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LONDON. — Just a week into the new season, the English Premier League will witness its first major head-to-head of the campaign when Chelsea face off against champions Manchester United on Monday night.United began their title defence with an impressive 4-1 win at Swansea City last weekend, but Chelsea’s visit marks the start of a testing four-game sequence that includes matches against Liverpool and Manchester City.
New United manager David Moyes could not have asked for a sterner start to the season and in Chelsea he faces a side who are already building up a head of steam.
Chelsea won 2-0 against Hull City on manager Jose Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge last weekend and followed that up with a gritty 2-1 success at home to Aston Villa on Wednesday night, in a game brought forward due to the Europa League champions’ involvement in the Uefa Super Cup.
It means the London side can open up a six-point lead over their title rivals by winning at Old Trafford, and having seen United twice left in the starting blocks by Chelsea during Mourinho’s first stint at the club, United midfielder Ryan Giggs is determined not to let it happen again.
“In Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, they obviously got off to a few good starts and we didn’t manage to catch them,” said the Welsh veteran.
“You always want to get off to a good start. It has obviously been well documented that we have got a tough start, but we started well with a good win at Swansea on Saturday and hopefully we can carry that on.”
Although it is early in the season, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech knows that a positive result in Manchester would give his side an early advantage in the fledgling title race.
“We’ve won games at Manchester United and we’ve lost games there. It’s always tight,” Cech told the Chelsea website, www.chelseafc.com.
“It’s still at an early stage of the season, but any advantage you can gain over your rival is always good.”
Today, Arsenal will hope to carry the momentum from their mid-week Champions League victory over Fenerbahce into their trip to London rivals Fulham.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger came in for heavy criticism after his side crashed to a 3-1 loss at home to Villa on the opening weekend of the season, with the north London club’s lack of activity in the transfer market the subject of particular scrutiny.
However, they planted one foot in the Champions League group phase by winning 3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday, and winger Theo Walcott says the setback against Villa is now out of their system.
“You don’t want to start a season like that, but that’s out of the window now,” he told www.arsenal.com.
“We’ve forgotten about that and we’re concentrating on Fulham. And if we perform like that, with that intensity, we can beat anyone.”
“It was very important after such a disappointing start to the Premier League. There was a lot of pressure on us as well and we’re happy we got that clean sheet, which was important.
“As players we don’t take any notice of that criticism. We know the best person to listen to, and our best critic, is the manager.
“We knew the Villa game was very disappointing and we needed to bounce back from it.
“We work hard for each other and that’s the most important thing – if everyone works hard for each other we can get the results.
“I think at the weekend that probably wasn’t the case, and we knew how disappointing it was. You don’t want to start a season like that but, like I said, that’s out of the window now.
“We’ve forgotten about that and we’re concentrating on Fulham. And if we perform like that, with that intensity, we can beat anyone.”
Wenger has stepped up his efforts to bring in new players, although he now concedes he has no chance of signing Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.
Instead, Arsenal have been linked with Real Madrid pair Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria and Swansea duo Ashley Williams and Michu.
Wenger admits he is short on numbers at present, a situation not helped by the loss of French defender Laurent Koscielny to a one game suspension following his sending off against Villa.
Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain long term casualties, while Thomas Vermaelen is also some way off returning to fitness.
Wenger’s side can expect a stern test against a Fulham side buoyed by their opening day victory at Sunderland.
In the week since that win, Cottagers manager Martin Jol has signed Scott Parker, the Football Writers’ player of the year in 2011, and the former Tottenham midfielder is expected to make his debut this weekend.
Parker rejected the chance to be reunited with former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp at QPR in favour of a move that keeps the 32-year-old in the Premier League.
“It dragged on but I’m delighted to be here. Staying in the Premier League was important,” Parker said.
“Fulham is a club I’ve always enjoyed playing (against). I’d like to see myself here for some time.”
Parker could be joined in the starting line-up by on-loan striker Darren Bent, who was an unused substitute at the Stadium of Light last weekend.
Bent (29) is attempting to resurrect his career after being frozen out at Aston Villa and will press for a place alongside Dimitar Berbatov.
Keeper David Stockdale is on standby to replace Maarten Stekelenburg, who is a doubt with a shoulder problem.
Villa, who were unfortunate not to be awarded a stoppage-time penalty in the mid-week loss to Chelsea after an apparent handball by John Terry, host Liverpool in the evening kick-off today. Manchester City opened their campaign with a stylish 4-0 win at home to Newcastle United last Monday and they visit promoted Cardiff City tomorrow.
City dropped 24 points away from home last season, fatally undermining their title defence, and left-back Gael Clichy says Manuel Pellegrini’s side must start reproducing their home form on the road.
“We did work hard during the whole pre-season and that is what the manager wants from us,” he told the club website, www.mcfc.co.uk.
“Away from home it will be more difficult, but it is a good way of starting the season.”
Tottenham Hotspur, 1-0 victors at Crystal Palace last weekend, host Swansea City tomorrow.
Spurs appear poised to cede star forward Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, but they continue to invest heavily in their squad and are reportedly close to completing a club-record £30 million move for Anzhi Makhachkala’s Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian.
Fixtures:
Today (4pm unless otherwise stated): Fulham v Arsenal (1:45pm), Everton v West Bromwich Albion, Hull City v Norwich City, Newcastle United v West Ham United, Southampton v Sunderland, Stoke City v Crystal Palace, Aston Villa v Liverpool (6:30pm)
Tomorrow (5pm): Cardiff City v Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City
Monday (9pm): Manchester United v Chelsea. — AFP.
Online Reporter