Sports EPL: Weekend's Fixtures, Capital One Cup Preview And All The Comments From Coaches

At this stage in the English Premier League, every single match seems to have an enormity of expectation placed on it.

Such is the importance that any points dropped now, could have significant outcome of how a team may eventually end up at the end of the season.

The title, Champions League qualification places and the relegation fight have got teams boxed into being on their toes if they are to scrap anything after all.

Manchester City can capitalise on Chelsea not being in action in the Premier League this weekend, by closing the gap to within two points of Jose Mourinho's team.

However, as good as that may sound, they are up against a resurgent Liverpool side who have not lost in the league since their defeat to Manchester United in December.

So, cutting the gap on Chelsea would require some measure of work from Manuel Pellegrini's team, but it must be noted that Brendan Rodgers' team is beginning to tick the way he would want them to.

Both Liverpool and City had bad results in Europe this week, so a good result will be the minimum outcome required to shrug off those losses.

There will be battle royale at Anfield,and with the Kopites roaring Liverpool, an electric atmospher is guaranteed.

This game has a lot hinging on it. Any slip-up from City will see the pressure cranked up on Pellegrini, because the league represents their viable option of winning a title this season.

And with Chelsea playing much later, City wouldn't want an opportunity to gift them a seven-point lead.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will be in action on Sunday in the finals of the Capital One Cup against Tottenham.

Mauricio Pochettino's handed Chelsea a 5-3 drubbing the last time they both clashed on New Year's Day.

But knowing Mourinho, he would do everything to avoid a defeat this time around at Wembley, being a Cup final, you can't overrule Tottenham.

Even if nothing were to be at stake here, Tottenham are a threat, at least they have shown that they can beat Chelsea.

They have in Harry Kane, a striker who is in great form and someone who has proven this season that he has predatory instincts to give any team something to worry about.

Mourinho is a master tactician and seems cut out for this kind of games. No doubt his Chelsea team are the overwhelming favourites, but like they say: " beware of the underdogs."

Below, we have complied the speeches of the top four managers from their press conferences on Friday.


*Arsenal:
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spent much of his press conference, trying to explain what went wrong for them in their UEFA Champions League defeat to Monaco.

The Gunners fell at home, losing 3-1 to the French side, and Wenger admitted that they were frustrated.

"We fought very hard against Besiktas to qualify and what's frustrating is that we've gone out in the last 16 in the last four years," Wenger said.

"There is nobody to blame individually. On the night everything went against us and missing chances was only one characteristic.

"What's important to give a strong response. We are a big club so that gives us a stronger responsibility."

"You play 55 games a year and you have moments where you are disappointed. We want to finish the season in a strong way," he says.

"I expect a strong response in the Premier League because it is a different competition. We have an opportunity to maintain our top-three position."

Wenger further added: "What is hurting is the defeat more than the criticism.

"I do not say I am immune to it. I love to win and when I don't win, I am hurt of course.

"We have to live with that criticism and of course when you come out from a disappointing game like Wednesday night, you don't expect people to applaud. It is absolutely normal that we get criticised."

Arsenal will play Everton on Sunday at the Emirates stadium.



*Manchester United
Coach Louis Van Gaal revealed that Robin Van Persie has sufered an ankle injury which will keep him out of the team for some time.

"He is injured," said Van Gaal. "It is an ankle problem. I do not think it is very heavy but ankle problems can take a long time.

"It is not one or two weeks".

On qualifying for the Champions League next season, Van Gaal described it as a "rat race between five clubs", adding that it has been their "objective from start of season".

On United's record over the last 15 games, Van Gaal said: "We have discussed in the last press conference, you have said it, not I, from the last 15 matches, that we have had the best result. I don't say that, but now I am reading that I have said, no, I have answered yes, I know, because I know that, you are writing that. But when you are writing the other way around, you are not being fair because you are pushing that we were the best, you have made comment on that."

And the Dutch coach remained adamant that they will qualify for the Champions League next season: "Of course. When you start the season with objective of finishing in the first four of the league you are occupied with doing that.

"But we are still there, I don't know why are we talking about when we are still there. What is the problem?"

"Do you need to beat Sunderland?', he's asked.

"Not because of this game, because I want to mention that last year Sunderland has won everything against Manchester United. They have lost also a league cup match, but after penalties they have beaten, so you have lose also.

"It is like we [Holland] draw also against Argentina in the semi-final, but in the end we are not in the final, so we have lost. I could say that, yes, we didn't lose, but with penalties you have lost."




*Chelsea:
Jose Mourinho claimed that he is relaxed ahead of their match against Tottenham Spurs, taking it game after game.

"I just think about the moment. Only this game. We have a final to win and nothing else matters," he replies.

"I don't think if we win the Cup final we will win the league, or if we lose it we will lose the league.

"It is just a game we have to play and after that the Cup talk is over. If we go home with the Cup and the medal, perfect. But no consequences - we just carry on. There is no time to think about consequences."

Having courted troubles in the past following his comments about match officials, Mourinho refused to be drawn into saying anything about them again.

"I don't believe that anyone involved in this game doesn't want to do his best," he says.

"I believe all three teams (Chelsea, Spurs, the officials) will go with the same ambition - to do very well and hopefully even the players that like to complicate things, hopefully they will try to make the final a big final."

On Nemanja ,Matic's: "If I give you my views it is bad for me. If I speak about it again I promise you I will be in big trouble," Mourinho says.



*Manchester City
All Manchester City players are fit and roaring to go in this fixture against Liverpool, their manager Manuel Pellegrini revealed.

Ahead of Sunday's match against Brendan Rodger's side, he said it is: "very important to beat Liverpool, they are a strong team and it's a difficult stadium. We will try to attack [them] from the start of the game".

On title defence, Pellegrini said: "We must keep fighting until the end and as soon as we close the gap (on Chelsea) it's better for us".




Fixtures:
West Ham vs Crystal Palace 1:45pm
Burnley vs Swansea 4:00pm
Man Utd vs Sunderland 4:00pm
Newcastle vs Aston Villa 4:00pm
Stoke vs Hull 4:00pm
West Brom vs Southampton 4:00pm


Sunday 1st March 2015
Liverpool vs Man City 1:00pm
Arsenal vs Everton 3:05pm


Capital One Cup Final
Chelsea vs Tottenham
 

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