Before these, however, Manchester United will attempt to bounce back from a poor showing at Wembley on Saturday as they travel up north to St. James' Park to face a Newcastle side who are playing merely for pride.
Newcastle United v Manchester United
Alan Pardew announced on Monday morning that Manchester United will be afraid of travelling to Tyneside due to the fantastic atmosphere generated from the home fans whilst in and around the stadium. The Magpies will really believe they can win this game, too, with [Manchester] United's away form still not brilliant, although much better than when the season started. Newcastle had the weekend off, too, so will feel much fresher. Their recent form has been sketchy to say the least, with inconsistent showings both home and away. Man United fans will be pleased to know that out of Newcastle's previous 6 home games, they have only won twice, but have scored 4 goals or more in three of them. They will also be without top goalscorer Kevin Nolan, who is serving the final game of his suspension.The main difference between this game and the 3-0 Manchester United win on the opening weekend of the season is that the Red Devils will be able to field an in-form and on-fire Wayne Rooney. In the previous meeting, Rooney was very ineffective and lasted little over an hour, whereas this time around, he is fit, fresh, free from suspension, and will be looking to add to his tally of 9 goals in 11 league games against Newcastle.
Key players:
Newcastle United:
Jose Enrique - It's no wonder why he's been linked with a whole heap of top clubs this summer. A very solid left back, who may just be able to cope with whoever Manchester United choose to deploy on the right wing.
Jonas Gutierrez - The tricky winger likes to beat a man down the flank or cut inside, and he can put a decent ball into the box. I'm sure he would love to add to his handful of assists this season, and he'll like the thought of going up against any of United's right backs at the moment.
Manchester United:
Nemanja Vidic - PFA Player of the Year nominee Vidic has the ability to snuff out any attack from the home side. The tough-tackling Serb has been a rock this season, and will have to be on his toes again.
Nani - Opta Statistics' Player of the Season so far is somebody we are all too familiar with. Likely to be a constant threat with his quick feet and natural pace across the ground. His ability to mix it up will surely confuse defenders, but lets hope the indecision he has shown too many times this season is behind him.
Wayne Rooney - It would be easy to say United missed him on Saturday, and I don't think they did. Obviously, they are a better team when he is on form, but Berbatov has no excuses for missing two chances you'd expect him to take. It's impossible to say another striker would have taken them, because you just don't know. Anyway, I think Rooney's urgency was missed, and he can really force a game to speed up when he drops deep to collect the ball.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-3 Manchester United
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Chelsea v Birmingham
The Champions aren't quite ready to let go of their trophy just yet, and they showed that at the weekend against West Brom. Their patchy form seems to be behind them and they will at least want to take second place in the league. Birmingham, on the other hand, haven't been brilliant of late. Although I think they are now safe, as they sit on 38 points with a game in hand, their extra game couldn't come at a much harder place, and I'm afraid that by Thursday morning, they will have 38 points under their belt but no game in hand. I still think it is enough to keep them in the division, but only due to the fact there are much worse teams.
The big talking point for the home side will no doubt be whether Torres is left on the bench again, as was proven a successful move by Carlo Ancelotti on Saturday.
Key players:
Chelsea:
David Luiz - I don't expect him to see much of a threat throughout the 90 minutes, but anything he will have to do will be done professionally, which will send out a message to his team-mates that there is still a job to do.
Michael Essien - The Ghanaian is simply so important to Chelsea. Their bad run of form earlier in the season coincided with Essien being injured, and the fact that Chelsea have won 63% of games with him this season, compared to only 20% without supports this belief.
Didier Drogba - He has the ability to win any match. His goal got Chelsea level against West Brom and sent them on their way to a vital win. I can't see the Blues performing anywhere near their best this season without him, and his importance to this club is only highlighted by the fact that everyone is calling for £50m Torres to be left on the bench.
Birmingham:
Ben Foster - A great shotstopper who could keep Birmingham in the game for a long time. He is prone to the odd mistake, but this season, he's done what's been asked of him and more, and has been a shining star in the sticks.
Sebastian Larsson - His goal at the weekend sent the Blues on their way to a win against Sunderland, and although he is unlikely to find the net against a strong Chelsea team, he is definitely McLeish's main man.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-0 Birmingham
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Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
This is time for Arsene Wenger to prove he is still capable of producing a title winning side. A bizarre end to their game against Liverpool saw two penalties given well after the 90 minutes were up, and must have sent a message around the Arsenal dressing room that this year, like all the others, was not going to be their year.
Spurs' hopes of retaining fourth spot have faded somewhat, and after a weekend off, there is no better game for them to prove they have what it takes. A fierce rivalry only understood by supporters of either team, both teams will be desperate for a win, and I feel Spurs could well have the advantage is PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale has anything to say about it. The previous meeting between the two saw a complete capitulation of the Gunners' in the second half, after they went into the break leading 2-0 only to find themselves on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline come full-time. Bale initiated the comeback that day, and along with Van Der Vaart, Modric and Co, will look to throw another spanner in the Arsenal works. For me, Spurs are favourites here, and the pressure of such a meaningul derby game for Arsenal could prove to be too much.
Key players:
Tottenham Hotspur:
Michael Dawson - The England International centre-half is a good, old-fashioned, tough tackling type. He is also physically and mentally quick, and can read a pass before it happens. He'll need to be on top of his game to break down Arsenal's quick passing around the box.
Rafael Van Der Vaart - Potentially the signing of the season, VDV has been a revelation for Spurs, particularly at White Hart Lane. Whether it is coincidence or not, I feel he will perform at the very best of his ability with every Spurs fan behind him.
Gareth Bale - The Welsh winger is so quick down the wings, any full-back since Phil Neville will struggle with him. Although his quality is obvious, I don't think his recent award was justified, and believe it to be simply for the hype surrounding him. That said, I would never bet against him having an absolute barnstormer.Arsenal:
Bacary Sagna - The PFA Team of the Year right back hasn't been named as such for no reason. He'll have a tough test against Bale if he passes a late fitness test, but will have a chance of keeping him quiet if he plays to his ability.
Cesc Fabregas - For a game like this, Arsenal need a player like this. He's been around the club long enough to understand the tradition and what it means to the fans to win one of these games, and he has the quality to match. He can create something out of nothing with a few quick, slick passes.
Robin Van Persie - Like Fabregas, he knows what it means to the fans, and he'll be leading from the front for Arsenal. He thought he'd scored the winner against Liverpool on Sunday only for Dirk Kuyt's even later penalty to cancel it out, but it proved that when the pressure was really on him, and him alone, to keep the Gunners in the title race, he was cool-as-you-like.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal
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