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Premier League Week 31


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Saturday, 2 April 2011Barclays Premier LeagueWest Ham v Man Utd, 12:45 SKYSPORTSBirmingham v Bolton, 15:00Everton v Aston Villa, 15:00Newcastle v Wolverhampton, 15:00Stoke v Chelsea, 15:00West Brom v Liverpool, 15:00Wigan v Tottenham, 15:00Arsenal v Blackburn, 17:30 ESPNSunday, 3 April 2011Barclays Premier LeagueFulham v Blackpool, 13:30 SKYSPORTSMan City v Sunderland, 16:00 SKYSPORTSMonday, 4 April 2011Npower ChampionshipQPR v Sheff Utd, 19:45 SKYSPORTS

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Fresh from the international break, the Premier League returns and tensions are increasing at the top and the bottom of the table.Leaders Manchester United travel to London to take on relegation-threatened West Ham in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off, which can be seen live on Sky Sports HD2/2, while Sir Alex Ferguson's title rivals, Arsenal, host Blackburn in the evening.Saturday's 3pm matches include Liverpool's reunion with Roy Hodgson at West Brom, Tottenham's trip to rock-bottom Wigan, and Stoke welcoming Chelsea.Newcastle take on Wolves at St James' Park, Bolton visit Birmingham, and Everton and Aston Villa meet.Both of Sunday's games can be viewed live on Sky Sports HD1/1, as Fulham play Blackpool at Craven Cottage in the lunchtime match, and Manchester City see Sunderland arrive at Eastlands later in the afternoon.FightingAfter Dimitar Berbatov gave 10-man and injury-hit Manchester United a dramatically late win over Bolton at Old Trafford before the international break, the current league leaders enjoy a five-point gap at the top of the table and Treble hopes remain. Ferguson will continue his touchline ban at Upton Park when taking on a West Ham side who are fighting for survival. A four-game unbeaten run has seen Avram Grant's team climb out of the relegation zone on goal difference. But they are still only two points off the bottom of the table and Grant will be desperate for inspirational midfielder Scott Parker to be fit and repeat his performance from England's win over Wales.If United are successful, closest rivals Arsenal could begin their match against Blackburn at Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening eight points behind Ferguson's men and under severe pressure. Arsene Wenger again praised the character of his squad after they battled back to a 2-2 draw at West Brom in their last match, but it was two points lost. Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song, Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby could all return for the home team when they aim to address two successive draws. But Blackburn will be in equally determined mood, as they sit just one point above the relegation zone and questions continue to be asked about the appointment of manager Steve Kean.Hodgson will be reacquainted with Liverpool when West Brom play hosts at The Hawthorns. It will be the first time the former manager of the Anfield club meets his ex-employers since he was sacked in January just six months into the job. Hodgson's time as Liverpool boss was hugely disappointing and Kenny Dalglish has since made a good start in the task of rebuilding fortunes to ensure that fifth place is not yet out of reach. But, despite an insistence that he has nothing to prove, Hodgson is expected to provide stern opposition, as, four matches into his quest to save West Brom from relegation, he remains unbeaten.Roberto Martinez insists his Wigan side will continue to fight in what is proving an incredibly close scrap to survive in the Premier League and they could be quietly confident when Tottenham arrive at the DW Stadium. Wigan stunned Spurs at White Hart Lane in August and, with Harry Redknapp's top-five team possibly distracted by next week's UEFA Champions League first leg against Real Madrid, Martinez will be plotting another upset.Defending champions Chelsea have still to give up hope of retaining their title and a deserved victory over Champions League hopefuls Manchester City last time out means Carlo Ancelotti's men are nine points behind United with a game in hand. A win from a difficult trip to Stoke is a priority, but Tony Pulis' hosts are still to reach the 40-point mark this season, which will be the minimum required to avoid the drop. It remains to be seen if Ancelotti keeps faith in misfiring £50million man Fernando Torres.SlumpedJust three games ago, manager Alan Pardew was talking about the possibility of Newcastle qualifying for Europe. But a failure to win since a 2-0 victory at Birmingham in mid-February means that last season's Championship winners are still far from certain of making an immediate return to the second division. In contrast, Mick McCarthy's Wolves are the form side. The Midlanders remain in the relegation zone, but will make the trip to St James' Park on the back of eight points from four matches.Carling Cup winners Birmingham have slumped into the relegation zone after three defeats and a draw in their last four matches. Alex McLeish has not seen his team win since their Wembley heroics and the happiness of securing a piece of silverware is in danger of being erased. Having knocked Birmingham out of the FA Cup at St Andrews in March, Owen Coyle's seventh-placed Bolton, who are overachieving to a similar extent as Birmingham last season, will hope to repeat their winning feeling in the Second City.Everton are enjoying their traditionally strong finish to the season after taking 10 points from their last four matches. That successful form has elevated David Moyes' team to eighth in the table and he will hope to increase the misery on old adversary Gerard Houllier. The pair were derby rivals in Houllier's time as Liverpool manager, but the Frenchman will have little room for nostalgia when fighting his current problems at Aston Villa. Reports of in-house rows and one win in the last six matches have plunged Villa to just one point about the relegation zone.Surrendering a two-goal lead at relegation and North West rivals Blackburn in their last outing epitomised Blackpool's second half of the season. Ian Holloway has been praised for his gung-ho attacking approach to the Premier League, but it has also been found out in 2011 and, ahead of Sunday's match with Fulham, the 2009/10 Championship play-off winners are in the group of teams who sit just one point above the relegation zone. Fulham are themselves not safe from relegation and Mark Hughes will be hoping that he can take advantage of Blackpool's tendency to concede.Roberto Mancini's future hangs on the reality of Manchester City's pursuit of a place in the Champions League. The club currently sit in fourth position, but Tottenham are chasing and it appears that there could be another end-of-season showdown between the two teams. Mancini will know that it will be essential to take three points from Sunderland at Eastlands, but Steve Bruce will be demanding a response after the disappointing defeat to Liverpool last time out. Sunderland's Ghanaian contingent are expected to continue a battle from the midweek friendly against England, and James Milner and Joleon Lescott in particular.
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Tom Huddlestone is back in the squad - but Harry Redknapp faces defensive problems at Wigan on Saturday.William Gallas (knee) has joined Jonathan Woodgate (calf), Ledley King (groin) and Younes Kaboul (thigh) on the sidelines.The manager also revealed on Friday morning that Gareth Bale (hamstring) would not make the trip to the DW Stadium."Gareth isn't fit for tomorrow and William's knee is giving him problems at the moment," said Harry.Asked about their respective chances of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, Harry added: "We'll have to wait and see."Gareth's hamstring is still tight and you can never tell with a hamstring injury, until you really push it, you are not sure. William is struggling at the moment."But Wigan is all-important for us and we can't look to Tuesday yet."We've got to do our best to get into the top four again this season. That's our aim, to make it into the Champions League again next season."That means we've got to keep picking up points and it's a vital game at Wigan."So if Gareth was fit, I'd play him at Wigan. But he's not available."Tom is back in the squad for the first time since November after recovering from an ankle injury. He came through 80 minutes of a Spurs XI friendly on Tuesday.Sebastien Bassong looks set to step back into the team alongside Michael Dawson in central defence."Seb's not really had a run this season so this is an opportunity for him to play and regain his place in the team," added Harry.
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Guest Portuguese

Villarreal-Barcelona match of the weekend(more points drop by Barca please)Mourinho says we have no Ronaldo,Marcelo,Benzema until the Bilbao game (April 9th) :unsure:Oh yeah I forgot to mention read his interviewGareth Bale>>>>>> Casillas, Adán y Dudek Garay, Albiol, Ramos, Carvalho, Pepe y Arbeloa Lass, Khedira, Granero, Álex, Juanfran, Canales, Özil, Di María y Juan Carlos Adebayor e Higuaín( :D )

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Guest Portuguese

When does Sir Alex retire?Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has dropped a heavy hint that he will leave the club when his contract expires in summer 2012.Guardiola, who took over the reins of his boyhood club in summer 2008, prefers short-term deals and signed a one-year contract extension in February to keep him at the Nou Camp until the end of next season. The 40-year-old told Italian television channel Rai Sport: "I think my time is ending here in Barcelona. "I'm fine here, but when you're at a club like this you cannot stay for too long. "Next year will be the fourth consecutive season as coach of Barcelona. "Such a club must have a lot of courage to take a coach for so long, because the players get tired of coaches and vice-versa." Asked if he might one day coach in Italy, the former Brescia and Roma midfielder added: "I'll come if I still want to coach. It takes enthusiasm and more to make such a decision." Since taking over at Barca, Guardiola has already won eight titles including an unprecedented treble of Primera Division, Champions League and Copa del Rey in his first campaign. The Catalan club are currently five points clear at the top of La Liga, through to the final of the Copa del Rey and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

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Guest Portuguese

Real Madrid will honour their former striker Ronaldo with a presentation before Saturday's Primera Division game against Sporting Gijon.The 34-year-old Brazilian, who announced his retirement on February 14, will be presented with a replica of the Machinbarrena and Aranguren statue, which was created in 1925 and now sits in front of the first-team dressing room. He said in AS: "When I was here 10 days ago, (club president) Florentino (Perez) talked to me and told me that he intended to have a tribute for me. "It is a great honour because I am a Madridista." The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, who scored 104 goals for Madrid and helped the capital club to two La Liga titles, also counts Barcelona, Inter Milan and AC Milan among his former clubs. He scored 15 World Cup goals, including eight in Brazil's triumphant 2002 campaign in Japan and South Korea.

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Guest Portuguese

"Can someone talk me thru what I'm seeing? Ronaldo sold to Spain for 160mill?? Does that mean he can jus change country and play for Spain?" - QPR midfielder Wayne Routledge takes to Twitter upon hearing that Cristiano Ronaldo had been 'sold' to Spain in a bid to aid Portugal's economic recovery, as reported in this morning's Independent.

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Guest M12 Part 2
"Can someone talk me thru what I'm seeing? Ronaldo sold to Spain for 160mill?? Does that mean he can jus change country and play for Spain?" - QPR midfielder Wayne Routledge takes to Twitter upon hearing that Cristiano Ronaldo had been 'sold' to Spain in a bid to aid Portugal's economic recovery, as reported in this morning's Independent.
LOOOOOOOOL he fell for it properly
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Pardew >>>>

Playmaker"I have had several talks with Hatem. He has spent a lot of time in France during the last few months, so it is essential for him to adapt again to daily life in a group and get focused on the Magpies."We rely on him, above all, for next season, but we won't rule out anything."If he can play one, two or three matches before the end of May, it would be fine both for us and him."Next season? He will play a central role in our attacking line. I want to use him as a playmaker, a number 10, just behind one forward."I am convinced he is able to score between 10 and 15 goals a season."Pardew added: "We will think about how to protect him during matches."Our expectations are big but once again we will go slowly. The end to this season will allow us to see if he has not lost his acceleration quality."
He like myself loves a bit of flair, he did wonders with Yossi..
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West Ham01 Green15 Upson22 Da Costa36 Bridge37 Jacobsen08 Parker11 Hitzlsperger16 Noble32 O'Neil09 Cole21 BaSubstitutes31 Boffin, 02 Reid, 05 Tomkins, 18 Spector, 30 Piquionne, 33 Obinna, 34 KeaneMan Utd29 Kuszczak03 Evra12 Smalling15 Vidic20 Fabio Da Silva11 Giggs13 Park Ji-Sung16 Carrick25 Valencia28 Gibson10 RooneySubstitutes40 Amos, 45 Oliver Gill, 08 Anderson, 17 Nani, 07 Owen, 09 Berbatov, 14 HernandezRef: MasonWTF

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