31-10-2010 Bet Of The Day

13:00  Aston Villa - Birmingham City

This is one of the hottest derby games in England, and with the teams so close to each other in mid-table it will be very intensive. Birmingham’s encounters are mostly physical anyway, and interestingly four of their nine games so far produced a red card, three of them for a hosting team when Birmingham were the visitors, including Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere two weeks ago. Five cards or more might be worth a try here.
Tip: Over 4.5 cards (1.90) - (Sportingbet)

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Tipovi za tiket 31-10-2010

13:00 Aston Villa - Birmingham : 1 @ 1.83 Bet365.com
15:00 Cagliari - Bologna : 1 @ 1.85 Bwin.com  
15:00 Parma - Chievo : 2 @ 3.97 10bet.com
17:00 Bolton (AH +0.25) - Liverpool : AH1 @ 1.98 Bet365.com 
20:45 Catania - Fiorentina : X @ 3.20 Stanjames.com

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31-10-2010 21:00 Athletic Bilbao - Getafe

Top Priority

Lying in the middle of the Primera Division table, Athletic Bilbao have aspirations for greater success, but a somewhat disappointing start to the season at San Mames has prevented them from grasping a higher position. On Sunday they have the opportunity to address that problem to some extent when they meet Getafe at the intimidating Basque venue.

Generally considered one of Spain’s toughest away trips, twice los Leones have been defeated at home in the space of only four fixtures. Atletico Madrid claimed a 2-1 success at the venue, and that was followed up by a 3-1 defeat against Barcelona. Mallorca and Zaragoza have both been beaten at home, and should Athletic keep beating that grade of team, they certainly won’t drop too far down the standings.

Last weekend, Joaquin Caparros’ side were involved in one of the most dramatic games of the season to date. Trailing 3-0 away to Sevilla with little more than 15 minutes remaining, los Leones recovered to 3-2 but couldn’t quite complete the comeback, ultimately slipping to a 4-3 loss against 10 men in Andalucia.

Their fortunes picked up in midweek as they defeated the notorious Alcorcon side 1-0 on the road, giving them a real boost in their Copa del Rey campaign. But the league remains their main focus, and three points against los Azulones on Sunday is their top priority for the week.

Hitting Form

After a somewhat sluggish start to the season, Michel’s Getafe are getting into their stride. The Madrid side won only one of their first four games of the campaign but have been buoyant since, claiming three successes in their last four.

Last weekend, el Geta made short work of Sporting de Gijon, smashing the Asturian side 3-0 to quickly get back to winning ways after a defeat against Atletico Madrid. Derek Boateng was the somewhat unlikely scorer of the opening goal just nine minutes into the game, and thereafter the hosts were well in charge. A penalty from Adrian Colunga and a strike from Ivan Marcano were enough to make the game safe.

But it’s not all been easy for the Madrid side in recent weeks. A midweek Copa del Rey match against Portugalete promised a routine win for the Primera Division side against the fourth flight unit. Adrian Sardinero struck early for the capital outfit, which was expected to prompt a collapse from their hosts. That never came, and a late goal would ensure that the minnows go into the second leg at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez with a real chance of qualification.

Having had their noses bloodied once already in the Basques Lands this week, Getafe won’t want to make it a double, though a 1-1 draw from a trip to San Mames would certainly seem an acceptable outcome. Last term, el Geta went unbeaten against los Leones, winning at home 2-0 and drawing away 2-2, giving them confidence ahead of the weekend.

TEAM NEWS

Athletic

Young left-back Jon Aurtenetxe was able to return to the squad for the midweek clash against Alcorcon, but Fernando Amorebieta and Aitor Ocio have not yet been able to overcome their injury problems and are not expected to do so before Sunday.

Ander Iturraspe and Koikili weren’t in the squad on Thursday for technical reasons but are highly likely to be involved come the weekend.

Getafe

Michel has having something of an injury nightmare at the moment. Jaime Gavilan and Nico Pareja are the latest victims, having been ruled out for approximately three weeks each on Tuesday. Juan Albin is expected to replace Pareja.

Mario Alvarez, Miguel Torres, Mane and Javier Casquero are also on the sidelines for the weekend, making up a rather worrying number.

Cata Diaz, Rafael Lopez, Víctor Sanchez, Adrian Colunga and Manu del Moral all enjoyed a midweek rest.

Prediction

With a good recent record against Athletic Bilbao and strong recent form at their back, Getafe will be hopeful they can at least take a draw from this encounter. San Mames is not an easy place to gain a win, but with los Leones having started the season with two wins and two defeats at the venue, los Azulones will not be ruling three points out.

Athletic Bilbao 2-2 Getafe

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31-10-2010 20:45 Catania - Fiorentina

No Slip-Ups
 
Catania may be in mid-table but the Sicilians are precariously near the dropzone. At the moment the Etnei are just a point ahead of third-from-bottom Bari.

Last weekend Catania went down 1-0 to Genoa in the league. It was their fourth league fixture without a win but they did recover somewhat in midweek when they defeated Varese 4-3 in their Coppa Italia third round tie.

Interestingly, Catania have yet to lose at home and have won two and drawn two of their matches at the Stadio Angelo Massimino so far.

Back In Form
 
Fiorentina are back in form and suddenly things look rosy. The Viola have been in despondent form since the start of the campaign and were even in the relegation zone at one stage but last weekend’s narrow but encouraging 1-0 win against Bari has brought the sun out of the clouds.

At the moment Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side are 15^th in the table but level on points with Bari, who are third from bottom. Last weekend’s match also saw the return of captain Riccardo Montolivo from injury and things went much better in midweek when they progressed to the fourth round of the Coppa Italia by defeated Empoli 1-0 in Florence.

Nevertheless, Fiorentina cannot take things with ease as they have a poor away form in the division so far, having failed to pick up a win yet.

TEAM NEWS
 
Catania
 
Augustyn, Ledesma, Morimoto and Terlizzi are unavailable because of injuries while Maxi Lopez is suspended. This means that Antenucci will be the lone striker in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Fiorentina
 
Jovetic, D'Agostino, Zanetti and Felipe are out injured but there are no suspension worries for the Viola. Mutu is back from his long suspension and he is likely to be drafted into the starting line-up and will be deployed just behind Gilardino in a 4-4-1-1 system.

Prediction

Fiorentina appear to have hit their stride and could just garner a narrow win even though they are away from home.

Catania 0-1 Fiorentina

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31-10-2010 19:00 Atletico Madrid - Almeria

Cup Specialists?

Two stylish wins from their opening two fixtures had some pundits raving over the possibility that Atletico Madrid could challenge the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly at the summit of the Primera Division, but since being beaten by Barca 2-1 at home, los Colchoneros have reverted back into their old inconsistent ways.

In the five league matches following that encounter, Atleti have won only twice, though they have admittedly had a tough run of games that have included fixtures against Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal. Nevertheless, having topped the table earlier this season, los Rojiblancos now find themselves eighth and playing catch-up with regard to the European spots.

Some confidence will have been taken from an emphatic 5-0 midweek success over Las Palmas in the Copa del Rey. The capital unit picked apart their Canary Island opponents away from home, cruising to a 5-0 success courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero, who hit a brace, Diego Godin, Diego Costa and Fran Merida.

Barring a complete catastrophe in the Vicente Calderon during the second leg, los Colchoneros have booked their spot in the last 16, allowing them to focus instead on Liga and European commitments. Under Quique Sanchez Flores, Atleti have built a reputation as being a cup side, able to produce the goods on the one-off occcasion but unable to rouse themselves for more mundane tasks. Against Almeria at the weekend, they must seek to shed that image.

Readying For A Scrap

Almeria are presently in their fourth successive season of top flight football, but already the signs suggest that they will have a hard task on their hands to make it five in a row. Since finishing eighth in their formative campaign in 2007-08 there’s been a steady decline in the fortunes of the Estadio Mediterraneo club, but this is shaping up to be their first big battle against the drop.

Through eight games of the season, the Andalucian outfit have managed to pick up only one victory, which came against bottom club Deportivo La Coruna. Admittedly Juanma Lillo’s side have proven difficult to beat, going down on only three occasions, but the fixture list has been relatively kind to them in the opening weeks of the campaign and they would expect to have more than seven points to their credit currently.

Around the festive period Almeria will find the going particularly tough, so points in the bag are essential to prevent them falling into a real scrap. Ahead of an encounter against a potentially explosive Atleti side, there is little room for optimism, though they did earn a 2-2 draw at the Vicente Calderon at the beginning of last term, when los Colchoneros did not have their eye on the ball.

Victory away from home in the Copa del Rey will have boosted Almeria’s spirits somewhat. They claimed a 3-2 success against Real Sociedad, recovering bravely from two goals down to carry an advantage into the second leg. If such fighting spirit can be replicated at the weekend, perhaps they have a chance to earn just a third Liga victory since mid-March.

TEAM NEWS

Atletico Madrid
 
Alvaro Dominguez has returned to training with the first team squad but isn’t expected back in the matchday panel unit next weekend’s derby against Real Madrid. Juan Valera, on the other hand, has started kicking a ball once again.

Almeria

Baltasar Rigo, Henok Goitom and Santi Acasiete were all overlooked in midweek but may well be given the opportunity to feature at the weekend. Juanma Lillo hasn’t given reports of any fresh injury problems since the weekend, though Hernan Pellerano and Miguel Angel Nieto are problems.

Prediction

A testing week is in store for los Colchoneros, with Rosenborg and Real Madrid to come, so failure to win this encounter would set an extremely negative tone. At the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, there won’t be a problem against a very modest Almeria side. 

Atletico Madrid 3-0 Almeria

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31-10-2010 17:30 1899 Hoffenheim - Hannover 96

In-Form Hoffe Confident

After suffering from a rough patch in September and the beginning of October, Hoffenheim are back near the top of the table, and have really found their form. They won their midweek DFB Pokal match, but far more impressively, the villagers held Dortmund to a draw last Sunday. Demba Ba, who now has scored in each of his last five appearances, netted an early goal in that match, and Hoffenheim were only denied a victory after Antonio da Silva was awarded a dubious late free kick that he converted.

A strong side at home, Hoffenheim now have a somewhat tricky fixture against a deceptively strong Hannover side. Before the match, Boris Vukcevic had complimentary words for Lower Saxony side, but suggested that they are a bit thin in attack:

“96 of course, have confidence and counter well,” he said according to the official Hoffenheim website. “But the team relies on Ya Konan.”

Assessing his own team’s performance against Ingolstadt in the Pokal, coach Ralf Rangnick was critical, particularly of his defence.

“There were gaps; on Sunday they had better not be there.”

Indeed, Hoffenheim are expected to use the makeshift pairing of Luis Gustavo and Marvin Compper in central defence, and could be susceptible at the back. Given Rangnick’s full throttle attack-based strategy, however, Hannover might barely have the chance to test their opponents.

Hannover Care-Free In Top Three

Just five months after narrowly avoiding relegation, Hannover are truly in nosebleed territory. Having won five of their first nine matches, the 96ers are third in the Bundesliga table, with 16 points - nearly half their 2009-10 total.

Heading into this weekend’s clash with Hoffenheim, die Roten are full of confidence. A week ago, they edged Koeln 2-1 thanks to an absolute wonder-strike from Didier Ya Konan.

Coach Mirko Slomka believes that their current standing in the league means that Hannover can play “without pressure, and equipped with a certain amount of confidence.” However, he admitted that he is not starting “to dream” of ending the season in a Champions League spot, citing the small points gap between third place and the lower half of the Bundesliga table.

TEAM NEWS

Hoffenheim
 
Thanks to a needless second booking last week, Sejad Salihovic will miss out on the action through suspension, and will likely be replaced by Gylfi Sigurdsson. There are question marks over the availability of Isaac Vorsah, who may be replaced in central defence by Luiz Gustavo, allowing Boris Vukcevic to earn a rare start in midfield. In addition to Salihovic, the only confirmed absentee is Josip Simunic, who is short of fitness.

Probable Starting XI: Starke – Beck, Luis Gustavo, Compper, Ibertsberger – Weis, Rudy, Vukcevic – Sigurdsson – Mlapa, Ba

Hannover

After featuring for 80 minutes last weekend, striker Mohamed Abdelaoue is expected to be fit enough to play the full match on Sunday. Hannover should be at nearly full fitness, although long-term absentees Carlitos, Leon Andreasen, and Emanuel Pogatetz remain sidelined.

Probable Starting XI: Fromlowitz – Cherundolo, Haggui, Schulz, Djakpa – Stoppelkamp, Schmiedebach, Pinto, Rausch – Ya Konan, Abdellaoue

Prediction

At home, Hoffenheim have a very formidable record. Hannover, meanwhile, are not so good on the road. The two teams have had similar success overall, but due to the stadium alone, the hosts have to be considered favourites.

Hoffenheim 3-2 Hannover 96

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31-10-2010 17:00 Real Sporting - Villarreal

Sticky Position

Only one point clear of the relegation zone, Sporting de Gijon are set to become embroiled in an almighty relegation dogfight that is likely to last the duration of the campaign. Manuel Preciado’s side have shown themselves to be incapable of stringing a series of good results together, but they are strong enough at El Molinon to believe they can be competitive against Villarreal this weekend.

Away from home, los Rojiblancos tend to struggle. Already this season they’ve lost on three of the four occasions they’ve played on the road. Facing Preciado’s team at El Molinon is a different story, however, as they have lost only one fixture at the venue this season.

Their poor form continued in midweek, when a trip to Mallorca resulted in a resounding 3-1 defeat, leaving the Asturias side on the verge of an early exit. That followed a thumping 3-0 loss in Getafe last weekend, which was a match that Sporting simply never got to grips with.

Aside from a decent home record, cause for optimism is thin on the ground. With only two league wins since mid-March, the Gijon club can at least draw comfort from the fact that they beat Villarreal at El Molinon almost a year ago. The 1-0 scoreline certainly wasn’t spectacular on that occasion, but this time around it would exceed expectations.

Going Strong

Villarreal are unbeaten in the Primera Division since an opening day loss against Real Sociedad had pundits questioning the Yellow Submarine’s course. In total, Juan Carlos Garrido’s side have dropped only five points this season, spilling two in an away fixture against Hercules by way of a 2-2 draw.

That set-back came only a fortnight ago, but the men from El Madrigal bounced back impressively last weekend to earn a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid. Success didn’t come without controversy, as the men from the capital seemed to be on the wrong end of several refereeing decisions, but the hosts were unforgiving as they struck through Cani and Giuseppe Rossi to earn three points that kept them right in tough with Real Madrid at the summit of the table.

It’s early in the season to be talking of the Yellow Submarine as potential title candidates, as any dip in form will surely be punished by los Blancos and Barcelona. In midweek, Villarreal showed signs of frailty as they drew 1-1 with Poli Ejido in the Copa del Rey, admittedly having fielded a significantly changed squad.

“We cannot be happy because we had many chances and should have scored more goals,” Garrido fumed after the fixture, promising that he wouldn’t be “lenient” on his players, despite their excellent start to the campaign.

Playing with fluidity and understanding at home, Villarreal are yet to gain any real rhythm on the road, so Sunday’s trip to northern Spain is a dangerous one.

TEAM NEWS

Sporting
A whole array of first team players were rested in midweek and all will regain a spot in the squad for the weekend. Sebastian Eguren and Sergio Alvarez, who was one of the stars of the midweek game, have both returned with knocks and will require late checks.

Villarreal

After rotating significantly in midweek, Juan Carlos Garrido will restore all of his first choice picks for the weekend trip to Gijon. Marco Ruben missed the midweek clash due to injury.

Prediction

If Villarreal are to mount a challenge for the title, this is exactly the kind of game they need to be winning. They may not possess the best individuals, but they have a system which is very effective for them, and they will therefore be confident of going to El Molinon and earning three points. Sporting, however, should not be taken lightly on their own patch and have it within themselves to get a draw from this encounter.

Sporting de Gijon 1-1 Villarreal

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31-10-2010 17:30 Olympique Marseille - Rennais

Winning Ugly

Olympique de Marseille were in a state of disarray after just two games of the season. Having suffered defeats against Caen and Valenciennes in the opening weeks, the French media were quick to note that only Nice back in the 1950s had lost their first two fixtures to come back and claim the title. It’s not yet November, but already the history books are ready to change.

Despite not playing the fluid brand of football that was seen as they claimed the title last season, Marseille are a side capable of winning games domestically on a consistent basis. Four of their last five Ligue 1 fixtures have been won, going unbeaten throughout that period. And it’s not been an easy run for OM, who have gone to Saint-Etienne to draw and Lille to win.

Victory last Sunday over les Dogues was an impressive result, even if OM were sluggish in the opening half and were somewhat fortunate to go in at the break only 1-0 down. There was a vast improvement after the break, but against a more ruthless side they would almost certainly have lost.

“We couldn’t play any worse,” Deschamps exclaimed to the media regarding his side’s first half showing in Lille. “Taking the three points is an excellent result, and given the results in other games this weekend, it’s an even better one. We’ll see what comes of it if we can be consistent. We haven’t been so far. A win like this is very important.”

Late on Wednesday afternoon, Marseille were again poor but had just enough quality and luck to dispatch Championnat National side Guingamp in the Coupe de la Ligue. If OM play to such a mediocre standard again at the weekend, they’ll need all their grit and determination to earn even a point.

Punching Hard

At the start of the season, Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti lamented his side’s underachievement last season, and his words seem to have prompted a very positive response from his team. Regularly at the right end of Le Championnat, the Breton club have rarely been at the very sharp end of the table, never having claimed the title previously. Indeed, this has been les Rouge et Noir’s best ever start to a top flight campaign.

The dark horses are plotting their winter transfer window already, according to rumours in the French press, but it’s easy to see why they’re going to take to the market. After selling strikers Asamoah Gyan and Ismael Bangoura for considerable fees at the end of the summer window, the Bretons have been left with only Victor Hugo Montano in attack.

Over the last three weeks the Colombian has been injured, and without another centre forward to fill his boots, the Bretons have been wholly toothless. They were held to a scoreless draw against a Lens side in the relegation zone a fortnight ago and lost their unbeaten Ligue 1 record against Montpellier last weekend, going down 1-0 at home.

Saturday evening’s fixture at the Stade Velodrome therefore promises to be an encounter that will give the Bretons a real acid test of how real their championship ambitions are. On recent form it’s tough to see them picking up anything more than a draw, but a victory would be a massive and somewhat unexpected boost.

TEAM NEWS

Marseille
 
There have been reports that Julien Rodriguez will consider quitting the professional game due to his persistent injury troubles. In the more immediate future, there are concerns over Stephane Mbia and Edouard Cisse, both of whom limped out of the midweek encounter in Brittany.

Rennes

After being dismissed last weekend, Kader Mangane will be absent. Veteran midfielder Jerome Leroy will be suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the opening 10 matches of the campaign.

In terms of injuries, key forward Hugo Montano, who is their only recognised goal scoring attacker, and Rod Fanni, should be able to return to the first team fold. Onyekachi Apam and Fabien Lemoine are still out.

Prediction

Marseille have had a happy habit of picking up wins even if they’ve not played well. With Victor Hugo Montano potentially missing for the visiting side, it’s difficult to see how they can provide a threat from open play great enough to worry their hosts, while the loss of Kader Mangane at the back may also be telling. OM haven’t yet clicked this season, so they won’t romp this game, but they should be good enough to win it.

Marseille 2-1 Stade Rennais FC

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31-10-2010 17:00 Bolton Wanderers - Liverpool

Reebok Revivals

The feel-good factor under Coyle has revitalised Bolton, while Hodgson finally had a week to enjoy since he took over at Liverpool.

Although disappointed to grab just a point against Wigan, the hosts' eighth spot in the table has been well earned, with the bitterness from Gary Megson's reign now just a memory.

Liverpool would kill to be in the same place after a disastrous beginning under Hodgson condemned them to 18th. But following a draw in Napoli and a win against Blackburn, the slow climb up the standings could continue if all three points are claimed.

History Book Horror

Bolton will be looking to reverse recent history after having become Liverpool's whipping boys.

The Anfield outfit have enjoyed a six-match winning streak against their weekend opponents after they previously traded results in the early part of the decade. Coyle will be keen to arrest the slide to continue the push into the upper echelons of the table.

What the Scot will not target is the disappointment of last season's 3-2 defeat at the Reebok under Megson. Bolton failed to follow up taking the lead twice and fell to a late Steven Gerrard strike.

TEAM NEWS

Bolton Wanderers

Manager Owen Coyle is able to call on all his big hitters for the visit of Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the hot-tempered draw at Wigan Athletic last weekend, no fresh injuries have reared their heads. Squad men Ricardo Gardner (thigh), Andy O'Brien (hamstring) and Jlloyd Samuel (calf) still remain sidelined for the coming weeks, with Joe O'Brien (knee) and Sean Davis (knee) out for lengthier periods.

Ivan Klasnic has been named in the matchday squad after his arrest and bail this week.

Probable starting XI: Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Lee, Holden, Muamba, Petrov; Elmander, Davies

Liverpool

The Reds travel to the Reebok with a midweek reserves defeat to Huddersfield Town having had an impact on boss Roy Hodgson's options.

A knock to Ryan Babel (ribs) that demanded hospital treatment has put his place in jeopardy. More positively, Fabio Aurelio (Achilles) enjoyed a 60-minute run out.

Daniel Agger (illness) is believed to be back in contention, with Glen Johnson (hamstring) has been handed an outside chance. Dirk Kuyt (ankle) is still a week away from a return.

Probable starting XI: Reina; Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Konchesky; Maxi, Gerrard, Lucas, Cole, Raul Meireles; Torres

Prediction

Bolton have turned the Reebok into a fortress under Owen Coyle and will point to their barn-storming display against Manchester United last month. Liverpool's recovery is still in its early stage and should suffer another setback on Sunday.

Bolton 2-1 Liverpool

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31-10-2010 15:30 Mainz 05 - Borussia Dortmund

Less Rock And Roll, More Championship Mettle

Rather appropriately from a team based in one of Germany's biggest carnival cities, there has been a fun factor about Mainz this season. The Bruchweg Boys have put smiles on the faces of many neutrals and made many friends along their path to the top of the Bundesliga. There will have been those who cringed at Lewis Holtby and Andre Schuerrle's attempts to rock and roll on German television but Thomas Tuchel's youngsters have been living it up on the pitch all season and enjoying almost every minute.

There is a deeper and more serious side however to Mainz's ascent. When any team is on a roll, if you'll excuse the pun, confidence remains high and the results continue to flow. Yet after taking the knock of a home defeat to the a wily and experienced Hamburg outfit, Mainz showed impressive character to win in the Bay Arena against potential title rivals Bayer Leverkusen. They find themselves again needing to bounce back tomorrow after a surprise cup defeat to border team Alemannia Aachen.

"Football is still played by human beings. Just because we beat Leverkusen, that does not mean we automatically have to beat second division Aachen. The cup has its own rules, that's part of the charm of the thing," remarked Tuchel in the pre-game press conference.
"So I do not understand that it should be an embarrassment for us just because we now beaten the smaller club. We have been giant-killing for weeks now in the league, "he continued.

Rather intriguingly, Tuchel then admitted to perhaps choosing the wrong strategy for the game. Mainz's success has been built upon a unique approach to every match, with considerable player input. Such public self-admonishment is not the sign of a coach who feels his team are temporary squatters at the top of the league. It will be interesting to see whether Tuchel can pluck another rabbit out of the hat, as he did with Andreas Ivanschitz last weekend. Otherwise, Dortmund have an array of players ready to pounce and reclaim the top spot.
 
Back On Familiar Territory

It has been far from the smoothest week in Dortmund as Der BVB first stumbled to a draw at home to an admittedly impressive Hoffenheim and were then eliminated on penalties in the DFB-Pokal by 3.Liga leaders Kickers Offenbach, whose general manager is none other than Dortmund legend Andreas Moeller. Yet, while it is easy to focus on the negatives, it is expedient to remember that despite a mediocre showing against Hoffe, Dortmund ground out a point (albeit with some controversy) in stoppage time. My colleague Clark Whitney astutely made the point that Dortmund do not know how to manage their way through a game, especially one in which it is not all one-way traffic but that they dug out a slightly undeserved point is reminiscent of Bayern Munich over the years.

Before the start of the season, Klopp made it clear that he was prepared to rotate in order to nurse the players through not only a potentially packed fixture schedule, but also to ensure they can have sufficient rest periods due to Dortmund's all-action style of play, which demands they cover as much ground as possible during the game. Shinji Kagawa is a player who is evidently not accustomed to this intensity in Japanese football and has shown signs in recent games of going off the boil. How Klopp shuffles his pack in the coming weeks up to the winter break may well determine their ability to truly sustain a title assault well into the spring. First though, he must pick his charges up from their surprise midweek cup elimination.

"We had to deal with a rather nasty evening. We have to taste defeat on occasions in order to have the drive to avoid such a repeat in the future," Klopp admitted in the pre-game press conference.

Klopp made reference during his remarks about Mainz's flexible tactical approach but he also pointed out that no matter what system they play, their style of play is rather similar to Dortmund's energetic brand of football and as such tomorrow's game will be won by the side who can out-do the other.

"We don't know exactly what we will be coming up against but we know what we must expect from the rightful leader of the Bundesliga. They are a side full of running, physically strong, very flexible and tactically very well set up."

"Mainz have the advantage of playing at home. But we don't feel outsiders at all."

TEAM NEWS

Mainz
 
Thomas Tuchel has not been a manager averse to rotation, much like his opposite number at Dortmund Klopp. He looks set to rest trio Niko Bungert, Miroslav Karhan and Lewis Holtby after the midweek cup defeat to Aachen. Mainz are without injured quintet Florian Heller, Heinz Mueller, Jan Simak, Zsolt Loew and Eugen Gopko.

Probable Starting XI: Wetklo - Zabavnik, Svensson, Noveski, Fuchs - Caligiuri, Polanski, Soto - Allagui, Schuerrle - Szalai

Borussia Dortmund

Juergen Klopp boasts one of the Bundesliga's deepest and broadest squads and it will be tested to the full in the coming weeks. Sebastian Kehl, Tamas Hajnal, Florian Kringe and Mohamed Zidan are all out. Patrick Owomoyela has not yet fully recovered from his injury and there are major doubts over Sven Bender and Jakub Blaszczykowski. Mario Goetze, Antonio da Silva and Marcel Schmelzer all look to have recovered from minor knocks picked up over the last week.

Probable Starting XI: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Sahin, Antonio da Silva - Goetze, Lewandowski, Grosskreutz - Barrios.

Prediction

I expect this to be a classic in terms of entertainment but perhaps the frenetic styles of both teams will lead to errors and fatigue deciding the outcome rather than sheer quality. Dortmund will face an extremely difficult task to win at the Stadion am Bruchweg but the presence of a motivated Robert Lewandowski to freshen up the attacking line may just tip the balance.

Mainz 2-3 Borussia

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31-10-2010 15:00 Bari - Udinese

Stopping The Rot

Bari are suffering from the ‘second season syndrome’ as after a very good time in the Italian top flight in 2009-10, the Galletti are fighting for survival. Currently stationed third from bottom in the league standings, Bari have just eight points from eight matches.

Bari are in a wretched run of form too at the moment as they have lost their last three league fixtures, conceding two goals each against Genoa, Lazio and Fiorentina. Having shipped in 13 goals, Giampiero Ventura’s side also boast of having the joint worst defensive record in the Italian first division.

However, Bari won against Torino in the Coppa Italia in midweek and will aim to win again on Sunday.

Mid-Table Mediocrity

Udinese are one of the favourites to go down to Serie B this season but are doing better than most would have expected them to. At the moment the Bianconeri are 11^th in the table with 10 points from eight matches.
However, Francesco Guidolin’s side are just two points above the relegation zone and need to keep on picking up points. Last weekend Udinese accomplished a marvelous 2-1 win against Palermo at home and in midweek destroyed Padova 4-0 in their Coppa Italia third round tie.

Nevertheless, Udinese have to maintain disciple at the back as they have conceded 10 goals already in the league.


TEAM NEWS

Bari 

Romero and Raggi are injured and will miss the match. Barreto and Castillo will be the two strikers in a 4-4-2 formation.

Udinese

Basta and Ferronetti are injured while Coda is suspended. Di Natale and Denis will be the two strikers in 3-4-1-2 system.

Prediction

This doesn’t promise to be a very entertaining match and it could be scrappy. A win for Udinese is not very likely even though Bari are in miserable form. A goalless draw could be final outcome.

Bari 0-0 Udinese

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31-10-2010 14:30 Newcastle United - Sunderland

A Catastrophe Is Never Far Away

Newcastle United and speculation go hand in hand; only this week the club had to come out and flatly deny they were plotting against their manager Chris Hughton. His position seems safe for now, but a home defeat at the hands of Sunderland has seen off bigger characters – just ask Ruud Gullit.

Which seems odd, as Hughton has built a decent looking side on a shoestring at Newcastle. His team currently sit ninth in the table, only four points behind Champions League representatives Tottenham and one point behind Sunderland. It doesn’t take an A* in Maths to work out that a win over their rivals would see them leapfrog the Black Cats and give supporters a legitimate claim to being top dogs in the North East. Not much at stake then.

Swings And Roundabouts

It’s a tired old cliche, but in the case of derbies form really does go out the window. Which is a shame for Sunderland, as they are unbeaten in seven league games and have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League matches.

It’s not all bad news for the Black Cats, as the last time they won a game at St James’ Park was back in November 2000 when none other than current chairman Niall Quinn got the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph over their rivals. In all, Sunderland have only won one of their last 10 games against Newcastle United and that was their first home victory against the Magpies in 28 years. Oh, and the Black Cats haven’t won an away game this season.

TEAM NEWS

Newcastle

Danny Simpson spent a spell on loan with Sunderland while playing for Manchester United, and the 23-year-old has returned to fitness in time for the derby. With James Perch looking suspect for the Magpies, expect Simpson to slot in at right-back for Newcastle.

Sol Campbell (thigh) looks set to miss out against the side he turned down this summer. Steven Taylor (shoulder) looks to have lost his battle to make the bench, and played no part against Arsenal in the midweek League Cup defeat.

Hatem Ben Arfa (broken leg), Dan Gosling (knee) and Steve Harper (collar bone) are all long-term absentees for Newcastle.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Krul; Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique; Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Gutierrez; Carroll, Ameobi

Sunderland

Kieran Richardson (hamstring) has trained this week but Steve Bruce is unlikely to risk the Englishman from the start. Instead, Phil Bardsley looks set to continue at left-back in a defence that has kept three clean sheets in a row.

Andy Reid is unavailable, after an emergency loan move to Sheffield United. Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (both knee) are long-term injury concerns for the Black Cats.

Probable Starting XI (4-5-1): Mignolet; Onuoha, Bramble, Turner, Bardsley; Elmohamady, Cattermole, Malbranque, Henderson, Welbeck; Bent

Prediction

On paper Sunderland look good for an away win, but football is a funny game and Newcastle have a habit of grabbing early goals in the Tyne-Wear derby. Chris Hughton has fostered a strong sense of spirit in his side, and this may well see them through to three points on Sunday.

Newcastle 2-1 Sunderland

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31-10-2010 13:00 Aston Villa - Birmingham City

Houllier Has Proud Personal Record To Defend

Aston Villa may not be in the best of form, but their manager Gerard Houllier has a proud record to defend when it comes to derbies.

The Frenchman has not lost a single derby game in the past 11 years, with his last defeat coming at the hands of Everton in the Merseyside derby in September 1999 at Anfield. In his defence, Steven Gerrard and the goalkeeper Sander Westerveld were sent off in that game – which contributed to the Toffees beating their neighbours.

But Houllier never lost another Merseyside derby, and at Olympique Lyonnais his side did not lose to St Etienne.

And having brought out the best in his players when it comes to derby games, the Frenchman hopes to inspire his latest charges to a victory over their arch-rivals.

He said: “Derbies show a lot about the character of your players - you have to play good football but also fight and compete.”

Recent History Doesn’t Favour Birmingham

History is against Alex McLeish’s men in this tie, as they have lost their last six games against Villa – including last season’s 1-0 defeats at home and away.

But Birmingham have recovered from a six-match winless run, to register a victory over Blackpool that was followed by a League Cup victory over Brentford. This should have restored some semblance of confidence to the squad.

With towering forward Nikola Zigic finally beginning to silence his critics by scoring in his side’s last two Premier League games, this game will come as a firm test of his mettle.

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa

Gabriel Agbonlahor (groin) and Stiliyan Petrov (knee) are sidelined through respective injuries, while Marc Albrighton is suspended after seeing a red in the recent League Cup victory over Burnley.

John Carew is recovering from an illness, while Luke Young is getting back from a hamstring injury. The pair are doubtful of featuring in the derby, but manager Gerard Houllier has hinted that Young may play some part. He would be in line for a start, as Habib Beye (ankle) remains a doubt.

Steve Sidwell will probably take Petrov’s place in the line-up, with Emile Heskey also likely to start after impressing in the Burnley game.

Possible starting line-up: Friedel, L Young, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Downing, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, A Young; Ireland; Heskey.

Birmingham City

Alexander Hleb returns to fitness for the short trip to Villa Park, having recovered from a knee injury picked up during the game against Blackpool.

Jean Beausejour (knee) and Cameron Jerome (ankle) remain on the sidelines, while there are doubts over the fitness of David Murphy and Martin Jirnaek.

Michel is expected to be in contention after recovering from a minor knock during midweek, but it is unlikely that he will be handed a spot in the starting line-up for this game.

Meanwhile, Craig Gardner returns after serving a suspension.

Possible starting line-up: Foster; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Gardner, Fahey, Hleb; Zigic.

Prediction

The Second City derby should be a heated contest between the two sides, and Villa boss Gerard Houllier should be able to protect his derby record with a victory over Birmingham.

Aston Villa 2-1 Birmingham

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