EPL takes a weekend off with Chelsea at the top

The interchange of the first and second position at the helm of EPL, as it had been the case much of last month, came to an end at the Stamford Bridge when Chelsea beat Man Utd with a solitary goal. Although the game wasn’t a title-deciding match, each team was eager to tilt the results in their favour at a point when the premiership takes a weekend off. The off will be to allow the world cup qualifier international matches take place.

The win brought double joy for Carlo Ancelloti in that he recorded his first win against his opposite number, Sir Alex Ferguson, in the league and his team was allowed to buy players in the January transfer window. What a relieve this really is owing to how Chelsea would have been vulnerable when their key players head to the Africa Nations cup early next year. Speculation is rife that the Blues will be doing their shopping in Spain. This time the Londoners will have to dig dip into their pocket if they are keen on bringing either David Villa of Valencia or Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid.

The red devils have now played all the members of the big four managing a win only against the gunners. The good news for Man U is that the return legs will be played at Old Trafford at a time when the results will definitely decide who will be crowned. The defending champions have no reason to start panicking, around this time last season they were trailing by almost ten points and yet they managed to recover. They normally come with their guns blazing after the December winter break.

Arsenal remarkable form continued for another week when they gunned down the Wolves. Many people seem to be concentrating with Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool and they are paying less attention to Arsenal. This team is currently experiencing one of the best runs since they last won the league. A caution for Arsenal will be to avoid over relying on Van Persie and Fabregas otherwise they might turn out to be like Liverpool who are overshadowed when Torres and Gerald are not playing.

Man City can’t seem to get out of their constant mark; they are neither winning nor losing. Their hope to break out of this jinx came to an unfortunate end when the newly promoted side Burnley held them, in a six-goal thriller. Man City in their last five games have managed to accumulate five points all coming from five draws, something that has eclipsed their five straight wins they had made at the start of the season.

Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper is one unlucky man, in the last three games he has been forced to go at the back of his net and collect the ball thirteen times. The defense has to do better than this if they are to stay away from the relegation zone.