Manchester City hosting Liverpool is a highlight of a massive weekend for Roy Hodgson, Spurs and a Man Utd star, with some Papa Johns on the side.
Game to watch – Manchester City v Liverpool
It might not be the super-massive-mega City v Liverpool clash of recent seasons – owing largely to the visitors’ decline – but Saturday lunchtime’s meeting at the Etihad is still huge for the hosts and Arsenal.
There’s plenty in it for Liverpool too. Jurgen Klopp’s side are two places and seven points off fourth-placed Tottenham, with Newcastle sandwiched in between and Brighton breathing down the Reds’ necks. Liverpool need the top four. Their rivals crave a Champions League place just as much, but the repercussions of failure would be greater at Anfield, though Spurs might argue that viewpoint.
Going to City represents the start of a pivotal week for Klopp and his men. They follow that with a trip to Chelsea before welcoming Arsenal to Anfield next weekend. The Reds have been better against tougher opposition this term, but no one, not even Klopp, can be sure which Liverpool will turn up: the machine that battered Manchester United or the shambles that surrendered at Bournemouth.
Arsenal must hope it’s the former in the face of City, who will be loathe to lose further ground in the title race. Like Liverpool, City are seven points off where they need to be and they cannot afford to give up more ground to the Gunners before they face Leeds later that afternoon.
They may have to face Liverpool without the ridiculous Erling Haaland who, according to his father, is ‘touch and go’ to face the Reds after picking up a groin injury before the international break. Pep Guardiola needs to hope his medics in Barcelona have worked their magic.
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Manager to watch – Roy Hodgson
It’s fair to say that no one saw this coming. After Crystal Palace’s wretched run since the turn of the year, and Patrick Vieira’s apparent helplessness, it was of little surprise to see the Eagles make a change. But bringing Hodgson back to Palace caught everyone on the hop.
Roy’s return seems to have split the Palace fans and left many outside Selhurst Park somewhat bemused. Palace were keen to be seen to be moving forward but wheeling Hodgson out of retirement certainly flies in the face of whatever progression they may have been making.
Given their…
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