The most highly-anticipated match of the European club season has arrived, with rivals Manchester United and Manchester City clashing today with first place in the English Premier League and bragging rights in the city of Manchester on the line.
Manchester City is currently in first place, riding the stellar form of striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder David Silva, but City hasn't played nearly as tough a schedule early on as Manchester United, who have already faced Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool while City has yet to face any of those regulars in the EPL Top Four.
City's credentials will be tested at Old Trafford in the match of the weekend, the best match on a day loaded with good match-ups. Among the other top matches to watch in Europe, you have Lille facing Lyon in a clash of French powers and Club America taking on Chivas Guadalajara in the latest installment of 'El Super Clasico', one of the best rivalries in the world.
MLS fans will have their eyes on Houston, where the Dynamo take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in the final match of the regular season. Houston can secure a Top 3 seed in the East with a win, while a loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy will mean a trip through the wild card round.
Looking to see some Americans Abroad? You won't want to miss Michael Bradley and Chievo facing struggling Inter Milan, or in-form DaMarcus Beasley leading Puebla against Toluca.
If you are watching today's action, 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
6:30am- Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv– Lecce vs. AC Milan
6:30am- ESPN3.com– Ajax vs. Feyenoord
8:30am- Fox Soccer Channel– Manchester United vs. Manchester City
8:30am- Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv– Arsenal vs. Stoke City
9am- ESPN3.com– Inter Milan vs. Chievo
9am- ESPN3.com– Cagliari vs. Napoli
9:30am- ESPN3.com– Bayer Leverkusen vs. Schalke 04
10am- ESPN3.com– Real Sociedad vs. Getafe
10am- FoxSoccer.tv– Blackburn vs. Tottenham
11am- Fox Soccer Channel– Queens Park Rangers vs. Chelsea
11am- FoxSoccer.tv– Auxerre vs. Stade Rennes
11am- FoxSoccer.tv– Paris St. Germain vs. Dijon
11:30am- GolTV– Hannover 96 vs. Bayern Munich
Noon- DirecTV– Osasuna vs. Real Zaragoza
Noon- ESPN3.com– Atletico Madrid vs. Mallorca
1pm- Telemundo– Toluca vs. Puebla
1:15pm- ESPN3.com– FC Porto vs. Nacional Funchal
2pm- GolTV– Valencia vs. Athletic Bilbao
2:45pm- Fox Soccer Channel– Bologna vs. Lazio
3pm- Fox Soccer Plus– Lille vs. Olympique Lyon
4pm- GolTV– Villarreal vs. Levante
5pm- Univision– Club America vs. Chivas Guadalajara
7pm- Galavision/Direct Kick– Houston Dynamo vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
Has Fabian Johnson even dressed for the NATS yet? A little premature to be declaring that the CM position is his. And JJones is a great player but he has been inconsistent for the NATS and he’s old. You guys sound ridiculous with your comments. It sounds like you will latch on to anything to try and write Bradley Jr. off. Why the hate on Junior? Did a coach’s son take your position?
don’t forget also crowded
Silva, love watching him play and his game, and his demeanor in going about his business. He’s very often the best player on the field any given game seems to me
Daniel Williams has had what, two starts now? I would lay good odds that you have never seen Johnson play. The only time I ever saw him play he was on the left side and not the center. Time will tell who the best holding mid is but they said it was going to be Jones and Bradley surely proved himself a step above. Maybe one of the new guys will prove better, maybe not. I’m not betting against Bradley, however.
Well. you can’t say he wasn’t where the action was
Jones was fortunate not to be sent off in 19 minutes time.
Jones just had his first start in what seems like a year or more. Holden is out for at least 6 months. Torres has a broken foot.
Since when is Serie A the 3rd best league? Maybe in terms of UEFA rankings because they use to be among best and in 90s absolute best, but right now the Bundesliga is CLEARLY above them.
have you seen who’s leading the Serie A? AC Milan the current champs are in mid table and crazy inconsistent form.
Daniel Williams AND Fabian Johnson play the position Bradley does, and much better in a better team!
Not sure he’s the best for the holding mid regardless of whether it’s in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-2 or 4-1-3-2 or 4-2-3-1
He needs to keep playing well at Chievo
Torres is younger than Bradley.
Yikes – Cherundolo out with second yellow in matchup with Ribery.
Stevie shown his second yellow. 10 on 10 now. The first yellow was really soft, on Schweinsteiger, and the second was on Ribery, blocking him from a run.
9 cards for Chelsea.
NINE CARDS
1. So do all the other players he is competing with.
2. Jones/Johnson/Holden start and play in better leagues.
3. Subjective much?
4. See above.
Hannover up 2-0. Neuer had no chance to stop the shot as it was deflected off a Hannover player to go in. Neuer than makes a great save to keep it at 2 and rob Stevie of an assist after he beat Lahm .
How is David Luiz still on the field?!?!?!
Bradley will get call-ups.
1) he actually starts and plays 90mins a week
2) he plays for a team that’s in the 3rd best European league
3) he is one of the best players on the NT
4) his only competition is the likes of Edu, Jones, Torres and Holden. Beckerman is no competition. Bradley is younger than all 3 and scores more and has more assists.
he may have to earn the right to be a starter again but he will be before next year
David Silva is class… wish he were still at Valencia.
SMH
Another disgraceful hack by a Chelsea player. That makes 8 cards against Chelsea, including 2 reds and there are still 15 minutes remaining.
Oddly enough… Terry is the only remaining starter not to be carded.
he’ll still get the call, he just won’t start.
Wasn’t he at fault for the goal, it was the guy he was covering that scored I think?
And that should have been Chelsea’s 3rd red card. How does Luiz only get a yellow for throwing and connecting on an elbow?
Referee trying desperately to not eject another Chelsea player. I would not be surprised to see the FA fining the club and manager for this game. Blatant disregard for sportsmanship or safety in general.
Only saw the last 30 minutes of Inter game, and Bradley was OK. He played very deep, not joining the attack, simple passes and good corner kicks. The Chievo left winger was a black hole for attacks.
David Silva destroyed United, they couldn’t get close enough to foul him. It’s incredible he can’t make Spain’s first 11.
Spurs were fortunate to get win. Bale is in very poor form. They need help at the back, someone like Rovers Samba, and Harry’s sub Danny Rose was atrocious.
This game is out of control.
2 red cards 10 minutes before half time, and now 5 yellow cards given out in 15 minutes after the half. Can’t see Chelsea finishing with more than 7 men at this rate.
Chelsea with two red cards in the first 45. Drogba’s tackle is netting a minimum of 3 games on suspension, what a nasty tackle.
Good comments, Biff.
At this point the CM position belongs to Fabian Johnson and most likely Jermaine Jones now that he is starting again.
Competition for a defensive midfield position is definitely heating up. Both Danny Williams and Jermain Jones had great games this weekend playing the Number 6 position, which, now that his dad is gone, is the only position MB has a chance of winning on the USMNT. If Williams and Jones stay strong the next two weeks and MB has a couple more bad outings like he had today, it is conceivable that MB might not be selected for the France and Slovenia friendlies.
Mini scuffle on the sidelines now, as Pinto from Hannover goes down. He went down and was off the field. All of a sudden pushing started. Boateng shown a red. He got pushed by Shultz, who got a yellow, and then Boateng pushed Shultz back.
Farfan’s goal is one of the most amazing goals I have ever seen. He is awesome. And Jermaine Jones was a beast out there. I have no doubt Jones is dying to be called up by the legend Jurgen Klinsmann to show what he can do and at the same time no longer having to compete against a coach’s son. I have always been a bit skeptical of Jones, but his nastiness could be a big asset when the USMNT is playing wild WCQs down in Latin America. With Jones strong showing today and Thursday after very good displays Saturday by Hoffenheim’s Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams, the USMNT midfield just keeps getting stronger and stronger.
Another possibility: the whole ‘jozy benched’ storyline was overblown from the start.
Very few players start every single match for an entire season.
Stevie drew a PK on a foul by Philip Lahm and Hannover goes up 1-0 over Bayern in the 23rd minute.
But Bradley’s the Greatest??? He’s like the american Xavi didn’t you hear????