Weekend Football Focus

Charlton v Arsenal
2pm Sunday, The Valley - live pay-per-view game
Tickets: Home: £35 (£20-£25 concs). Tel: 020 8333 4010. Away: Sold out
Last season: 0-3 (Henry, Wiltord, Edu).
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol)
Facts: Jonatan Johansson hasn't scored a home goal for Charlton since netting twice in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa in February. The home side are in search of a fourth Premiership win in a row
Standout bet: Charlton to score a penalty: 10-1 (Bet365)
Forget the Champions League - and Arsenal may have to do just that soon - Arsene Wenger's side have come through a tricky set of Premiership fixtures recently with their reputation intact. The Gunners have dropped just two points from tough games against Manchester United, Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea and now face another Premiership challenge in resurgent Charlton. A couple of years ago Alan Curbishley's side won 4-2 at Highbury and, although that is unlikely to be repeated at The Valley on Sunday, Arsenal could lose that unbeaten record if Jens Lehmann is in the mood to give us another 'Kiev moment'.
Verdict: ARSENAL SHOW THEIR METTLE

Chelsea v Manchester City
3pm Saturday, Stamford Bridge
Tickets: Sold out
Last season: 5 (Hasselbaink, Terry, Stanic, Lampard, Gallas) 0
Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent)
Facts: Manchester City's Nicolas Anelka has hit 11 goals this season following his brace against Bolton on Saturday. Chelsea, who haven't lost at home to City since 1993, scored eight times in their two victories over them last season
Standout bet: Nicolas Anelka to score at any time: 5-2 (Paddy Power)
Roman Abramovich had a smile as broad as the River Volga as he strode into Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, provoking speculation he was either ecstatic at his side's display against Lazio or he had just checked out his bank balance at a Fulham Broadway cashpoint. Either way, what would have been labelled a crisis had Chelsea lost out to the Italians was averted and the Blues move on. Tomorrow's opponents Manchester City can be either stupendous or stultifying as the mood takes them but it is difficult to see Claudio Ranieri's team, whatever it is, slip up here.
Verdict: BUBBLING BLUES

Manchester United v Fulham
3pm Saturday, Old Trafford
Away ticket info: £27 (£13.50-£15.50 concs). Tel: 0870 442 1234
Last season: 3 (Van Nistelrooy 3) 0.
Referee: Mike Riley (Leeds)
Facts: Fulham have failed to score on five of their past six visits to Old Trafford and last won at the Theatre of Dreams in 1963. United goalkeeper Tim Howard has already kept seven clean sheets in the Premiership this season
Standout bet: 2-0 win for Manchester United: 8-1 (William Hill)
Fulham manager Chris Coleman felt his team's draw against Wolves, followed by a home defeat by Newcastle, was something of a reality check after the heady stuff which had gone before. The bad news is that it's time for another lesson in realism, this time at OId Trafford where Manchester United will be in buoyant mood following their smash and grab in Glasgow in midweek. The good thing for Coleman is that his side are handily placed in the Premiership table, rather than holding the rest up, which was the populist prediction at the start of the season.
Verdict: THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT WEEKEND, FULHAM

Tottenham v Middlesbrough
4.05pm Sunday, White Hart Lane - live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: Family match (half-price tickets for juniors in South Stand). £25-£37 (£13-£15 concs). Tel: 0870 420 5000
Last season: 0-3 (Maccarone, Geremi, Job).
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Facts: Middlesbrough have lost one of their past five games at White Hart Lane but have been beaten in all three games against opposition from London this season. Spurs have conceded just one goal since David Pleat took over as caretaker manager
Standout bet: Win for Middlesbrough: 3-1 (Bet365, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power)
Experienced caretakers seem to be all the rage, what with Trevor Brooking at West Ham and David Pleat at Tottenham. The way Pleat has tackled the job has meant that chairman Daniel Levy has no immediate need to trawl around for a quick successor to Glenn Hoddle and it may well be that Pleat will stay in place for the rest of the season. The only cloud on Pleat's horizon was the injury to Frederic Kanoute, which will keep him out for two months. Middlesbrough, meanwhile, feel they are coming out of the early-season doldrums but the jury remains out on manager Steve McClaren, touted by some as England's next coach.
Verdict: SPURS MARCH ON

Nationwide Division 1

Burnley v Millwall
3pm Saturday, Turf Moor
Away ticket info: £17 (£8.50-£11 concs). Tel: 020 7231 9999
Last season: 2 (West, Moore) 2 (Livermore, Davies)
Referee: Tony Bates (Stoke-on-Trent)
Facts: Millwall have gone six away games without a win. Burnley's Delroy Facey has hit five goals in his last three matches
Standout bet: Away win for Millwall: 11-5 (Premierbet)
Like a juvenile delinquent re-offending moments after his release, there was something depressingly predictable about Dennis Wise's sending-off against Sheffield United last Saturday. It took him just four minutes to make his mark as Millwall's caretaker manager - a bruise on Chris Armstrong's leg following a two-footed tackle to be precise - and that moment of indiscipline could cost him his chance of getting the job on a full-time basis.
Verdict: DENNIS THE MENACE MUST GET WISE

Cardiff v West Ham
5.35pm Saturday, Ninian Park - live on Sky Sports Xtra
Tickets: All-ticket game, £17-£18 (£12-£13 concs) available to bond holders, season-ticket holders and members. Tel: 0870 112 2700
Referee: Michael Ryan (Preston)
Facts: Cardiff's Rob Earnshaw has hit 15 goals this term after firing 35 last season. The Hammers haven't lost at Ninian Park since 1962
Standout bet: West Ham to win from behind: 10-1 (Bet365)
These teams contested a five-goal thriller last month, but that relatively raucous Carling Cup tie will seem like a pre-season friendly come kick-off. Hammers fans will travel in numbers, Cardiff will yield no ground and the local constabulary will have earned their overtime by the end of the day. Cardiff may be intimidating off the pitch but on the field of play West Ham have the edge.
Verdict: HAMMERS GRIND OUT A POINT

Gillingham v C Palace
3pm Saturday, Priestfield Stadium
Away ticket info: £16 (£10-£14 concs). Tel: 020 8771 8841
Last season: 2 (Nosworthy 2 ) 1 (Freedman).
Referee: Howard Webb (Rotherham)
Facts: Gillingham have lost their last four games and haven't won in the league since their 2-0 victory over West Ham on 20 September. Palace last won at Gillingham in 1976
Standout bet: Gillingham to win 2-0: 10-1 (Tote)
It's been a difficult week at the Palace, and not just because of the startling revelation that Earl Spencer considered Princess Diana to be one sandwich short of a packed lunch. Life is no picnic for Steve Kember and, with just one win in their past 12 games Palace need a result. Kember says his team need a leader because they are a quiet bunch, but isn't that what the manager is for? Not for much longer with Simon Jordan lurking in the wings.
Verdict: PARTY OVER FOR KEMBER