Football staff picks

EPL Fixtures March 20th & 21st, 2010

Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - Carl J. Gavine

Match of the week is undoubtedly Sunday's clash of the titans, Manchester United versus Liverpool at Old Trafford. On paper this is a banker home win with United flying high at the top of the league and having won thirteen of their fifteen home games this season. Liverpool, on the other hand, have managed only seven victories in fourteen attempts on the road and currently languish in fifth place, no less than fifteen points behind their north west rivals. However, games are not played on paper and Liverpool Manager Rafa Benitez will waste no time in reminding his players that not only did they beat United by a score of 2 - 0 at Anfield in October, but they also beat Sir Alex Ferguson's team home and away last season. Don't expect a Liverpool victory this time though, for with England star Wayne Rooney in the form of his life, Steven Gerrard & Co will be lucky to return home with a solitary point. 

Second placed Chelsea face a tricky visit to Ewood Park where Blackburn have won each of their last four fixtures. Although Chelsea have won only three of their last six road games, I expect them to have enough fire power to keep up the pressure on their Mancunian title rivals. As we mentioned last week, third placed Arsenal look to have the easiest run in of the three title contenders and this week another three points are there for the taking against struggling West Ham United, who have only managed one win on the road in fifteen attempts this season. 

In the enthralling battle for fourth place and that final berth into next season's European Champions League, Harry Redknap's Tottenham will do well to come away with a point at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, from which only four away teams have escaped with maximum points. Another team rapidly turning their home stadium in to a fortress is Roy Hodgson's Fulham who have lost only one of their last six fixtures at Craven Cottage. On Sunday, they come up against sixth placed Manchester City who, with only four road victories this term, will do well to leave London with a share of the spoils. Meanwhile, expect Martin O'Neil's Aston Villa to boost their quest for a place in Europe by beating local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers at Villa Park. 

Despite the loss of Landon Donovan, Everton should prove too hot for Bolton Wanderers at Goodison Park and could erase their two point deficit behind Birmingham City who face a road trip to Sunderland who are making quite a habit of drawing their home matches. 

Wigan should claim a vital three points in their bid to stay in the EPL by out battling their Lancashire rivals Burnley and in the match to decide who really is the worst team in this season's EPL, moneyless Portsmouth are at home to managerless Hull in a meaningless match. Regardless of the outcome these two teams will be facing each other in next season's lower division! 

So, this weekend why not be like David Beckham and put your feet up to watch all the tremendous action in the English Premier League!