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The Christmas treats are coming early as we great weekend of Premier League football
Manchester United v Manchester City
With the top two facing off, 3rd place Chelsea need to take advantage of the dropped points, and the Blues have a fixture where they’re expected to do so.
Everton last won at Anfield in 1999, and they will start big underdogs again this week. Sam Allardyce isn’t a manager some Toffee fans are excited about, but if he could mastermind an unlikely win, that would change the view a little.
The Manchester derby will not decide the title, but it may have a huge bearing on the winners. City already have an 8 point lead. If they can increase that to 11, it will take a mighty collapse for them not to cruise to the league title. However, if United win, then the gap closes to a sporting 5 points, and then the title race would be back on in earnest.
Whatever happens in the Sunday block buster, records will be broken. Currently United are unbeaten in 40 home matches. Should they avoid defeat on Sunday, they will create a new club record of unbeaten home games. Jose Mourinho has never lost a Premier League game at home on a Sunday (34 games).
Meanwhile, league leaders City have won 13 consecutive Premier League games, equaling their current record. It would be as sweet as it gets for City to break that record at Old Trafford, simultaneously ending United’s and Jose’s unbeaten runs along the way. It would also be just like Jose to mastermind a tactical approach to end City’s winning streak (i.e. park a bus, a big rig, and a mobile home complete with kitchen sink in front of goal).
Finally, there will be many an FPL armband on Harry Kane once again. Harry may have let us down on too many occasions to be confident this season, but that home monster haul will happen at some point.
Will it be Kane, Hazard, Mo Salah, or someone else who is the right captain choice? Enjoy the games and let’s chat.
Stall