Carrick Kicks Off With Tricky Derby Task
Can the 198th derby be any spicier for Manchester United and their latest interim manager, Michael Carrick?
This is his second caretaker tenure, though the three games of November-December 2021 (beating Villarreal and Arsenal, drawing with Chelsea) hardly compares with sending out an XI to try to beat Manchester City in today’s early kick-off.
Pep Guardiola’s high-performing unit remain in contention on all fronts. Carrick takes charge of a United suffering the aftershocks of a latest manager sacking, hoping to salvage the season via European qualification.
The lad from Wallsend has 17 games to do so – his new team are in seventh place on 32 points, so victory over City would be a fine start.
But you wonder if the match might end with Carrick and United humbled or, even worse, humiliated.
*Manchester United v Manchester City, Saturday
Arsenal Can Be Frustrated By Dyche’s Men
Sean Dyche learned he could not rely on his fringe players at Wrexham penultimate Friday, so it will be back to what he knows best for the Premier League leaders’ visit.
What will be critical for Forest is their defending of set pieces because everyone is aware of how seriously Mikel Arteta and the Gunners take them.
Dyche implemented a marked improvement on the structure when facing corner and throw-ins immediately after his arrival and will be confident his centre-back pairing of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo can keep Arsenal at bay. They are supported by the steady Matz Sels, an improvement on the trial of starting John Victor for a brief period.
It will need careful planning from Dyche but he has the players capable of frustrating and irritating the visitors, while also possessing the quality to hit a team on the break.
*Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, Saturday
New Test Of Chelsea’s Long-throw Jitters
Chelsea know what’s coming. They conceded a late equaliser from a long throw when they drew with Brentford in September and will be wary of Michael Kayode’s huge deliveries when the sides meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Liam Rosenior must make sure his new side are ready.
Chelsea have let in four goals from long throws this season and were all over the place when they drew with Bournemouth last month.
Both Bournemouth’s goals came from Antoine Semenyo hurling the ball into the area and exposing glaring deficiencies in Chelsea’s defending. Expect more of the same from Brentford and Kayode.
*Chelsea v Brentford, Saturday
A Rest For Frimpong? A Chance For Gomez?
Right-back presents Arne Slot with another delicate balancing act against a Burnley team showing signs of improvement.
The season-ending knee injury sustained by Conor Bradley at Arsenal was, as Slot put it, “an enormous blow” for the luckless defender. It also heightens the load on Jeremie Frimpong at a time when he has to be managed carefully, having recently returned from a second hamstring injury of the campaign.
Frimpong has impressed in recent weeks but, with trips to Marseille and Bournemouth on the horizon, Slot may consider the claims of Joe Gomez or Calvin Ramsay for the problematic position.
Scott Parker’s side have not won a league game since October but, having ended a 12-match winless streak with an emphatic FA Cup rout of Millwall last Saturday and drawn three of their past five league matches, the relegation-threatened visitors have arrested the slide.
*Liverpool v Burnley, Saturday
Stylish Villa Have Breathing Space
Now the noise has faded and the eyeballs fixed on Aston Villa’s post-Christmas trip to Arsenal are looking elsewhere, Unai Emery’s side can crack on with their fine work.
Villa may have lost at the Emirates Stadium but since then, they have beaten Nottingham Forest, earned a respectable point at Crystal Palace and sent Tottenham packing from the FA Cup.
Villa are level on points with second-placed Manchester City, six behind the leaders, and, even if the title is beyond them, it is the buffer to sixth place currently occupied by Newcastle which is most significant, with fifth likely sufficient for Champions League qualification.
Eleven points separate Villa and Newcastle heading into the weekend. Sunday’s match at home to Everton, who remain thin on quality, provides another chance for Villa to maintain a healthy gap between them and their rivals.
*Aston Villa v Everton, Sunday
