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Match Focus: Spurs Must Defend Unbeaten Run Against Happy Travellers West Ham

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Match Focus: Spurs Must Defend Unbeaten Run Against Happy Travellers West Ham In the only game on Sunday as the Premier League gets back in full swing this weekend Tottenham host West Ham, with no love lost between the two London rivals. Having fallen to three defeats to the Hammers in the 2013/14 season, the bragging rights returned to Spurs last time around, though the spoi...

Match Focus: Sterling to Take Centre Stage as Man City Host Liverpool

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Match Focus: Sterling to Take Centre Stage as Man City Host Liverpool It’s always nice to have a big match to sink your teeth into following on from an international week, with El Clasico undoubtedly stealing the limelight upon the return to domestic action across Europe. There is, however, an intriguing game to look forward to in the Premier League too, with Ma...

Match Focus: Special Team Spirit Leads Ireland to Euro 2016

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Match Focus: Special Team Spirit Leads Ireland to Euro 2016 After a performance of complete conviction from Ireland, on a brilliant night at Lansdowne Road, a jubilant Martin O’Neill had one caveat. He had to keep reminding myself to stop using the word “special” in his celebratory press conference.That was how he described the evening, the...

Match Focus: Lyon Finally Step Up On Historic Night

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Match Focus: Lyon Finally Step Up On Historic Night His 150th appearance in Ligue 1. The final derby between Olympique Lyonnais and Saint Etienne at Stade de Gerland. Never let it be said that Alexandre Lacazette has anything less than a perfect sense of timing. “I lived out a dream,” the Lyon striker said after hitting the hat-trick whic...

Match Focus: Profligate Palace Looking to Reign on Klopp's Parade

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Match Focus: Profligate Palace Looking to Reign on Klopp's Parade Liverpool vs Crystal PalaceHaving secured back-to-back wins with a narrow victory in Russia on Thursday Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side complete their 5,000 mile round trip with a return to Anfield to host Crystal Palace. It’s not a fixture that will bring back fond memories for the Reds f...

Match Focus: Baptism of Fire for Garde as Man City Travel to Villa

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Match Focus: Baptism of Fire for Garde as Man City Travel to Villa Aston Villa vs Manchester CityHaving parted ways with Tom Sherwood a fortnight ago Aston Villa finally announced the appointment of Remi Garde ahead of their game at Tottenham on Monday, with the Frenchman in the stands to run the rule over his new team. It was the perfect example of the task at han...

Match Focus: Chelsea Aim for Revenge in the Battle at the Britannia

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Match Focus: Chelsea Aim for Revenge in the Battle at the Britannia Stoke vs ChelseaJose Mourinho may have bought himself a little more time at Chelsea if the rumours are to be believed following a late win in the Champions League in midweek, but must now pick up points in the league. His side travel to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday looking to get revenge follow...

Match Focus: Leaky Roma Must Tighten Up Ahead of Leverkusen Welcome

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Match Focus: Leaky Roma Must Tighten Up Ahead of Leverkusen Welcome It was a trick that worked a treat for Inter on Halloween. When the starting line-ups were printed on Saturday night, however, their fans feared a horror show at San Siro. Danilo D’Ambrosio hadn’t played a minute all season and yet this was the moment when Roberto Mancini decided to thro...

Match Focus: Feisty Brittany Derby Flips the Region’s Script

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Match Focus: Feisty Brittany Derby Flips the Region’s Script So when Guingamp take on Lorient, it’s not a ‘real’ derby? Try telling that to anyone involved at the Stade de Roudourou on Saturday night. Though these two modest clubs are separated from one another by 110km and are (figuratively speaking, at least) even further from the traditio...

Match Focus: Premier League Top Matches - Gameweek 11

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Match Focus: Premier League Top Matches - Gameweek 11 Chelsea vs LiverpoolThere's little debate as to the biggest game of the weekend in the Premier League, with the curtain raiser for gameweek 11 seeing Chelsea host Liverpool. Plenty of the attention will be on the sidelines, where Jose Mourinho will take his place despite facing a touchline ban to fa...