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4 things to look out for this weekend

By on October 24, 2014

Sunderland playing Arsenal at the worst possible time
As we reviewed after last weekend, Sunderland’s 8-0 loss to Southampton last Saturday ranks high among other Premier League thrashings. And unless Gus Poyet their meeting with Arsenal on Saturday may not be much better. Normally, Sunderland would except to lose to Arsenal, even at home. But should they go down by a few goals, things could easily get out of hand again. With minds obviously cast back to the weekend before, The Black Cats’ players would inevitably panic or at least have it in the back of their minds. Arsenal have hardly been on their best form, with just one win from their past five league games, but should be hungry for the kind of success Southampton had against Sunderland.

What changes Sunderland will make from last weekend will set the tone, though. Should they set up more defensively, the match would be Arsenal’s for the taking. If they go at The Gunners, however, it may be their best victory of the season. No win tastes better than one which comes after a loss. Especially against Arsenal, after a drubbing.

Will Jose Mourinho again go for the safe route?
If it weren’t for their big name and big name players, Jose Mourinho would go at Manchester United. Even with all three of their main forwards, Diego Costa, Loic Remy, and Didier Drogba, struggling with injuries, considering United’s defense is in shambles and their attack still boasts the likes of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, and Andre Schurrle (the list goes on), they certainly should go at United. United are dangerous on the attack, but shambles at the back. And given Nemanja Matic & Co. are currently tied with Manchester City for the second best defense in the league, United should struggle breaking Chelsea down, a skill they have heavily relied on so far this season.

However, given Mourinho favors his defensive counter-attacking style, he may well use it. Because he has never played the United “Galacticos” before, they are a big name club, it is The Red Devils’ first big test of the season, and yada yada yada. Yet that may be United’s best chance actually, if Chelsea allow Van Gaal’s side to go at them. Angel Di Maria and Falcao certainly have the ability to steal a goal early on and make it an entirely different game. Mourinho’s choice of tactics much more than Van Gaal’s will determine the tone of the match.

Shall Mourinho be proven right about Juan Mata?
As much as his decision to let Juan Mata go, especially to a title rival like Manchester United, last January, was criticized, Mourinho may have played his trump card again, for coming Mata’s first match back against his old club the Spaniard has so far not been a complete flop, but disappointing. With two goals and one assist this season Mata has been struggling, but at times minimally played his part. But it has been clear that 26-year-old has not had the affect on United that was expected. For weeks there have been rumors that he will be dropped from Van Gaal’s starting eleven, and with Wayne Rooney soon returning from injury it may be Mata’s last chance to prove critics wrong, but best one to prove Mourinho wrong. Unlike Di Maria, also reuniting with his former manager Mourinho, Mata has only backed the fact that Mourinho made the right decision in how he treated Mata.

It’s now or never for Rickie Lambert.
Mario Balotelli has been a rock up front for Liverpool lately. And by a rock, I mean he has sat up there and done nothing since he moved to them at the end of the summer transfer window, bar just one goal in eight appearances. If Liverpool gaffer Brendan Rodgers has hinted at anything after his controversial performance, more so for his off-the-pitch actions, against Real Madrid midweek, it is that he is not quite confident in Super Mario. So far, he has given Balotelli many chances to prove himself. However, in doing so that effectively gave his other summer forward signing, Rickie Lambert, hardly any chances, mostly just as late substitutes. Yet this weekend, hosting Hull City, who have allowed quite a number of goals this season – thirteen, to be exact – Lambert may get his chance. It seems likely Balo may be dropped for Lambert. Simply put, the Southampton man must capitalize.

PS
Am not sure if this is allowed – adding a fifth. So amid the gasps and calls to the editor, here you go – Erik Lamela. The guy just can’t be ignored. Not after THAT goal on Thursday in the Europa League.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.