Premiership resumes after 12-day break
By Vic Mills
LONDON (JP): The English Premiership resumes Saturday after a 12-day break for international commitments. The rumor mill has been active in the interim with speculation rife over possible changes to personnel both on and off the pitch.
One move that was confirmed during the past week was the return of Ron Akitson to second to bottom, Sheffield Wednesday. The much traveled Atkinson has a contract until the end of the season whereupon he will hand over to a younger man. Those thought to be in the frame are current Barnsley manager and Hillsborough old boy, Danny Wilson and Arsenal midfielder, David Platt.
By coincidence, Platt and his high-flying Arsenal team visits Highborough tomorrow. With Manchester United set for a difficult trip to Wimbledon, a win for Arsenal could take it back to the top.
The game provides an early indication of Wednesday's survival instincts. With a full squad from which to select, Atkinson will look to Peter Atherton to add much needed steel in defense, while Paulo Di Canio and the Norwegian Rudi will be charged with creating the chances for Andy Booth and Guy Wittingham up front.
Having beaten Manchester United in its last outing, Arsenal has proved it can win without the suspended Dennis Bergkamp. The Dutch international sits out his last game in company with Emmanuel Petit and Steve Bould.
The downside to the victory over United was the loss of Patrik Viera for up to six weeks with torn knee ligaments. There is better news of captain, Tony Adams, who is optimistic about playing despite missing England's win over Cameroon with an ankle injury.
A point clear of the chasing pack, leader Manchester United heads to Selhurst Park for a meeting with fast improving Wimbledon. A recent run of form has taken the London club to ninth in the premiership. An ominous sign, as its physical style is never easy to defend against.
Not that defense is a priority around Old Trafford at the moment. A point emphasized by manager, Alex Ferguson's, whistle- stop visit to South Africa last weekend to check on the form of Marcello Salas. The Chilean is the most prolific striker on the continent with 15 goals in World Cup qualifying matches.
United is keen to bring in a physical target-man for the title push and the latter stages of the Champions' League. Ferguson has a transfer budget of around US$30 million. A point that has not gone unnoticed by River Plate of Argentina, Salas' club, who has doubled his transfer fee to $18 million in recent weeks.
Top spot
Should neither of the leading clubs win at the weekend, then Blackburn Rovers could regain top spot if it beats fourth place Chelsea at Ewood Park. No easy task given Chelsea's ability to attack on the break. A tactic likely to be fully employed with Rovers still without injured Colin Hendry in defense.
Undaunted, Rovers manager, Roy Hodgson, is keen to follow the Old Trafford lead and add to his attacking options. Unsettled Lazio star, Pierlugi Casiraghi, is at the top of his wanted list, with the player believed to be available for about $7.5 million.
Personal terms may be a problem, more especially as Casiraghi added to his value by scoring the only goal in Italy's World Cup qualifying win over Russia.
One Italian destined to make his premiership debut at the weekend is former Juventus striker, Michele Padavano. Signed on a three-year contract for $2.5 million, the lively forward will turn out for Crystal Palace at Tottenham on Monday night.
The troubled managerial career of Gerry Francis at Spurs would appear close to its natural conclusion following news that Christian Gross and his assistant from Zurich club, Grasshoppers, will be taking charge at White Hart Lane on Monday.
The arrival of the Swiss management team has effectively put paid to any hopes that Leeds United boss, George Graham, may have had of returning to the capital.
Banned from the game for a year for accepting illegal payments, Graham has completed his rehabilitation by guiding Leeds to fifth place in the premiership. A position he will look to improve upon at the expense of visitor West Ham United on Sunday.
Improvement should be on the agenda at Newcastle United, too, with Faustino Asprilla fit again and set to return against Southampton. Injuries to frontline strikers have left the Tyneside club 10 points off the pace albeit with three games in hand.
Southampton arrives with six league and cup wins in its last eight games. A run helped in no small measure by the signing of Carlton Palmer from Leeds and David Hirst from Sheffield Wednesday. The pair have brought greater balance to the side as well as reviving the spirits of mercurial playmaker, Matthew Le Tissier.
The one transfer coup to fail in the past week was Liverpool's audacious attempt to wrest Sol Campbell from Spurs in exchange for Neil Ruddock, Jason McAteer and Mark Kennedy plus $3 million in cash. By way of compensation, Liverpool entertains bottom club Barnsley tomorrow.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa and Everton meet in the battle of the under-achievers; Derby County should be too strong for Coventry City at Pride Park; and Leicester City look set to winning ways at home to Bolton Wanderers.