Premier league preview Can Man City end their Sunderland jinx?

Plus… Will Spurs build on their best league performance of the season, and do Saints have too much for Arsenal?

We have reached December and the busiest month of the whole Premier League season. Every club has six fixtures before the year is out, which will go a long way towards shaping the season’s events in 2015. And what a way to start as Wednesday throws up three enticing matches at the top of the table.

Arsenal v Southampton the old guard or the new order?

This meeting at The Emirates is a fascinating one. Southampton under Ronald Koeman have surprised everyone so far this campaign after radical changes at St Mary’s during the close season. However, progress was stalled following Sunday’s comprehensive 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City, where there was a gulf between the sides. And it does not get much easier as they try to bounce back. A visit to Arsenal will be another serious examination of their credentials, and a far harder proposition than when they won 2-1 at The Emirates in the Capital One Cup on a mild autumn night in September.

But the challenge for Arsenal is just as significant. They currently lie outside the coveted Champions League spots, and as we’ve seen over the years, finishing in the top four is EVERYTHING for the club’s hierarchy. A win over West Brom on Saturday was needed, but didn’t tell us too much about the current state of the Gunners they usually beat the teams in the lower half. However, Southampton are upwardly mobile in third place and in Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic, they possess two players capable of hurting Arsenal’s flimsy defence. Anything less than a win though, and it could be another uncomfortable evening for Arsene Wenger.

Chelsea v Tottenham will Spurs’ suffering continue?

THE old adage is that form goes out of the window in derby matches. How Tottenham wish that was true. It is now 27 visits and counting since they last won at Stamford Bridge in February 1990 with Gary Lineker, in his pomp, getting the winning goal. Mauricio Pochettino’s men go into this fixture on the back of three successive wins, and the victory over Everton on Sunday was easily the best they have played this season. That was more like what was expected from a Pochettino side, based on what we saw at Southampton. Local lads like Ryan Mason and Harry Kane have forced their way in and have stood out far more than some of the club’s costly imports. However, another football truism is that Tottenham always let you down. Just when it looks like things might be coming together, something goes wrong. Getting a good result away to Chelsea would perhaps suggest there may be some substance to Pochettino’s rebuilding work.

Jose Mourinho’s men are yet to drop a point at home this season and will hope for business as usual on Wednesday. However, Diego Costa is suspended, so either Loic Remy or Didier Drogba will be summoned from the bench. Coping with the absence of a star player is what makes Champion teams, and the Premier League leaders will hope to bank three more points regardless of which understudy is required.

Sunderland v Manchester City will City be blinded by the Light again?

ONE of the oddest facts in recent seasons has been the result between these two clubs at the Stadium of Light in the last four meetings Sunderland 1 Manchester City 0. City have scored countless threes, fours and fives on their travels, but not a single goal up on Wearside. It is almost impossible to believe that with the attacking players at their disposal in this time. But ending this hoodoo is essential if they have designs of retaining their Premier League title. Sunday’s 3-0 win at Southampton was comfortably their best performance of the season, with all parts of the team functioning well.

Victory reduced the gap behind Chelsea to six points, but City don’t want to allow the Londoners to wriggle too far ahead before they properly hit their straps. There would also be the psychology of winning at a venue where their title rivals could only draw on Saturday. Yet, that underlines the challenge as Sunderland put up a defensive display, out of keeping with much of the defending we see most weeks, in keeping Chelsea at bay. But having not scored in his last two league games, it’s hard to see Sergio Aguero going a third match without a goal. If Manuel Pellegrini’s side clock up successive away wins in three days, confidence will be up and the title race will be well and truly on.