Inflexible defense a worry for vulnerable Liverpool
By Vic Mills
LONDON (JP): It is business as usual in England this weekend, weather permitting, as Premiership football resumes following FA Cup duty.
Liverpool stands just two points clear at the top following defeat at Chelsea on New Year's Day. A single-goal victory against second division Burnley last Saturday went only to highlight crucial areas of concern.
The rock hard pitches of recent weeks are proving a problem for the center-back formation of Wright, Babb and Ruddock. These big men, titans in the mud, cannot turn easily on frozen pitches and are therefore vulnerable when attacked at pace as Chelsea demonstrated with the direct running of Hughes, Di Matteo and Zola.
The biggest worry, however, is in midfield where the man-to- man marking of Steve McManaman has vastly reduced Liverpool's creativity. Michael Thomas and John Barnes have in effect become too dependent on the young England international.
Lack of invention in midfield has brought a limited service to the forward pairing of Fowler and Collymore, resulting in fewer chances and with it something of a goal drought.
There should be no lack of opportunity on Saturday, however, as fifth from bottom West Ham United visits Anfield. The east London side has struggled to convert player potential into results this season as their record of just six goals and one win from away games suggests.
Without understanding the defensive talents of Miklosko, Dicks and Bilic or the front running of Portfirio and Raducioiu, West Ham nevertheless represents the side that most clubs would chose in order to play themselves back into form. The message from the terraces then is very much one of Anfield expects.
Second place Arsenal, unable to turn possession into points of late, has the added problem of being without the suspended Ian Wright and John Hartson for the game at Sunderland.
Analysis
There will be little need for pre-match analysis on Saturday as these two sides fought out a tense 1-1 draw last weekend in the F.A. Cup.
Manager Arsene Wenger has still to decide on his attack, although the likelihood is that Berkamp will push further forward with the busy Merson playing just behind. With Sunderland committed to a more open game as the home side, this should leave gaps for the likes of Platt and Vieria to exploit.
With the toughest fixture program of any of the top clubs over the holiday period behind it, Aston Villa continues its championship adventure with a home game against the pride of Tyneside, Newcastle United.
A revelation at Old Trafford on New Year's Day, Villa deserved far more than just a point for taking the fight to the champion. The forward pairing of Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic tormented the United defense to distraction with only Peter Schmeichel standing between Villa and a famous victory.
The fragile Newcastle defense may not be so resilient and will hope that its expensive forwardline puts away a chance or two so as to ease what will be a difficult afternoon for the back four.
Two points behind fourth-placed Newcastle, it is essential for Villa to come out of this game with something as they travel to Anfield next weekend.
Following the shock announcement of Kevin Keegan's resignation Wednesday, the first task for Newcastle's caretaker management team of Terry McDermott and Arthur Cox will be to take at least a point from a game that has all the makings of a draw.
Goal difference
Having put two past Tottenham Hotspur in the F.A. Cup and played only modestly, Manchester United will be looking to add to its goal difference as the teams meet again at White Hart Lane.
Unable to make the difference in class tell last Sunday, United will expect to find more space away from home and with Cantona, Giggs and Keane close to top form, goes into match in confident mood.
The best placed of the title challengers, Wimbledon, five points off the top with three games in hand, will expect to maintain its chase for honors against an inconsistent Derby County side at Selhurst Park.
Having had league and Cup games postponed in recent weeks, a lack of match practice could count against the Dons as manager Joe Kinnear strives to recreate the form of late last year.
Keen to improve its UEFA Cup prospects, Chelsea travels to the Midlands for a game against a Nottingham Forest side desperate for points.
Elsewhere in the Premiership the theme is very much that of survival as six of the bottom nine clubs meet head-to-head. On troubled Teeside Middlesbroughs play Southampton, an hour down the A1 Leeds United entertains Leicester City, while across country Blackburn Rovers hosts rejuvenated Coventry City.
The call from managers and coaches in these crucial fixtures will be for ice-cold nerves, which, in light of the prevailing weather conditions, is rather appropriate.