EPL, England, Europe, Features, Ian John, Leagues, Regions POSTS

Manchester to put Merseyside to the sword?

Published by Ian John on February 19, 2010

It’s the weekend of the reciprocal Manchester versus Merseyside clash and on paper at least, it looks like being a good weekend for the Mancunians at the hands of their scouser counterparts.

First up is Everton taking on Manchester United at Goodison Park. In recent years this has been a fixture that has been dogged by one controversy or another. Firstly we have Wayne Rooney and the fact that Evertonians seem to spend all season long waiting for the chance to boo him. Add into that Phil Neville, an Everton player who has an alarming propensity to forget who he is currently playing for and spends most of these games trying to avoid another embarrassing own goal.

Then of course there are the respective form guides for the team. United at the moment have been excellent in their last few games and look well on course to try and capture an unprecedented fourth league title in a row. Everton have improved significantly from their woeful start to the season, but have key players missing with Marouane Fellaini definitely absent and Tim Cahill a doubt for the fixture.

These facts combined mean that the trip to Milan in the week for Manchester and the effects of that tough game in the cauldron of the San Siro, will mean a wet, cold Saturday in February at Goodison Park won’t prove too daunting for Rooney and co. I expect United to win the game, but I also expect the usual amount of controversy, bile filled anger between the fans and Evertonians to chant their displeasure at Wayne Rooney whenever possible. It will be close, hard fought and probably with a sending off or two, but in the end United will triumph.

Focus then switches to the race for fourth place in the Premier League as Manchester City and Mancini take on stuttering Liverpool and Rafa Benitez at Eastlands. Liverpool’s form, of late, has been improved, but a defeat to Arsenal means that they cannot afford to fall any further behind Manchester City in the race for fourth. The 1-0 midweek win over Unirea Urzceni in the Europa Cup will have hardly inspired any confidence in a team clearly devoid of that precious commodity.

City, on the other hand, can look to the fact that they have beaten Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal (twice) at Eastlands this season already and the knowledge that victory over Liverpool would move them four points clear of the Anfield side, still with a game in hand, should be enough to inspire Roberto Mancini’s side to shake off their lethargic recent form and get the win. A win which would be something of a disaster for Rafa Benitez hopes of a fourth placed finish for his team.

Image Courtesy of ***Gordonflood*** on Flickr.com

Readers Rating: