Liverpool vs. Manchester United; Arsenal vs. Chelsea - 3 Days to Grand Slam Sunday
It’s a big moment once again for the EPL ‘Big 4′ this week-end. Quick summary then…
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Manchester United
Hooliganism marred the draw with AS Roma last night. The 1-1 against the Italian’s was a game played out by fringe players for United. Only 3 players (Rooney, Nani and Carrick) who played were what you would call regulars. Decent game 
in Rome though, not great, but decent.
It has in fact been a decent week for United on the whole. Gary Neville has returned to training, he won’t be fit to visit the stadium which he loves so on Sunday however, as is the case with South Korean Park Ji-Sung. Also Owen Hargreaves is now rated as 50/50, as opposed to 0/100. Louis Saha has also been vocal, questioning how on Earth people can doubt his fitness. Fergie has been quiet though, much to my disappointment. The absence of Jose Mourinho means that there are no mind-games at all between the Big 4.
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Chelsea
Chelski played out an instantly forgettable 0-0 with Valencia on Tuesday night. Each player in the starting XI interestingly 
was a recognized first-teamer, meaning that the thinking of Avram Grant is to keep the players on their toes for the London derby on Sunday.
Quiet week by all accounts down by the bridge. No new injury worries, no new injury returns. We can expect Monsieur Wenger to be guilty of voyeurism again though, as he will surely look to start the mind games with Grant, as it seems the mild-mannered Israeli doesn’t do too many things that are likely to make him enemies. There has been an unlikely catalyst for the mind games between the two though, Petr Cech shouting about how he wants to be Scrooge on Sunday.
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Liverpool
What a week for Rafa B. He starts the biggest week of his Liverpool career with a loss against Reading. Doesn’t bode well considering you’ve got a must-win on Tuesday, the bosses are coming on Friday and your playing United on Sunday. Then 
the week flips right around on the must-win.
Liverpool were absolutely brilliant against Marseilles, and fully deserved the 4-0 win. The penalty, a stone-waller, the Torres goal, simply footballing genius from El Niño, the Kuyt goal, clinical and brilliantly taken, the Babel goal, cheeky and excellently converted. It was a vintage performance and an excellent result for Liverpool.
The only sounds coming from Melwood this week are war-cries really. There was Torres calling for the owners not to sack Rafael Benitez, and there was also Carra declaring that beating United is ‘more than 3 points’. Amen brother.
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Arsenal
The Gunners made hard work of their 2-1 victory against Steaua. We did however see flashes of brilliance by England U21 
International Theo Walcott and also Nicklas Bendtner, a player who every time I see him play reminds me more and more of a young Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Tall, skilful, and a keen eye for goal, this guy definitely has the ability to challenge for the title of best forward in Scandinavia.
Good and bad news for Arsenal ahead of Grand Slam Sunday, Cesc Fabregas is unlikely to be fit, as is Aliaksandr Hleb. However Abou Diaby and Mathieu Flamini are likely to be in the squad, and also Robin van Persie returned midweek against Steaua. RVP is likely to be instrumental on Sunday should he play.
So 3 days to go. Excited?
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- Manchester United move 3 clear of Arsenal, 5 clear of Chelsea, teach Liverpool how to rotate a squad
- Van Persie: Manchester United are bigger threat to Arsenal than Chelsea or Liverpool
- Manchester United’s Carrick: Liverpool are title contenders
- Do Arsenal fans still give a f*** about Chelsea’s Cashley Cole?
- Champions League Predictions: Liverpool, Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea to go through
Discussion - 11 Responses
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Grrrrr. I am trembling. It is crazy what two potentialy amazing matches can do to me. And just to think that the following week there will be El Classico from Sapin and the Milan derby gives me the shivers…
What do you make of LIverpool’s victory over Marseille? Did it make Man Utd’s job easier beacuse it took the sense of urgency off the team, or harder beacuse it is no longer a must-win as it would have been if they would have failed to qualify?
It was nice to hear the Chelsea players light some fire, but Wenger is unusually quiet… wonder if it has anything to do with nerves.
Saha has fitness problems?!? Never noticed
Is the author a liverpool fan by any chance?
Where does it say hargreaves is 50/50?i got the impression hes alright.and why is it that liverpool players start coming out with statements like reina.always.they always talk their shit but…
Chris yes I am and I apologize for bias! It was great though!
Taehr this was on Monday when it was said he was 50/50. The likelihood is that he will get at least a half at Anfield.
Im very excited but i know i’ll be shitten myself!! Unless we get a start like we did in france!
United have always held a barrier over Liverpool but on Sunday United will face the strongest Liverpool in the existance of the Premiership so let the battle of the Two most successful teams in english history live up to expectation this time.
Hopfully at least 4 goals are scored on the day (and i hope even more that they are all scored by Liverpool)
I always wondered who Bendtner remind me of and you got it spot on Zlatan Imbrahimovich! Thats a big complment lets hope he can live up to it coz if he can Arsenal will be one hell of an attacking team as if it aint one now!
liverpoool lost
I gotta ask: how can you compare Bendtner - an unexperienced, unspectacular, shy, skil-less boy - to Zlatan - the greatest player to play in Italy since Roberto Baggio? He is promising, but will never ever reach the skill that Zlatan has. Few people have reached it (Ronaldo, C Ronaldo, Messi to name the most obvious) and few will reach it in the future.
asad… huh?
I guess you could find similarities in Bendtner’s style of play to Zlatan’s. But when I first though about this I remembered Zlatan as he was at Juventus where he played as a striker and how he now plays at Inter, where he plays as a complement to Suazo, Crespo or Cruz (the actual strikers).
What really got to me in Zlatan is how he manages to do both jobs flawlessly and then thinking of Bentner - whom I have only seen play three times - I did not see the complexity in his play. That might come by along with experience, but at the moment he is just potential. Should he reach it he could become like one of the two Zlatans we know, but I doubt it he will ever reach the overall level of the Inter striker.
I must admit that Bentner does remind me just a little of the Juventus version of Zlatan. I hope the boy can surprise me because he will be a joy to watch he will be as good as the big man (even if he plays for Arsenal).
asnals will bet chelsea by 2 goals to 1