Last weekend’s results started to sort the men from the boys at the top of the Premier League table, as Villa, Liverpool, Spurs and Man.City failed to take their chances to keep pace with the top three, who all posted solid victories. The fourth round of the FA Cup this weekend has led to the Premier League programme being knocked into the middle of next week, with the exception of the Man.U./Hull match, which will be played on Saturday thanks to both sides’ elimination from the Cup, so let’s begin this week’s preview at Old Trafford:

1) Man.U.v Hull: Time-wasting and relying on extraordinary goalkeeping displays. Not much of a strategy for survival, but Hull will be grateful that it paid off on Saturday when a misfiring Tottenham side failed to beat or even score against City at home for the second season running. You may think that they will try the same tactics for this match, but the loan signing of Amr Zaki, and memories of last season’s trip to Old Trafford when Hull pushed United all the way before succumbing to a 4-3 defeat, may lead you to a different conclusion. Zaki is obviously a talented forward, but in my opinion, his arrogance and potential disruptive influence may outweigh any benefit he brings to the Tigers. I wouldn’t be surprised if he scores here though, assuming his international clearance comes through in time, as he is certainly unfazed by the pressures of visiting the big boys, as he proved by scoring twice in Wigan’s visit to Anfield last season. Even if he does score, though, United should have enough in reserve to take the points.

2) Portsmouth v West Ham: I wonder whether Portsmouth’s inability to take any points from the reverse fixture on Boxing Day signalled the death knell for their struggle against relegation. The club’s financial issues appear to move further away from a positive conclusion as each day passes, while their visitors next Tuesday have at last concluded a takeover that should at least allow some squad strengthening to take place. While there are evidently some concerns over the nature of the Gold/Sullivan partnership, and some doubts over many aspects of their regime at Birmingham City, I still feel they represent the least damaging of the three options that appeared to be on the table for West Ham, but time will tell whether their encouraging words are turned into positive deeds for the club. At least Sullivan’s assertion that a Premier League club will go to the wall in the near future no longer includes West Ham, but as long as Richard Scudamore is in charge of the PL, his prophecy is likely to be fulfilled. I’ve never heard so much blinkered, sycophantic nonsense as Scudamore came out with when questioned on the reckless and frankly disgraceful lines upon which some of our bigger clubs are run, and it is precisely his attitude that has allowed the game’s finances to become so tarnished and dangerously close to collapse. Rather than berating UEFA for threatening to take action against clubs with debts larger than those of some countries, he should be seeking to find a solution that doesn’t involve a lengthy game of chicken with the banks and other creditors, one or more of whom will surely soon pull the plug and unleash a devastating house of cards effect in English football.

As for this match, the Hammers’ encouraging display at Villa last time out should ensure that confidence is high, and I wouldn’t discount a repeat of last season’s victory at Fratton Park, especially considering that they have only suffered one defeat there in their last seven visits.

3) Tottenham v Fulham: Fulham’s away record continues to mystify me. How does a side who have put Man.U. and Liverpool to the sword and conceded fewer goals at home than anyone else except Birmingham consistently rack up performances on the road that can best be described as lethargic and uninterested? On Tuesday, they face a trip across London to a ground where they have scored just once in their last five visits, and that was in a 5-1 defeat. On a couple of occasions recently, though, they have held their hosts to a goalless draw, so Spurs will need to get off the mark early if they are to avoid a repeat of their frustrating afternoon against Hull last weekend. Given the fact that Fulham’s only away win came in August at the side bottom of the League via a deflected shot, and also that Clint Dempsey is facing a lengthy spell out with injury, I trust that Tottenham can do just that.

4) Wolves v Liverpool: It is worth remembering that Liverpool were struggling to overcome Wolves at Anfield last month until Stephen Ward got himself sent off in the second half, and the Reds then took advantage to register a 2-0 win. I would imagine that they may find the going just as tough here, as they have managed just four victories on the road this season, and have failed at places such as Portsmouth, Stoke and Blackburn in recent weeks. The only previous meeting for these two at Molineux in the Premier league ended 1-1. Sounds about right for this match as well.

5) Bolton v Burnley: An early chance for Burnley’s fans to let Owen Coyle know exactly what they think of his decision to jump ship, and they must also be concerned about the quality of his replacement. Admittedly, Brian Laws achieved success in League One with Scunthorpe a few years ago, but he failed to inspire Sheffield Wednesday to anything approaching that form, and it is an appointment that smacks of preparing for life back in the Championship rather than looking to build on Coyle’s success. As for this match, the local derby element adds to the spice provided by the managerial palaver, and that usually means you can safely ignore the formbook, but if I was pushed to make a decision, I would have to plump for a home win given Burnley’s quite shocking away form so far.

6) Aston Villa v Arsenal: Villa’s fans must be skint at the moment as this will be their sixth home match out of their last seven in League and Cup, but this is one that they will be apprehensive about following a rather lacklustre performance against West Ham last weekend. Arsenal haven’t suffered defeat at Villa Park since 1998, and if Villa are unable to snap out of their current goalscoring problems, that run is bound to continue here. Villa haven’t scored at all in their last three League games, and as Arsenal have failed to score in a League match just twice all season, I fancy them to register a 1-0 or 2-0 win.

7) Blackburn v Wigan: Wigan have only avoided defeat at Ewood Park once in their six previous visits, and Blackburn will view this match as an ideal opportunity to further improve on the home record that is the only thing keeping their heads above water at present. They will certainly be tested rather more than in their previous home match against Fulham, though, as Wigan have started to provide tougher opposition in recent weeks, and look to have found another bright young talent in James McCarthy, who has just broken into the first team following his summer move from Hamilton. Wigan had to come from behind on Boxing Day to take a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, but they proved more than a match for Rovers, and I fancy them to repeat that result next Wednesday.

8) Chelsea v Birmingham: Had Sunderland been able to field a full strength side last Saturday at Stamford Bridge, it may not have made that much difference to the end result, such was the quality of Chelsea’s play in all areas of the pitch. For an away side, conceding so early merely plays into Chelsea’s hands, and we have seen many such drubbings in similar circumstances in recent seasons, so Birmingham’s defensive strength will be tested more fully in this match than at any other time so far this season. Fourteen matches unbeaten is City’s proud record at the moment, including a battling 0-0 draw against Chelsea on Boxing Day, which was the match where fans outside Birmingham started to cotton on to the abilities and potential of Joe Hart. Birmingham haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since a 2-1 win in Division 2 in 1979 in front of 17,000 fans, during the days before the cash flowed in and the club became trendy again. I’m not sure this will be the match to break the subsequent long winless sequence, and it may also bring an end to City’s impressive unbeaten run.

9) Everton v Sunderland: Last Saturday’s match with Man.City was a huge test for Everton as they sought to follow up a fine performance at Arsenal, and they passed it with flying colours as, following an uncertain opening twenty minutes, they completely dominated their highly-touted opponents and thoroughly deserved their win. Sunderland were meanwhile conceding seven at Chelsea, and it is only two years since they shipped a similar number at Goodison in a League match. In fact, on their last four visits in League and Cup, they have conceded a total of fifteen goals, so last weekend’s gubbing was hardly ideal preparation for a match at one of their least productive grounds. With doubts remaining as to how many of his first choice side Steve Bruce will be able to call on, a convincing home win would have to be the call.

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Good luck!