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Here at FFC, we’ve taken to asking all the important questions of the big hitting behemoths of the Premier League. The league is nicely poised at the moment, just the tonic we need to perk ourselves up after an international break lull.

We hate the break, it takes us away from the real business of trolling the most hapless football clubs in our land. But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. This weekend, the heart is especially fond of the Premier League: there are relegation battles, huge games at the bottom and the chance to see Alan Pardew suffer. At the top, there’s a title race brewing and a race for fourth that doesn’t look like stopping any time soon. Can the teams below them push for Europe? This weekend will see lots of questions answered – and we’ve asked the ones you want answers to.

As we pound on the desk, asking the tough questions of the football clubs who try to hide the truth from you, here are our five big questions for Saturday:

Can Chelsea qualify for Europe?

It may be a long shot, but Chelsea have nothing else to play for this season. Out of the cup competitions and out of Europe, their dismal season is in need of a kickstart once again. At this stage, it might be more likely that the season peters out to a drab close, but going on a run now might see them push up the table to an unlikely Europa League finish.

In a season characterised by inconsistency and downright shoddiness of the big teams, Leicester City have been made title favourites by a mix of their own brilliance and the inadequacy of their challengers. Can Chelsea capitalise on that poor form around them and go on a run themselves? Remember, they’re unbeaten in the league since Hiddink took over.

How is the relegation battle going to play out?

Norwich play Newcastle in a game that has pundits racing to talk about ‘six pointers’ so already you know it’s going to be a big one. But there are two other big games with big effects at the bottom of the table kicking off at the same time. Big Sam’s Sunderland host Tony Pulis’s West Brom in a game that promises to reverberate through the ages – but only if Big Sam is felled by an errant Lee Cattermole challenge and is sent crashing to the turf – whilst Crystal Palace try not to ‘sleepwalk into relegation’, as their manager put it, and lose to high-flying West Ham.

This is a huge weekend in the relegation battle, and whilst we all thought it was any two from Norwich, Sunderland and Newcastle, Palace could find themselves only four points above the drop zone come 5pm on Saturday

Will Tottenham catch Leicester?

The Premier League’s late game on Saturday will see perhaps the most intense 90 minutes of Premier League football for quite some time as the unstoppable force of Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing meets the equally unstoppable force of Mauricio Pochettino’s pressing. Whether the clash will cause the end of the world as we know it, no one is certain, but most people would agree we’d take something more exciting than the 0-0 these two served up in Klopp’s first game in charge back in October.

If Spurs win, they’ll put themselves only two points behind Leicester, who play on Sunday, and put the pressure back squarely on Leicester’s shoulders.

Can Manchester City hold onto their fourth spot?

With the Pep Guardiola takeover fast approaching, and just after a dismal defeat at home to Manchester United, Manchester City find themselves in mortal danger in terms of Champions League qualification. No one thinks they’ll be able to win the Champions League and qualify through that route, so in order to save Pep the ignominy of having to win the Europa League, can City hang on?

Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth surely see a Manchester City victory, and with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Fabian Delph itching to get back to Premier League action, City could still turn on the gas and push clear of their Manchester – and East London – rivals.

Just how far can West Ham go?

A game against Crystal Palace, who haven’t won in the league since December, who will surely have an eye or two on the FA Cup semi final fast approaching, and who will be without some key players sounds like the perfect game for a high flying Hammers side. But games like these should be handled with kid gloves – they are, as they say in the world of football cliches, potential banana skins.

Win, and the Irons could find themselves chasing the impossible dream. Lose and they may be left dreaming about the impossible.

In this country, we have a tendency to overhype players when they first burst onto the scene.

Emerging talents look hungry, young and tend to play without fear compared to their older teammates, who can be seen dithering in possession or playing it safe.

Clearly, such hype can have an adverse effect on burgeoning stars of English football as the weight of expectations becomes a heavy burden to bear.

Whoever you blame for applying such pressure, no matter now well intentioned it may be, there’s no doubt it’s pretty standard procedure on these shores.

Whether it’s fans, the media or the sheer blockbuster nature of the Premier League, it just happens.

Especially with the international tournament on the horizon.

However, English football fans can count themselves reasonably lucky that the emergence of Marcus Rashford comes at a time when the national team has such strong options in attacking departments.

Even Daniel Sturridge, Roy Hodgson’s first-choice striker at the World Cup, is reported to have position under threat thanks to the form of Andy Carroll.

So, for once, we can take a step back at this teenage sensation and watch with wide eye wonderment WITHOUT expecting him to lead us to glory against the likes of France, Spain and Germany.

We, remaining relatively neutral, can almost poke fun at the nature of our ways having such a plethora of top strikers available.

With that in mind, included are 10 of the best overreactions to Marcus Rashford’s goal against Aston Villa today.

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With the 2015/16 campaign set to come to an end, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a look at the most memorable goals scored by Manchester United this season.

The Red Devils will face Bournemouth in their final game of the Premier League season before they travel to Wembley for the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace.

United have not had the best campaign in terms of goals, given that they scored the second lowest amount in the division’s top ten.

They managed to only register a total of 46 strikes so far, with 10th place side Stoke City the only team scoring fewer, with 39.

However, United made up for that with their excellent defensive work, a trait that helped them to fifth in the table heading into their final league fixture.

Despite not scoring as much as their top four rivals, here are the top FIVE goals scored by the club this season!

Number 5 (Wayne Rooney vs. Newcastle United)

It just had to be Wayne Rooney when Manchester United take on Newcastle United. Having already scored a penalty earlier in the match, the striker managed to registered his second when he placed the ball into the corner from outside the box.

Number 4 (Anthony Martial vs. Liverpool)

Anthony Martial will never ever forget his Manchester United debut, after he came on as a late substitute and scored this goal against rivals Liverpool.

Following this strike, the forward continued to impress throughout the campaign, netting even more along the way.

Number 3 (Marcus Rashford vs. West Ham United)

If you thought Anthony Martial was a young star, 18-year-old Marcus Rashford managed to do even better, especially with this well placed goal to help his side reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

He even registered two goals against Arsenal, as well as one against Manchester City, this term.

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Number 2 (Jesse Lingard vs. Chelsea)

Another player that has excelled under the management of Louis van Gaal is Jesse Lingard, who has emerged as a regular first-team player week in, week out. He managed to reward his manager for his faith with this goal against Chelsea, illustrating both his skill and accuracy.

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Number 1 (Anthony Martial vs. Stoke City)

We come back to Anthony Martial who registered what could be the best goal for Manchester United this season.

He showcased his scoring abilities multiple times throughout the campaign, but none was struck as sweet as this one against Stoke City. Aside from the strike itself, the counter-attacking play from Man United was also a joy to watch!

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With the added incentive of Champions League football on offer, the coming transfer window could be a huge one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Indeed, that could open them up to a higher calibre of player in the transfer market and Mauricio Pochettino’s presence is another huge selling point, having established himself as one of the best managers in the Premier League since first arriving at Southampton in 2013.

Accordingly, the Lilywhites have been linked with countless alleged transfer targets in the tabloids, some being far more believable than others.

But we at Football FanCast always look to bring the fans into the debate as much as possible, so earlier this month we asked you to vote for your favourite Spurs transfer targets from our 23-man poll.

Well, the results are in and we can now reveal the top ten! We can tell you the likes of Sadio Mane and Franco Vazquez just missed out, but if you want to find out who clinched top spot, read through this gallery!

10. Samuel Umtiti

Despite finishing last season with the best defensive record in the Premier League, Spurs fans certainly would be averse to Mauricio Pochettino boosting his backline with a swoop for Lyon’s Samuel Umtiti. The highly-rated Frenchman can operate as a centre-half or a full-back, combines great athleticism with quality on the ball and is undoubtedly etched in Tottenham supporters’ memories from his sensational long-range volley against the north Londoners back in 2013 – as shown above.

9. Saul Niguez

Saul Niguez’s intrinsic involvement in Atletico Madrid’s march to the 2016 Champions League final, grabbing a sensational assist against Barcelona and a simply incredible solo goal against Bayern, has seen him emerge as one of world football’s most wanted youngsters. Spurs have been linked with the prodigious 21-year-old but he signed a contract extension at Vincente Calderon last month.

8. Breel Embolo

Breel Embolo is yet to find his first goal at Euro 2016 but has undoubtedly impressed, combining physical aggression with prodigious ability on the ball. A number of clubs have been linked with the 19-year-old, who contributed eleven league goals to FC Basel’s last title, but the latest reports suggest he’s about to sign for FC Schalke.

7. N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante’s sensational season at Leicester City, averaging the most tackles and interceptions per match of any Premier League player as the Foxes unexpectedly claimed the title, has seen him emerge as one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe. But Tottenham fans aren’t as keen as we’d expected – perhaps because every club from Arsenal to Real Madrid has been tipped to activate his release clause.

6. Alexandre Lacazette

The Lilywhites are in desperate need of a dependable understudy to Harry Kane and a decent portion of Spurs fans would like to see Alexandre Lacazette undertake that role. The 25-year-old has amassed an impressive 63 goals over the last three Ligue 1 campaigns, including 21 last season, and in terms of scintillating pace seems a good fit for the Premier League. However, Spurs may struggle to justify Lyon’s sizable valuation of their frontman.

5. Andre Schurrle

Despite not quite hitting the heights expected at former club Chelsea, some Spurs fans are ready to give Andre Schurrle another chance in the Premier League. Although inconsistent, the Germany winger is certainly an effective attacking outlet, boasting nine Bundesliga goals last season and 20 in 55 appearances at international level. Wolfsburg appear open to selling the 25-year-old, but he won’t come cheap.

4. Riyad Mahrez

Another hero of Leicester City’s miraculous title crusade, a return of 17 goals and eleven assists saw Riyad Mahrez claim last season’s PFA Player of the Year award. Skilful and potent yet unsuspectingly industrious, the Algerian international could further thrive under the Mauricio Pochettino ethos. But Leicester City appear determined to hold onto the 25-year-old winger and Spurs would have to fend off interest from all over Europe to sign him.

3. Michy Batshuayi

Michy Batshuayi has just come to the end of a phenomenal season in Ligue 1, notching up 17 goals and nine assists in 36 Ligue 1 appearances, and now seems destined to leave a Marseille side who finished the campaign in the bottom half. Boasting leap, pace and power in almost equal measure and aged just 22, the Belgium international is oozing with top-class potential. Spurs are one of the clubs in the mix for his signature, alongside London rivals West Ham.

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2. Victor Wanyama

It’s a good job Victor Wanyama came so high in this poll – because Spurs have already agreed an £11mllion fee with Southampton for the midfield powerhouse. The 24-year-old is up there with the top enforcers in the Premier League via an imposing 6 foot 2 frame and was one of Mauricio Pochettino’s key stars during his 18 months at St. Mary’s. He’ll provide support and competition for Eric Dier in deep midfield.

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1. Vincent Janssen

In terms of support acts to Harry Kane, Spurs fans have well and truly spoken – with reported strike target Vincent Janssen topping our poll. The 22-year-old bagged an impressive 27 goals in 35 appearances for AZ last season, during what was his debut Eredivisie campaign, and now boasts three goals in five outings for the Netherlands national team. The north London outfit are hoping to sign the 5 foot 11 striker for around £12million.

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The results

Want to see how the poll panned out? Here’s the full results:

In the past decade, Barcelona have been the team to beat.

They’ve dominated Spain and the rest of Europe with their mesmeric play which started with the elegance of tiki-taka and intense pressing of the opposition that reached its peak in Pep Guardiola’s time as manager, This then evolved into their current style under Luis Enrique which is a much quicker, direct approach in order to get the ball to the front three as quickly as possible while at the same time dominating possession.

European Domination

During this period Barcelona have accumulated a total of 26 major trophies which is an impressive haul. This includes: seven La Liga titles, four Copa del Reys and four Champions League titles, so you certainly can’t argue that they haven’t been successful. This is probably the best spell the club has ever had eclipsing even the early 1990s when Johan Cruyff was manager, and a major reason for this is Lionel Messi who has entertained the world with his unique abilities.

As with any period of domination by a team, there has to be a rebuilding of the squad because players either retire or want a different challenge, so teams usually have a quiet period when this is happening.

Small Changes

This doesn’t seem to be the case with Barcelona because they’ve made small changes over the last few years such as bringing in Ivan Rakitic, Neymar and Luis Suarez to significantly bolster the attack, and replaced legends such as Xavi and Carles Puyol. They’ve managed to do this and win trophies at the same time which is rare, and this is a credit to the strong team they have as well as the great signings they have made such as signing Neymar and Suarez to from the ‘MSN’ partnership which has proved to be deadly.

Time to Rejuvenate

This summer seems to have been the time where the decision was made to bring in talented young players to revitalise the squad, external of those from La Masia. However, this may have been planned to be done a few seasons ago, but was stopped by the transfer embargo caused by poor decisions made by the board in terms of transfer policy regarding young players.

The transfer embargo helped limit the depth of the squad and the ageing of some of the key members of the squad led to the need for an influx of youthful players this summer which includes Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes and Samuel Umtiti.

Gomes will be a great back-up for Andres Iniesta due to possessing similar skills, such as excellent dribbling ability and an eye for a pass especially in the final third. Iniesta needs a back-up because of the hard nature of his role physically and Gomes is still learning due to him only being 22, so it’s a great fit even if it is a lot of money (£40m).

Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Digne are smart signings because they can act as back-ups for the defence which is important in the second half of the season when the fixture list gets congested. Both of them are talented individuals who have plenty of potential due to them being 22 and 23 respectively, so they will be able to gain invaluable experience for when they become first team regulars which is presumably going to happen in the next few years.

Buying Denis Suarez was a smart use of his buy-back clause because he proved himself at Villarreal, and has experience of the league, which means he can provide support as a back-up in midfield in a similar role to Sergi Roberto. This will hopefully translate to him becoming a major player for them in the future.

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Fatigue Issues

The need for major additions to the squad was highlighted by the fatigue that the squad had during March and April last season which nearly cost them the league and helped cause them to get knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter finals by Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona looked thin at the back last season when they needed to rest Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano due to fatigue caused by the sheer amount of games they were playing. Jeremy Mathieu never looked convincing,and Thomas Vermaelen looked out of his depth, so Umtiti will act as an able deputy.

Bringing in Digne and Suarez is also important because they will be able to play against the lower teams in the league which will reduce the fatigue throughout the squad because key players such as Jordi Alba and Ivan Rakitic will be able to have a rest, and Gomes’ importance to the team was already stated above.

Summary

These players are a significant investment by Barcelona, but if they prove to be successful then Barcelona’s dominance will probably continue, and the investment may be seen as very profitable in the near future.

Having this extra depth to the squad allows them as a club to actively compete on more fronts and makes it much less likely that we will see a mid-season loss of form which was the case last season, so it’s a smart move.

This article was submitted via our Write For Us feature. Think you can do better? Submit your own article via the link below, and give yourself the chance of winning monthly cash prizes…

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Earlier this week it was announced that Mark Clattenburg would be the referee in charge of this weekend’s Manchester Derby at Old Trafford.

While Clattenburg has been in charge of a host of big games over the years – including most recently the Euro 2016 final between France and Portugal – the news was met with less than positives reactions from Manchester City fans.

It has long been a belief of certain sectors of the City faithful that the English referee is more than just a bad omen for them and their results, and that the man who was in charge of last year’s Champion’s League final is less than favourable towards the Sky Blues, especially when they are facing the side he ‘supports’ – according to his Facebook page anyway – Manchester United.

City have had a mixed record with Clattenburg on the pitch, while on the other hand, United seem to flourish under the Englishman, as the Red Devil’s were undefeated in during the five fixtures of their’s Clattenburg was in charge of last season.

We’ve taken to Twitter to find the best reactions to the news of Mark Clattenburg’s appointment…

https://www.7otb.com/players/register

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Throughout Europe, there are numerous clubs steeped in history and tradition that have lumbered on without success for many years. But there may not be another club with such history that has underachieved on a level greater than Spartak Moscow since the early 2000s.

Spartak now sit on top of the pile in Russia with a four-point gap over city-rivals CSKA Moscow. The red and white army are hopeful of achieving their first title in fifteen years, which is a disastrous feet for one of the country’s biggest clubs. Dmitri Alenichev resigned as first-team manager following the team’s exit from Europa League qualification and with Massimo Carrera at the helm, Spartak have become the most formidable team Russia once again.

Since their last title success in 2001, Moscow have only claimed a Russian Cup title – unacceptable for a club with so much history in the Russian and Soviet game. Between 1992 and 2001, the club claimed 8 titles in 9 years to mark the most successful spell in their 94-year history.

Fans have been deprived of success since the 2003 season when they won the Russian domestic cup, the second highest honour in Russian football today.

Since then, the club’s highest finish was second place in 2012 and whilst their last trophy success was in 2003,  CSKA Moscow have won seventeen major honours, Zenit St. Petersburg have also claimed eleven trophies and Lokomotiv have been victorious on four occasions. For a club steeped in history, there’s no surprise discontent amongst the fans has been ever-present for nearly fifteen years.

Massimo Carrera is the man charged with the impossible task of toppling the other Moscow clubs. Unfortunately, however, it’s not only Moscow clubs that rule the roost in Russian football anymore. The extremely wealthy Zenit St. Petersburg have established a squad that has achieved domestic success and captured a Europa League title in 2008.

The league’s popularity continues to grow on an annual basis due to the influx of foreign stars. Spartak have been no exception when it comes to foreign purchases either, with Quincy Promes and midfielder Fernando seen as the keys to unlocking the door to success.

Promes especially has gained a number of plaudits for his displays in Russia and has become a regular feature in the Dutch national side. His goals for Spartak over the past number of years have proved invaluable at times and now entering the prime of his career, the Dutch forward is keen to push the club towards their first league title since 2001.

This season, however, it’s not only Promes who is taking the headlines. During the summer, Spartak went toe-to-toe with AC Milan for Sampdoria’s Brazilian midfielder Fernando. The uncertainty in Milan saw Moscow complete an impressive €12million deal. Fernando has been capped 8 times by Brazil and has now added the necessary steel to Moscow’s midfield.

Massimo Carrera was Antonio Conte’s number 2 at both Juventus and Italy before making the move to Russia this summer. With his style similar to that of Conte, Moscow have now gone the season undefeated thus far. Just two goals conceded and scoring an average of two goals per game makes them the clear favourites for the title with a third of the season almost gone.

Rubin Kazan were the last outfit to topple the duo of Zenit and CSKA back in 2009, when they claimed the Russian Premier League title, but no side has started a season more impressive in recent years.

With Spartak, people need to take everything with a pinch of salt; they are known for capitulating mid-season. Just like at the beginning of the campaign, the club will almost be ready for an unexpected curtail of form. Alenichev’s departure shocked many at the club as his good work came undone when he resigned in early August, after defeat to Larnaca, with the club top of the domestic league.

It must also be mentioned that the form of Promes may see potential suitors emerge in the Premier League or Bundesliga. Russian football is not exactly where young players dream of making their name and with his ability, Promes certainly has the credentials to become a success in either leagues.

Manager Massimo Carrera’s wife was apparently unhappy at his decision to make the move from Turin to Moscow this summer and should an Italian club come calling, we may see a decision being made by his better half on his future with the impending and notorious Russian winter incoming.

23 games remain this season and should Spartak Moscow maintain their impressive start to the campaign, surly we will see an end to their drought and a potential return to the glory years they basked in during late 1990s.

Times have changed since then and success normally brings in an element of failure, which could see key players and coaching staff depart. But should the club manage to hold onto it’s prized assets, who knows what the Red Army could achieve by the end of the season.

Southampton were rewarded for their persistence yesterday afternoon as they eventually beat Burnley 3-1, propelling themselves into the top half of the table and leaving the Clarets firmly in the bottom half in the process.

After a pretty quiet first half, bar Tom Heaton’s fine save from Charlie Austin’s header, the game came to life and it was the Saints striker who opened the scoring.

The former QPR man read the situation in the six-yard box perfectly, as all good strikers do, and poked home from close range. Nathan Redmond grabbed the second from a corner before Austin scored Saints’ third from the penalty spot, killing off the game.

Sam Vokes nicked a consolation from the penalty spot himself but it was too little too late in a poor showing from the Clarets.

Nevertheless, Southampton fans will be going home happy. Here are five pictures to help sum up what went on down on the South Coast.

 Austin the main man

Austin was the man of the match and rightly so – he was a real nuisance against the Clarets. He scored two goals, the first a stabbed effort and the second a calm penalty, before being subbed to a standing ovation and showed exactly how key he is going to be this season. If he can stay fit, Southampton will definitely be pushing for Europe once again.

 Redmond continues to impress

Redmond scored once again in his new role as a centre-forward and he has to be commended for his quick adaptation to this position. He scored the pick of the goals from a corner as he rifled home at the far post. Under Claude Puel, he looks like he’s really going to fulfil the potential he’s shown for some time.

 Saints enjoying their football once more

At the start of this season, many Saints fans would have felt slightly concerned that they were going to struggle this year. They took just two points from their first three games but now they are absolutely flying and look a match for most sides in the division. They had an incredible 34 attempts at goal and really could have battered Burnley with a bit more accuracy and luck.

 Burnley need goals

Sam Vokes grabbed a penalty against the side he supported as a kid but it came as a mere consolation. In truth, Burnley never looked like scoring aside from the spot kick and that will come as a real worry to manager Sean Dyche. If the club are to remain in the Premier League, they need to start finding the net and fast.

 Heaton shines in the rain

As the rain hammered down towards the end of the first half, things were looking pretty grim for the Saints as Tom Heaton had kept them out until that point. A world-class stop from a Charlie Austin header was the highlight of his game and what could be his season, but it wasn’t enough to see the Clarets grab a result.

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United in Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff won’t be remembered as a classic.

Indeed, English football’s historic juggernauts have partaken in countless blockbusters down the years but the Old Trafford clash this weekend didn’t quite deliver.

After a complete stalemate of a first half, in which both sides failed to produce anything of note in the final third, the Red Devils finally broke the deadlock through Juan Mata – who netted a fine strike after 69 minutes.

The goal ensured Arsenal’s dismal run at Old Trafford, failing to win there in over a decade, continued, but the Gunners came away with a vital point as substitute Olivier Giroud bagged a last-minute equaliser.

So not the most enthralling of matches or the most inspiring of results. Nonetheless, in the context of Arsenal’s Premier League title bid, that could prove to be a crucial point.

We take a look at three ways Arsenal’s underwhelming performance against United inadvertently proved they should be seen as the favourites in this season’s title race.

Proof they have a Plan B

For far too long, Arsene Wenger has been rightly accused of lacking a Plan B. Sure, when everything’s going Arsenal’s way, they play phenomenal football and usually net a couple of fantastic goals in the process. But when luck’s not on their side and the pass-the-opposition-to-death philosophy isn’t working, the Gunners have a knack of coming unstuck, getting very frustrated and eventually succumbing to a disappointing result.

But an inspired substitution from Arsene Wenger proved he’s willing to take risks and be adaptable. After Alexis Sanchez toiled in the central striking role without much to show for it, Wenger brought on Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman offered a different kind of threat from the Chilean, whose game is centred almost exclusively around ground play, and popped up in the box with an equalising header.

It showed the options Wenger now has within his squad, particularly in attack, and suggested the largely one-dimensional Arsenal we’ve become accustomed to is now a thing of the past. With Mauricio Pochettino, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp seemingly determined to stick to their laurels, Arsenal’s new-found adaptability could be pivotal in the title race.

Defensively resolute

We all know about Arsenal’s attacking quality but a lack of organisation at the back has cost them dearly in recent seasons. Indeed, it was once common for the Gunners to blow away lesser opposition in the Premier League but find themselves on the end of multi-goal hidings at the hands of the division’s big boys, in no small part due to Wenger seemingly placing no emphasis on defensive structure.

But there has been a move towards more balanced play in recent years and that was particularly evident at Old Trafford. Manchester United were by no means a sweeping attacking force and some poor finishing let them down in certain instances, but Arsenal deserve credit for sticking to their structure and conceding just one goal against a talented side away from home.

Many will credit that to the presence of summer signing Shkodran Mustafi, who’s quickly proving a really sturdy influence alongside Laurent Koscielny. But Francis Coquelin’s performance deserves due praise, recording six tackles, two interceptions and three clearances.

It shows Arsenal do have the personnel and framework to fall back on when the attacking performances aren’t forthcoming – a vital asset in any title race.

A decent result from a bad performance

Make no mistake about it, considering the status of both sides before Saturday’s meet, it has to go down as a poor performance on Arsenal’s part. Whilst they managed to hold on defensively and finished up with more possession, Manchester United were far more threatening and managed to control the flow of match without the ball. Once again, some lacklustre shooting prevented the Red Devils from creating a comfortable winning margin.

But the old adage of titles being decided by results when you’re not playing well certainly comes to mind. Football FanCast aren’t convinced the Arsenal of last season would have come away with a point from the same kind of game and the majority of Gunners fans probably aren’t either.

That shows a distinct change in the squad’s mentality and a willingness to persevere even when things aren’t going well. And once again, grinding out points from unspectacular performances has been a telling characteristic of Premier League title winners throughout the years.

There always seems to be a fixture or two in the Premier League that is utterly pivotal. This weekend it’s Manchester City against Leicester on Saturday evening at the King Power Stadium.

The champions are in a rut, an ugly run of form that would see any other manager under serious pressure. The visitors are not enjoying their best form, either.

[ffc_insert title=”” name=”FM17 Project” image_ link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/aston-villa/villans-to-heroes-the-fm17-aston-villa-project-episode-4″ link_text=”Episode Three” ]

Having started the season like Pep Guardiola’s other juggernauts, Manchester City have spluttered through the last two months. A draw to Celtic in midweek only compounded this, while the inability to finish chances or defend cost them against Chelsea last weekend. Now four points behind the leaders, City are beginning a run of games without arguably their two most important players – Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero.

Leicester, although not suffering from significant suspensions, have their own issues. The heroes of last season are almost universally underperforming, with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez unrecognisable from last season in particular. Additionally, summer signing Ahmed Musa and January addition Daniel Amartey are yet to reach the expected standards. Claudio Ranieri has been forced to tinker as a result, as his side have struggled at both ends of the pitch. Repetition of last season’s heroics were almost impossible, but a fall of this magnitude was not expected either.

Relegation is a real risk for Leicester. Currently two points above the bottom three, Ranieri’s side are on a run of one win in nine Premier League games. Champions League form has provided respite from the underachievement of the Premier League until this week. The Champions League has finished until 2017 and Ranieri’s rotation against Porto saw his side humiliated 5-0.

The title remains the aim for Manchester City and rightly so. Guardiola’s side may have only lost twice in the Premier League to date, but they have kept just one clean sheet in nine games. Form has been indifferent for much of the season, which perhaps makes their league standing all the more impressive. A trip to the champions is usually one of the toughest days in the Premier League calendar – this season, however, it is an altogether more welcoming task. While Leicester remain a force at home, their disjointed displays do not make them a fearsome opponent.

The space centrally, where Guardiola wants his side to dominate, will only play into City’s hands. Ranieri has stuck true to the 4-4-2 from last season, but – particularly suffering without N’Golo Kante – Leicester have been bypassed in the middle third. Whether Guardiola opts for a back three or four, it is a guarantee that he will flood the centre of the field giving his side at least one spare man. The greatest chance of success for the Foxes is that they can expose Manchester City’s defence with rapid transitions just as Chelsea did.

Off the back of that Chelsea defeat – and the subsequent disappointment against Celtic – Manchester City need a positive result at the King Power. While they are not going to disappear from title contention, Chelsea’s favourable upcoming fixtures means that the gap will only grow further.

Leicester are in a truly desperate situation, mind. The home side have two challenging away fixtures to follow this game, against Bournemouth and Stoke City, and must rely on their home form if they are to turn their domestic season around. If they can carry momentum from this game, those two fixtures will look considerably less daunting.

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