After last week’s 6-0 hiding at the hands of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur take on champions Manchester United tomorrow seeking to redeem themselves after the poor showing at the Etihad Stadium.
Tottenham appear to be playing like a side of total strangers in the domestic league but they’re doing much better in Europe.
While manager Andre Villas-Boas is puzzled how his richly-assembled side are finding the going tough, the Spurs supporters are still feeling the void of their favourite Gareth Bale, who left for Real Madrid.
It took the Tottenham bosses several tens of millions of pounds to get the players they wanted in the transfer market. However, it is not the quantity that counts but the quality.
Tottenham, who were beaten by Newcastle at home in their pre-vious match, have now suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since November last year − 2-5 at Arsenal and 1-2 at Manchester City.
On Thursday, Spurs beat Tromso away in the Europa League to maintain their top position in the qualifying group.
United manager David Moyes was delighted to see his team trouncing Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 in Germany in midweek.
However, he must have rued the blow of conceding another late equaliser (vs Cardiff 2-2) and warned his players that they cannot afford to keep dropping points.
In Premier League records, Spurs have lost 13 times to United at White Hart Lane, drawn six matches and won just three.
United are now through to the Champions League last 16 and so are Manchester City and Chelsea.
Arsenal have to avoid a 0-3 defeat at Napoli to make it a quartet of English clubs into the first round of the KO phase.
The Gunners have opened a four-point margin on the advanced pack following their hard-earned victory over Southampton.
This afternoon Arsenal visit Cardiff with high hopes of avoiding a late slump as happened to United on Sunday.
Olivier Giroud scored twice against the Saints to become the top scorer for the Londoners in the league.
Theo Walcott made his first Arsenal appearance last Saturday and told reporters afterwards that he expects to be back to full fitness in a few weeks’ time.
After an enticing Merseyside derby, Liverpool will be on their travels once more to play guests to Hull at the KC Stadium.
Mirallas decision
Liverpool have lost only one match on their travels while Hull went down once at home – against Crystal Palace in their last outing.
The Reds felt they were unlucky in the 3-3 draw against Everton and contended Kevin Mirallas should have been sent off for a vicious foul on Luis Suarez.
Chelsea, third in the league standings equal on points with Liverpool but with an inferior goal difference, will have home comfort against Southampton tomorrow.
The Blues, along with Manchester City and Everton, are undefeated at home this season.
Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino has given his unequivocal support to Artur Boruc after the keeper made a comical mistake in the 0-2 upset to Arsenal.
Manchester City play Swansea away tomorrow. The Citizens are the only side with a perfect home record of six wins so far.
They have climbed to fourth place, six points adrift of Arsenal.
Today, Everton remain at Goodison Park to tackle Stoke who are hovering just outside the relegation zone.
The Toffees will have to cope without Leighton Baines for up to a month after the left-back suffered an injury in the derby.
Tony Pulis must have been a delighted man after watching the Crystal Palace players celebrate following their away win at Hull last week.
It was confirmed in midweek that caretaker manager Keith Millen will be part of Pulis’s backroom staff.
Pulis, formerly of Stoke, will be leading Palace for the first time since his appointment when they travel to fellows-in-distress Norwich today.
Fixtures and forecast
Premier League
Aston Villa-Sunderland 1
Cardiff-Arsenal 2
Everton-Stoke City1
Newcastle-WBA (18:30) X
Norwich-Crystal Palace 1
West Ham-Fulham X
Tomorrow:
Chelsea-S’thampton (17:10) 1
Hull-Liverpool (15:05) 2
Man. City-Swansea (17:10) 1
Tottenham-Man. Utd (13:00) X
Standings: Arsenal 28; Liverpool, Chelsea 24; Man. City, Sout-hampton 22; Man. United, Everton 21; Newcastle, Totten-ham 20; Swansea, West Brom, Aston Villa 15; Hull 14; Stoke, Cardiff 13; Norwich City 11; West Ham, Fulham 10; Crystal Palace, Sunderland 7.
The Championship
Barnsley-Birmingham X
Blackburn-Leeds X
Blackpool-Sheffield Wed. .1
B’nemouth-Brighton (13:15)X
Charlton-Ipswich X
Doncaster-QPR2
Huddersfield-Burnley 2
Leicester-Millwall 1
Middlesbrough-Bolton X
Watford-Yeovil 1
Tomorrow:
Wigan-Derby (16:00) X
League One
Crewe-Crawley X
L. Orient-Sheffield United1
MK Dons-Coventry X
Notts County-Brentford 2
Peterborough-Wolves X
Preston-Bristol City 1
Rotherham-Gillingham 1
Stevenage-Shrewsbury 1
Swindon-Carlisle 1
Tranmere-Colchester X
Walsall-Port Vale 1
Tomorrow:
Oldham-Bradford (16:00)X
League Two
Bristol Rovers-WimbledonX
Dagenham-Wycombe 1
Exeter-Bury 1
Fleetwood-Oxford1
Hartlepool-PortsmouthX
Mansfield-Morecambe 1
Northampton-Accrington 1
Plymouth-Burton X
Scunthorpe-Torquay 1
Southend-Cheltenham 1
York-Rochdale 2
Tomorrow:
Newport-C’sterfield (14:00)X
Hot Four: Everton, Norwich, Blackpool, Leicester.