This weekend’s Premier League fixtures are the return games of matchweek four.
Sorry, that isn’t actually very helpful. I need to provide some actual information.
This weekend’s Premier League fixtures are the return games of matchweek four, when Manchester United were thrashed 6-1 by Tottenham and Liverpool were humiliated 7-2 at Aston Villa.
That’s better, right?
Anyway, on Monday morning (Sunday afternoon in England) United will travel to Tottenham aiming to avenge their worst defeat in a decade. And I reckon they’ve got a decent chance of doing that.
You see, the tables have turned somewhat since the aforementioned 6-1 flogging left United sixteenth in the table and with the league’s second-worst defensive record. Nowadays they sit comfortably in second spot with the fourth-best defence in the division and its second-best attack. In short, they have improved. A lot.
Having been top of the table in December, meanwhile, Spurs now languish three points outside the much-coveted Champions League places after dropping yet more points last weekend, to lowly Newcastle. They were also recently turfed out of the Europa League by a humiliating 3-0 defeat to (the similarly lowly) Dinamo Zagreb. They have regressed. A lot.
That’s not to say, mind you, that I’m expecting a reverse of October’s 6-1 scoreline. Typically that sort of thing doesn’t happen with these two teams. Most United games against big teams finish 0-0, while Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho doesn’t normally believe in attacking (which is problematic, given that Spurs aren’t particularly good at defending).
This game will thus probably be a cagey one and is likely to be decided by the odd goal. I’ve got no idea who’ll get it though.
The day before that game, though, Liverpool will host Aston Villa. And once again, I have to admit that I really have no idea how the game will go.
The reason for that is Liverpool. Or, rather, the two Liverpools. There is the energetic Liverpool which crushed Arsenal last weekend, and there is the limp and lifeless Liverpool that was crushed by Real Madrid in midweek.
Against Villa, I have not idea which will show up.
What I can say for sure, though, is that this game will not finish 7-2 to either team. Injury has shorn Villa of their talisman, Jack Grealish, while Liverpool … are seventh in the league for a reason.
So, to summarise, there are two games this weekend between teams that caned each other earlier in the season, and I have no real idea how either of them will go.
What a great piece of blogging.
