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Watford v Chelsea – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams

Claudio Ranieri welcomes his former club, Chelsea to Watford in this midweek clash in Round 14 of the Premier League

Watford v Chelsea will kick off at 19:30 tonight, Wednesday 1st December in the Vicarage Road Stadium. Referee David Coote will take charge of the tie.

For those that could not get tickets, the match will also be shown on Premier Sports ROI 2.

Although Watford has shown to be an impressive and exciting team so far in the Premier League season, Leeds United’s victory last night has dropped them into 17th place. A shock victory tonight could spring Ranieri’s team into 12th place.

The Hornets have become a team to kill the bigger clubs as they have already beaten Manchester United, Everton, and Aston Villa this year. Their major worry is that the team has been hit with injury concerns such as the keeper Ben Foster and star winger Emmanuel Dennis.

Tuchel will be looking at this tie with a smile on his face. Watford has not kept a clean sheet in 12 matches while Chelsea has the most with eight. This is the club’s best chance to open the gap between themselves, Manchester City, and Liverpool after their 1-1 draw with Man United at the weekend.

This will also be a good opportunity to pick up points on the road while some of their major players recover such as Ngolo Kanté, Mateo Kovacic, and Ben Chilwell.

This has become a one-sided affair in the last six years as the Blues have won eight of their last 11 games. There have also been two draws between the two sides while Watford has managed one solitary victory in 2018.

They most recently faced each other in July 2020 as Chelsea ran out 3-0 victors and Watford were later relegated.

Watford v Chelsea Probable Starting Teams

Watford

Formation

4-3-3

Probable Starting 11

Bachmann (GK), Rose, Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Kiko, Sissoko, Louza, Cleverly, King, Fletcher, Hernández.

Injuries / Suspensions

Foster (Groin), Dennis (Knock), Sierralta (Hamstring), Sarr (Knee), Sema (Knee), Baah (Ankle), N’Koulou (Hamstring), Etebo (Thigh), Kucka (Knee)

 

Chelsea

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Mendy (GK), Rudiger, Christensen, Chalobah, Alonso, Jorginho, Saul, Azpilicueta, Pulisic, Mount, Havertz.

Injuries / Suspensions

Chilwell (Cruciate ligament), Kovacic (Hamstring), Kanté (Knee), Werner (Muscle injury)

Watford v Chelsea Match Betting

Watford to win: 9/1

Draw: 9/2

Chelsea to win: 2/7

 

Score Prediction

Coming into this match, it seems like a free hit for Tuchel’s Chelsea. The Hornet’s large injury list and the Blues continued strong form seem to show that the game can only go one way. Although Watford will try to put up a fight at home expect them to still lose by a hefty margin.

Expect the game to end 3-0 to Chelsea.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

Ireland v Georgia – Preview, Teams, Odds, Where To Watch

The Republic of Ireland will host Georgia at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin on Tuesday evening at 7 pm.

The match will be Vera Pauw and co.’s fourth 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier and their third home fixture – they have yet to pick up a win at home in the campaign.

Ireland’s most recent match was a 1-1 draw with Slovakia, who netted against the run of play at the start of the second half.

Wing-back Katie McCabe pulled Ireland out of the fire on Thursday but they will need a more convincing performance against Georgia to mount a challenge for a place in the top two.

A win would put them in second on seven points with the same amount of games played as the rest of the group – currently, they sit fourth, level on points with Slovakia but behind due to the head-to-head away goal Slovakia scored.

Pauw’s Tigers have the second-best defence in the group, second only to Sweden – the second-best side in the world.

However, only three goals to their name underlines their wastefulness in the attacking third, something they must improve on if they are to make a push for World Cup qualification.

Their opponents come in the form of Georgia, who are yet to find the net in the qualifiers and have allowed nine goals in just three games.

The Georgians’ last goal in competitive football came against Israel thirteen months ago and another goalless 90 minutes against Ireland would mark five games without finding the net.

Their last competitive win came in a 2019 World Cup preliminary qualifier – a stage of qualification they did not get past.

If Ireland are to get the advantage on Finland and Slovakia at the halfway stage, now is their chance.

Teams

Republic of Ireland (4-2-3-1): Brosnan; Ziu, Fahey, Lo. Quinn, Caldwell; Littlejohn, Connolly; Lu. Quinn, O’Sullivan, McCabe (C), Carusa.

Subs: Moloney, Walsh, McCarthy, Atkinson, Barrett, O’Gorman, Finn, Farrelly, Grant, Noonan, Whelan, McLaughlin.

Georgia (4-2-3-1): Sukhashvili; Kalandadze, Sutidze, Tatuashvili, Khaburdzania; Pasikashvili, N. Daniela; Bebia, Tsotseria, Cheminava; Tchkonia (C).

Subs: Gabunia, Chkartishvili, Janikashvili, Bakradze, M. Danelia, Bolkvadze, Mtskerashvili, Dzadzua.

Odds

Ireland 1/50

Draw 9/1

Georgia 25/1

Where To Watch

The game will be available to watch live on RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player with coverage starting at 6:30 pm.

Leinster back Ciarán Frawley’s growth ‘huge’ in last 2 years – Contepomi

Leinster back Ciarán Frawley has been earning plaudits for his performances for the province for a while now, and his display against Ulster at the weekend was no different.

Frawley made 35 metres from just four carries on Saturday night and was arguably Leinster’s brightest spark on an otherwise poor night for the reigning league champions, causing problems for an exceptional Ulster defensive line.

He’s not afraid to get stuck into a game either, with 10 tackles and a turnover win against Dan McFarland’s men in 80 minutes.

The 22-year-old is listed as a fly-half on the team’s website but has played almost exclusively at 12 in the last 15 months, with all starts since the 2019-20 Pro 14 final against Ulster being at inside centre.

Recently, he joined up with the Ireland squad for a week during their preparation for the November international window as a development player.

Backs coach Felipe Contepomi has no doubt in his mind that Frawley is on the right path after his growth in the last two years.

“I think he’s seeing it week in, week out training with us,” Contepomi noted. “It’s a great joy when he’s been called for Ireland, you know.

“And again, even being involved in that manner [as a development player], training with all those great players in that setup – it can only do him better, you know, and help him.”

The 22-year-old redhead has been trusted with five starts this season as the usual number 12 in the side, Robbie Henshaw, missed the start of the season through injury – against Ulster, the pair formed a midfield partnership for the first time this season as Henshaw donned number 13.

Frawley’s speed and distribution makes him a good fit for the inside centre role at Leinster, a spot where he’s enjoyed his best run of form.

Contepomi and co. trust him on the outside of the number 10 and the Argentine believes that Frawley can get even better.

“His growth has been huge in the last two years and he’s still a lot more to go, a long way to go.

“He’s enjoying his rugby and that’s the most important thing, you know, and hopefully he can play a lot for us in the coming weeks.”

Leeds v Crystal Palace – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams

Marcelo Bielsa welcomes Patrick Viera’s impressive Crystal Palace side to West Yorkshire in this Round 14 midweek clash in the Premier League

Leeds v Crystal Palace will kick-off at 20:15 tonight, Tuesday 30th November in Elland Road. Referee Kevin Friend will take charge of the tie.

Bielsa will finally be happy when he saw his star striker Patrick Bamford return to training this weekend. The English forward is also accompanied by Luke Ayling as Robin Koch is the only player remaining on the injury list.

Leeds still sits just above the relegation zone after drawing against Brighton at the weekend. The Whites will soon be in dire need of their third win of the season and Bielsa will be looking for it tonight.

Crystal Palace has become a surprising force in the Premier League this year since Patrick Viera was named manager. They sit in 11th place only four points off the sixth spot but also only four points above 17th place Leeds.

At the weekend, they lost out to Steven Gerrards Aston Villa team 2-1. Despite this loss, they are undefeated in the seven other matches, scoring nine goals in five games. Youngster Conor Gallagher has proven to be their shining light this year and an early contender for Young Player of the Year.

This has been a tense and even matchup over the last decade. They have faced each other eight times between the Premier League and Championship since 2010. Leeds United has won four of the ties, while two games have ended in draws and Crystal Palace won two.

Last season the two teams split the points with a win at home each. They last played in February where the Whites won 2-0.

Leeds v Crystal Palace Probable Starting Teams

Leeds United

Formation

4-1-4-1

Probable Starting 11

Meslier (GK), Firpo, Cooper, Llorente, Ayling, Phillips, James, Forshaw, Klich, Raphinha, Rodrigo.

Injuries / Suspensions

Koch (Hip)

 

Crystal Palace

Formation

4-3-3

Probable Starting 11

Guaita (GK), Mitchell, Guehi, Tomkins, Ward, Kouyaté, Milivojevic, Gallagher, Eze, Benteke, Zaha.

Injuries / Suspensions

McArthur (Hamstring), Anderson (Hamstring), Ferguson (Achilles tendon)

Leeds v Crystal Palace Match Betting

Leeds United to win: 7/5

Draw: 9/4

Crystal Palace to win: 2/1

 

Score Prediction

Home advantage will play a big part in this fixture as the Elland Road faithful will drive on a nearly full-strength team. For one of the first times this season, Marcelo Bielsa will have a full team to pick from and it will show in their energy and speed.

Expect this game to end 3-2 to Leeds United.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

Contepomi hopes Harry Byrne can build upon international experiences

Leinster backs coach Felipe Contepomi has said that he expects fly-half, Harry Byrne to further grow as a player as the province’s coaches prepare him for a successful future.

Byrne suffered a hip injury in his first game of the season against Zebre Parma at the RDS and only returned in blue when he made a cameo in last weekend’s loss to Ulster.

His latest injury came immediately after he had made a recovery from his previous setback in the form of a foot injury.

In that time, he joined the Ireland camp for the Autumn Nations Series and played 30 minutes in the 53-7 win over Argentina but was not at his best.

Contepomi has sympathy for the 22-year-old who will hope to avoid another setback as he looks to get significant game time under his belt this season.

“Sometimes it’s the way it is, you know, if you have some injuries,” the assistant coach said. “He’s been very unlucky in terms of injuries – he’s picked up some strange injuries.

“But he’s now fit and he’s been in the Ireland camp for the last month and now he’s with us for last week and this week so hopefully he can have more games or more game time.”

The Ireland-capped fly-half has only played 38 minutes for Leinster this season, with his season debut against Zebre ending just 22 minutes in.

His cameo against Ulster saw him enter the field with Leinster’s backs against the wall and the prospect made several mistakes as Leo Cullen’s men registered their first defeat of the United Rugby Championship.

However, he is only 22 and, with the experience that he already has under his belt at both provincial and international level, Contepomi believes he can continue to learn and tap into his potential.

On top of this, he hopes that Byrne is preparing himself for success as he plays more and more matches in blue and green.

“That’s what we are trying to do, trying to set him up to be successful. So hopefully he can improve and take the experience he is getting also at international level, or more at international training [and build from it].

“It’s always important to be at an international camp,” the 87-cap former Argentine number 10 said.

“You learn so much from such good players so hopefully he can bring it into Leinster and keep building his game.”

Best Irish Jockeys in Horse Racing History

Ireland is known for its incredibly rich horse racing history. Many credible jockeys have exhibited their talents from all over the world, meaning their popularity goes way beyond Ireland itself. Ireland is a region that is fond of racing betting, so most of the best Irish jockeys mentioned below will have not been strangers to riding many of the biggest horses of the times. So, with all that being said, shall we get straight into who the best candidates are?

Michael Kinane 

The first within our top best Irish Jockey lists, is Mick Kinane. After spending over 30 years at the top, he also travelled the entire world in his pursuit to become one of the best jockeys in the game. His participation within the Leading Group One race, in addition to being a stable jockey for Aidan O’Brien, John Ox and Dermot Weld brought the possibility for riding some of the greatest horses within the entire of Ireland. At the end of his career, he did in fact participate in the Sea the Stars, a campaign where he won the Guineas Derby, in addition to the renowned Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France. Michael Kinane is an Irish legend that will never be forgotten.

Kieran Fallon

Another successful Irishman within the world of racing is Kieran Fallon. Fallon has won plenty of races within the UK, and in fact, he was crowned as the British Champion across multiple British Classics and occasions (6 times in total). He also managed to land a large and very strong finish to his career, with the big races across the USA, Hong Kong and the UAE. Retiring within the year 2016, means he very much still is a talent of the past decade with 2253 wins under his belt. 

Ruby Walsh 

Ruby Walsh is another famous Irish jockey. Having been the Irish National Hunt Champion over 11 times, this helped him get awarded with the International Jockey of the Year Award, three times, which he definitely deserved. In addition to this achievement, he also celebrates winning the most recognisable horse tournaments of the sporting calendar- Cheltenham Festival. This victory was over 12 recorded and different years, and exactly because of this, he is celebrated as one of the most recognised jump-worthy jockeys within the history books. His talent opened up many avenues for him and his career, for example, he formed an amazing partnership with Willie Mullins, and also worked as the stable jockey for Paul Nicholls, a UK establishment. For this very reason, he is probably one of the most network worthy racers within all of Ireland.  

Pat Eddery

Pat Eddery is a former flat jockey who ended his career with an all-time total of 4632 wins-this was for British racing alone and does not count those races beyond the region. For three decades, he dominated the leader boards and was seen as an unbeatable talent. The Irish jockey holds 11 wins across separate occasions within his participation as a British Champion Jockey, and for that reason he was always sought out by many trainers within the region, especially when the Derby at Epsom was concerned. That is where he excelled impeccably. 

Tony McCoy 

Last but not least, we have Tony McCoy, however in the sport he was also known as AP. This Irish man is arguably one of the most talented in the entire world, when it comes to recognised jumps within the history books. While he did retire within the year 2015, he finished on an impeccable record of 4358 wins in total, which is huge for British horse racing history. He is the only jockey ever to have managed to win any of the BBC Sports Personality awards, so that definitely is saying something there. This award was received within 2010, which was the peak of his career, and the same following year that he managed to pick up the world renowned Grand National.

 

It goes without saying that this racer was very popular amongst the generations and his fan base was way beyond the region of Ireland, he has fans that awaited and celebrated his every achievement within the UK, USA and beyond. His reputation was beyond his years and for that reason, so many jockeys today look to him as inspiration and motivation for the careers they hope to achieve in the future. To have almost every huge race under your belt within this career is certainly special, and not even the best of jockeys today can boast that achievement. It takes a special few like Tony, to have such prestige success to look back on.

 

Top 5 Irish Players in the 2021/22 Premier League Season

While the Republic of Ireland have more than 20 active players in the Premier League, only a handful of them plays some roles in their respective teams. The vast majority are defenders. This should by no means represent a surprise as the Irish national team have been struggling for goals for quite some time now. 

The Republic of Ireland have not had a genuine attacking option in the final third since Robbie Keane. With all due respect to Shane Long or Callum Robinson, they are not the Premier League caliber and the Irish fans can’t expect miracles from them. Nevertheless, some other players have made a strong impact in their respective Premier League outfits at the start of the 2021/22 season. Let’s see who the best Irish players are in the top flight of English football right now.   

1 – Shane Duffy (Brighton)

Shane Duffy has to be at the top spot on this list which has been made by experts at NewJerseySafebetting.com. Not even the biggest Irish fans could have expected Duffy breaking into the stern defense of Brighton & Hove Albion. However, the tall center-back got his chance and took the most of it. He is currently an inevitable part of the Seagulls’ back trio. Shane made as many as ten appearances in the opening eleven rounds of the new Premier League season. He even got a goal to his name in a 2-0 victory over Watford in the early stages of the season. 

2 – Seamus Coleman (Everton)

Next up is Seamus Coleman who looks to have earned his place in the starting XI under Rafael Benitez. Coleman has been involved for 90 minutes in four subsequent Premier League matches for Everton since recovering from injury in early October. The Irish national team can be proud of a starting left-back from a firm Premier League side. 

3 – Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United)

Kiaran Clark may not be the best example for this list but we had to get his name on since the man has made nine appearances in the starting lineup in the opening eleven games of the 2021/22 Premier League season. The 32-year-old defender even got the assist in the team’s 1-1 draw at Brighton in the 11th round of the Premier League. However, Clark may count his last months at St. James’ Park because we don’t believe the new Newcastle United owners will find a place for him in the new (much stronger) starting XI.  

4 – Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City)

The fourth place is reserved for a 19-year-old center-back Andrew Omobamidele. The teenager has found his place in the starting lineup for Norwich City. He was handed the second start of the season on Gameweek No 10 and he bagged the team’s only goal in a 1-2 loss to Leeds United. Omobamidele then got another chance to feature in the starting XI in the 11th round when he was one of the best players on the pitch in a 1-2 victory over Brentford. He will surely get more and more space under Frank Lampard in the times to come. 

5 – Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur)

Matt Doherty has only played 28 minutes in the opening eleven rounds of the 2021/22 Premier League season. However, believe it or not, he still deserves a place on this list, being probably the biggest prospect of all the other Irish lads in the competition. The good news for Irish fans is that Matt Doherty got 20 minutes on the pitch on Antonio Conte’s Premier League debut as a Spurs manager. Doherty has the quality and we would not be surprised to see Conte using him much more than Nuno Espirito Santo did. 

 

Juventus is the most famous club in Italy

Italian Serie A is famous for great clubs that are respected all over the world. However, Juventus stands out especially from the rest, because the team leads with a large gap in the championships won. All scores soccer can be found on the verified statistical portal. There are not only live matches available here, but also information about completed games. 

Juventus was founded in 1897 by common students. They wanted to establish a club that would compete with the much-vaunted English teams. The first title did not have to wait long, and already 8 years after the foundation, the Old Signora became the winner of the Serie A title. Then, almost every year, Juventus won at least some trophy, and step by step a great team was born. 

The Old Signora has plenty of achievements, but the main ones should be mentioned here:

  • Champion of Italy — 36 times;
  • Italian Cup winner — 14;
  • Italian Super Cup winner — 9.

Juventus also won the UEFA Cup three times and only managed to win the Champions League twice. Since 1923, Turin has been under the ownership of the Agnelli family. The club is always considered one of the favorites in any tournament. That is why the scores of this soccer club should be followed on the excellent statistical portal. The information is available for free and can be viewed from any device. 

The best Juventus coaches in history

Giovanni Trapattoni is considered one of the best Juventus coaches. It is very interesting that even as a football player, he spent more time at Milan. However, it was by training the Old Signora that he achieved unprecedented success. The last place in the coaching career was the Irish national team, and now Trapattoni is no longer working. Watch Serie A fixtures on the reliable statistical portal so as not to miss important information about your favorite club.

Also, among the most successful coaches, the following should be mentioned:

  • Massimiliano Allegri;
  • Marcello Lippi;
  • Antonio Conte.

These coaches have written their names into the history of the club, winning numerous trophies. Massimiliano Allegri can now significantly improve his achievements. It is worth following Serie A and fixtures on the reliable portal so as not to miss important moments and be aware of up-to-date information about your favorite teams. Juventus is almost always in the status of the favorite, but the cherished Champions League has not been submitted to Torino for a long time. It is this tournament that is considered one of the most important for the Old Signora. The Agnelli family regularly strengthens the squad, but in the result, they achieve little success in the best European Cup in the world.

Leinster announce Ryan has completed Return to Play protocols

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Friday’s United Rugby Championship game in the RDS Arena against Connacht Rugby, which includes the news that lock forward James Ryan has completed the Graduated Return to Play protocols.

The Irish international will now look to increase his training workload this week as he edges closer to a return to the pitch.

In line with World Rugby protocols, James will continue to be monitored including seeing an independent concussion consultant as part of his return to competitive action.

There are a number of Leinster players that require further assessment this week before a final decision is made on their inclusion or not this week.

Jamison Gibson-Park will be further assessed this week for a thigh injury, as will Max Deegan who sustained an injury to his mouth during the game against Ulster Rugby.

Deegan came on for Dan Leavy in the first half of the game on Saturday and Leavy has now entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols.

There was no new update on the following players:

Jack Conan (quad), Johnny Sexton (knee and ankle), Conor O’Brien (hamstring), Dave Kearney (back), Michael Milne (calf), Rory O’Loughlin (shoulder)

Messi, Lewandowski, Salah: Who will win the 2021 Ballon d’Or?

The 2021 Ballon d’Or will be decided tonight in the 65th annual ceremony at a star-studded event in Paris, France following last year’s cancellation.

30 men’s players have been shortlisted for the men’s award, along with 20 nominees in the women’s category.

But the question remains on everyone’s minds as the reveal of this year’s recipients approaches – who will be this year’s winners?

Barcelona legend and PSG star Lionel Messi is seen as the favourite to pick up the award in the men’s category this year – a win would see him earn his seventh Ballon d’Or.

The Favourite – Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi led his country, Argentina to continental glory when they won the Copa America this summer, beating Brazil 1-0 in the final.

Although Messi had his worst game of the tournament in the final match, the Argentine forward was the star from day one, to no one’s surprise.

On top of this, he won the Copa Del Rey with Barcelona in May as the Catalan side continued to rely on him to get the club the results it needed.

However, his recent move to PSG has not gone to plan so far – Messi has only shown flashes of the brilliance he showcased week in, week out for Barcelona (albeit the flash of brilliance at the weekend was a hat-trick of assists against St Etienne).

Odds: 1/2

The Unofficial Holder – Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski does not own a Ballon d’Or, at least not yet. However, if it weren’t for last year’s cancellation, many believe he would be the current holder.

The Polish forward has carried his insane goalscoring form from 2020 over to 2021, effectively making a two-year bid for a crown that may be rightfully his.

Lewandowski has bagged 73 goals in 60 games for his team, German champions Bayern Munich, since the start of last season and picked up FIFA and UEFA men’s player of the year awards for last year.

The number nine is not one to be overlooked and is expected to be very close to the top of the list, if not at the summit.

Odds: 5/1

The Egyptian King – Mo Salah

Liverpool were terrible at the beginning of 2021. Six consecutive losses at home, no imagination, no vision – they seemed a lost cause.

However, their star persevered. Mo Salah carried their flaccid attack to the finish line, with his his nine goals and two assists playing a big part in getting the side into the Champions League spots at the end of the season.

Fast-forward to now and he is (still) on fire – arguably the best player on the planet based on form.

His sensational haul of 17 goals and nine assists in just 18 games so far this season underlines his already legendary status on Merseyside – where many believe the form has made him worthy of the Ballon d’Or.

Odds: 8/1

The Italian Job – Jorginho

Jorginho’s work in the Chelsea midfield last season (and years before) was extremely underrated as the club won the UEFA Champions League for the second time.

His ability to set the tempo of their play and dictate games is something that is now being deservedly lauded – because he played a starring role n Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph.

Jorginho was one of three in the Italian midfield and the extra man in Mancini’s team allowed him to flourish at another level (although it is believed that his Chelsea midfield partner N’Golo Kanté counts as two men).

His work as the sole six in the eleven helped Italy to dominate possession all the way to the European crown.

The Italian has continued his stellar form this season, with a UEFA Super Cup to his name already, and is part of a Chelsea side that looks as if it will be tough to dislodge from the top of the Premier League table.

Odds: 12/1

The award will end up in someone’s hands tonight – chances are it will be one of these four. Will Messi reach seventh heaven? Will Lewandowski get what he deserves? Will Salah become the first African since George Weah to win it? Will Jorginho add another accolade to his name? Or will it be someone else? Let us know your thoughts below.

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