Weekend Football Focus

Man City v Wolves
3pm Saturday, City of Manchester Stadium
Referee: TBA
Facts: Wolves have gone 18 away games since a win. Sylvain Distin is yet to finish on the losing side when scoring for City
Standout bet: City (half-time), City (full-time): 13-8 (Coral)
Kevin Keegan is set to return to City's bench after sitting out the past two games with a back problem. He should count himself lucky - the fans had to actually watch the two deadly dull draws against Fulham and Aston Villa. Lingering relegation fears should be eased against a Wolves side who have started to unfurl the white flag.
Verdict: TONIC FOR KEEGAN

Blackburn v Leeds
3pm Saturday, Ewood Park
Last season: 1 (Flitcroft) 0.
Referee: TBA
Facts: Blackburn have gone eight home games without a win while Leeds are winless in their past eight away. Rovers have not won any of the 10 games in which they have trailed at half-time
Standout bet: More than two goals in the game: 5-6 (Stan James)1
If any Blackburn player pulls out of a 50-50 contest in this massive match, it may be advisable not to return to the dressing room at the end of the game. Graeme Souness will expect nothing less than full-on commitment in this relegation affair because defeat by a Leeds team who will be feeling distinctly bullish following their win over Leicester will have the Ewood Park club staring straight down the barrel.
Verdict: ANOTHER VITAL LEEDS VICTORY

Nationwide League

Cardiff v Crystal Palace
3pm Saturday, Ninian Park
Away ticket info: £17-£18 (£12-£13 concs). Tel. 08712 0000 71
Referee: Trevor Parkes (West Midlands)
Facts: Palace, who last played a league game at Ninian Park in 1985, are unbeaten away to Cardiff since 1967
Standout bet: Rob Earnshaw to score the first goal: 9-2 (Bet365)
Like Amberleigh House in the Grand National, Palace are finishing strongly when others are tying up. But can Iain Dowie's rank outsiders catch the play-off pack before they reach the winning post? Cardiff are also in the promotion scramble and could prove a difficult hurdle.
Verdict: DOWIE'S THOROUGHBREDS

Coventry v Millwall
3pm Saturday, Highfield Road
Away ticket info: All-ticket match. £16 (£6-£9 concs), available to members and season ticket holders only. Tel. 020 7231 9999
Last season: 2 (McSheffrey, Mills) 3 (Davies, Kinet, Harris)
Referee: Barry Knight (Kent)
Facts: Millwall have won their last five games against Coventry Standout bet: Away win for Millwall: 15-8 (Stan James)
Right now, even phone sex with a kinky translator is not as exciting as supporting Millwall. The FA Cup Final, a place in Europe . . . plus there is still the firm prospect of Premiership football next season. Dennis Wise wants his players to ignore Cardiff and concentrate on the push for the play-offs - which is a bit like telling chocolate egg manufacturers to forget about Easter.
Verdict: LIONS HELD

Watford v Crewe
3pm Saturday, Vicarage Road
Tickets: £10-£15 (£5 concs) or £5 adults (£1 concs) if bought in advance of match day. Tel. 01923 496 010
Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)
Facts: Crewe have failed to score in three of their past four games. Watford have won three of their past five home matches
Standout bet: Draw: 9-4 (Bet365, Bet Direct)
They are working to an inverted bonus system at Vicarage Road. Stay up, and the players will be reimbursed the 12 per cent wage deferral they agreed to 18 months ago. Go down, and the squad will just have to survive on deflated pay packets for a little longer. Ray Lewington's side are too good to get sucked into serious trouble but they need points in the bag due to a tricky run-in.
Verdict: RICH REWARDS FOR WATFORD

West Ham v Derby
12.15pm Saturday, Upton Park - live on Sky Sports 2
Tickets: £22-£32 (£10-£15 concs). Tel. 0870 112 2700
Referee: Paul Robinson (East Yorkshire)
Facts: Pavel Srnicek hasn't finished on the winning side in England since Sheffield Wednesday beat West Ham 3-1 in March 2000
Standout bet: 2-1 win for West Ham: 7-1 (Coral, Stan James)
Like Victoria Beckham, West Ham fans are still enduring the fall-out from a miserable weekend. Not only were their club's promotion hopes hit by a limp defeat at Reading, but they also had to suffer in silence as Millwall reached the Cup final.
Verdict: IRONS FIRE AGAIN

QPR v Grimsby
3pm Saturday, Loftus Road
Tickets: £17-£24 (£9-£12 concs). Tel. 0870 112 1967
Referee: Mick Thorpe (Suffolk)
Facts: Grimsby have gone 11 away games without a win.
Standout bet: Draw (h-t), QPR (f-t): 7-2 (Skybet, Stan James)
Ian Holloway's squad are sure to be practising the Heimlich manoeuvre in training - given all the choking that's going on at QPR. Promotion certainties at Christmas, they are now locked in a struggle with Bristol City. The pressure is getting to highly-strung Holloway, who saw red at Tranmere on Tuesday. Perhaps he should ask for a refund for the anger management course he took recently.
Verdict: RANGERS ARE ALL THE RAGE

Sheff Wed v Brentford
3pm Saturday, Hillsborough
Away ticket info: £17 (£10 concs). Bees fans pay on the day only
Referee: George Cain (Merseyside)
Facts: Brentford's last victory at Hillsborough came in September 1979 with goals from Steve Phillips and Lee Holmes in a 2-0 win
Standout bet: Away win for Brentford: 7-2 (Skybet, Stan James)
A hardman in his playing days, whose shuddering tackles struck fear into the hardiest opponents, Martin "Mad Dog" Allen has revealed he is also a bit of a mummy's boy. The Brentford manager got a ticking off from his mum last week for not acknowledging fans ahead of the 1-1 draw with Chesterfield. Mrs Allen will be in the stands again at Hillsborough and is expecting an improved display.
Verdict: MOTHERING FUNDAY

Macclesfield v L Orient
3pm Saturday, Moss Rose
Away ticket info: £11-£15 (£6-£10 concs), pay on the day
Last season: 3 (Whitaker, Tipton 2) 1 (Thorpe)
Referee: Nigel Miller (Co Durham)
Facts: Five of Orient's past seven games have ended 1-1. Macclesfield have failed to score in three of their last four home matches
Standout bet: Gary Alexander to score the first goal: 7-1 (Bet365)
Memories of John Chiedozie were revived among Orient fans with the news the club have taken another Nigerian international on trial. Francis Kumbar, capped seven times by his country, played for the reserves on Tuesday. In an exotic starting line-up, he was joined by fellow trialist Gavin Heeroo, from Mauritius, as Martin Ling settles for mid-table and rebuilds for next season.
Verdict: DOZY ORIENT

Sunday/Monday fixtures

Sunday Premiership: Arsenal v Newcastle (4.05pm, live on Sky Sports 1)

Monday (3pm unless stated) Premiership: A Villa v Chelsea (pay-per-view TV), Fulham v Blackburn (8pm, Sky Sports 1), Liverpool v Charlton, M'boro v Southampton, Portsmouth v Birmingham, Tottenham v Man City, Wolves v Bolton
Div 1: Burnley v Watford, Crewe v Coventry, Crystal Palace v West Ham, Derby v Bradford, Gillingham v Walsall, Ipswich v Sunderland, Millwall v WBA, Preston v Nottingham Forest, Reading v Norwich (5.35pm, Sky Sports 1), Sheff Utd v Wimbledon, Stoke v Rotherham
Div 2: Barnsley v QPR, Bournemouth v Chesterfield, Brentford v Colchester, Brighton v Rushden, Grimsby v Blackpool, Luton v Swindon, Notts County v Sheff Wed, Peterborough v Port Vale, Stockport v Oldham, Wrexham v Hartlepool, Wycombe v Tranmere
Div 3: Boston v Yeovil, Cheltenham v Scunthorpe, Doncaster v Cambridge, Kidderminster v Huddersfield, Leyton Orient v Carlisle, Mansfield v Bristol Rovers, Northampton v Lincoln, Rochdale v Macclesfield, Southend v Darlington, Swansea v Hull, Torquay v Oxford