Manchester United v Arsenal: An English Classic

Manchester United v Arsenal

Old Trafford

This game will surely get football lovers licking their lips with delight. This will be the 100th meeting between both sides in all competitions at Old Trafford. Manchester United lead on the head-to-head encounters at OT with 57 wins (57.58%), Arsenal have recorded 17wins (17.17%) with 25 games ending in draws. This fixture could be regarded as the English equivalent of Spain’s El Classico. Long gone are the days of pre and post-match tunnel bust-ups, on-the-field tussles, soup and pizza throwing, it wasn’t so long ago Roy Keane and Patrick Viera were the main protagonists of this fixture. While Keane and Viera have long exited the stage, the rivalry between both sides goes on albeit not as fiery as in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Arsene Wenger and his Gunners topped the league table last week with United’s game at Blackpool postponed due to bad weather. Manchester United with a game in hand will be primed to reclaim first place with a home win. United’s last league game at Old Trafford saw the Red Devils maul Blackburn 7-1, three days later the euphoria of that massive win quickly evaporated when a second-stringed United side were thumped 4-0 in the League Cup by West Ham at Upton Park. With both sides safely through to the knock-out round of the UEFA Champions League, attention now turns to the Premier League. United remain the league’s only unbeaten side after 15 games and that record is under threat with the visit of Arsenal. The Gunners have found no joy at Old Trafford in recent years and you will have to go back to September 2006 when the Gunners recorded their last win over the Red Devils at Old Trafford. Emmanuel Adebayor netted the winner four minutes from time to seal a memorable win despite the Gunners squandering a first half penalty. With a trip to Stamford Bridge looming largely on the horizon, Sir Alex Ferguson and his team will want to dispatch of Arsenal as soon as possible. This game pits the team with the best home record, Manchester United, against Arsenal the team with the best record on the road.

While Arsenal survived a fright to beat Fulham 2-1 on Saturday, United had the weekend off after heavy snow led to their match at Blackpool to be postponed. Arsenal will be looking to consolidate top spot while United wanting to protect their excellent league run will be aiming for maximum points.

Men to Watch

Dimitar Berbatov on his day will be devastating for any given opposition defence as evident in his five-goal performance against Blackburn. His languid style is often misjudged by the opposition and this may yet be his greatest weapon while he unleashes terror. Never shy to shoot at goal and with breath-taking volleys, the Bulgarian is as much a goal creator as a goal scorer. I won’t rule Berbatov out of the goals should he have a good game Monday night.

Red hot at the moment.

Wayne Rooney showed in the 7-1 trashing of Blackburn that his hunger for goals remains to be satiated. Rooney is out to prove his loyalty to Manchester United and their fans that he is still committed to United’s cause and Rooney does have a good scoring record against Arsenal. I won’t be surprised should Rooney score his first goal from open play against Arsenal on Monday. A tricky customer anytime, the Arsenal defence has to be on their toes for the duration of the game with Wayne lurking about.

With Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit, Luis Nani has finally stepped out of the latter’s shadow and started turning his potential into good use. Nani’s blistering pace and trickery will be a worry for Arsenal but Nani seems to fade in and out of games, which is a major headache for SAF. Not afraid to take on defenders and with goals to his game, the Portuguese winger will definitely cause some havoc in the Arsenal defence.

Samir Nasri has been Arsenal’s player of the season so far, he has matched his good footwork with goals and assists. A testimony of Nasri’s importance to Arsenal was seen last week as he scored twice to give the Gunners victory over Fulham at the Emirates. Nasri grabbed a brace when Arsenal last beat United at the Emirates in a 2-1 in November 2008. With Cesc Fabregas struggling for fitness, Nasri will again be the one orchestrating the midfield and pulling the strings.

 A tricky customer anytime!

Lukas Fabianski will have to be at his best against United on Monday. After a shaky start to the season, the Pole has made a strong bid to be Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper. I envisage a busy evening for the Arsenal goalie and his performance on Monday will go a long way to strengthen his claim to that number one shirt.

Marouane Chamakh’s free signing has so far been a bargain for Arsenal and the Moroccan has contributed in no small measures to Arsenal’s success thus far. Good in the air and shoots with both feet, Chamakh will be a handful for United’s defence stalwarts. If let unattended, Chamakh could make United pay dearly for their laxity.

My MOTW Prediction

With top spot for grabs, this encounter will be a feisty encounter. Given the importance of this fixture I won’t rule out a sending off in this match. United have continued to grind results at home this season and I think Arsenal won’t change that though as much as they will push United all the way. I look forward to seeing Arsenal playing their brand of entertaining football; a credit to Arsene Wenger’s ‘beautiful football’ philosophy but Old Trafford is the last place to stick with a game plan. What Arsenal lack in size and they compensate with skill and flair but will that be enough to overcome United? Manchester United are known to force visiting teams into discarding their game plan and Arsenal will be no different.

The bench could play a large part in this game and on that basis and United’s current league form I will give maximum points to the Red Devils.

Manchester United 3 –0 Arsenal

Match of the weekend: Champions League Contenders Showdown

This weekend brings together the new ‘Big Four’; with Spurs the latest member of the big four playing host to Chelsea on Sunday while Arsenal will travel to the North-West to play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday. This weekend might prove to be pivotal for the title contenders as they jostle for points and positions. I will focus on these two important fixtures of the weekend. First we head to North London, White Hart Lane to be precise.

  

Tottenham v Chelsea

White Hart Lane

It is the ‘Pretenders to the throne’ against the Champions. Harry Redknapp’s Lilywhites have punched above their weight in Europe this season and Harry has made mention of Spurs’ potentials of winning the Premier League. A true test of Spurs’ championship credentials will come in the form of Chelsea in this London Derby. Tottenham have made their title aspiration clear with that 3-2 win over Arsenal at the Emirates in November and it is high time they are taken serious as genuine contenders. Of the ‘Old Big Four,’ Spurs have claimed the scalps of Arsenal and Liverpool so far. The Lilywhites will be looking to add Chelsea to that list when they file out against the Blues on Sunday.

Spurs were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham last Saturday despite taking an early lead much to Harry Redknapp’s disappointment as his Spurs side lost vital ground in the title race. With the little issue of qualification for the second round of the UEFA Champions League settled, Spurs can now mount a push for the top of the Barclays Premier League. Spurs rued those lost points at Birmingham; and a win over Chelsea on Sunday will throw the Lilywhites back in the mix of things at the top of the table.

Chelsea’s ranks were boosted with the return of John Terry and Michael Essien for the game against Everton at Stamford Bridge last Saturday but the Blues conceded late and had to settle for a 1-1 draw against David Moyes’ Everton. Chelsea’s recent poor run of form has seen the Blues lose top spot and slide down to third on the league table, two points behind leaders Arsenal. A win at White Hart Lane on Sunday will be a massive boost for their title aspirations. And with news that Frank Lampard might be fit for this clash, it seems the Chelsea machinery may be just be purring to life.

This game promises to be a cracker as Spurs never-say-die attitude will pitted against Chelsea’s attacking play. Both sides have met a total of 69 times on Spurs’ turf, Tottenham have won 26 games with Chelsea breathing down their neck with 25 wins while 18 games have ended in draws.

When will the Blues notch up a league victory again? That is the million pound question to be answered and with consecutive league games against Manchester United and Arsenal to come, the champions have their work cut out. But with this league season of unpredictability, one cannot tell what happens next.

Men to Watch

Should Rafael Van der Vaart be fit for this game, he will prove to be more than a handful for the Chelsea defence. The Dutchman has a knack for scoring goals at White Hart Lane, dangerous from set-pieces, I wouldn’t rule him out of the goals should he make the squad for the game.

Gareth Bale has been terrorising many right backs lately and Chelsea had better have an anti-Bale mechanism in place to keep the left-back cum winger in check. With an eye for goal, the Welsh Wizard’s pace down the flank is blistering and I am sure Harry Redknapp will utilise Bale’s speed against Chelsea.

Diminutive Jermaine Defoe does punch above his height, what he lacks for height he compensates with a deft touch and a keen eye for goal. Defoe will feed off the knock downs from either strike partner Roman Pavlyuchenko or Peter Crouch and will prove to be a handful for the Chelsea defence.

 Defoe and Lennon….happy times.

John Terry, the inspirational Blues captain is back after a spell on the side-lines and his presence on the pitch will help galvanise the Blues. With an eye for goal from set-pieces, Terry’s presence in the Spurs’ box should be a cause for alarm for the North-London club. Terry should also be able to win the defensive aerial battles against the over six feet Spurs’ strikers Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Petr Cech as the last line of defence for Chelsea has to be at his best should his team want maximum points. With the towering strike force of Crouch and Pavlyuchenko, Cech will definitely be kept busy on Sunday.

Nicolas Anelka, the sulking Frenchman if left unattended will create space for his strike partner to score. Anelka is skilful; though not the fastest in the pack he surely has eyes for goal and provides an assist every now and then.

Le sulk on the prowl.

My MOTW Prediction

This fixture has always produced goals and Sunday’s tie won’t be an exception. Spurs are not shy in front of goal and are quite prolific at home; against Chelsea, I expect an open and expansive play from both sides. Both sides are in dire need of three points after their respective draws last weekend. While Chelsea are a team under intense pressure with their winless streak extended to four games following last week’s home draw to Everton, Spurs must not let complacency set in. Spurs have the habit of conceding early in games and against a team like Chelsea that may be their undoing. Tottenham will like to put their stamp on the league this season as the top club in London but Chelsea will definitely have their say about that. To most neutrals this will be one great game of football as both teams will go all-out for victory.

I see goals for both sides and with home advantage; I will tip the scales in Spurs’ favour!

Tottenham 2– 1 Chelsea

My Match of the Week

Chelsea v Everton

Stamford Bridge

What a game this promises to be at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Chelsea come into this game on the back of 1-1 draw at St. James’ Park last Sunday. That draw at Newcastle saw the Blues surrender top spot in the league only for the first time this season after a string of disappointing results.

Everton’s league form has been far from impressive this season, the Toffees fell to a shock 1-4 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion last Saturday. Most of the season’s flak has been directed towards Liverpool’s Roy Hodgson but it seems that is gradually shifting to cross town rivals Everton with David Moyes coming under close scrutiny this weekend.

This game offers a lot for both teams; for Chelsea, reclaiming top spot is a priority while watching their backs with Arsenal breathing down their necks. Everton are nervously looking over their shoulders as they hang precariously over the relegation zone; with two points separating the Toffees from relegation waters, three points at Stamford Bridge will calm those fears for now.

Chelsea are still without inspirational captain John Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien. The Blues have suffered in the absence of the trio and the return to fitness for these players will be a massive boost for Carlo Ancelotti’s team with games coming thick and fast this period. Didier Drogba hasn’t been in top form since his last bout of malaria and the league champions are struggling to find the net in the league.

Everton’s problems are quite comical to say the least, Moyes’ team have had problems in the goal-scoring department lately, a testament of their current league position. With mercurial midfield maestro Mikel Arteta suspended for this game, Everton will have to look elsewhere for creativity in the centre of the pack. The sooner Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Louis Saha and Jermaine Beckford get amongst the goals the better the Toffees’ prospects in escaping the relegation dog-fight.

This fixture has traditionally been an entertaining one down the years and Sunday’s encounter will live to expectations given the backdrop of both teams’ recent run of games. Everton have played three of the so called ‘Big 4’ at Goodison Park this season and claimed four points from a possible nine (a 2-0 win over Liverpool, a 3-3 draw with Manchester United and a 1-2 loss to Arsenal). Will the Toffees be out of their comfort zone against a wounded Chelsea team at Stamford Bridge? Or is it a bridge too far?

Men to Watch

For Chelsea, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole are the players to watch. Drogba has been out of the goals for too long. I have the inkling that when Drogba starts scoring again, Chelsea will be winning again.

Despite Chelsea’s late poor run of form, Ashley Cole has been the Blues’ best player by a mile. His overlapping runs and dribbles into the opponent’s box has been a constant feature and with an eye for goals this left-back is one to watch.

Everton’s key player this season has been Tim Cahill and he is not to be underestimated in a game of this magnitude. Despite being well below six feet, the Australian has the uncanny ability to score goals with his head and will definitely be a handful for Chelsea’s defence. Cahill’s quick sense of judgement and aerial prowess could be Chelsea’s undoing if he is left unattended.

With Mikel Arteta suspended the onus of midfield creativity falls on Steven Pienaar. The South African has to dig into his creativity depths to outclass a makeshift Chelsea midfield. Pienaar will need the assistance of his teammates if Everton are to boss the midfield. Besides Cahill, Pienaar looks more likely a source of goals for the Toffees than the Everton strikers.

My Match of the Week Prediction

Chelsea’s bad run of games will come to an end someday and it could as well be against Everton. With games against Tottenham and Manchester United to follow, Chelsea are primed to send a warning shot to their title rivals that they are not ready to relinquish their title without a fight.

Everton had what looked on paper like a sure banker at home to the Baggies last week but it turned out to be a nightmare for the Toffees. Everton will find it difficult to shut Chelsea out in this fixture and I am sure the Toffees won’t be disappointed should they take a point form this game. Stamford Bridge is one of the last places to go when you are seeking a win to kick-start your season but Sunderland has shown that it can be done.

I fancy Chelsea bagging all three points but it will be a close one with the Blues’ defensive frailties as exposed in their last three league games.

I will say 2-1 to Chelsea.