The focus in the Premier League this weekend will be on the north-east derby between Newcastle and Sunderland at St James Park, scheduled for tomorrow.
Both teams failed to secure maximum spoils from their last outings as the Magpies suffered a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal while Sunderland gained a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham.
This season, managers Alan Pardew and Gus Poyet were on the brink of being sacked but im-proved results saw them staying put.
Pardew this week remarked that Newcastle can have few complaints about their defeat at Arsenal as his team was also eliminated from the League Cup quarter-finals by Tottenham.
Poyet told reporters he is “not enjoying” the season as much as he would like at Sunderland. He was expressing his frustration after his side drew for the fifth time in six Premier League games.
In the last 10 Premier League clashes at St James’ Park, Newcastle won four to the guests’ three.
2014: Newcastle-Sunderland 0-3.
2013: Newcastle-Sunderland 0-3.
2012: Newcastle-Sunderland 1-1.
2010: Newcastle-Sunderland 5-1.
2009: Newcastle-Sunderland 1-1.
2008: Newcastle-Sunderland 2-0.
2005: Newcastle-Sunderland 3-2.
2002: Newcastle-Sunderland 2-0.
2001: Newcastle-Sunderland 1-1.
2000: Newcastle-Sunderland 1-2.
On Monday, league leaders Chelsea will be keen not to drop more points as they take on Stoke City away with Manchester City now lurking just three points behind in second place.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said letting Frank Lampard go last summer was the right decision for the club’s future.
He also lamented Diego Costa is victimised by referees and insists the Spanish striker is a “clean” player who has changed his previously physical approach.
After their win at Leicester, Manchester City take on Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium looking to join Chelsea at the top, at least temporarily.
Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic are facing lengthy lay-offs while Vincent Kompany and Edin Dzeko have also joined City’s casualty list.
Manchester United trounced Liverpool in their last outing to retain their top-three placing in the standings.
This afternoon Louis van Gaal’s men play away at Aston Villa.
Michael Carrick has started the last six games for Manchester United and they have won them all... and that is not a coincidence.
Meanwhile, it seems that the Saints have lost their haloes after Southampton’s fourth straight loss at Burnley and the exit to lowly Sheffield United in the League Cup in midweek.
Today, Southampton return to St Mary’s to play Everton.
At Anfield, dejected Liverpool square up to Arsenal.
Brendan Rodgers claimed the pressure of reviving the Reds’ campaign was not getting to him despite the defeat to Manchester United condemning them to their worst start to a season in 50 years.
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been dropped indefinitely, Rodgers said.
The Gunners will be without Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey. It has also emerged that there are concerns over Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but Theo Walcott could make his long-awaited return after knee trouble.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wen-ger thinks it will take a couple of performances like the ones which dismantled Galatasaray and Newcastle before his side regain full confidence.
Fixtures and forecast
Premier League
Aston Villa-Manchester United - 2
Hull City-Swansea City - X
Manchester City-Crystal Palace (13.45) - 1
QPR-West Bromwich - 1
Southampton-Everton - X
Tottenham-Burnley - 1
West Ham-Leicester - 1
Tomorrow:
Liverpool-Arsenal (17.00) - 1
Newcastle-Sunderland (14.30) - X
Monday:
Stoke City-Chelsea (21.00) - 2
Standings: Chelsea 39; Man. City 36; Man. United 31; West Ham 28; Southampton, Arsenal 26; Tottenham 24; Newcastle 23; Swansea 22; Everton, Liverpool 21; Stoke, Aston Villa 19; West Brom 17; Sunderland 16; C. Palace, Burnley 15; QPR 14; Hull 13; Leicester 10.
The Championship
Blackburn-Charlton - 1
Blackpool-Bournemouth - 2
Cardiff-Brentford - 1
Derby-Norwich (13.15) - 1
Fulham-Sheffield Wednesday - 1
Huddersfield-Birmingham - 1
Ipswich-Middlesbrough - X
Nottm Forest-Leeds (18.15) - 1
Reading-Watford - X
Wigan-Rotherham - 1
Wolves-Brighton - 1
League One
Barnsley-Leyton Orient - 1
Bradford-Scunthorpe - 1
Coventry-Fleetwood - 1
Crawley-Port Vale - X
Crewe-Bristol City - 2
Gillingham-Chesterfield - X
MK Dons-Oldham - 1
Peterborough-Preston - X
Rochdale-Notts County - 1
Sheffield United-Walsall - 1
Swindon-Doncaster - 1
Yeovil-Colchester - 1
League Two
Accrington-Wycombe - X
AFC Wimbledon-Mansfield - 1
Bury-York - 1
Carlisle-Northampton - X
Cheltenham-Portsmouth - X
Hartlepool-Oxford - 2
Luton-Newport - 1
Plymouth-Dagenham - 1
Shrewsbury-Morecambe - 1
Stevenage-Exeter - X
Hot four
Tottenham, West Ham, Blackburn, N. Forest.