The second part of the Arsenal-Liverpool three-in-a-week takes place on Saturday and after what was an energy-sapping Champions League encounter on Wednesday night, we will surely see some rotation.
Liverpool will certainly make changes as I think they will consider the five-point lead that they now have over Everton and will look at the run-in that Everton have got where they are likely to drop a few more points.
So I would be amazed if there weren't four or five changes for Rafa Benitez's side.
For Arsene Wenger it is much more difficult. He will have to balance how realistic he feels his team's chances are of still being in with a shout for the Premier League title. And he will want his team to save as much as they can for the second leg on Tuesday night - it will be difficult.
Sir Alex Ferguson has got more quality to pick from and I believe that is the main difference this season - I think the best squad, as opposed to the best starting eleven, goes a long way to winning the Premier League.
Andy Gray
Quotes of the week
Middlesbrough v Man Utd
1pm, Sunday
Sky Sports 1 & HD1
To borrow a Harry Redknapp saying, he is down to the bare-bones. Bacary Sagna and Robin Van Persie have recently joined Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo on the injury list and Wenger doesn't have an awful lot to fall back on.
That's what makes life difficult for Wenger - he might have wanted to have rested Cesc Fabregas or Alex Hleb for instance, to get them ready for Tuesday, but it's unlikely he will be able to do that.
There's all sorts of things Wenger might have wanted to do, but his hands may be a little bit tied because of the lack of alternatives he has.
Rotation
You can only change your team if the players you are bringing in are good enough to keep the run going. Part of Rafa Benitez's problem in my opinion is that when he rests key players, the ones that have come in are not good enough.
If he rests Fernando Torres, for instance, with the greatest of respect to Peter Crouch and Andriy Voronin they are not going to be as effective. And it's the same with Stevie Gerrard. That's Benitez's problem.
He rested Gerrard and Torres when there was no need to and that has cost Liverpool. That's not the way you chop and change the team - if you don't have good enough back-up then you have to play your best team as often as possible. There's nothing wrong with rotating players but not in September!
Liverpool had a great start to the season, but at Portsmouth and then Birmingham he left out Torres which I found baffling and it cost them to the tune of four points early on in the season. Yes, players need resting at times, but in September?
Don't get me wrong, Sir Alex Ferguson has made mistakes when rotating his team as well. He made changes against Bolton and West Ham and lost those games, don't forget that, but the difference is, Ferguson very rarely rests his core players, and has a stronger squad than anyone else.
He picks Edwin Van Der Sar when fit, he picks Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic all the time, and he picks Ronaldo and Rooney all the time. He picks his big players all the time.
More quality
If he rests Giggs, he can bring in Nani; if he rests Scholes he can bring in Carrick or Hargreaves or Anderson; if he rests Tevez he can play Ronaldo up front as he did in Rome in midweek.
He has got more quality to pick from and I believe that is the main difference this season - I think the best squad, as opposed to the best starting eleven, goes a long way to winning the league.
At the beginning of the season I thought Middlesbrough were one of the worse teams I've ever seen. But full credit to Gareth Southgate, he has kept chipping away with his team and when I watch them play now they don't look like they will be pushed aside easily.
When you look at last weekend, Middlesbrough had Chelsea hanging on to their 1-0 lead and they really should have beaten Chelsea with the chances they had.
So I think Sir Alex knows that this match is by no means a done-deal. United have a good record at the Riverside, but I'm sure this is a match that Sir Alex will be happy to get out the way, there's no doubt about that.
Ferguson has the luxury of watching Arsenal take on Liverpool and Chelsea facing by no means an easy trip to Manchester City, so they will go into the Middlesbrough game knowing what has happened, but if Arsenal and Chelsea both win, the pressure will be on them to pick up three points.
Middlesbrough v Man Utd, 1pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Do you agree with Andy Gray? Let us know what you think by using the feedback form below.
Comments (11)
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Mustafa Ahmad says...
I think its time for Giggs and Scholes to retire. Ferguson has talent like Nani and Anderson. This is there time. Ferguson needs to play them. Anderson wasn't played for a while. First came back he did nothing. He lost balls. Couldn't pass. His confidence went. Nani, he has a heart of stone. Even though he doesn¿t play often, when he does he proves himself to be decent enough to be a first team member. But Ferguson turns a blind eye to it. Hargreaves had the best game he has had for united against Roma. Now, Ferguson hailed him but he needs to play more often. Plus Ferguson needs to buy a new striker to play either along with or spare. Tevez and Rooney are amazing but they are not reliable. Injuries are common for the two. Good to see Neville is back too! Thanks
Posted 23:26 12th April 2008
Shane Quinn says...
people say that rafa benitiz is a good manager but look a the money he has spent in 3 or 4 years and still hasnt come anywhere close to winning the premiership he has been lucky in the champs league in my opinion but he is too defensive away from home and draws too many games and until he changes that mentallity i think it may be a long time before liverpool win the champs league the reason why liverpool seem good in europe is its a cup tie anything can happen in one match its harder to win p[remiership than the champs league
Posted 11:23 7th April 2008
Cathal D says...
Fergie doesnt hav cover for his center backs and this is where they will be tested over the last few weeks with rio limpin off yesterday but even without vidic rio looks lost gettin draged out of position so even fergie could end up with nothing yet best title race in a while thank god prm leauge still growing stronger than the rest of the world leauges. In two years time there will be a enormous difference unless the fa step in with certain conditions to limit clubs in england
Posted 10:35 7th April 2008
Naeem Ali says...
I think Chelsea might just sneak the primeiership if they keep there toes up on every game, as they arent that many games left. If arsenal get a win or a draw against man u. Then its all down to Chelsea to beat Man u at home and win all there games. but the pressures certainly on Man u. Chelsea also kept the pressure up last season aswel. But will see. I think theres more twist and turns left on the title.
Posted 01:04 7th April 2008
Grant Donaldson says...
Thats right, united will win the title because of the strength of the squad, as you said, nani, anderson, carrick, hargreaves are all excellent players to have on the bench, nani has proven himself this season, even tho the draw against boro has hurt united, they will still beat chelsea and arsenal.
Posted 22:32 6th April 2008
Nima Alagha says...
Sorry Mr Andy Gray but i do not agree with your comments. To quote you: "He has got more quality to pick from." Manchester United do not have a quality squad. Yes, i agree that they have an excellent starting XI however the same can not be said for their back up options. Players such as; O Shea, Fletcher, Brown, Park and co would barely be able to find their way into a starting XI of a mid table team. A world class squad- you have got to be joking right?
Posted 18:08 6th April 2008
Usman Anwar says...
I agree. Rafa has got the size but not quality. Wenger has got the "bare bones" quality, but does so not have any back-up; same problem as MUFC last season. Ferguson has the best of size and quality. That is what is going to win him the Premiership. The form of his squad and the unity he has created within, when combined with the radical football quality he has acquired will win him the Champions League with the squad size.
Posted 20:55 5th April 2008
Luke C says...
I totally agree with Andy Gray. Arsenal have a brilliant starting 11, but the problem is we dont have quality backup. When Adebayor or Van persie is injured, we have bendtner as backup? Im sorry, but he is not a reliable backup striker, who proved again on wednesdays game how clumsy and unexperienced he truly is. The same goes for our midfielders and defenders, Gilberto is no longer the force he once was and for our defenders, Senderos and Djourou can have their days, but are in no way as consistant as Toure and Gallas. I think this problem needs to be sorted out in the summer, because in terms of Squad quality and fitness, we are far behind the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United, who i hate to say, are the best club in the world at this very moment, all because they have quality back up, and the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool dont. Regardless whether the starting 11 is exellent, Squad fitness and quality is a big factor in who will win the Premier league, which is why i think Manchester United will win it again this year.
Posted 21:55 4th April 2008
Patrick Lising says...
Wenger has to consider making some changes to give some of his players a rest. The last 10 minutes of the game against Liverpool in the 1st Leg, it was clear to tell that most of the Arsenal players were fatigued. You didn't see Gael Clichy bombing the flanks, Toure looked a little tired, and even the movement of Flamini and Fabregas was a little slower than usual. Squad rotation is key at some point to keep a title surge going. Denilson and Gilberto are both raring for a start. Both have some quality. Why not start at least one of them. I believe Eboue can still fill the right back position and give Toure a rest while Senderos fill at centre-back. Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner more than ever will have to step up and prove themselves in these last games. Of course the Gunners will be laying it all on the line and pushing for the win in every game from here until the end because they have to but, rest is needed and at the end of the season nearing, it is ever more evident. For Benitez, he doesn't have as much a worry. He can risk rotating Torres for Crouch and Voronin for Kuyt in this game. Champions League is his only priority left now as I think Liverpool have enough in them to claim the fourth Champions League spot.
Posted 21:49 4th April 2008
Sean Campbell says...
united for double premier league end champions league
Posted 19:15 4th April 2008
Stuart North says...
i agree, Rafa cant rotate aswell as Sir Alex but when it comes to picking a team on a champions league night, Rafa comes up trumps. it took ferge nearly 13 years to win the champions league and he hasnt come close since, Rafa 's record in the cup's is amazing.FA cup, champions league and lets not forget he went to the champions league final last year and went to the carling cup final in 2005. I think even Rafa will know next season that rotation in the league does not work, you play your fringe players when you play in the carling cup, early stages of FA Cup and when you are 2 nil up at home in the league.
Posted 15:52 4th April 2008
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