Big 4 face key Premiership test with European challenge looming

APRIL 4 — Former England striker Alan Shearer makes his managerial debut tonight with Newcastle United. His appointment as caretaker-manager of the club, taking over from Chris Hughton, in the absence of Joe Kinnear who is still recovering from his recent heart surgery, has generated much excitement in Geordie country in the north of England.

Would he be as successful a manager as another legendary Newcastle and England striker, Kevin Keegan, back in the early to mid-1990s? Time will tell.

First up for Shearer will be the daunting task of hosting Chelsea (10 tonight, live on StarSports). On paper, given the form of both teams, Newcastle had better not turn up. However, as Spurs showed two weeks ago, the Blues can be rattled.

What better time for Newcastle to show up then, boosted by the arrival of their living legend to lead them in their hour of need.

Chelsea may be without Nicolas Anelka after the Frenchman was withdrawn from the national squad last week.  Chelsea will be banking on Didier Drogba up front, but he might still be recovering from the trauma of the stadium tragedy last weekend in Abidjan. At least 19 people died in a stampede prior to the start of Ivory Coast’s World Cup 2010 qualifier with Malawi.

I would love to see Shearer mark his return to Newcastle with a win but it is going to be a long night for his boys. I predict a score-draw with a strong chance that Michael Owen regains his scoring touch for the benefit of his former England team-mate.

Such a result will be a great boost for Liverpool who travel to Fulham (12.30am tomorrow, live on StarSports) hoping to continue their smashing form of late. Their international stars have all returned from successful outings for their respective national sides — Alberto Reira and Xabi Alonso both scoring for Spain, while Dirk Kuyt scored a brace for Holland against lowly Macedonia.

After their exploits against Manchester United, Fulham will fancy their chances of another upset against a Big 4 side, especially with the strong home record they have achieved this season. However, the key to this game is not how they pushed MU to the edge. For this match, Fulham must sit back and play a slow game and hit Liverpool on the break.

Liverpool are definitely favourites here but if manager Rafa Benitez does some squad rotation in view of the Champions League clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday, the form book could go out the window.

Both competitions are important, so it would be left to the players to perform with an indomitable spirit over the next two matches for any chance of keeping their Premiership hopes alive while hoping to make it to the CL semi-finals.

Arsenal are another Big 4 team on a good run. Unbeaten in the league since November, and now being able to score thanks to the recently acquired Russian Andrey Arshavin, the Gunners will host travel-shy Manchester City tonight (10pm, ESPN).

Ironically, it was City who handed the Gunners their last league defeat (a 3-0 win on Nov 22 last year). Still, the visitors have only notched one win from their 15 away fixtures. Given Arsenal’s current form this game is a foregone conclusion. City will head back up north empty-handed.

Meanwhile, defending champions MU take on Aston Villa tomorrow (11pm, ESPN), with the added pressure of knowing any slip-up could put Liverpool in the driving seat for the race to the title. Alex Ferguson was offered by Sky-TV to bring forward this match due to their Tuesday night clash with Porto in the Champions League, but the recalcitrant Scot rejected it.

He has taken a big gamble here as his side will now play two games in the space of a little more than 48 hours. Surely he has taken this move to enable his players an extra day’s rest after coming back from the internationals.

For all the talk that Aston Villa are good to qualify for Europe’s elite, their recent form has practically put paid to their hopes. Villa are further hampered without Emile Heskey after the Englishman pulled out of the England squad due to injury.

A fortnight ago they were handed a thumping by title hopefuls Liverpool, this week MU will hope to do the same. The only question is how much of the CL match will be on the minds of the manager and the players.

Ferguson must start getting his selections right if his team are to have any chance of retaining the EPL title. Anymore screw-ups in selection like against Fulham and the Red Devils will see Liverpool carry the trophy.

MU have the best home record in the league with 12 wins out of 14 while Villa, given their pathetic recent form, could face the wrath of the wounded Devils. MU should be able to win this match but only narrowly.