Few would leave Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson out of the Newcastle United starting line-up — at home — and live to see another day at the head of Geordie Nation. Ruud Gullit did, and he didn’t.Ray Martin will be hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself and that his Gullit Don’t Be Ruud outfit have more staying power than did the famed Dutchman, who possesses legendary status as a player but was far less convincing as a manager.With two gameweeks remaining in the month, it is all to play for with only ten points separating the top 14 managers, and Martin is top of the heap with 153 points. He is followed by Mike Tait’s MumboJumbo, Temar Richards’s Top Team and Jamaine Trott’s FC Twenty, who are in a three-way tie for second on 150.Denzel Simons and Somerset Breams FC had their overall lead cut into after a middling 59-point return in Gameweek 22 but the advantage over Jordan Commissiong and SlabHead Rovers remains sizeable.By the time this column returns on January 31 after an FA Cup-enforced break, it could be all change — especially in the monthly rankings, as a midweek round is scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday.It is likely to be a case of feast or famine.TomorrowWatford v Tottenham Hotspur8.30amNigel Pearson has worked the oracle for Watford to the extent that the Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the Premier League. Five wins out of six have propelled the Hertfordshire club out of the relegation places, and back them to send Spurs fans scurrying back down the M1 with their tails between their legs.Prediction: 2-1Arsenal v Sheffield United11amArsenal supporters will begin to learn this week whether they can cope without the services of the mercurial Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who begins a three-match ban for a “striker’s challenge” that got him sent off away to Crystal Palace. Sheffield United are spying an historic league double over the Gunners.Prediction: 1-1Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston VillaVilla fans could be seen leaving the ground in streams inside the half-hour mark of their 6-1 drubbing at home to Manchester City on Sunday. But away season ticket-holders up and down the country are known to be of sterner stuff, so expect the travelling Villans to grin and bear it on one of the longest road trips they have to endure this season.Prediction: 3-1Manchester City v Crystal Palace11amMuch has changed since Palace pulled off that famous smash-and-grab at the Etihad, inspired by Andros Townsend’s wonder strike. While City may have got their own back with a pair of two-goal wins over Palace at Selhurst Park, that result in December 2018 has inspired others outside the Premier League elite that City can be got at at home.Prediction: 3-1Norwich City v Bournemouth11amA proper relegation six-pointer, this. A whole heap of for both clubs with a combined three points taken from the past ten matches. Norwich get the nod in that two of those points are theirs — and they are at home.Prediction: 1-1Southampton v Wolverhampton Wanderers11amThe home side are flying, having put to bed the nightmarish 9-0 defeat at home to Leicester City by turning over the Foxes at the King Power Stadium last weekend. Victory and they draw level with Wolves.Prediction: 2-1West Ham United v Everton11amThe news is just out that Bermuda’s Nathan Trott has made more saves than any goalkeeper in the English football pyramid, but West Ham are not yet prepared to gamble on the youngster despite their crisis between the sticks. So Darren Randolph is in line to return from loan at Middlesbrough with the unlucky Lukasz Fabianski crocked again.Prediction: 1-2Newcastle United v Chelsea1.30pmChelsea enjoy a three-match winning streak over Newcastle and four of the past five. Throw in Steve Bruce’s shocking record against the Blues — one win in 22 attempts — and this could be the away banker on the card.Prediction: 0-3SundayBurnley v Leicester City10amBrendan Rodgers’s men will still be smarting from that shock 2-1 defeat at home to Southampton but travel to face a Burnley side feeling far sorrier for themselves. Turf Moor, “a difficult place to play”, has been rather welcoming in recent times, with Sean Dyche’s men losers of two in a row at home — including to Aston Villa — and four straight in total.Prediction: 1-3 Liverpool v Manchester United12.30pmThis fixture got José Mourinho the sack last season, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is relatively safe in the Old Trafford hot seat and can burnish his standing if his charges replicate the form that brought about the only dropped points this season for Liverpool.Prediction: 2-0