Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was certainly a fantastic advertisement for the Barclays Premier League, with drama both on and off the pitch. However, the two biggest results of the weekend were actually Arsenal's ridiculous 4-4 draw with Newcastle, and bottom-dweller Wolves 2-1 shock victory over Manchester United to break their unbeaten streak this season.I have to admit I wasn't really shocked at the Red Devil's defeat, or the fact that they have been finally beaten, because they haven't been firing on all cylinders this entire campaign. While Sir Alex Ferguson will certainly be displeased at the loss of three crucial points, what will trouble the Scot far more is the timing of the defeat, given the looming derby fixture against arch-rivals Manchester City.
The Citizens, on the other hand, will be flush with confidence, especially with their 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Carlos Tevez, in particular, is having a fantastic season so far, hitting a hat-trick, and clearly the side is just not the same proposition without him playing.
Tevez will certainly be licking his lips at taking on Man United in his current form, especially with question marks raised over Rio Ferdinand's fitness after the England star had to sit out their loss to Wolves with a calf strain sustained during their warm-up.
What puzzles me is why Ferguson failed to bolster his defence during the January transfer window! It's clear that none of the other central defenders he has are good enough, with Chris Smalling looking the worst of the lot! The ex-Fulham player has not looked up to the mark whenever he's come on, and certainly looks overpriced, given his £10 million transfer fee.
But it's not all bad news for United fans, with Park Ji-Sung returning to the squad after his Asian Cup sojourn. There's a very good chance that the South Korean will play against the Citizens, given his ability to perform when it matters, and Ferguson will look to seize the advantage with Park's industry and energy.
Frankly, this game will hinge on the strike partnerships both managers choose, and the question is- will Citizen boss Roberto Mancini stick to playing two central midfielders and leave Tevez upfront alone, or will the Italian throw caution to the wind, given the importance of this fixture, and play with both the Argentine and his January window signing Edin Dzeko? In my opinion, a win could very well tilt the title race Man City's way, especially with Arsenal's inconsistent form, and if Mancini can shed his Italian defensive tendencies and play a 4-4-2 with the two, they could really pose the Red Devil's defence some tough questions!
Ferguson, on the other hand, will have less of a selection headache, with the manager aware that his best strike pairing is Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. While the England star has had his share for detractors because of the lack of goals this season, the fact is that the two strikers compliment each other very well! Even when Rooney doesn't get on the score sheet, he contributes, and that's backed up the number of assists he has contributed for the Bulgarian's goal tally.
What gives United the advantage in this department is the fact that the wily Scot also has a hidden trump card up his sleeve- Javier Hernandez. The Mexican youngster's ability to come on and change the complexion of any game is reminiscent of another Old Trafford legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Hernandez has been used as an impact substitute this season, and don't put it past Ferguson to send the lad on when the going gets tough for the Red Devils!
One thing that most fans don't realize is how hard it is to go to Old Trafford and win, which is the challenge that Mancini's men will have to face if they want to revive their title challenge. The fact is that the Theatre of Dreams will have 78,000 fans, and more pertinently, the majority of 75,000 fervent fans cheering on the Red Devils and drowning out the away supporters! The psychological advantage is enormous, and in my experience, visiting players will end up more intimidated by the crowd than by their illustrious opponents!
The winner of this fixture could very well go on to win the title!