Ahead of a festive weekend’s action, we’re focussing on the big one at the Etihad, a very fragile Man United side and the perfect hangover cure on Sunday morning.
A veritable feast of football this Sunday
We’re patently aware that this is the weekend before Christmas and many of you may be embarking on the 12 pubs sometime on Saturday afternoon, but if you’re prepared to get up at a reasonable hour on Sunday, the perfect hangover cure awaits.
Manchester United and QPR get the ball rolling at midday, followed by Liverpool away to Villa at 2.05 and the big one of the day, Manchester City against Arsenal, just after 4pm. All of those games are on Sky Sports 1 and while Spurs and Sunderland fans get slightly shafted by the 3pm kick-off time and no live coverage, surely there’s enough in there to sate the appetite of any football lover.
That’s not even taking into account Heineken Cup, NFL, Darts and all the other sports going on over the next few days. Prepare to comb yourself a nice arse groove because you mightn’t move from the couch all weekend.
Will Owen Coyle’s stock continue to plummet?
Not long back, you would have heard the Trapattoni baiters saying that he should be got rid of immediately and replaced by somebody young, somebody enthusiastic, somebody who likes playing good football, somebody like former Irish international Owen Coyle.
Those voices have faded dramatically of late, however, not just because Trap guided us to the Euros, but because Bolton have suddenly become one of the worst teams in the league. Five losses out of the last six, more than two goals conceded per game, it’s a shambles at the Reebok at the moment and the buck must stop with the manager who’s beginning to learn the harsh realities of life in the Premier League.
United will be walking on eggshells
The spirits of the Manchester United side should be up after a cathartic victory over Wolves last weekend, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s resources are wearing painfully thin at the moment and another casualty could be catastrophic.
Two of these three have already been sidelined. If United lose the other, they’re screwed.
Darren Fletcher’s indefinite loss is a huge blow to the Red Devils and only adds to the misery inflicted by Nemanja Vidic’s season length absence and medium-term injuries to Tom Cleverley, Anderson and Javier Hernandez.
QPR won’t be holding back this weekend though and we’re sure the likes of Joey Barton and Shaun Derry will be snapping at the ankles of Rooney and company for 90 minutes.
Can the Newcastle defence stem the tide?
Everyone knew that Newcastle’s good run simply couldn’t last and after a dream start, Alan Pardew is putting out fires all over the place at the moment. At the heart of Newcastle’s early surge was the form of their defensive pillars Steven Taylor and the man with the fabulous mane, Fabricio Coloccini, and since Pardew has been shorn of their services through injury, Newcastle have looked far from watertight.
Having conceded only eight goals in their first 11 games, Pardew’s men have been leaking at an alarming rate in recent games, letting in 11 goals in their last four games. Steven Taylor might be gone for the season, but Pardew needs Coloccini back, fast. They have Swansea at home, so it’s not the stiffest test in the world. But still, another defeat there and the Magpies ship could begin to sink.
The big one at the Etihad
In contrast to previous seasons, one of the most notable features of the Premier League this season is the quality and entertainment value of the games between the big teams.
Manchester United’s wins against Arsenal and Chelsea and their humbling at the hands of City, Arsenal’s thrilling victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the North London derby at White Hart Lane and Liverpool’s draw with City at Anfield are just some examples, with only the boring stalemate between Liverpool and United at Anfield failing to live up to expectations.
The clash between City and Arsenal at the Etihad this weekend has the potential to outshine them all. There will be goals, of that we have precious little doubt, and with so many great players in great form, there could be a right Christmas cracker in Manchester on Sunday afternoon.
