Although the English Premier League is only three games old, this weekend already introduces a second Super Sunday when Manchester City welcome their red neighbours, Manchester United.
The rivalry between the neighbours has been less than cordial since City were taken over by mega-millionaire Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
After one of their tempestuous games in 2009, the then Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, coined the phrase, the Noisy Neighbours, to refer to the upstarts that were now threatening to invade the Hallowed higher echelons of English football.
City on the back foot
This blockbuster game at Etihad Stadium on Sunday at 5.30pm comes at a time when City are struggling for consistency after losing two of their opening three games of the season – the first time Pep Guardiola has tasted this ignominy in his career as a football manager.
United manager Ruben Amorim has yet to lose to Guardiola, tasting his first victory against the Catalan genius while still in charge of Benfica in his home country, Portugal.
Both managers will be under pressure to chalk up a victory in this game, if for nothing but bragging rights.
In their opening match, United outplayed Arsenal but still lost 1-0 – the next two, a 2-all draw against Fulham and a 3-2 win against Burnley, were underwhelming.
On the other hand, City have performed reasonably well, so they should have won all their games in the first 45 minutes. Instead, they beat Wolves 4-0, then lost to Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 and again against Brighton 2-1.
City have the capacity to annihilate just about anybody they play, only if they would take their many chances. The game against to close the EPL football weekend is their chance to do just that; anything less will raise concern in the Blue Manchester.
Full fixtures
Opening the weekend, Arsenal welcome Nottingham Forest with their newly minted manager in the dugout at 1.30pm, followed by Everton hosting struggling Aston Villa at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
At 6.30pm, Hotspur, fresh from firing their executive chairman Daniel Levy this week, visit West Ham United at 6.30pm, while Brentford will hope to put one over on a game Chelsea at 9pm for the three points at stake.
It will be interesting to observe Chelsea this season. Under Enzo Maresca and since winning the Club World Cup in America, Chelsea have played some brilliant football in patches but also appear timid.
In the early Sunday game, Liverpool visit Turf Moor for a date with Lyle Foster’s Burnley at 3pm. Collecting the three points for the Merseysiders will be like taking candy from a baby, but expect The Clarets to score more than once.
