The fixture computer has inadvertently spoiled us this weekend, with a couple of huge derbies, the top eight all facing each other, while the bottom four fight among themselves.
Game to watch – Manchester United v Manchester City
United can move within a point of City if they win at Old Trafford on Saturday. Which was an utterly ludicrous prospect when these derby rivals last met at the Etihad.
There, City obliterated United. A 6-3 defeat flattered the Red Devils, who made the deficit look slightly less horrific with two late goals, long after City had taken their foot off the gas after a hat-trick apiece for Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
Then, United had Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro on the bench but now the outlook is very different for Saturday’s hosts. Ronaldo is no longer United’s concern while Casemiro has established himself as one of the signings of the season, with Erik ten Hag sorting his rabble out in commendable fashion.
United’s progress has Pep Guardiola wary and City’s current form has him worried. Very worried. “If we perform this way, we won’t have a chance,” said Guardiola after his side lost to bottom-of-the-league Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, the first time in 275 matches that they failed to muster a single shot on target.
City won’t be that bad again. The likelihood is that Saints gave City’s cage a necessary rattle and United will face an angry neighbour on Saturday lunchtime. But the Red Devils look better equipped than they have for a long time to stand up to the champions. Both in terms of points and performance, this could be closest-fought Manchester derby in bloody ages.
Read more: Guardiola has ‘ridiculous ideas’ for the Manchester derby and we have figured them all out
Team to watch – Tottenham. And Arsenal
In terms of league standings, United v City is a closer-run thing than Sunday’s north London derby. Arsenal carry an 11-point cushion over Spurs and a game in hand. But you can bet arses will be nipping among the visiting support with so much more at stake than they would have anticipated.
Aside from local pride, it’s not unfeasible that the Gunners could end the weekend with an eight-point lead at the Premier League summit. And they are now at the stage of thinking about each game in the context of the title race, whatever Mikel Arteta might say publicly.
At least we know which Arsenal side will show up. Arteta has no reason to overthink his approach to the derby….
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