Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton all face intriguing Premier League challenges in midweek
The Manchester derby heads a list of huge Premier League fixtures this week. Matt Stanger looks at the tests facing the biggest clubs and asks whether this could be a decisive time in the race for the top spots.
Tuesday 25 March 2014 10:23, UK
Tuesday sees Manchester United host Manchester City, Arsenal entertain Swansea and Everton travel to Newcastle, while Liverpool have the chance to maintain their good form at home to Sunderland the following night. Here's Matt Stanger with the lowdown on what's at stake...
Manchester City
The first of three games in hand on Chelsea and by far the most difficult. City face a season-defining week as they make the short trip to Old Trafford on Tuesday and then face Arsenal at the Emirates Saturday tea-time. Win both matches, and the title race tips in their favour. Lose, and that defeat at home to Chelsea in February will continue to sting.
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If this fixture had been played last week, we would have expected City to steamroll United. The champions were on their knees following the 3-0 humbling at home to Liverpool, but have since staggered back to their feet by beating Olympiakos to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and cruising to a 2-0 victory over West Ham at Upton Park.
With United displaying encouraging balance in Robin van Persie's absence at the weekend, City face a somewhat unfamiliar test. The focal point of a front pairing of Van Persie and Wayne Rooney was replaced by a 'cuter' approach on Saturday, with Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa drifting between the lines and Ashley Young offering width on the right.
United's aim should be to get in behind City's high defensive line, with Mata looking to pull Vincent Kompany out of position and feed Rooney. Kompany, who returns from a one-match suspension on Tuesday, performed admirably against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, but too often this season he has looked suspect when forced to step up and track an opponent.
That was certainly the case in the home defeat to Chelsea and, with Martin Demichelis likely to partner the captain at the back against United, City's defence will require protection from both Fernandinho and Yaya Toure. That is not the only concern, however, as a goal drought among the team's strikers continues to pose a problem for Manuel Pellegrini.
Alvaro Negredo's blunt display against Fulham extended his run without a goal to nine matches while Edin Dzeko, who missed Saturday's game through illness, has been woefully below par in recent weeks. With Sergio Aguero ruled out of the derby with a hamstring injury the responsibility should fall on Negredo's strong shoulders, but he will be looking to share the burden with Toure and the rest of the starting XI.
In truth, this is a match City should win, and one they need to win to build the momentum required to win the title. They have stumbled over the last two months, but can place nagging doubts firmly behind them with a dominant display at Old Trafford. Pellegrini knows he possesses the stronger team and will expect his players to perform accordingly. United can be bullied, and it is up to City to expose their weaknesses in the same ruthless manner as Liverpool.
Manchester United
After a good week for David Moyes brought two much-needed victories, United now face a far tougher test in their last chance to show they can compete for the title again next season. The first thing Moyes should do is avoid saying that City are favourites.
The manager deserved praise for his selection at Upton Park at the weekend but his record against the top half leaves much to be desired. United have managed just 11 goals in 14 games against the rest of the top ten, with Crystal Palace the only side to have scored fewer. Two wins in 14 matches against top-half teams is a remarkably poor return for the champions, and the way they were dominated by City at th
