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Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in fight to win their last game of the year 2011

Angela Asante, December 30 2011,
The year 2011 will end with the English Premier League’s 19th Matchday. Liverpool and Newcastle will provide Friday’s only game as Saturday will be packed with more action.

Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish wants his side to improve on their home games performances.

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Remarkably, Liverpool have never lost at Anfield in the league but they haven’t managed to pick up enough points on home soil either. From a possible 27 points, the Merseyside Reds have won just 15. This is the result of their 3 victories and 6 draws at Anfield.

“If you want to be really positive you could say we are undefeated at home but we've said before we don't want to set our standards that low,” Kenny Dalglish miserably told reporters on Thursday.

“We want to be winning our home games as often as we possibly can and we've certainly given ourselves opportunities to have won every home game. We haven't done that but we will keep going and we believe we will do.”

 

Only 1 point separates sixth-placed Liverpool and seventh-placed Newcastle United just outside the European zone. The Magpies have lost only twice away from home in the league and they can find confidence from their 2-0 defeat of Bolton a few days ago. Newcastle United will be hoping to disturb Liverpool just like they embarrassed Manchester United at Old Trafford in a controversial 1-1 draw on November 26.

Meanwhile, the Merseyside Reds could leapfrog Arsenal in fifth position before a ball gets kicked at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Without the suspended Luis Suarez, how will Liverpool knock off Newcastle United?

The pressure is on ex-Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll to steal the show. The young English man can review 2011 as an eventful one, starting from his shocking switch to Anfield. It remains to be seen whether Andy Carroll can produce a fantastic performance to shame his critics. In the meantime, Liverpool cannot afford to relax as coach Dalglish certainly knows.

“I suppose every change you make can be termed drastic,” said the legend. “We have changed formations, we've changed players, but the one thing we won't change is our philosophy so we'll keep going with that.”

At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s hunt for a fourth-place finish will continue with a match against QPR. The Gunners are 16 points above the sixteenth-placed Queens Park Rangers but both sides will start Saturday’s battle on equal ground.

Arsenal suffered a setback on Tuesday as Wolves bravely snatched a point. Like Wenger’s boys, QPR also managed nothing more than a draw in midweek. It happened away to Swansea City. During the action at the Emirates, Chelsea will be busy against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. The Blues stumbled to their fourth draw earlier this week as they drew 1-1 with Fulham. Andre Villas-Boas eventually conceded the following:

“Maybe the Premier League is over for us at the moment. The difference between us and the top is big. We had reduced it to seven points recently but with City and United continuing to get the points they are getting at the moment, it'll be difficult.

“You cannot say it is impossible but we have to focus on our position at the moment and make a real assessment.”

Chelsea aren’t willing to completely throw the towel just yet. Although even a win this weekend will not elevate them from their fourth position, a positive result will mean a lot psychologically ahead of the year 2012.

Liverpool vs Newcastle United, Arsenal vs Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea vs Aston Villa will help determine how the standings will look like ahead of the New Year.
 
How Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool rank in the English Premier League table:

3   Tottenham Hotspur 17 12 2 3 34 19 +15 38
4   Chelsea 18 10 4 4 36 21 +15 34
5   Arsenal 18 10 3 5 34 26 +8 33
6   Liverpool 18 8 7 3 21 14 +7 31
7   Newcastle United 18 8 6 4 25 22 +3 30

Liverpool vs Newcastle United

Date: Friday, 30 Dec 2011
Time: 14:45 ( US/Eastern )
Competition: England Premier League
Live/Repeat: Live
Venue: Anfield (Liverpool)

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