LONDON, Dec 11, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Manchester United’s early Champions League
exit means Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s position is back under scrutiny ahead of
Manchester City’s visit to Old Trafford for a game neither side can afford to
lose.
The Manchester derby is the most eye-catching fixture during a Premier
League weekend that includes a trip to Crystal Palace for leaders Tottenham
and a date at Fulham for champions Liverpool.
AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the action.
Manchester derby
Both Manchester clubs have recovered from slow starts to the campaign after
having barely two weeks of pre-season due to European commitments in August.
Solskjaer’s men, following a run of four straight league wins, can claim to
be in the hunt for a first league title since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in
2013 sent the Red Devils into a spiral of decline.
But the helter-skelter nature of some of those victories, allied to the
shoddy defending that led to a 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig in midweek, means the
pressure is once again on the Norwegian.
A fourth defeat in six Premier League games at Old Trafford this season
could see the Red Devils finish the weekend eight points off the leaders,
albeit with a game in hand.
City are a point behind United, in seventh, but Pep Guardiola’s men appear
to be coming into form after recording back-to-back league wins for the first
time this season.
In stark contrast to United’s Champions League woes, City’s serene progress
into the last-16, with two games to spare, allowed Guardiola to leave Kevin
De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus in reserve for the derby.
“When you win it’s always easy to go to the next game, it’s easier to win
again and again,” said Bernardo Silva after Wednesday’s 3-0 victory against
Marseille.
“We want to keep the momentum going in a tough game against United on
Saturday and we want to keep winning.”
However, for all United’s inconsistencies, Guardiola will be wary of their
pace.
City were repeatedly undone by United’s quickfire counter-attacks last
season — losing three of four meetings — and have shown signs in defeats to
Tottenham and Leicester this season that they have not resolved the issue.
Title race
United and City are just two of five genuine title contenders, with Chelsea
perched just two points behind Tottenham and Liverpool at the top of the
table.
A slip in the standards set by Liverpool and City in recent seasons
promises the most open race for years.
New Chelsea signings Edouard Mendy, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Timo
Werner are making a big impact for Frank Lampard’s men, who are on a 17-game
unbeaten run in all competitions, excluding the penalty shootout defeat to
Tottenham in the League Cup.
The Blues can leapfrog Spurs when they travel to Everton on Saturday
evening, with Tottenham seeking to extend their own unbeaten run in the
league to 11 games at Crystal Palace a day later.
Tottenham have not won the league since 1961 but, in Harry Kane and Son
Heung-min, currently have the most lethal strike duo in the league and have
conceded just one goal in their past six league games.
Liverpool are well-placed, with their injury crisis easing.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started for the first time in a month on Wednesday,
captaining his boyhood club at just 22 in the 1-1 Champions League draw
against Midtjylland.
Arsenal struggles
Arsenal are the only member of the so-called “Big Six” who have lost touch
with the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners are a lowly 15th in the table after their sixth defeat in 11
games at the hands of Tottenham last week.
The main problem for Mikel Arteta’s men is the lack of goals — only the
current bottom three have scored fewer than Arsenal’s 10 so far and Pierre-
Emerick Aubameyang has not found the net from open play in the league since
the opening weekend.
But the Spaniard was buoyed by his side’s reaction after the defeat to
Spurs, saying he sees a team with “big belief”.
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Leeds v West Ham (2000)
Saturday
Wolves v Aston Villa (1230), Newcastle v West Brom (1500), Manchester
United v Manchester City (1730), Everton v Chelsea (2000)
Sunday
Southampton v Sheffield United (1200), Crystal Palace v Tottenham (1415),
Fulham v Liverpool (1630), Arsenal v Burnley (1915), Leicester v Brighton
(1915)