Premier League needs Chelsea to keep Jose Mourinho on the front line

Match to catch

Jose Mourinho and Chelsea’s bizarre meltdown gathered yet more momentum in the last week, with a defeat at West Ham - the Blues’ fifth in just 10 league matches - followed by a League Cup exit at Stoke in midweek. The Portuguese boss insisted his side’s performances in those two matches proved the players were united behind him, but results all season suggest otherwise. It has been reported in the UK media that defeat against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in this weekend’s stand-out EPL match could spell the end for Mourinho’s second spell at Stamford Bridge - and with a new contract signed just a few months ago, maybe that wouldn’t be a bad thing for the man himself. The Premier League, however, would be far more bland without the always extravagant, sometimes inexplicable and occasionally even inexcusable ‘Special One’. Prediction: Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1.

Keep an eye on

Tim Sherwood would have loved to have made his latest return to Tottenham - where he was sacked after just five months in charge in 2014 - with his Aston Villa team on the crest of a wave and with a realistic chance of repeating the White Hart Lane victory his side produced in April. In reality, however, his Villa reign has been even more disastrous than his time at White Hart Lane, with the Birmingham club now bottom of the table and on a run of six straight league defeats. While he certainly wasn’t helped by the sale of key men Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph in the summer, the squad was strengthened with 13 new players and results since have been woeful, with only an opening day win at Bournemouth and a chaotic 2-2 home draw with Sunderland to show for their efforts all season. Spurs have surged up the table in recent weeks and this is as close as a home banker as it’s possible to get. Prediction: Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 0.

For the purists

Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday sees the renewal of one of English football’s rarest derbies, as the Saints take on Bournemouth for only the sixth time in the last 55 years. The two clubs are only 33 miles apart on England’s south coast, but they have only ever been in the same division eight times, with the most recent being in the third tier in 2010-11, when a Rickie Lambert-inspired Southampton did the double over the Cherries on their way to promotion. The home side will be hopeful of further improving their derby record this weekend as injury-hit Bournemouth come into the match on the back of a pair of 5-1 hammerings. Prediction: Southampton 3 Bournemouth 0.

Showing form

West Ham showed their challenge at the top end of the table under Slaven Bilic this season could be here to stay by disposing of champions Chelsea last weekend. While their cause was no doubt helped by Nemanja Matic’s first-half red card, Andy Carroll’s headed winner showed they can successfully turn to the Sam Allardyce era big man up top tactics when the pretty short passing they have exhibited previously this campaign fails to produce the goods. The Hammers will be confident of consolidating their top-four place at Watford on Saturday. Prediction: Watford 1 West Ham 1.

Need a win

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren must be grateful to the likes of Mourinho and Sherwood for keeping his name out of the headlines recently, as the Toon’s results since he moved to St James’ Park in the summer have been generally pitiful. Last weekend’s (admittedly somewhat unfortunate) 3-0 derby defeat to Sunderland left Newcastle second-bottom of the table and well set for another relegation battle. Defeat at home to Stoke on Saturday could bring a premature end to the former England manager’s Premier League return, so he needs his players to scrap their way to a vital three points. Prediction: Newcastle 2 Stoke 1.

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