United, Chelsea set for first leaders summit
Just a week into the new
season, the Premier League will witness its
first major head-to-head of the campaign
when Chelsea face off against champions
Manchester United on Monday.
United began their title defence with an
impressive 4-1 win at Swansea City last
weekend, but Chelsea’s visit marks the start
of a testing four-game sequence that
includes matches against Liverpool and
Manchester City.
New United manager David Moyes could not
have asked for a sterner start to the season
and in Chelsea he faces a side who are
already building up a head of steam.
Chelsea-MAN-UNITED
Chelsea won 2-0 against Hull City on
manager Jose Mourinho’s return to
Stamford Bridge last weekend and followed
that up with a gritty 2-1 success at home to
Aston Villa on Wednesday, in a game
brought forward due to the Europa League
champions’ involvement in the UEFA Super
Cup.
It means the London side can open up a six-
point lead over their title rivals by winning at
Old Trafford, and having seen United twice
left in the starting blocks by Chelsea during
Mourinho’s first stint at the club, United
midfielder Ryan Giggs is determined not to
let it happen again.
“In Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, they
obviously got off to a few good starts and
we didn’t manage to catch them,” said the
Welsh veteran.
“You always want to get off to a good start.
It has obviously been well documented that
we have got a tough start, but we started
well with a good win at Swansea on
Saturday and hopefully we can carry that
on.”
Although it is early in the season, Chelsea
goalkeeper Petr Cech knows that a positive
result in Manchester would give his side an
early advantage in the fledgling title race.
“We’ve won games at Manchester United
and we’ve lost games there. It’s always
tight,” Cech told the Chelsea website,
www.chelseafc.com.
“It’s still at an early stage of the season, but
any advantage you can gain over your rival
is always good.”
On Saturday, Arsenal will hope to carry the
momentum from their mid-week Champions
League victory over Fenerbahce into their
trip to London rivals Fulham.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger came in for
heavy criticism after his side crashed to a
3-1 loss at home to Villa on the opening
weekend of the season, with the north
London club’s lack of activity in the transfer
market the subject of particular scrutiny.
However, they planted one foot in the
Champions League group phase by winning
3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday, and winger
Theo Walcott says the setback against Villa is
now out of their system.
“You don’t want to start a season like that,
but that’s out of the window now,” he told
www.arsenal.com.
“We’ve forgotten about that and we’re
concentrating on Fulham. And if we perform
like that, with that intensity, we can beat
anyone.”
Villa, who were unfortunate not to be
awarded a stoppage-time penalty in the
mid-week loss to Chelsea after an apparent
handball by John Terry, host Liverpool in the
evening kick-off on Saturday.
Manchester City opened their campaign with
a stylish 4-0 win at home to Newcastle
United last Monday and they visit promoted
Cardiff City on Sunday.
City dropped 24 points away from home last
season, fatally undermining their title
defence, and left-back Gael Clichy says
Manuel Pellegrini’s side must start
reproducing their home form on the road.
“We did work hard during the whole pre-
season and that is what the manager wants
from us,” he told the club website,
www.mcfc.co.uk.
“Away from home it will be more difficult,
but it is a good way of starting the season.”
Tottenham Hotspur, 1-0 victors at Crystal
Palace last weekend, host Swansea City on
Sunday.
Spurs appear poised to cede star forward
Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, but they
continue to invest heavily in their squad and
are reportedly close to completing a club-
record £30 million ($47 million, 35 million
euros) move for Anzhi Makhachkala’s
Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian.
Fixtures
Saturday (1400GMT unless otherwise stated)
:
Fulham vs Arsenal (1145GMT), Everton vs West
Bromwich Albion, Hull City vs Norwich City,
Newcastle United vs West Ham United,
Southampton vs Sunderland, Stoke City vs
Crystal Palace, Aston Villa vs Liverpool
(1630GMT)
Sunday (1500GMT):
Cardiff City vs Manchester City, Tottenham
Hotspur vs Swansea City
Monday (1900GMT):
Manchester United vs Chelsea
season, the Premier League will witness its
first major head-to-head of the campaign
when Chelsea face off against champions
Manchester United on Monday.
United began their title defence with an
impressive 4-1 win at Swansea City last
weekend, but Chelsea’s visit marks the start
of a testing four-game sequence that
includes matches against Liverpool and
Manchester City.
New United manager David Moyes could not
have asked for a sterner start to the season
and in Chelsea he faces a side who are
already building up a head of steam.
Chelsea-MAN-UNITED
Chelsea won 2-0 against Hull City on
manager Jose Mourinho’s return to
Stamford Bridge last weekend and followed
that up with a gritty 2-1 success at home to
Aston Villa on Wednesday, in a game
brought forward due to the Europa League
champions’ involvement in the UEFA Super
Cup.
It means the London side can open up a six-
point lead over their title rivals by winning at
Old Trafford, and having seen United twice
left in the starting blocks by Chelsea during
Mourinho’s first stint at the club, United
midfielder Ryan Giggs is determined not to
let it happen again.
“In Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, they
obviously got off to a few good starts and
we didn’t manage to catch them,” said the
Welsh veteran.
“You always want to get off to a good start.
It has obviously been well documented that
we have got a tough start, but we started
well with a good win at Swansea on
Saturday and hopefully we can carry that
on.”
Although it is early in the season, Chelsea
goalkeeper Petr Cech knows that a positive
result in Manchester would give his side an
early advantage in the fledgling title race.
“We’ve won games at Manchester United
and we’ve lost games there. It’s always
tight,” Cech told the Chelsea website,
www.chelseafc.com.
“It’s still at an early stage of the season, but
any advantage you can gain over your rival
is always good.”
On Saturday, Arsenal will hope to carry the
momentum from their mid-week Champions
League victory over Fenerbahce into their
trip to London rivals Fulham.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger came in for
heavy criticism after his side crashed to a
3-1 loss at home to Villa on the opening
weekend of the season, with the north
London club’s lack of activity in the transfer
market the subject of particular scrutiny.
However, they planted one foot in the
Champions League group phase by winning
3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday, and winger
Theo Walcott says the setback against Villa is
now out of their system.
“You don’t want to start a season like that,
but that’s out of the window now,” he told
www.arsenal.com.
“We’ve forgotten about that and we’re
concentrating on Fulham. And if we perform
like that, with that intensity, we can beat
anyone.”
Villa, who were unfortunate not to be
awarded a stoppage-time penalty in the
mid-week loss to Chelsea after an apparent
handball by John Terry, host Liverpool in the
evening kick-off on Saturday.
Manchester City opened their campaign with
a stylish 4-0 win at home to Newcastle
United last Monday and they visit promoted
Cardiff City on Sunday.
City dropped 24 points away from home last
season, fatally undermining their title
defence, and left-back Gael Clichy says
Manuel Pellegrini’s side must start
reproducing their home form on the road.
“We did work hard during the whole pre-
season and that is what the manager wants
from us,” he told the club website,
www.mcfc.co.uk.
“Away from home it will be more difficult,
but it is a good way of starting the season.”
Tottenham Hotspur, 1-0 victors at Crystal
Palace last weekend, host Swansea City on
Sunday.
Spurs appear poised to cede star forward
Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, but they
continue to invest heavily in their squad and
are reportedly close to completing a club-
record £30 million ($47 million, 35 million
euros) move for Anzhi Makhachkala’s
Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian.
Fixtures
Saturday (1400GMT unless otherwise stated)
:
Fulham vs Arsenal (1145GMT), Everton vs West
Bromwich Albion, Hull City vs Norwich City,
Newcastle United vs West Ham United,
Southampton vs Sunderland, Stoke City vs
Crystal Palace, Aston Villa vs Liverpool
(1630GMT)
Sunday (1500GMT):
Cardiff City vs Manchester City, Tottenham
Hotspur vs Swansea City
Monday (1900GMT):
Manchester United vs Chelsea
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