Four matches to watch out for this weekend

Nigeria [U20] v Cote d’Ivoire [U20] @Stade de Galles @4pm on December 6

Ladan Bosso’s U-20 national team begin their WAFU B Cup of Nations Cup tournament against the young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday as they bid to qualify for the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations that will be staged in Mauritania in February 2021.

This is Bosso’s second stint as coach of the U-20s. in his first stint in 2007, he led the team all the way to the World Cup where his team lost out in the quarterfinals to Chile.

Current Form: Nigeria [W-D-W], Côte d’Ivoire [W-D-L]

Prediction: Nigeria 2-1 Côte d’Ivoire

Tottenham v Arsenal at Tottenham Stadium @5:30pm on December 6

Jose Mourinho will want all three points to stay top of the EPL table but Mikel Arteta’s team also need maximum points to stave off a crisis just 10 games into the new season. So what will give at the Tottenham Stadium on Sunday?

Separated by eight points but 12 places on the table, Arsenal have not won a league match since November 1; a spate of two defeats and one draw, and they scored just one goal in that run.

Mourinho should have Toby Alderweireld back in the centre of the Spurs defence after his team conceded three goals away to LASK on Thursday but there are doubts over Harry Kane and Sergio Reguilon while Arsenal duo, Thomas Partey and David Luiz, face a race against time to be fit for Sunday.

Will the Gunners stage a resurrection or Mourinho continue to have his familiar way against Arsenal?

Current Form: Tottenham [D-D-W-W-W]; Arsenal [W-L-W-D-L]

Head-to-head

12/07/20 PL Tottenham 2 – 1 Arsenal

01/09/19 PL Arsenal 2 – 2 Tottenham

02/03/19 PL Tottenham 1 – 1 Arsenal

19/12/18 LC Arsenal 0 – 2 Tottenham

02/12/18 PL Arsenal 4 – 2 Tottenham

Prediction: Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal

Sevilla v Real Madrid @ Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan @4:15pm on December 5

Zinedine Zidane has the unusual habit of pulling rabbits out from inconspicuous hats in his playing days and he has recreated this as manager at Real Madrid. Despite a strong finish to the COVID-19-affected 2019/20 season and winning La Liga, the 2020/21 season has been fraught with a slow-start and the next seven days will determine whether he will continue to reign at the Santiago Bernabeu, resign or be sacked.

Away at Sevilla, coached by a former Real Madrid manager, Julen Lopetegui, there will be much at stake on Saturday. Both teams are coming off defeats in the Champions League and are separated by just one point on the La Liga table. Real Madrid have won just once in their last six visits to the Sanchez Pizjuan, but Zidane’s team need a win now at all costs – will they get it?

Current Form: Sevilla [L-W-W-W-W]; Real Madrid [L-L-W-D-L]

Head-to-head

18/01/20 LAL Real Madrid 2 – 1 Sevilla

22/09/19 LAL Sevilla 0 – 1 Real Madrid

19/01/19 LAL Real Madrid 2 – 0 Sevilla

26/09/18 LAL Sevilla 3 – 0 Real Madrid

09/05/18 LAL Sevilla 3 – 2 Real Madrid

Prediction: Sevilla 2-2 Real Madrid

Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig @Allianz Arena @6:30pm on December 5

Bayern are a side full of experience and youth, and in Robert Lewandowski, they have a match-winning striker, but the last time Leipzig visited the Allianz; they fought Bayern to a 0-0 result despite almost 70 percent possession for the home team.

Hansi Flick rested Lewandowski and Manuel Neuer for the Champions League trip to Spain in midweek, but Leipzig had to fight till the last minute in Turkey to keep their Champions League fate in their own hands. Will tiredness be an issue on Saturday?

The last victory for the upstarts was a 2-1 victory in 2018, but since that victory Leipzig have lost twice and drawn thrice. Can Julian Nagelsmann enhance a growing reputation with another outstanding result against the record Germany league champions?

Current Form: Bayern [D-W-W-D-W]; RB Leipzig [W-W-L-D-W]

Head-to-head

09/02/20 BUN Bayern Munich 0 – 0 RB Leipzig

14/09/19 BUN RB Leipzig 1 – 1 Bayern Munich

25/05/19 DFB RB Leipzig 0 – 3 Bayern Munich

11/05/19 BUN RB Leipzig 0 – 0 Bayern Munich

19/12/18 BUN Bayern Munich 1 – 0 RB Leipzig

Prediction: Bayern 3-1 RB Leipzig