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Arsenal need a result at the Bridge

The transfer window never really caught alight in the English Premier League but the action is as hot as ever. Arsenal have failed to win in their past two league matches and it is not going to get any easier for them this weekend. The English Premier League fixture list throws up some tough matches but is there a harder game than away to league leaders Chelsea? Stamford Bridge is one of the most formidable locations in the top flight but after a stumbling run, Arsenal need to get back to winning ways. A win will not secure the league for Chelsea, Manchester United are still hot on the trail of the London blues but Arsenal may find defeat too much to overcome.

The reason for the desperation for Arsenal’s position has a lot to do with their capitulation at home to Manchester United at the weekend. The Nani-led performance which saw Arsenal race into a 3-0 lead ensured that Arsenal had shipped six points to the champions this season. The Gooners managed to get a late goal back to add an air of respectability to the score line but a 3-1 loss at home is never great and so the pressure is now on the Gunners.

Terry needs a result at home
Chelsea have been struggling slightly of late, with two stuttering away performances in the past week. Their Saturday match saw them drawing 1-1 with Burnley into the dying moments but Blues captain popped up to spare their blushes. John Terry is no stranger to scoring away from home and even though the home crowd were on his back all evening, the England captain (for now) rose above the Clarets defence and headed home the winner. The stopper was back in the good books with his fans, if not quite his wife’s after the recent media stories about his private life.

It may or may not have anything to do with Terry’s private life but Chelsea had a further wobble at the KC Stadium on Tuesday night. They went 1-0 down to Hull but Didier Drogba quickly got the league leaders back on level terms. Chelsea were unable to grab a winner though, seeing them only pick up a point on their travels. This means that Chelsea have now played the same games as Manchester United and hold a two point lead. As Chelsea and Arsenal play on the Sunday, Manchester United once again have the chance to reclaim the lead in the English Premier League.

United should roll-over Pompey
And if you were wanting to hand pick a match to give you the chance to go top of the league, you would choose a home match against the team sitting at the bottom of the league. Yes, this is exactly what is happening at Old Trafford on Saturday as United welcome Portsmouth. The Pompey players appear to have been played this month so that’s another spell for them with money in the bank but the players are continually being paid late and this cannot be good for morale. A trip to the champions is not the sort of game that will give them much confidence but perhaps this will relax the team, allowing them to play with a greater degree of freedom.

There is also the chance that Manchester United will have a much changed side as Alex Ferguson prepares for a busy month. It is not long until the Champions League clash against AC Milan so Ferguson will be looking to keep his squad fresh. United are looking to keep Wayne Rooney in top form but this may be a match where Fergie decides to keep the player in reserve. Players like Berbatov and Michael Owen should be more than capable of keeping United in the hunt at home to Pompey but they have been disappointing this season.

Bookies will back United
That said, it is hard to see anything else other than a home win at Old Trafford and no doubt the bookmakers will be offering minimal odds on a home win. United should be top of the league come Saturday night but whether they are still there at the end of Sunday night all depends on the showdown at the Bridge. It is yet another Super Sunday clash for London’s big two with so much at stake.

Chelsea have their African Cup of Nations stars back in the fold but of course, Michael Essien is still missing through injury. John Terry is expected to be in the Chelsea line-up this weekend but who knows what is going through the players mind at the moment. Arsenal need to take advantage of any situation they can find and it may be that Terry will be slightly below par for this match. It is a huge game so the players mind should be focused on the match. To prepare himself properly for the game, you would recommend a player lays down or possibly gets his head down but neither of these are helpful suggestions for Terry at the moment.

Merseyside derby of little interest for top of the table
It is an indication of how far Liverpool are off the pace when you consider that the Merseyside derby is so far down the list of highlights in the English Premier League fixture list. The game is huge with regards to local pride but with Liverpool only playing for fourth place and Everton pushing for a European spot, it doesn’t matter for the top of the league. Liverpool have been in poor form this season but they still managed a comfortable victory in the previous meeting between both sides.

Given that Liverpool also managed to defeat Manchester United at Anfield, it is fair to suggest that Liverpool can do the business in the local matches. This will give their fans hope for the Anfield clash but they need to consistently perform from now until the end of the season.

Everton have hit a great run of form and you wonder where the Goodison Park club would be if they did not suffer a horrendous injury list near the start of the season. Another returning player for the Blues is Mikel Arteta, who should add an even greater level of strength to the Everton squad. With Liverpool’s current form, Everton should have nothing to fear for their trip across Stanley Park.

It seems as though there are monumental clashes every week in the English Premier League and this weekend is no different.

by Andrew Reilly

for The Silver Circle at www.footballtip.co.uk

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