Chelsea put in another quality performance at Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday and are now in a strong position to qualify from the group stages. They were unfortunate not to pick up more than a point from Valencia, but the performances have got to be pleasing Andre Villa-Boas and the supporters.
The Blues have quietly made their way up to 3rd in the Premier League table, picking up 13 points from their 18 available and they are only 3 points behind the two Manchester clubs. Chelsea are 1-1-1 away from home this season, scoring 3 goals and conceding 4, but they have played at tough venues like the Brittania Stadium and Old Trafford.
Chelsea have been playing well of late, even if they have not won any of their last 2 away games at Manchester United and Valencia. I was impressed with their performance in both of those games, and it would not have been that unfair if they had won 1 and drawn 1 of those games rather than losing 1 and drawing the other. The only criticism I could perhaps have of the team in their away games so far this season is tht they are not as clinical in front of goal as they could be.
Fernando Torres is suspended following his sending off against Swansea last week, and Didier Drogba could come back into the side at his expense. Daniel Sturridge is unlikely to be passed fit to play the side where enjoyed so many good performances while on loan at the back end of last season.
Source:tv-lin.com
Bolton v Chelsea - Villa Boas on injuries, Lampard and the team | English premier league 2011-12
Before every Arsenal fixture, we’ll bring you a Scouting Report on the Gunners’ next opponents.
Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson will give his pre-match view and you can get his post-match verdict in our Talking Tactics feature on Arsenal Player.
Arsène Wenger and his side travel to White Hart Lane for the hotly-anticipated North London derby on Sunday so, to find out more, we also asked journalist Paul Hirst for his thoughts and analysis.
STEWART ROBSON
"Spurs are beginning to look a strong team again. The Adebayor and Defoe partnership has pace, aerial ability and firepower while the combination of speed and guile in wide areas is a major threat.
"However, Spurs play with just two central midfielders so Arsenal's three must and should dominate possession and control the flow of the game. If they don’t, Arsenal's back four will be fully tested."
PAUL HIRST, PRESS ASSOCIATION
"I think Adebayor is going to be a big player in this game - that's the main route they're going to go down. I can see Bale being the main outlet down the flanks and he'll be drifting crosses in all the time.
"They will have watched the match from Wednesday and seen the free header the player from Olympiacos had and saw where the weaknesses are that they might exploit.
"I think Van der Vaart will play a key part. It is always difficult with him to find where he's going to sit in the team, and I think Harry Redknapp likes to play Adebayor and Defoe up front. It is always hard to fit Van der Vaart around those two but you just can't leave him out of this team because he has the ability to just turn the match with one shot, one cross or one pass. He is the irresistible player you can't leave out.
"I just think the way the Tottenham players gel together and play together when they go forward has such an understanding. Regardless of how quick they break and how pacy their attacks are they just seem to know where everybody is supposed to be.
"The passion and vision that Bale, Modric and Parker - even though he hasn't been there long - have is very interesting. Even though they play at full pelt they seem to know where one another are.
"It is a difficult one to predict. I will probably go for a narrow Spurs victory. There is going to be goals, that's for sure. I'll say maybe 3-2 or 4-3 maybe."
Marseyside derby will be placed at Goodison Park tomorrow on Saturday October 1st, 2011. This is a classic derby between Everton and Liverpool. Both teams will clash for first time in this season. Everton as host and Liverpool as visitor. Liverpool captain likely will play from the bench, Before he played just 25 minutes of competitive match since recovering from an injury.
Both sides have struggled to keep clean sheets this season. It will be very surprising if they do tomorrow. Both defences have looked vulnerable in recent times and theres likely to be goals in this encounter. This derby will the 216th meeting between the two clubs in all competition. It is the most played fixture in the history of the English game.
Now Liverpool sit on the 5th while Everton sit on the 11st position.
Liverpool vs Everton Head to Head
Sun 16/01/11 PRL Liverpool 2 - 2 Everton
Sun 17/10/10 PRL Everton 2 - 0 Liverpool
Sat 06/02/10 PRL Liverpool 1 - 0 Everton
Sun 29/11/09 PRL Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool
Thu 05/02/09 FAC Everton 1 - 0 Liverpool
Tim Cahill was subbed off against Manchester City last weekend with a bruised shin after a collison with Vincent Kompany and is still a major doubt for the game.
Edin Dzeko could start against Blackburn after confirming he has been forgiven by Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini for his furious reaction to being substituted in Munich this week. Mancini vowed that no City player would behave in such a manner again whilst he remained in charge.
Dzeko vented his frustrations as he was making his way to the dugout after being replaced by Nigel de Jong 10 minutes into the second half of City's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern, then continued his angry rant as he took his seat. However, the Bosnian has now apologised. And Mancini has accepted. "I know my reaction (to being taken off) was bad," he said. "I have spoken to the guys and to the coach as well. "I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said that everything is okay and that we have to be positive for the next game."
Mancini's forgiveness clearly does not extend to Carlos Tevez, who has been suspended for two weeks pending an internal investigation into the manager's claims that he refused to play. De Jong is likely to be on the bench again and though Adam Johnson is back in training after an ankle injury it may be to soon for him. Blackburn manager Steve Kean is still waiting on the fitness of defenders Scott Dann and Michel Salgado.
Neither player has trained this week and the pair will undergo late tests to determine whether they will be able to face City at Ewood Park. Martin Olsson is definitely out through suspension following his red card at Newcastle but Gael Givet has recovered from the knock he sustained at St James' Park and should be available, while Kean confirmed Ryan Nelson and David Dunn are edging closer to a return.
Source:football.co.uk
Blackburn vs Man City Head to Head
Tue 26/04/11 PRL Blackburn Rovers 0 - 1 Manchester City
Sat 11/09/10 PRL Manchester City 1 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Tue 12/01/10 PRL Manchester City 4 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Sat 15/08/09 PRL Blackburn Rovers 0 - 2 Manchester City
Sat 02/05/09 PRL Manchester City 3 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Now Blackburn sit on the 18th while City sit on the 2nd position of Premier League.
All the team news, key facts and stats ahead of the Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez have recovered from injury and are available for the Premier League game at home to Norwich City. The pair missed Tuesday's 3-3 home draw with Basel in the Champions League as Rooney was recovering from a hamstring problem and Hernandez from a dead leg. Although Rooney was also missing against Basel in the Champions League on Tuesday Ferguson said a shaky defence rather than a weakness in attack was to blame as United threw away a two-goal lead to trail 3-2 before Ashley Young's last-gasp equaliser.
Norwich will be without striker James Vaughan for the trip to Manchester United, as he is set to be out for up to four months with a knee injury. Centre-back Zak Whitbread is still recovering from his hamstring problem, while on-loan United defender Ritchie de Laet is unavailable against his parent club. Defenders Elliott Ward and Dani Ayala (both knee) remain out, while young forward Oli Johnson is set for a spell on the sidelines after ankle surgery.
MANAGER QUOTES
Sir Alex Ferguson: "Wayne (Rooney) and Javier Hernandez will be fit for tomorrow. They trained yesterday very well and I was pleased with that. Jonny Evans also comes back, hopefully that will help us in the defensive part as we're certainly changing the back four at the moment."
Paul Lambert: "Some teams are beaten before they even go there, but I will have my own way to deal with that. We have to go there with a belief, because if you don't you can get turned over. Hopefully you will have a game plan which will try to hurt them, but that can be blown out of the water within minutes."
MATCH FACTS
Manchester United have won six and drawn one of the eight Premier League games against Norwich, but the Canaries won the last meeting (2-0) in April 2005.
All 13 goals scored by Man United against Norwich in the Premier League have been netted before the 60th minute.
Manchester United’s have won 18 consecutive home matches, extending their Premier League record and equalling an overall club record.
Man United have scored in their last 33 consecutive matches at Old Trafford in the Premier League, winning 31 and losing just one of those matches.
Wayne Rooney has scored six goals and one assist in his last eight Premier League matches at Old Trafford.
Rooney has scored 10 goals in his last six Premier League starts.
Manchester United have allowed their opponents more shots (85) against them than any other Premier League club this season.
Man United have kept just two clean sheets in their last 10 Premier League matches.
Ashley Young has a league-leading five goal assists in the Premier League this season.
Norwich have not won three Premier League games in a row since October 1993.
MATCH ODDS
Manchester United 1/6 - Draw 6/1 - Norwich 16/1
PA Sport / Opta
Source:eurosport.yahoo.com
Now Liverpool sit on the 5th while Everton sit on the 11st position.
Liverpool vs Everton Head to Head
Sun 16/01/11 PRL Liverpool 2 - 2 Everton
Sun 17/10/10 PRL Everton 2 - 0 Liverpool
Sat 06/02/10 PRL Liverpool 1 - 0 Everton
Sun 29/11/09 PRL Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool
Thu 05/02/09 FAC Everton 1 - 0 Liverpool
Tim Cahill was subbed off against Manchester City last weekend with a bruised shin after a collison with Vincent Kompany and is still a major doubt for the game.
