Manchester City seeks Thomas Frank’s downfall in a stern test against Tottenham Hotspur
By Tanko Bauka
After the drama of the last week where Manchester United continued their fine form with another remarkable result against Arsenal as the caretaker coach Michael Carrick breath new life and confidence into the team while West Ham United beat high flying Sunderland and Nottingham Forest picking up three points against another impressive team Brentford or is it the drama of Aston Villa winning for the first time at Saints James Park?
This weekend Arsenal, the defending Champions Liverpool, Brighton Albion and Hove, Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford who all falter, losing their match have another opportunity to make amends and start winning to pick up points.
This weekend encounters see wolverhampton Waareerers fighting the battle for survival battle against AfC Bournemouth and they have to give their all if they want to get something out of their visitors who also need the three points to boost their chances of chasing European football next season.
The 2-0 handed to them by title chasing Manchester City last weekend is the only blip after recovering from a poor form and started picking results, beating West Ham United, held Newcastle United to a goalless draw, almost won at Manchester United Old Trafford but later settled for one all draw, were unlucky against Arsenal ended up scoring three own goals two for Arsenal and one for themselves, losing the match 2-1.
Many believe that with the spirit of never die in the players who are ready to give their all, they may survive but the odds against them are high, and it will only take a miracle to see them survive but they want to die trying instead of just giving up.
Michael Carrick’s rejuvenated Manchester United welcome Fulham to Old Trafford to battle for yet another three points as they continue to dream of continental football next season and seek to climb up the table as presently they are in the 4th position on 38 points which is about 12 points gap between Arsenal in 1st.
Fulham under Marcos Silva is not a pushover and are always up against Manchester United anytime the two sides meet, they always constitute a nuisance to their host and they seem to always find the way to beat Manchester United or hold them to a draw.
Manchester United though have hit a high and are on a different level now so Fulham need to tighten their belts if they are to get anything out of this new Manchester United side.
Leeds United host inconsistent and the league leader Arsenal at Elland road the Leeds home ground and the results of the first leg in London at the Emirates stadium is still very fresh in their minds where Arsenal put 4 unreplied goals past them and looking at the position of the league leader especially with recent poor results, two draw in a row against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and a 3-2 loss to Manchester United, Leeds United would want to take full advantage of the situation and capitalize and cause more problems thereby putting them under more pressure as the Gunners seek to end their trophy drought for years.
Leeds United themselves are doing very well in the league and now they are trying to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle but at this point in time any team playing against the league leader should know that the momentum is still with them as they will not lie low looking at the calamity that befell them recently with results going against them.
Arsenal still have all to play for, they are four points ahead in the league table and have strong depths, capable hands that can win a match anyday anytime, though recent performance calls for a serious concern that is raising some questions from the football world, whether Arsenal are jinxed or allergic to winning trophies.
The players need to prove that they are upto the task and the remainder of the season will provide answers to the many questions.
Chelsea are enjoying life under the tutelage of Liam Rosenior who has restored confidence and sanity in the Blues and since the appointment the Englishman, Chelsea have won four matches in a row, only losing 3-2 to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup with the second leg coming up next Tuesday at Arsenal’s backyard, the Emirates Stadium.
Liam Rosenior and the Blues welcome West Ham United to seek the three points at stake and Chelsea are doing it in a fashionable way collecting points where they used to be a difficult ground. But for this encounter, they welcome West Ham United to the Stamford Bridge stadium.
West Ham United seem to have woken up to the task and have started to show a sign of survival fortunately Nottingham Forest in a similar precarious situation are winning their match, so West Ham United have a bleak picture and as they continue to fight, good luck may smile on them.
The defending Champions like Arsenal lost their last weekend encounter painfully against AFC Bournemouth with the last kick of the match welcome Newcastle United beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa and the two wounded side face each other in a match where everyone wants to win to give their head coach a breathing space and reduce the pressure they are currently facing especially Arne Slot of Liverpool FC who is starring sack in the face.
Liverpool host Newcastle United amidst the hullabaloo between Newcastle United and Liverpool FC over Alexander Isak, the wound is still fresh in the minds of the toons and any encounter between them is always fierce and chaotic but the three points is paramount and its all that matters in this fixture as Liverpool playing at home at Anfield stadium would not and cannot afford to let slip.
Another head coach under the hammer or mercy of sacking is Thomas Frank of Tottenham Hotspur who is just waiting to be shown the exit door following poor results and no signs of improvement week in, week out.
Tottenham Hotspur entertain Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in what is regarded as the standout match of the week.
Tottenham Hotspur were held to a two-all draw by relegation-threatened Burnley with Christian Romero scoring a last-gasp goal to rescue a point for the Thomas Frank boys.
Manchester City on the other hand won their match convincingly against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad stadium so they would want to build on that victory but must also remember that they have not been finding it easy whenever they come up against Tottenham Hotspur every year either in the league or in any trophy competition.
Aston Villa after their great feats last weekend against Newcastle United for the first time would be at Villa Park to entertain Brentford which lost to Nottingham Forest last week while Nottingham Forest take on Crystal palace which was beaten by Chelsea last week.
Brighton host Everton while Sunderland square up against Burnley on Monday night football to round off the weekend encounter.
In the Spanish La Liga Espanyol entertain Deportivo Alaves while Real Oviedo welcome Girona and Elche would have their hands full as they welcome the defending Champions and the league leader FC Barcelona and must be fully aware that FC Barcelona are in a devastating form and can consume or crush any opponents so they need to devise a way to stop the rampaging Catalans and salvage some point for what is left of their season.
FC Barcelona know that their arch rival Real Madrid are lurking behind exploring every possible opportunity to bounce so they are equally prepared for the title battle.
Osasuna host the Yellow submarine owners, Villarreal while Lavente tackle Atletico Madrid with Real Betis taking on Valencia.
Title contender Real Madrid have started playing well again and are picking up positive results, and have recovered the five-point gap between them and FC Barcelona to only just one, all thanks to the New head coach Alvaro Albeloa who came in and turned things around and the Madrista have started to smile again.
Real Madrid take on Rayo Vallecano and Getafe host Celta Vigo with Athletic Bilbao tackling Real Sociedad as Mallorca engage Sevilla in the Monday night football.
In the Italian Serie A, the defending Champions Napoli looking for a possible way to salvage their season and they welcome Fiorentina but an early signal shows that Napoli would not have it easy defending the title they won last season as they were inconsistent finding it hard to produce last season’s form faltering unnecessarily.
They must use the Fiorentina visit to put themselves back in a strong position and challenge for the title while the new boys Cremonese host the league leader Inter Milan as they fight for survival and Parma welcome Juventus.
Pisa SC host Sassaulo, Cagliari tackle Hellas Verona, Torino entertain Lacce while high flying and impressive Como take on Ademola Lookman Atalanta.
Udinese host AS Roma on Monday night football.
In the German Bundesliga the league leader Bayern Munich would want to put behind them the negative result of last week for the first time after 19 domestic league matches as they travel to take on New boys Hamburger, they must not dwell on the 2-1 defeat to FC Augsburg and go for the three points to restored confidence while Eintrach Frankfurt welcomed last season Champion and the defending Champions, Bayer Leverkusen and Burussia Dortmund tackle Heidenheim.
FC Augsburg, Bayern Munich conqueror last weekend welcome FC St Pauli while Hoffenheim entertain Union Berlin as Stuttgart takes on SC Freiburg, RB Leipzig engage Mainz 05 with Werder Bremen taking on Borussia Monchenglabach and Koln square up against Wolfsburg.
Fixtures Across Europe
English Barclays Premier League
Saturday
Wolves Vs AFC Bournemouth
Leeds United Vs Arsenal
Brighton Albion Vs Everton
Chelsea Vs West Ham United
Liverpool FC Vs Newcastle United
Sunday
Manchester United Vs Fulham
Nottingham Vs Crystal Palace
Aston Villa VS Brentford
Tottenham Vs Manchester City
Monday
Sunderland VS Burnley
Spanish La Liga
Friday
Espanyol Vs Deportivo AlavesSaturday
Real Oviedo Vs Girona
Osasuna Vs Villarreal
Lavente Vs Atletico Madrid
Elche Vs FC Barcelona
Sunday
Real Madrid Vs Rayo Vallecano
Real Betis Vs Valencia
Gatafe Vs Celta Vigo
Athletic Bilbao Vs Real Sociedad
Monday
Mallorca Vs Sevilla
Italian Serie A
Friday
Lazio Vs Genoa
Saturday
Pisa SC Vs Sassaulo
Napoli Vs Fiorentina
Cagliari Vs Hellas Verona
Sunday
Torino Vs Lacce
Como Vs Atalanta
Cremonese Vs Inter Milan
Parma Vs Juventus
Monday
Udinese Vs AS Roma
German Bundesliga
Friday
Koln Vs Wolfsburg
Saturday
FC Augsburg Vs FC St Pauli
Hoffenheim Vs Union Berlin
Werder Bremen Vs Bayern Monchenglabach
RB Leipzig Vs Mainz 05
Frankfurt Vs Bayer Leverkusen
Hamburger VS Bayern Munich
Sunday
Stuttgart Vs SC Freiburg
Dortmund Vs Heidenheim
