Weekend football focus

Ken Dyer|Matt Hughes|Paul Fielder|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Arsenal v Chelsea
4.05pm Sunday, Highbury - live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: Sold out (home and away)
Last season: 2 (Edu, Henry) 1 (Crespo)
Referee: Graham Poll (Tring)
Facts: A Dennis Bergkamp goal gave Arsenal a 1-0 victory when Graham Poll last refereed a game between these clubs in January 1999. Chelsea's Frank Leboeuf was one of four players booked that day
Arsenal in crisis? Second in the Premiership table, unbeaten at home and with 23 goals to their credit already at Highbury, you must be joking. Hand in hand with trophies, however, comes great expectations and that is the reason that Gunners fans have been looking a little stressed in recent weeks. Both sides limbered up for Sunday's big one with Champions League action this week, Arsenal sauntering past ragged Rosenborg while Chelsea are unlikely to lose much sleep over their slip-up against Porto. The difference on Sunday could all come down to the goalkeepers and, here, Jose Mourinho's side have a distinct advantage.
Verdict: CHELSEA STRETCH THEIR LEAD

A Villa v Birmingham
1pm Sunday, Villa Park - live on Sky Sports 1
Last season: 2 (Vassell, Hitzlsperger) 2 (Forssell, John)
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol)
Facts: Nobby Solano has scored in each of Aston Villa's last four home games
Birmingham, who are seriously missing their injured, on-loan striker Mikael Forssell, couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo at the moment and until Steve Bruce rectifies that problem, his side will continue to struggle. Logic tends to go straight out of the window, though, when these two Midlands adversaries collide and although form suggests it will be Villa to win, don't put your house on it.
Verdict: STALEMATE

C Palace v Blackburn
3pm Saturday, Selhurst Park
Tickets: £30-£40 (£10-£16 concs). Tel. 08712 000 071
Referee: Alan Wiley (Burntwood)
Facts: Mikael Forssell and Hayden Mullins were the scorers for Palace in a 3-2 defeat when Blackburn last visited Selhurst Park in December 2000
Iain Dowie looked as happy as a bulldog chewing on a nest full of wasps after losing to that last-minute Charlton goal on Sunday. One of the first rules of football, however, is to take your opportunities when they occur and Andy Johnson, who missed a penalty, palpably failed to do that. Fortunately for Palace, all their main relegation rivals also lost so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Verdict: DOWIE PUTS ON HAPPY FACE

Everton v Liverpool
12.45pm Saturday, Goodison Park - live on Prem Plus
Last season: 0-3 (Owen 2, Kewell)
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Facts: Liverpool have won their last four games at Goodison Park. The Anfield club have not lost a game in which Steven Gerrard has scored for them since September 2001
Interesting free-kick tactics by Everton against Bolton on Saturday, when Alan Stubbs took out a couple of bricks in Bolton's human wall and Thomas Gravesen duly slammed the ball home through the gap. If Everton do something similar in this weekend's Merseyside derby then there are likely to be ructions, but the club on the other side of Stanley Park to Goodison Park will be eager to make up some of the lost ground.
Verdict: HOME SIDE COULD SHADE THIS

Man City v Tottenham
3pm Saturday, City of Manchester Stadium
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 0-0
Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury)
Facts: Only three of Tottenham's XI that started the 4-3 FA Cup defeat against Man City in February were in the starting line up at Blackburn last Saturday
Back-to-back league wins have eased the pressure on Tottenham and Martin Jol, but the Dutchman will be aware that momentum has to be maintained otherwise the clouds will begin to build again. The positive fact about Spurs on their travels is that they have conceded just five league goals, but the result of this match may just depend on which Manchester City show up for this one.
Verdict: SPURS FORCE DRAW

Newcastle v Portsmouth
3pm Saturday, St James' Park
Last season: 3 (Speed, Shearer, Ameobi) 0
Referee: Mike Riley (Leeds)
Facts: Newcastle have not scored twice in a home Premiership game since their 4-3 win over Manchester City in October. Portsmouth haven't won at St James' Park since 1949
Newcastle did well enough for an hour against Chelsea last weekend, but then the roof fell in. One glance at the table will reveal the main area of Graeme Souness's problems. In eight home Premiership matches so far this season, the Magpies have conceded 15 goals, the joint worst record in the Premiership. Opponents Portsmouth, have no one on the bridge at the moment but still sailed merrily along against West Brom.
Verdict: POMPEY CHIMES OFF KEY

Norwich v Bolton
3pm Saturday, Carrow Road
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)
Facts: Bolton have picked up only two points despite scoring five goals in their last three away games. Sam Allardyce's men have now gone five matches since a victory
Bolton were a shade unlucky not to earn a point at Everton last weekend, but to be in eighth place is still no mean achievement for Sam Allardyce's team. Norwich, on the other hand, suffered a disappointing home defeat by Fulham and seem unable to extricate themselves from the quagmire at the wrong end of the table. It's enough to give Delia Smith a bad case of dyspepsia.
Verdict: DELIA IN THE DOLDRUMS

Southampton v M'boro
3pm Saturday, St Mary's
Last season: 0-1 (Christie)
Referee: Neale Barry (Scunthorpe)
Facts: Boro winger Stewart Downing has gone 10 games without scoring
It's difficult to know where to start with Harry Redknapp, whose breathtaking acts of audacity have not been seen in football since William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and invented rugby. Having quit Portsmouth a fortnight ago because he needed a break, Redknapp has contrived to land a new job down the road, without so much as a weekend in Bognor to put his feet up. But Mark Viduka will be out to spoil Harry's debut at St Mary's as he is flying high after scoring two goals on Monday against Manchester City.
Verdict: CHEEKY CHAPPY CELEBRATES

West Brom v Charlton
3pm Saturday, The Hawthorns
Away ticket info: £20 (£5 concs). Tel. 020 8333 4010
Referee: Chris Foy (St Helens)
Facts: West Brom defender Darren Purse has scored two own goals this season. In the nine games in which Charlton have netted first this season, nine different players have opened the scoring
Bryan Robson's face goes red whenever stories of his legendary drinking prowess resurface, but there has been no cause to crack open the champagne since his return to West Brom. The Baggies have collected a single point from four games under Robson and need to start winning soon if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation. Charlton's away form this season has been dreadful, but last weekend's win at Crystal Palace will have raised their spirits.
Verdict: RED-FACED ROBBO

COCA-COLA LEAGUE

Millwall v Brighton
3pm Saturday, The Den
Tickets: £17-£23 (£7-£13 concs). Tel: 020 7231 9999
Referee: Matt Messias (S Yorkshire)
Facts: Millwall's Darren Ward scored the only goal of the game when Brighton last visited The Den in September 2002. The Lions scored a firsthalf goal in an away league match for the first time this season on Tuesday
The post-match meeting between Dennis Wise and Mark McGhee could be interesting as the Millwall manager played a part in getting his predecessor sacked. McGhee's dismissal appeared harsh at the time but Wise has taken the club forward and they should have too much for Brighton, who sit just five points above the relegation zone.
Verdict: WISE WINS THE DAY

QPR v Ipswich
3pm Saturday, Loftus Road
Tickets: All ticket. No tickets on sale after 5pm today. Tel: 0870 112 1967
Referee: Carl Boyeson (E Yorkshire)
Facts: Ipswich haven't won at Loftus Road since a Paul Mason goal gave them a 1-0 victory in a Division One game in October 1996
Ian Holloway's Super Hoops continue to overachieve by virtue of hard work and team spirit but will meet their match tomorrow. Joe Royle may be a footballing dinosaur but his collection of exciting youngsters are the most entertaining side in the Championship and Ipswich should be gracing the Premiership next season. Rangers, who have conceded eight goals in their last three matches, will do well to collect a point in this contest.
Verdict: A RIGHT ROYLE PERFORMANCE

Watford v Wolves
3pm Saturday, Vicarage Road
Tickets: £25-£30 (£15 concs). Tel: 0870 111 1881
Referee: Paul Armstrong (Berkshire)
Facts: Steve Bull and Robbie Keane were the scorers for Wolves when they last won at Vicarage Road in a 2-0 win in August 1998
Glenn Hoddle fears he is putting his reputation on the line by deigning to accept a job at lowly Wolves, but the truth is he lost it years ago by opting for a recording by Eileen over Ian Drury. Wolves chairman Rick Hayward must have done something pretty bad to be punished by Hoddle's reincarnation at Molineux, though their form has been fairly criminal lately.
Verdict: OH MY HOD!

West Ham v Leeds United
7.45pm Friday, Upton Park - live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: £24-£35 (£10-£17.50 concs). Tel: 0870 112 2700
Referee: Mike Pike (Cumbria)
Facts: West Ham last won a home league game against Leeds in 1998 when John Hartson, Samassi Abou and Ian Pearce gave them a 3-0 win
West Ham have not beaten Leeds for four years, in which time both clubs' standing has plummeted faster than the US dollar, but tonight could be the night. After hammering QPR 6-1 last month, Leeds have contrived to lose to lowly Leicester and Rotherham and sit perilously close to the drop zone. West Ham are nothing but unpredictable but should back up Saturday's great win at Sunderland with another three points.
Verdict: HAPPY HAMMERS

Sheffield Wed v Brentford
3pm Saturday, Hillsborough
Away ticket info: £18 (£11 concs), available at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (D Smith) 1 (Sonko)
Referee: Mark Cowburn (Lancashire)
Facts: Brentford have gone seven away games without a win and last won at Hillsborough in 1979.
Martin Allen may be a managerial magician but he has yet to master the more subtle art of public relations. After guiding his side to a magnificent win over Luton this week the Brentford boss issued a media ban, with cynics suggesting he wanted to keep all the credit for himself. If the Bees beat Wednesday he will deserve all the credit he gets.
Verdict: DANGEROUS GAME FOR ALLEN

Darlington v Leyton Orient
3pm Saturday, Reynolds Arena
Away ticket info: £15 (£7 concs), available at the turnstiles
Last season: 2 (M Clarke, Hughes) 1 (Thorpe)
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Facts: Orient striker Andy Scott has scored two in his last two league appearances. The Londoners have gone 12 years since winning an away game against Darlington.
There is something about the North-East that appears conducive to cushy retirement homes and Darlington are the Middlesbrough of League Two. Clyde Wijnhard, Craig Hignett and Alun Armstrong are among the fallen stars to ply their trade at the Reynolds Arena but Leyton Orient's younger, hungrier squad should win the day.
Verdict: THE KIDS TAKE IT

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