The reds of Merseyside face the reds of Manchester in one of the biggest rivalries ever. Liverpool come into this match on the back of three successive wins in all competitions. Daniel Sturridge has been at the heart of this very impressive and morale boosting run. The Englishman has scored 4 goals already this season and all have come at crucial moments. Brazilian wonderkid, Philippe Coutinho is exceptionally gifted. The January recruit from Internazionale has rarely put a foot wrong since his arrival from Italy. His surging runs, well timed passes, brilliant one touch football and outrageous skills are just out of this world. Alongside Oscar, Coutinho is the best attacking midfielder of his age group in South America. But that's just me.
Brendan Rodgers made a huge decision before the start of the season. Belgian goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet was purchased from Sunderland to replace the deteriorating Pepe Reina, who has since been sent to Naples on a season long loan. It was a really bold and decisive that has already started paying off. The new goalie saved a late late spot-kick on the opening day of the campaign v Stoke's Jon Walters. That save ensured that the 18-time English Champions escaped with all three points. A string of excellent saves at Villa Park again made the win safe for his new club. He will be tested even more when Manchester United come to town.
Luis Suarez is still unavailable due to his misdemeanour at the end of last season. The Uruguayan cannibal is set to return against Manchester United-------not tomorrow, but in the Capital One Cup Fixture on the 24th of September. After pushing for a move away from the club, he has since apologised and things are back to normal, or so it seems. His return will be a welcome development for everyone but StudgeD (Sturridge) who has taken up the mantle since the unwanted sabbatical.
The club have been active in the transfer market with arrivals coming from all over the World. Solid players like Iago Aspas, Kolo Toure, the earlier mentioned Mignolet, Aly Cissokho (on loan from Valencia) and the imminent arrivals of former PSG Skipper, Mamadou Sakho and Lisbon's Tiago Ilori have made the team look really strong and dangerous. Top four is a realistic target for the first time in a long while.
PROBABLE LINEUP-
Mignolet, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, COUTINHO, Sturridge, Aspas
Despite Rodgers declaring Kolo Toure fit even after the injury sustained in midweek, I don't think he will want to risk him against the likes of Wayne Rooney and RVP. Skrtel should start in the Ivorian's place. Iago Aspas was firing in pre-season...but has failed to find the net so far. His manager will keep faith in him until at least EL PISTOLERO's (Suarez) return. Jordan Henderson is having the run of his life in a Liverpool shirt and making the most out of it. Steadily justifying his huge transfer fee. The Englishman doesn't want to play around anymore and he's repaying the faith reposed in him by his coach. Stevie G and Lucas are no strangers to the big occasions.
Manchester United already have a title in the bag this season. The 20-time English League Champions have started the season well. Winning one and drawing the other. The Liverpool game is the biggest of every season for the red devils and they don;t treat it with levity. Recent visits to Anfield haven't been happy ones at the end. The most painful was two years ago when Dirk Kuyt turned in one of the performances of a lifetime in a clean kill. However, last season, Robin Van Persie brought an end to the dismal run. An 81st minute penalty was all that was required to steal victory from the jaws of despair/defeat after Gerrard scored first and Rafa Da Silva immediately replied. Wayne Rooney hasn't scored at Liverpool's ground for eight years and David Moyes has a rotten record at the same venue. He has never won there in 11 visits (D6,L5).
If the red army avoid defeat, it will be the 14th straight away game without a loss. The longest in the League currently. The defending Champions need to be at their very best if they are to have any hope of upending their great rivals. Another insipid show and they'll be ripped apart. A RVP-ROONEY partnership is good for Moyes and bad for the rest of the League. The decision to keep the wantaway Englishman might be the best ever made by the all parties involved. How important Wazza( Rooney) is, is unarguable. A man of the match performance against the club he was expected to join, showed how invaluable he is. This might be bad for the likes of Kagawa and Welbeck, but WAYNE is too good to be sold to a direct rival. 404 appearances and almost 200 goals is enough to clear whatever doubt anyone may have about his abilities. Danny Welbeck was imperious on the first day at Swansea. He wants to play up top. His wish might not be granted every time because of the array of attacking talents at the club's disposal. In defence, Rio and Vidic cannot be displaced at the moment or anytime soon, except they get rested/injured. If deals for Fellaini-Baines go through, the likes of Evra and Cleverley have to worry about their places in the starting line-up.
PROBABLE LINEUP
DDG, Jones, Rio, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Cleverley, Kagawa, Valencia, Rooney, RVP
David Moyes must start using the highly rated Japanese playmaker, Shinji Kagawa. Suitors have been swooping in on the ex-Dortmund attacking midfielder and he is unhappy with the fact that he has been largely ignored since the start of the season. If this continues, he might seek solace elsewhere. I hope Moyes starts him in this match. Probably, this will force his hand. Nani and Rafa Da Silva are closing in on a return to action. Jones might have to pass a late fitness test. If he doesn't make it, then Fabio could slot into the right side of defence.
Matches between these great sides of British Football have always been feisty and hotly contested. The 14 Red Cards dished out in meetings between Manchester United and Liverpool is second most in the Premier League era behind only the Merseyside Derby (20 dismissals). Liverpool will be determined to add more misery to Moyes' managerial life. Victory will taste sweetest because he coached crosstown rivals, Everton, for more than a decade and now he is at Manchester United. The bitterness will continue. Art lunchtime on Sunday, all eyes will be on Andre Mariner as he gets proceedings underway. The referee has dished out 1 red card and 8 yellows this season already. The players have to be very careful.
This might well be the greatest North London derby of recent memory. Spurs have made it a habit of losing here and in the process conceding 5 goals. Before that happens, they strike first and then choke really bad. Last season, Emma Adebayor seemed to set the Lilywhites on their way to a historic victory at the backyard of their biggest rivals. Well, the same man had other ideas...one of those Jet Li kicks of his and he was sent for an early shower. Walcott, Cazorla, Mertesacker, and the rest battered the remaining ten men silly and the result was a 5-2 hammering. Take that and the season before last and it becomes 10-4. AVB would want nothing of such when he takes a new look Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday. Strong indications have emerged that Daniel Levy (Spurs Chairman) has been holding out on a deal to take Gareth Bale to the Bernabeu until after Sunday's game. This is because Bale to Real Madrid will mean Di Maria to Arsenal. Meanwhile, Levy and Baldini have raided the entire World searching for the very best. Paulinho, Chadli, Capoue, Soldado, Chiriches, Lamela and Eriksen have all been unveiled at White Hart Lane already and there might be one or two more before 11pm on Monday. At this rate, Bale might regret leaving the club. He won't be missed one tiny bit.
Arsene Wenger the magician has managed to qualify the gooners for yet another Champions League Campaign. A phenomenal achievement considering what he and his team have been through. 16 Straight seasons in Europe's biggest club competition is a monumental accomplishment. A terrible display v Aston Villa on the opening day was the wake up call they needed. Since then, Fenerbahce and Fulham have been put to the sword and Aaron Ramsey has been the renaissance man. The Welsh midfielder is the reason Arsenal had a smooth ride home and away v the Turkish Outfit and his shift against Fulham drew praise from all and sundry. The problem now is that they haven't made any signing of note and the squad is depleted to say the least. If you remove the starting 11, only a handful of youngsters and Bendtner will make up the subs bench. Top four might be a far cry now that others around them have strengthened. The delusion that they will always find a way will be their greatest undoing this time if Wenger doesn't make moves. There is still time. Afterall, they joined the rush last time and the likes of Arteta came in and have done well ever since.
PROBABLE LINEUPS-
ARSENAL-
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott, Cazorla, Giroud
Arsenal are in the Champions League Group Stages, but at what cost? Luky Podolski went off injured in midweek and further tests confirmed that he will be out for at least 8 weeks. That added to the OX (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain), Mikel Arteta, Tom Vermaelen and the always sidelined Abou Diaby, you have a worst case scenario on your hands. Saddening for fans who hope the match will be closely fought. In spite of the absentees, the red part of North London can make life difficult for AVB's charges. The Kos (Koscielny) is back after sitting out the Fulham game through suspension. It will be much more difficult this time though. Tomas Rosicky might play a big part in the encounter. Hopefully, he brings his A game and scoring boots after some shocking misses on Day one.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (SPURS)-
Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Rose, Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue, Chadli, Townsend, Soldado
Portuguese tactician, Andre Villas-Boas, has a lot of options in midfield and attack. I envy him and at the same time, I don't. How to keep the likes of Defoe, Holtby and co happy will be a herculean task for the former Porto and Chelsea manager. The challenge is one he relishes. Holtby and Defoe played very well in Thursday's Europa League demolition of a certain Tbilisi. That might not be enough to secure a place in the starting line up. What Spurs have now is a World Class bench. The likes of Aaron Lennon, Adebayor, Benoit Assou-Ekotto are out of Sunday's game due to injury and lack of match fitness. The match is also too soon for Vlad Chiriches and Eriksen to be part of. What a fantastic team Levy has assembled.
The North London derby has produced 124 goals. No other fixture can boast of such amount in the EPL era. Come Sunday, a lot of goals are assured. With Soldado, Defoe, Giroud, Walcott, & Cazorla on show, expect some great goals. How many they will be, is what I cannot guarantee.
Ohireime P Eboreime
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