24/10 Sporting reviews
Jenson Button may have just dethroned Lewis Hamilton as the F1 World Champion but the real British sporting duels come into view this weekend. There’s football, American football and probably a bunch of other stuff I just don’t have time to write about.
Liverpool v Man United
Crisis? Defeat against their fiercest foes would leave Benitez’ boys 10 big points away from United and consign them to their fifth straight defeat. Since mauling Hull 6-1 at the end of last month, Pool have scored only once and seen their domestic and European prospects slip; one more loss and they will have suffered their worst run for 56 years and will officially be playing for fourth.
The team and it’s managers future appear inextricably tied to their two star players. The loss of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres has exposed the sides lack of attacking options but the pair were both absent when Liverpool defeated United at Anfield in the same fixture last year. Both are doubtful for the game.
The Red Devils could also be without their talismanic forward – Wayne Rooney is struggling with a calf injury – but in Michael Owen and the resurgent Dimitar Berbatov, United have capable alternatives. Man U enter on an 11-match unbeaten run and lead the league.
In the league’s most aggravated game form matters little and, despite United’s strong record at Anfield since the Premier League’s inception and Liverpool’s current plight, the home team win this game 2-1.
West Ham v Arsenal
The Hammers have still yet to win at home in front of their bubble-blowing faithfuls and find themselves in the bottom three. They were slow to start under Zola a year ago and have a squad stacked with England hopefuls (Upson, Cole, Parker, Green, Ashton), England U-21 talent (Hines, Stanislas, Noble, Tomkins) and enigmatic foreign players (far too many to name) but have not won since the opening day.
While West Ham have quietly slipped into the relegation zone, the Gunners have quietly mounted a title challenge; they trail United by four points with a game in hand and have won their last four on the bounce. The returning Tomas Rosicky, the impudent Andrei Arshavin and the imperious Cesc Fabregas form a dazzling creative pivot behind Robin Van Persie – arguably the most technically gifted footballer in the country (if you don’t believe me watch his strike against Birmingham last week or rewind to his volley against Charlton a couple of years ago) – and have made Arsenal the league’s top scorers by a distance.
Arsenal continue to surge, West Ham continue to suffer. The Gunners win 3-1.
NFL: New England Patriots v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s back; the game of power, intensity, drama and cheerleaders returns to these shores as part of the NFL’s International Series and explodes onto British TV screens on Sunday afternoon. The game features three-time Superbowl winners and all-decade team the New England Patriots and one-time champions but currently bottom-feeding Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Glazers other sports pet.
The Patriots epoch seemed destined to end with Bernard Pollard’s ill-timed tackle on superstar and snappy-dressed QB Tom Brady – husband of supermodel Gisele Bundchen – in the opening game of the 2008 season, causing their star player to miss the entire year and the team to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2002 (despite the emergence of Matt Cassel and an 11-5 record). Brady ruptured his ACL and, until last week’s 59-0 demolition of the Titans, still looked troubled and slowed by the injury but has driven the Pats to a 4-2 record and the lead in the AFC East.
Life for the Bucs and first-time NFL Head Coach Raheem Morris has been much more challenging; a lack of identity on offence and talent on defence have seen them yet to win a game and look well out of their depth. They recently traded former 1st round pick Gaines Adams to the Bears for a 2nd round draft choice as they look to rebuild for the future and have their most recent top draft selection, QB Josh Freeman, waiting in the wings.
New England win in England as Brady and co. are relatively untested. 28-7.