JT in the ideal pose
Saturday
Everton v Man Utd, 12:00
Manchester United must recover from their 6-1 home defeat to league leaders Man City, but the fixture list hasn’t been too kind. On paper a visit to Goodison Park, where they threw away a 3-1 lead in stoppage time last season and lost the season before, isn’t an ideal location for displaying bouncebackability. But while the Toffees’ customary slow start has been a great deal better than their dismal opening to last season, when they were within dropping distance of the relegation zone until well into the New Year, they haven’t exactly shone in the early stages and United will take heart from Goodison victories for QPR and Liverpool in the league this season – not to mention their sapping extra-time bout with Chelsea in midweek. Ferguson’s way isn’t to rely on the weakness of opponents, though, it’s to rely on the strength of his own charges, and some of United’s guiltier culprits from last weekend’s mauling will have to perform well to prove the derby was a one-off. The returns of Vidic and Cleverly will be boosts, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see changes unaffected by injury and recovery. Ashley Young, Rio Ferdinand and Anderson might all find their places under threat after substandard derby performances.
Chelsea v Arsenal, 12:45
Chelsea’s good start to the season went relatively unnoticed thanks to the storming form of the Manchester clubs, but the incredible game against Queens Park Rangers on Sunday made the headlines for a variety of less palatable reasons. Two red-cards (both correct) didn’t stop Chelsea from a spirited display in the second half and they deserved a point for their efforts. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t get it, and to top it all off their captain has now been accused of racism after a spat with Anton Ferdinand. Not knowing much about libel I’ll not comment on the accusations, or the video evidence, but I will say this – John Terry is a massive prick. If he isn’t, he can sue me. The lack of a lawsuit will prove, once and for all, that John Terry IS a massive prick. As for the game, Chelsea will go into it as strong favourites, and while Arsenal have quietly gone about winning seven of their previous eight games, they have failed their three big tests in the league this season (Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs) and you wouldn’t bank on them bucking the trend here. The potential presence of Thomas Vermaelen could be a boost to the defence, however.
Man City v Wolverhampton, 15:00
Wolves took a hiding at Molineux from these opponents in midweek, and Manchester City’s form isn’t just ominous for them – it’s ominous for the rest of the league. That the team who beat Wolves 5-2 in midweek featured 11 changes from the 6-1 winners at Old Trafford indicates that confidence is oozing through the whole squad, and that isn’t good news for a Wolves side badly out of sorts. Their recovery from 2-0 down at home to Swansea won’t stick in the memory for as long as the abuse fans gave Mick McCarthy, and the manager’s spat with the supporters is unlikely to relax after this fixture. I’m expecting City’s scoring form to continue; Mancini’s only problem is picking between a clutch of firing front men.
Norwich v Blackburn, 15:00
Norwich’s 1-1 draw at Anfield last weekend was a great result for them, but the point they gained there will probably mean little if they are unable to at least equal those efforts here. Steve Kean got a welcome fillip in midweek with a dramatic 4-3 extra-time cup win against Newcastle, but the more pessimistic Rovers fan will have noted that they threw away a 2-0 lead in injury time before Gael Givet’s 120th minute header eventually won it. Paul Lambert’s men are looking to build on a great start to the season, and come the end of the weekend it isn’t inconceivable that they could be in sixth-place in the league. Kean needs league points, and fast; Carrow Road, in principle, isn’t an unrealistic place for an established Premier League team to get them. Nothing will be decided if they fail to, of course, but Blackburn’s start to the season may stop looking like a blip.
Sunderland v Aston Villa, 15:00
Sunderland’s 2-0 win at Bolton was a huge result for Steve Bruce, who was coming under pressure after a woeful run of form since Darren Bent was sold back in January. Now Bent returns to the Stadium of Light with his current employers Aston Villa, whose own start to the season has been so hard to read anything into. On the one hand, Villa have been beaten just twice in the league, but on the other they’ve only managed the same number of wins, and last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to West Brom did little to calm an increasingly edgy Villa faithful. Alex McLeish’s appointment was vehemently opposed by the majority of the Villa fanbase, and a perceived negative style of football hasn’t so far won them over. It’s hard to call a winner in this one, so I’ll say I wouldn’t be surprised with a draw.
Swansea v Bolton, 15:00
Swansea will have been devastated by their failure to hang onto a 2-0 lead at Molineux despite dominating last week, but their disappointment will be tempered by the fact that they get to play Bolton next. Owen Coyle’s Trotters have lost all but two of their games this season, and Coyle’s revolution of attractive football at the Reebok is long forgotten (and largely debunked as myth, too). Bolton’s plight has, of course, coincided with long-term injuries to a couple of key players (most notably Stuart Holden and Lee Chung-yong), but a couple of absences can’t legislate for their porous defence. Gary Cahill’s stock is suffering for being a part of that, although it’s hard to blame individuals when the malaise is so unexplained. Wanderers will be thankful that the game is away from the Reebok, though; both their wins this season have come on the road.
Wigan v Fulham, 15:00
Wigan’s start to the season has not been an encouraging one, and as someone who backed them and their brand of football last season, I must say I’m worried for them. An unspectacular summer looks to have left them weaker, and the loss of Charles N’Zogbia could prove fatal; his replacement, Shaun Maloney, has already failed in the Premier League once and I don’t think N’Zogbia’s explosive burst of pace or penchant for the unexpected can be replicated by anyone else in their team. Their start has been poor and if they don’t win games like this, I just don’t expect them to improve on it. Fulham, meanwhile, haven’t been much more impressive, and they sit just above the relegation zone as things stand. Bobby Zamora’s spectacular miss against Everton was enough to undermine any strikers confidence, and that it was followed by the concession of two late goals and the game in the next few minutes may have done some damage to the rest of the side as well. Let’s just say I’m not expecting an open game between two confident sides – this one is more likely to be decided by a mistake than a moment of brilliance.
West Brom v Liverpool, 17:30
Ah, this one should be good. Roy Hodgson’s miserable tenure at Liverpool was recently measured against Dalglish’s current reign, and in Dalglish’s last 34 games he managed four more points than his predecessor did – plus a giant net spend, of course. The feelgood factor has been replaced at Anfield by a frustration familiar to the last season of Benítez and the little time Hodgson had at the helm, and Dalglish has even managed to attract some criticism for some strange tactical decisions. £35m Andy Carroll doesn’t look worth the money, but he can hardly do that on the bench – if he’s not to start games at home to Norwich, when will he start? West Brom, meanwhile, enjoyed great form after Hodgson joined to stabilise last season, and while their start to this term wasn’t great, they are now four unbeaten and have won their last two. In this fixture last season, Chris Brunt’s penalty double gave Hodgson the points against his previous employers – Liverpool fans will want revenge for that this Saturday.
Sunday
Tottenham v QPR, 16:00
QPR’s pulsating 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend may have been ideal preparation for another London derby, had they not been so seriously threatened by a 9-man team in the second half. The points were won, however, and that’s what’s important to Neil Warnock. Spurs, meanwhile, managed to earn three points at Ewood, largely courtesy of the finishing of Rafael Van Der Vaart. Spurs have an outside chance of finishing the weekend in fourth position, a place they’ll hope to be in come the end of the season, so that could be a good incentive for them in this one. Spurs doubled QPR the last time the Hoops were a top flight side, and having not lost at home this season apart from Man City’s visit, the away side will be big underdogs for this one. It’s on Sky Sports, though, AND IT’S LIVE!
Monday
Stoke v Newcastle, 20:00
Oh, what a shame to finish with Stoke. Actually, I’d love to finish with Stoke, altogether. Have a good weekend.
