Easter. It’s not just about bunny rabbits and funny-shaped chocolate, you know. It’s about football.
In Britain, this is the weekend when we finally make our overpaid, badly behaved professionals earn their money.
Most of the poor lambs will have to play twice over the Easter weekend. Scandalous.
In keeping with the spirit of Easter, Arsenal, the runaway Premiership leaders, find themselves being crucified after a series of wobbly results.
After drawing with Manchester United and Chelsea, the FA Cup semi-final defeat at Villa Park on Saturday is being seen in certain circles as the beginning of the end.
Arsène Wenger, of course, has all the answers. He always does.
‘I don’t feel we are wobbling or on the slide. There is always a stage in the season when people will say that about you.â€
Thing is, when the Champions League, FA Cup and Premiership all combined to give the Gunners a fixture pile-up last year, they did crack up, allowing Manchester United to snatch the Premiership.
Can it happen this time? Possibly. Chelsea are four points behind after their 1-0 over Spurs on Saturday and Arsenal have Liverpool on Good Friday afternoon, just three days after their losing Champions League quarterfinal against Chelsea.
It’s another tough game in a tough schedule. And Liverpool thrashed Blackburn 4-0 on Sunday with back-from-injury Michael Owen scoring twice in a strong Reds performance.
Good Friday also throws up an evening kick-off: Everton vs Spurs, both of whom could do with a win to ease any lingering relegation fears.
Both draws, I reckon. Gérard Houllier will upset his old French friend Wenger with that, because Chelsea play Middlesbrough on Saturday, and I can’t see them dropping a point at home. And then of course, the gap will be down to two points.
Manchester United go to improving Birmingham, who have won four out of their last five home games, so United could drop another couple of points, though the FA Cup now appears to be the priority for manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
With the top three out of sight, Charlton need to beat Portsmouth and Aston Villa must succeed at off-form Bolton Wanderers to keep up the push for Europe.
Down at the wrong end of the table, Blackburn take on Leeds, 3-2 winners over Leicester on Monday. I’m backing Leeds to make it a real dogfight at the bottom. Leicester won’t get much out of Fulham at the Walkers stadium and Manchester City will send Wolves still closer to the trapdoor. City simply can’t afford to do less than that.
Charlton should see off Portsmouth at The Valley, and Harry Redknapp’s Pompey may find Leeds slipping past them in the relegation fight.
Arsenal are back in action on Sunday, just the small matter of a trip to Newcastle. Never pleasant, never easy.
And, worryingly, Chelsea go to Aston Villa on Easter Monday afternoon, when three points are vital. By the whistle, the Blues could be top of the Premiership on Monday night. Scary thought.
Also on Monday: Fulham should keep Blackburn worried, Liverpool should be too much for Charlton, Middlesbrough may take a point off Southampton, Portsmouth have to do better than that against visiting Birmingham, Spurs will draw with Manchester City and Wolves have a win-or-bust chance against Bolton.
And then to Tuesday, our poor exhausted footballers (and us exhausted fans) must drag themselves out for Leeds, who have to beat Everton and Manchester United, who will surely crush Leicester.