United v Liverpool
Arsenal v City

Predictions?

I'm going with 3-2 United and 1-2 City

"Title race could be over by end of the day" - Says Robbie Savage...he might be right, can anyone see City overcoming a 10point deficit if they lose and Utd win today?

Big games.

Utd 3-0 L'pool
Arse 3-0 MCFC
However, write City off at your peril.
They could still give Manure a battle.

What planet do you live on? Liverpool's biggest problem is that its players can't be arsed with 36 games of the year. The only time they put in any real effort and show what they are capable of is when they play the scum from Salford.

So why have they given them a 45min headstart?

3-1
4-2

( yes I am just randomly saying numbers )

Watched United/Liv in the Clubhouse at Zayed Sports City,Abu Dhabi.

Popped out at half time to watch Drogba, Kalou, Toure(s), Tiote and the rest of the Ivory Coast team training on one of the ZSC pitches. Very bright orange kit!!

Well that was awful.

No it wasn't, City won, unfortunately manure won. That wasn't good, wanted a draw there.

Fascinating comments from ex-ref Dermot Gallagher in the post-match chat after Arsenal-v-Man-City.

Challenged by Curbishley about whether refs inform managers/players when they are given new directives on what to crack down on, he wandered off into a long monologue about the relationship between officials, managers and players; he gave some insights into the pre-match and even half-time environment; in particular, he revealed that this season's pet hate for refs is holding (hence the first sending off by Mike Dean, who Gallagher thinks is the best ref in England).

I like Dean (no relation ) too but he got the Kompany decision badly wrong in my view - a genuine challenge, one foot first, for the ball has surely got to be permitted, especially as he clearly actually played the ball. Gallagher sat on the fence a bit, but pointed out that VK had both feet off the ground even though it wasn't a two-footed challenge.

Interesting stuff.

I enjoyed listening to old Dermot too. Although, despite his experience it is just still another bloke having his say (with some extra insight as you mention).

VK was unlucky, second leg was tucked up but his whole body was off the deck, he won the ball cleanly and I don't remember massive protests from the Arsenal players...still, if Mr Dean thinks that it's dangerous then he has to send him.

Wilshere has to be one of the most overrated young English players since Jenas. Stroppy, petulant little bellend.

Wilshere? Yes - and did you notice as he lay on the ground, he still had the 'presence of mind' to mimic the waving of a card............?

......... and something that pisses me off (that fans at every stadium do) - they cheer when a visiting opponent is shown a card. What exactly is the point of that?

Yeah, I also noticed when Milner was chasing after the ball that Wilshere tried to drop his shoulder and block Milner running after Gibbs (I think). Tragic. I'd like to have seen Vermaelan sent off for a second yellow when he was hurling abuse. The one thing about refs I'd change is getting the yellow out quicker when players are screaming and shouting at them. All it needs is to be made clear with the captains in the tunnel and then on the field with a quick sharp warning of "back off and calm down or I'll book you".


Yeah, the 'ironic' cheers from Arsenal fans when they got free-kicks made me laugh too. Mike Dean had a reasonable game I think.

Waaaay too much use of the yellow card in that game - the first red was deserved the second one maybe not, however, from where the ref was it looked like a two footed tackle.

Lots of silly tackling, Arsenal were awful. Didn't see too much diving, though the players signalling for a yellow card to the ref really annoys me.

As opposed to all those under-rated young English players I suppose???