This will be the first Steel City Derby for nearly 2 years due to Sheffeld United’s fleeting visit to the Premier League. Neither side can claim to be on form as the Owls flirt with relegation whilst the Blades struggle to climb out of the bottom half of the table despite being one of the pre-season favourites for promotion.

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The messiah has returned, King Kev is back on his St James’ throne and the Toon are back on their diet of Special K, at least for the foreseeable future. The Kevin Keegan era part 2 began on Wednesday night and a convincing 4-1 FA Cup replay win over Stoke gave the Geordie fans even more optimism for the future than the news his re-appointment had already given them.

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Tottenham’s woeful Premier League campaign can be traced back to the opening day 1-0 defeat at Sunderland’s stadium of Light. All of Spurs optimism for the new season was quashed when Michael Chopra struck an injury time winner for the Black Cats. Their unstoppable star player Dimitar Berbatov was marked / kicked comfortably of the game by a journeyman Irish defender in the shape of Paul McShane. Their new £8million centre-half Younes Kaboul, tipped to be the best young French defender around, looked more Lilly Savage than Lilian Thuram and their record £16.5million forward Darren Bent looked more Marlon Harewood than Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The season went downhill from there, with Martin Jol undermined and then sacked, Berbatov sulking like a moody teenager, Robinson suddenly being sponsored by Teflon and Captain Ledley King permanently out injured. Six months later and the storm clouds have slowly started to lift around White Hart Lane, cup collecting Juande Ramos is in charge, Berbatov is on fire, Robinson on the bench and King back in the starting line-up. Progress in the cup competitions has hidden a lack of progress up the League table, however Spurs are starting to look the formidable outfit they once were, at least at the Lane.

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Second season syndrome has definitely been rife at the Madejski Stadium this season as the Royals struggle just 2 points clear of the drop zone. Steve Coppell’s Reading took the Premier League by storm last season yet this season the cracks are beginning to show with Steve Sidwell’s departure in the summer and Leroy Lita, Nicky Shorey and Stephen Hunt all reportedly looking for moves in the transfer window. Throw in the fact the Royals have the joint worst defensive record in the League with bottom club Derby and you realise they are a club in serious danger of the drop. Unfortunately for them, League leaders United are in town this weekend.

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Portsmouth return home to Fratton Park this weekend after successive away League matches at Reading and Sunderland. Surely if there is any Premier League opponents you want to face after 6 home matches without scoring, it has to be the rock bottom Rams!

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The Cottagers take on the high-flying Gunners this weekend in what is Roy Hodgson’s 3rd London derby in 3 Premier League matches as Fulham boss. At least he hasn’t had to do much travelling so far in 2008. If defeats against Chelsea (H) and West Ham (A) were expected, then a visit from Arsenal is certainly not one for Fulham fans to relish. The Gunners have a superb record against the Cottagers with just 1 defeat in the last 17 encounters between the sides (14 wins). Fulham won the last encounter at Craven Cottage 2-1 last season; this result ended a 40-year wait for a win against their North London rivals. The Cottagers were close to repeating that feat at the Emirates on the opening day of this season after leading for 84 minutes through a David Healy 1st minute goal only to lose the match due to a Van Persie penalty and an injury time Hleb goal. That result sums up Fulham’s season so far, they have won only 1 of the 11 League games in which they have scored first and ended up losing 5 of those matches.

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Gareth Southgate looks set to do a fair bit of business in the January transfer window with a striker high on the list of priorities but its the distant sound of the samba drums that will be exciting the Boro fans. The Riverside has been a haven for a number of Brazilian imports over the years including Juninho (3 spells at the club), Emerson, Branco and Fabio Rochemback. This January there could be a couple more to add to the list in the shape of strikers Afonso Alves and Fred.

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