20-02-2011 12:30 Lecce - Juventus

The Struggle Continues

Heading into Week 26, Lecce find themselves trapped in the relegation quagmire. Having mustered just 24 points from 25 matches, the Lupi Are a mere two points above the dropzone.

Last weekend Lecce suffered their second defeat in a row in the league as they went down 3-2 to Catania in Sicily. It followed a 4-2 hammering at home by Palermo.

Lecce will have revenge on their mind as in the reverse fixture in October were hammered 4-0 by Juventus in Turin.

Hunt For Champions League Football Continues

Juventus' chase for a top-four place in Serie A continues after last weekend's massive victory over Inter in Turin. The 1-0 victory in the Derby d'Italia revived the Bianconeri's collapsed 2010-11 campaign and they are back on their bike.

With 41 points from 25 matches, Luigi Del Neri's side are currently placed sixth in the league table and are just four points behind Lazio, who are fourth. With Palermo and Roma both struggling and below them in the table, the Old Lady do have the chance to carve their way into the top-four but for that they need to build on last weekend's win.

Juventus, though, do not have a very encouraging away form as they have won just five of the 13 matches on the road this season.

TEAM NEWS

Lecce

Giuliatto, Ofere and Tomovic are injured for Lecce while Gustavo, Olivera, Jeda and Giacomazzi are suspended.

Juventus

Rinaudo, De Ceglie, Quagliarella and Traore are unavailable for the match because of injuries while Sissoko is suspended.

Prediction

Lecce will fancy getting something from their encounter with Juventus, but the Bianconeri are brimming with confidence and should eke out a narrow win.

Lecce 0-2 Juventus

Read More

19.-20. 02.2011. Bets of the week

19.02. (Sat) 16:00 Preston North End - Queens Park Rangers
It is top against bottom in the Championship on Saturday as Preston entertain QPR and this is unlikely to be a walkover for Neil Warnock's table toppers. They lost narrowly at Hull last weekend and should have beaten Watford in midweek as they led 2-0 but had to settle for a draw eventually.
However, there is a significant difference in quality between these two sides. QPR have been solid and consistent all season and are certainly worth the 1.8 price for an away victory. In their last home match, Preston got turned over 4-0 against Bristol City. QPR have plenty of quality and should win with comfort.
Match Odds: Preston 4.0, Draw 3.40, QPR 1.80
Tip: QPR to win @ 1.80

19.02. (Sat) 16:00 Peterborough United - Tranmere Rovers
The number of goals in Peterborough games is fantastic with the amount in home fixtures nothing short of astonishing. They've scored 45 times and conceded 32 times in just 15 games. That means 77 in total, or 5.13 goals per game. That’s right – over 5 goals a game!
Some of the scorelines witnessed at London Road include 4-2, 5-2, 2-3, 5-4, 1-5, 2-2, 4-1, and most recently 5-3 and 4-4. Why not try them every other week? Frankly, absolutely no reason to resist the temptation.
Match Odds: Peterborough 1.61, Draw 3.80, Tranmere 4.20
Tip: Over 4.5 goals @ 4.00

19.02. (Sat) 16:00 Charlton Athletic - Exeter City
Charlton is in decent form at the moment having accumulated 13 points in their last six league games. Recently they have clearly improved in their home form as well as they have recorded three wins and one defeat in their last four matches.
Exeter have fallen behind in the race of a play off place and are in average form at the moment while at the same time they concede easily goals on their travels. They have managed just clean away clean sheets so far and almost 55% of times they have conceded two or more goals hence I will be backing the home team on the Asian minus three quarters handicap.
Match Odds: Charlton 1.65, Draw 3.40, Exeter 5.0
Tip: Charlton -0.75 @ 1.92

20.02. (Sun) 20:45 Napoli - Catania
Walter Mazzari's Napoli are hot on the heels of Serie A leaders Milan, with only three points separating the top two sides. A key reason for this has been the performances and form of much coveted Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani who is leading the Serie A goalscoring charts with 20 goals.
Cavani has opened the scoring in four out of the last five league games at Stadio San Paolo and should be a consideration for first time goalscorer at 3.75. Cavani is currently in superb form scoring 10 goals in Napoli’s last seven Serie A games and is a strong fancy to find the back of the net yet again against Catania.
Match Odds: Napoli 1.35, Draw 4.20, Catania 8.0
Tip: Edinson Cavani to score anytime @ 1.72

Read More

19-02-2011 22:00 Zaragoza - Atletico Madrid

The War Continues

At the winter break last season, Zaragoza looked a side dead and buried, consigned to the Segunda Division for at least one season after a poor start to a top flight campaign, yet they recovered impressively to dodge the drop. This term, they are attempting to perform a similar escape act and have started 2011 with a good deal of promise.

Over the course of their first seven Primera Division matches, they’ve earned four victories, not only steering them off the bottom of the table, but also away from the relegation zone, at least for the time being.

“We lost a battle but the war continues,” Mexican coach Javier Aguirre mused after last weekend’s 2-1 reverse against Hercules – only the second time since the turn of the year that los Manos have tasted defeat.

Aguirre, a former Atletico Madrid boss, may have taken his time to turn Zaragoza around, but the Aragon side have been taking positive strides in recent weeks, winning three of their last four home games. Injuries and suspensions offer problems that have to be overcome for the weekend, but this is a club used to rising to the most demanding of challenges when hope seems lost.

Quique Under Pressue

Atletico Madrid are a club on the verge of a full-blown crisis. Since the turn of the year, they’ve won only one Primera Division fixture, and worse, they’ve lost all of their last four games, scoring only one goal in the process. Coach Quique Sanchez Flores finds his head in a very precarious position, and another loss in Zaragoza could be the end.

At this stage in the 1999-2000 season, which so spectacularly ended in relegation for los Colchoneros, they had 29 points; this season they command only 30. Panic is starting to set into the Madrid outfit, and after a string of disappointments it’s little wonder their fans are so fraught with anxiety.

“We feel we have to win, we do not value the option of the coach not being with us, because he has given us two titles and although we have not done well, we have overcome adversity. Now we need to be closer together than ever,” club captain Antonio Lopez told the media.

“The team's image has not been all bad, but there is no use complaining and all we can do is to keep working to pull this off. To get around this, work, work, work, is what we need to be doing.”

Atleti certainly have quality in their ranks, but it has too frequently gone missing over the course of this campaign. January has seen the club stripped of more assets and as new signings struggle to bed in, the noxious atmosphere surrounding the team is only serving to poison them further.

TEAM NEWS

Zaragoza

Angel Lafita will be out for several weeks with a knee problem, and stunting the creativity of the home side further is a suspension to Ander Herrera. Ivan Obradovic has overcome a head knock and will play without a problem.

Atletico

David de Gea and Sergio Aguero have both had training ground scares this week, but both will be fine for the weekend. Filipe will probably continue to miss out.

Diego Godin is banned after being dismissed last weekend, and Alvaro Dominguez and Elias have both been tipped for starting roles.

Prediction

Atletico Madrid have to respond at some point, and Saturday’s as good a time as any for los Colchoneros to get back up and running. Zaragoza may be improving, but they’re not a dominant force, and a draw would probably be seen as acceptable by both sides.

Zaragoza 1-1 Atletico Madrid

Read More

19-02-2011 20:00 Real - Levante

Good Week

Hope springs eternal for Real Madrid, who will have been very encouraged by the tribulations of Barcelona over the course of the last week, which have allowed los Blancos to regain a fingerhold in the race for the Spanish crown.

After la Blaugrana had erred against Sporting de Gijon, it was of vital importance that los Blancos took full advantage, and they did just that by edging a fading Espanyol side 1-0 at the Cornella-El Prat. Iker Casillas may have been dismissed seconds after the opening whistle, but the loss of the goalkeeper didn’t equate to a loss of points as a goal from Marcelo proved enough for Jose Mourinho’s men.

There was to be no Champions League action last midweek for Madrid, but that does mean they’ll have to prepare themselves for a Tuesday meeting with Olympique Lyonnais; a side who have historically caused los Blancos more problems than any other.

While Mourinho will view the pursuit of the club’s illusive 10th Champions League crown as being of vital importance, the league will certainly not be overlooked by the Portuguese boss, who is noted for his craving of every success possible.

Over the course of the last seven days, some momentum has swung back in favour of the capital side, and they must take advantage of it while Barca are rocking.

On A Roll Again

Levante are a side who have played in fits and starts all season, and that trend has continued over the course of recent weeks. After a woeful run of five successive losses, Luis Garcia’s unit have since rediscovered their winning touch and have pieced together a very useful run of three successive wins, which have pulled them away from the drop zone.

Home successes against Getafe and Almeria were rather impressive, but it’s the 1-0 success away to Villarreal that was the real headline-grabber. It would take an even more remarkable achievement for them to overcome Real Madrid on Saturday evening, particularly after losing 8-0 to the same opponents in the Copa del Rey earlier this season.

“It's league match; it is something else and hopefully the result will not be repeated,” Felipe Caicedo confirmed to Marca. “This time the Madrid will be very different from what we experienced in Copa. We have to go out with the rage from the 8-0 game we will not forget.”

While los Granotes have been capable of stringing a number of positive results together from out of the blue, they’ve also been capable of the great defensive collapse, as captured most spectacularly by their last visit to the Bernabeu. Luis Garcia’s side will have to be mentally as well as physically ready if they’re to gain some kind of respectability on this occasion.

TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

Iker Casillas’ suspension has been upheld by the league’s disciplinary committee, so third choice goalkeeper Adan will start due to the ongoing injury problems of Jerzy Dudek. Gonzalo Higuain is los Blancos’ other main concern.

Sergio Ramos was omitted from the starting XI last weekend amid rumours of a fall-out with Jose Mourinho.

Levante

The Valencia side have a number of selection problems heading into the weekend’s fixture. Miguel Pallardo, Sergio Gonzalez and Gorka Larrea are all injured, and experienced defender Javi Venta is suspended.

Prediction

This is the kind of encounter that should pose Real Madrid few problems. Jose Mourinho will have his men fully focussed on the task at hand, and Levante should be rolled over without too much fuss.

Real Madrid 3-0 Levante

Read More

19-02-2011 19:00 Olympique Marseille - Saint Etienne

In Close Pursuit

Thanks to favourable results elsewhere, Olympique de Marseille remain firmly in the title race. Les Phoceens currently sit third in the table, six points behind league leaders Lille and one behind second-placed Stade Rennes, having collected 10 out of a possible 12 points since the winter break. With Lille and Rennes playing on Sunday, a win against AS Saint-Etienne would take Marseille into second, and leave them only three points off the summit ahead of the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Manchester United on Tuesday.

Last Saturday’s 1-2 away victory at FC Sochaux was an excellent result, particularly after les Phoceens were booed off the pitch by their own supporters following a slender home win over relegation-threatened Arles-Avignon the previous weekend.

“The fans are demanding, and it’s normal,” midfielder Edouard Cisse told OM.net. “The whistles in the last match were timely. They weren’t satisfied with the way we were playing and nor were we. We won 1-0 but there were no war cries in the changing room. We did the job but no more.”

Likewise, coach Didier Deschamps is confident that his team’s hard-fought victory last weekend will have appeased their fans: “At Sochaux the supporters were plentiful, and they were very happy and proud of our performance. The public are not our adversary. We will need them on Saturday when our rival will be green and white.”

The Stade Velodrome has proved to be something of a fortress this season, with Marseille’s only Ligue 1 home defeat coming against newly-promoted Caen on the opening day of the season.

Shattered Confidence

After a crushing 4-1 home defeat against bitter rivals Olympique Lyonnais last weekend, Saturday’s visit to the defending champions is undoubtedly the last thing that AS Saint-Etienne would have wanted. Although leading the Derby du Rhone 1-0 after the first 15 minutes, les Verts’ subsequent capitulation has left them occupying sixth position in the Ligue 1 table, 10 points behind Lille and four points short of a Champions League place.

Unsurprisingly, the players are circumspect about the task that awaits them at the Stade Velodrome. Speaking to the official Saint-Etienne club website, midfielder Laurent Batlles, who scored in the 1-1 draw with les Phoceens at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in October, anticipated a testing encounter: “When we play at Marseille or at other clubs who are competing for the title, it is always complicated: the demands are always high.

“Marseille is always a very dangerous team. It’s a team that blends highly experienced players and great quality. Marseille is always a candidate for the title of champion of France, as are Lyon and Lille.”

Having lost three out of their last five matches in all competitions, Saint-Etienne might have hoped for a less challenging encounter to rebuild morale. Indeed, their away form this season has proved particularly ominous, contributing only 16 from a possible 36 points.

Les Verts will nevertheless be encouraged by their improvement from last year, when they faced a relegation battle and ended the campaign with a mere 40 points. Taken in this context, their current return of 35 points appears nothing short of extraordinary.

TEAM NEWS

Olympique de Marseille

While Mathieu Valbuena is still recovering from a knee injury and will not feature before Marseille’s midweek Champions League match, Didier Deschamps will be relieved by the return of striker Loïc Remy following an illness earlier in the week. The heart of defence, however, may pose more of a problem for les Phocéens, where both Rod Fanni and Stéphane M'Bia are unavailable due to hamstring injuries.


AS Saint-Etienne

It will be a fairly complete Saint-Etienne squad that travels to Marseille. Substituted against Lyon after suffering an injury to his right thigh, right-back Loris Nery is unavailable, as is midfielder Alejandro Alonso, who injured his ankle prior to last weekend’s derby. Although coach Christophe Galtier included 16-year-old defender Kurt Zouma and 18-year-old goalkeeper Germain Sanou in Tuesday’s training session, it is uncertain whether either will feature on Saturday.

Prediction

Although Saint-Étienne will be hoping to atone for their defeat against Lyon last week, it is unlikely that they will pose any real threat to a resurgent Marseille side that has conceded very little at the Stade Vélodrome this season. Even with one eye on their upcoming encounter with Manchester United, les Phocéens should comfortably claim another home victory.

Marseille 2-0 AS Saint-Etienne

Read More

19-02-2011 18:15 Manchester United - Crawley Town

Second String's Time To Shine

Redemption has arrived for Ferguson's reserves stars after their embarrassing FA Cup third round exit to Leeds United last term.

Players such as Wes Brown and Gabriel Obertan barely got another look in after the Scot fell foul to the first giant-killing of his long United reign thanks to Jermaine Beckford's goal.

United's squad seemed incredibly thin on the ground then, with a similar tale repeated in this season's League Cup defeat to West Ham. With Ferguson reputed to be ready to wield the axe in the summer, several men are guaranteed to be fighting for their Old Trafford futures on Saturday evening.

From Blue Square To The Big Time

Even the ambitious owners of Crawley Town couldn't have envisaged a trip to Old Trafford so soon into their project to transform the Sussex side.

Money has been pumped in at a scale that has drawn envious eyes even from League One outfits. This splurge has seen league football just a step away for the first time in the club's existence.

The third round slaying of Derby County stole the headlines. A victory against the Premier League leaders will dominate the history books of the oldest association football competition in the world.

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

Second string players Gabriel Obertan, Bebe and Darron Gibson could all be handed a run out by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Next week's Champions League engagement with Marseille should see top line stars, such as Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra, taken out of the firing line.

Guaranteed to miss the game are Jonny Evans (ankle), Rio Ferdinand (calf), Park Ji-Sung (hamstring) and Owen Hargreaves (hamstring). Michael Owen (groin) joined the injured list this week after he pulled up in training.

Despite his return to training with the reserves, Antonio Valencia is still a few weeks short of a return from a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

Youngsters Joshua King, Matthew James, Ravel Morrison and Will Keane could be handed spots on the substitute's bench.

Possible starting XI: Lindegaard; O'Shea, Smalling, Brown, Fabio; Gibson, Carrick, Anderson; Bebe, Hernandez, Obertan.

Crawley Town

Boss Steve Evans has a near fully-fit squad to choose from for the visit to Old Trafford. After being rested for Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Wrexham, goalkeeper Michael Kuipers, midfielders Sergio Torres and Ben Smith, plus striker Craig McAllister should all return.

Defender Dean Howell and midfielder David Hunt both shook off knocks to feature in that match. Only Scott Neilson (broken toe) is set to miss out.

Possible starting XI: Kuipers; Dempster, Wilson, Howell, McFadzean; Smith, Torres, Mills, Gibson; Tubbs, McAllister. 

Prediction

A makeshift United should still have more than enough to see off their big-spending lower league opposition. With a point to prove, players like Obertan and Bebe should go straight for the kill.

Man Utd. 4-1Crawley Town Football Club

Read More

19-02-2011 18:00 Valencia - Real Sporting

Don’t Be Distracted

Valencia were held in European action this Tuesday night by Schalke, frustrated to a 1-1 draw by their German opponents after looking the more promising side for much of the match. While progress in the Champions League is of a high priority, it is also vital that Unai Emery’s men ensure qualification for next season’s top bracket competition, and to that end they’ll seek three points at home against Sporting de Gijon.

Third place is very much up for grabs in the Primera Division, and los Che presently lead the way in the race, having overhauled Villarreal and pulled away from Espanyol, teams both ailing in the pursuit of a podium finish. Emery’s side have been motoring along strongly in the league, winning seven of their last eight fixtures, but Tuesday’s draw does leave them in a rather tricky position on the continent.

“We live on in hope. No way does this result mean the door is closed on our chances,” goalkeeper Vicente Guaita explained after the midweek draw.

But Valencia cannot afford to be too distracted by the riches of Europe; their bread and butter remains La Liga, and after a fine 2-1 victory away to Atletico Madrid last weekend they should certainly be seeking maximum points.

While Emery’s men can be amongst the most attractive to watch in Spain, they can also be one of the most frustrating teams too, as a lack of genuine killer instinct in their play renders many of their games tight. Los Che will seek a more comfortable passage than usual at the Mestalla this weekend.

Pure Gold

Sporting de Gijon may be one of a clutch of clubs hovering just above the relegation zone, but they should certainly not be dismissed before Saturday’s fixture in Valencia. Recently, los Sportinguistas have been one of the most dangerous sides in the league, mustering a run of four successive victories prior to a defeat against Athletic Bilbao.

Another loss seemed inevitable when they hosted Barcelona last weekend, but despite commanding a meagre 24 per cent of the ball, El Molinon’s finest made good use of their possession, striking in the first half through David Barral. They held on and held on after the break, but ultimately Barca’s pressure proved too much and an equaliser was lost. Nevertheless, great heart can be taken from a promising display.

“For us the point is gold, and our recent performances have been much improved, but I tend to think that to play like that against the best team in the world should be worth a little more than a point,” coach Manuel Preciado argued to the press. “We know that we will fight until the end, to welcome some of the smaller teams here and to also visit some of the great teams.”

With only one win away from home all season, Saturday night’s encounter in Valencia promises to be a very testing affair for the Asturians, but they will have gleamed a great deal of confidence from last weekend’s result and should aim for at least a point against another one of Spain’s best.


TEAM NEWS

Valencia

There have been no fresh problems reported after the midweek draw. David Albelda returns to the squad after a European suspension, but Marius Stankevicius and Miguel Moya continue to lie low.

Sporting

Manuel Preciado is reportedly considering a change of approach for this encounter, with as many as four switches in the first team squad. David Barral, last weekend’s hero, is banned. Gregory Arnolin, who is just returning from suspension, is unlikely to break immediately back into the team, but Alberto Lora could feature. Sebastian Eguren should be involved after a shoulder problem.

Prediction

Rarely to Valencia run away with games, and there is little to suggest this match will be any different. Emery’s side are strong at home and should pick up a narrow victory, though Sporting’s point last weekend should certainly serve as a warning.

Valencia 1-0 Sporting de Gijon

Read More

19-02-2011 15:30 Hamburger SV - Werder

Hamburg Motivated For Second Derby In Three Days

Hamburg play in their second derby in three days as they take on northern rivals Bremen. On Wednesday, die Rothosen played well but were beaten by their clinically efficient cross-city rivals, St Pauli.

Following the Hamburg derby, HSV captain Frank Rost was thoroughly frustrated. “I’m absolutely speechless at the moment. We really wanted to win this derby for our fans,” he said according to Hamburer Morgenpost.

“If you don’t score goals, then you are mercilessly punished. We now have to work our socks off and lift our heads and move on. Hopefully we can win three points on Saturday against Werder Bremen.”

As they host Bremen, HSV are seventh in the Bundesliga, four points behind Mainz and a position in the Europa League. After missing out on Europe this year, die Rothosen are especially keen to return to continental play, but are running out of time and need must their move fast. Success in Saturday’s derby could be the spark they need to set off on a good run of form.

Bremen Don’t Care Who The Favourites Are

Per Mertesacker’s second half strike earned Werder Bremen a draw against Hannover in round 22, but the result was far from satisfactory for the struggling Hanseaten, who are tied on points with 16th-placed Kaiserslautern.

“Of course there are nicer circumstances,” Klaus Allofs told the official Bremen website, lamenting his team’s poor table standing. Heading into the northern derby with Hamburg, the sporting director expects the match to be “hot, fast paced, with lots of emotion.”

Bremen have had a rough season, but there is plenty of class among Thomas Schaaf’s squad, and the coach believes in his team’s cances of winning the derby.

“They play at home and have more points, but I do not care who the favourites are,” said coach Thomas Schaaf, who pledged: “I will get my team to perform well enough to be successful.”

“The team is committed to improving.”

TEAM NEWS

Hamburg

Hamburg enter Saturday’s match at nearly full strength, and Armin Veh will be spoilt for choice. Only Dennis Diekmeier and Romeo Castelen are unavailable, meaning that Anis Ben-Hatira and Mladen Petric will compete for a starting berth in attack, as will Marcell Jansen and Eljero Elia.

Probable Starting XI: Rost – Demel, Westermann, Mathijsen, Aogo – Pitroipa, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Jansen – Petric, Van Nistelrooy

Werder Bremen

Claudio Pizarro sustained yet another muscular problem this week, and has been ruled out of Saturday’s match. He will join suspended goalkeeper Tim Wiese, as well as fellow casualties Samuel, Christian Vander, Naldo, Daniel Jensen and Onur Ayik in the stands.

Probable Starting XI: Mielitz – Fritz, Mertesacker, Proedl, Silvestre – Bargfrede, Frings, Hunt – Marin – Arnautovic, Avdic

Prediction

Both teams have plenty of talent, but Bremen have been especially dreadful away, scoring just nine goals while conceding 27 in 11 matches. While HSV have not exactly been stellar at home, they should have enough to take three points.

Hamburg 2-0 Werder Bremen

Read More

19-02-2011 13:30 Chelsea - Everton

Home Advantage Gives Hosts A Boost

Chelsea spent heavily during the January window, but the form they have shown since the closing of the transfer period has not been up to the mark. That Fernando Torres has failed to create any real impact at the club is one thing, but putting Didier Drogba on the bench during the last game was a gamble from manager Carlo Ancelotti.

He risked upsetting the Ivorian, who has been the lynchpin of the west London club’s strike force for many seasons. But with the Spaniard cup-tied, the 32-year-old should return to the starting line-up and he will want to prove to the boss that he still possesses every bit of the striker’s sting as he did in seasons past.

Ancelotti’s charges have also failed to score in their last two games, and are now running the risk of falling into yet another slump. And that could not only endanger their ambitions for silverware, but may also have a bearing on their league campaign. Patchy form may prove to be their downfall as it could even prevent them from competing in the Champions League next season.

However, that potential situation is still a good many games away and this is the cup. The home side set up this clash after a goal from Salomon Kalou cancelled out Louis Saha’s effort, but one thing the team can bank on is home support – which may push them forward in the competition.

Toffees Have Hit Rough Weather

Everton have had a good deal of difficulty trying to get the right result in recent weeks, as they have only one win their last five games in all competitions.

The Toffees’ are currently placed 13th in the league, but that is misleading since they are only three points above the relegation zone. This puts manager David Moyes in a precarious position, as he has a league campaign to resurrect while hoping for a decent run in the cup.

To compound problems, striker Louis Saha – who has an excellent record against Chelsea – is sidelined and is expected to be unavailable for this game. This could see Moyes play Tim Cahill as the lone man up front, as he has done on some occasions this season. But this could only serve to put the club's strikers even lower in terms of confidence, so Jermaine Beckford could come in on this occasion.

The visitors have also had to endure a fair amount of travel sickness in recent weeks, as victories on the road have been difficult to come by. And with the odds for Moyes’ exit shortening swiftly, even sceptics would be able to understand how the Merseysiders have fallen in recent times.

But the travelling team are batting a side that is fighting for form, and could capitalise on the situation and yet salvage something from a season that has not gone according to plan.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

British transfer record signing Fernando Torres is cup-tied and will play no part in this fixture, which should see fellow forward Didier Drogba take to the pitch to prove to the boss that he is still one of the best strikers in England.

Jose Bosingwa was a doubt for the goalless draw with Fulham on Monday, but could make an appearance at some point if he has regained sufficient fitness.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Everton

Louis Saha (hamstring) is sidelined for this encounter, which should come as a blessing of sorts for Chelsea. He has an excellent goal scoring record against Chelsea, having netted seven goals in 13 Premier League appearances against the west London outfit. To add to this, Saha also found the back of the net in the last two FA Cup meetings between the two sides.

Jack Rodwell (groin) is also out of action and is expected to miss the remainder of the month through injury.

Possible starting XI: Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Arteta, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov; Cahill; Beckford.

Prediction

Chelsea and Everton are both undergoing a difficult period, and this game could easily make or break the season of either team. But the Blues have the quality, and should be able to get past their opponents on the day.

Chelsea 2-1 Everton

Read More

19-02-2011 FA Cup Preview Round-Up

Birmingham City - Sheffield Wednesday

St Andrew's, Birmingham

TEAM NEWS

Birmingham City

Liam Ridgewell and Martin Jiranek have both been ruled out but January signing Curtis Davies is ready to return, along with Alexander Hleb.

Boss Alex McLeish will no doubt have one eye on the club’s League Cup final against Arsenal that takes place a little over a week after Saturday’s game, so he could take advantage of the lower league status of their opponents by resting many of his key players.

Loan signing David Bentley is cup-tied for the final and striker Obafemi Martins needs match practice so both could feature alongside a collection of players needing to impressive to get a chance to grace the Wembley turf eight days later.

Possible starting XI: Doyle; Parnaby, Davies, Preston, Murphy; Beausejour. Fahey, Mutch, Bentley; Phillips, Martins.

Sheffield Wednesday

Like their opponents on Saturday, Sheffield Wednesday are in a relegation battle having won just one of their last eight games, and having had a managerial change to boot.

With confidence as low as it has been in a while, a decent performance against Premier League opposition could be a recipe for a well needed kick-start to their season.

Midfielder Giles Coke is suspended for the game after receiving his marching orders during the 3-0 defeat away to Tranmere last time out so Chris Sedgwick could deputise.

Possible starting XI: Weaver; Spurr, M Morrison, Reynolds, Johnson; Sedgwick, Osbourne, O'Connor, Teale; C Morrison, Madine.

Stoke City - Brighton

Britianna Stadium, Stoke

TEAM NEWS

Stoke City

Stoke are lucky enough to boast no new injury worries, with long term absentee Mamady Sidibe (Achilles) their only worry.

Boss Tony Pulis will be hoping for a confidence boosting win in the FA Cup after inconsistend form in the Premier League has seen them fall six points above the relegation zone.

Expect a mixture of first-team regulars and those fighting on the fringes of the first team to take part, namely the likes of Danny Pugh at left-back after he impressed at Preston on loan recently and Kenwyne Jones, who looks like needing a decent performance to get himself back on the goal trail.

Possible starting XI: Begovic; Shotton, Huth, Shawcross, Pugh; Walters, Wilson, Whitehead, Etherington; Jones, Fuller.

Brighton

Brighton have been lighting up League One this season and find themselves in the extremely comfortable position of being three points clear at the top of the league with two games in hand on their nearest rivals.

Not only that but they have been enjoying themselves in the FA Cup with wins over supposed better opposition in the form of Portsmouth and Watford so far.

Despite no fresh injury worries, it will prove a tall order against the Premier League opposition and boss Gus Poyet will no doubt field a full strength side.

Possible starting XI: Ankergren; Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter; Bennett, Dicker, Bridcutt, Barnes; Murray, Wood.

Read More

18.-20. 02. 2011. Bundesliga Weekend Preview - Round 23

Friday
20:30 – Nuernberg – Eintracht Frankfurt
Saturday
15:30 Borussia Dortmund – St Pauli
15:30 Hannover – Kaiserslautern
15:30 Hoffenheim – Koeln
15:30 Freiburg – Wolfsburg
15:30 Hamburg – Werder Bremen
18:30 Mainz – Bayern Munich
Sunday
15:30 Bayer Leverkusen – Stuttgart
17:30 Borussia Moenchengladbach – Schalke

Nuernberg – Eintracht Frankfurt

Fresh off an emphatic win away to Stuttgart, Nuernberg will hope to make it four wins on the bounce against Frankfurt on Friday. The Bavarians have been in scintillating form, and will soon benefit from the return of Ilkay Guendogan. The young playmaker is not yet fit to face Frankfurt, and will be joined by Juri Judt, Mike Frantz and Albert Bunjaku in the stands.

Following losses in four of Frankfurt’s last five matches, CEO Heribert Bruchhagen declared a state of crisis at his club. Die Ader have yet to score this spring, and could soon face a relegation battle if they are not careful. As they head south, Michael Skibbe’s side will be missing injured quintetSebastian Jung, Ricardo Clark, Chris, Caio and Zlatan Bajramovic.

Borussia Dortmund – St Pauli

Dortmund looked to have beaten Kaiserslautern after Sven Bender’s late goal, but the league leaders dropped points after an even later equaliser from Jan Moravek. BVB are still ten points ahead of Leverkusen, but will hope to wrap up the title sooner than later. As they face St Pauli, the Ruhr side will be missing suspended centre half Neven Subotic, and injured quartet Patrick Owomoyela, Florian Kringe, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Shinji Kagawa.

Despite going behind early, St Pauli rebounded to score three unanswered goals against Gladbach in round 22 before winning the Hamburg derby on Wednesday. The Buccaneers have won three consecutive matches, but face a new level of competition in Dortmund on Saturday. As they head to the Ruhr area, St Pauli will be missing suspended centre half Carlos Zambrano, and injured trio Fabio Morena, Carsten Rothenbach and Florian Lechner.

Hannover – Kaiserslautern

Hannover went a goal ahead of Bremen last week, but eventually saw their lead evaporate en route to a 1-1 draw. Die Roten have slipped out of a Champions League position, but remain well placed to qualify for Europe. As they take on relegation battlers Kaiserslautern, the 96ers will be missing Manuel Schmiedebach (suspended), as well as Christopher Avevor and Leon Andreasen (both injured).

Thanks to Moravek’s late strike against Dortmund, Kaiserslautern were able to avoid a fourth consecutive loss. The roten Teufel remain winless since before the winter break, however, and will be keen to end this streak and move further away from the relegation battle. FCK will be without injured trio Erwin Hoffer, Jan Simunek, and Oliver Kirch as they head to Saxony.

Hoffenheim – Koeln

Hoffenheim engaged Bayern last week and were put to the sword in a 4-0 loss. The Sinsheim club will hope to rebound against Koeln, but will face stiff resistance in the vastly improved Geissboecke. Marco Pezzaiouli’s side will be without suspended left back Edson Braafheid, as well as unfit duo Manuel Gulde and Chinedu Obasi on Saturday.

Last week’s 4-2 win against Mainz extended Koeln’s fine run of form to three wins in their last four matches. Die Geissboecke have climbed out of the relegation zone since Frank Schaefer’s takeover as coach, and will be keen t secure a position in the 2011-12 Bundesliga season as early as possible. Ahead of this weekend, Schaefer has ruled out Kevin McKenna, Christopher Schorch and Wilifred Sanou, who are unfit.

Freiburg – Wolfsburg

Freiburg have impressed this season thus far, but looked more like a relegation-fighting side in last week’s 1-0 loss to Schalke. Robin Dutt’s men will try to rebound against an unsettled Wolfsburg side, but will be missing an injured contingent including Jonathan Jaeger, Simon Pouplin, Pavel Krmas, Tommy Bechmann, Julian Schuster and Daniel Williams.

Last week’s loss to Hamburg was a case of “new coach, same problem” for Wolfsburg, who struggled for scoring opportunities and were undone by a defensive error. Die Woelfe are still in the midst of a relegation battle, and will hope to secure their survival from the drop sooner than later. Ahead of Saturday’s match, Pierre Littbarski has ruled out Simon Kjaer (suspended), Mario Mandzukic, Tolga Cigerci, Alexander Madlung and Thomas Kahlenberg (all injured).

Hamburg – Werder Bremen

Hamburg missed out on a clear chance to move into the top tier of the Bundesliga table on Wednesday, but lost the cross-city derby to St Pauli. Armin Veh’s side has tremendous potential, but must improve in order to finish in the top five. As they take on crisis-stricken Bremen, die Rothosen will be missing Dennis Diekmeier and Romeo Castelen.

Bremen came back from a goal behind to earn a draw against Hannover in last week’s fixture, leaving the Hanseaten just a point ahead of the relegation play-off. The Nordderby is always motivational, and could provide just the spark Bremen need to turn around their season. Claudio Pizarro has been ruled out due to muscular problems, and will join suspended goalkeeper Tim Wiese and an injured contingent including Samuel, Naldo, Christian Vander, Onur Ayik, Sebastian Boenisch and Daniel Jensen in the stands.

Mainz – Bayern Munich

Mainz played well in spells, but were ultimately overcome by Koeln in their last outing. The Oh Fives have slipped to fifth place in the Bundesliga, and their dreams of a European berth are rapidly fading. Long-term casualties Bo Svensson and Adam Szalai remain sidelined.

Led by the brilliant Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben, a resurgent Bayern battered Hoffenheim last week, and moved back into third place. The Bavarians are within striking distance of Leverkusen, and will be highly motivated ahead of next week’s Champions League showdown with Inter. Robben and Mario Gomez have shaken off mild midweek injuries, and Toni Kroos, Diego Contento are back in the squad following injury breaks. However, long-term casualty Ivica Olic will have to watch from the stands.

Bayer Leverkusen – Stuttgart

Leverkusen bounced back from defeat and closed the gap on Dortmund with last week’s 3-0 win away to Frankfurt. The Werkself have impressed this year, and are in pole position to qualify for the Champions League. As he prepares his side to face Stuttgart, Jupp Heynckes will be missing Michael Ballack, Tranquillo Barnetta and Fabian Giefer.

Stuttgart slumped to a dismal 4-1 home loss to Nuernberg in their most recent match, and in doing so slipped further in the relegation fight. The Swabians still have plenty to do if they are to avoid the drop, but a positive result against Leverkusen would be a good start. Pavel Pogrebnyak, Arthur Boka, Timo Gebhart, Christian Gentner, Johan Audel and Mamadou Bah are injured for Sunday’s match, and Ciprian Marica will also miss out after being banished to the reserves.

Borussia Moenchengladbach – Schalke

Despite going a goal ahead early, Gladbach suffered a woeful collapse as they conceded three unanswered goal to St Pauli and slumped to a demoralising defeat. Die Fohlen have to go on a serious winning streak if they are to have a chance even at a spot in the relegation play-off match. They face a resurgent Schalke side, but will have more rest than their opponents, who played in Europe in midweek. On the downside, Gladbach will be missing Igor de Camargo (suspended), as well as Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Jean-Sebastian Jaures (injured).

Tuesday’s gritty performance against Valencia saw Schalke live up to their potential and earn a 1-1 draw in Spain. Felix Magath is once again dreaming of a European berth in the fall, but will need a strong run between now and May in order to achieve such an end. Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Christian Pander, Angelos Charisteas, Tim Hoogland, Christoph Moritz, Levan Kenia and Danilo Avelar are unfit, and will miss Sunday’s match.

Read More

18.-20. 02.2011. Ligue 1 Preview Round 24

Friday, February 18, 2010
20:45 Olympique Lyonnais – Nancy
Saturday, February 19
19:00 Auxerre – Arles-Avignon
19:00 Stade Brestois – Monaco
19:00 Caen – Valenciennes
19:00 Racing Club de Lens – Sochaux
19:00 Olympique de Marseille – Saint-Etienne (preview)
21:00 Lorient - Girondins de Bordeaux
Sunday, February 20
17:00 Montpellier – Lille
17:00 Nice – Paris Saint-Germain
21:00 Toulouse - Stade Rennais

Olympique Lyonnais – Nancy

Lyon’s home encounter against Nancy has been moved forward nearly 24 hours in order to allow les Gones a little extra rest ahead of next week’s Champions League encounter against Real Madrid.

Les Gones have a handful of selection issues before the clash against the Lorraine club, with Ederson ready to make his return for the reserves but not yet ready for first team football. Michel Bastos has been training alone but has been named in the squad, while Hugo Lloris is doubtful.

Nancy have problems of their own, with Reynald Lemaitre ruled out after a week-long battle against injury. Samba Diakite will feature, but there are a number of other players still absent. After mixing his side up after a succession of poor results, Pablo Correa shouldn’t change too much at the weekend following the impressive win over Auxerre.

Auxerre – Arles-Avignon

If Auxerre are to start making progress up the Ligue 1 table, they have to pick off the likes of basement side Arles, who visit the Stade Abbe-Deschamps on Saturday evening.

Jean Fernandez has received the backing of the AJA board, despite the club slipping to 17th in the standings. Selection problems in the home camp continue to intensify, with Dennis Oliech missing this weekend’s game due to suspension. Benoit Pedretti will hope to return following hamstring troubles, but there is a lengthy list of problems.

Arles picked up only their ninth point of the campaign against Montpellier last weekend, and they were very much value for it after a determined defensive display at home. This season is all about attaining respectability for the Parc des Sports outfit, whose meagre tally of points means they need a miracle to survive. Franck Dja Djedje and Cyril Merville are fresh selection problems.

Stade Brestois – Monaco

A 3-1 victory over Lorient last weekend has fired feelings of belief in the Monaco camp that safety may not be an unattainable goal, though Saturday’s trip to Brest certainly promises to be a tricky encounter for the principality outfit.

It’s been announced that the hosts will be without Nolan Roux until early April, which places added emphasis on new signing Jonathan Ayite to perform well. He scored in his only previous performance at the Stade Francis Le Ble and will lead the SB29 attack once again on Saturday evening.

Monaco, meanwhile, haven’t posted any fresh injury problems to add to the handful of issues they had last week. Les Monegasques looked impressive in dispatching FCL last weekend at home, but prior to that they had been positively turgid in Toulouse. New coach Laurent Banide needs his players to show a positive face on Saturday.

Caen – Valenciennes

Franck Dumas’ Caen will aim to keep their upward momentum away from the relegation zone going when they meet a Valenciennes side who have attained a couple of strong results in recent weeks.

The home boss has already named his panel for the fixture and will include Thomas Heurtaux in his number for the match. Romain Hamouma is very much the man on form for les Malherbes out on the right wing, but Youssef El-Arabi has been the key man over the course of the season, with Olympique de Marseille reportedly tracking his progress.

Valenciennes will sweat on the fitness of Milan Bisevac for this encounter, but they will definitely be without Guillaume Loriot, who is back with the physios after only briefly returning from a problem. Bruno Angoua will return after missing last weekend’s 3-0 win over Brest due to illness. After a powerful performance, Philippe Montanier will hope his men can transfer their form to the road, where they’ve really struggled in recent times.

Racing Club de Lens – Sochaux

Still in the bottom three of the Ligue 1 table, despite a recent improvement in their fortunes, Lens host a Sochaux side who have struggled to travel well all season, and les Sang et Or will certainly have targeted three points from this encounter.

There are only a handful of selection problems for the home side, who have seen Nenad Kovacevic and Raphaele Varane both shake off problems acquired in the scoreless draw against Paris Saint-Germain last weekend. Adil Hermach will be their main absentee, and after a stubborn defensive display at the Parc des Princes, more attacking endeavour is required on Saturday.

Francis Gillot’s men are really dangerous opponents at home, but they have failed to find that same spark when playing on their travels. Yassin Mikari is close to returning for les Lionceaux, while Boukary Drame is expected to turn out for the reserves. Charlie Davies has been offloaded to DC United on loan this week.

Lorient - Girondins de Bordeaux

The up and down form of Bordeaux continued last weekend, when they were defeated 2-1 by Caen at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, and on Saturday Jean Tigana’s men face a very difficult short trip north to meet Lorient.

Les Merlus will be able to welcome back Maxime Baca and Francis Coquelin to their panel, but it’s not all good news for the Breton club, who will be without Jeremy Morel following his red card against Monaco last weekend. With 23 points in 11 matches, few teams have a home record to match Christian Gourcuff’s men.

Bordeaux have been left shaken a little by the Caen loss, which was somewhat unfortunate. During that encounter, Yoan Gouffran suffered a broken ankle and after undergoing surgery on the joint, it is expected that his season is over. Carlos Henrique is les Marine et Blanc’s only other injury concern.

Montpellier – Lille

Ligue 1 leaders Lille have made it their expressed desire that they battle hard for the domestic title, and to that end they will have their eyes firmly focussed on Sunday’s encounter against Montpellier as opposed the forthcoming midweek fixture against PSV.

The home side will be without a fair clutch of players due to suspension. Hasan Kabze will sit out for four more matches following an altercation with a linesman during a reserve clash, while Olivier Giroud and Garry Bocaly both miss the fixture due to disciplinary reasons. Rene Girard has few serious injury worries.

Lille should be able to take a complete panel to the south of France, despite the disappointment of losing a two-goal lead against the Dutch club late on Thursday. On the other hand, Rudi Garcia rested as many as eight first team players, with Adil Rami expected to step back in after missing the Europa League clash due to a slight injury concern.

Nice – Paris Saint-Germain

Following the winter break, it seemed that Paris Saint-Germain had carried their form through pretty impressively, but recent results are starting to suggest the capital side will fade, and a trip to Nice will certainly provide a test of character.

A chronic lack of goals have really hurt les Aiglons this season, with the loss of Loic Remy proving to be a massive blow to the Cote d’Azur outfit. For Sunday afternoon’s match they should be able to command almost a full panel of players to pick from, though Kafoumba Coulibaly is banned.

PSG will welcome back Claude Makelele into the fold after the veteran was one of only a few players given rest time in midweek. Sylvain Armand should overcome the injury he suffered against Lens to play, while Ludovic Giuly is banned. After three matches without a win, the wheels are starting to come off the capital side’s title charge.

Toulouse - Stade Rennais

Second placed Rennes face another big test of their title credentials on Sunday night, when they will go to Toulouse.

Le Tefece will be without their two first choice goalkeepers for this match as Yohann Pele is a long-term selection worry due to illness, while it’s already been confirmed that Mathieu Valverde will miss out after picking up a muscular problem in the 2-0 defeat against Lille last weekend. Xavier Pentecote is the only other major concern.

Rennes’ injury list is lengthy, but that’s not stopped them from picking up a couple of impressive results in recent times. PSG were beaten 1-0 at home a fortnight ago and then last weekend Nice were defeated 2-0. Yacine Brahimi has since picked up a fresh problem for les Rouge et Noir, who will be down to the bare bones once again.

Read More

18.-20. 02. 2011. Eredivisie Preview Round 24

Friday
Utrecht	-	-	Heracles
Saturday
Excelsior	-	-	Willem II
Heerenveen	-	-	AZ
Groningen	-	-	Roda
Sunday
ADO Den Haag	-	-	Feyenoord
Ajax	-	-	VVV
Twente	-	-	NEC
Vitesse	-	-	De Graafschap
PSV	-	-	NAC

On Friday, Utrecht take on relegation threatened Heracles to open matchday 24. The Domstedelingen had to settle for a 3-3 draw against Willem II last week and sit eighth in the table with 35 points. Heracles on the other hand were beaten 2-1 by Feyenoord on Sunday and have dropped to 14th spot with 24 points.

On Saturday, Rotterdam side Excelsior host Willem II in what could prove to be a crucial game in the relegation battle. The Kralingers were beaten 2-0 by NEC last weekend and are the Eredivisie's number 16 at the moment with only 19 points. Willem II recorded a 3-3 draw against Utrecht in the last game and still sit rock bottom in the table. The Tricolores have so far accumulated eight points from 23 outings.

Heerenveen take on 2008-09 champions AZ in Friesland and the hosts will be eager to add three more points to their tally at the weekend after their 2-0 win over NAC last week. They currently sit ninth in the league table with 34 points and really need a win to stay in the race for a Europa League ticket. The Alkmaarders were heavily beaten 4-0 by PSV last week and will be looking to return to winning ways at the Abe Lenstra stadium. They are sixth in the league at the moment.

Elsewhere, surprise package Groningen await a difficult home encounter against Roda. The Pride of the North had to settle for a 1-1 away draw against De Graafschap last week, but still sit in fourth position in the Eredivisie standings. Roda manage to hold Ajax to a 2-2 draw last Sunday and they'll be high on confidence following that performance. The Limbergers currently sit seventh in the league table.

ADO Den Haag take on Rotterdam giants Feyenoord on Sunday in what could be an interesting match. The Residentieclub have been in superb form all season long and are the league's number five following last week's comfortable 3-0 win over VVV. Feyenoord finally picked up the full three points again last week when they beat Heracles. The Stadionclub consequently climbed to 13th spot in the Eredivisie.

Title candidates Ajax will have to deal with relegation candidates VVV in Amsterdam. Ajax had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Roda last Sunday and currently sit third in the Eredivisie table with 45 points from 23 games. VVV were left without a chance by ADO last Friday and are threatened by relegation. They sit 17th in the league table at the moment with only 13 points.

Reigning champions Twente meet Nijmegen side NEC. The Tukkers recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Vitesse last week and sit second in the league table with 50 points from 23 games. They got another confidence boost in midweek when they beat Rubin Kazan 2-0 in the Europa League. NEC recorded a solid 2-0 win over Excelsior last week and currently sit in 10th position with 30 points.

Arnhem side Vitesse take on regional rivals De Graafschap in the Gelderland derby. The home side put in a decent performance against Twente last week, but were eventually beaten 1-0. They are the league's number 15 at the moment. De Graafschap picked up a point against Groningen last Sunday and sit 12th in the table with 26 points, four more than their opponents.

The final match of the weekend is the Brabant derby between table toppers PSV and Breda side NAC. The Eindhoven giants recorded an impressive 4-0 win over AZ last Saturday to hold on to top spot in the league table. NAC on the other hand put in a far from impressive performance against Heerenveen and were beaten 2-0. They sit 11th in the Eredivisie at the moment.

Read More

FA Cup Opta Facts - 19 - 21 February

Fourth Round Replays

Chelsea v Everton

* Chelsea and Everton have met eight times previously in the FA Cup with the last match being the 2009 final.
* The Londoners have won on six of the eight occasions where Chelsea have met Everton in the FA Cup.
* Five of the last seven meetings between the Blues and the Toffees have ended in draws, with one win apiece.
* Didier Drogba has scored seven goals in 10 Premier League appearances against Everton and also netted in the 2009 FA cup final against the Toffees.
* Chelsea are unbeaten in 11 FA Cup matches against fellow Premier League Sides, and had won nine in a row before the 1-1 draw at Goodison Park last week.
* The Toffees haven't won away at another Premier League side in an FA Cup match since defeating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the 4th round of the 1990 FA Cup.
* Louis Saha has scored seven goals in 13 Premier League appearances against Chelsea, and has now scored in his last two FA Cup meetings with the Premier League champions.

Manchester City v Notts County

* Notts County and Manchester City have been drawn together three times previously in the FA Cup, with County progressing once (in 1991) and City twice (in 1962 and in 1995 following a replay).
* Man City have lost just three of their last 19 FA Cup ties with lower league opposition.
* The Citizens are unbeaten in 10 meetings with Notts County in all competitions, winning seven and drawing three.
* There have been 34 goals in the last eight clashes between the Magpies and the Citizens.
* The Citizens have only lost once at home to a lower league side in the FA Cup since 1963; a 0-3 defeat to the Magpies' city rivals Nottingham Forest in the 3rd round of the 2009 FA Cup.
* County have won two of their last three trips to Premier League teams in the FA Cup.

Fifth Round

Manchester United v Crawley Town

* Man Utd have only conceded eight goals in their last 15 FA Cup matches and not more than once in a single match in that run.
* Crawley are only the sixth non-league since the second World War to reach the Fifth Round and none of those sides have progressed further.
* The last three non-league teams to play against Manchester United in the FA Cup have earned a replay.
* United have not conceded a goal in their last four FA Cup matches against non-league opposition.
* This is the first time Crawley have ever played a top flight team in the FA Cup.
* Matt Tubbs has scored three goals in five games in this season's FA Cup.
* There have been three red cards in Crawley's last three FA Cup matches.

Stoke City v Brighton & Hove Albion

* Stoke have won the last seven consecutive matches against Brighton.
* Brighton have lost only one of their last 11 FA Cup matches.
* The Seagulls have lost their last five FA Cup matches against top flight teams.
* Stoke and Brighton have never met in the FA Cup.
* Stoke have only lost one of their last eight FA Cup games.
* The Potters have only lost one of their last 13 FA Cup matches against lower league opposition.
* Fran Sandaza has scored in each of his three of his FA Cup matches this season.

Leyton Orient v Arsenal

* In 25 FA Cup ties against lower division opposition under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have never lost.
* Robin van Persie has scored five goals in his last seven FA Cup appearances.
* The Gunners have conceded exactly one goal in all three of their FA Cup matches this season.
* The last 3 times Arsenal have knocked out Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, the Gunners have lost in the cup final 1952, 1972, 1978, all 0-1.
* Arsenal have won all four previous FA Cup matches against Leyton Orient.
* The Gunners have gone seven FA Cup matches without a clean sheet.Scott McGleish has scored six goals in his last five FA Cup matches this season.
* Leyton Orient have only kept one clean sheet in their last 10 FA Cup matches.

West Ham United v Burnley

* There have been two FA Cup meetings between West Ham and Burnley with the Londoners and winning both ties by scoring three goals.
* West Ham have won their last nine FA Cup matches against lower division teams.
* Burnley have only kept one clean sheet in their last 13 FA Cup matches.
* Burnley have only won one of the last 11 matches against the Hammers, but that was the last meeting at Turf Moor.
* Burnley have won only one of their last nine FA Cup away matches.
* Five of the last six goals Burnley have conceded in the FA Cup have come in the 80th minute or later.

Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday

* The first ever meeting between Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday came in the FA Cup in 1892 with the Owls winning 2-0.
* The only other occasion that the two were drawn together came in 1969, when Birmingham won after a replay.
* Birmingham have won five of their last six FA Cup matches.
* Clinton Morrison has scored five goals in his last four FA Cup appearances.
* Wednesday have scored four penalties in their last three FA Cup games.
* The Owls have only kept one clean sheet in their last 12 FA Cup matches

Fulham v Bolton

* The Trotters have only scored 10 goals in their last 20 FA Cup matches against Premier League opponents and have not netted more than one in a game since they beat Arsenal 3-1 at Highbury in 1994.
* Bolton have only progressed through three of their last 14 ties with Premier League teams in the FA Cup, although one of these was in the last round v Wigan.
* Fulham have won four of their last five FA Cup games at Craven Cottage, drawing the other.
* The Cottagers have scored 16 goals in their three domestic cup ties at Craven Cottage this season, averaging a goal every 17 minutes on average.
* Bolton have kept three successive clean sheets in the FA Cup for the first time since Jan-Feb 2006.
* The last three competitive meetings between Fulham and Bolton have ended in draws, with just two goals being scored in total.

Read More

Championship Opta Facts - 18-19 February

Leicester v Bristol City

* The Robins are unbeaten in four meetings with Leicester, winning two and drawing two.
* Bristol City striker David Clarkson has netted a 90th minute goal in both of his last two meetings with the Foxes.
* Foxes midfielder Andy King has now netted in three consecutive league games.
* In seven of the last eight games that Bristol City have scored, Brett Pitman has been on target.

Crystal Palace v Sheffield United

* The Blades are now winless in 10 league games, the longest run without a victory in this season's Championship.
* Palace have kept seven consecutive clean sheets at Selhurst Park, despite only keeping one clean sheet away all season.
* There were three penalties scored and two sendings off in this season's reverse fixture, which the Blades won 3-2.
* The last 13 meetings between the teams at Selhurst Park have either been won by the odd goal or ended in draws.

Ipswich v Hull

* There has only been one away win in the last 10 clashes between the sides; Ipswich won 5-2 away at Hull in March 2007.
* The Tractor Boys are unbeaten in four home meetings with Hull. The Tigers last won at Portman Road in April 1990.
* Ipswich's young star Connor Wickham has now scored five goals in his last five league appearances.
* Hull have only conceded two first half goals in their last 11 league games combined.

Leeds v Norwich

* Leeds have now scored in 12 consecutive Championship games; two more than any other side.
* Eight of the last 10 meetings between the sides have all been won by the odd goal, with the other two ending in a draw.
* Leeds have won three and drawn one of their last four home meetings with Norwich and were last beaten by the Canaries at Elland Road in August 1993.
* Norwich have only kept one away clean sheet since the 16th October.

Millwall v Middlesbrough

* Millwall have won six consecutive home games - if they beat Middlesbrough, they will become the first Championship side to win seven consecutive home games this season.
* The Lions have already defeated Boro twice this campaign; once in the league and once in the Carling Cup.
* Millwall's 1-0 win at the Riverside in this season's reverse fixture is the only away victory in the 17 clashes between the sides since October 1973.
* Boro have only lost one of their last four away games, winning two and drawing one.

Nottingham Forest v Cardiff

* Forest are now unbeaten in 34 consecutive league games (excl. playoffs) at the City Ground since a 0-1 home reverse to Blackpool in September 2009.
* Cardiff have netted 11 goals in the opening 15 minutes of games this season, more than any other side.
* Forest midfielder Lewis McGugan has scored in his last two appearances against the Bluebirds.
* Forest have failed to win any of their last six home meetings with Cardiff, losing three and drawing three (all 0-0).

Portsmouth v Barnsley

* No side has managed fewer goals in the opening 15 minutes than Pompey - just two.
* There have been over 2.5 goals scored in each of the last five meetings between these sides at Fratton Park.
* Only one of the last 11 clashes between the sides has ended in a draw; a 4-4 in the last meeting on the South Coast.
* The Tykes have lost three of their last four league away games, winning the other at Doncaster.

Preston v QPR

* Preston have been shown 59 yellow cards this season - more than any other Championship side.
* Only Sheffield United (seven) have been shown more red cards than QPR this campaign (five).
* There have been no away wins in any of the last nine clashes between the sides, whilst four of the last five have been won by the home side.
* Adel Taarabt has scored three goals in three appearances against the Lilywhites.

Reading v Watford

* Watford are the only side in the Championship who are yet to be shown a red card.
* Reading have failed to win any of their last five league games, drawing three and losing two.
* Watford's leading scorer Danny Graham has netted three goals in his last three clashes with the Royals.
* The Hornets have only won one of their last nine league trips to Reading; a win in the Premier League in May 2007.

Scunthorpe v Derby

* The last six meetings between the sides have seen a total of 32 goals scored; an average of over five goals a game.
* Scunthorpe have won their last four home meetings with the Rams, including the last two by a scoreline of 3-2.
* The Rams have only scored two goals in their last six Championship games combined.

Swansea v Doncaster

* The last three meetings between the sides have all ended in draws.
* The Swans are unbeaten in six meetings with Rovers, winning two and drawing four.
* Swansea have won three of their last four home league games, losing the other to Welsh rivals Cardiff.
* Billy Sharp (four) is the only Doncaster player to have scored in Rovers' last eight league games.
* Since netting three first half games on New Year's Day against Scunthorpe, Doncaster have only scored one league goal in 360 first half minutes.

Read More

SPL Opta Facts - 19-20 February

Aberdeen v Kilmarnock

* Killie are on a run of four consecutive wins against the Dons.
* Jamie Hammill has scored in both meetings with Aberdeen this season.
* After going four games unbeaten in the SPL, Aberdeen have now lost three of their last four.
* Kilmarnock have not failed to score in a league match since August (vs Motherwell).
* However they have won just one of their last six games in the SPL.

Hearts v Dundee United

* The last three meetings between the sides at Tynecastle have ended in a draw.
* Hearts have failed to score in four of their last five meetings with the Terrors.
* The Jambos have won six of their last seven league games on home soil.
* The last three league matches at Tynecastle have all ended in a 1-0 win for the home team.
* United have drawn their last five away games in the league.

Inverness CT v St Johnstone

* The two sides have a perfectly balanced head-to-head record, with each winning five times and drawing once in all competitions.
* Colin Samuel has scored in both meetings between the sides this season, his only two goals of the current campaign.
* Caley Thistle are without a win in their last 11 league games.
* Inverness have kept just one clean sheet at home in the league this season.
* The Saints have lost only one of their last six league games.

Motherwell v Hamilton

* The last four meetings between the sides have produced just two goals in total (one each).
* The last three matches between Motherwell and the Accies at Fir Park have ended 1-0, twice to the Steelmen and once to Hamilton.
* Motherwell have failed to score in seven of their last nine league games.
* Hamilton have not won in the league since beating Motherwell 1-0 in October.
* On the road they have netted just one goal in five league games.

Celtic v Rangers

* None of the three Old Firm derbies this season in all competitions has ended in a home win (two away wins in the league, one FA Cup draw).
* Celtic have won only one of their last five matches at home to the Gers.
* The Bhoys have won eight of their last nine league games.
* During this run they have conceded just twice.
* Antony Stokes has netted in Celtic´s last six league games, for a total of eight goals.
* Rangers have dropped points in two of their last four league away games.

St Mirren v Hibernian

* Hibs are the only current SPL side never to have won at St Mirren in the competition (three defeats, five draws).
* Hibernian´s last win at St Mirren came in the Scottish First Division in January 1999 (2-1).
* St Mirren have won only one of their last 12 league games.
* The Saints´only clean sheet at home in the league this season came against Hibs back in August.
* Hibs are on a run of back-to-back league wins.
* However they have lost their last five on the road.

Read More

La Liga Opta Facts - 19-21 February

Valencia v Sporting Gijon

* Valencia are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Sporting.
* Sporting Gijón have not lost at the Mestalla in the league since 1996, notching up one win and two draws in this period.
* However los che have scored exactly twice in their last four matches at home to Sporting.
* Valencia are unbeaten in their last nine league games.
* No side has picked up more points in La Liga in 2011 than Unai Emery´s side (19).
* Valencia have lost only one of their last 24 home league games.
* Eight of Valencia´s last 15 league goals have come in the last 15 minutes of games.
* All five of Sporting´s league wins this season have come when they have kept a clean sheet.
* Valencia have scored the most goals from corners in Liga BBVA this season (10).

Real Madrid v Levante

* Real have only lost once against Levante in the league (11 meetings).
* However the merengues have failed to score in two of their last four league clashes with the granotas, including the goalless draw in the first half of this season.
* Levante have conceded at least three goals in all but one of their league visits to the Bernabeú.
* Madrid have won all their home league games this season (11).
* For the first time in the history of the Spanish Primera, Levante have won three straight league games.
* Levante haven´t scored more than once in any of their away games in the league this season.
* Lassana Diarra has committed more fouls per 90 minutes than any player in the league this season (4.1).
* Iker Casillas will miss a league match for the first time since May 2008: also a home game against Levante (5-2).
* Since his arrival, Madrid have won 84% of their league games with Pepe playing, compared to just 62% without him.
* Levante have managed to claw back just one point from the 14 league games where they have gone behind in the league this season.

Almería v Deportivo La Coruña

* Almería are unbeaten in their last three league meetings with Depor.
* The three top-flight games between the sides at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos have produced just four goals in total (two each).
* Almería are unbeaten in three league games at home, winning the last two.
* Five of the last nine league games at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos have ended 1-1, three 3-2 (two Almería wins, one defeat) and one 0-8.
* Deportivo have lost five of their last six league away games.
* Depor have only scored three goals in their last seven matches on the road, two of them penalties.
* Deportivo have won both away matches when they have gone ahead in the league this season, but lost all eight when they have gone behind.
* Almería have used the same starting XI six times in the league this season, the joint-most (with Real Madrid): Acasiete, Alves, Bernardello, Corona, Crusat, García, Ortiz, M'Bami, Míchel, Piatti, Uche.

Getafe v Racing Santander

* Getafe are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with the montañeses (two wins, two draws).
* However the Madrid side have failed to score in their last two at home to Racing.
* With a win in their last home league game, Getafe ended a run of three straight defeats at the Coliseum.
* Miku has scored in three of Getafe´s last four league games.
* Racing have lost just two of their last nine league games, though have won only two as well.
* Only Osasuna (two) have picked up fewer points on the road this season than the montañeses (six).
* Six of Racing´s seven league goals in 2011 have come from indirect free kicks and corners.
* A quarter (25%) of Racing´s league goals this season have come from outside the box, the highest proportion in the competition this season.

Osasuna v Espanyol

* Osasuna have won their last two league matches at home to Espanyol, keeping a clean sheet in both games.
* Osasuna have conceded only one goal in their last four league games at home.
* However they have also scored just twice in five on their own turf.
* No side has kept more clean sheets at home in the league this season than the rojillos (seven).
* In their last 12 league games, Espanyol have won three, then lost three, then won three, then lost three. If this run were to continue, they would win against Osasuna.
* Each of the periquitos last six league away games have produced at least three goals (three wins, three defeats).
* Espanyol´s last seven league goals have come on the road.
* Osasuna are one of two sides in this season´s Liga who are yet to test the goalkeeper with a direct free kick.
* The periquitos have scored only one goal from outside the box in the league this season, the joint-fewest.

Villarreal v Malaga

* Villarreal have only lost two of their last 13 matches to Málaga in the top flight.
* At home the Yellow Submarine has won four of its last five top flight clashes with the Boquerones.
* Villarreal have lost their last two league games, they have not lost three in a row since September 2009.
* Málaga are without a win in six league matches, the longest current run in the league.
* Villarreal have been fouled more often than any other side in La Liga this season (387 times).
* No side has picked up more points after going behind in Liga BBVA games this season than the Yellow Submarine (12).
* On all four occasions that Villarreal have failed to score in the league this season they have lost 0-1.

Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao

* Barcelona are unbeaten in their last nine league meetings with Athletic, and have lost just one of the last 18.
* The Basque side has not kept a clean sheet at the Camp Nou in the league since 1985: a run of 25 matches.
* Both of Sergio Busquets' goals in La Liga have come against Athletic Bilbao.
* Barcelona have not failed to win two consecutive league matches since May 2009.
* Lionel Messi has scored or assisted Barcelona´s last six league goals.
* Messi has assisted eight league goals for David Villa this season, more than any player for anyone else.
* Athletic Bilbao have scored the joint-most goals (16) from set pieces in Liga BBVA this season, while Barcelona have scored the fewest (five).
* Defeat in their last match ended a run of four straight league wins for the Basque side.
* Barça have only been behind in three league matches this season.

Real Sociedad v Mallorca

* Real Sociedad have won their last three league matches at home to Mallorca in the top flight.
* However the Bermellones have scored on their last nine league trips to Anoeta.
* Eight of erreala´s 10 league wins this season have come when they have kept a clean sheet.
* Only Barcelona (22) have scored in more league matches than Real Sociedad (21) this season.
* Mallorca are without a win in their last five away games in the league, picking up just one point on this run.
* Real Sociedad have dropped more points from winning positions than any side in La Liga this season (20).
* Real Sociedad have made the most successful crosses in the league this season (132).

Sevilla v Hercules

* Sevilla are without a win in their last three league games.
* In their last match, Farinós ended a 486-minute goal drought for the Herculanos in the league.
* Sevilla have not won a league match this season without Kanouté in the side.
* Sevilla have neither scored nor conceded a goal from a direct free kick this season.
* Hércules have only ever won twice in Sevilla in the Spanish top flight (18 matches).
* Hércules have scored the joint-fewest goals in the final 15 minutes of games (three).
* The nervionenses have lost all three games in which they have conceded first at home in the league this season.
* On the other hand, Hércules are unbeaten in the two games where they have scored first on the road this season.
* Only Barcelona have a higher shooting accuracy in the league this season than Hercules (53.2%).
* Sevilla have won eight of their nine league games at home to sides from the Comunitat Valenciana in the last four seasons.

Real Zaragoza v Atletico Madrid

* Since returning to the top flight in 2004, the maños have lost just once at home to the colchoneros.
* Real Zaragoza are unbeaten in four league home games, winning three.
* Atlético are on a run of four straight league defeats, they have not lost five in a row in the top flight since 1942.
* Atlético have picked up fewer points in 2011 (four) than any side in Liga BBVA.
* Real Zaragoza have lost the most games after conceding first at home in the league this season (five).
* Zaragoza have won none of their three league games without the suspended Ander Herrera this season (two draws, one defeat).
* Javier Aguirre has won all four of his league games as a coach at home to Atlético.
* The Mexican coach has only lost once to the colchoneros in eight meetings overall.
* Atlético have actually conceded fewer goals per game without suspended defender Godín (0.88) than with him (1.6) in the league this season.

Read More