Weekend football focus

Blackburn v Arsenal
12.45pm tomorrow, Ewood Park - live on PremPlus
Away tickets: £20 (£15-£10 concs). Tel: 020 7704 4040
Last season: 0-2 (Henry, Pires)
Referee: Graham Poll (Tring)
Facts: Arsenal's goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has kept clean sheets in his last three games. His opposite number, Brad Friedel, has conceded just one goal in his last six games.
Tapping-up is nothing new. It's even been known for managers of Sunday League clubs to offer prospective players the considerable inducement of a lift to the matches. But if Ashley Cole really wants to leave Highbury for Chelsea, he will. Arsenal should just cop as much dosh as they can from Mr Abramovich. Life goes on.
Verdict: ARSENAL WIN - COLE OR NOT

Bolton v Norwich
5.15pm tomorrow, Reebok Stadium - live on Sky Sports 2
Referee: Peter Walton (Northampton)
Facts: Bolton last lost at home to Norwich in 1982. Norwich defender Simon Charlton played more than 100 games for Bolton without scoring.
We can do no better than repeat verbatim what was written before Bolton's FA Cup tie against Arsenal with reference to the totally indisciplined El-Hadji Diouf. "He says he's learned his lesson and so does big Sam. Those sceptics among us would prefer to wait and see what happens the next time he is under pressure." We rest our case.
Verdict: HOME WIN

Charlton v West Brom
3pm tomorrow, The Valley
Tickets: £20 (£15-£10 concs). Tel: 020 8333 4010
Referee: Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Charlton's clean sheet against Tottenham was their first at The Valley this year. Albion striker Geoff Horsfield has not scored since last September.
Charlton finished seventh in the Premiership last season and have the opportunity of going two spots higher this time around. It doesn't seem that long ago though, that Alan Curbishley was being strongly criticised by disgruntled fans. I hope that, after their team's recent renaissance, they are suitably chastened.
Verdict: CHARLTON STILL MOVING UP

Chelsea v C Palace
3pm tomorrow, Stamford Bridge
Tickets: Sold out
Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-On-Trent)
Facts: Fulham manager Chris Coleman was on target the last time Crystal Palace beat Chelsea - in a League Cup tie in January, 1993.
Iain Dowie was at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night to see Chelsea beat West Brom 1-0. Didier Drogba scored the only goal but missed a shedload of chances. Dowie will be hoping that the big striker's radar will be similarly on the blink tomorrow and that his own 24-carat diamond, Andy Johnson, has the opportunity to show the £24million striker just how to sniff out a goal. If Palace can manage a point here, it would give them great heart for what remains of this season.
Verdict: NO GO PALACE

Liverpool v Everton
4.05pm Sunday, Anfield - live on Sky Sports 1
Last season: 0-0
Referee: Rob Styles (Waterlooville)
Facts: The last three Merseyside derbies at Anfield have ended in draws. Everton have never lost when Marcus Bent has scored for them.
Given their continued travails in the Premiership Liverpool's best chance of qualifying for the Champions League is to win this season's competition, which would go down like a Jan Molby-piloted lead balloon on the other side of Stanley Park. Success for the Reds in Europe could cause the Blues to lose their Champions League place. Liverpool have not beaten their great rivals at Anfield for five years and are likely to be frustrated on Sunday.
Verdict: LIVERPOOL GET THE BLUES

Man United v Fulham
3pm tomorrow, Old Trafford
Away ticket info: £30 (£15 concs). Tel: 0870 442 1234
Last season: 1 (Forlan) 3 (Clark, Malbranque, Inamoto)
Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury)
Facts: Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand last scored a league goal almost four years ago. Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte has yet to score a league goal this year.
Fulham should have just about enough to ensure their survival for another year in the Premiership but it's becoming just a little too close for comfort for Chris Coleman and his team. With only five teams below them, the Cottagers know they need to rack up a few more points but they may well have to wait until beyond this weekend's trip to Old Trafford. Manchester United, for their part, know the title race is over but they have to keep trying and hoping for miracles.
Verdict: NO JOY FOR CHRIS

Middlesbrough v Southampton
3pm Sunday, The Riverside
Last season: 3 (Juninho, Nemeth, Maccarone) 1 (Beattie)
Referee: Uriah Rennie (Sheffield)
Facts: Middlesbrough's Ray Parlour last scored a league goal in 2001. Southampton have yet to win an away game in the league this season.
Southampton generally travel with all the confidence and assurance of Dennis Berkgamp in a Boeing 747, but their luck could change this weekend. Middlesbrough's Premiership performances have been poor in recent weeks and, with their players feeling heavy-legged following last night's UEFA Cup tie in Lisbon, the Saints could take advantage and claim their first away win of the season. After a busy week at Cheltenham, Harry Redknapp will back his team to do the business.
Verdict: SAINTS RUNNING INTO FORM

Portsmouth v Newcastle
3pm tomorrow, Fratton Park
Last season: 1 (Lua-Lua) 1 (Bellamy)
Referee: Matt Messias (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Amdy Faye, who joined Newcastle from Portsmouth, has yet to score a goal in England since moving from Auxerre in August 2003.
Newcastle are one win away from the FA Cup Final. Before their fans get carried away, it needs to be pointed out that, but for some spendid goalkeeping from Shay Given the result against Spurs could have been very different. Newcastle should see off Portsmouth.
Verdict: TOON OF GLORY

Tottenham v Manchester City
3pm tomorrow, White Hart Lane
Tickets: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Defoe) 1 (Anelka)
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)
Facts: Chris Armstrong scored the solitary goal the last time Spurs beat City at home in the league - in January 1996.
They say a team reflects the personality of its manager so perhaps Julian Clary should be in charge of Queen of the South. Manchester City reminded you of Kevin Keegan, unpredictable, sometimes brilliant, and not achieving quite what they should.
Verdict: THAT'S BETTER SPURS

COCA-COLA LEAGUE

Millwall v Plymouth
2pm Sunday, The Den
Tickets: £17-£23 (£7-£13 concs) - personal callers only from 10.30am on day up to kick-off. Tel: 020 7231 9999
Referee: Paul Melin (Surrey)
Facts: Millwall's last home defeat against Plymouth was in 1967. Plymouth's Nick Chadwick scored four league goals on loan at The Den last season.
It takes a brave man to fall out with Dennis Wise - and an even braver one to play poker with him as Calum Davidson would no doubt testify - so Jeff Burnige and Ray Wilkins will be keeping their cards close to their chest as Millwall continue to self-destruct. As well as united leadership, Millwall need goals, but if they can't score against Plymouth they may as well give up.
Verdict: MILLWALL A HOUSE OF CARDS

Rotherham v QPR
3pm tomorrow, Millmoor
Away ticket info: £15-£17 (£9-£11 concs). £2 extra on day. Tel: 0870 112 1967
Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire)
Facts: Rotherham's 1-0 victory against Reading in midweek was their first at home since last November. QPR's Gareth Ainsworth has yet to score since the opening game of the season - a 1-1 draw with Rotherham.
Manager Ian Holloway has cancelled his players' survival party as he is now plotting a way to gatecrash the play-offs. A win at bottom-of-the-table Rotherham would be a good start for QPR.
Verdict: RANGERS MARCH ON THE PLAY-OFFS

Watford v Preston
3pm tomorrow, Vicarage Road
Tickets: £10 (£5 concs). £5 (£1 concs) in advance. Tel: 0870 111 1881
Last season: 2 (Bouazza, Devlin) 0
Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire)
Facts: Watford's 16-goal top scorer Heidar Helguson has failed to find the target in his last six games.
Watford need a couple more wins and they can safely begin planning for next season. They threw away a two-goal lead against Leicester and will need to be more focused tomorrow.
Verdict: WATFORD EDGE TO SAFETY

West Ham v Leicester
7.45pm tonight, Upton Park - live on Sky Sports 3
Tickets: £24-£35 (£10-£17.50 concs). Tel: 0870 112 2700
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Facts: Leicester's David Connolly scored 10 league goals for the Hammers during a year-long spell from July 2003.
Alan Pardew knows if his struggling side fail to beat Leicester tonight then the whole of the Boleyn Ground will call for his head. But the good news is that Leicester's recent form is even worse so West Ham should win.
Verdict: PARDON FOR PARDEW

Brentford v Chesterfield
3pm tomorrow, Griffin Park
Tickets: £13-£17 (£3-£12 concs). Tel: 0870 900 9229
Last season: 1 (Evans) 1 (Evatt)
Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire)
Facts: Brentford have yet to concede a goal since being eliminated from the FA Cup. Chesterfield last won at Brentford in September 1995.
The few thousand fans who were at Boundary Park on Tuesday will have been impressed by Brentford's 2-0 win over Oldham and Martin Allen's side should see off Chesterfield.
Verdict: GLORY BEES

Macclesfield v Leyton Orient
3pm tomorrow, Moss Rose
Away ticket info: £17 (£12 concs). Tel: 020 8926 1010
Last season: 1 (Carruthers) 0
Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland)
Facts: Leyton Orient have not won away from home since November last year. Macclesfield have won their last five home league games.
Having failed to score against rock-bottom Cambridge last week the Os have little chance of beating in-form Macclesfield.
Verdict: ORIENT FIRING BLANKS