Alex Hankin

2 months ago | mirror.co.uk | Alex Hankin

Add insults to injuries and we could be in for a spicy one as Tottenham host Manchester United. Both line-ups look set to be full of Plan B faces (4.30pm), a likely home fans’ protest could raise the heat, and there should also be a bit of previous on the menu. Two meetings this season produced 14 yellows and a straight red.

2 months ago | mirror.co.uk | Alex Hankin

It’s going to be a bit odd to see Marcus Rashford turning out in an Aston Villa shirt. Or any shirt at all, really. The England forward and fleeting national treasure hasn’t played in nearly two months, and hasn’t scored since his double on December 1. Whether or not that was the last time he ‘put it all in’, is a question for Ruben Amorim. Rashford is expected to line up in front of a sell-out crowd at Villa Park for the FA Cup visit of Tottenham (5.30pm, BBC One).

2 months ago | mirror.co.uk | Alex Hankin

Back to the meat and potatoes of the Premier League for Pep Guardiola. Manchester City head to Arsenal (4.30pm) after fine dining at Europe’s top table in midweek. Raw relief and some peppery leaves of optimism were the principle ingredients in Pep’s post-match word salad after Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat of Bruge. But with Real Madrid in the play-offs, the 10/1 (Lads) that City win this Champions League looks a bit low-fat.

2 months ago | mirror.co.uk | Alex Hankin

No easy games against Fulham these days, but Manchester United gave up having easy games a long time ago. United are underdogs at Craven Cottage (7pm), though Ruben Amorim’s first British winter will have taught him to never trust a forecast. His side’s performances have followed sunshine with showers, and warm breezes with blizzards of frozen sleet. Thursday’s squeaky win against Rangers in the Europa League was a fresh break in the clouds.

Jan 18, 2025 | mirror.co.uk | Alex Hankin

See the Wood for the trees at the City Ground. It’s a magical time to be a Nottingham Forest fan, but in the cold light of data, how solid are their top-six credentials? On one measure – net transfer spend from 2022-23 on according to Transfermarkt.com – they are a top-six club already. On another data set – expected points for this season – Forest sit a less thrilling ninth.