Don't hold back in the Europa league

These days winning the Europa league just isn't about adding another cup to the trophy cabinet, the UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino confirmed in May 2013 that the winners of the Europa league will be going into next year's champions league. Sevilla fc took full advantage of this route beating the Ukrainian side Dnipro 3-2 in the 2014 final. Sevilla have flourished in this competition winning back to back Europa league titles (2013,2014). In the 2015-2016 Football season Spain became the first country to have five teams in the Champions league.

Both Man Utd and Liverpool are both on this quest to try to qualify for the champions league via the Europa league. In the Premier league table Man Utd are 6 points behind Man city in four place while Liverpool are nine points but due to both there inconsistent form qualification via the league seems to be pulling further and further away even if it is still mathematically possible.

Gone are the days of rotation and playing the youngsters both Man Utd, Liverpool and Tottenham will be playing full strength sides to progress further into the competition, they cant hold back and i'm predicting all teams to win and to go through.

For me personally I think Liverpool's game is the trickiest simply because of the league cup final at Wembley against Manchester City on Sunday. I think that Klopp will play strong sides for both the game tonight and Sunday,So how refreshing was it to hear yesterday of Daniel Sturridge's pledge of commitment to Liverpool. His goal to game ratio despite his injuries is phenomenal. He's missed approximately 614 days however he has scored 45 goals in 75 appearances. He's crucial not only in terms of his finishing but his pressing up the field. 

I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Liverpool with Sturridge to score a brace!!

Arsenal vs Barcelona Preview

I found myself laughing uncontrollably when my manager told me about a church in Nigeria praying for Arsenal to beat Barcelona tonight. It's almost as though they had been watching the Sunday supplement on Sky sports over the weekend. Matt Law one of the sports journalists on the show said this "They (Arsenal) need to just pray, Barcelona are 32 games unbeaten-it's Harlem Globetrotter football we've been seeing in recent weeks." The odds seems so heavily stacked in their favour and the facts definitely support this notion. The last time Barcelona suffered a loss was way back in October last year. Meanwhile over the course of that time the famous trident MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) have scored bucket-load of goals, 91 goals in all competitions to be infact. The main question is can Arsenal beat Barcelona and what would be there plan?


 If we look into the last 5 games between the two sides Arsenal have won and drawn once, losing three times,but it's not all gloom and doom the game they won was at home in 2011 thanks to goals from Van Persie and Arshavin( what happened to him??). Arsene Wenger was right in telling his players to go for it, down below is 5 keys which must be implemented in the game for Arsenal to record a famous win over Barcelona.


 1) Be patient. That's easier said then done the truth of the matter is Arsenal won't have the sort of possession they do in the premier league they will have to patient and pick their moments.

 2) Take your chances

 In the game against Hull,Arsenal had 24 shots(11 on target ), they have to be clinical because they won't be afforded many chances against Barcelona.

 3) Stay compact but break with pace

 Arsenal's defensive shape will be crucial tonight, they have to deny players like Messi and co any space in between the lines. Pressing them at the right moments,but when they win the ball back they will need to counter with pace to get right at Barcelona.

 4) Be wary of the away goal

 Conceding too many goals at the Emirates stadium tonight could end the tie prematurely. Of course MSN are in great form, but Arsenal can't afford to be giving out any free gifts on the field.

 5) My last and key plan is closing down and stifling Sergio busquets.

Since Xavi left Barcelona he is more than ever there crucial passing clog. Highly effective and supremely underrated troubling the impressive midfielder may open the door for Arsenal in the game