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United aim to end the year top of the pile

December 30, 2011

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As 2011 draws to a close, Manchester United will end the year top of the Premier League table if they can beat Blackburn on Saturday, while Manchester City will aim to respond 24 hours later. Read on for our preview of the action...

New Year's Eve

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Manchester United v Blackburn - Live on ESPN

Form: Polar opposites collide, with United in the hunt for the title and Rovers scrapping for their lives at the foot of the table. The signs are not positive for Rovers, who have won just one game since the end of October. United, in contrast, have not looked back since being thrashed by Manchester City at Old Trafford and have scored 16 goals in their past four games - winning all four.
Key battle: Rovers have a string of injuries to contend with, with defenders Ryan Nelsen, Scott Dann, Gael Givet and Martin Olsson all out. The onus is on Chris Samba to keep United at bay. He put in a solid shift to keep Suarez and Carroll quiet in the draw with Liverpool on Boxing Day, but Wayne Rooney will pose a different challenge and the England star's movement will cause Samba problems.
Player to watch: Mark Bunn was thrust into the heat of battle at Anfield due to an injury to Paul Robinson and produced the kind of display that keepers dream of. With Robinson again doubtful, the keeper will be in the spotlight to produce a repeat display.
Talking point: United are out of the Champions League and as such the Premier League is the priority for Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils are historically stronger in the second half of the season and know how to get the job done, but do they have the players to slug it out with moneybags Manchester City over the next five months?
Bet of the day: United have had a field day at home to Rovers in recent seasons. Dimitar Berbatov helped himself to five goals in the corresponding fixture last season and hot on the heels of his hat-trick against Wigan, take the Bulgarian to score in a 4-1 win: 18/1 with bet365
Prediction: 4-1

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Arsenal v QPR

Form: Arsenal's fine run of results has been halted in recent weeks, with the Gunners taking just one win from their past three games. They are in danger of losing touch with the pacesetters, while QPR face a different battle with Neil Warnock's side scrapping for points in their bid to avoid the drop. Rangers have taken just five points since the end of October and are being sucked towards the relegation zone.
Key battle: Arsene Wenger has spoken of his admiration for Joey Barton in the past, but never pushed through with a bid. Barton will head into the game on a high after becoming a father and he will look to show his class with a dominant display in the middle of the park. Barton will come up against the combative Alex Song and creative Mikel Arteta and how he performs could influence the outcome.
Player to watch: Adel Taarabt is threatening to put years on Neil Warnock. Sublime in QPR's promotion last season, his antics this season have bordered on the ridiculous. He has been linked with a move away from the club in January, but has come in from the cold in the past couple of weeks with mature displays. Which Taarabt turns up is anyone's guess but the Emirates could be just the stage to inspire him to put in a performance.
Talking point: Robin van Persie is in the last chance saloon as he seeks to break Alan Shearer's record of 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year. The Dutchman has virtually single-handedly kept Arsenal in the title hunt, but he drew a blank in the 1-1 draw with Wolves. Can he get the job done at the Emirates?
Bet of the day: Gunners fans will be willing on their man and will be backing Van Persie to get the three goals needed to break Shearer's record: 7/1 with bet365
Prediction: 3-0

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Bolton v Wolves

Form: Relegation will be the word people's lips as second-bottom Bolton entertain fourth-bottom Wolves. Bolton hauled themselves off the foot of the table with a win over local rivals Blackburn, but a home defeat to Newcastle on Boxing Day was a reality check for the Trotters. Wolves showed their battling qualities when overcoming the dismissal of Nenad Milijas to take a point at Arsenal and they are unbeaten in two games.
Key battle: Bolton have conceded 41 goals this season, the most in the Premier League. Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will be well aware of the Trotters' brittle back-line and he will be looking for the in-form Steven Fletcher to add to his seven goals.
Player to watch: Kevin Davies was left out of the Bolton side that beat Blackburn for, in the words of manager Owen Coyle, 'trying too hard'. An abject display from Bolton against Newcastle prompted Coyle to suggest a shake-up is in order. It could be a route back into the side for Davies and if he does play, he's sure to put in a captain's performance.
Talking point: Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has moaned about his side being on the wrong end of decisions against big clubs. His mood will not have been improved by the failure to have Nenad Milijas' red card against Arsenal overturned. But heading to Bolton, McCarthy will not be able to trot out that excuse if his side suffer a bad call.
Bet of the day: ESPN is a sucker for a story and there would be no better story than Kevin Davies scoring first in a Bolton win: 8/1 with bet365
Prediction: 2-0

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Chelsea v Aston Villa

Form: Three 1-1 draws on the spin following the stunning win over Manchester City have derailed Chelsea's title hopes but they have an ideal chance to get back on track with a home game against an Aston Villa side who are facing up to mid-table mediocrity. Just one win on the road has hurt Alex McLeish's Villa.
Key battle: Villa are confident Darren Bent will shake off the groin complaint that has kept him out for the past three games. If the striker does prove his fitness, he will come up against his England colleague in John Terry who has put in some solid efforts in the face of some huge off-field problems.
Player to watch: Didier Drogba was benched for the draw with Fulham, a decision that handed Fernando Torres a chance to shine. He did not take it, so expect Drogba to return and you would not bet against him showing his manager the error of his ways.
Talking point: Andre Villas-Boas would appear to feel that Drogba and Torres cannot play together. He may be correct, but surely with Chelsea faltering it might be worth throwing them together in attack to try and spark a Stamford Bridge revival.
Bet of the day: Drogba is Chelsea's leading figure in attack and we are taking him to score first in a win for the Blues: 4/1 with bet365
Prediction: 3-0

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Norwich v Fulham

Form: Norwich are without a win in three - although they have drawn two of those matches - while Fulham have produced a mixed bag of late: win over Bolton, 5-0 hammering at home to Manchester United, then a creditable point at Stamford Bridge.
Key battle: Norwich defender Adam Drury made his first appearance of the season against Tottenham on Wednesday, and is likely to keep his place in the absence of the injured Marc Tierney. The fluid movement of Spurs' attackers caused Drury all sorts of problems, and he will need to get up to speed quickly against Fulham's Bryan Ruiz, who is starting to find his feet in the Premier League following a summer move.
Player to watch: Kerim Frei, 18, was handed a start by Cottagers boss Martin Jol for the draw against Chelsea on Boxing Day. The tricky midfielder has regularly featured in the Europa League this season, and now looks to be breaking into the Premier League XI - and that's no mean feat given the technical quality of Fulham's midfield.
Talking point: Will we ever see Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson in a Fulham shirt again? Both are set to miss the game at Carrow Road due to injury - and there have been suggestions of a fall-out with Jol. With the transfer window set to open, QPR and Blackburn are reportedly keeping a keen eye on the duo.
Bet of the day: Clint Dempsey to score anytime: 21/10 with bet365
Prediction: 2-2

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Stoke v Wigan

Form: Stoke have lost just one of their last five in the league - and that was against Manchester City - while Wigan were unbeaten in three before losing 5-0 at Old Trafford in their most recent fixture.
Key battle: It's likely to be congested and frantic in the midfield areas, and whoever can win the physical tussle between the home side's Wilson Palacios - formerly of Wigan - and Mohamed Diame is likely to take their team closer to victory.
Player to watch: Victor Moses has been lively in forward areas for Wigan this season but, despite 56 shots on goal - 25 more than anyone else in the squad - he's only scored once in the league. He will know he needs to improve his end product in 2012 if he is to live up to his undoubted potential.
Talking point: Conor Sammon will be available for the match after having his red card, which was picked up for a clash with Michael Carrick, rescinded by the FA. It's a big boost for Wigan in their battle against the drop - will Tony Pulis be left to rue the decision?
Bet of the day: Under 2.5 goals: 17/20 with bet365
Prediction: 1-0

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Swansea v Tottenham

Form: Swansea have won just one of their last six; title-chasing Spurs have taken seven points from nine since a surprising loss at Stoke on December 11.
Key battle: Steven Caulker is not allowed to play as he is on loan at the Swans from Spurs, meaning club captain Garry Monk will be asked to shackle Emmanuel Adebayor, whose arrival in August transformed Tottenham's season. The Togolese striker has the combination of pace and power that no defender, especially a rusty one, will relish facing.
Player to watch: Gareth Bale was terrific in the win over Norwich after being permitted the freedom to roam from his left-wing station, a tactical tweak which prevents him from being double-marked by the opposition. The free role could help him add more goals to his game, and that would surely catch the attention of the Spanish giants who have already expressed their admiration.
Talking point: Spurs' push for the title doesn't seem to be fading away any time soon and, with Manchester United still to come to White Hart Lane, they have the chance to have a decisive say in the destination of the Premier League trophy. It's games like this, against opponents who have proved they will not be overawed at home, that will really test their credentials.
Bet of the day: The draw: 13/5 with bet365
Prediction: 1-1

New Year's Day

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West Brom v Everton

Form: West Brom have taken seven points from nine, including a laudable 0-0 draw at home to table-toppers Manchester City; Everton are unbeaten in three, although a huge problem scoring goals continues to hold them back.
Key battle: The mercurial Royston Drenthe has injected some much-needed spark into the Toffees, scoring twice in the league and providing five assists in his 11 appearances to date. Whichever flank he's deployed on, his direct opponent must get to grips with the Dutchman and cut off Everton's main supply line.
Player to watch: Tim Cahill did not score a goal for Everton for the entirety of 2011, and so will be glad to put the year behind him. Until the last 12 months, he's always been known as a reliable provider of goals, particularly with his head - are those days gone forever, or can he rediscover scoring form?
Talking point: Who will Everton boss David Moyes go after in January? He was in the crowd for Celtic v Rangers in midweek, presumably to watch Gers striker Nikica Jelavic - but will Moyes be priced out in a bidding war, with QPR having already shown an interest?
Bet of the day: 0-0 draw: 8/1 with bet365
Prediction: 0-0

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Sunderland v Manchester City

Form: City have wobbled a little in recent weeks after making such a fine start, dropping points in two of their last four. Meanwhile the appointment of Martin O'Neill has rejuvenated Sunderland: the Ulsterman has led his new side to seven points from the last 12.
Key battle: A couple of ex-Manchester United defenders - John O'Shea and Wes Brown - will be relishing the prospect of trying to thwart City's leading scorer Sergio Aguero, who has netted 13 times in the Premier League this season.
Player to watch: If Sunderland are to have any chance of getting a result, Stephane Sessegnon will need to have a good game. The forward has struggled for goals since joining the Black Cats, but he is razor-sharp in the counter and in possession of faultless technical skills - and you'd back O'Neill to coax the best out of him.
Talking point: This will be one of the final opportunities for City fans to see Yaya Toure in a blue shirt before he heads to the African Cup of Nations. How will they cope in the absence of their driving force in midfield, and will they look for a replacement in January?
Bet of the day: Sergio Aguero to score first in a 3-1 Manchester City victory: 40/1 with bet365
Prediction: 1-3

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