26-12-2010 18:30 Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur

Villa Looking To End Boxing Day Hoodoo

The home side entertain Tottenham at 5.30pm on Boxing Day, knowing that they have just recorded one win in their last nine fixtures on the same date. Gerrard Houllier's men will be confident after recording a 2-1 win against local rivals West Bromwich Albion in their last game a fortnight ago, but Spurs will provide a much sterner test.

Villa fans would be forgiven for not being too optimistic for the visit of Harry Redknapp's in-form side as their team have not kept a clean sheet in their last seven Premier League games, with the win against West Brom only their fourth league victory of the season.

Houllier's reign has not started as smoothly as he would have hoped, with fans expecting the club to challenge for the European spots, not to be embroiled in a possible relegation battle. With rumours of a January clear-out on the way, a win against Spurs would be the perfect tonic for Villa fans hoping their side can begin to climb the table.

Spurs Hoping For Excellent Form To Continue

Harry Redknapp's men will arrive at Villa Park in high spirits after recording a credible 1-1 draw against champions Chelsea in their last game and in the middle of an impressive run that has seen them beat fierce rivals Arsenal at the Emirates.

The statistics suggest that Spurs should struggle against Villa - they have not kept a clean sheet for an incredible 16 league games and have only won twice of their 18 Premier League trips to Villa Park.

They have also one just one competitive game against London this season, a remarkable statistic for a team that have qualified top of a Champions League group including Inter Milan and are simultaneously keeping up with the Premier League's top four. Spurs are unbeaten in their last six league games and will hope that their attacking flair continues to cover up their defensive frailties in this Boxing Day clash.

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa

Gerrard Houllier has received an early Christmas present with news that club captain Stiliyan Petrov and fellow midfield Fabian Delph have returned to first team training.

Villa have been without the two players for two and seven months respectively [both knee] but the game against Tottenham on Sunday is likely to come too soon for them to be included in the starting eleven. Houllier has not ruled them out for definite and it is likely that they will be on the bench for the home side.

Defender Luke Young [groin] and the pacy Gabriel Agbonlahor [illness] are slight doubts but are both expected to be passed for fit to be included in the Boxing Day squad.

Possible Starting XI: Friedel; L Young, Cuellar, Collins, Warnock; Albrighton, Bannan, Reo-Coker, Downing; A Young; Heskey.


Tottenham

Tottenham could welcome back star man Rafael van der Vaart [hamstring], as well as midfielder Jermaine Jenas [calf] and defender Younes Kaboul [hip] for Sunday's match at Aston Villa.

William Gallas will undergo a fitness test to see if he has fully recovered from the hamstring injury he picked up a fortnight ago.

Ledley King [groin] has trained this week but is not deemed fit enough to play, whilst forgotten man Jonathan Woodgate is not expected to feature until near the end of the season.

Possible Starting XI: Gomes; Hutton, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Modric, Palacios, Bale; Van der Vaart; Defoe.

Prediction

Aston Villa have a number of key players returning from injury and a 2-1 win against West Brom could have signalled the end of their poor run, but I expect the quality of Spurs to prove too much for Gerrard Houllier's underachieving side.

The statistics show that Tottenham struggle at Villa Park but the attacking quartet of Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart behind the instinctive finishing of Jermain Defoe will have Villa fans worried.

The home side have quality in their side too, with Ashley Young, Stewart Downing and Marc Albrighton able to cause a leaky Spurs defence problems - but it is at the back where Villa could really be exposed.

Expect goals and an open game. Tottenham to record just their second win outside of the capital this season.

Aston Villa 1-3 Tottenham

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26-12-2010 16:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers - Wigan Athletic

Hitting A Stride

Wolves have won their last two games at Molineux and would have given local rivals West Brom a tough game had last week's fixture at the Hawthorns gone ahead.

A win for the Midlands side on Sunday could see them escape the bottom three for the first time since the beginning of the season.

Hitting Rock Bottom?

Wigan, meanwhile, are in a spot of bother having not won since mid-November, and have not won away since August, when the Latics triumphed by a slender margin at White Hart Lane.

Defeat for the Lancashire would see them slip behind their opponents in the league table and would see the odds on Wigan falling down to the Championship tumble even further after a mixed season.

TEAM NEWS

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Boss Mick McCarthy will be without long-term absentees Karl Henry, Jody Craddock and Adlene Guedioura, who are all not due back until late January at the earliest.

Kevin Doyle will also undergo a late fitness test to ascertain whether he will be able to start, with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake primed to start up top if the Irishman is ruled out.

But the home side, despite being rooted to the bottom of the Premier League disciplinary table, otherwise have a full host of players to choose from with no suspensions.

Possible starting XI: Hahnemann; Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Jarvis, Foley, Mancienne, Milijas, Hunt; Ebanks-Blake

Wigan Athletic

The Honduran duo of Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas will both be missing through suspension after picking up a host of yellow cards this season, leaving manager Roberto Martinez with something of a selection headache.

James McCarthy, Victor Moses and Franco di Santo are all expected to miss out through injury.

Possible starting XI: Habsi; Stam, Gohouri, S Caldwell, Alcaraz; Cleverley, McArthur, Watson, Diame, N'Zogbia; Rodallega

Prediction

A six pointer if ever there was one for these sides, who will both eye the scrap with a fellow struggler as an opportunity to pick up much needed points to ward away from relegation.

The Latics won 2-0 at Molineux last season, but will struggle without the power of Figueroa and Thomas, and Wolves should have enough to grab at least a point.

Wolves 1-1 Wigan Athletic

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26-12-2010 16:00 Newcastle United - Manchester City

No Time For Sentiment For Former Citizen Barton

Manager Alan Pardew will be delighted with the news that Barton has publicly stated that he is very happy at the club. Earlier this week there was speculation about his future and indeed prolific goalscorer Andy Carroll and midfielder Kevin Nolan.

But this week the new manager insisted that these players would not be going anywhere as he bids to send the Toon back up the Premier League.

Barton himself faces his former team but has said there will be no sentiment when they meet on Boxing Day and he certainly will not be wanting his old team to grab the three points in this match.

Pardew got off to a great start as Newcastle manager winning 3-1 against Liverpool in his first game in charge. With the Birmingham City match postponed due to the severe weather conditions, his second game will certainly be no easier.

Roberto Mancini Hoping To Put Everton Defeat Behind Him

The Blues boss will be disappointed after his side’s 2-1 defeat at home to Everton which with a win could have seen them go top of the league at Christmas time for the first time since 1921.

However, Tim Cahill and Leighton Baines spoiled City'a Christmas party in a whirlwind first 20 minutes which saw the Toffees storm to a 2-0 lead. A solitary reply from a deflected Yaya Toure shot midway through the second half after the visitors has been reduced to ten men gave City a lifeline but the away side held on for a crucial three points and only their fourth win of the season.

This defeat will have not have gone down well at Eastlands and Mancini knows that any more slip-ups could prove costly if his side are to be in the running for the Premier League at the end of the season.

City will be quietly confident of picking up a good result on Boxing Day. They are undefeated in their last five away games in all competitions and have not lost the last three in this fixture but they will have to keep Barton and Carroll quiet to continue this record.

TEAM NEWS

Newcastle United

Veteran defender Sol Campbell is expected to return for the Boxing Day clash from a virus he picked up last week.

Shola Ameobi is out with a hamstring injury and will not be expected back until at least the start of the New Year. Young striker Niall Ranger will be given the opportunity to impress his new boss. Otherwise there are no fresh injury concerns for Newcastle boss Alan Pardew.

Possible starting XI: Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Campbell, Enrique; Routledge, Barton, Tiote, Gutierrez; Carroll, Ranger

Manchester City

Kolo Toure will miss the match at St James’ Park after he received his marching orders for two bookings in the space of a minute against Everton in Monday's 2-1 defeat.

Roberto Mancini might be keen to bench Mario Balotelli for this match after the Italian's outburst to the media during the week claiming that he was better than Cesc Fabregas and Wayne Rooney after winning Young European Player of the Year.

The Citizens' boss will want to make sure his young protege keeps his feet on the ground, if that is possible, and remained focus on what matters - his football.

This could see the return of striker Jo who has been frozen out recently at Eastlands.

Possible starting XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Boateng, Kompany,Kolarov; Barry, Silva, Johnson, Yaya Toure; Tevez, Jo

Prediction

City's recent disappointing loss to Everton deprived them of the opportunity to go top of the table, but Mancini's side are undefeated in their last 5 away games and will be hoping to continue in a similar vein at St James' Park. Newcastle for their part come fresh off the back of an impressive victory against Liverpool. A draw looks like a good bet in what should be an absorbing encounter.

Newcastle 1-1 Man City

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26-12-2010 16:00 Manchester United - Sunderland

Top Of The Table

United have done very well to surge forward to the top of the table owing to Chelsea’s poor form, and now have a two-point lead over second placed Arsenal with a game in hand.

This puts them in a very strong position ahead of this Boxing Day fixture, and confidence can be taken from the fact that they have been traditionally superb during this period.

Of their last 16 outings right after Christmas, the Red Devils have gone on to win 15 of them. Sir Alex Ferguson’s charges have also been at the top of the league at this stage on five previous occasions, and went on to win the Premier League in four of them.

If that is not enough, the Old Trafford outfit remain the only team in the top-flight who are yet to be beaten in the league, and have won their last three games on the domestic circuit.

And the recent victory over Arsenal would likely lift the spirits of even the most pessimistic of United fans, as they head into this home game against Steve Bruce’s side.

Bruce Looking For His Maiden Triumph Over Ferguson

The Sunderland manager was a previous Manchester United player – and captain - himself, and knows precisely how the mood will be in the opposite camp ahead of this game.

But his own players’ achievements are no less significant, as they are currently placed sixth in the standings. And having carved out a previous 3-0 victory over Chelsea, the Black Cats may fancy their chances against their opponents.

However, Bruce is yet to beat his former boss in the tactical field, as he has never bested Ferguson during his years as a manager. But he will know that it nearly happened last season, when the Wearsiders were leading 2-1 and looked like winning the game before an own goal from Anton Ferdinand during stoppage time meant that it ended all square.

But is has been four decades – 42 years, to be precise – since Sunderland managed to beat the Red Devils in their own backyard, which means that the current crop will go into the club’s history books if they manage to pull off what would seem an unlikely victory.

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

Michael Owen recently declared himself fit for the Christmas period, which comes as a boost to manager Sir Alex Ferguson. But the experienced forward is likely to remain a fringe player, as he remains well down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Paul Scholes (groin) is not expected to return for another two weeks, while Antonio Valencia (ankle) and Owen Hargreaves (hamstring) remain sidelined.

Possible starting line-up: Van der Sar; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani; Berbatov, Rooney.

Sunderland

Lee Cattermole is suspended for this encounter after an accumulation of bookings. Danny Welbeck will also be unavailable, as he is on loan from United and is not allowed to take part in this game.

Michael Turner (knee), Titus Bramble (knee), Andy Reid (hamstring) and Fraiser Campbell (knee) are all unavailable through injury.

Possible starting line-up: Gordon; Onuoha, Mensah, Ferdinand, Bardsley; Henderson, Meyler, Malbranque, Richardson; Bent, Gyan. 

Prediction

With everything currently going United’s way, it is hard to envision anything other than a victory for Sir Alex Ferguson’s charges on Boxing Day.

Man Utd. 3-1 Sunderland

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26-12-2010 16:00 Bolton Wanderers - West Bromwich Albion

Bolton Looking To Continue Imperious Home Form

Bolton's impressive start to the season, which sees them currently sitting 7th in the table, has for the most part been thanks to their ability to reap the benefits of home advantage. Only league leaders Manchester United have more home points to their name than Wanderers who have 19 from nine games at the Reebok Stadium.

Owen Coyle's side have, however, lost two out of their last three matches in disappointing defeats to Manchester City and Sunderland. But Bolton fans will take solace from the club's impressive festive track record - the Trotters have lost only one of seven games on Boxing Day in the Premier League era and will be hoping to continue that run against a Baggies side that do not travel well.

Away Day Woe To Continue For West Brom?

West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo stated his intentions for this year, by saying his team are aiming for a top half finish, and they currently sit in 11th position in the table. It is the first time in five Premier League campaigns that the Baggies have been outside the bottom four in the festive period helping to confound pre-season predictions that made them one of the favourites for relegation.

But whilst the Baggies have made a solid start to life back in the top flight, their away record is nothing short of atrocious having won only two of their last 25 Premier League games.

Di Matteo's side are known for their free-flowing approach to the game and this has certainly not aided their defensive cause on the road, having failed to keep a single away clean sheet this season. The Baggies have also lost all four of their previous Premier League Boxing Day fixtures, and could not have asked for many more difficult tests than a Bolton side that have seemed impervious at home.

TEAM NEWS

Bolton Wanderers

Bolton will hope to name a largely unchanged side from the side that went down 1-0 to Sunderland last week in one of the few Premier League matches not to be postponed due to snow. Joey O'Brien, Sean Davis, Ricardo Gardner and Jlloyd Samuel are all still kept out with injuries while midfielder Mark Davies returns to the squad following suspension.

Chung-Yong Lee will soon be jetting off to represent South Korea at the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar and this will be his last domestic contribution before his international commitments.

Possible starting XI: Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Taylor, Holden, Muamba, Petrov; Elmander, K Davies.

West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion are hoping to welcome back Peter Odemwingie to their starting line-up following a spell on the side lines with a calf injury, and Roberto Di Matteo is confident the forward will be fit for the Boxing Day encounter.

Swedish defender Jonas Olsson is however missing through an Achilles injury, although it is hoped he will return for the Hawthorns club in January.

Possible starting XI: Carson; Jara, Scharner, Tamas, Cech; Brunt, Dorrans, Tchoyi, Morrison, Thomas; Odemwingie

Prediction

Given Bolton's impressive home record and West Brom's continued failings on the road it's very difficult to look beyond a comfortable home win in this Boxing Day clash. Owen Coyle's side should be confident of victory.

Bolton 2-0 West Bromwich

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26-12-2010 16:00 Blackpool - Liverpool

Rare Double Possible For Seasiders

Blackpool are looking to do a league double over Liverpool this season, and if they are successful it will be the first time they have achieved such a feat since 1947. Holloway’s men beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in October with Charlie Adam and Luke Varney getting themselves on the score sheet to seal a momentous victory.

This will be the Reds’ first visit to Bloomfield Road for 30 years but they will be lifted by the history they have in this fixture, they have met 42 times with Liverpool just edging the battles with 19 wins compared to Blackpool’s 14.

Winter Weather A Major Threat

Last weekend Blackpool’s home clash against Tottenham was postponed due to the adverse weather conditions, as was Liverpool’s home clash with Fulham, so neither side have played for a fortnight and they will be desperate that this match survives the arctic temperatures.

Bloomfield Road has suffered with the conditions already this season and the Spurs match was the second postponement of the season. The club have no undersoil heating at the ground so unless the wintry weather abates this game could be another victim of the big freeze.

TEAM NEWS

Blackpool

Blackpool have no new injury worries for the visit of Liverpool, however Ian Holloway is still without first choice goalkeeper Matt Gilks with a knee injury, and joint leading goal scorer Marlon Harewood with a hamstring problem.

Fringe players Louis Almond (shoulder), Chris Basham (broken leg) and Billy Clarke (ACL Knee) are all long term absentees but Malaury Martin should be ready to return from his knee injury in the New Year. Ian Holloway could be tempted to call on midfielder Keith Southern to add a bit of bite to his midfield for this match, with David Vaughan potentially making way.

Potential Starting XI: Kingson; Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey; Taylor-Fletcher, Grandin, Southern, Adam, Varney; Campbell

Liverpool

Liverpool hope to welcome back captain Steven Gerrard after a month out with a hamstring injury he sustained on international duty. And after being rested for their Europa League clash with FC Utrecht Fernando Torres should also return to the starting line-up as The Reds go in search of only their second away win of the season.

Roy Hodgson will again be without Jamie Carragher who is a long term absentee after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the defeat against Tottenham at the end of November. So Greek defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos is expected to partner Martin Skrtel at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

Potential Starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Konchesky; Lucas, Meireles; Kuyt, Gerrard, Maxi; Torres

Prediction

Liverpool will be desperate to avenge their defeat at Anfield earlier in the season but Blackpool are on a good run at home and getting a victory will not be easy for Roy Hodgson’s men. Ian Holloway will be hoping his side can extend their unbeaten run to five matches, and given Liverpool’s vulnerabilities this game that is a strong possibility in what should be a very entertaining scoring draw.

Blackpool 1-1 Liverpool

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26-12-2010 16.00 Blackburn Rovers - Stoke City

Usual Festive Joy For Rovers Could Turn Sour

The full-blooded Premier League tie, aside from having the interesting sub-plot of the Venky's ownership of Blackburn, also provides us with an interesting statistic on the recent fortunes of the two sides during the festive period.

Blackburn, despite internal squabbles, can rely on the fact that they are unbeaten in the Boxing Day fixture since 2000, indicating that the Lancastrian club have always managed to steer clear of Santa’s naughty list.

Stoke Hoping To Capitalise On Rovers' Misery

In stark contrast to Blackburn, Stoke have not had the best time of it over the festive period in recent years having failed to unwrap three points on Boxing Day since 2001.

Pulis' side will, however, be raring to go after their game against Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend was called off at the last minute due to snow. The journey home from London took over 10 hours and although players including Danny Higginbotham have called for a winter break, they will be hoping to prove their mettle despite the cold conditions against Kean's Rovers.

TEAM NEWS

Blackburn Rovers

In a busy few weeks for Blackburn Rovers they have seen the departure of manager Sam Allardyce and the appointment of former coach Steve Kean as interim manager until the end of the season.

On the team front the Rovers have suffered a substantial blow with the news that centre-back and defensive midfielder Phil Jones will be missing from the first team until May with knee ligament problems. As well as that, Chris Samba, the club captain and the man who recently handed in a transfer request, misses the game with an ankle problem.

Possible starting XI: Robinson; Salgado, Nelsen, Givet, Olsson; Diouf, Dunn, Emerton, Pedersen, Diouf; Kalinic.

Stoke City

Stoke, unlike their north-west opponents, have managed to ensure that the vast majority of their players have remained fit for the busy festive period with only towering striker Mamade Sidibe missing out for Tony Pulis’ Potters.

With recent injury problems cleared up the Welsh manager will have an almost full strength side to choose from as they look to take advantage of recent changes at Blackburn.

Possible starting XI: Begovic; Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Collins; Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington; Jones, Fuller

Prediction

With Blackburn’s current internal struggles and the players adverse reaction to the sacking of popular manager Sam Allardyce it remains to be seen whether the side can muster enough spirit to compete with this tough but skillful Stoke City team.
The energy and organisation of Stoke should see them run out comfortable winner at Ewood Park with the missing aerial presence of Samba hampering the Blackburn resistance.

Blackburn 1-3 Stoke

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26-12-2010 13:00 Fulham - West Ham United

One’s Rock Bottom, While The Other Looks Over Their Shoulder

West Ham have managed a pitiful two league wins all season and even worse news for Grant is both of those victories came at Upton Park. The Israeli’s side prop up the Premier League and have almost no chance of getting out of the relegation zone, even if they pick up three points, due to a -15 goal difference.

Meanwhile, Hughes has also only guided his side to two league wins so far, but those six points have been acquired at Craven Cottage and it is Fulham’s tendency to draw games which leaves them only just out of the bottom three on goal difference.

16 months And Counting…

West Ham have not won away since last August, which came against Wolves on the opening day of the season.

While Grant’s side have failed to pick up three points in a single a game on the road this term, their four draws suggest only a resilience is needed to perhaps start pushing up the table.

In this fixture last season, both teams played out a thrilling second half, which saw four goals after the restart and Fulham eventually ran out 3-2 winners.

TEAM NEWS

Fulham

Mark Hughes has no new injury concerns as Bobby Zamora and Philippe Senderos both remain long-term casualties.

Moussa Dembele, however, has made swift progress on his ankle injury sustained during international duty in November. The forward, who had showed promise in the early stages of the season, has been training this week and he is likely to undergo a fitness test to determine whether he can take part in the match.

Hughes will feel aggrieved after his side failed to score in their last outing against Sunderland two weeks ago, and the Fulham boss could be tempted to stick to a similar formation and personnel against Avram Grant’s side.

Possible starting XI: Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido; Davies; Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey; Gera; Kamara.

West Ham

A huge boost for Grant will be the return of first-choice goalkeeper Rob Green, who missed West Ham’s last match against Blackburn Rovers.

Valon Behrami and Victor Obinna are also set for a return after missing out at Ewood Park, and with the latter being an influential part in any of West Ham’s attacking play this term, Grant should be confident pairing two forwards together.

Zavon Hines, Lars Jacobsen and Radoslav Kovac all missed the trip to Blackburn but are now in contention for featuring on Boxing Day.

21-year-old Freddie Sears has been called back from his loan spell at Championship side Scunthorpe United this week and the striker, who failed to score in nine games with the Irons, may feature at Craven Cottage.

Jack Collison, Manuel Da Costa, Mark Noble and Thomas Hitzlsperger are all sidelined until next year.

Probable starting XI: Green; Ben Haim, Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon; Barrera; Behrami, Parker, Boa Morte; Obinna, Piquionne.

Prediction

All roads lead to a draw, with West Ham getting a point from four away matches so far and Fulham being held to a stalemate on five occasions this term, this looks destined to be a split tie. Grant's men will be encouraged by escaping from the seige at Ewood Park with a point and they could stifle the hosts at Craven Cottage.

Fulham 1-1 West Ham

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