The Full English: The Big One

By Shane Evans

It may have taken nearly three months for the league to give us a weekend like the one ahead, but it’s here, and it’s going to be great.

Three matches, all being ones that I consider top notch contests. The reasons vary as to why, but they are on my radar and have been for quite a while. If it wasn’t obvious by now, I’m pretty pumped.

First and most noticeably there is the Chelsea-Manchester United tilt. The title implications are huge and it’s a ‘Big Four’ contest. The attention is warranted.

Then we turn to White Hart Lane where Spurs welcome old pal Darren Bent and Sunderland to town. This one oozes with animosity. A win for Sunderland could potentially see them into the top four. Amazing.

Finally, we have Liverpool-Birmingham on Monday. If the Reds don’t win, Rafa is gone. Job done. Literally. How much more do you need? Not much if you’re me.

Here we gooooooo!

The Bacon (as in Bringing It Home)

Chelsea vs. Manchester United (Stamford Bridge, November 8th, 11:00 a.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel)

The top two teams in the league. The two favorites to win the title. A match of epic proportions. Probably will end up being a snoozefest.

Out of all the possible match-ups of those in the ‘Big Four,’ and don’t ask me to do the math, I have no idea how many there are, this is easily my least favorite. Sure, they are generally the best two teams in the league, over the last few years anyway, and should put on a show. Problem is, they don’t.

The matches are either controlled by one side or dominated by nothing play. When I say nothing play, I mean the kind of play in matches where neither team really seems up to going forward and making things happen. The worst kind of football. It’s quite unfortunate that these two teams often play as such when pitted against one another.

Rooney & Terry | Insert funny caption here.

Thankfully, the situation in the table requires that the match have that little something extra. Sir Alex realizes that the Blues are two points ahead of his club and if they beat him on Sunday he’ll be five points back. Not insurmountable, but pretty close. He’ll attack Chelsea, he has to.

On the other side, Carlo Ancelotti is as cool as they come. He’s made an excellent transition to the EPL and should do well in his first test against the Red Devils. He won’t mind sitting back a bit and absorbing some of the Red Devils’ pressure, but when you have players like Lampard, Essien, Drogba, etc., you don’t do that for too long.

Plus, he’ll be buoyed by the fact that he’s actually allowed to spend money in January now that Chelski’s little transfer ban has been temporarily lifted. Not to go off on a tangent here, but why inflict such a harsh punishment if you aren’t going to uphold it? Makes no sense to me.

I’m leaning towards a draw in this one, but I think Chelsea will show a flash of something brilliant, perhaps from Didier Drogba’s magical boots and take the game late on. Yeah, that’s what’ll happen…

TFE Prediction: It’s Drogba at the double as Chelsea edge by United 2-1 to make things really interesting.

Tottenham vs. Sunderland (White Hart Lane, November 7th, 10:00 a.m. ET, ESPN2)

My main man Darren Bent has had this one circled on his calendar since he completed his transfer from London to the north of England. It’s huge for him. Getting back at his old team that so deliberately cast him off for a nominal fee. How dare they?!

Darren Bent | Many happy returns?

I won’t get into it much, but how often do you see a team sell their leading scorer from a year ago so willy nilly? Yes, if you didn’t realize that, Bent was Tottenham’s leading scorer in 2008/09, by a long shot. Then we saw the revolving door of strikers start to turn at WHL with ‘Ol Harry bringing in and casting off a host of frontmen.

Bent will tell you this match isn’t all about him, and he’s right, it isn’t, but he has to be totally charged up for this one. Much like I am.

Being a neutral in this match, I look at the teams and have to admire what either manager has been able to do. Sunderland are vastly improved from last season and should put up a fight against an arguably better Spurs side, a team who have also done a great deal to better themselves from a year ago.

The key points in the match aren’t Bent or the managers, however. Firstly, the absence of Kenwyne Jones for Sunderland due to suspension will be huge. He does so many of the little things that go unnoticed and cannot be kept as stats, that his presence on the field will be missed from the get. His hold up play alone is a huge reason why Mr. Bent has so many goals this season.

Replacing Jones in the line-up? Former Spurs loanee Fraizer Campbell. He spent a whole season there last year and was buried on the depth chart for most of the year, only making 10 appearances for the club. He’ll want a little slice of revenge as well, I’m sure.

Coming off of their 3-0 spanking at the hands of Arsenal last weekend, Tottenham will need to bounce back and it could be their turn to put a team in it’s place, the team being the upstart Black Cats. I tend to agree.

TFE Prediction: A brace from DB isn’t enough as Spurs are able to come out on top 3-2 in a very exciting match.

Liverpool vs. Birmingham (Anfield, November 9th, 3:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Ain’t no easy way. No, there ain’t no easy way out. I just serenaded you all with some Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I think it fits well with Rafa Benitez situation at the moment.

To put it simply: Liverpool are in bad shape. Real bad shape. They haven’t won a match nearly three weeks and haven’t won back-to-back contests since September. In sixth and fading fast, the Reds need a big win and now.

Rafa Benitez | In the quiet words of MJ, "This Is It."

Enter Birmingham, one of the most punchless teams in the whole league. Fresh off of two solid performances against the aforementioned Black Cats and most recently Manchester City, the Blues are no team to mess with right now, but should still be considered heavy underdogs in this match.

Despite welcoming a team to Anfield that is vastly inferior to them, Liverpool have shown about as much bite as Mr. Wilco lately. Scoring scarcely and showing little passion, things don’t look good for Rafa the Gaffer. We can then throw in the fact that Stevie G is still crooked and Fernando Torres is in the hospital getting tests on his never-ending groin problem, it’s crisis time in the Northwest. A lot to consider.

It’s win or go home for Rafa. The Reds know that. We all know that. They get it done.

TFE Prediction: Even without Jamie Carragher and potentially Stevie G and El Nino, Liverpool win one for Rafa, 2-0.

The Toast (as in Of The EPL)

David Beckham | How can you not love that face?

David Beckham, LA Galaxy: This indirectly effects the EPL, I suppose. Everyone’s favorite “Golden Balls” is heading back to Milan on loan this January in hopes of making England’s World Cup roster. Can you fault him? Playing for one’s country should be top priority if you’re a player in Beckham’s situation. I commend his determination and hope he makes the squad.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid: Another tidbit that isn’t directly related to the EPL, not anymore at least. I just find it funny that in all the years that Ronaldo played for Manchester United, you never really saw him on the sidelines for an extended period. Playing in England is no joke as it is often considered one of the most physical and demanding league’s in the world. Now playing in Spain in a league that is known for having a severe case of whistlehappititis, he’s gone down and could be out for a lengthy period with an ankle problem. Just funny to me…

Marlon King, Wigan: How about Marlon King? It takes a lot to get sent to prison in England. Like a lot a lot. Throwing away his football career because he can’t keep his anger in check, King has found himself facing a lengthy 18 months behind bars. No easy feat for any man. Hopefully he’ll learn from this.

Leicester Update

I feel like all my Leicester updates are the same of late. They go something like this: Leicester are kicking tail and taking names. First place. Matty Fryatt scores again. You get the idea. Well, it’s true, things are looking quite good for my Foxes at the moment and I am overjoyed. If you mosey on over to the Championship table, you’ll see my boys sitting nicely in fourth position, and were up as high as first last Friday after we beat QPR 2-1. A battle with second place West Brom lies ahead and if we can get a win there, it’ll be propel us back up the table into a tie for first. Needless to say, Nigel Pearson has the club performing way above everyone’s expectations so far this season. Let’s keep it going, lads!

And Finally...The Black Pudding of the Week:

The Old Firm, Scotland: Listen...it’s not the British Premier League, it’s the English Premier League. 20 teams is a perfectly round, lovely number. Am I wrong in saying I want nothing to do with the Old Firm joining our ranks? Forgive me if I’m a little biased against Scottish people, I’m sure they have numerous notable qualities, but I just am flat out against this proposed idea/rumor/sacrilegious whim. Sue me. Not only that, but how would you feel if you were the remaining 10 teams in that league they have up there? I’d be like William Wallace mad. Maybe even Begbie mad. Regardless, this has no chance of happening if you ask me. Quashing Scottish dreams, it’s what England does.

Shane Evans is an Associate Editor of Goal.com. His feature, "The Full English" appears every Friday morning. Contact Shane at shane.evans@goal.com with questions, comments and concerns or follow him on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/shanevans

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