Years ago, this rivalry would undoubtedly the biggest match in the country where the fiery match build-up would already begin a week before kick-off. However, the excitement and anticipation seems abnormally modest unlike it has always been.

Gunners Ammunition-less

The reason of a plain build-up could only lies with an anonymous Arsenal whom has slumped to an impotent 2-1 defeat at Stoke City at the weekend, before following this up on Wednesday night with a 0-0 draw against Fenerbahçe in the Champions League.

The Gunners are used to being the cavaliers of English football, delighting the Emirates crowd with their artistry on the pitch as they craft goals from the highest order. But after a disappointing run in the past weeks. Arsenal looks ripe for the taking when Manchester United head to the North London team.

Their weakness at the defence has seen them concede over twice the amount of goals that top of the table Chelsea have. The tipping point for this came in the recent shambolic draw with bitter rivals Tottenham, where a two goal lead in the 89th minute turned in to a 4-4 draw at the final whistle.

Subsequently the mood and confidence heading into the United game is low and the need for victory looks much more crucial, especially to get the fans back on side.

Definitely ruled out tomorrow are Emmanuel Adebayor (ankle), Emmanuel Eboue (Knee) and Robin van Persie who is suspended, as well as long term injuries to Eduardo and Rosicky. That leaves Wenger short on attacking options with Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela the only recognized strikers available. Bendtner was poor against Fenerbahce but they could be the only best option for now.

The worse is not over for the Gunners yet where a string of doubters continues to decrease the confidence of the Emirates. Ex-Red Devils, Mikael Silvestre (Broken nose) may not face his former club while William Gallas (Hamstring) and Theo Walcott with Eboue could suffer the same fate. Wenger will be counting on the fitness of Walcott who has been the team’s best player this season. Manuel Almunia is over his sickness and trained on Thursday however Bacary Sagna sat out the session, should Sagna miss out it seems likely that Kolo Toure will continue at right back.

As tough as it could, the Gunners could not go down without a fight even the odds are against them.

United Out To Sink Arsenal for Good

Manchester United travel to the Emirates in the knowledge that a win could provide a critical blow to the title hopes of one of their Premier League rivals. We may only be in the early weeks of November, but the stakes are already that high.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s charges rarely fail to go for the jugular in these circumstances. You can bet the Scottish manager will be inspiring his troops to get the right result at a time when the Gunners are struggling at home and in Europe.

This determination to claim United’s first win at the Emirates Stadium was borne out by the side Ferguson selected for the mid-week Champions League game with Celtic.

The team that took the pitch at Parkhead for the 1-1 draw was lacking several of its usual star names. Players such as Dimitar Berbatov, Anderson, Patrice Evra and Wayne Rooney were rested.

As for United, they are coming off a tense 4-3 victory against Hull City and a 1-1 draw with Celtic. They’re having trouble defending in the back and they’re having trouble finishing off their chances on offense. Plus, there’s that whole problem with figuring out what 30 million pound striker to play. The last thing they’ll want to do is to drop points in a title race that they’re already running behind, especially against a hated rival.

Man Utd do not have any major injury problems except for Paul Scholes, Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves.

It could be United eating out of Arsenal’s hands but the ball is round, you could never know until the whistle is blown.

“Clueless”,” Spineless” and” Horrible” are criticisms spreading across the world by football fans when they saw the recent Arsenal. Are they right? Unfortunately, yes. As a staunch believer of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, I always take their criticisms lightly until the Gunners lost themselves in Britannia Stadium.

What Went Wrong

The same old question that I hate to answer but have haunted me more frequent recently. After their midweek nightmare against Spurs, Arsenal knew it was crucial to beat Stoke City but it has proved otherwise. Did we make any progress since 4 years ago? I bet we did but along the way we lost some. Perhaps, it is time to point fingers to who should take the blame after all we have lost three matches since and mind you, it is only November.

Maybe the whole world except Wenger knows that the Gunners have lost it long ago but the latter failed to realize it. So back to my question, who should take shoulder the fault? Is it Wenger who feels rotating players is a new trend, the players whom have lost their belief or the referees who are at risk of being bashed up in the streets of North London? To me, it could be either, neither or all of the above.

The DM factor

I think 99.99% of the gooners have been writing to any soccer websites that says “Buy a Midfielder” and hoping their prayers would be answered. Apparently, it has fallen deaf on Arsene Wenger’s ears. Ironically, the manager that I have always admired was the person who invented the idea of “pivotal midfield” during the days when Patrick Vieira was alive in Highbury and was largely successfully. Clueless as I am, why couldn’t Wenger repeat his baby?

We need to face the fact that our midfield dominance has been gone with the days of The Invincibles. Coming along is Gilberto Silva and Mathieu Flamini who managed to pick up some of the pieces but that is not enough to warrant a quality midfield. Denilson? Rome was not built in a day and what’s more telling 20year-old to who has less than a 100 league appearances to muster the midfield.

Defiant Wenger
Not buying a midfielder. There is more than meet the eye; analysts suggested that Wenger is doing all what he can do to prepare Denilson to replace Fabregas if he decides to leave Arsenal.

Blessing in Disguise

Some say that recent losses could turn out to be Arsenal’s gain –the pressure for Wenger to buy players. Will it really turn out as it seems? I can’t tell for sure not at least when Mr. Wenger is still asleep. As mush as i fear, the Gunners will sink further into the bottomless pit if nothing is going to be changed.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is not worried with the fact that bookmakers still rank him third favorite in the premiership, behind Manchest United and Chelsea.

Liverpool have made their best ever start to any premier league season. They are comfortable on the top of the premiership table with a diference of three points after playing their first 10 games without a single defeat.

They have beaten both Manchester United and Chelsea who are interestingly rated ahead of them to win the premiership.

Despite Liverpool’s outstanding run of form, bookmakers still tip United and the Blues for a title tilt ahead of the Anfield side but Rafa Benitez insists that such statistics do not concern him.

He declared that he expects a strong challenge from all other members of the ‘big four’ as well as dark horses Aston Villa.

He told Sky Sports: “I don’t care about this [bookmaker odds]. I just concentrate on our football and try to be there as much as we can. You can see that Chelsea are very, very strong, United and Arsenal as well.

“Aston Villa are pushing, so we have some strong teams and it will be the same until the end of the season.”

Liverpool may welcome back Robbie Keane into their starting line-up for the weekend league clash with a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur.

The ex-lilywhite will be making his first return to White Hart Lane since his £20million summer switch and Benitez expects the Irishman to be well received at the London venue.

He continued: “He is available so it will be my decision. He wants to play every game.

“He was a key player for them for many years. He was a fantastic professional and always gave 100 per cent so I think the fans will appreciate this.”

The Reds could also see Fernando Torres make a return to the panel after missing the last four weeks of action. The Spaniard may sit on the bench as he seeks to be fit for the midweek clash with Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.

The press asked if Torres was match-fit and Benitez replied: “Nearly. We have to check today. It will be the last training session and we have to decide. It is very close.”

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Former Manchester city owner and Thailand’s premier minister has been sentenced to 2 years imprisonment.

Thailand’s supreme court ruled yesterday that the former Manchester city owner Thaksin Shinawatra had violated a conflict-of-interest while still in office in his home land and had been sentenced to two years in prison.

The nine judges ruled by five to four that Thaksin, who has been at the heart of Thailand’s political crisis over the past three years and now lives in exile in Britain, had got involved in his wife’s purchase of land from a central bank fund.

“The defendant is guilty of violating the anti-corruption law, and the punishment is two years in prison,” a judge said, reading out the verdict.

Thaksin, speaking to Reuters by telephone, said the case was politically motivated. He has said before that he could not expect a fair trial from Thai courts. “I have been informed of the result. I had long anticipated that it would turn out this way,” he said.

He denied British media reports he was seeking asylum in Britain. A Thai prosecutor said he would urge Britain to extradite Thaksin now that the court had sentenced him to prison.

The ruling is the first on a spate of corruption charges against Thaksin and his political associates prepared by graft investigators appointed after a military coup in 2006.

It will do little to lower the political temperature in Thailand, where Thaksin still commands wide support outside the capital, and will be seen as a further blow to the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is his brother-in-law.

An elected government came to power this year but the main party in the coalition, the People Power Party, is seen by opponents as a mere proxy for Thaksin.

The extra-parliamentary People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has been waging a street campaign since May to force the government out and has occupied the prime minister’s official compound since August.

Two people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between PAD supporters and the police on October 7.

NO CLASH

The court area was plastered with signs warning Thaksin supporters and opponents they would be in contempt of court if they caused any disturbance.

About 300 government supporters were seen around the court, which was guarded by 100 uniformed police officers, a third of the number the police had earlier planned to deploy.

The PAD opted not to go ahead with a plan to march to the court. “We are staying where we are. We don’t want to create any trouble,” PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan told Reuters.

The political crisis dates back to 2005 when the PAD launched street protests against Thaksin, alleging corruption and abuse of power. It has meandered through a coup to elections and back to protests and shows no sign of resolution.

The army removed Thaksin from power because of allegations of rampant corruption during his five years in power. Nearly $2 billion of his family’s assets have been frozen in Thai bank accounts.

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