UK assesses a vital day of action at the top of the table...
By Stephen Darwin
17 Apr 2010 08:00:00
In the early kick-off at Eastlands,
City, meanwhile, will be desperate to pull away from Spurs in hope of snatching the final Champions League place with just one point separating the two in fourth and fifth place respectively.
Confused? Well, in what promises to be one of the most intriguing days of the season so far,
What they want:
Having suffered last-gasp defeats to their fierce city rivals on two occasions already this season, City will undoubtedly be keen to not only set the record straight but effectively end United's fading title hopes bypicking up a win.
Localbragging rights aside, Roberto Mancini and his charges will know that they can pile the pressure on Spurs by claiming all three points at Eastlands in the early kick-off as the battle for fourth reaches boiling point.
How they can get it:
StoppingWayne Rooney would certainly be a good starting point although with Carlos Tevez in such scintillating form, City have enough in attack to cause a few problems themselves.
The Argentine has scored six in his last three outings and will be desperate to effectively hammer the final nail in the coffin with regards to his former club's title ambitions.
And then what:
Victory for City would be a major boost for the club and their hopes of achieving Champions League football next season - especially when you consider their tricky run of games to theseason's end .
With the likes ofArsenal , Aston Villa and main rivals for fourth Tottenham still to come, three points against United would give the Eastlands outfit the perfect platform to kick on and ensure they finish the season on a high.
What you won't see:
Roberto Mancini donning a green and gold scarf after City's club shop announce they have sold out of the sky blue version.
Manchester United
Having suffered last-gasp defeats to their fierce city rivals on two occasions already this season, City will undoubtedly be keen to not only set the record straight but effectively end United's fading title hopes by
Local
How they can get it:
Stopping
The Argentine has scored six in his last three outings and will be desperate to effectively hammer the final nail in the coffin with regards to his former club's title ambitions.
And then what:
Victory for City would be a major boost for the club and their hopes of achieving Champions League football next season - especially when you consider their tricky run of games to the
With the likes of
What you won't see:
What they want:
Ultimately United needChelsea to slip-up at White Hart Lane , although beating City and moving to within a point of the Blues would certainly crank up the pressure on Carlo Ancelotti 's side.
A league double over their rivals would leave something of a bitter-sweet taste in the mouth of Red Devils' supporters ifthe championship does pass them by this term, but the desire to claim that elusive 19th title burns brighter than any aspirations of wrecking City's season - for now at least.
How they can get it:
Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to call upon the immeasurable talents of Wayne Rooney on Saturday and following United's worryingly evident lack of cutting edge without the England man, he will surely have to be the focal point in attack if the Reds are to pick up the win.
United would be foolish to ignore the threat posed by City's abundance of attacking talents so a strong performance at the back, with or withoutRio Ferdinand , would help build a solid foundation in a game Ferguson's side simply cannot lose if they are to pushChelsea all the way.
And then what:
It's all eyes on the game in north London to follow later in the day if United manage to escape from theCity of Manchester Stadium unscathed. Anything but a win for Ancelotti's men could make things somewhat interesting.
A win for United and defeat forChelsea would close the gap to just a single point and with the Blues still having to make the trip to Anfield ... well you just couldn't script it, could you?
What you won't see:
Gary Neville taking tips from Carlos Tevez on how to pull off his now infamous hip-wiggling goal celebration.
Ultimately United need
A league double over their rivals would leave something of a bitter-sweet taste in the mouth of Red Devils' supporters if
How they can get it:
United would be foolish to ignore the threat posed by City's abundance of attacking talents so a strong performance at the back, with or without
And then what:
It's all eyes on the game in north London to follow later in the day if United manage to escape from the
A win for United and defeat for
What you won't see:
Tottenham
What they want:
Harry Redknapp 's main concern will surely be to match or better City's result in the lunchtime kick-off. With just one point separating the two sides in the battle for fourth, any advantage gained on this decisive weekend could prove crucial come May.
With a trip toOld Trafford and Eastlands still to come, the Spurs boss will also be praying that his depleted squad doesn't pick up any more injuries with Niko Kranjcar the latest to be ruled out for the remainder of the season.
How they can get it:
Confidence will be high at the Lane following the midweek derby heroics againstArsenal and if the defence can remain solid, as they have been throughout the season, andHeurelho Gomes can produce more moments magic, then Spurs have every chance of causing a stir.
Danny Rose stole the headlines on Wednesday with an absolute stunner of a strike, although Jermain Defoe could prove the hero come the weekend if he's afforded any room to get at Messrs Terry and Alex.
And then what:
Successive wins overArsenal and Chelsea would certainly make a statement when Tottenham head to the Theatre of Dreams on April 24 - another potentially crunch weekend in the hunt for both the title and fourth spot.
Having missed out on anFA Cup final appearance, a top-four finish would more than make up for the club's Wembley heartache and that scenario is certainly still a realistic possibility.
What you won't see:
Harry Redknapp complaining about the White Hart Lane pitch after Frank Lampard slips and skies a penalty.
Chelsea
With a trip to
How they can get it:
Confidence will be high at the Lane following the midweek derby heroics against
And then what:
Successive wins over
Having missed out on an
What you won't see:
What they want:
Carlo Ancelotti won't admit it but Chelsea already have one hand on the Premier League trophy and whatever happens at Eastlands, the Blues' destiny is in their own hands when they face Spurs and thereafter until the end of the season.
Ideally the west Londoners hope their task will become decidedly less taxing thanks to a favour from City, although beating Tottenham will undoubtedly be the primary aim.
How they can get it:
Chelsea are likely to enjoy plenty of possession against Tottenham although the Stamford Bridge outfit will need to take their chances or risk a sucker-punch as witnessed byArsenal in the week.
With the likes ofDidier Drogba , Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard all likely to start, there's certainly no absence of match winners in the Chelsea team, but you can be sure that Ancelotti would be more than happy to just come away with all three points - even if it's not the most aesthetically pleasing performance.
And then what:
If the Blues can pick up their 10th win on the road in the league this term then you'd expect the champagne really could be moved from the fridge and into the ice bucket.
Liverpool away on May 2 would, on paper, be Chelsea 's toughest challenge en-route to what would be their first title for four years; however, if results go their way between now and then, and if the Reds remain in the Europa League , the need for either side to get a result may be far less of a necessity.
What you won't see:
Carlo Ancelotti drenched in bubbly as the Italian allows his players to start celebrating a title triumph following a 5-0 thumping of Spurs.
Ideally the west Londoners hope their task will become decidedly less taxing thanks to a favour from City, although beating Tottenham will undoubtedly be the primary aim.
How they can get it:
With the likes of
And then what:
If the Blues can pick up their 10th win on the road in the league this term then you'd expect the champagne really could be moved from the fridge and into the ice bucket.
What you won't see:
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