Weekend Football Focus

Ken Dyer|Matt Hughes|Paul Fielder|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Birmingham v Blackburn
3pm Saturday, St Andrew’s
Last season: 0-4 (Ferguson, Neill, Tugay, Gallagher)
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)
Facts: Birmingham have drawn four and lost one of their last five matches. Blackburn are unbeaten in five away games.
Steve Bruce joked about attempting a prison break after finally completing the signing of Jermain Pennant this week but, given the Arsenal man’s previous, such extreme measures should not be ruled out in the future. Critics might argue that some of the thuggery and intimidation used by Blackburn is deserving of a custodial sentence, but Mark Hughes’s boot boys should emerge with a point from St Andrew’s.
Verdict: BLACKBURN WIN A BATTLE

Bolton v Chelsea
5.15pm Saturday, Reebok Stadium — live on Sky Sports 1
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 0-2 (Terry, Duff)
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol)
Facts: El-Hadji Diouf has scored two goals in his last four Premiership appearances. Referee Steve Dunn has dished out 11 yellow cards in the last two games he has officiated.
It’s not often that the eyes of the football world are trained on Bolton, but the world and his dog will be setting off for deepest, darkest Lancashire tomorrow in anticipation of seeing Chelsea crowned champions. Sam Allardyce’s side are more than capable of throwing a spanner in the works, though, and after beating them at Stamford Bridge last season and getting a hard-earned point in November, they can delay the celebrations by another week.
Verdict: CHELSEA KEPT WAITING

Charlton v Man Utd
4.05pm Sunday, The Valley — live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: Sold out
Last season: 0-2 (Van Nistelrooy 2)
Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury)
Facts: Alan Smith has not scored in his last 15 appearances for United. Charlton have gone six games without a win.
It took a wonder goal from Coleen McLoughlin’s other half to earn Manchester United their full quota of points against Newcastle but the feeling remains that Sir Alex Ferguson’s team are particularly vulnerable at this time. Unfortunately, Charlton seem unlikely to take advantage of the situation as they seem to have packed up altogether while their hopes of qualifying for Europe continue to fade. Before some of their fans start to whinge, however, it’s as well to keep remembering how far the club have come in the last few seasons.
Verdict: UNITED WIN THIS ONE

Fulham v Everton
3pm Saturday, Craven Cottage
Tickets: £31-£42 (£15-£32 concs). Tel. 0870 442 1234
Last season: 2 (Saha, Malbranque) 1 (Kilbane)
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Facts: Everton midfielder Tim Cahill leads the Premiership fouls table with 83. Fulham are unbeaten in eight at home.
It has not been a memorable season by any means for Fulham and even though they should just about survive, Chris Coleman and his team are still looking
over their shoulders just a trifle nervously. The big challenge for Coleman during the summer is to try to keep hold of his abrasive Portuguese star Luis Boa Morte. Coleman believes the winger has been playing some of his best football in the last few games. He’s the type of player who is a real pain in the anus if you’re on the opposite side but a valuable man to have on your side.
Verdict: FULHAM NERVES JANGLING

Liverpool v Middlesbrough
3pm Saturday, Anfield
Last season: 2 (Murphy, Heskey) 0
Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent)
Facts: Middlesbrough have scored only one goal on their last six visits to Anfield. Milan Baros has not scored in the Premiership since 5 February.
If you’re talking about model professionals, step forward former England defender Gareth Southgate. On Wednesday night, against Newcastle, he clashed heads with Alan Shearer, never the wisest thing to do, and split his head open. Rather than waste time having a patchwork quilt stitched on his forehead, he soldiered on until the end. Contrast that with some of his professional colleagues who look eager to come off if they break a fingernail. This could be a good time to catch out Liverpool, who face the small matter of Chelsea on Tuesday in the European Cup semi-final, second leg.
Verdict: LIVERPOOL THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS

Man City v Portsmouth
3pm Saturday, City of Manchester Stadium
Last season: 1 (Sommeil) 1 (Yakubu)
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Facts: Lomano LuaLua has scored four goals in five games. City have conceded just one goal in four matches.
The new broom at Portsmouth, alias Alain Perrin, seems to have worked wonders and Portsmouth, courtesy of what must have been an immensely satisfying victory over Southampton, are now secure in the Premiership for another season. Perrin’s opposite number at City, Stuart Pearce, seems to have everyone on his side except the club’s directors, who are preferring to sit on their hands and wait until the end of the season.
Verdict: PEARCE STRENGTHENS HIS CASE

Newcastle v C Palace
3pm Saturday, St James’ Park
Away ticket info: £30 (£16-£25 concs). Tel. 08712 000 071
Referee: Alan Wiley (Burntwood)
Facts: Laurent Robert has not scored for nine games, while Newcastle have gone six matches without a win.
Crystal Palace’s admirable and hard-fought win over Liverpool edged them above that fateful black line and brought a genuine glow to Iain Dowie’s face while the other managers in the mire were busy ringing up Tony Blair for the number of his tanning shop. Dowie’s side also face a genuine chance at St James’ Park this weekend since Newcastle are invariably vulnerable and will be without midfielder Kieron Dyer who, surprise, surprise, is injured again.
Verdict: PALACE PUMPED UP FOR WIN

So’ton v Norwich
3pm Saturday, St Mary’s
Referee: Graham Poll (Tring)
Facts: Norwich goalkeeper Rob Green has conceded the most goals (65) in the Premiership. Dean Ashton scored twice in his last away game for Nigel Worthington’s side.
This really is the last-chance saloon for these two clubs. Harry Redknapp, normally so resilient, looked totally downcast and forlorn following his team’s 4-1 pasting by Portsmouth while Norwich, despite their defiant recent run, are still right in it up to their necks. It all adds up to a neurotic afternoon down on the south coast with Delia Smith and Co shaking like one of her jellies.
Verdict: NORWICH TAKE PRECIOUS POINTS

Tottenham v A Villa
1pm Sunday, White Hart Lane — live on PremPlus
Tickets: Sold out. Last season: 2 (Ricketts, Keane) 1 (Allback)
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)
Fact: Having been caught 75 times, Jermain Defoe has the most offside decisions against him in the Premiership.
There is something not quite right about Tottenham’s front-line at the moment. On paper you would think that Martin Jol’s side would score a hatful of goals but that’s not how it’s working out. Fredi Kanoute looked like a lost soul for much of Monday night’s derby against Arsenal while Jermain Defoe continues to look out of sorts. Only when Robbie Keane and Mido were in tandem did they buck up, but the Irishman is likely to leave at the end of the season.
Verdict: SPURS CLICK THIS TIME

COCA-COLA LEAGUE

West Ham v Sunderland
7.45pm Saturday, Upton Park — live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: £24-£35 (£12-£17.50 concs). Tel. 0870 112 2700
Last season: 3 (Defoe 2, Pearce) 2 (McAteer, Oster)
Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
Facts: West Ham have won their final home league game in each of the last
four seasons. Sunderland have won one of their last six at Upton Park.
Sir Alex Ferguson may want Roy Keane to succeed him at Old Trafford, but the Irishman has hardly proved that he knows what makes a successful manager. Keane slammed Mick McCarthy as a "shit player and a shit manager" during their spat in Saipan but the Barnsley boy has proved him wrong, guiding Sunderland back to the Premiership. West Ham could still follow them via the play-offs.
Verdict: McCARTHY SHOWS THE WAY

QPR v Nottingham Forest
3pm Saturday, Loftus Road
Tickets: Very limited availability. Tel. 0870 112 1967
Referee: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
Facts: Rangers haven’t scored more than one goal in a home game against
Forest since a 1993 4-3 victory, when Les Ferdinand scored a hat-trick.
After beating Burnley last week, Nottingham Forest are contemplating the great escape. Their party boys will enjoy a hell of a drink if they do stay up, and that’s just the players. Forest have already beaten Rangers twice this season and, without a win in six games, Ian Holloway’s side appear to have signed off for the season so Forest’s survival bid could go right down to the final day.
Verdict: FOREST DRINKS ON ICE

Sheffield United v Millwall
3pm Saturday, Bramall Lane
Away ticket info: £18 (£12 concs) Tel. 020 7231 9999
Last season: 2 (Ward, Gray) 1 (Ifill)
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Facts: Millwall have lost on their last four visits to Bramall Lane but are unbeaten in three matches.
Having learned from the master and his current manager at Chelsea, Dennis Wise, Jody Morris is still getting into scrapes. This week, for example, he came to the aid of poor old England and Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, who was happy to be photographed with Peter Kenyon to help his contract talks but not leaving a Hampstead nightclub in the early hours. At least Morris has been playing well recently, though, and in-form Millwall can end United’s play-off hopes.
Verdict: RESPITE FOR MORRIS

Stoke v Watford
3pm Saturday, Britannia Stadium
Away ticket info: £19 (£9-£12 concs), tickets available at the turnstiles
Last season: 3 (Akinbiyi 2, Noel-Williams) 1 (Helguson)
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Fact: Stoke midfielder Lewis Neal scored his first goal of the season in their 2-0 win at Crewe last week Watford still need a win to ensure their place in the Championship next season so a trip to Stoke, with nothing to play for
themselves, is well timed. New manager Adrian Boothroyd has steadied the ship in recent weeks with a win and a draw so they should live to fight another day. If they fail tomorrow, though, they may need to beat West Ham in their final game next week.
Verdict: WATFORD WILL SURVIVE

Luton v Brentford
3pm Saturday, Kenilworth Road
Away ticket info: ALL TICKET. £17.50 (£10 concs). Tel. 0870 900 9229
Last season: 4 (Boyce, Showunmi 3) 1 (Wright)
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Fact: Chris Hargreaves and Jay Tabb were on the scoresheet for Brentford
when they knocked out promoted Luton 2-0 in the FA Cup in January.
Brentford’s play-off hopes have been hit by a collision with the Republic of West Yorkshire, with a heavy defeat at Bradford followed by last week’s home loss to Huddersfield. But they are only one place below the play-off zone and level with points with both Bournemouth and Sheffield Wednesday just above them. Now they face a tough trip to champions Luton. The Bees have already beaten them twice this season, but they may need to make it three in a row.
Verdict: BEES UNDER PRESSURE

Wycombe v Leyton Orient
3pm Saturday, Causeway Stadium
Away ticket info: In advance: from Wycombe box office, Tel. 01494 441 118 £13-£15 (£4-£12 concs). On the day at turnstiles: £14-£16 (£6-£13)
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)
Fact: Former England midfielder Rob Lee has tasted success just once in
seven appearances for Wycombe since joining in March. Leyton Orient have finally discovered some form as the season draws to a close. They started the season with high hopes ofpromotion but then couldn’t buy a win ... until recently. But their recent back-to-back victories are a case of far too little, far too late. However, manager Martin Ling will hope to build confidence to take into the next campaign.
Verdict: ORIENT PLANNING AHEAD

MORE ABOUT

Blackburn Rovers

Weekend Football Focus

Read More