Weekend football focus

Ken Dyer|Raoul Simons|Paul Fielder|Evening Standard

14 April 2012

Arsenal v Sheffield United
1.30pm Sunday, Old Trafford - live on BBC1
Tickets: All ticket. £20-£50 (family enclosure sold out). Tel. 0870 380 0232 or go to www.arsenal.com
Facts: This is Sheffield United's 12th cup game of the season and only the second they've had to play away from Bramall Lane. The other occasion was the extra-time defeat in the Worthington Cup semi-final second leg which they had to play at Anfield. Arsenal have not kept a clean sheet for seven games
Recommended pub: Quality Hotel (Waters Reach, Trafford Park)
On the face of it, Sheffield United have about as much chance of beating Arsenal in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final as Tecwen Whittock has of getting time off work with bronchitis. The rumour is that the next series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? will be sponsored by Benylin. But back to the serious stuff at Old Trafford where that quiet, unassuming Neil Warnock and his young Blades will be doing their level best to upset and unsettle the football elitists from Highbury. Sunday's big match is just the start of a huge week for Arsene Wenger, who then finds himself up against a certain Scot of the knighted variety.
Verdict: ARSENAL OFF TO CARDIFF

Watford v Southampton
4.30pm Sunday, Villa Park - live on Sky Sports 1
Tickets: Watford allocation sold out
Facts: James Beattie, who has scored in each of his last five Premiership games, has contributed just one of Southampton's 11 goals in this season's FA Cup. Watford lost their last game at Villa Park 4-0 against Aston Villa in February 2000
Recommended pub: Cap'N'Gown (Witton Road)
What have Southampton and Watford got in common? Not a lot really, apart from the fact that their respective managers are both little blokes with red hair. The Saints will obviously start the second of Sunday's semi-finals as firm favourites but Watford quietly fancy they could cause a shock here. And why not? Ray Lewington's team already have the scalps of Premiership strugglers West Brom and Sunderland hanging from their belts so why should they be scared of Gordon Strachan's team? To win, though, the Hornets have to keep Beattie quiet and that hasn't been easy this season.
Verdict: WONDERFUL WATFORD

Barclaycard Premiership

Blackburn v Charlton
3pm Saturday, Ewood Park
Away ticket info: £10 (£5 concs). Tel. 020 8333 4010
Last season: 4 (Tugay, Cole, Hignett, Jansen) 1 (Euell)
Facts: Blackburn are unbeaten in eight Premiership home fixtures, while Andy Cole has gone eight without a goal. Last week's 6-1 defeat by Leeds was the first time Charlton had conceded six in a game since a 7-0 loss at Brighton in 1983
Recommended pub: The Fernhurst (Bolton Road)
Charlton are usually so organised, so disciplined but last weekend their game plan went mammaries up as Leeds put six past Dean Kiely. Manager Alan Curbishley and his right-hand man Mervyn Day would have been distinctly underwhelmed by their side's defending. Tomorrow's opponents Blackburn demonstrated their zest with an impressive win over Fulham on Monday night and still believe they have a chance of European qualification.
Verdict: LOOKING TOUGH FOR CHARLTON

Chelsea v Bolton
3pm Saturday, Stamford Bridge
Tickets: £28-£33 (£11-£20 concs). Tel. 020 7386 7799
Last season: 5 (Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Zenden, Hendry og, Lampard) 1 (Nolan)
Facts: Bolton, who have kept three clean sheets in a row, haven't managed a win or a draw at Stamford Bridge since 1975. Chelsea midfielders Enrique De Lucas, Jody Morris and Boudewijn Zenden have scored just one goal each this season
Recommended pub: Scruffy Murphys (Fulham Road)
With Newcastle and Liverpool both faltering, it was a dream weekend for Chelsea. Now they have to make sure there are no slip-ups against Bolton, who have proved themselves to be one of the in-form teams of the Premiership in the last few weeks. Given their financial problems, it is imperative the Blues make sure of that Champions League spot.
Verdict: BLUES IN THE MOOD

Leeds v Tottenham
3pm tomorrow, Elland Road
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 2 (Harte, Kewell) 1 (Poyet)
Facts: Leeds haven't lost at home to Spurs since 1996. Darren Anderton is still waiting for his first goal of the season
Recommended pub: Bars in the ground
Tottenham fans can't seem to make up their minds whether this has been a reasonable season for their club, or not. It is true that Glenn Hoddle's team have struggled to maintain their early season promise, when the talk was even of Champions League at one stage. Now there is a tangible feeling of wasted opportunities and it's going to take a spectacular run-in to change their mood.
Verdict: NO JOY FOR SPURS

Liverpool v Fulham
3pm Saturday, Anfield
Away ticket info: £25 (£12.50 concs). Tel. 0870 442 1234
Last season: 0-0
Facts: Fulham have gone 13 away games without a win and, despite having never lost a Premiership game at Anfield, have failed to score on four of their last five visits. Fulham have lost on each of the last four occasions that Lee Clark has played
Recommended pub: Stanley Park (Langham Street)
Fulham looked well under par against a rejuvenated Blackburn on Monday night but who can blame them with their employer off house-hunting in Switzerland, their manager on his bike in a month or so and doubts about exactly where they are going to play next season? It all adds up to a distinctly unsettling time for the Fulham faithful and it seems unlikely to improve in the short-term.
Verdict: FULHAM CONTINUE TO FALTER

West Ham v Aston Villa
3pm Saturday, Upton Park
Tickets: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Defoe) 1 (Dublin)
Facts: West Ham are unbeaten in five games, while Villa have not won in six. After nine yellow cards and one red in his first 19 games this season, Tomas Repka has now played nine games without troubling the referee
Recommended pub: The Central (Barking Road)
West Ham's players must feel like they are running through treacle. Despite going five matches without defeat, they can't seem to make up any ground on their relegation rivals. Even if they beat Aston Villa tomorrow, Glenn Roeder's side will remain in the bottom three although the alarm bells could then be ringing loudly in the Midlands, both for Graham Taylor's team and Birmingham, should they fail to beat doomed Sunderland.
Verdict: HAMMERS HOPE

Division 1

Grimsby v Crystal Palace
3pm Saturday, Blundell Park
Away ticket info: No advance sales. £17 (£11 concs) at the turnstiles
Last season: 5 (Todd, Boulding, Allen, Fleming og, D Smith) 2 (Gray, Morrison)
Facts: Crystal Palace's record of one win in their last eight league games would put them fourth from bottom on current form in Division One. Grimsby haven't lost at home to Palace in five meetings since 1996
Recommended pub: The Leaking Boot (Grimsby Road)
Like contestants on Celebrity Fame Academy, the Crystal Palace squad are playing for survival at the moment following Simon Jordan's promise of a summer clear-out. Their performance in Tuesday's home defeat by Watford 'reserves' did little to improve the chairman's mood, so manager Trevor Francis will be anxious to give the travelling fans something to sing about at lowly Grimsby.
Verdict: CRYSTAL CHEER

Millwall v Stoke City
3pm Saturday, The Den
Tickets: £16-£22 (£7-£12 concs). Tel. 020 7231 9999, available to members and season ticket holders only
Facts: Stoke goalkeeper Mark Crossley has conceded only one goal in the six games of his second loan spell at the club. Millwall striker Steve Claridge has gone 11 games without a goal
Recommended pub: Bars in the ground
With mid-table obscurity safely in the bag, Millwall are now doing their best to make a name for themselves and keep their manager, Mark McGhee, in a job. A Yorkshire double over Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford has brightened everybody's mood although Stoke, bobbing just above the relegation area, have plenty to play for.
Verdict: LIONS ON THE RUN

Wimbledon v Derby
3pm Saturday, Selhurst Park
Tickets: £18-£27 (£12-£15 concs). Tel. 020 8771 8841
Facts: Wimbledon are unbeaten in five home games, while Derby have won just two of their last 12 away games. Former Ipswich manager George Burley will have enjoyed his first win as Derby's interim manager - last week's 2-1 victory over Norwich
Recommended pub: Clifton Arms (Clifton Road)
Another game of spot the crowd at Selhurst Park tomorrow with Derby fans almost as disillusioned as Wimbledon's stayaways with the plight of their club since relegation from the Premiership. George Burley has teamed up with nephew Craig in an attempt to save the Rams from the drop, but it will be no family picnic against a Dons side that have won their last four home games.
Verdict: FEAST FOR DONS

Nationwide Divisions 2 & 3

Queens Park Rangers v Luton
3pm Saturday, Loftus Road
Tickets: All ticket match. £14-£16 (£7-£8 concs). Limited availability. Tel. 020 8740 2575
Facts: Luton have gone five games without a win, failing to score in three. QPR's Richard Langley has scored four goals in his last two games. Luton last won at Loftus Road in 1984
Recommended pub: O'Donoghues (Goldhawk Road)
Rangers had better be prepared because Luton will throw everything at them. The Hatters are still clinging to hopes of overturning a 10-point deficit and denying Ian Holloway's men a play-off place. But QPR's red-hot form should bring a flush to Joe Kinnear's cheeks.
Verdict: NO JOKE FOR JOE

Wigan v Brentford
3pm Saturday, JJB Stadium
Away ticket info: £14 (£9 concs). Tickets available at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (McCulloch) 1 (Ingimarsson)
Facts: Wigan, who can clinch promotion if results go their way tomorrow, have gone three home games without a win. Defender Michael Dobson's goal against Cheltenham last weekend was his first in 101 league games for Brentford
Recommended pub: Bars in the ground
Brentford manager Wally Downes, who was spotted in the crowd at last week's ABA boxing championships at York Hall in Bethnal Green, hopes his lightweight forwards have finally figured out how to land the knockout blow. Five goals in two games have eased relegation fears at Griffin Park, although title-chasing Wigan are likely to pack too much of a punch.
Verdict: BEES FLEE

Hartlepool v Leyton Orient
3pm Saturday, Victoria Park
Away ticket info: £13 (£6 concs). Tickets available at the turnstiles
Last season: 3 (Watson, Smith, Tinkler) 1 (Harris)
Facts: Hartlepool, who have been replaced as favourites to win Division Three with some bookmakers, have gone four games without a win. Wayne Purser, who scored a hat-trick on his Orient debut last week, had scored four goals in 26 games for Barnet this season
Recommended pub: Fibber McGintys (Whitby Street)
When Everton introduced an exciting young striker named Wayne to the first team it took him eight games to score his first goal, but no such delay for Rooney's namesake at Orient. Wayne Purser marked his debut with a hat-trick against Boston and a repeat at high-flying Hartlepool could spark 'Purser mania' in east London.
Verdict: ORIENT ON THE WANE

MORE ABOUT

Aston Villa

Weekend football focus

Read More