- Premier League is coming back this Wednesday.
- Game of the day is the derby in Manchester between City and Arsenal.
- The first match is in Birmingham between Aston Villa and Sheffield United.
City and Arsenal Highlighting the Opening Day
The match at Etihad will be the central event of the day in the world of sports. The Citizens are awaiting Arsenal, who needs to win in order to keep its chances of sneaking into the zone, which leads to European competitions.
The Gunners’ fans are still hoping that they might watch their team in the Champions League next season, as they trail five points for Manchester United, currently the fifth-placed club in the EPL standings.
City’s suspension from the international stage made that one possible, as they hold second place in the table, but they won’t count at the end of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s coach, knows that this match could be vital to his team and its future. With a win over the Sky-Blues, they would come down to just two points to United, and from that moment on, the UCL spot is within one game.
Arteta was an assistant to Guardiola in Man City, and he knows very well what are the main advantages and disadvantages of his next rival. Yet, even though he knows all that, the Spaniard is aware that stopping City would be one hell of a task.
“It gives me a very clear idea of what they are trying to do and what they will be looking to do,” he said a while ago when asked about the game against Man City. “But it is something different to be able to stop that and as well to create the issues that I think we can create for them.”
Positive news for both sides is that they don’t have too many problems with injured players. Torrerira and Chambers are out for the Gunners, while Guardiola has all of its players ready to play. That guarantees a good battle at Etihad.
Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United Opening the Restart
The Villains are second to the last in the standings, but two points away from the safe zone. If they win tonight, it would be a massive psychological boost for these guys.
On the other side, if the Blades collect three points, they are jumping over the Red Devils and are finding themselves in the position, which leads to the Champions League, which is something sensational. However, the boys from Sheffield are aware that they have a fierce rival across the field.
“It’s a brilliant club,” Chris Wilder, United’s boss told. “I have an awful amount of respect for Dean in terms of what he has done there, going into his hometown club and picking up the run that they did last year coming into the Premier League.”
These games are delayed ones, and after them, the EPL will start with its regular schedule. What comes up next is the 30th round, and it begins already this weekend.
