Nigeria Content Online

In the last match before Alex Ferguson begins a five-match
touch-line ban, the league leaders will have to cope without some first team players.
Captain Nemanja Vidic will have to undergo a late fitness test before being
pronounced available or otherwise for the lesser Manchester derby on Saturday.

United have lost the last two league matches: 2-1 away to
Chelsea followed by a 3-1 loss to Liverpool. They have not lost three Premier
league games in a row since December 2001 but are especially thin at the back.
Players like Rio Ferdinand, Vidic, Johnny Evans, John O’Shea and Rafael are all
doubtful. Paul Scholes leads the absentees in midfield due to suspension and is
joined by Anderson and Ji-Sung Park, both out due to injuries. Darren Fletcher
is also out with a virus. However, Park and Evans could return for Saturday’s
match.

The Red Devils have since won two matches on the trot after the
disappointments in the league: a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup, followed
by a 2-1 victory over Olympique Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Bolton are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions
but they have won just one of their last 16 Premier League games against
Manchester United. New manager, Owen Coyle has added a new playing mentality
plus a player like Daniel Sturridge, who has scored four goals in the last five
matches for the team. However, United are still overwhelming favourites for the
three points to keep up their chase for a 19th league title.

Arsenal needs revenge

After West Bromwich knocked the stuffing out of the Gunners in
September with a 3-2 shock win, most of the blame was heaped on Arsenal goal
keeper, Manuel Almunia, and that led to him losing the spot, first to Lukasz
Fabianski and then Wojciech Szczesny.. However, fate has dealt the Spaniard
another hand, where he is the only fit senior keeper to face the Baggies on
Saturday. The question is then that will Almunia redeem himself?

This was also the game that Nigerian striker, Osaze Odemwingie,
showed off all his attacking acumen; getting a penalty and also a goal.
Interestingly, at a point in the match, West Bromwich Albion led 3-0. Samir
Nasri scored a late double for Arsenal, but it could have been worse for the
Gunners after Brunt had a first-half penalty saved and at the end of the match,
West Brom looked like contenders for the league title.

But six months is a long time in football, West Brom have had to sack
Roberto Di Matteo and install Roy Hodgson to forestall relegation while Arsenal
have been dumped out of three competitions in 13 days. Meanwhile Gunners
defender Thomas Vermaelen will miss the rest of the season. The Belgian had
been sidelined since September after picking up an Achilles injury while Jens
Lehmann will sign for Arsenal for the rest of the season, manager Arsene Wenger
revealed on the club website.