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Cardiff v Leicester City again. The Replay

Published on 25/09/2011 10:21

This will be the second time in five days that these two sides have met after they played out a 2-2 draw here last Wednesday in the Carling Cup The game was forced into extra time after Cardiff had taken the lead only for Leicester to battle to the front with a brace of goals, before Rudy Gestede levelled for the home side. No further goals in the extra period sent the game to penalties where Cardiff finally took the tie. I am predicting the same full time result today in…

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Lawrence Returns for Pompey – Portsmouth v Blackpool

Published on 24/09/2011 00:05

Portsmouth will be glad of the return of Liam Lawrence into the starting line up. But with pleasure there has to be some pain, and whilst Lawrence is a much needed man in the squad, Luke Varney (Suspended), Dave Kitson (Rib Injury) are out of the side to face Blackpool. Portsmouth are looking to turn things around after losing to Hull last weekend, and will be taking on Ian Holloway's side who have not been beaten in four games. That record for Blackpool can also include…

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Iron to Hammer the Posh – West Ham United v Peterborough United

Published on 23/09/2011 23:21

West Ham United have managed to score four goals in a game on three occasions already this season, and this game at home to Darren Ferguson's Peterborough United in the Npower Championship looks like another game where that sort of scoreline possible. Ferguson has done well to get off to a good start with his side and have them in 10th position in the league at present. Making this division through the play offs from League One last term to join fellow promoted Brighton…

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Howe can Eddie Stop the Saints Train – Burnley v Southampton

Published on 23/09/2011 23:03

What will stop Southampton's charge at the top of the Npower Championship. Indeed, CAN Anything stop the charge for the team promoted from League One last season as runners up? Eddie Howe may just be able to slow it up if not halt it at Turf moor on Saturday. The Claret and Blue have yet to win at home this season but a defeat to Middlesbrough has been the only blank as they picked up points against both Cardiff and Watford. They also came from behind to knock Milton…

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Great Start Continues For Clough – Derby County v Millwall

Published on 23/09/2011 22:49

After a couple of consecutive defeats it was reasonable to begin questioning if Derby's four from four start in the Npower Championship this season was just a flash in the pan. After travelling just down the road to the City Ground to defeat Nottingham Forest last week, it could be counter argued that indeed it is not, and Derby may have some longevity in the top six of the division. They have every chance of consolidating that position on Saturday when an out of sorts…

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Has Tony Mowbray's Boro side really been tested yet? Middlesbrough v Ipswich Town

Published on 23/09/2011 22:35

The question is relevant when we look at the current Npower Championship table and the relative positions of the teams played by Middlesbrough so far this season. Yes, it's granted that Boro have played their part in ensuring all seven of them are no higher than 11th in the division, but does this still leave able to question to what extent they have been tested as yet? Ipswich visit the Riverside on Saturday. They currently occupy 13th position, so it will be tricky to…

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QPR May Struggle To End Aston Villa's Unbeaten Run

Published on 23/09/2011 16:18

QPR have looked a different proposition since bringing in several players just before the transfer window shut, Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips in particular have been excellent signings and could end up being the difference between QPR staying up and going down. Aston Villa look as though they will have a solid season, they are one of just four teams who are unbeaten this season in the Premiership but they do come into this after a rather poor 2-0 home loss in the…

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Man Utd Can Keep On Winning At Stoke

Published on 23/09/2011 15:20

Man Utd put their 100% record on the line at Stoke this weekend with Stoke keen to forget last week's result against Sunderland when they were beaten 4-0. Stoke are a different proposition at home though and they will fancy their chances of an upset having held Chelsea to a 0-0 here in the first match of the season, having beaten Liverpool 1-0 at home and also having knocked Spurs out of the Carling Cup on Tuesday. Kenwyne Jones picked up a knock in Stoke's…

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Monday Night Football Set To End All Square

Published on 23/09/2011 13:50

The Monday night match seens Norwich host Sunderland and with the teams currently occupying thirteenth and twelfth place respectively in the Premiership both teams could very much do with three points. Both teams come into this on the back of a good win so a win for either side will provide them with plenty of momentum going into October. Norwich have no new injury concerns going into this game on Monday, Zak Whitbread is still out of action for Norwich with a…

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Spurs Could Be Bet Of The Weekend To Beat Wigan

Published on 23/09/2011 13:13

Wigan have started the season solidly but their results may be a little misleading given that they have already faced the three promoted sides. They have lost their two games against teams from last season's Premiership and they face a tough game at home to Spurs, who have won their last two games and are showing that they will once again be a force to be reckoned with this season. Wigan will be without Hugo Rodallega, who scored the only goal in the two games…

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Bologna v Inter Milan preview: Claudio Ranieri makes debut as manager for the Nerazzurri

Published on 23/09/2011 11:42

Just three months into his managerial role at Inter Milan, Gian Piero Gasperino was dismissed by the club’s hierarchy on Wednesday, and Claudio Ranieri will make his debut as coach of the former Serie A champions against Bologna on Saturday, with the Nerazzuri still searching for their first victory of the season. With, reportedly, chiefs at the San Siro unhappy with Gasperino’s deployment of a 3-4-3 system, one suspects we will witness a more conventional approach …

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Will Buckley out Injured as Leeds United come to the AMEX to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday Night

Published on 22/09/2011 20:14

Will Buckley picked up a hamstring injury in the Wednesday night Carling Cup defeat to Liverpool and will therefore be out of the visit of Leeds United to the AMEX on Friday evening. Gus Poyet had been as careful as possible with his squad with a recovery time of just 48 hours between the games, mainly in defence and Lewis Dunk, Gary Dicker and Ryan Harley should all return to the starting line after being rested Whilst Liverpool are the first side to record a win in the new …

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Arsenal And Bolton Can Provide Goals Galore At Emirates

Published on 22/09/2011 16:42

Both Arsenal and Bolton currently sit in the bottom four after bad starts but both teams enjoyed a morale boosting midweek win in the Carling Cup. Arsenal appear to be close to crisis after they lost 4-3 against Blackburn last week, two own goals summed up their defending on the day and just one win in five league games has left many questioning the future of Arsene Wenger. As for Bolton, it has been a little surprising to see them struggle so much this season, they have…

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Comfortable Victory Predicted For Chelsea Against Swansea

Published on 22/09/2011 16:42

Swansea, on a high from winning their first Premiership match last week in impressive fashion, face the likelihood of being brought straight back down to earth this weekend when they travel to Chelsea, who put in one of their best performances of the season at Old Trafford last week despite losing 3-1 to Man Utd. Swansea are so far unbeaten at home this season but they will find things much tougher when playing away from the Liberty Stadium and they remain the favourites…

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Liverpool Can Banish Memories Of Last Season's Wolves Win At Anfield

Published on 22/09/2011 16:42

Liverpool and Wolves both started the season very well but optimism has soon turned to pessimism with both teams losing their last two Premiership games. Liverpool will be happy to return to Anfield after two away losses and they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last season where they lost 1-0 at home to Wolves in one of Roy Hodgson's worst results at the club. Steven Gerrard returned to action in the midweek after a lengthy layoff following a groin injury but…

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Blackburn Likely To Return To Losing Ways At Newcastle

Published on 22/09/2011 16:42

It has been a very solid start to the season for Newcastle and Alan Pardew and they are quickly becoming one of the toughest teams to beat in the Premiership, in fact they have lost just two competitive matches since the beginning of March. Blackburn certainly weren't tough to beat in the same time period, they only just avoided relegation last season and started this season badly before gaining a much needed win against Arsenal last week, how strong that form is remains …

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Don't Expect Excitement When West Brom Host Fulham

Published on 22/09/2011 16:42

Two of the slowest starters in the league go head to head at the Hawthornes on Saturday, West Brom are 18th having lost four of their five league games so far, only a narrow, unconvincing 1-0 win against Norwich keeps them off the bottom. The bottom spot is currently occupised by Fulham, who are yet to win in the Premiership under new manager Martin Jol but his side will be buoyed by a comeback from 2-0 down against Man City last week to pick up a point. Fulham are the only…

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Sergio Aguero Expected To Keep Scoring This Weekend Against Everton

Published on 22/09/2011 14:45

Man City dropped their first points of the Premiership campaign last week and it will be interesting to see how Roberto Mancini's side react to their draw at Fulham, especially against a tough team to beat like Everton. Many were writing Everton off this season after they lost their first game of the season against QPR but they have done well since then and have now moved up to sixth place despite having played a game less than most other teams. David Moyes appears to be …

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Ipswich Town v Coventry City – Can the Sky Blues score a first half goal

Published on 19/09/2011 17:52

Along with Reading, Coventry City remain the only side in the Npower Championship yet to score a goal in the first half of one of their matches. To be fair though, they have hardly been prolific in from of goal anyway and sit with just five points from a possible 18 before this trip to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town. That said, Paul Jewells Ipswich Town have yet to be winning a game at the break when playing at home this term, they had to come from behind to beat Leeds in…

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Napoli host AC Milan in fascinating Serie A showdown this evening

Published on 18/09/2011 18:08

All roads lead to the Stadio San Paolo in terms of the Serie A this evening when the progressive Napoli entertain champions AC Milan in what should be an enthralling encounter. Both sides go into this match having secured unlikely draws away from home in their midweek Champions League games. Indeed, Walter Mazzarri's men defied the odds to hold cash-rich Manchester City to a draw, while AC Milan played out a 2-2 thriller with Barcelona at the Camp Nou, a match they came…

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