United eyes rebound at Arsenal
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Just when Manchester United鈥檚 fans were beginning to dream of a first English Premier League title since 2013 along came bottom club Sheffield United to offer a reality check.
United鈥檚 shock 1-2 home defeat by Chris Wilder鈥檚 side not only stopped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer鈥檚 team returning to the top of the table, it also snapped a 13-game unbeaten league run.
So tomorrow鈥檚 trip to a rejuvenated Arsenal has suddenly assumed greater significance, with Manchester City now above its second-placed city rival by a point with a game in hand.
Was the Sheffield debacle a blip or was it evidence that the early-season gremlins that had placed Solskjaer under such pressure in November are still lurking at Old Trafford.
Victory at the Gunners, who United lost to at home on November 1 before embarking on 10 wins and three draws, would go a long way to proving that the former is the more likely.
鈥淲hen you get kicked down, it鈥檚 how quickly you bounce back and Saturday鈥檚 a big one and we鈥檝e got to get three points,鈥 skipper Harry Maguire said after the defeat by Sheffield United.
鈥淲e are disappointed, it hurts, but we鈥檝e got to pick ourselves up and bounce back.鈥
Arsenal will be relishing the visiting of United.
Mikel Arteta鈥檚 side may still be down in ninth place but it is the form team in the division with five wins and a draw from its last six league games.
Like Solskjaer, Arteta was coming under fire with Arsenal plunging towards the relegation zone but it has suddenly clicked and has scored 10 goals in its last four games while conceding one 鈥 in a fine 3-1 win at Southampton on Tuesday.
Victory would even revive talk of a top-four challenge by the London club but Arteta is refusing to get carried away.
鈥淲e know it鈥檚 going to be really difficult against United,鈥 he said yesterday. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been in top form. They鈥檝e been top of the table, playing really well.
鈥淲e know they are a real threat so we have to be at our best to beat them on Saturday.鈥
By the time Arsenal and United kick off, City may have already opened up a four-point lead over its neighbor by knocking Sheffield United back down to earth.
City has begun to look ominously good with seven successive league wins and 11 in all competitions.
It will again be without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, but it certainly did not miss him when thumping West Bromwich Albion 5-0 away on Tuesday, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring twice.
Manager Pep Guardiola knows that the EPL, especially this season, is wildly unpredictable and there is no way his side will be taking the Blades lightly.
鈥淭his is the Premier League. It is so tough. Every game is so complicated,鈥 the Spaniard said. 鈥淚t is important we have a good run and realize why we are here and go to the next one.鈥
Third-placed Leicester City, which appears capable of challenging the Manchester clubs, hosts Leeds United on Sunday, while West Ham United, which moved into the top four with a win at Crystal Palace this week, hosts champion Liverpool on Sunday.
New Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will have had a few more training sessions under his belt ahead of his side鈥檚 Sunday test against a resurgent Burnley side at Stamford Bridge.
After Chelsea was held to a dreary 0-0 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday in his first game in charge, the German will be keen to see an attacking threat.
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