I am furious this week about McDonald’s decision to discontinue serving Coke Light across Malaysia. It is being replaced by Coke Zero I am reliably informed but it is of scant consolation and I shall be writing to Ronald McDonald in the strongest possible terms to voice my displeasure. In the mean time I am channeling my outrage into providing you with the pointers you need to separate the wheat from the chaff with another Fourth Official, Three for the Weekend!
Manchester United 1 Arsenal 3
No question where the big game of the weekend takes place and it isn’t at Wembley, despite what your ‘Klopp-ite’ friends will be telling you. Arsenal were predictably brushed aside by the MSN and Barcelona in mid-week but their performance was hardly abject and the penalty that effectively killed off the tie may turn out to be a blessing in disguise as far as their title charge is concerned. For all Louis Van Gaal deserves the criticism that has come his way this term, if you are going to highlight the many things United have got wrong this season you have to highlight the positives as well and the fact remains they have the best home defensive record in the top flight by quite a margin. They have only conceded five at home all season (Arsenal with 8 and Spurs with 9 are the only other two sides in single digits) and this will be a big test for Arsene Wenger’s side who have failed to score against eleven men in their last 300 minutes of football.
Photo Credit: ESPN
Olivier Giroud was dreadful against the Catalans and needs to step up at old Trafford. He has gone 8 games without a goal, equaling his worst goal drought since heading to North London and that stat is the reason Arsenal are not currently top of the league when you consider the top marksman for Leicester (Vardy and Spurs (Kane) each have four goals in the same period. He needs to score and I believe he will in a game that brings back memories of Arsenal’s systematic destruction of the Red Devils inside the first twenty minutes at the Emirates back in October. It is worth remembering that the Gunners bounced back from a bad UCL result at the same stage last season (losing 3-1 at home against Monaco) by winning their next eight games and that run included a 2-1 away win that dumped United out of the FA Cup. As for Manchester United fans dreaming they have un-earthed the next Ruud Van Nistelrooy in teenager Marcus Rashford, who scored twice in the Europa League on Thursday, does the name Federico Macheda ring any bells? He is currently at Cardiff City who he last scored for a year ago.
Stoke 3 Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa’s first team were beaten 3-0 by their own under 21’s this week to the surprise of no-one. As mentioned numerous times already in this column’s brief history they are seriously bad and you will not be heading to the poor house if you oppose them blind for the rest of the season. The most expensive European signing of the January transfer window, Gianelli Imbula, bagged his first Potter’s goal last time out and he is now with a squad that possesses a real attacking threat.
Mark Hughes’ side has struggled for consistency throughout the season but if Liverpool can score six against the relegation certainties away from home, Stoke are capable of at least three even if their susceptible to the odd lapse of concentration that means a clean sheet is no formality even against a side as shocking as Remi Garde’s ramshackle road show.
West Ham 2 Sunderland 2
The reception Sam Allardyce receives on his return to Upton Park on Saturday will not be a nice one which is a shame when you consider he was at the helm when West Ham won their last promotion to the EPL and kept them there to steady the ship which Slaven Bilic is now steering through more exciting waters. The reverse of this game at the start of October was one Sunderland should have won after charging into a two goal lead but a Jermaine Lens red card contributed to West Ham being pegged back.
Photo Credit: Zimbio
That was the Mackem’s last game before Big Sam took over and Jermaine Defoe was an unused substitute that day. The former Spurs and Toronto (what was he thinking?) man is now the first name on Allardyce’s team sheet having won his initially unconvinced manager over. Defoe has six in his last seven and for all the Dimtri Payet is becoming one of the EPL’s shining stars and will be a huge threat here, Sunderland can claim a crucial point in their battle to beat the drop with Allardyce in the dugout and Defoe on from the start.
Mark Hughes’ side has struggled for consistency throughout the season but if Liverpool can score six against the relegation certainties away from home, Stoke are capable of at least three even if their susceptible to the odd lapse of concentration that means a clean sheet is no formality even against a side as shocking as Remi Garde’s ramshackle road show.
