Newcastle United v Brighton

Premier League

Newcastle United v Brighton Cheat Sheet

The only Premier League midweek fixture of the week sees Brighton travel to St James’ Park on Thursday evening in a hugely important battle in the race for European football for both sides. The reverse fixture was in the second week of the season and ended in a 0-0 draw where Newcastle were fortunate given that they had just four shots in the whole game and Nick Pope was awarded man of the match.

These two sides have met 31 times, with 11 of those games being in the Premier League since the start of the 2017/18 season. Newcastle have won just one of those 11 games, this exact fixture last season, and have lost by an aggregate scoreline of 11-4 in those games. However, this is a very different Toon side and they will be hoping for a victory here, coming in as 19/20 favourites.

Magpies seek to get back on track

On the back of a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal 11 days ago, Newcastle were held to a 2-2 draw at Leeds last time out and they have faltered slightly. Whilst they accumulated 2.78 expected goals, they were awarded two penalties – both scored by Callum Wilson – and they allowed Leeds to have plenty of chances. Eddie Howe will be desperate to get back on track here, and given he has just three losses to the non-“Big Six” sides in the league, there is cause for more optimism.   

Newcastle are still in third, level on points with Manchester United and one ahead of Liverpool, although they have played a game fewer than the Reds. Their position in the Champions League looked very secure a month ago but seven wins in a row for Liverpool have given their fans hope. This is their most difficult game in the run-in and avoiding defeat would ensure that they will at least be playing Europa League football next season. A win would mean that they’d have to win just one of their final two games – here against Leicester and at Stamford Bridge – to guarantee their place in the top four and to be playing Champions League football next season.  

Brighton the envy of English football

Brighton arrive at St James’ Park on the back of two completely different results. Having been 1/3 favourites to beat Everton ten days ago they lost 5-1 and manager Roberto de Zerbi questioned his side’s mentality. After that game, he warned that people would “see the true Brighton” and his side delivered. They travelled to the Emirates to face an Arsenal side that had lost just two home games all season and dominated the Gunners like only Manchester City have done this season, ultimately winning 3-0.  

Whilst most teams have just two games left this season, Brighton have four and whilst Champions League football is still possible, it is unlikely. Winning all four would leave them on 70 points, and they’d require two of Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool to drop points at least once. They also have to face Manchester City and Aston Villa in two of those games. However, two wins will ensure Europa League football for the Seagulls and would be their first time ever playing in Europe.  

Team news

Newcastle United team news

Sean Longstaff remains out and whilst that allows Joelinton to play in midfield, with Wilson and Isak able to play together, they have missed him in recent weeks. Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Richie and Ryan Fraser will all miss out too. Whilst Wilson and Isak can play together, there is a high chance that just one will start with Miguel Almiron, Jacob Murphy, Anthony Gordon and Allan Saint-Maximin competing for the two spots on the flanks. 

Brighton team news

De Zerbi has plenty of injury issues but will be pleased that Julio Enciso, who was taken off toward with a slight knock at the end of the win at Arsenal, is available here. However, Jeremy Sarmiento, Adam Webster, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana and Jakub Moder are unavailable, while Joel Veltman is a doubt. Even if Veltman is cleared to start, he will likely be on the bench given that Moises Caicedo was highly impressive at the Emirates. Deniz Undav was impressive off the bench and may have forced his way into the starting 11. 

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Sheffield Wednesday v Peterborough United

League One Play-Off Semi Final

Sheffield Wednesday v Peterborough United Cheat Sheet

The only Premier League midweek fixture of the week sees Brighton travel to St James’ Park on Thursday evening in a hugely important battle in the race for European football for both sides. The reverse fixture was in the second week of the season and ended in a 0-0 draw where Newcastle were fortunate given that they had just four shots in the whole game and Nick Pope was awarded man of the match.

These two sides have met 31 times, with 11 of those games being in the Premier League since the start of the 2017/18 season. Newcastle have won just one of those 11 games, this exact fixture last season, and have lost by an aggregate scoreline of 11-4 in those games. However, this is a very different Toon side and they will be hoping for a victory here, coming in as 19/20 favourites.

What on earth do they do now?

A disaster of a first leg leaves Sheffield Wednesday all but out of the play-offs and realising that their 96-point regular season return is not going to end up with promotion. One of the most abject Owls performances of recent memory led to Wednesday being crushed 4-0 in the first leg at London Road, conceding twice in each half. It had looked encouraging early on against a Posh team that looked hesitant and shaky in possession, but they conceded two unfortunate goals before half-time and then were then met by a stern Peterborough rear guard and frightening counterattack threat after half-time.

You could forgive Owls fans for seeing little point in heading to the second leg at Hillsborough now. Darren Moore’s side need the miracle of all miracles. EFL Play-Off comebacks have happened before, but they have at best come from just a two-goal deficit. No team which has lost a first leg by this big a margin has ever recovered to progress…

If Carlsberg did first legs…

Confident after securing play-offs on the final day, Peterborough fans may well have believed in the idea of securing a first-leg victory at London Road. None would have foreseen a dominant 4-0 victory, however, a result which has almost guaranteed their place in the Wembley final. Posh found themselves 2-0 up in a first half that featured two fortunate goals and a rather shaky in-possession performance. The second half, however, Darren Ferguson’s side were exceptional, adding two further attacking goals and showing strong resolute defensive solidity to keep a potential Owls onslaught at bay.

Few fans of the Cambridgeshire outfit will scarcely believe the situation they find their team in, hitting to Hillsborough with an advantage that history has never seen overturned and hopeful that they can enjoy a 90-minute procession this Thursday evening to the League One Play-Off Final. A professional performance, and they are there.

Team news

Sheffield Wednesday team news

There should be plenty of intrigue as to how Darren Moore sets Sheffield Wednesday up for this second leg, knowing that his team needs at least four goals whilst also keeping Peterborough United from potentially adding any further strikes to their tally.

The decision to bring Michael Ihiekwe into the left side of the back three proved a mistake as the man low on match fitness failed to form a solid partnership with Aden Flint and Dominic Iorfa. If Moore does persist with his 3-4-1-2, Jaden Brown or Reece James could potentially be deployed in that left-centre-back role instead. Goalkeeper Cameron Dawson, who didn’t cover himself in glory for the first goal especially, could possibly be rotated out for the more experienced David Stockdale.

The quartet of Marvin Johnson, Barry Bannan, Will Vaulks and Liam Palmer should well retain their place with the key influence they have. The intrigue comes with how Moore sets up his frontline. Will he persist with the attacking midfield and front two combination, which Calum Paterson, Michael Smith and Josh Windass could link up to form? Or does he bring Lee Gregory in from the off as part of a differently shaped frontline in a much more attack-heavy formation? Something has to change to get the Owls somehow back into this…

Peterborough United team news

Peterborough United have started the same eleven for two consecutive matches and could well retain that team for this Hillsborough leg. Goalkeeper Will Norris, as well as centre-backs Ronnie Edwards and Frankie Kent, should all retain their place. Ferguson may choose to swap Harrison Burrows and Joe Ward out for more conservative, balanced full-backs with Posh’s big lead. Jack Taylor may be dropped back from attacking midfield into a slightly deeper, ball-carrying role alongside Hector Kyprianou and Oliver Norburn.

The frightening front free of Ephron Mason-Clark, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Kwame Poku could all retain their starting place, relishing the opportunity to break on the counter as Sheffield Wednesday commit numbers forward in search of their miracle comeback. Darren Ferguson may see this game as an opportunity to deploy young forward Ricky Jade-Jones though. The academy product would most likely feature on the left flank but can go across the frontline.

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AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United

UEFA Europa Conference League Semi Final

AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United Cheat Sheet

AZ Alkmaar will host West Ham United in the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final hoping to turn around a 2-1 deficit as they bid to reach a major European final for the first time since 1981.  

The Dutch club have certainly gone about things the long way, entering the competition at the second qualifying round and going on to beat Italian and Belgian giants Lazio and Anderlecht in the knockout rounds. The Hammers have had to fight for Premier League survival while competing in Europe but comfortable victories against AEK Larnaka and KAA Gent have helped them progress.  

Two clubs with long overdue ambitions of European success – this is the kind of occasion the UEFA Europa Conference League was created for and to celebrate it, we’re providing you with AZ Alkmaar vs West Ham bet builder tips. To do that, we’ve broken down the game, the form, and likely teams to bring you a bet builder for this pivotal European clash.

Youthful AZ Alkmaar in contention for first-ever European silverware 

They say you can’t win anything with kids but Pascal Jansen is doing his best to disprove that, leading the youngest team to compete in this year’s Europa Conference League to a semi-final second leg home tie.  

He will fancy his team’s chances of success too given the Dutch outfit have won all eight home matches in the competition. Clearly this group, with an average age of 24.8, aren’t feeling any pressure to succeed.  

Since the group stage, Alkmaar have scored 19 goals and conceded 12 in their 11 matches, accruing 21 cards. Most impressively, they have dominated possession in almost every game, never falling below 48%, and that’s despite playing two legs against Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio.  

De Kaasboeren were dominant at the London Stadium, having 57% of the ball with their central defensive quartet of Sam Beukema, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Jordy Clasie and Tijani Reijnders all making 68 or more passes and it’s likely they will see even more of the ball as they chase a win in front of their home support.  

Danish forward Jens Odgaard is one to keep an eye on here, only scoring twice in the Conference League but racking up high underlying numbers. The 24-year-old has mustered 3.5 shots and 1.58 shots on target per 90 in Europe and has had a shot on target in eight of his last ten appearances, including 11 shots on target in his last five home matches. You can back him to have two or more shots on target at 2.4.  

Survival secured – can West Ham win a European trophy?

West Ham have been under pressure this season thanks to a difficult start to life in the Premier League but their improvement since New Year has been stark, winning 12 and drawing six of their last 27 in all competitions to haul themselves away from relegation danger and progress in the Europa Conference League.  

The Hammers have gone back to basics to improve their form, happy to sit off and let teams onto them before springing in transition and utilising set-pieces as a weapon – West Ham have had more possession than their opponents on three occasions since the turn of the year – twice against AEK Larnaka and once against League One Derby County. Clearly, passing numbers aren’t what you are looking for in your bet builder.  

Michail Antonio is a player you should be focusing on. The Jamaican forward is enjoying himself in Europe with seven goals in from 5.3 90’s - an average of 1.32 goals per 90. That includes five goals in his last three starts with doubles against Larnaka and Gent to secure qualification to the semi-finals where he also scored.  

Antonio is averaging 4.17 shots per 90 in Europe with 2.08 shots on target, including a shot on target in six of his last seven European appearances. He is also causing aggro for referees, committing an average of 1.67 fouls per 90 since the group stage while being fouled 2.29 times.  

Elsewhere, Said Benrahma is having fun, having over four shots per 90 on average in Europe, including five last time out against Alkmaar and a shot on target in his last away start against Gent. The Algerian is also fouled 1.15 times per 90 in Europe – talented full-back Yukinari Sugawara found that out the hard way last time, committing two fouls.  

Team news

AZ Alkmaar team news

Alkmaar find themselves in a battle with Ajax for third spot and can’t take their league form lightly despite the opportunity to reach a European final.  

It has forced Pascal Jansen to continue fielding his strongest available XI for each match with their front six unchanged over their last three and unlikely to change here. That group includes ex-Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie, who dons the armband, and there is another familiar name to Premier League fans in goal – ex-Brighton keeper Mat Ryan.  

If there is change, it is likely to come in defence where teenagers Milos Kerkez and Wouter Goes have been given opportunities. Kerkez is likely to remain in the side here while Goes will sit out for the more experienced Sam Beukema and Pantelis Hatzidiakos.  

West Ham United team news

With survival secured, David Moyes can put all of his focus into a successful European campaign and that is exactly how he approached things recently.  

The Hammers made nine changes from their midweek heroics in the reverse fixture against Alkmaar in a 2-0 loss at Brentford on Sunday, Tomas Soucek and Naif Aguerd the only players to retain their spot and the former was replaced before the hour to keep him fresh.  

That means we should see key figures such as Kurt Zouma, captain Declan Rice and Michail Antonio return here and that rest could be important when selecting players to include in your Alkmaar vs West Ham bet builder.  

AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United bet builder tips

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