Five for Friday: things we're looking forward to this weekend

It's our regular Five for Friday and we're looking at the Manchester derby, the battle at the bottom of the Bundesliga and more

Onefootball
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On Mar 18, 2016
1

The Manchester Derby: not what it used to be

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. When City and United last met in October, both sides were in the top four and very much in the early-season title conversation. In what was perhaps a sign of things to come the pair produced a very forgettable 0-0 draw, short on quality and attacking intent. Now, the best that either side can realistically hope for is Champions League qualification and Sunday’s match could prove decisive in this regard. In days gone past, City’s injury crisis in defence and poor form (they have won two of their last seven league games) would be cause for concern but United’s uninspiring attacking options lack the experience and cutting edge to take advantage. City’s superior talent in the form of Sergio Agüero, David Silva and Yaya Touré should be enough to make the difference.

2

Happy Hammers can heap more pain on Chelsea

Thanks to two defeats, Chelsea's chances of rescuing their season have disappeared over the horizon. That will hurt their morale and it would be no surprise if many minds started to wander to the Euros, or maybe even some sun-kissed beach. Not that West Ham will care. They will arrive at Stamford Bridge as giddy as a child at Disneyland and in stunning form. From their last six league games, they have four wins and one draw and the run has seen them move within two points of the Champions League. They have already beaten Chelsea this season – as well as Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City – and the west London side will be without John Terry, Diego Costa and possibly Eden Hazard. So try not to act surprised should Slaven Bilic's side come away with three points.

3

Big battle at the bottom of the Bundesliga

This match is not just the battle between two of the most traditional Bundesliga outfits but also the worst teams of the Rückrunde. Hannover, a distant last in the table with 17 points, have racked up a mere 3 points from their last 12 matches, and must win this to hold any chance of catching Frankfurt and Hoffenheim, who are both on 24 points. Frankfurt are waiting for a win for eight matches now and Hannover might just be the ailing opponent they are looking for to make it happen.

4

Pivotal weekend for France’s European hopefuls

Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance has overshadowed an exciting race for France’s two remaining Champions League spots. Only five points separate third place Nice from Saint-Étienne in eighth. Monaco sit precariously in second having won only one of their last five games and their visit to PSG this weekend represents a perfect opportunity for the teams chasing them to close the gap. Surging Lyon (fourth), who have not lost at home since moving into their new stadium, will host Nantes while Nice and Rennes (fifth) play struggling Ajaccio and Marseille, respectively. Expect this to be a pivotal weekend for France’s European hopefuls.

5

A tough trip to Villarreal awaits for Barça

We’re still in March, waiting for spring to kick in and, yet, Barcelona seem to have the La Liga title in their pockets. However, this weekend they are travelling to Villarreal, a particular tough ground for the Catalans, judging by the hard-earned victories they managed to record there in the last couple of seasons. Though Villarreal are experiencing their worst form of the season (three consecutive matches without a win), they will look to capitalise on the momentum after their Europa League win and while many would think you need to kidnap Messi, Suárez and Neymar and keep them in your basement until the end of the match just to get a win, there is another way. Marcelino will strongly rely on Villarreal's defence, the second best back four at home in La Liga, and he will certainly try to explore the way Barça's push up their defence on the counter. With the pass accuracy of Denis Suárez and the baffling technique of Cédric Bakambu, we might see an upset.

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