The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and Opinions
Surviving the international break isn’t a run-of-the-mill job. It requires an awful lot of perseverance, patience and a sanguine heart that hopes to see a Premier League game at the end of a dark tunnel laden with pointless friendlies aplenty – very tough indeed.
So, having survived a largely soporific phase, Football fans can breathe again as the English Premier League returns to be the cynosure of the sport, and what better way than to kick-off with Manchester United Vs Arsenal? Add to that, it’s not the only thing to be on the look for this week, in fact, just one of the super five that the Premiership has in place.
5. Arsenal’s Niveous November
Arsenal have never had a healthy relationship with the month of November. Statistics prove it’s their least productive phase and generally blows their title chances away going into an even harder Christmas period. Although they have only two league fixtures left for the month (Manchester United and Bournemouth), a lot can possibly go wrong (if it hasn’t already in the form of Hector Bellerin’s injury).
4. Can Manchester City Get Back to Their Best?
Beating FC Barcelona is easier than beating Middlesborough these days, at least that’s what Manchester City proved with their 1-1 draw against The Boro, adding to an ever-increasing list of a few strange results of late. That list could see another addition as the Citizens visit Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace who are always a tricky side to face irrespective of their form. Don’t be surprised to see the Blue Moon slip-up again.
3. Leicester City
Fairytales don’t last longer; unfortunately, English Champions Leicester City are learning it the hard way. Having already lost more games than they did in the whole of last season, Claudio Ranieri’s side just can’t manage to do anything right on a Football field, may it be taking their chances or minding the shot at the back. While the fixture against Watford offers them a chance to kickstart their campaign, it may also end up being another humiliating defeat given the attacking abilities that the Hornets have. An exciting encounter is in prospect.
2. Will Liverpool Keep Hold of their Position?
It’s been a long time since we last saw Liverpool play a game as league leaders – you know what happened the last time they did. Jurgen Klopp’s side have undoubtedly been breathing fire, particularly in front of goal where they have been burying their chances with the kind of ruthlessness that even the Luis Suarez-led Liverpool could fail to match. The expectations now reaching another level, can they handle the burden and carry on the same way against Southampton? One would like to think so but you never know.
1. Manchester United Vs Arsenal
The days of Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane fighting it out might be gone but the intensity, the rivalry and the excitement stays the same, even more so this time around as it’s not just a battle featuring two of England’s most successful clubs but a spectacle that sees two contrasting personalities and philosophies clash with each other. Expect a crackerjack of a game at the Old Trafford.
