Manchester United may go for jugular against Liverpool, Morgan Schneiderlin must settle quickly at Everton and Ahmed Musa has chance to shine for LeicesterManchester United were on the receiving end of heavy criticism when they shut up shop and successfully played for a 0-0 draw when they visited Liverpool in October. It was a classic exercise in parking the bus from an unapologetic José Mourinho, who reasoned that a cautious approach was necessary against a team who regularly overwhelm their opponents with blistering attacking play. But while it was possible to grudgingly respect Mourinho’s plan, there is no need for the United manager to play it safe at Old Trafford on Sunday. Although United are unlikely to veer too far...
The top six already seems settled and they are standing up for themselves instead of standing aside as happened last seasonThe FA Cup traditionally inserts a much-needed break into the giddy rush of league fixtures at this time of year, though on this occasion the Premier League appears to have arrived at a sort of mid-season crux all by itself.The teams have now played 20 games, just over halfway. Three near or at the bottom have just changed managers. Chelsea’s impressive run of victories has come to an end at a record-equalling 13, giving hope to a chasing pack who were beginning to despair, though the realisation is now setting in that there are six title contenders this season and...
Liverpool, Manchester United, Sunderland, Leicester and others may be hit by loss of players to tournament as clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester City capitaliseNow is the time for top clubs to prove that to be forewarned really is to be forearmed. Everyone knew that the Africa Cup of Nations was on the agenda for early 2017 and now, with 23 Premier League players among those heading off to Gabon to compete for their countries in what their employers view as the world’s worst-timed international tournament, rich clubs must show they are resourceful enough to cope. Otherwise they will pay a heavy price. Related: Liverpool’s matchwinner Sadio Mané will head to Gabon with a heavy heart Related: Wilfried Zaha accepts Ivory...
From Wilfried Zaha to Jeff Hendrick, Jordan Henderson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Arsenal’s opener against Crystal Palace has joined some exalted companyArsenal striker Olivier Giroud staked his claim for the goal-of-the-season award with a glorious scorpion-kick finish against Crystal Palace. The Frenchman became the talk of the town when he reached behind him with his left boot to flick Alexis Sánchez’s cross in off the crossbar to give the Gunners a 17th-minute lead. Here are some of his rivals for best league goal this season. Related: Jordan Henderson’s sumptuous strike helps Liverpool to win at Chelsea Continue reading...
The Arsenal striker’s acrobatic opening goal against Crystal Palace will live long in the memory and is likely to be the highlight of his careerOn a sodden, cold and otherwise underpowered afternoon at the Emirates Stadium Olivier Giroud provided an unforgettable moment of illumination. The Frenchman has found himself down the pecking order in recent months, demoted to second choice as collateral damage to Alexis Sánchez’s reinvention as a spiky central striker. One thing does seem certain, though. Whatever direction Giroud’s strangely divisive five-year Arsenal career takes from here, however the club’s hotly-contested modern history ends up remembering him, he is unlikely to have a better moment, in isolation, than the opening goal here. Olivier, old boy, we’ll always have...