adminis likely to be eclipsed by top against bottom battles.
With 12 games left, champions City are 12 points adrift of leaders Manchester United, who visit bottom side Queens Park Rangers today, while third-placed Chelsea are a further four points behind.
With their title challenges all but over and Champions League spots looking likely, the focus has switched to respective managers Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez, who know that any defeat can harm their job prospects long-term.
Benitez is only in charge at Stamford Bridge until the end of the season but his hopes of a more permanent role seem doomed because of his unpopularity with the fans. Meanwhile, media reports have speculated that Mancini could be axed in May.
Chelsea skipper John Terry, desperate to get back in the first team for league matches after a spell on the bench following injury, believes the club have plenty to play for and not just in the FA Cup and Europa League.
“This season has been a little disappointing, we’ve let Man U get so many points ahead of us, but everyone is dropping points and we can still easily get second place,” he said.
The Sun newspaper was forced to publish an apology on Wednesday over an incorrect story about a bust-up between Terry and Benitez but whether the former England captain starts at City tomorrow at 3:30pm remains to be seen.
Leaders United in contrast look a picture of harmony having not been beaten since a dead rubber Champions League group game at home to CFR Cluj in early December.
That cannot be said for QPR, who sit seven points from the safety zone after a 4-1 thumping at Swansea City two weekends ago.
Harry Redknapp’s side need to conjure a magical performance at home to United and hope Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have begun to take their foot off the gas, with Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones doubtful with a sinus infection and ankle injury respectively.
Another intriguing clash is fifth-placed Arsenal’s home match with strugglers Aston Villa today.
A 3-1 home defeat by Bayern Munich in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg has left nervous Arsenal on the brink of missing out on a trophy for the eighth season in a row and grabbing fourth spot is now crucial.
Arsenal trail fourth-placed rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who visit West Ham United on Monday, by four points in the race for the Champions League play-off spot.
Manager Arsene Wenger’s position as manager could look even more brittle if they lose to Villa, who are a place and a point above the drop zone after a 2-1 win over West Ham United last time out.
Villa boss Paul Lambert has called on his players to gear up for “12 cup finals” in the remaining games of the season, meaning Arsenal face a real battle against their youthful opponents and a crowd who have become increasingly fractious.
Villa could profit from one or both of lowly Newcastle United and Southampton dropping points when they meet at 3:30pm tomorrow, before Swansea City take on fourth tier Bradford City in the Capital One (League) Cup final.
Meanwhile, Wenger has endured one of the worst weeks of his career as Arsenal manager and it could get worse if his side fail to beat struggling Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium today.
Wenger has come in for strong personal criticism after back-to-back home defeats by Blackburn Rovers and Bayern Munich all but ended the Gunners’ hopes of winning a trophy this season.
The FA Cup exit to Championship side Blackburn was embarrassing enough, but the gulf in quality between Wenger’s side and Bayern as the German club established a 3-1 first-leg lead in their Champions League tie has been held up as evidence of how far Arsenal have fallen behind Europe’s best teams.
Stan Kroenke, the US-based majority shareholder, was in London for the Bayern game and attended a board meeting 48 hours after the loss.
But the growing discontent among the club’s fans that has been audible in recent weeks, and in particular at the final whistle of the Blackburn game, will grow if Arsenal fail to beat Villa and step up their challenge for fourth place.
Wenger’s team currently lie fifth, four points behind Tottenham Hotspur, who face West Ham United 48 hours later.
Senior players including Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott have voiced their support for the manager in the wake of the Bayern defeat.
Fixtures
Today (all 5pm unless otherwise stated): Fulham v Stoke (2:45pm), Arsenal v Aston Villa, Norwich v Everton, QPR v Man Utd, Reading v Wigan, West Brom v Sunderland.
Tomorrow: Man City v Chelsea (3:30pm), Newcastle v Southampton (3:30pm).
Monday: West Ham v Tottenham (10pm). — AFP.
Online Reporter