THERE’S nothing worse than a pundit who sits on the fence, so I’ll get my apologies in straight away.
Because when the two best footballing sides face off at the Emirates today, I’m afraid I’ll have splinters in my backside. This one really is too close to call.
PAArsenal trail Man City by a point ahead of a clash Harry Redknapp says is too close to call[/caption]
AFPCity are looking to pick up where they left off after beating Arsenal to the title last season[/caption]
If you put a gun to my head I’d edge towards the draw but I couldn’t go for any outcome even with borrowed money — and it’s no secret I like the odd flutter.
What I do know is Sky Sports can’t be accused of going over the top in billing it Super Sunday and, like the rest of the country — probably the rest of Europe — I’ll be glued to the box.
I just hope that when it’s all over, we’re talking about headline-makers on the pitch and not some geezers in front of a bank of TV screens in West London.
That’s what we’ve had all week after that shocking VAR cock-up at Tottenham last week.
Honestly, you couldn’t make it up. Talk about horrendous.
Liverpool are the only side I can see going the distance with Arsenal and Manchester City this season, so you hope that disallowed Luis Diaz goal isn’t decisive at the end.
But although that was obviously the worst VAR call ever, there were plenty of others. I mean, nine bookings and two sendings-off? In a game that was hardly a kick-up.
In case you’d forgotten, this is a contact sport. Fans want to see two teams getting stuck in, and having a go.
It doesn’t mean every challenge is a yellow card — but that’s how it’s going.
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Every tackle isn’t a yellow card. Every review doesn’t have to be a sending-off. If Graeme Souness or Bryan Robson were playing now, they’d be lucky to get a dozen games in.
At least with so many good players on show today, we’ll get a proper match. And with no Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri (left) in City’s side, Arsenal have a right chance.
But City have so much depth you’d still never write them off, and if Erling Haaland gets the service, there is no better finisher. That’s why I simply can’t separate them.
Both sides have so many potential match-winners — and talking of heroes, Wolves were the unlikeliest of the season after beating City last week.
Almost everyone had them down as no-hopers but they went after City, won 2-1 and have suddenly given the rest of the Premier League hope.
City didn’t just lose the game but also that air of invincibility. Now everyone else is thinking: “Hang on, if they can do that then why can’t we?”
If I managed a bottom-half team against them, I’d be hanging one up in the box and saying: “Get in there and support the centre-forward.”
Yes, I know there will be loads rolling their eyes and calling me a dinosaur, but there are plenty of ways to win a football match.
You can imagine Wimbledon hammering on their dressing-room door before kick-off, yelling: “Get out here you cowards!” I’ve seen that happen more than once.
Vinnie Jones would be shouting: “Look at him, Fash, he’s s**tting himself.” Half the time he’d be right as well!
It doesn’t mean you’d play that way every week and I’m not saying Wolves did. But it would certainly give you every chance.
Clearly, we’ll see none of that at the Emirates and nothing will be decided today.
If Arsenal get something it’ll be massive psychologically but there’s no way City are going to run away with it this year.
It’s a proper three-horse race between these two and Liverpool. Newcastle will be bang there, too, and Tottenham are in the mix, but that’s about it for them.
As for the rest? Chelsea will struggle to make the top four and United have it all on just to make the top half!
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