United press title claims

Phil Shaw looks at the prospects for the first matches of 1996

After the freeze, the thaw - although a third straight victory by Manchester United, who go first-footing at Tottenham today in what is traditionally one of the season's most warming occasions, would send an icy chill through Tyneside.

Six days ago, Alex Ferguson's faltering team faced the possibility of falling 13 points behind Newcastle at the Premiership summit, had they lost to them at Old Trafford. Now a repeat of last season's single-goal success at White Hart Lane would take them to within a point of the leaders, albeit having played two games more, as well as giving Newcastle food for thought as they prepare for tomorrow's visit of Arsenal.

While United's squad depth has been tested by injuries, their problems pale into insignificance next to those of Spurs, who may again be missing up to eight first-teamers. Gerry Francis was without his entire midfield quartet at Blackburn on Saturday, and indicated that none of the casualties was likely to be fit to face Ferguson's revitalised side.

Ray Wilkins, whose own depleted Queen's Park Rangers outfit pushed United hard before succumbing on Saturday, was perhaps carried away with festive bonhomie when he suggested Liverpool could yet make the title chase a three-horse race. Having followed a dreadful November with a productive December, Liverpool could have wished for easier visitors than Nottingham Forest.

Forest tails should be up, if for no other reason than that they are up against Stan Collymore for the first time since he left them for pounds 8.5m. Collymore was never the most popular figure in the City Ground dressing- room, and his recent legal wrangle with the club over money he claimed they owed him will guarantee him a hostile reception from the away end.

Blackburn take the division's second-worst away record - only Bolton have fewer points - across the Pennines to Leeds. They have not won at Elland Road in four attempts since gaining promotion, in spite of Alan Shearer's record of seven goals in four Premiership starts against Leeds. The last failure came a month ago, in the Coca-Cola Cup, since when Leeds's form has been typically fluctuating.

On Christmas Eve they defeated Manchester United, but that, as their inability to overcome a 10-man Everton demonstrated, counts for nothing with a team consistent only in their inconsistency. Despite the advent of Tomas Brolin and Tony Yeboah, who is set to return after missing Goodison Park, one no more knows what to expect from Howard Wilkinson's men than last season, when they went from beating United to losing at home to Mansfield in 10 days.

Another "Roses" match, Bolton's visit to Sheffield Wednesday, should if nothing else provide a guide to the football strength of the former Yugoslavia. David Pleat is set to start both Wednesday's recruits from Red Star Belgrade, Darko Kovacevic and Dejan Stefanovic, for the first time together. Bolton, already relegation favourites, are likely to include fellow Serb and ex-Partizan rival Sasa Curcic.

Bolton's woes have been compounded by the resurgence enjoyed by Wimbledon and Coventry during the last month of 1995. Today, Wimbledon seek the third win in a week against Everton that would enhance Joe Kinnear's prospects of becoming Republic of Ireland manager, and Coventry, for whom Noel Whelan looks an inspired buy at pounds 2m, a fourth in five matches at Southampton's expense.

Pick of the First Division programme, notwithstanding the meeting of leaders Derby and strife-torn Norwich, is the meeting of Birmingham and Wolves before a heaving St Andrew's. Extraordinarily, Barry Fry and Mark McGhee have 85 full-time professionals between them (including, now, cousins Gary and Steve Bull, who are expected to lead the respective strikeforces), which means a staggering 63 players will not start today's derby.

McGhee's need is arguably greater. Three matches since he defected from Leicester - all at Molineux - have yielded just two points. Twelve months ago today, Graham Taylor had Wolves in second place, but the new regime scarcely have time to concern themselves with the past.

Wolves return to Birmingham on Saturday before facing a Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final at Aston Villa and a Black Country battle at West Bromwich - all before the new year is a fortnight old.