Before we can officially call the EPL a two-team race between Manchester rivals City and United, the North London-based sides, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, have a chance to stay involved in proceedings.
But this weekend both the Spurs and the Gunners need to reverse embarrassing results from earlier this season against the Mancunian pair to keep whatever hopes alive they have of making the EPL a four or five-team race.
Weekend action in the Prem highlights a pair of featured matches between all of the aforementioned sides on Sunday, to be televised in the states on the FOX Soccer Channel. Spurs kick things off when traveling north to Etihad Stadium to take on Man City in the earlier kickoff at 8:30 a.m. (ET). Later, Man United will be in London Town for an 11:00 a.m. (ET) kickoff at the Emirates against Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
Pricing on both contests suggests that compelling viewing could be in store. Host City is being quoted at a 5/6 win price at European wagering outlets for the earlier kickoff, with the take-back on a Spurs win at 10/3. The draw price is 13/5.
Meanwhile, Man U is priced as an ever-so-slight favorite at the Emirates, with a win listed at 6/4 at English wagering shops, while a Gunners victory fetches a 9/5. The draw price on Man U-Arsenal is listed at 12/5.
The more-impactful match in the EPL table is the earlier kickoff at Eastlands, where the Spurs can pull themselves right in the middle of the chase for the top if they can steal three points at Man City. Entering the contest, Spurs sit in third place in the table, just five points adrift of top side City.
The first meeting back on August 20, however, was all City as it pranced to a 5-1 romp at White Hart Lane. Harry Redknapp had no answers at midfield, where City’s sparkplug David Silva ran riot. Spurs were on their back foot most of the afternoon as City dominated possession (60%) and Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko did the hat-trick plus one in a dominating four-goal performance.
The pressure will be on midfielders Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart, and Aaron Lennon to maintain possession and checkmate Silva much better than in the first meeting. Spurs have added a bit of pace in the lineup with Emmanuel Adebayor (on nine goals) now the featured front-man instead of lumbering Peter Crouch, who moved to Stoke City shortly after the first meeting.
Redknapp is said to still be looking to add a piece or two during the January transfer window (perhaps Marseille striker Loic Remy) but as of midweek had yet to make any significant moves. Meanwhile, Tottenham lost ground last weekend with a shock draw vs. Wolves, and Redknapp might also be tempted to feature striker Jermain Defoe, who has had problems securing regular minutes and could be targeted by several suitors in the window period.
City, for what it’s worth, looks far more vulnerable at the moment than it did in late August, with international duties (both Yaya and Kolo Toure involved in the African Nations Cup), suspensions (key defender Vincent Kompany), and injuries (striker Mario Balotelli) thinning Roberto Mancicni’s ranks. At least Silva passed a late fitness test and was on the pitch for last weekend’s 1-0 win at stubborn Wigan.
Meanwhile, at the Emirates, Arsenal is hoping more to stay relevant in the race for a Champions League qualifying spot than chasing down wither City or United for the top spot in the table. Entering Sunday’s match vs. Man U, the Gunners sit fifth in the table on 36 points, four adrift of fourth-place Chelsea, which currently occupies the last qualifying slot for next term’s Champs League. Man City are almost over the horizon, on top of the table and 15 points up on the Gunners entering the weekend.
Ironically, the Gunners remain in Europe’s top club competition, having progressed through to the knockout round of 16 where they will face AC Milan next month, while United and City both exited the Champs League in shock fashion after the group stage and look forward in to only Europa League duties for their continental action later this winter.
Unfortunately for Wenger, recent matches vs. United have proven nightmarish, with only one win in eight tries since the 2008-09 campaign. None was more humiliating than an 8-2 dismantling the Gunners absorbed at Old Trafford back on August 28.
In Wenger’s defense, his Arsenal was a depleted side in the first month of the campaign, but as usual had no luck slowing down Wayne Rooney, who nailed a hat trick while also securing his landmark 150th goal as a Red Devil.
But the majority of recent Arsenal-Man U meetings have seen Sir Alex Ferguson’s physically-bigger side simply bully the smaller and slighter Gunners around the pitch, knocking them off the ball at midfield and then springing Rooney for his notorious bull-like rushes into the box. Arsenal’s Russian midfield service provider Andrei Arshavin has been particularly unnerved when facing Man U in recent campaigns.
An interesting "back to the future" sidebar story is the likely appearances of United’s Paul Scholes and Arsenal’s Thierry Henry on the pitch, recalling the feverish battles between these sides more than a decade ago. Scholes, who has returned to active status from retirement, can still summon some magic as he did when given a rare start by Ferguson in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Bolton. Scholes’ goal was his first in nearly two years.
Meanwhile, Henry, all-time Gunner great in the twilight of his decorated career, has returned to the Emirates on a loan spell from the MLS New York Red Bulls and recently scored a match-winner in an FA Cup win over Leeds. Wenger likely uses him off the bench if needed on Sunday as the Gunners desperately look for another reliable scoring option aside from Robin van Persie, on a whopping 18 goals this season.
Arsenal, however, has dropped back-to-back EPL matches vs. Fulham and Swansea, damaging its European prospects for next term. Failure to get any points from this matchup vs. Man U further jeopardizes those hopes, and recent series history doesn’t provide a lot of encouragement for Wenger’s side.