Premier League Preview - Part 1
Premier League action will resume this week with another feast of mouth watering action but all the talk leading up to the weekend has been about one match and one match alone. This mammoth clash of the titans at Stamford Bridge
will see Chelsea take on Manchester United at a time when they won’t even relish facing a team like West Ham United.
Apart from the top of the table clash between two modern day Premier League giants, there is also a small matter of the midland derby when West Bromwich Albion host Wolverhampton Wanderers. Also playing at the weekend are West
Ham against a manager-less Blackburn Rovers with Roy Hodgson taking Liverpool to his former employers, Fulham.
Chelsea are going through their worst period under Roman Abrahamovic and the clash against an unbeaten Manchester United could not have come at a worse time for Ancelotti’s men as they are on a run of six games in the league without
a win. The Blues have not won in the league since November and the visit of Red Devils could work as a tonic for the Londoners to get their faltering season back on track but on the flip side a win for United will open a five point cushion at the top for Manchester
United and will put them in pole position to land their 19th premier league title.
United earned a hard fought win over Arsenal on Monday and a win on Sunday will be the perfect Christmas gift that the players can give to Sir Alex Ferguson. Even a draw against Chelsea will be not a bad result for Sir Alex’s men
as it would maintain their unbeaten record in the league and also extend it to the top of the table.
For United, Paul Scholes is out injured until the turn of the year but Ryan Giggs is likely to feature in the midfield with Rooney and Berbatov to lead the attack. For Chelsea, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien are back to full
fitness and will be starting the game.
The match is a must win for Chelsea as a win can go a long way in resurrecting their faltering season.
Arsenal after having their wish granted to face Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League will also be looking to bounce back from the defeat at Old Trafford with a game against Stoke City on Saturday. The gunners surrendered
their position at the top of the table to United last week and will have a chance to reclaim the top spot albeit temporarily if they come away with a win against Tony Pulis’s side.
The gunners lacked creativity in their game against United but are still in the thick of things as far as the title race is concerned and all will be forgiven if they claim the top spot on Saturday.
The gunners will be going into the game confidently and despite not boasting the best of home forms they will be sure of beating a Stoke side that has lost 5 of their 8 games on the road this season.
Sam Allardyce became only the second Premier League manager to lose his job after Cris Hughton and on Saturday, his side will host West Ham with Steven Kean taking charge of the Blackburn Rovers. For West Ham the game will be a
must win as their manager has been given an ultimatum to turn his side’s fortunes around or face the sack.
West Ham are rooted to the foot of the table and another loss could prove to be the final straw for Avram Grant.
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