Premier League Super Weekend: Arsenal Vs Bolton & Manchester United Vs Chelsea

This weekend promises to provide some of the biggest and most exciting matches of the entire season in the English Premier League.

We preview two of the biggest games which will have the greatest impact on the top of the ladder, as Arsenal host Bolton on Saturday whilst Manchester United play host to Chelsea on Sunday, in what promises to be an absolutely incredible encounter.

Arsenal vs Bolton

(Saturday, 15:00 GMT, Emirates Stadium)

Arsenal

Arsenal won their last league outing 1-0 away against Portsmouth, extending a run of six games undefeated. This run has included three wins and three draws, collecting a total of 12 points from the 18 available since their last loss (3-0 away against Manchester City). They have scored eight goals and leaked 5five during this six game run, leaving them sitting fifth in the league.

Arsenal is reportedly attempting to sign Russian star playmaker Andrei Ashavin in a bid to add experience and quality to the team, a move sure to generate excitement and motivation amongst the current midfielders at the club.

Arsenal will have to do without captain Cesc Fabregas (knee), Theo Walcott (shoulder), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Mikael Silvestre (thigh) and William Gallas (hamstring), whilst Alex Song is a doubt with a thigh injury.

Bolton

The Bolton Wanderers lost their last league outing 1-0 at home against Wigan Athletic, making four defeats in their last five games. This run has included one win, yielding them just three points from the 15 on offer. The Trotters scored four goals and conceded nine in the process of slipping down to 11th in the league.

Bolton is giving a trial to Brazilian winger Denilson this week, as Gary Megson looks to boost his squad and make more competition in the attack; giving the current players extra motivation to perform.

Bolton will have to do without club captain Kevin Nolan who starts a two match suspension after collecting 10 yellow cards this season, while Greter Steinssen will also be suspended, but the return of Gavin McCann following his ban will ease those loses. Ricardo Vaz Te will be unavailable with a knee injury, while Gary Cahill (back), Tamir Cohen (hamstring) and Joey O’Brien (thigh) are all doubts.

Prediction

The Gunners beat Bolton 2-0 in this corresponding fixture last season and also got the better of The Trotters in a 3-1 victory at the Reebok Stadium this season.


Arsenal has tended to struggle against robust opposition such as Bolton this season; however, their two-goal margin victories of last season and this season show that they haven’t had such problems with Bolton of late.

Bolton’s current form is less convincing than that of Arsenal, with strikers Emmuanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie showing enough goals recently for Arsenal to make the difference and, despite Arsenal’s lengthy list of expected absentees, Bolton too have several concerns.

The loss of Kevin Nolan in particular could be more damaging than Arsenal’s loss of Cesc Fabregas, as The Gunners will go into this match as favorites to win.

Manchester United vs Chelsea

(Sunday, 16:00 GMT, Old Trafford)

Manchester United

Manchester United won their last league match 1-0 at home to Middlesbrough, building a run of seven games without defeat. This run has included five wins and 17 points gained from the 21 available, since their last loss (2-1 away against Arsenal).

The defending champions have scored nine goals, and conceded none in this period, making 7 consecutive clean sheets, as they currently sit third in the league.

The dramatic story this week of Cristiano Ronaldo’s car accident appears to have not affected the player, as he reported for training as normal with no ill effects.

Recent news over the future of Carlos Tevez reports that he wants his contract situation resolved and is unhappy with not being approached; however, his recent increased starts seem to show no signs of it affecting his performances.

Man Utd signed Serbian duo Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajic this week; however, 17-year-old Ljajic will spend another season on loan at Partizan Belgrade whilst Tosic, although expected to join the first team, is not considered sharp enough yet to be in contention.

Manchester United will be without Owen Hargreaves (knee), Wes Brown (ankle) and Ben Foster (wrist), whilst Rio Ferdinand is a doubt with a back injury and Patrice Evra will return following his four match ban.

Chelsea

Chelsea drew their last league outing 2-2 away against Fulham, making a run of five games undefeated. This run has included three draws; yielding nine points from a possible 15 since their last loss (2-1 at home against Arsenal).

They have scored seven goals and conceded three in the process of this run, whilst maintaining second position in the league table.

Chelsea sold left back Wayne Bridge this week to Manchester City and until a replacement is identified for the backup player, they will have fewer options in that position.

Chelsea will welcome back John Terry and Micheal Ballack following their suspensions, but will have to do without Micheal Essien (knee), while Alex (hamstring) and Florent Malouda (hamstring) are both doubts.

Prediction

Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-0 in this corresponding fixture last season, whilst the two have already met once this season in the league, battling out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

This top three clash sees the league’s best away team in Chelsea, who have won eight and drawn two of their ten away games, against the league’s best home team in Manchester United, who have won seven and drawn one of their eight games at Old Trafford, come head to head.

Chelsea’s away form, however, has slipped slightly after eight consecutive victories have been followed more recently by two draws whereas Manchester United are on a seven game winning streak at home.


The stakes are high in this match and the overall form guide indicates that although the reigning champions will have to watch Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard particularly closely, as they are Chelsea’s best players of late, the Red Devils will be slight favorites in this encounter.

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