Manchester City begins the new year with a seven-point deficit to try and erase against current English Premier League leader Manchester United, and their first step toward trying to climb back to the top pits them against a tough team on a good run.
Stoke City is riding a 10-match unbeaten streak, and will be welcoming back Geoff Cameron from suspension as the Potters take on the Citizens and the Etihad in one of the top New Year’s chases of the day.
Manchester United will be intent on maintaining their seven-point edge, and will face Wigan in their first match of the new year. The match could mark Roger Espinoza’s first for his new team.
If you will be watching today’s New Year’s Day action in the EPL, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s TV Schedule is after the jump):
TODAY’S SOCCER ON TV
7:45am- Fox Soccer Channel- West Bromwich Albion vs. Fulham
10am- Fox Soccer Channel- Wigan vs. Manchester United
10am- Fox Soccer Plus- Tottenham vs. Reading
10am- FoxSoccer2Go.com- Swansea City vs. Aston Villa
10am- ESPN3.com- Manchester City vs. Stoke City
10am- ESPN3.com- West Ham United vs. Norwich City
12:30pm- ESPN3.com- Southampton vs. Arsenal
That kind of performance by Walcott is why Arsenal doesn’t want to pay him, simply disappeared entirely. Then with 2 mins left had a chance to take a free kick and managed to hit it into the one man wall who wasn’t even looking at him.
RVP with 16 leagur goals. 4months to go. He could top his 30 goals from last season. Man U dobt need Rooney anymore
Javier Hernandez is the best player in CONCACAF. Pure class, pure finisher, always with an eye for the goal. Eight league goals and 12 goals over for Manchester United. Impressive.
I’d like to see Chicharitto On a team that doEsnt feed him the ball so often in the six yard box to see if he can score from a decent distance often before agreeing with that statement.
If he was not good he would not be on Manchester United. That’s a mute point you’re trying to make. He joined United young because he deserves not because of sales and he is performing. He has rescued the club numerous times so give the boy credit he is the best in CONCACAF.
1. Chicharito
2. Duece
3. Michael Bradley
4. Timmy Howard
5. Brian Ruiz
Chicha
Deuce
Vela
GDS
Ruiz
Trolling like a boss eh pansk8pd?
I can comment wherever i like fool. This is the internet. What part of my post i trolling? The part where u dont agree w me?
MOOT!
Yep but Dempsey is a close 2nd. Imagine if Clint was 2-5years younger
Yeah, five years ago he was playing in MLS. He was not a polished player then. The reality is Mexico has an advantage because their players get opportunities to play young at the club level year round while US kids are going to college to play from August to November.
Bradley
The best all-around player in CONCACAF is Michael Bradley. The best goal scorer is LittlePea. The most versatile is Clint Dempsey. And the most skilled is Gio Dos Santos.
Who gives awards for all round, versatile, best this best that? Awards are handed out to the BEST player and it’s Hernandez in this region, not Bradley, not Dempsey not Dos Santos who is more versatile and skilled than anybody in the region; Chicharito is the best player in CONCACAF.
Who’s Chicharito? I know a Javier Hernandez who is a third string striker
I’ll take his spot, his paycheck. Call him third string, he is better than anybody in this region.
Just saying Bradley will be starting in champions league games next year. Javier will not.
US fans will always try to discredit Chicharito. Like any one his age in this country would even get time he gets at Utd. Regardless of playing time in Champions League next year, he is still the best here. Plus Roma has not qualified yet so stop jumping the gun.
Hernandez was a starter in the 2010-2011 Champions League final against Barcelona so you might want to double check your facts there.
He has also started a number of CL games this season while Roma aren’t necessarily guaranteed to qualify for next years UCL. Even if they do, Bradley is not guaranteed a starting spot.
Frankly, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.
As far as CONCACAF best players go, it would have to be Carlos Vela, Hernandez, Dempsey and Bradley.
Pretty much in that order.
Best Personality:?
Most Likely to Succeed?
Class Comedian?
Best Looking?
Best looking goes to Carlos Vela with out a doubt but Carlos Bocanegra is not that far behind.
With Deuce just hitting his stride when he got the groin injury, I was worried it would set him back, but in true Clint Dempsey fashion, the Texan has hit the ground running, with an excellent run over the weekend in 14 minutes followed by a goal only 3 minutes in. A bit of a deflection on that, but it is typical of Deuce to take that chance and put himself in a position to get a break. There is a touch of greatness about him in the way he is able to consistently overcome the bumps in the road that commonly slow down or deter others. He never puts his head down, but only seems to become more resolute in adversity.
ain’t it the truth…
Deuce has had the groin problem before, unfortunately.
Another deflected goal for Clint
Poor AV they give one up at 90 + 4 now 2-2 and they waste a chance to create some space from relegation.
No Lichaj either.
Oh Villa. Poor Guzan. 94th min equalizer for Swansea.
beat me to it
Great, now the callers at 606 and Talksport will be longing for Given all day
17 goals conceded in the last 4 matches by Brad Guzan. If it was Shay Given everybody here would have labeled him a terrible goalkeeper called for his head. 4-1 loss to Southampton and 5-0 to Man City also all these goals were conceded by Guzan. Yeah, Paul Lambert, it’s time to switch goalkeepers again.
How many saves in that same period? I think the issue is the defending not the keeping…
If only those saves equal points, Villa won’t be hovering above the relegation zone so nobody cares about his saves. Time for another change Mr. Lambert or else you might be the next manager out of work.
Gooooooaaallllll, Dempsey!!
DEUUUUUUCE!!!! The state of Texas needed that after the Cowboys lost.
The state of Texas is proudly represnted by the Texans
+1
The only people that love the Cowboys outside Texas are tools that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s when they were relevant.
Troy Aikman. He was Huge in the 90s. I’ll always love the 49ers
You’re kidding right… no one outside of Houston cares about the Texans..
GGOOOOOOLAAAAZZZOOOO from dempsey!
Good shot with a deflection is not a golazo. He took his chance and was rewarded.
Ughh! Was that second goal Cameron’s fault?
Is Cameron starting?
We need some kind of app that alerts us when Clint gets subbed in, or any american abroad. I’m watching ESPN deportes to catch Cameron play, I have ESPN3 just in case Sebastian goes in, and I’m also streaming Spurs playing just in case Clint goes in.
The English stream of M.City vs S.City was in Spanish!
Just saw the Spurs hiLights during Arsenal-S.Hampton halftime show. How dare that damn Commentator say that Clint Dempsey’s goal was the result of a little luck!! If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that there is no luck. Countless subtle mental-calculations that create what appears to be and is called “luck.” Clint’s goal was, surely, the work of genius.
so… is anyone else having trouble getting the english version of the stoke/manc game to work out?
errr…. that is on espn3.
Yup, same here. This happens from time to time but it usually kicks over to the correct language within 5-10 minutes. i guess we’re out of luck this morning?
it’s on ESPN deportes
Yes, but ESPN3 lists two feeds: English & Spanish. Both feeds are in Spanish.
I am getting a Spanish version. On a positive note, Cameron is playing very well at RB – solid in defense, good recovery speed, and confident on the ball with some nice passes out of the back. No fault of his in the ManCity goal, which came from the other flank.
My espn3 of the Stoke-Man City game only shows the Spanish version. You can click on the English version and you get the Spanish one, or you can click on the Spanish one and get the Spanish one.
Are my eyes playing tricks on me or is Lleget starting for West Ham? Has he started before?
your eyes are playing trick on you unfortunately =/
He’s on the bench. WHU up 2-0
John F checking in from the Boleyn Ground, 19 minutes from kickoff. Happy New Year!
come on stoke!! get at least a draw….
Sigurdsson starting, not Dempsey. bleh.
Dempsey had a groin injury, that’s not something you return from immediately. Manage will work him back into the rotation gradually because he does not want him to pull the groin again.
Cameron back in the starting 11 for Stoke (while Mo assumes his regular spot behind the subs bench). Dempsey starts on the bench for Spurs.
So has Fulham missed Dempsey or is Berbatov a worthy replacement?
could the answer be both?
Fulham did a great job in replacing Dempsey, unfortunately they didn’t do such a good job replacing the central midfielders they lost this summer.
dimitar is a worthy, upgrade, replacement… decent win by fullham
His goals have been replaced for the most part, but he did always that knack of getting one out of nowhere which can’t be replaced, although the youngster Kaca is doing well on the left. Our issues though reside in the middle as defense and center midfield has been in shambles, mostly due to losing Dembele so late and Diarra is always injured. It’s been quite an up and down campaign, as usual
Crossing fingers that Dempsey scores today
Happy New Year and Birthday