The Big 5: Manchester United's clash with Arsenal headlines your weekend football fix

THE BIG 5: There's one fixture that stands head and shoulders above the rest, as Manchester United host Arsenal.

THERE'S one fixture that dominates all the others in this weekend's schedule - not just because of the battle of the heavyweights, but because it is going to teach us a lot about last year's champions, and the team who has made the best start at trying to knock them off their perch.

Here's this week's BIG FIVE.

News_Rich_Media: It's a fixture that stirs the emotions. A rivalry created as two of football's greatest clubs - at the height of their powers - strived for world domination. This is Arsenal and Manchester United.

CHAMPIONS v CHAMPIONS-ELECT?

Manchester United v Arsenal, Monday 1.55am (EDT), Fox Sports 1 HD

At any time, any place, this is a mouth-watering fixture. But is the first instalment for 2013-2014 a match-up between the champions and champions-elect?

History suggests David Moyes's side can flex their Old Trafford muscles and restore what they'd call the natural order, but form is another matter.

Although Manchester United have lost only one of their last nine encounters with Arsenal in the EPL, Old Trafford has not been the fortress this season that we've come to expect.

Arsenal, meanwhile, head into this blockbuster after impressively beating Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund in the last week, and will be desperate to impress in the first clash against a top-four side from last term (they didn't win any of those clashes last season).

Wenger hailed the metal, defensive stability and midfield experience his side showed in Germany, and expects a repeat on the weekend.

"It strengthens the belief of my team that we can put another great performance in another massive game on Sunday," said Wenger. "We want this kind of performance again."

News_Rich_Media: Adam Peacock explains how the EPL review show will work with the new Sunday night edition starting this week.

It's a huge chance for Moyes's troops to re-assert themselves - but can they? If they struggled with Manchester City, West Brom, Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke, how will they cope with Arsenal's swashbuckling midfield?

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Can Moyes afford to play a rigid 4-4-2 and expect to contain the prowess of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Luke Wilshere and co?

The tantalising match-ups aren't restricted to the field, where Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney's flourishing combination holds so much importance. The off-field barbs have begun, and Arsenal, five points ahead on the table, probably win this sledging bout on points as well.

Rooney this week tried to bring up the ghosts of 2007-2008 and 2010-2011 when Arsenal faded in the league, declaring: "We'll wait and see where they are in March. We've seen before that they've been in the top two until February or March and then faded away, so it's down to them to try and stay there. They're doing brilliantly at the minute and it's up to us to catch them."

But here's an insight into how Arsenal are feeling, courtesy of man-of-the-moment Aaron Ramsey:

"I think the boss said the other day that from January we're the team in the league who have picked up the most points, from last season as well," said Ramsey. "I don't think our form has been that bad after Christmas."

And if you're looking for omens: Arsenal have won three times at Old Trafford in the EPL - and won the league two out of those three times (1997-1998, 2001-2002).

SOLDADO, CAN YOU SCORE?

Tottenham v Newcastle, Sunday 11pm (EDT), Fox Sports 1 HD

They're solid, and hard to beat - there's no doubt about that. But while Andre Villas-Boas is annoyed when his fans are quiet, the White Hart Lane faithful might return the agitation if goals don't start flowing for their expensively assembled outfit.

Spurs have scored just nine goals all season. Indeed, it's a great effort to be sitting fourth - Manchester City, one point behind, have scored 19 more goals.

At the other end, they don't look like conceding - even when their keeper doesn't know where he is! It's been quite a few weeks for AVB, first with the tete-a-tete with his own team's fans, then the criticism for keeping Hugo Lloris on after a head knock against Everton - a debate which has reached Parliament!

News_Rich_Media: Spurs into Europa knockouts

Qualification to the Europa League knockout stages will be a relief, but so will a breakthrough performance from Erik Lamela, who might come into the side to face Newcastle. As he ponders for more cut and thrust, Jermain Defoe has put his hand up again, scoring against FC Sheriff. There have been plenty of pundits beginning to question whether Roberto Soldado up front has the movement and incisiveness to carry Tottenham to the heights they want to reach this term.

While Spurs have been uber consistent, if lacking a cutting edge, their opponents have been anything but - providing a rollicking ride for their fans.

Will the team that conquered Chelsea turn up to White Hart Lance, or the team humiliated in the Tyne Wier derby?

KILLER BLOW

Liverpool v Fulham, Sunday 2am (EDT), Fox Sports 1 HD

News_Rich_Media: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists Luis Suarez is happy at the club, after pushing hard to leave in the off-season.

Brendan Rodgers felt his side was out-pointed by Arsenal in their big clash last weekend and will fancy a return to free-flowing form against under-fire Fulham on the weekend.

He'll have Luis Suarez at his disposal despite Uruguay's imminent World Cup play-off, Glen Johnson will return, Philippe Coutinho is also a chance to start, but Steven Gerrard is in doubt.

They'll take on a side who have performed in peaks and troughs this year, and will need to show more fight than they did against Manchester United, where the contest was over after half an hour.

"I'm positive, not because I'm a positive character but I remain positive because we are good enough to get results against the teams who are probably as good as us and maybe a little bit better and a little bit worse," Fulham boss Martin Jol, who is under immense pressure to keep his job, said.

"There will always be four or five teams not as good as we are and that is what I really believe. That is why I am positive."

Sascha Riether is suspended and Hugo Rodallega will be out for five to six weeks with a groin injury. Brede Hangeland is in contention to return.

A tough outing for Fulham, except they'll be buoyed by recent history, having kept three clean sheets in their last five EPL visits to Anfield. Over to you, SAS.

News_Rich_Media: A look ahead to all of Sunday's EPL action

LA LIGA IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT

Celta Vigo v Rayo Vallencano, Sunday 7.55am (EDT), Fox Sports 2 HD

A different taste of La Liga comes to our screens this week as we sample life away from the bright lights of the capital and Barcelona.

Rayo Vallencano are battling for their Primera Division lives, sitting bottom of the table, against an underwhelming Celta Vigo, who sit 15th, two points outside the bottom three.

Vallencano gave Real Madrid a fright last weekend, with a spirited second-half scaring Carlo Ancelotti's side in an entertaining 3-2 contest.

Celta will desperately hope to notch their first home win of the campaign, although striker Nolito disagrees. "I do not think the team are under pressure for having not won at Balaidos yet.

"Someday we hope to win and if that is this Saturday then all the better. Rayo Vallecano? People believe that because they are bottom of the League that we will score three or four goals, but they are a good team, with a very strong philosophy.

"Currently they are last but I see them as capable of getting out of that position. It will be a very difficult game. Any team in this league is able to compete, so we must stay focused."

News_Rich_Media: A look ahead to all of Saturday's EPL action.

CONFIDENCE BOOST NEEDED

Espanyol v Sevilla, Sunday 9.55pm (EDT), Fox Sports 3 HD

Sandwiched in between the A-League and Man U-Arsenal is Sevilla's trip to Catalonia to take on Espanyol, a clash between two teams slightly down on confidence this season.

Espanyol were pipped 1-0 by city rivals Barcelona last weekend, while Sevilla drew with Slovan Liberec in the Europa League to follow up losses to Real and Celta Vigo.

Both sides will hope the clash at Cornella-El Prat Stadium can kick-start their climb out of the mid to lower table, and quotes from both camps suggest a confidence boost is much needed.

"The team needs to win in order to gain confidence," said Unai Emery this week, while former Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes said after the Europa league draw: "Lately we've been unlucky. We've got a point, but we've deserve a lot more. We've had control of the game, we've had chances and they got forward once to score their goal. That's how football goes sometimes."

Espanyol forward David Abraham said: "The game against Sevilla is important because our current streak is not very good, but the team is comfortable with the way we play,"

He added: "We need to improve in front of goal, scoring one goal in four matches is not good enough, but the good thing is that we are starting to create chances."

IF you haven't checked out the latest edition to the Fox Football stable, what are you waiting for?

Episode Four of the Fox Football Podcast is now live. Herald Sun chief football writer David Davutovic makes his debut alongside regulars Adam Peacock, Simon Hill and Daniel Garb.

All the big A-League issues, including ref blunders, Muscat's initiation, Heart's failures, F3 derby brilliance, plus plenty of fodder from London, with an eye on Manchester United's clash with Arsenal on the weekend, are some of the highlights of 30 minutes well worth listening to.

You can check it out here at the iTunes store, subscribe, and share your rating!

And if you're an Android user, you can find the pod on the iPP Podcast Player app.