Happy Friday! Congrats on making it to the weekend. I'm Mike Goodman and we are looking ahead to Liverpool vs. Chelsea in a make-or-break battle between two shockingly midtable teams. We'll also get caught up on some transfer news, and check in on the USWNT ahead of Friday night's friendly against New Zealand.
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📺 What we're watching this weekend
On Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network (all times U.S./Eastern):
⚽ WSL: Man City vs. Aston Villa, Saturday, 6:25 a.m. (Paramount+)
⚽ Serie A: Salernitana vs. Napoli, Saturday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
⚽ Serie A: Fiorentina vs. Torino, Saturday, 2:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
⚽ Serie A: Spezia vs. Roma, Sunday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
⚽ Serie A: Juventus vs. Atalanta, Sunday, 2:45 p.m. (CBS Sports Network/Paramount+)
⚽ WSL: Chelsea vs. Liverpool, Sunday, 7:30 a.m, (Paramount+)
⚽ WSL: Brighton vs. Arsenal, Sunday, 1:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
We are also keeping an eye on:
⚽ Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich, Friday, 2:30 p.m.
⚽ Friendly: New Zealand vs. USWNT, Friday, 10 p.m.
⚽ EPL: Liverpool vs. Chelsea, Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
⚽ EPL: Arsenal vs. Man United, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
⚽ The Forward Line
Chelsea and Liverpool meet in must-win game
Seldom will you find a midtable matchup like this one. When Chelsea and Liverpool face off, it's usually a top-table clash with title implications or at least two teams vying for positioning in the top-four race. Things will be different Saturday morning as we'll get two struggling teams in ninth and 10th trying to stay within striking distance of the top four. The situation is a tad dire for Chelsea, who have played 19 games to Liverpool's 18, but realistically, whichever side doesn't walk away with three points will need a minor miracle (like winning this edition of the Champions League) to appear in the Champions League next season.
The House of Champions podcast crew talked about the plight of these two sides and here's what former Liverpool great Luis Garcia had to say about whether or not Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez will reach his potential with the team.
- Garcia: "He will come good. There is a lot of pressure on the team right now. He arrived to a team that is going down. We aren't seeing a Liverpool that is on the up. He arrived at a moment that the press is not the best -- they don't have the same legs we saw before -- so he needs to put in extra effort every time. But he's tall, he's very good in the air, aggressive, good with his feet. It will take time. Probably next season he will be at his best. It will come."
In addition to the podcast, make sure to check out James Benge's break down Liverpool's surprising half-season long slump.
Listen below and follow House of Champions, a CBS Sports soccer podcast, covering everything you need to know about the beautiful game. Make sure to tune in for coverage of the biggest games, stories, transfer news with Fabrizio Romano, and everything else going on in the world's most popular sport.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
Questions remain for USWNT
A 4-0 win is a 4-0 win, but questions still remain about the state of the United States women's national team after their first friendly in New Zealand. Sandra Herrera breaks down what to watch for tonight as the Americans take the field again -- specifically, what to do about the team's big hole at defensive midfield.
- Herrera: "It's been a long-glaring hole in the system in an attempt to replace Julie Ertz, the former No. 6 who has been out with injury and then on maternity leave. The unanswered question has now trickled into the long absence of Sam Mewis in the No. 8 role for the team. The constant rotation of the defensive midfielder position is also perhaps a disservice to those who have since been asked to fill the position. Andi Sullivan has been a frequent player in the role but the coaching staff has utilized Kristie Mewis and Lindsey Horan, among others."
And now let's get to some links:
- 🔗 With Leandro Trossard on his way to Arsenal, Chuck Booth breaks down what makes the move so good.
- 🔗 Juventus's legal problems continue to mount and now the Italian FA is asking for a nine-point deduction.
- 🔗 Dani Alves turned himself in in Barcelona to face accusations of sexual assault.
- 🔗 It was an interesting affair in Riyadh as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced off for what could be the last time.
- 🔗 Attacking Third: Don't miss an exclusive interview with NWSL No. 1 pick Alyssa Thompson of Angel City.
- 🔗 In better news for Juventus, Fedderico Chiesa is getting back to scoring goals like this for them after his long injury layoff.
- 🔗 In Soccer We Trust breaks down the new-look January USMNT camp, including their starting XI predictions.
- 🔗 House of Champions: Ian Paul Joy, Nigel Reo-Coker, Michael Lahoud and James Benge preview the weekend slate.
- 🔗 And remember all of your soccer needs -- from Champions League to Serie A to NWSL and so much more -- are available on Paramount+. Try one month for free by using the code: SERIEA.
💰 The Back Line
Best bets
Some intriguing matches to take a look at. All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook and all times U.S./Eastern.
- Premier League: Liverpool vs. Chelsea, Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
💰 THE PICK: Liverpool (-117) -- Yes, both these teams have struggled, but Chelsea have struggled a lot more. Plus Liverpool were the better team last season, so they're tumbling from a higher starting point. But really the expected goal (xG) stats tell a very clear story. Jurgen Klopp's side has a positive 0.37 xG difference per game, while Chelsea have a -0.14 (according to fbref), that's a huge difference. Follow SportsLine's best bets here. - Premier League: Arsenal vs. Man United, Sunday, 11:30 a.m.
💰 THE PICK: Arsenal (-115) -- It's Arsenal's world and we're all just living in it. Manchester United are much improved, and playing well, but they were running hot too, so it wasn't surprising to see their nine-game winning streak snapped with a midweek draw against Crystal Palace. Arsenal are at home and playing like the league leaders they are, but not getting the kind of dominant price a team like Manchester City with similar stats did against United a week ago. Arsenal take it. Follow SportsLine's best bets here.
