After Guilty Verdict, Man City Still Free-Flowing, Might Vomit PSG Frustration On Ipswich Today
Even when losing for the first time this season in Wednesday’s 4-2 Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Manchester City appeared the real deal as they rallied from 3-0 down after 32 minutes to give the European champions a scare.
Enzo Maresca deserves credit for following Pep Guardiola serenely; his City, so far, are a free-flowing attacking machine and invigorating to watch.
If not for the guilty verdict against the club for serious financial breaches of Premier League rules, the perma-twinkling Italian might be more widely lauded.
Ipswich last won at City in the competition in November 2000: do not expect the statistic to change on Saturday (today).
*Manchester City v Ipswich, Saturday
Liverpool Will Find Brentford Tougher Test Than LASK
Still unbeaten in the top flight, Brentford are being served well by their commitment to pragmatism.
Keith Andrews’ side like to sit deep, close off the middle of the pitch and force opponents to play around them, while flooding the opposition box at set pieces and throw-ins allows them to create the chances from which most of their goals arrive.
In spanking six past LASK, the Austrian champions, Liverpool showed how good they can be on the front foot, but they will face far less obliging hosts at the Gtech Community Stadium.
If Andoni Iraola’s side can dominate the ball and move it quickly enough to penetrate Brentford’s rearguard, they could win comfortably.
However, the Bees’ efforts to turn the afternoon into a saloon brawl and capitalise on dead-ball situations may help to maintain their unbeaten run.
*Brentford v Liverpool, Saturday.
Jordan Henderson Returns To Merseyside
A lively reception awaits the former Liverpool midfielders Jordan Henderson and Xabi Alonso at Everton and, in the case of the former, any jeers can be considered an unintentional tribute.
They will speak of what the 36-year-old is able to produce now as much as what, and where, he delivered in the past.
With two goals and an assist against Bournemouth last Saturday, Henderson became the oldest player to contribute directly to three goals in a Premier League game, and demonstrated his role at Chelsea is not simply to elevate standards off the pitch.
His midfield partnership with Moisés Caicedo gave Alonso’s team balance and enabled the front three of Morgan Rogers, João Pedro and Cole Palmer to flourish.
Their confrontation against an Everton defence that had impressed this season, only to litter the draw at Hull with costly mistakes, will provide a stern test of the hosts’ unbeaten start and may well be dictated by the veteran behind them.
*Everton v Chelsea, Saturday.
Carrick Confronts Old Nemesis Farke
Michael Carrick has lost five of his past six technical-area duels with Daniel Farke. Indeed the only time Manchester United’s manager has bested his Leeds counterpart was in a League Cup tie during his Middlesbrough tenure.
If such statistics are not sufficient to put Manchester United’s currently beleaguered manager off a trip to West Yorkshire on Sunday, there is a sense that Leeds are overdue a first victory at Elland Road since 2002 against their arch-enemies from across the Pennines.
One thing is certain; it will be a typically raucous latter-day War of the Roses. But, right now, while the White Rose blooms, its red counterpart is wilting alarmingly.
Will Carrick survive this latest meeting with a manager who, at Championship level during his Middlesbrough days, proved something of a nemesis?
He will not care to remember that last January a 1-1 draw at Elland Road proved to be Ruben Amorim’s final game in charge of Manchester United. *Leeds v Manchester United, Sunday.
Champions Arsenal Face Genuine Forest Threat
Despite losing 3-1 to Crystal Palace last weekend, Nottingham Forest played some excellent front-foot football only to be let down by extreme profligacy in front of goal and vulnerability to their hosts’ counterattacks.
Oliver Glasner attributed his side’s defeat to karma upon his return to Palace, saying: “It was like I didn’t deserve to win at Selhurst Park, because the players did everything.”
When they welcome Arsenal to the City Ground on Sunday, they will give the champions plenty to ponder if they can play as well again.
Mikel Arteta’s side were unconvincing for 65 minutes against Leeds last weekend and failed to impress until they brought on their heavy artillery about the same time against Lille on Tuesday.
If one or both of Morgan Gibbs-White and Liam Delap can convert the kind of chances they missed at Selhurst Park, Forest have every chance of getting something.
*Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, Sunday.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Man City fans defiant…over the guilty verdict.
