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It's Going To Be A Big Weekend For...

Despite having three of the best defenders in the league, Manchester United's backline has looked surprisingly ropey of late, so it's not the best news to see Rory Delap's throw-ins approach Old Trafford...

Last Updated: 14/11/08 at 08:32 Post Comment

The Manchester United Defence
Last season, not many people could argue against the inclusion of three of the United back four in any team of the year.

Rio Ferdinand is probably the best centre-half in the world at the moment, it would take a brave man to disagree with Nemanja Vidic and the Raymond Domenech has only just woken up to the fact that Patrice Evra has few peers at left-back.

And yet United's defence has, on occasions, looked surprisingly poor this season. Liverpool could in truth have scored more than twice, Hull managed three goals at Old Trafford and Samir Nasri's two strikes last weekend were down to him being given too much space outside the area.

This weekend Rio and friends become the latest to be given the task of dealing with Rory Delap's long throws. In general, the teams that have really struggled with these are those that don't have a particularly commanding goalkeeper (Arsenal, Portsmouth, Sunderland etc), and given the way that Edwin van der Sar flaps at tricky crosses sometimes, there could be a few problems afoot at Old Trafford.


Harry Redknapp And His Embarrassment Of Riches
How times change, eh?

A couple of weeks ago having to choose between Darren Bent, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Fraizer Campbell was akin to selecting a kick in the balls, stomach or teeth.

Now, each man has two goals in their respective last appearances, and suddenly all three present convincing cases for their inclusion.

The chances are Harry Redknapp will stick with Luka Modric just behind Bent for the trip to Fulham on Saturday, as that combination has brought an impressive seven goals (all scored by Bent) since Redknapp took over three weeks ago.

However, both Pavlyuchenko and Campbell will be pushing for a chance, and given that Redknapp seems to favour the lone striker, he may not even need to spend on a forward in January.


Huerelho Gomes
Assuming he plays (and Harry Redknapp suggested on Wednesday that his injury is not as serious as first feared) Gomes is going to have to solve his chronic flapping problem, and sharpish.

While things are going quite well for Spurs at the moment, they would probably be going even better if Gomes didn't insist on bumbling out for crosses and missing them.

Granted, he did produce some miraculous saves both pre and post Redknapp's arrival, but if he could deal with crosses, Gomes would be one of the best keepers in the world.


Aston Villa
If anyone will offer you any odds better than evens on Aston Villa finishing fifth this season, we at Football365 would suggest you jump all over it.

For Villa are way ahead of the teams occupying positions 6-20, but not in the same class as the top four.

This is not a new point, but Villa may have to watch themselves. The sense of inevitability about such an outcome could - if they're not careful - bring in a mood of complacency. And while losing the last two games perhaps does not constitute a poor run of form, the way Villa have lost them may well be a concern.

This weekend Villa come up against the side - if they have top-four ambitions - that they are most likely to usurp.

Arsenal beating Manchester United last weekend was all very well, but it's winning games like that but still losing to Hull, Fulham and Stoke that virtually rule them out of the title race. Their inconsistency is the reason they may be overhauled, but the game at the Emirates this weekend could be a good indicator of whether or not Villa are ready to steal that Champions League berth.

Obviously it isn't as black and white as this, but win and Villa could be the first to break the cartel since Everton in 2005, lose and a potential season of drift awaits.


Gianfranco Zola
Six games without a win. Pressure is building.


Tony Mowbray
See above, but substitute 'six' for 'five'.


Sunderland
Having shoddy away form is bad, but forgivable if your home is a fortress.

That plan isn't going terribly well for Sunderland at present, who have continued where they left off last season away from the Stadium of Light, but have now managed to lose three of their six home games this time around.

That means they are now in the relegation zone, and while the table is so tight a win could rocket them up the league, if they don't reverse at least one of these two trends then trouble might be just around the corner.

Nick Miller

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