Games to watch at the weekend

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur

This week's "Battle for Fourth Place!" Despite four second half goals shared by Liverpool and Manchester City, last week's BFFP lacked conviction. Spurs are riding high in the saddle after Jemaine Defoe's 5 goals left Wigan struggling to get out of the gate at Whitehart Lane and Villa are "fresh" off another disappointing showing, having won just one in the last five. I'm predicting the we'll be talking about two different teams in next week's BFFP following this sintillating nil- nil fails to separate these perennial big four fakers.

Everton v Liverpool

Merseyside derby (note the lack of "!") This one absolutely has to breathe some life into these two depressed teams. Ferrnando Torres is doubtful but the news will hardly buoy David Moyes who has plenty of injury troubles of his own. Anichebe, Arteta, Jagielka, Neville, and Vaughan all have knee-knack that will see them out until January. Moyes has said he sees this 212th edition of what is traditionally one of the biggest derby games in English football as essential to staving off a relegation battle. Rafa Benitez hasn't gone that far yet but after slumping into the Europa League he must feel the pressure to produce against his neighbors. I expect his side to put Everton to the sword and use this mildy entertaining 2-0 win to stop the bleeding.

Manchester City v Hull City

If Hull can produce a first half anything like the one they conjoured Wednesday against Everton they'll have a chance at putting two wins in a row together for the first time since, well a long time. This fixture last year not only produced Hull's worst defeat, 5-1, but some of the curious managerial tactics that have endeared Phil Brown to us all. Prompting nobody to call them the "Picassos of the Prem" because all they do is draw, City will be looking forward to this match and no doubt trumpet their 3-1 win as evidence that they really are more than a team that trumpets wins against the likes of Hull City as evidence that they are challengers to break into the Champions League etc. etc. Oh, and Robinho is likely to start.

Arsenal v Chelsea

As an Arsenal fan I really should be upbeat and confident, relishing this fixture for all that it will show about a team that has strode through their Champions League group and is on track to score over 100 goals this season. I should be cocksure in the mania that if I am my team will personally thank me for my confidence and swagger with an upset of the league leaders. Unfortunately I am not upbeat, confident, excited or even a little cocksure about Sunday's meeting. Arsenal have lost almost all of Chelsea's visits to North London since last Your Favorite The Arsenal (YFTA) lifted the Premier League trophy. YFTA have also added Kieran Gibbs to their grocery list of players whose seasons are going pearshaped with injury problems. While Nickolas Bentner, Gael Clichy, Abou Diaby etc. and so on are all still out with knacks and knocks, Gibbs has upped the adjectival ante with a "horror foul" that left a big hole in his foot. Arsene Wenger has also said his stalwart centre-back William Gallas is doubtful after clashing heads with teammate Andrey Arshavin in the same Big Cup win over Standard Liege. Apparently his eye is so swollen he is unable to get his contact lens in. This all after Robin van Persie was driven to experimental medical treatment following his torn ankle ligament. Frank Lampard has taken to his recovery better than RVP and will likely feature for the Blues, as will Micheal Ballack and Deco. As an Arsenal fan I take all of this to heart, not to mention far too seriously, and somberly predict a stunning 3-1 win for the piecemeal squad of injury-riddled Arsenal that proves they are indeed the best team in England's Premier football league, the English Premier League!!!

Extra Bonus:

Poortsmouth v Manchester United

Avram Grant has taken over (again) at Pompey and has Man United for his first match back in the hot seat in payment for this very, very silly decision. If Pompey avoid relegation you will not hear Grant say something along the lines of: "It all started with our catastrophic loss to United." With David James' dreams of tending to the goal in South Africa being drained like so much fluid from his knee, he may thank that injury for sparing him the embarassment that will be United's 4-0 handling of his deflated side.