Weekend Football Focus

Ken Dyer|Matt Hughes|Paul Fielder|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Arsenal v Liverpool
4.05pm Sunday, Highbury - live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: Sold out
Last season: 4 (Henry 3, Pires) 2 (Hyypia, Owen)
Referee: Graham Poll (Tring)
Facts: Xabi Alonso is yet to lose in the five games he has played since his return from a broken ankle last month.
No one can ever be sure which Liverpool will turn up. Having enjoyed one of the greatest nights in their history by beating Chelsea on Tuesday it would be little surprise if they returned to the mediocrity of their league performances. Arsenal, back to their best recently, will want to secure second place.
Verdict: NO RED LETTER DAY FOR LIVERPOOL

Aston Villa v Man City
3pm tomorrow, Villa Park
Last season: 1 (Angel) 1 (Distin)
Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
Facts: Stuart Pearce has lost just one of his seven games in charge at Man City. In 23 games as boss of Nottingham Forest in 96/97, he won seven, lost seven and drew nine.
Everyone seems to love Stuart Pearce but the silence from Manchester City remains deafening on the identity of their new manager. City are above Aston Villa in the table and it looks as though the Benidorm factor is beginning to kick in for Villa.
Verdict: MORE POINTS FOR PSYCHO

Blackburn v Fulham
3pm tomorrow, Ewood Park
Away ticket info: £24 (£5-£14 concs). Tel. 0870 442 1234
Last season: 4 (Cole, Douglas, Amoruso, Stead) 3 (John 2, Boa Morte)
Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent)
Facts: Tomasz Radzinski's late goal against Newcastle on Wednesday ended a 14-game barren spell for the striker.
Steed Malbranque has been an exciting performer for Fulham but his time there seems over. When he discovered he wasn't playing against Everton he apparently threw all the playthings out of his perambulator and did a runner. Fulham won 2-0. They may have a tougher time at Blackburn though.
Verdict: FULHAM FALTER

Chelsea v Charlton
12.30pm tomorrow, Stamford Bridge - live on Sky Sports 2
Tickets: Home - sold out. Away - few remaining, £40 (£16-24 concs). Tel. 020 8333 4010
Last season: 1 (Hasselbaink) 0
Referee: Mike Riley (Leeds)
Facts: Charlton, who won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in Chelsea's last title-winning season in 1954/55, have not scored in three games.
The champions will return to a heroes' reception, but John Terry's joy at picking up the Premiership trophy will be tempered by again missing out on the European Cup. Chelsea appeared tired at Anfield but could see off feeble Charlton in their sleep.
Verdict: CHAMPION DISPLAY FROM CHELSEA

Crystal Palace v So'ton
3pm tomorrow, Selhurst Park
Tickets: Sold out
Referee: Howard Webb (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Palace, with clean sheets in their last two games, have never beaten Southampton in seven Premiership meetings.
Selhurst Park will not be a place for those of a nervous disposition tomorrow. Both these sides, although still in a perilous position, believe they can escape the big drop after encouraging performances last weekend. It will be interesting, though, to see if either of these two managers is still at his respective club at the beginning of next season. Iain Dowie could be off to northern climes while Harry Redknapp might just have had enough of all the aggro.
Verdict: PALACE OF FUN

Everton v Newcastle
3pm tomorrow, Goodison Park
Last season: 2 (Radzinski, Ferguson) 2 (Shearer 2)
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)
Facts: Newcastle, who won 3-1 at Fulham without Alan Shearer on Wednesday, are unbeaten in the last four games they have played without the former England striker.
It is true to say Graeme Souness didn't win the universal acclaim of the fans when he was appointed Newcastle manager and the sceptics can nod knowingly now and point to the Premiership table. Victory at Fulham in midweek came as a relief but it hasn't been a cakewalk for Souness, who has had to put up with more tantrums than the producer of The Apprentice. Everton still need those points to make that fourth Champions League spot.
Verdict: NIL POINTS FOR NEWCASTLE

Man Utd v West Brom
5.15pm tomorrow, Old Trafford - live on Sky Sports 1
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Facts: West Brom have failed to score on their last six visits to Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney (11) is the only United player to have scored more than 10 league goals.
West Brom briefly harboured hopes of survival with some encouraging recent results but reality set in on Monday night when they were beaten at home by Arsenal. Whoever compiled this season's fixtures must have a nice line in black humour because next up for Bryan Robson's side is his old club Manchester United, who destroyed Charlton last Sunday.
Verdict: WEST BROM WOE

Middlesbrough v Tottenham
3pm tomorrow, The Riverside
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Nemeth) 0
Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury)
Facts: Spurs have gone six away matches without a win and last won at Middlesbrough in 1996. Boro are unbeaten in four.
Tottenham manager Martin Jol must wish the Premiership season went on for a few weeks yet because the way his side took Aston Villa apart last weekend they could end up a few places higher than seventh given a little more time. Jermain Defoe, who has not always looked carefree this season it has to be said, has signed a new deal which gives him more money and brings in more money for Spurs should he be tempted away.
Verdict: ANOTHER SPURS VICTORY MARCH

Norwich v Birmingham
3pm tomorrow, Carrow Road
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Facts: Birmingham have gone nine away games since a win. Norwich are unbeaten in three home matches.
Steve Bruce is still a popular figure in East Anglia, where he performed so well for Norwich as a player, but the Birmingham manager won't be doing them any favours. The Canaries will have to scrap all the way for three points to keep their desperate fight for survival alive.
Verdict: PRECIOUS WIN FOR NORWICH

Portsmouth v Bolton
3pm tomorrow, Fratton Park
Last season: 4 (Stone, Sheringham 3) 0
Referee: Matt Messias (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Bolton striker Kevin Davies has gone 10 games without a goal. Portsmouth have scored four in two of their last three home matches.
Not much on this one for Portsmouth but Bolton, despite losing to Chelsea last weekend, still want to climb above Liverpool, no mean feat for a so-called unfashionable club.
Verdict: BOLTON BUOYANT

COCA-COLA LEAGUE

Cardiff v QPR
1pm Sunday, Ninian Park
Away ticket info: All ticket. £16-£18 (£12-£15 concs). Tel. 0870 112 1967
Referee: André Marriner (West Midlands)
Facts: QPR have won four and drawn two of their last six away games against Cardiff. Their last defeat at Ninian Park came in 1980.
Having helped edge Wimbledon towards oblivion, their former chairman Sam Hammam is now attempting to repeat the trick with Cardiff. The Bluebirds have at least guaranteed their place in the Championship next season but how many players will be left in August remains to be seen. Having endured their own financial problems Rangers are altogether more secure and can end the season on a high.
Verdict: RANGERS ROARING BACK

Millwall v Burnley
1pm Sunday, The Den
Tickets: £17-£23 (£7-£13 concs). Tel. 020 7231 9999
Last season: 2 (Ifill, Sweeney) 0
Referee: Brian Curson (Leicestershire)
Facts: Nine of player manager Dennis Wise's last 10 appearances for Millwall have come at The Den. Burnley have gone eight away games without a win.
The phoney war between Dennis Wise and Jeff Burnige will cease after this match and the real fighting can begin in earnest, with some tough decisions needed regarding the future of Millwall. Wise has improved his chances of staying on by engineering a successful end to the season, but the chairman appears determined to force him out. Whatever happens it won't be pretty.
Verdict: MILLWALL ON A WAR FOOTING

Watford v West Ham
1pm Sunday, Vicarage Road
Tickets: Home - Few remaining £22-£27-£30 (£12 concs), available to supporters on the Watford ticket database. Away - sold out
Last season: 0-0
Referee: Andy D'Urso (Billericay)
Facts: Watford are one of eight Championship teams that have won more away matches than home games this season.
If beleaguered manager Alan Pardew could pick one match to secure West Ham's place in the play-offs then it would probably be a trip to Vicarage Road, which has been more of a sandcastle than a fortress this season. Whether they can actually win promotion is another matter but a repeat of last season's playoff semi-final against Ipswich looks likely. Watford have inched themselves to safety so they are unlikely to offer much resistance.
Verdict: PLAY-OFFS FOR PARDEW

Brentford v Hull
3pm tomorrow, Griffin Park
Tickets: £13-£17 (£3-£12 concs). Tel. 0870 900 9229
Referee: Uriah Rennie (Sheffield)
Facts: Hull, who last visited Griffin Park in 1999, have won three of their last four at Brentford. Isaiah Rankin's goal for Brentford against Wrexham on Tuesday ended a run of 13 games for him without scoring.
Martin Allen has received plenty of publicity getting Brentford into the play-offs so there's no need to hurl himself into the Thames tomorrow. The Bees have their work cut out, especially as the boss has picked a bunch of young reserves.
Verdict: TOUGH FOR YOUNG BEES

Leyton Orient v Mansfield
3pm tomorrow, Brisbane Road
Tickets: £16 (£10 concs). Tel. 020 8926 1010
Last season: 3 (Alexander 2, Newey) 1 (Buxton)
Referee: Keith Stroud (Dorset)
Facts: Andy Scott, who will lead Orient out onto the pitch after retiring due to a heart problem, scored the winner for the O's at Mansfield in November.
Another disappointing season and Barry Hearn's dream of promotion is as distant as ever. Manager Martin Ling will be given the opportunity to make amends in the summer.
Verdict: ALL OVER FOR ORIENT

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