AFTER BEING BLOWN away by Liverpool’s first-half performance in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, Manchester City have the chance to wrap up the Premier League title this weekend.
How sweet would it be to win your first league championship in English football by beating your city rivals, managed by a man you’ve had many heated battles with over the years?
But Pep Guardiola is unlikely to field his strongest side in Saturday evening’s Manchester derby at the Etihad. With the second leg against the Reds just days away, the Catalan coach looks certain to rest some of his key names and United will arrive hell-bent on spoiling the party.
Old adversary Jose Mourinho must make do with fighting it out for the runners-up spot and an FA Cup as the league is beyond them, but his team will no doubt be out to frustrate their opponents into submission.
2. Reds danger man likely to miss derby
Liverpool fans must still be on a high from the clinical way they went about earning a 3-0 first leg advantage over Man City in midweek. The one downside on the night, however, was watching top scorer Mohamed Salah walk off the pitch gingerly in the second half.
While Jurgen Klopp spoke positively about the suspected groin injury after the final whistle, he has given an update in today’s press conference to say he won’t be picking the Egyptian for Saturday lunch-time’s Merseyside derby unless he is 100%.
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It will be shame if, as it looks likely that, a player with 38 goals to his name this season misses out on the fixture, but opportunity could knock for one young Irishman on the day.
Depleted at the back and set to make a couple of changes to freshen things up ahead of their Champions League second leg, 19-year-old Kildare native Conor Masterson, who was an unused substitute on Wednesday night, could potentially be handed his senior debut at Goodison Park.
3. No light at the end of the tunnel for Potters
Three points adrift of safety with just six games remaining and on a run of three straight defeats, Stoke City supporters must be coming to the realisation that they may very well be watching their club in the Championship next season.
Despite picking up a win on his first game in charge, Paul Lambert has been unable to plug the gaping holes in a sinking ship and it’s hard to see them producing a positive result at home to Tottenham on Saturday.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino could restore his main man Harry Kane to the starting line-up after the England striker returned from injury as a substitute in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Chelsea.
And recent history isn’t good for the Potters as they’ve lost by a four-goal margin in each of the last four league meetings between these clubs — 5-1, 4-0, 4-0, 4-0.
4. Life after Pards begins for doomed Baggies
So Alan Pardew’s disastrous spell at West Brom came to an end this week, but it appears to be too little, too late. One win and 12 defeats in 18 league games under him leaves the Baggies rock bottom and, after reading some of the stories that surfaced about his short-lived spell, it doesn’t come as a surprise that things didn’t work out.
Darren Moore has been named caretaker boss of West Brom. SIPA USA / PA Images
SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images
Club legend Darren Moore has been put in charge of first-team duties for the remainder of the season, and his first task will be to try get something out of Saturday’s game when Swansea City visit The Hawthorns.
The Swans represent a club that, unlike West Brom, have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since appointing a new manager midway through the league campaign. Five wins from 11 has pulled the Welsh outfit out of the drop zone, but they will be hoping to edge that bit closer to safety this weekend.
5. Gunners focused on Europe as Saints visit
With 13 points between them and fourth place, Arsenal’s best route into next season’s Champions League is via the Europa League. A 4-1 first leg win over CSKA Moscow on Thursday means they now have one foot in the semi-finals, and Arsene Wenger will be aiming to repeat what Man United did in the competition a year ago.
But it’s back to the bread and butter of the Premier League for the Gunners, and they host struggling Southampton at the Emirates. It’s now five wins in all competitions on the bounce for Arsenal, but the Saints will be praying they take their eye off the ball on Sunday.
Under the recently-appointed Mark Hughes, the south-coast club are currently the highest-placed of the bottom three, but time is running out to secure their top-flight status and the Welshman has called on his players to “roll up their sleeves”.
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Man United out to spoil City's title party on weekend of derbies and the Premier League talking points
1. Guardiola on the brink of first title
AFTER BEING BLOWN away by Liverpool’s first-half performance in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, Manchester City have the chance to wrap up the Premier League title this weekend.
How sweet would it be to win your first league championship in English football by beating your city rivals, managed by a man you’ve had many heated battles with over the years?
But Pep Guardiola is unlikely to field his strongest side in Saturday evening’s Manchester derby at the Etihad. With the second leg against the Reds just days away, the Catalan coach looks certain to rest some of his key names and United will arrive hell-bent on spoiling the party.
Old adversary Jose Mourinho must make do with fighting it out for the runners-up spot and an FA Cup as the league is beyond them, but his team will no doubt be out to frustrate their opponents into submission.
2. Reds danger man likely to miss derby
Liverpool fans must still be on a high from the clinical way they went about earning a 3-0 first leg advantage over Man City in midweek. The one downside on the night, however, was watching top scorer Mohamed Salah walk off the pitch gingerly in the second half.
While Jurgen Klopp spoke positively about the suspected groin injury after the final whistle, he has given an update in today’s press conference to say he won’t be picking the Egyptian for Saturday lunch-time’s Merseyside derby unless he is 100%.
It will be shame if, as it looks likely that, a player with 38 goals to his name this season misses out on the fixture, but opportunity could knock for one young Irishman on the day.
Depleted at the back and set to make a couple of changes to freshen things up ahead of their Champions League second leg, 19-year-old Kildare native Conor Masterson, who was an unused substitute on Wednesday night, could potentially be handed his senior debut at Goodison Park.
3. No light at the end of the tunnel for Potters
Three points adrift of safety with just six games remaining and on a run of three straight defeats, Stoke City supporters must be coming to the realisation that they may very well be watching their club in the Championship next season.
Despite picking up a win on his first game in charge, Paul Lambert has been unable to plug the gaping holes in a sinking ship and it’s hard to see them producing a positive result at home to Tottenham on Saturday.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino could restore his main man Harry Kane to the starting line-up after the England striker returned from injury as a substitute in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Chelsea.
And recent history isn’t good for the Potters as they’ve lost by a four-goal margin in each of the last four league meetings between these clubs — 5-1, 4-0, 4-0, 4-0.
4. Life after Pards begins for doomed Baggies
So Alan Pardew’s disastrous spell at West Brom came to an end this week, but it appears to be too little, too late. One win and 12 defeats in 18 league games under him leaves the Baggies rock bottom and, after reading some of the stories that surfaced about his short-lived spell, it doesn’t come as a surprise that things didn’t work out.
Club legend Darren Moore has been put in charge of first-team duties for the remainder of the season, and his first task will be to try get something out of Saturday’s game when Swansea City visit The Hawthorns.
The Swans represent a club that, unlike West Brom, have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since appointing a new manager midway through the league campaign. Five wins from 11 has pulled the Welsh outfit out of the drop zone, but they will be hoping to edge that bit closer to safety this weekend.
5. Gunners focused on Europe as Saints visit
With 13 points between them and fourth place, Arsenal’s best route into next season’s Champions League is via the Europa League. A 4-1 first leg win over CSKA Moscow on Thursday means they now have one foot in the semi-finals, and Arsene Wenger will be aiming to repeat what Man United did in the competition a year ago.
But it’s back to the bread and butter of the Premier League for the Gunners, and they host struggling Southampton at the Emirates. It’s now five wins in all competitions on the bounce for Arsenal, but the Saints will be praying they take their eye off the ball on Sunday.
Under the recently-appointed Mark Hughes, the south-coast club are currently the highest-placed of the bottom three, but time is running out to secure their top-flight status and the Welshman has called on his players to “roll up their sleeves”.
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Derby weekend Premier League Everton Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Things to look out for