Manchester United back to London against Chelsia

By Vic Mills

LONDON (JP): Having beaten Arsenal Wednesday night at Highbury, Premiership leader Manchester United returns to London at the weekend for the game of the round against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The encounter promises to be a classic confrontation of attack and counterattack. With a forwardline comprising Vialli, Zola and Hughes, ably assisted by Di Matteo, Wise and Petrescu in midfield and out wide, Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit has assembled the most exciting strike force in British football.

This commitment to going forward, however, does leave them susceptible to the counterattack at pace. With Cole and Solskjaer up front, and Giggs and Beckham out wide, Manchester United has the perfect weapons to attack on the break as they demonstrated to stunning effect against Arsenal.

The absence Wednesday of Eric Cantona, serving a two-match suspension, did not appear to unduly trouble United. Of perhaps greater concern will be the contribution to the Chelsea cause of former old boy Mark Hughes.

Capable of unsettling the most secure of defenses, Hughes has been in outstanding form of late. Indeed, he played a major part in Chelsea's 2-1 victory at Old Trafford in early November.

A one-point lead over Liverpool suggests that anything but a win for Manchester United could see it lose top spot, especially as the Merseyside club has a less challenging encounter at home to Blackburn Rovers.

Buoyed by its 4-0 midweek thrashing of Leeds United, manager Roy Evans will look for a repeat performance against a club that, despite emerging from its nightmare start to the season, is still in the danger zone.

Fowler and Collymore as ever represent the biggest threat to a Blackburn defense that could not prevent a modest Coventry side from scoring twice and knocking it out of the F.A. Cup last weekend.

Having suffered consecutive home defeats to Leeds and Manchester United, life does not get any easier for third place Arsenal, as it entertains Wimbledon in the Sunday game.

Five points off the top, manager Arsene Wenger now faces the prospect of losing Ian Wright to suspension for the second time this season after the England international collected another booking Wednesday night.

There may also be repercussions following Wright's clash with Peter Schmeichel in the tunnel as the players left the ground. Having sold striker John Hartson to West Ham, the loss of Wright would cast further doubt on its ability to stay the course.

Macho side

One game away from the League Cup final and in the F.A. Cup quarterfinals, seventh place Wimbledon remains the team of the moment. No longer solely dependent on the long ball, the visitors have -- in Gayle, Ekoku, Earle and Holdsworth -- forwards capable of piercing the tightest of defenses.

The one concern to an otherwise intriguing contest is the preoccupation that both sides have with the macho side of football. Firm refereeing will be needed to control what has all the makings of a very physical contest.

A waterlogged pitch Wednesday night at West Ham denied Newcastle the chance to close the gap on the leader. There should be no such problems at Riverside stadium tomorrow, where it faces a Middlesbrough side fighting for its Premiership life.

Seeking to lay the ghosts of England's recent loss to Italy, Newcastle strikers Shearer and Ferdinand will not get a better chance to work off their frustrations than against the league's worst defense.

Three points adrift at the bottom, Middlesbrough, encouraged by last weekend's Cup win at Manchester City, will again look to Juninho to spring a surprise. The gap in class is likely to tell, however, with Newcastle looking a firm favorite to repeat its 3-1 win in November.

Two goals Wednesday night from Dwight Yorke were enough to beat Coventry and move Aston Villa up to fifth place in the Premier League. Its quest for a UEFA Cup should remain on course as it travels to Nottingham Forest tomorrow.

Having lost to Chesterfield in the F.A. Cup last weekend, Forest will need a marked improvement in defense if it is to keep the likes of Yorke and Milosevic at bay. Short on confidence and shorter still on cash, caretaker manager Stuart Pearce has an uphill task in saving Forest from the drop.

Home debut

Paying dearly for its flirtation in the European transfer market, West Ham United took the positive step last week of signing two home-grown strikers, John Hartson from Arsenal for US$7.5 million and Paul Kitson from Newcastle for $3.5 million.

Both will make their home debut Monday evening against Tottenham Hotspur, as the Hammers attempt to buy their way out of trouble. In a mid-table malaise of its own making, Tottenham arrive with little to play for but personal pride.

Having shown great pride to come back from two-down against Chelsea in the Cup last Sunday, the management and supporters of Leicester City will look for more of the same tomorrow, with Derby County the visitors to Filbert Street.

Elsewhere in the Premiership, the threat of relegation is ever present. At Highfield Road, inconsistent Coventry City will need to keep a tight rein on Everton strikers Duncan Ferguson and Nick Barmby if it hopes to take the points.

Sunderland appears to have slightly the easier task as it plays host to a Leeds United side that has conceded seven goals in its last two games.

Finally, to the south coast where beleaguered Southampton takes on a Sheffield Wednesday side beaten only five times in the Premiership this season. A draw would appear the most likely result, although there is always the Le Tissier factor.