EVERY FRIDAY, FOOTBALL writer John Brewin – who has clocked up countless air miles covering the European game over the past decade – looks ahead to five key fixtures from the Premier League and around the continent.
As well as explaining why you need to know about these matches, he’ll also pick out a tip for each one along with the latest William Hill prices.
Below, John discusses storylines from England, Italy, Spain and Germany as we reach the final month of the 2021/22 season.
Newcastle v Liverpool, Premier League – 12.30pm Saturday
It feels fair to say Liverpool found it difficult against Villarreal and yet it would be also accurate to state the gulf between the two clubs competing in the Champions League semi-final was huge. The same pattern is perhaps likely to be repeated at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Why Liverpool are having to play on Saturday lunchtime after playing late on Wednesday is the type of question that regularly darkens Jurgen Klopp’s grin. At least he can call on the strongest squad in English football, Liverpool’s power in attacking positions taking them beyond Manchester City in that regard. The job now for Klopp’s men is to put the pressure on City until such point as one of the Premier League title contenders might falter.
Might that happen on Tyneside? Aside from Liverpool, Newcastle have the best Premier League record in 2022, and Eddie Howe’s post-match photo calls of celebration have become a regular sight.
St James’ itself is a happy place to be, brimming with an optimism not felt since Bobby Robson was in charge two decades ago. Though there are many who cannot look beyond the Saudi Arabian origins of this Geordie new dawn, the attitude of the club itself, and especially its fans, is one of defiance.
Their hope is that Newcastle v Liverpool will be soon be seen as one of the great fixtures in the Premier League, and that was the last the case some time in the mid-1990s.
Bruno Guimarães, the new hero of the Gallowgate, is the type of player who might once have ended up at Liverpool, but Newcastle are the new, flush kids on the block.
Can Howe’s buccaneers sink Liverpool’s ship? Perhaps not until next season after the fruits of a summer of spending but this is by no means an easy assignment for Klopp. Newcastle have conceded just a single goal in their last four matches, all wins, and both Everton and Villarreal showed Liverpool can be frustrated, if only for a while.
John’s bet: Newcastle to be leading and half-time and not win @ 17/2
AC Milan v Fiorentina, Serie A – 2pm Sunday
The Scudetto is in Milan’s hands. Napoli have repeatedly faltered, and then Inter slipped, their loss to Bologna on Wednesday a disaster. Now the pressure goes on to the Rossoneri, who have been grinding away and had plenty of wobbles of their own.
It look a last-minute goal at Lazio last week, following Olivier Giroud’s equaliser, but Milan are muddling through. In no way would winning this title go alongside their great teams of the 1980s, 1990s and mid-2000s, but it’s on.
Fiorentina are still fighting for European football next season but have lost their last three. Does that preclude Milan from dropping points again? Of course not.
John’s bet: Milan and Fiorentina to draw @ 14/5
Udinese v Inter, Serie A – 5pm Sunday
The name of Inter reserve goalkeeper Ionut Radu may go down in history for the horrific goof that handed Bologna their winner on Wednesday, the Romanian fresh-airing a back-pass before Nicola Sansone tapped in.
An injury to Samir Handanovic, so reliable for so long, has come at just the wrong time of the season, and the hope is his back problem can be patched up.
We’ll absolutely have to win our last four,” said Simone Inzaghi, the Inter coach.
Udinese, who swatted Fiorentina aside 4-0 on Wednesday and have scored 17 in their last six matches, doesn’t look an easy place to start.
John’s bet: Inter to beat Udinese and both teams to score @ 21/10
Real Madrid v Espanyol, La Liga – 3.15pm Saturday
Before the pyrotechnics on display in Manchester on Tuesday are recreated, first comes a celebration. Well, probably. Barcelona’s loss last weekend to Rayo Vallecano meant Madrid need just a single point from their remaining five matches to win a 35th Liga title.
Carlo Ancelotti is likely to rest players ahead of Wednesday’s second leg with City, but Espanyol did beat Madrid back in October – Aleix Vidal getting the winner.
Espanyol are 13th, and have lost their last two matches. Another win looks unlikely, though Madrid would certainly settle for collecting the point they need.
John’s bet: Real Madrid and Espanyol to draw @ 3/1
Hoffenheim v Freiburg, Bundesliga – 5.30pm Saturday
With Bayern Munich having captured their tenth successive title, attention is drawn to the race for the top four. With three matches to play, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Freiburg and Union Berlin all have a chance to make next season’s Champions League, five points separating them.
Freiburg have reached their first-ever German Cup final, where they will face Leipzig, and their final match of the Bundesliga campaign sees them travel to Leverkusen. Last week, Lars Stindl’s late goal for Borussia Monchengladbach in a 3-3 draw denied what would have been a four-match winning sequence.
Hoffenheim, in eighth, have not won in six matches. Can Freiburg revive their charge?
John’s bet: Freiburg to beat Hoffenheim @ 7/4
William Hill odds above correct at the time of writing. New online customers get €30 in free bets when they bet €10 with William Hill. Just use the promo code H30. For all the latest prices, visit williamhill.com. 18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see gamblingtherapy.org
