Weekend Football Focus

Everton v Chelsea
3pm Saturday, Goodison Park
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Naysmith) 3 (Stanic, Hasselbaink, Gronkjaer) Referee: Jeff Winter (County Durham)
Facts: Everton have kept three clean sheets in a row and haven't conceded a goal at Goodison since Alan Shearer scored two penalties for Newcastle on 13 September
Standout bet: Draw: 5-2 (Blue Sq, Victor Chandler, Stan James, Stanley)
After the beguiling little diversion against Notts County in midweek, which they finally won 4-2, Chelsea are now back to the serious business. Claudio Ranieri's team, whoever they are, face a big eight days, starting tomorrow with a tricky sort of trip to Everton. That's followed by a Champions League visit to Lazio next Tuesday and the week is rounded off by what should be a real humdinger against improving Newcastle the following Sunday. It's not clear just how much Juan Sebastian Veron will figure in those matches, but the Argentina midfielder is going to have to raise his game considerably if he wants to avoid an IDS-type vote of confidence.
Verdict: FIRST LEG UP ON THE TREBLE

Leeds United v Arsenal
3pm Saturday, Elland Road
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Kewell) 4 (Kanu 2, Toure, Henry).
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Facts: Leeds, for whom injury-hit striker Michael Bridges last scored in May 2000, haven't beaten Arsenal at home since 1999. Sylvain Wiltord has not scored in his past nine games for the Gunners
Standout bet: Arsenal minus one on handicap: 13-8 (Stan James)
From what we now understand about the way Leeds bought players in the past, the Elland Road outfit sound more like Radio Rentals than a football club. Maybe the time will come one day when, if a manager clocks up enough points on their Nectar card, they can redeem them for a right-back from out of a brochure somewhere. In the meantime, Leeds, who have only Leicester below them in the Premiership, must somehow soldier on and the limit of their ambition must be to stay in the same division as Arsenal, who will be desperate to remain top come tomorrow night.
Verdict: ARSENAL ON THE MONEY

Tottenham v Bolton
3pm Saturday, White Hart Lane
Tickets: £25-£37 (£13-£15 concs). Tel: 0870 420 5000
Last season: 3 (Keane 2, Davies) 1 (Djorkaeff).
Referee: Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Kasey Keller, Spurs' man of the match against West Ham, has conceded just one goal in his past six matches. Bolton have gone eight away games without a win
Standout bet: Spurs to keep a clean sheet: 11-10 (Bet365)
The Tottenham revival goes on, even though their goalless draw at home to Middlesbrough must have been sponsored by Horlicks and they were a little fortunate to beat London rivals West Ham 1-0 after extra time in Wednesday's Carling Cup tie. On paper, David Pleat's unbeaten record should still be intact on Saturday night because Bolton have yet to win a Premiership match away from the Reebok and have conceded 15 goals so far on their travels this season. It was good to see Bobby Zamora finally score his first goal on Wednesday night and it is to be hoped that more will swiftly follow.
Verdict: PLEAT WORKS THE ORACLE AGAIN

Fulham v Liverpool
2pm Sunday, Loftus Road - live pay-per-view game
Tickets: £28-£45 (£14-£28 concs). Tel: 0870 442 1234
Last season: 3 (Sava 2, Davis) 2 (Hamann, Baros).
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Facts: John Arne Riise, who managed six goals for Liverpool last season, hasn't hit the target since February. Fulham, along with Chelsea and Manchester City, are the top scorers in the Premiership
Standout bet: Home win for Fulham: 2-1 (Chandler, Skybet)
Fulham's marvellous victory at Manchester United was great for Chris Coleman and his boys, but also for other parts of London's football fraternity. Arsenal, for example, will have been interested to see their main championship rivals looking as fragile as a bone china dinner service while, back in west London, Chelsea fans will begin to believe that this could be the year of the Russian billionaire after all. Coleman and his coaching staff have done a wonderful job with some good players at their disposal but the trick now is to keep it going against a Liverpool side four points behind them in the table. Steve Finnan will be doing his best to stop his old side coming out on top.
Verdict: IT'S FULHAM FANTASIA

Nationwide Division 1

Coventry v West Ham
3pm Saturday, Highfield Road
Away ticket info: Sold out
Referee: Graham Salisbury (Preston)
Facts: West Ham, who have drawn their past four league games, have lost just one of their past six matches at Highfield Road
Standout bet: Don Hutchison to score first goal: 14-1 (Bet365)
It's a bit too early for a Bring Back Brooking campaign, but West Ham have slipped slightly since the King of Caretakers hung up his brush for the last time. Alan Pardew is looking for his first win as Hammers manager and it could come at inconsistent Coventry. West Ham were, perhaps, unlucky to lose to Tottenham in the Carling Cup on Wednesday and, with Don Hutchison looking lighter and sharper than he has done for some time, should bounce back. The Scottish midfielder is obviously playing for a move, while Jermain Defoe should be scoring more goals if he is to secure the transfer he craves.
Verdict: HAMMER TIME FOR PARDEW

Millwall v Nott'm Forest
3pm Saturday, The Den
Tickets: £15-£22 (£5-£12 concs). Tel: 020 7231 9999
Last season: 1 (Davies) 2 (D Johnson 2)
Referee: Peter Walton (Winwick, Northamptonshire)
Facts: Millwall's Bob Peeters has gone 10 matches without a goal. Forest winger Andy Reid has scored in his past three league games
Standout bet: Draw: 9-4 (Bet365, BlueSq, Sky, S James, P Power)
The Quiet Man has had his day as the Conservative Party made clear this week, so perhaps Dennis Wise is the right man for the Millwall job after all? There's something of the night about the former Leicester midfielder, as Callum Davidson discovered when his jaw was broken in the small hours. Wise insists he doesn't want the job, but his team obviously feel differently and four points from two games suggests they are warming to the cheekiest of cheeky chappies. If Millwall end Forest's four-game unbeaten run then the fans will be behind him too.
Verdict: DENNIS GETS WISE

Watford v Rotherham
3pm Saturday, Vicarage Road
Tickets: £5 (£5 over 65s, £1 under-16s) for Supersaver tickets bought today. £10 (£5 concessions) tomorrow. Tel: 01923 496 010
Last season: 1 (T Smith) 2 (McIntosh, Swailes)
Referee: Brian Curson (Leicester)
Facts: Rotherham's winless run away from home has now stretched to 16 matches. Watford are unbeaten in four home games
Standout bet: Home win for Watford: 5-6 (Stan James, P Power)
When you score eight goals in one evening and go home empty-handed you know it's not your night, as Rotherham discovered at Arsenal on Tuesday, and there's a growing feeling this isn't going to be their year. After punching above their weight for two seasons, the Millers have been found out and after seven games without a win will be desperate for a result tomorrow. By contrast, Watford, after a dismal start, have turned the corner.
Verdict: MILLERS GROUND DOWN