Make or break time for Kell Brook and Arsene Wenger
Liverpool v Newcastle – Premier League football – Saturday 3 March – BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4KUHD from 5.00pm (Kick off at 5.30pm)
A club legend returns to Anfield on Saturday as Rafa Benitez – one of only three Liverpool managers to lift the European cup – travels to Merseyside with relegation-threatened Newcastle. However, it’s the manager in the opposite dugout, February Manager of the Month nominee Jurgen Klopp, who goes into Saturday’s fixture with a firm upper hand.
Mo Salah shortlisted for February's @premierleague Player of the Month.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 2, 2018
Tottenham ⚽️⚽️
Southampton ⚽️ ️
West Ham ⚽️ ️
Cast your vote @ https://t.co/WZtjbv9W3Gpic.twitter.com/hOBWr83nyq
Given Liverpool’s relentless form of late, the Magpies will be hard pushed to improve on their dismal record at Anfield during the Premier League era - having won there only once since the league’s inception.
Historically one of the most dramatic and high-scoring encounters of the Premier League era - remember the then Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan slumped over advertising hoardings after a 4-3 defeat at Anfield - Liverpool have scored more goals against Newcastle than they have against any other side. With the Reds’ attacking trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino showing no sign of taking their foot off the pedal, publicans will be hard pushed to find a fixture that promises more goalmouth action than this one.
Kell Brook v Sergey Rabchenko – Super welterweight boxing – Saturday 3 March - Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm
Sheffield’s Kell Brook returns to action after back-to-back stoppage defeats to middleweight behemoth Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin and Errol Spence Junior - arguably the hottest talent in the welterweight division in which Brook formerly held a world title.
JUDGEMENT NIGHT! @SpecialKBrook can only answer questions about his future when the first bell rings this Saturday, says @SkyJohnnyNelsonhttps://t.co/mj7vsg8PnEpic.twitter.com/pb2uoTqeok
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) March 1, 2018
In what’s being billed as a make-or-break fight, Brook will need to overcome rugged Belarussian Sergey Rabchenko on Saturday night if he’s to gate-crash the world title scene at a higher weight class and make waves in an often overlooked division that boasts unheralded but dangerous foes such as unbeaten American Jermell Charlo and Cuban amateur sensation Erislandy Lara.
With boxing, according to MatchPint, the fastest growing pub spectator sport in the UK, Brook’s return to action is one that’s sure to drive footfall this weekend.
Brighton and Hove Albion v Arsenal – Premier League football – Sunday 4 March – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League from 12.30pm (Kick off at 1.30pm)
The last five days must surely mark the lowest point in Arsene Wenger’s illustrious reign as Arsenal manager?
His spineless side were humbled twice in the space of five days by Manchester City, failing to deliver the only trophy that’s evaded the Frenchman’s grasp during more than a quarter of a century on English soil, and were booed off by a half-full Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
Quite simply, Arsenal must beat Brighton if they’re to keep their slim hopes of Champions League qualification alive. Their recent form has seen them slip 10 points adrift of fourth place with just 10 games remaining in their season – and possibly their manager’s time in charge.
Unbeaten in their last six in all competitions, Brighton will welcome their beleaguered guests to the Amex Stadium on Sunday quietly confident of springing an upset and deepening the misery sweeping across the red half of North London.
Manchester City v Chelsea – Premier League football – Sunday 4 March – Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League from 3.30pm (Kick off at 4.00pm)
Reigning champions Chelsea must beat Manchester City this weekend if they’re to stand a realistic chance of a top-four finish, and Champions League qualification, this season. However, that means achieving what no other side has this season - beating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on home soil.
A 2-1 defeat at City’s neighbours last time out allowed Tottenham to move ahead of Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification. With Spurs hosting Huddersfield the day before kick-off at the Etihad, Chelsea will most likely trail their London rivals by five points by the time a ball is kicked.
Pep Guardiola has now managed 100 Man City games in all competitions:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 1, 2018
71 wins
16 draws
13 losses
71% win rate
247 goals
96 conceded
Phenomenal record. pic.twitter.com/fRAOfH9mNA
Back to back 3-0 wins against Arsenal in the space of five days have all-but banished a shock FA Cup exit against Wigan to distant memory as City go into Sunday’s encounter needing just five more wins to deliver Pep Guardiola his first league title on English soil.
