester United’s decision to off-load the player and his extensive wage bill for free this time last year is looking like one of the shrewdest pieces of business this season.

He can have little argument as has been afforded plenty of opportunities. missing only 5 league games under the three different managers who have reined over him. If he fails to hit the ground running in America, he runs the serious risk of tainting his star even further.

Prediction: West Ham United 1-2 Everton

While neither side has been setting the league alight this year, Everton are the side that have found a way to grind out results at a better rate than the Hammers. With little to play for but pride from the players perspective, the managers will not want to lose given their own precarious positions but Everton may just sneak a win from a low-intensity match.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/John Sibley)

Tottenham v Leicester preview: Spurs say farewell to Wembley

Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Newcastle

Tottenham say farewell to their temporary home at Wembley with a final day fixture at to Leicester City on Sunday.

Spurs will be moving into their new 61,559-capacity stadium in north London with Champions League football guaranteed after beating Newcastle on Wednesday - their third successive top four finish.

"It's a fantastic achievement," said Mauricio Pochettino. "I want to say 'thank-you' to the players, first of all, because they have worked so hard to achieve this and big congratulations to our staff and everyone at Tottenham.

"To be in the Champions League next season is massive for the club."

Wembley has not proved a problem for Spurs this season. They've won six of their last seven league games at home, keeping a clean sheet in each of those six wins.

Leicester are unbeaten in their last 10 final day fixtures, winning seven of their last nine and beat Tottenham 2-1 in the corresponding fixture at the King Power Stadium earlier this seaon.

Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Newcastle

Team news

Kieran Trippier expected to be fit to play against Leicester after recovering from a knee injury sustained against Newcastle.

Serge Aurier (hamstring) and Mousa Dembele (ankle) are being assessed to determine their availability ahead of Sunday's match.

Harry Winks (ankle) continues rehab and remains unavailable.

Claude Puel still has big injury worries to contend with as Matty James, Wilfred Ndidi, Daniel Amartey, Ben Chilwell, Robert Huth, Shinji Okazaki and Kasper Schmeichel are all missing through injury while Mark Albrighton is suspended.

Adrien Silva and Fousseni Diabate are available for selection.

Opta stats

Spurs have won just one of their last five Premier League meetings with Leicester (D2 L2), winning 6-1 at the King Power Stadium in May 2017.

Leicester haven't done the league double over Tottenham since the 1998-99 campaign.

Of all teams they've faced at least 10 times at home in the Premier League, only against Chelsea (19%) and Man Utd (23 per cent) do Spurs have a lower win rate than they do against Leicester (36 per cent - won 4/11).

Tottenham have enjoyed good results at Wembley

The Foxes have lost both of their previous games against Spurs at Wembley Stadium, losing 0-2 in the 1961 FA Cup final and 0-1 in the 1999 League Cup final.

Leicester are winless in their last six Premier League games in London (D3 L3), losing 0-5 at Crystal Palace in their last such match.

Tottenham are guaranteed a top-four finish for the third consecutive Premier League season - it's the first time they've had three top-flight finishes in 4th or higher since a run of five campaigns between 1959-60 and 1963-64.

The last team to beat both north London sides in consecutive Premier League matches were Manchester United, who beat Spurs 3-0 and Arsenal 8-2 in August 2011.

Against no side has Harry Kane scored more Premier League goals than he has versus Leicester City (9, level with Stoke).

Indeed, those nine goals include two hat-tricks, one in a 4-3 win at White Hart Lane and one in a 6-1 win at the King Power Stadium. If he scores three or more in this game, he'll be only the second player to score three hat-tricks against the same Premier League opponent (after Luis Suarez vs Norwich) and the first to score one against the same opponent at three different grounds.

Kane has 28 Premier League goals this season - two more will see him score 30 in a campaign for the first time, while it will also be only the second time that two players have scored 30+ league goals in a season since 1993-94 (Andy Cole and Alan Shearer).

Merson's predictions

Leicester make me laugh - one minute they're completely shot, the next minute they go and beat Arsenal! It's unreal. I can't see anything other than a Tottenham win, though. Their tails will be up and I fancy them to hit a few.

Harry Kane looks like he's come back too early but hopefully he'll be fully fit for England.

PAUL PREDICTS: 4-0

Premier League 17/18 Week 38: Swansea City vs Stoke City – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

Swansea chase their fading dreams of survival against the already gone Potters in what will be a tense afternoon in South Wales

15:00 BST, Sunday 13th May, Liberty Stadium (Swansea, Wales)

Needing only a win, Southampton to lose and a 10-goal swing in goal difference, the writing appears to already be on the wall for the Swans. That they face the softest defence in the league while Southampton face Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring champions means that the ink is not dry yet though. The major problem for Swansea, however, is not so much their 4 consecutive defeats but their record of 2 goals from their last 720 minutes of Premier League action. With only 90 more minutes remaining, it will take a monumental shift for them to breathe hope into their fans.

Paul Lambert’s Stoke will want to be more than just bystanders in this final fixture. With their relegation to the Championship finally confirmed this week, they will have the freedom to deliver one last performance on the Premier League stage and will want to mark this game with a win. Without a win in their last 13 matches, victory in this match could be enough to lift them off the foot of the table and will provide some much-needed motivation for next season’s new challenge.

Last Time Out

Swansea City 0-1 Southampton (Premier League)

The Swans were defeated in a make-or-break game against a Saints side who managed to play it cool. The game never threatened to be a source of high-quality entertainment but it did provide a gripping plot full of anxiety. With the first half short of clear-cut chances, Jordan Ayew had the first genuine sight of goal early in the second half only for Alex McCarthy to be equal to his effort.

Lukasz Fabianski then became Swansea’s most important player, making two vital saves to keep his side in the game. The keeper was left helpless in the 72nd minute, however, Manolo Gabbiadini beating him to give the visitors the lead. In going behind, the Swans became desperate. Their gameplan became to play the ball into the box as quickly and as often as possible. Lacking any nuance, it was a tactic which also failed to provide a goal and the home side were left to taste a defeat which could mean more than just three dropped points.

Stoke City 1-2 Crystal Palace (Premier League)

The Potters were condemned to Championship football next season when a late rally from Palace turned a possible victory into another defeat. With only a win good enough to keep the Potters alive, the home side began the match brightly and showed plenty of intent to keep their fate in their own hands.

While there were few genuine opportunities throughout the first half, Xherdan Shaqiri gave them the lead with a free-kick in the 43rd minute. While this gave them the lead going into the break, the Potters could not build on their advantage or successfully defend it in the second half.

With more pressure coming from Palace after the break, Stoke first got caught out with a counter-attack to even the scores. As the game drifted towards a draw, a late mistake from Ryan Shawcross then presented the perfect opportunity for the visitors to snatch all three points. In a game which encapsulated Stokes entire season in just 90 minutes, the final whistle sounded to signal the end for the Potters.

Swansea City Lineup

Mike van der Hoorn (groin) remains a doubt for the Swans but Leroy Fer (Achilles) Kyle Bartley (knee) and Wilfried Bony (ankle) will all definitely be unavailable for selection this weekend.

Stoke City Lineup

Bruno Martins Indi (groin) Konstantinos Stafylidis (rib) and Eric Choupo-Moting (knock) all miss out for the Potters final game of the season.

Key Battle: André Ayew (Swansea) vs Joe Allen (Stoke)

If Swansea are to have any hope of survival, they will need to do something they have struggled with in recent weeks. Score a goal. There best chance of this comes in the form of the Ayew brothers with Jordan, in particular, the most likely to score. It is André who is perhaps the most important player for the Swans this weekend though, with creativity required more than a clinical touch. Jordan has looked isolated in attack lately and if the Swans are to get on the scoresheet, they will need someone to link up with the main striker and provide ammunition to shoot.

If there’s one Stoke player who does not deserve to face relegation, Joe Allen is probably that person. The Welsh midfielder has provided some strong performances only for the team’s lack of goals to derail their ambitions. As an anchoring midfielder, Allen will be the player looking to cut Swansea’s supply lines hoping his forwards can fire the team to victory.

Talking Points

Fail to prepare..

When Carlos Carvalhal arrived in Swansea last Christmas, many people expected him to be a manager brought in early to help the club battle back out of the Championship. Not only was this a slur on his credentials, it was also a mark of how little was expected of the players and the club.

With confirmed reports that Carvalhal will now leave the club after Sunday’s final fixture, it appears this initial perception was wide of the mark. With the club looking doomed and rudderless heading into the summer break, the Swansea board have some serious decisions to make and quickly. Given their recent track record for plotting the club’s path, this seems like a worrying time to be a Swan fan.

Prepare to fail

Peter and John Coates released a public statement this week highlighting their acceptance that mistakes had been made with the club off the field. With nods to a transfer policy that hindsight has proven flawed and a playing squad in dire need of an overhaul, it was an honest statement full of good intentions.

Where this leaves the club moving forward, however, remains to be seen. In Paul Lambert, they have a manager who has failed to inspire a notable response from the dressing room, a fact compounded by his recent failures to manager other clubs prior to his Stoke appointment. 

With much work needed during the summer and beyond, Stoke desperately need a new figurehead at the club who can lead them towards a new vision. While this too is as obvious as the conclusions being drawn from the last few seasons of systemic failure at Stoke, their next move is not as obvious in what will prove to be a competitive league to escape from.

Prediction: Swansea City 0-1 Stoke City

Carlos Carvalhal has elicited some results from the Swans against the odds this season, however, their recent form has seen an alarming drop in standard. Stoke have battled hard for almost no reward lately but this fight could prove to be the difference between the sides in a low-scoring game.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/Rebecca Naden)

Premier League 17/18 Week 38: Newcastle United vs Chelsea – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

Chelsea chase their slim hopes of Champions League football with a trip to the North-East which pits them against their former manager

15:00 BST, Sunday 13th May, St James’ Park (Newcastle, England)

Rafael Benitez looks to bring down the curtain on what can only be considered a successful season at St James’ Park by trying to bring down the curtain on Chelsea’s hopes of a top-four finish. Unable to climb any higher than their current 10th position, the Magpies are top of a clustered mid-table which has 6 teams within 1 win of their 41 point total. Not wanting to drop into the bottom half, the Magpies will need to avert their current run of four consecutive wins if they’re to cling onto their respectable placing.

Antonio Conte will also have his full attention tuned into how things finish. The Italian needs a Brighton victory if his side are to have any hope of climbing up the table, however, that’s only on condition his players can win this game too. With rumours still abound that this could be his final league game in charge of the Blues, Conte will need to motivate his players after they fell woefully short against the last newly-promoted side they faced.

Last Time Out

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Newcastle United (Premier League)

The Magpies first match at Wembley in 18 years again proved to have an unhappy ending despite them carrying the most threat throughout the game. While Tottenham failed to find their rhythm in the game, Newcastle had theirs well in check but were missing some magic in front of goal.

Dwight Gayle was the biggest culprit for the visitors but Jonjo Shelvey, Ayoze Pérez and Jamaal Lascelles all had decent openings to score inside the first 45 minutes. But while they were lacking in attack, the Magpies comfortably dealt with Spurs in defence.

Martin Dubravka was left helpless for Harry Kane’s goal, however, a strike which heaped more emphasis on Newcastle finding a telling touch in attack. It proved just as elusive during the rest of the game though, leaving another Wembley defeat on their history books which have seen nothing else for 63 years.

Chelsea 1-1 Huddersfield Town (Premier League)

A limp performance produced a limp result for a heavily changed Chelsea side who failed to gel. Having made 6 changes to his starting lineup, Conte was forced to watch his team lose the chance of putting real pressure on Liverpool for the final game of the season.

A poor first half saw the Blues have plenty of possession but the only 2 chances of note were produced and they were wasted by Álvaro Morata and Antonio Rüdiger restively.

Despite a lack of attacking intent by the Terriers, they punished a mistake from Willy Caballero to take the lead within 5 minutes of the second half. 

Chelsea regained their composure and then parity in the game as the ball cannoned off Marcos Alonso’s face to even the contest. Despite pushing hard for a winning goal, the Blues could not beat an inspired Huddersfield defence who had Jonas Lössl performing heroics for them in goal.

Newcastle United Lineup

Benitez has a growing list of absentees with Kenedy (unable to face his parent club) and Islam Slimani (suspended) having both been returned to their respective clubs after joining the Magpies on loan in January. Jesús Gámez (ankle) Christian Atsu (knock) and Ciaran Clark (knee) will also be unavailable, however, Jacob Murphy could be the only change made to their recent trip to Wembley on Wednesday night.

Chelsea Lineup

There are no new injury problems for Conte so only David Luiz (knee) and Ethan Ampadu (ankle) remain unavailable for the Blues final league match. With the FA Cup in mind, Conte may try to start his three main strikers together in attack.

Key Battle: Dwight Gayle (Newcastle) vs Álvaro Morata (Chelsea)

Newcastle’s misfiring forward is 1 goal behind Ayoze Pérez’s haul of 6 league goals this season, averaging a goal around once every 380 minutes. Having succeeded the equally problematic Joselu as Benitez’s first choice striker, Gayle won’t be the first choice next August if he’s still with the Magpies then. After being reportedly close to making a move to a new club last January, Gayle will hope for his second goal against Chelsea this season to further his future prospects.

Another striker who has under-performed to expectations this season is Morata. The Spanish striker cost £60m last summer but could not shake off a wasteful image or the fact he is an ill-fit for a club who were reportedly only interested in signing Romelu Lukaku. With only 1 goal from his last 9 league starts, Morata has 1 less than Gayle during this same period and could also play this match with one eye on the future.

Talking Points

£10m Match

With the Premier League’s mid-table being so congested going into the final round of matches, Newcastle could potentially see themselves finish anywhere between 10th and 15th depending upon results around the country. 

With each step up in position in the table worth an extra £2m in prize money, this might see the Magpies lose 5 positions from their current placing and with it, £10m in prize money from the FA.

With budget’s likely to be tight and Benitez insisting that the club have plenty of shopping to do this summer, a £10m difference could make a substantial difference to his plans. 

How Benitez plans to inspire his players to a victory which could pay for their replacements join the club remains a mystery but Benitez has worked wonders already this season.

Steady improvements

Antonio Conte remains adamant that the current Chelsea side is a stronger proposition than the one which he took over 2 years ago. While that side had under-achieved amid the turmoil churned up in José Mourinho’s wake, this side, too, is falling short, although not by the same margin.

With talk of an overhaul of the squad being imminent this summer, Conte’s legacy is in danger of being white-washed if he leaves in the coming weeks. If he stays on to see through the final year of his contract, Conte must improve his team again if his time in London is to be considered a success, despite them winning the Premier League title last season and potentially the FA Cup this year.

Prediction: Newcastle United 2-1 Chelsea

The final match of Benitez’s previous Premier League campaign with Newcastle saw them demolish Tottenham 5-1 at St James’ to end Spurs hopes of a higher league finish and a similar story could unfold this weekend.

Conte will want his players primed and ready for their FA Cup final but Newcastle will be focused on delivering a result which their recent form has merited. With the home crowd behind them, Newcastle could spoil Chelsea’s party and put an end to their run of 5 games unbeaten (W4, D1) against Newcastle.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/Dylan Martinez)

Premier League 17/18 Week 38: Crystal Palace vs West Bromwich Albion – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

The Eagles aim for a top half finish while the Baggies look to keep Moore’s extended bounce going with one final win before they drop

15:00 BST, Sunday 13th May, Selhurst Park (London, England)

Under the guidance of Roy Hodgson, the Eagles have flown to safety with games to spare. Having looked so doomed for so long, they could now finish the season with 3 consecutive league wins for the first time in over a year while they could also come to rest with their joint highest league finish in Premier League history. To do that, Hodgson will need to lead his team to victory over a former club they historically don’t fare well against.

West Brom were another team long-dead and buried but Darren Moore ran out of time in trying to raise his petrified club back from their grave. Like Palace, West Brom, too, head into this fixture unbeaten in 5 games, having won 3 and drawn 2 to lift themselves up the table. While they were eventually sunk by Southampton’s midweek win over Swansea, the Baggies will be determined to keep their heads held high as they go down swinging.

Last Time Out

Stoke City 1-2 Crystal Palace (Premier League)

The Eagles clawed their way back to victory to ensure their own safety but also lost Stoke theirs. The first half was low in notable incidents but it was the home side who showed the greater desire to make things happen. The Palace defence generally went untroubled, however, this all changed just before the break when Xherdan Shaqiri’s free-kick beat Wayne Hennessey.

This proved to wake the Eagles from their slumber, creating a more open game. The impressive James McArthur equalised for the visitors in the mid-point of the second half, finishing a quick counter-attack which had left Stoke caught high up the pitch.

With time almost up, Patrick van Aanholt then found himself in the right place to capitalise on a mistake by Ryan Shawcross, the defender gifting the ball to the visitors which came at the ultimate price.

Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 West Bromwich Albion (Premier League)

West Brom weathered a growing storm from Spurs before delivering a classic smash and grab with an injury-time winner. Much of the game had seen Tottenham try to pick off the Baggies, with the away side sitting deep and defending resolutely. With 26% possession and having faced 18 shots, Ben Foster and the defenders in front of him knew they’d been in a game when they left the pitch.

Through a collective effort, West Brom resisted Tottenham’s advances though. The centre-back pairing of Craig Dawson and Ahmed Hegazi controlled the game while Matt Phillips offered a reliable outlet to release pressure from the defence.

The late sting in the game’s story came from a corner delivered by Phillips but which fell loose in the box. Jake Livermore was the player on hand to stab the ball into the net with their first shot on target and secure what had long seemed an unlikely victory.

Crystal Palace Lineup

Scott Dann (knee) Bakary Sako (ankle) Jason Puncheon (knee) and Connor Wickham (fitness) are all unavailable for Hodgson. There’s also a further doubt over the fitness of Joel Ward who is nursing a knock which could mean another opportunity for Aaron Wan-Bissaka who impressed at right-back a month ago.

West Bromwich Albion Lineup

Gareth Barry (knee) and James Morrison (Achilles) are still absent from the Baggies squad but Moore has named the same starting lineup in each of his previous games in charge and is unlikely to tinker too heavily this weekend.

Key Battle: Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) vs Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion)

To call Crystal Palace a one-man team would be unfair to several of their players, however, none of them have delivered as much impact to the club as Zaha this season. The livewire forward has not yet hit double figures for league goals this season (8)  but has still pushed their only centre-forwards out of the team and onto the bench. After being directly involved in 9 goals during his last 8 appearances, the Eagles hopes of a win are likely to again rest on Zaha’s shoulders ahead of their final match.

West Brom’s biggest asset under Moore has been their ability to blunt the opposition attacks. A key part of this has been the form of Dawson, a defender who Moore has switched to a central position rather than the fullback roles he’s regularly filled earlier this season. Against Spurs, he again showed an uncanny ability to be I the right place at the right time while it was also his header that helped create the late chance for Livermore to score.

Talking Points

Manager of the season?

Roy Hodgson has proved his critics wrong and saved the failing Eagles in some style while doing this. Having lost each of their first 7 league games without a goal to show between them all, The former England manager has breached the 40-point mark in 30 games to give them guaranteed Premier league action next season with fixtures to spare.

What makes this more impressive is the adversity through injury in which he’s been forced to operate, often with no strikers of any kind at his disposal. A lack of strengthening in the January transfer window highlighted this even further, yet the Eagles have risen. That they could also finish in the top half of the table remains a cherry which is still to be put on the top of this achievement, however, Hodgson’s efforts should receive the acclaim they truly deserve.

Tried but untested

There has been a growing clamour in Birmingham for Darren Moore to have his position made permanent after a stunning, albeit late, turnaround in the clubs fortunes over the past 5 weeks.

With no prior managerial experience, Moore still presents something of a risk for the West Brom board. His 5 games in charge have all fielded identical starting lineups while he has shown little in the way of tactical nous and in-game management. 

Where he is exceptionally strong is in player motivation and while this characteristic may peak and fall through the course of a season, it should not be idly ignored. While there is no doubting he makes an extraordinary coach, there remains a small question mark over how he would handle the club beyond a short-term stint. If West Brom choose to not take that risk, they may never know how much he can deliver though.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Bromwich Albion

While West Brom have still looked like a side of limited capabilities in recent weeks, there can be no questioning the fight, belief or organisation and this again will make them a tricky opponent. Whether Moore gets a chance to take on the job permanently remains to be seen, however, avoiding defeat again this weekend will add further strength to an already near-watertight argument.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/Peter Powell)

Premier League 17/18 Week 38: Burnley vs Bournemouth – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

The Clarets face a Cherries side who don’t travel well but need a victory to force a move into the top half of the table

15:00 BST, Sunday 13th May, Turf Moor (Burnley, England)

Sean Dyche has exceeded all expectations placed on the Clarets this season, carrying the league’s dark horses to a guaranteed 7th position with matches to spare. But while home form was the secret to their success last season, this season has seen their fortress crumble slightly. Having dropped more points than they’ve collected (28:21) at home this season, this match is not the home-banker it would have been last season. 

While Burnley are caught in a run of 4 matches without a win, Bournemouth broke their sequence of 3 successive defeats with victory over Swansea last weekend. Having only won 1 of their previous 12 league matches (D6, L5) away from home, Eddie Howe’s team will need to break this sequence too if they’re to have any chance of a second consecutive finish in the Premier League’s top half.

Last Time Out

Arsenal 5-0 Burnley (Premier League)

Burnley were crushed in Wenger’s final home game in charge of the Gunners to extinguish any hope of a 6th-place finish. This was always destined to be Wenger’s day with a home win expected by many of the away fans, however, the nature and margin of victory was unexpected.

Defensive naivety was to blame for many of Arsenal’ goals as the Burnley backline failed to handle the movement of Arsenal’s forwards. Arsenal took the lead in the 14th minute and only an injury time goal doubled this advantage heading into the break.

Lacking of intensity after the break too, the Clarets failed to work as a collective unit which allowed the Gunners plenty of space to attack down the wings. With Arsenal’s final three goals coming at regular intervals, this was a game to forget for Burnley but a game which Dyche will remind them of this week to prevent it happening again.

Bournemouth 1-0 Swansea City (Premier League)

The Cherries delivered a damning blow to Swansea’s hopes of survival with a deserved win to end their own poor run. Bournemouth made a fast start to the game which immediately put the Swans onto the back foot.

It was a tactic which not only prevented Swansea causing problems for the home team, it also yielded a goal as the pressure mounted. Ryan Fraser was the player to score for the Cherries, sending a first-time shot into the goal from the edge of the area after Andrew Surman’s free-kick found him in space.

It was no less than they deserved after wasting a succession of chances prior to the goal. While the second half saw them drop their intensity, they remained the team most likely to add to the score as they easily contained Swansea to see out the win.

Burnley Lineup

Dyche has a long injury list comprising Chris Wood (foot) Ashley Barnes (shoulder) Ben Mee (shin) Steven Defour (knee) Scott Arfield (calf) Robbie Brady (knee) and Jonathan Walters (knee). This will most probably see the return of the 4-5-1 formation which has fallen out of favour recently with the Clarets, with Sam Vokes the player to head their attack.

Bournemouth Lineup

Adam Smith (knee) Harry Arter (Achilles) and Junior Stanislas (knee) will again form a missing trio for the Cherries while Howe could stick with his recent experiments of a 3-4-3 formation which has been tempting him over the past two matches.

Key Battle: Sam Vokes (Burnley) vs Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)

The form of Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes have left Vokes as very much a 3rd choice striker with the Clarets but he will finally be given an opportunity to shine. The Welsh striker began the season in spectacular fashion, scoring twice at Stamford Bridge in the opening game of the season to lead his side to victory over the defending champions.

Since then he’s scored only twice more in the league despite clocking up over 850 minutes of action. After spending time with Bournemouth earlier in his career, Vokes will have mixed feelings if he scores, however, that’s unlikely to deter him from his objective.

Callum Wilson may have received more chances to impress, but he’s also fallen short of the levels he would have hoped for at the season’s beginning. Only making his first appearance of the season in late October because of injury, Wilson scored a hat-trick in only his 2nd start to provide hope he would deliver on the potential which has been bubbling inside him for several years now.

Only 4 more goals this season, including a current run of 12 games without scoring, has dashed those hopes hard against the rocks. While his all-around game has helped his team throughout this season, he will be desperate to add more goals to his record as this is the currency with which strikers are ultimately judged.

Talking Points

Following the template

While Eddie Howe continues to read speculation linking him with a switch in clubs this summer, the highly rated English manager has nothing but Bournemouth’s preparations for next season on his mind. He spoke in his pre-match press conference about the need for his club to add quality signings but also spoke that he didn’t want or feel the need to make too many adjustments.

While he didn’t go as far as admitting it, the Cherries would do well to follow the example which Burnley have laid this season. Dyche stabilised the club in the top-flight before pushing them forward to be one of the most competitive teams in the league.

While consistency has been the main factor for this, a solid defensive unit has been key to Burnley’s success and what Howe must now try and construct around Nathan Aké, the player who is widely seen as their best player of this campaign.

A season-low

Many Premier League managers have enjoyed success from sticking to a core set of players throughout this season but Eddie Howe encapsulates this philosophy. Only 21 players have appeared for the Cherries during their current campaign, less than any other team in the league.

While part of this can be attributed to a small part of luck in avoiding major injury problems, Eddie Howe’s management should also be given credit for ensuring his players didn’t suffer avoidable injuries along the way.

Burnley, too, have prospered from this tactic, however, their more extensive injury record could account for the 2 extra players to have made appearances for them this season. With both teams not expected to make any wholesale changes for this fixture, both sides should know exactly what’s expected of them by their manager on Sunday.

Prediction: Burnley 0-0 Bournemouth

It will feel like a long but successful season for both sets of players, however, this final step could prove to be little more than a lethargic plod towards a well-deserved rest.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/Ian Walton)