There are just two Premier League fixtures kicking off at 3pm today. However, they are anything but meaningless – points mean prizes in the Premier League and each club will want to finish as high as possible in the league to gain more prize money.
Here are the factz you need to know:
West Ham United v Southampton
* This is the 100th league meeting between the sides.
* West Ham won last time out, ending a 4- game run without a win.
* In their last 6 matches, Saints have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 2.
* West Ham have kept just 6 clean sheets all season; only relegated Fulham and Huddersfield have kept fewer. They have also failed to score in 14 league matches – only Huddersfield and Cardiff have drawn more blanks.
* Shane Long is in form with 4 goals in his last 5 matches – more than he scored in his previous 60 appearances.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham
* Wolves haven’t lost to Fulham since 1985 – a run of 14 matches in league and cup competitions.
* Molineux is a fortress for Wolves – they are unbeaten in 7 matches on home turf, with 5 wins.
* Since relegation, Fulham have won 3 out of 3 matches – winning as many points as they did in their previous 20 matches.
* In that run, Fulham have kept 3 clean sheets – more than they had done in their previous 33 PL matches.
* If Wolves win, it will move them onto 57 points – the most by a promoted club since Ipswich scored 66 in 2000/01.
Tottenham Hotspur are looking to bolster their attack next season with a move for Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gomez this summer, according to reports.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to bring in at least one striker this summer to act as cover for Harry Kane. Current understudy Fernando Llorente looks set to leave after a couple of underwhelming seasons.
Maxi Gomez is high on Pochettino’s list after an impressive couple of seasons in La Liga. He scored 17 goals last term and although he only has 11 this season, he has been playing in a struggling Vigo side that is battling relegation.
That threat of relegation could be crucial: if Vigo do go down, then a clause in Gomez’s contract means that he could be available for just £22 million. His current release clause is £42 million.
Vigo currently sit one point and one place above the drop zone with six matches to play.
West Ham United have previously been interested in signing Gomez, but Vigo refused to sell him in January. Whether they would come back in for him is not known.
The tea-time kick-off in the Premier League sees Manchester United host West Ham United at Old Trafford.
United need a win to boost their chances of claiming a Champions League spot, while West Ham want 3 points to keep alive their hopes of finishing 7th, which could be enough for a spot in the Europa League next season.
The match kicks off at 5.30pm and it is live on BT Sport 1. Here are the factz you need to know:
* West Ham took a 3-1 win at the London Stadium in the reverse fixture.
* Manchester United have lost 4 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
* The Hammers have lost 3 of their last 4 matches, all by a 2-0 score line.
* The Red Devil’s have not kept a clean sheet in their last 8 matches in all competitions.
* However, the Hammers have kept just 5 league clean sheet all season. Only Fulham have recorded fewer.
Manchester United are planning to make a £50 million bid to bring West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice to Old Trafford this summer according to reports.
Rice, 20, has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Premier League. He has become a fixture in the Hammers’ midfield with a string of impressive performances in the defensive midfield role.
His form has also seen him break into the England side in the past month. However, this did require a switch in nationality – he had previously appeared for the Republic if Ireland, although only in friendlies.
United have been previously linked to a bid for Rice. New manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is believed to be shifting transfer policy at Old Trafford from signing established stars to bringing in the best young talents, with Rice at the top of the list.
Rumours have again surfaced of a £50 million bid, this time in the Irish Independent.
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has recently admitted that if a big money offer came in for the player – who came through the Hammers’ academy system – then the club could sell.
For Rice, a move to United would be tempting. Not only could they offer a substantially higher wage than his current £30,000 per week salary, they could also offer European football – be that Champions League or Europa League.
We bring you the very best content of the beautiful game we all live, breathe, sleep
