MY ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION FOR THIS WEEKEND

The German Bundesliga resumes this weekend, Spanish La Liga also returns after the Super Cup, to join the Italian Serie A and the English Premier League in giving football fans across the world another exciting dose of football. Predictions for this week include three games from Italy, two from England, two from Germany, and one from Spain.

LAZIO vs SAMPDORIA

Saturday 18^th (3:00pm Local Time)

Lazio have won their last ten league games and are third on the table, six points behind league leaders Juventus. Sampdoria are five points above relegation zone. They have won two of their last five away league games and their biggest win came in their last league game, a 5-1 victory at home to Brescia, these are signs that they are playing well again, but away to a Lazio side who have scored a minimum of two goals in nine of their last ten league wins, they stand no chance.

Prediction: Lazio To Win & Over 1.5 Goals

AUGSBURG vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Saturday 18^th (3:30pm Local Time)

Augsburg won their last three home games before the Christmas break, while Dortmund won two of their last three away games. The gap between mid-table Augsburg and the relegation zone is widening with each game, this is the same situation with Dortmund and first placed RB Leipzig, which suggest Augsburg are in a better form than Dortmund. However, Dortmund play before the likes of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, so they’ll see this as an opportunity to close the gap between, but because Augsburg have a good home record, also because the last four league games between them have ended with both teams scoring, we are likely to see a repeat of that.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score

REAL MADRID vs SEVILLA

Saturday 18^th (4pm Local Time)

This is a battle between second and fourth. Before they travelled to the Middle-East for the Super Cup four-team competition, Real Madrid won only one of their last four league games, but their home form has been very impressive, as they are a high scoring side at the Bernabeu. Sevilla’s away form in the league has also been very impressive, as they have won three of their last four in the league, plus another six goals in their last two away games in the Copa del rey. With five points separating them on the league table, this is going to be a keenly contested game of football.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score

SOUTHAMPTON vs WOLVERHAMPTON

Saturday 18^th (4pm Local Time)

Over a month ago, Southampton were just a point above the relegation zone, now they are seven points off that zone. They have been on a steady rise since the 21^st of December 2019, winning four of the last five league games, including wins away to Chelsea and Leicester City, and at home to Tottenham. Wolves’ form of late has been inconsistent, as they have just one win from their last four away games in the league. However, of their 22 league games this season, they have failed to score in only two (away to Leicester City & Liverpool), and with Southampton’s Danny Ings still in superb goal scoring form, this fixture is set up to be an end-to-end game of goals.

Prediction: Both Teams To Score

RB LEIPZIG vs UNION BERLIN

Saturday 18^th (6:30pm Local Time)

RB Leipzig are sitting on top of the Bundesliga table, two points above second placed Borussia Monchengladbach, four above Bayern Munich and seven above Dortmund. They have won their last four home games with a minimum of three goals. Union Berlin have won just one game away in the league this season, they are five points above the relegation zone. RB Leipzig are desperate to hold on to top spot, and they have enough quality to brush Union Berlin aside.

Prediction: RB Leipzig To Win & Over 1.5 Goals

LECCE vs INTER

Sunday 19^th (3:00pm Local Time)

Newly promoted Lecce are a point above the relegation zone, having lost their last four league games. They have won just three league games this season, the last time they won a game of football was on the last day of November 2019, a 1-0 win away to Fiorentina. Inter have won all but one away game this season, the only time they dropped points away was against Fiorentina, so good is their away form. They survived a scare when they almost lost at home to Atalanta in their last league game, a last minute penalty save by their goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, ensured the game ended 1-1. But against a toothless Lecce side, they should be getting three points to keep the pressure on league leaders Juventus.

Prediction: Inter To Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Liverpool vs Manchester United

Sunday 19^th (5:30pm Local Time)

Liverpool are up against the only team they have dropped points against this season. They have won 20 of their 21 league games, scoring 50 goals along the way. The last time they conceded a goal in the league was on the 4^th of December 2019, a 5-2 home win against Everton. That is how efficient they have been both in attack and defence. Manchester United have won two and lost two in their last four away games in the league. The myth around Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's ability to beat the big teams was busted in their last away game in the league, when Arsenal defeated his Manchester United side 2-0. With Liverpool still mesmerizing the world of football, there can only be one outcome in this game.

Prediction: Liverpool To Win & Over 1.5 Goals 

JUVENTUS vs PARMA

Sunday 19^th (8:45pm Local Time)

Juventus have won their last four league games (two home, two away), scoring a minimum of two goals in each. Newly promoted Parma have won two of their last three away games. They are a daring team with fine goal scoring ability, and are sure to make things difficult for Juventus in this game, but Juventus’ experience almost always ensure they get over the line safely even when they don’t hit top gear. Juventus should win this game, especially knowing a slip up can see them drop to second place if Inter win. However, their inability to keep clean sheets (they’ve kept just one in their last four league games) is the reason I am going to attach a number of goals to the predicted win.

Prediction: Juventus To Win & Over 1.5 Goals

GOALSCORERS THIS WEEKEND

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)

Danny Ings (Southampton)

Romelu Lukaku (Inter)

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Josip Illicic (Atalanta)

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