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As Manchester
United prepare to play Aston Villa today, the players will be looking
at keeping their unbeaten record in the league going. With no loss in
24 matches, and 14 matches left in the league, the Red Devils must
seriously be contemplating emulating the ‘Invincibles’ of Arsenal, who
went unbeaten in the 2005/06 season.
Though United have
made things difficult for their fans in their last two matches by going
down before staging revivals, their opponents, Gerrard Houllier’s
Villains are staging a mini-revival of their own. They have won the
last three matches and are looking to have regained some confidence
with the buying of Darren Bent to lead the line. Last season, Villa
beat United with a goal from Gabriel Agbonlahor and the striker scored
his first goal of the season in last week’s 2-1 over Wigan.
Nemanja Vidic was
the hero at the first meeting in November when he equalised in the 85th
minute to earn his side a 2-2 draw. Now departed to Sampdoria, Federico
Macheda had reduced the deficit four minutes before Vidic headed the
leveller. Villa will need to pay attention to Dimitar Berbatov, who is
on a high with 19 goals already in his kitty. Wayne Rooney is also
pushing hard for a goal and the form of Mexican, Javier Hernandez, will
make Alex Ferguson think deeply before naming his team. The Mexican
scored the winner against Southampton on Saturday in the 2-1 come-back
win in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Ferguson has
promised to re-instate his first set of defenders as Rafael is not
suffering any further complications on account of the concussion he
suffered against Blackpool. Ferguson said on his club’s website that:
“Rafael should also be okay; he got the all-clear on Friday and Patrice
Evra had a family bereavement so we left him out at Southampton.
“Vidic should be
alright. Rio (Ferdinand) started running on Thursday and hopefully will
be okay by Tuesday. We should have our back four back against Villa.”
Injuries might hinder Sunderland
There will be tones
of revenge when the defending champions take on Sunderland today at the
Stadium of Light. In the first instalment, the Black Cats dismembered
the Blues 3-0, with goals from Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan, and Danny
Welbeck. But like injury had decimated Chelsea’s ranks before that
game, and had John Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were
missing.
Injury might also
play a role in determining the outcome of the match today but the shoe
is now on the other foot. Danny Welbeck, who tormented Chelsea at
Stamford Bridge, is out for two months and the club has had to sell
Darren Bent to Aston Villa, when the player put in a transfer request.
Steve Bruce has moved in the transfer window by buying Sulley Muntari
and Stephane Sessegnon from PSG of France to shore up the midfield and
attack respectively.
Sunderland also
have Fraizer Campbell, defender Michael Turner, and captain Lee
Cattermole out to various injuries. Chelsea centre-back, Alex,
continues his recovery from surgery and Roman Abramovich has showed
that he can still splash the cash with a bid for Liverpool’s Fernando
Torres and David Luiz, from Benfica. Sunderland are placed sixth on the
table and are just four points behind Chelsea, who are in fourth place.
Arsenal need to keep up the chase
Arsenal are on a
terrific run of form and have booked a Carling Cup final ticket against
Birmingham. Robin Van Persie is back and scoring goals so Arsene Wenger
is in a more buoyant mood as he welcomes an Everton side that has found
goals hard to come by. Their leading scorer, Tim Cahill, could make a
return after the finish of the Asian Cup. But Sunday’s injury to player
of the season, Samir Nasri, could unhinge all the good that has come
from a very good month of January.
The Gunners must
keep up the pressure on runaway leaders, Manchester United, who sit
comfortably five points from their closest rivals. Sebastien Squillaci
will be absent as he starts a suspension after his red card against
Huddersfield, and Thomas Vermeelen is not yet ready to make a return to
action. Sagna is also suffering from a concussion also and might not be
fit to start against the Toffees.
Arsenal has had to
work very hard in the first meeting at Goodison Park in November.
Right-back, Bacary Sagna scored a first goal for the Gunners in two
years and Cesc Fabregas scored the second three minutes after the
half-time interval. Everton reduced the deficit with a last-minute
consolation when Tim Cahill pounced.
Though the Toffees have found it hard to get goals, they have lost
fewer games than every other team outside the top six teams. Placed
14th on the league table, they need all the points to climb into
European competition places. Sunderland, who sit sixth, are 10 points
better off even though they have played a game more.