Weekend football focus

Everton v Blackburn
4.05pm Sunday, Goodison Park - live on Sky Sports 1
Last season: 0-1 (Stead)
Referee: Mike Riley (Leeds)
Facts: Leon Osman, who scored twice against Aston Villa last week, has now found the net seven times in 27 Premiership appearances.

Head-banger James Beattie got a taste of his own medicine on a night out in Birmingham last weekend and William Gallas will have enjoyed seeing the pictures of the burly frontman being taken down a peg or three. That'll teach him to turn down Aston Villa. Beattie has not played a game since that sending-off against Chelsea but Everton have hardly missed him, consolidating their position in the fourth Champions League spot, which they should further strengthen tomorrow.
Verdict: EVERTON MARCH ON

Fulham v Charlton
3pm tomorrow, Craven Cottage
Tickets: HOME - £28-£37 (£14-£27 concs). Tel: 0870 442 1234. AWAY - Sold out
Last season: 2 (Malbranque, Davis) 0
Referee: Steve Bennett (Orpington)
Facts: Charlton haven't beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage since 1986 and haven't scored an away goal against them in the Premiership.

Fulham should be able to muster enough points between now and May to ensure their Premiership status but the fact remains it has not been an easy season for Chris Coleman and his team. Charlton, on the other hand, came through a blip themselves but seem to be in good shape as the climax of the season approaches.
Verdict: AWAY WIN

Newcastle v Liverpool
3pm tomorrow, St James' Park
Last season: 1 (Shearer) 1 (Murphy)
Referee: Howard Webb (Rotherham)
Facts: Newcastle have gone seven games without defeat. Including a goal for Norway against Malta, Liverpool's John Arne Riise has scored four times in his last six matches.

Some say Liverpool got exactly what they deserved from Sunday's Carling Cup Final epic with Chelsea but other, more charitable, souls say that they almost got away with defending for 89 minutes. There does, though, seem to be some dissension within the Liverpool camp, as defender Sami Hyypia pointed out afterwards, when he said there was still uncertainty about how they should play. Newcastle manager Graeme Souness will have taken due note.
Verdict: SOUNESS ALL SMILES

Norwich v Chelsea
5.15pm tomorrow, Carrow Road - live on PremPlus
Away ticket info: Sold out
Referee: Mark Halsey (Bolton)
Facts: Kerry Dixon scored the only goal of the game when Chelsea last won at Carrow Road in March 1992.

I had always suspected Delia Smith was a woman of great passion. The way she whisks an egg was a dead giveaway. Some of the sensitive souls up in Norfolk, though, seem to have taken great umbrage at her cry from the heart at half-time in the match against Manchester City but I say, good on you Delia, at least you care. Jose Mourinho says, far from trying to upset the Liverpool fans, he was gesturing the media to stay cool. Right on, Jose.
Verdict: SAVE YOUR BREATH DELIA

Southampton v Tottenham
3pm tomorrow, St Mary's
Away ticket info: Sold out
Last season: 1 (Delap) 0
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
Facts: Spurs have not scored a goal away to Southampton since a 1-0 victory in November 1999. Since then they have lost five in a row, including a 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup.

Peter Crouch may look like a window cleaner's ladder but he has deceptive finesse for one so gangly. The striker's performance at Griffin Park in the fifth-round replay against Brentford on Tuesday night helped to maintain Southampton's FA Cup interest but far more important would be a goal or two against a Tottenham side who could conceivably climb to fifth spot by the end of the season if they continue to do well.
Verdict: SPURS STILL CLIMBING

West Brom v Birmingham
Noon Sunday, The Hawthorns
Referee: Steve Dunn (Bristol)
Facts: Birmingham have not drawn any of their last 15 games. Darren Anderton has gone eight matches without a goal. Kenny Cunningham will make his 300th top flight appearance if he plays tomorrow.

As the author of several unheralded murder mystery novels - Striker! was somehow overlooked for a Pulitzer - Steve Bruce has a good understanding of the criminal mind, which perhaps explains his support for Jermaine Pennant. The Birmingham boss has vowed to stand by his on-loan midfielder while he completes a rather different type of three-month loan at Woodhill Prison, but he will at least get some exercise by turning out for the Woodhill First XI. Pennant could be back at Birmingham in six weeks but, with West Bromwich seven points from safety, Bryan Robson's side have no chance of getting out of jail.
Verdict: BAGGIES GOING DOWN

COCA-COLA LEAGUE

QPR v Reading
3pm tomorrow, Loftus Road
Tickets: Limited availability. Tel. 0870 112 1967
Referee: Tony Leake (Lancashire)
Facts: Reading have gone 10 league games without a win and have failed to score in six of them. QPR's last success against Reading at Loftus Road came in 1967.

Never mind Manchester United's prawn sandwich brigade, Chelsea's bankers and the Arsenal literati, Queens Park Rangers must have the most well-heeled fans in football as they keep putting their hands into their pockets. Four Rangers supporters and chairman Bill Power put together a £750,000 bid to sign Andrew Davies from Middlesbrough following a successful loan spell at the club. Unfortunately, the deal fell through due to the defender's excessive wage demands. Despite that disappointment, at least it proves that Rangers fans are willing to dig deep for the club. The Loftus Road faithful have been on their team's back in recent weeks but the players should get a rousing reception following their win at Ipswich.
Verdict: FAN POWER FIRES RANGERS

Watford v Coventry
3pm tomorrow, Vicarage Road
Tickets: £20-£25 (£15 concs). Tel. 0870 111 1881
Last season: 1 (Fitzgerald) 1 (Staunton)
Referee: Mick Thorpe (Suffolk)
Facts: Coventry striker Gary McSheffrey has scored three goals in his last five appearances. Watford haven't lost at home against Coventry since 1988.

Watford's players can get down the travel agents and start planning their summer holidays as their work for this season is almost done. Ray Lewington's side are just about safe from relegation, but stand little chance of forcing their way into play-off contention. Mid-table mediocrity may sound boring, but Coventry would love to be in such an elevated position and another defeat could plunge Micky Adams's side into the bottom three.
Verdict: CRISIS FOR COVENTRY

West Ham v Preston
3pm tomorrow, Upton Park
Tickets: £24-£35 (£12-£17.50 concs). Tel. 0870 112 2700
Last season: 1 (Connolly) 2 (Fuller, Healy) Referee: Steve Tanner (South Gloucestershire) Facts: Preston are unbeaten in the five games they have played against opposition from London this season, winning four and drawing one.

West Ham fans have long suffered from delusions of grandeur and the disease now appears to be spreading to the club's players. Centre-back Malky Mackay (right) insisted this week that the Hammers can still win automatic promotion, but they would be better off concentrating on consolidating their position in the top six. Preston are one of the Championship's form teams and could spring a surprise.
Verdict: HAMMERS SLIP UP

Colchester v Brentford
3pm tomorrow, Layer Road
Away ticket info: £15-£18 (£9-£11 concs). Pay at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (Vine) 1 (Rougier)
Referee: Phil Prosser (West Yorkshire)
Facts:Brentford have gone four games without a win, conceding 11 goals in the process. Colchester have won one of their last six in the league.

Martin Allen may have packed away his arm-bands and swimming trunks, but the Brentford boss is still determined to make a big splash. With the Bees' glorious FA Cup run consigned to the past they can concentrate on the more important task of winning promotion to the Championship via the play-offs. Brentford have slipped up in the league recently but, if they rediscover that winning feeling at Colchester, Allen will jump for joy.
Verdict: ALLEN'S RIVER DANCE

Yeovil v Leyton Orient
3pm tomorrow, Huish Park Away ticket info: £14-£15 (£7-£11 concs). Pay at the turnstiles
Last season: 1 (Crittenden) 2 (Peters, Alexander)
Referee: Mick Fletcher (Worcestershire)
Facts: Lee Steele's 13th goal of the season against a Darlington side including ex-Celtic winger Bobby Petta last week was his first for Orient since November.

Martin Ling is still clinging on to his play-off dream but a long trip to the League Two leaders will see his managerial skills put to the test. Orient have tightened up in recent weeks and could return with a point to stay in contention.
Verdict: Os DREAM IS ALIVE

Millwall v Leeds
2pm Sunday, The Den
Tickets: £19-£26 (£10-£16 concs). Members only. Tel. 020 7231 9999
Referee: Barry Knight (Kent)
Facts: Tony Cascarino scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win for Millwall when Leeds last visited Millwall in November 1987. Dennis Wise's side haven't scored a goal from open play since their 2-1 win at Forest on 15 January.

Millwall are considering a firesale after announcing losses of £1.5million but, unfortunately, several of their players are damaged goods. Just one win in six games has seen their play-off hopes all but disappear and the club would be better advised to hold a raffle if they want to raise some cash. Such financial constraints have left Dennis Wise frustrated and, if Millwall's position continues to deteriorate, he will want to take up an offer from his old pal Ken Bates at Leeds.
Verdict: WORRIES FOR WISE