Transferts - Marseille sur Nenê ?

L'Olympique de Marseille va-t-il animer le prochain marché des transferts ? Il se pourrait bien que oui. La blessure contre le Real Madrid et l'absence pour six semaines du capitaine Mamadou Niang ont clairement changé les desseins dans ce domaine de l'entraîneur Didier Deschamps. Ce dernier avait identifié le profil d'un attaquant polyvalent. Il n'en fallait pas plus pour que le nom de l'international français du Stade Rennais, Jimmy Briand, de retour après neuf mois sur le carreau, résonné comme un écho sur la Canebière. Mais le natif de Vitry-sur-Seine devrait privilégier le maintien dans l'optique de la prochaine Coupe du Monde.

La dernière piste mènerait sur le meilleur buteur de l'élite, le Monégasque, Nenê, selon Infosport. L’OM serait d’ailleurs prêt à faire une offre dès le mercato d’hiver pour se l’offrir. Pas certain que du côté de la Principauté on soit d'accord pour lâcher son joyau, le monsieur plus d'une équipe qui rentre tout doucement, mais sûrement dans le rang. Ambitieux, l'ancienne star du Celta Vigo pourrait se laisser tenter par le challenge phocéen et sa médiatisation exponentielle. Surtout qu'il n'a pas tiré une croix définitive sur la Seleçao. Seulement, il possède un clause dans son contrat lui permettant de partir cet hiver, mais pour 12 millions d'euros. Dans ces conditions, l'affaire s'annonce délicate. Mais sait-on jamais.

INDICE DE FIABILITE GOAL.COM : 2,5/5

Mondial 2010 - Le Brésil dans le groupe de la mort

Le quintuple champion du monde aura fort à faire pour s’extirper de sa poule lors du premier tour du Mondial. Les Auriverde sont tombés dans le même groupe que le Portugal, la Côté d’Ivoire et la Corée du Nord.

Groupe G
Brésil
Corée du Nord
Portugal
Côte d’Ivoire

Mondial 2010 - La France bien lotie

L'Equipe de France a été reversée dans la poule A de la Coupe du Monde. Une poule abordable dans laquelle les Bleus se frotteront au pays hôte, l'Afrique du Sud, mais aussi au Mexique et à l'Uruguay. Son premier match se jouera contre la Celeste au lendemain du match d'ouverture.

L'équipe de France s'en tire plutôt bien. Positionné dans le chapeau 4 par la FIFA, le squad de Raymond Domenechavait 7 chances sur 8 de tomber sur un sérieux prétendant à la victoire finale en juin prochain lors du premier Mondial sur le sol africain. On pouvait craindre le pire. Il n'en est rien. Le sort a bien fait les choses pour les Bleus, qui se retrouvent dans le groupe A avecl'Afrique du Sud comme tête de série au gré de son statut de pays hôte. Mais dans les faits, c'est bien la bande à Thierry Henry qui sera la grandissime favorite face aussi à l'Uruguay et le Mexique.

Et en plus un huitième de finale abordable

Les Bafana Bafana auront évidemment l'avantage du public et de bien connaître l'environnement, mais les troupes de Carlos Pareira ont montré leurs limites lors des dernières échéances en se montrant notamment incapables de se qualifier pour la prochaine CAN en janvier prochain en Angola. Forcément, les matchs amicaux ne remplacent pas la compétition. Et puis, l'Afrique du Sud rappelle surtout de bons souvenirs, puisque c'est contre cette équipe que la formation d'Aimé Jacquet avait débuté son épopée victorieuse en 1998 (3-0).

L'Uruguay n'est pas à ranger dans la même catégorie. La Celeste était elle déjà présente dans le groupe de la France en 2002 (0-0). Thierry Henry avait pris la porte avant ses petits camarades face à la peste Dario Silva avant de rentrer à la maison dès le premier tour après un dernier revers contre le Danemark (0-2). Reste que la sélection double championne du Monde est certainement le représentant sud-américain le moins dangereux. Hormis Diego Forlan et la petite merveille de l'Ajax Amsterdam, Luis Suarez, il ne faut pas s'en faire une montagne. 

Le Mexique est sans conteste l'adversaire le plus redoutable et le plus dangereux pour la France. La Tricolor de l'ancien Monégasque Rafael Marquez est un habitué de la Coupe du Monde. Après un départ poussif lors des éliminatoires dans la zone Conmebol, l'arrivée sur le banc de Javier Aguirre aux dépens de Sven-Göran Eriksson a relancé la machine. En juin prochain, le Mexique tentera de relever la tête après la terrible élimination de 2006 face à l’Argentine dans les ultimes minutes de la partie. Pour mener à bien cette mission, Javier Aguirre pourra compter sur des ailes dynamiques. Dans cette configuration, le joueur de La Corogne Guardado et Dos Santos, de Tottenham, seront à surveiller comme le lait sur le feu.

La France est prévenue et a les cartes nécessaires pour se hisser en huitièmes de finale où là encore les Bleus ne sont pas malheureux. S'ils terminent avec le leadership de leur groupe, ils affronteront le deuxième du groupe B où on retrouve l'Argentine, le Nigéria, la Grèce et la Corée du Sud. La sélection albiceleste part elle-aussi avec les faveurs des pronostics. Le second strapontin est ouvert, mais ne représente pas un adversaire insurmontable. Heureux au tirage...

Groupe A:
Afrique du Sud

Mexique
France
Uruguay

Calendrier de l'équipe de France :

Vendredi 11 juin

20h30 : Uruguay - France, au Cap

Jeudi 17 juin

13h30 : France - Mexique, à Polokwane

Mardi 22 juin

16 heure : France - Afrique du Sud, à Bloemfontein

Les déclarations :

Diego Perez (milieu de terrain de Monaco et de l'Uruguay sur le site de la FFF) : "C'est la France ? C'est bien. On les connaît. On a déjà joué contre eux en 2002. On verra comment cela se passe. Ce sera très intéressant. Mais au Mondial, tous les matches sont difficiles. Quant à l'Afrique du sud, c'est le pays organisateur. Cela va être dur. Enfin, le Mexique, nous, en Uruguay, on connaît bien..."

Raymond Domenech (sélectionneur des bleus sur Eurosport) : "Soulagé ? Non, quand on regarde tous les groupes, c'est assez équilibré, il n'y a pas vraiment de groupe de la mort. On tombe sur le pays hôte et ce n’est jamais facile. L'Afrique du Sud, ce n'est pas une tête de série ordinaire car c'est en organisant la Coupe du monde qu'elle a gagné ce droit, mais on connaît l'impact de recevoir, ce que cela peut décupler comme force, ce ne sera pas facile de jouer à l'extérieur car on jouera ce match à l'extérieur. L'Uruguay et le Mexique, on connaît. On a déjà des souvenirs avec eux"

Alou Diarra (milieu des Bleus) : "On aurait pu avoir pire c’est vrai. Il n’y a plus de petits groupes, mais quand on voit certaines poules, on a évité les principaux favoris, sachant que nous n’étions pas tête de série. Désormais la France a quelques mois pour bien se préparer et faire la meilleure Coupe du Monde possible. Je pense qu’avec le potentiel qu’il y a dans ce groupe France, c’est quelque chose d’accessible. L’Uruguay joue un football très sud-américain, avec des joueurs teigneux et qui ne lâchent rien, ce ne sera pas un match facile. Après le Mexique pareil, ce sont des joueurs vifs et techniques, ce sera une opposition d’un autre style. Et puis enfin, l’Afrique du Sud, le pays hôte où il y aura une superbe ambiance, je pense."

Henri Michel (ancien sélectionneur de la France sur Eurosport) : "L’équipe sud-africaine n’est vraiment pas très bonne. Il faut bien le reconnaître. La France a vraiment toutes ses chances."

Les chances de chacun :

France : 45 %
Mexique : 25%
Afrique du Sud : 20%
Uruguay : 10%

Ce que disent les chiffres :

Afrique du Sud

Participations en Coupe du monde : 3 (1998, 2002, 2010)
Meilleur résultat en Coupe du monde : 1er tour 
Classement Fifa au 20/11/2009 : 86e

Equipe-type : Fernandez - Gaxa, Fransman, Mokoena (cap.), Masilela - Pienaar, Mhlongo, Dikgacoi, Gould - Parker, Mphela.
Sélectionneur : Carlos Alberto Parreira (BRA)

3 rencontres (2 V. / 1 N. /0 D. – 5 b.p. / 1 b.c.)
En phase finale d'une Coupe du Monde : 1 rencontre. 
CM 98, le 12 juin 1998 à Marseille (France) : France - Afrique du Sud : 3-0

Premier match. MA.*, le 11 octobre 1997 à Lens: France - Afrique du Sud : 2-1
Dernier match. MA, le 07 octobre 2000 à Johannesburg: Afrique du Sud - France : 0-0

Mexique

Participations en Coupe du monde : 14 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010).
Meilleur résultat en Coupe du monde : Quart de finale (1970, 1986).
Classement Fifa au 20/11/2009 : 15e
Equipe-type : Ochoa - Salcido, Marquez, Osorio, Torrado - Castro, franco, Blanco, Vela - Juarez, Guardado.
Sélectionneur : Javier Aguirre (MEX).
Meilleur buteur en qualifications du Mondial 2010 : Andreas Guardado (3 buts).

6 rencontres (5 V. / 1 N. /0 D. – 11 b.p. /4 b.c.)
En phase finale d'une Coupe du Monde : 3 rencontres
CM 30, le 13 juillet 1930 à Montevideo (Uruguay) : Mexique - France : 1-4
CM 54, le 16 juin 1954 à Genève (Suisse) : Mexique - France : 2-3
CM 66, le 13 juillet 1966 à Londres (Angleterre) : France - Mexique : 1-1

Premier match. CM.*, le 13 juillet 1930 à Montevideo (Uruguay) : Mexique - France : 1-4
Dernier match. MA, le 27 mai 2006 à Saint-Denis : France - Mexique : 1-0

Uruguay

Participations en Coupe du monde : 11 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2010).
Meilleur résultat en Coupe du monde : Vainqueur (1930, 1950).
Classement Fifa au 20/11/2009 : 19e.
Equipe type : Muslera - Scotti, Lugano (cap), Caceres - A. Pereira, D. Perez, Eguren, M. Pereira (C. Rodriguez) - Lodeira - Suarez, Forlan.
Sélectionneur : Oscar Tabarez (URU).
Meilleur buteur en qualifications du Mondial 2010 : Diego Forlan (7 buts).

5 rencontres (1 V. / 2 N. /2 D. – 4 b.p. / 7 b.c.)
En phase finale d'une Coupe du Monde : 2 rencontres. 
CM 66, le 15 juillet 1966 à Londres (Angleterre) : France - Uruguay : 1-2
CM 02, le 6 juin 2002 à Busan (Corée du Sud) : France - Uruguay : 0-0

Premier match. JO.*, le 1er juin 1924 à Colombes : France - Uruguay : 1-5 
Dernier match. MA, le 19 novembre 2008 à Saint-Denis : France - Uruguay : 0-0

Légende : CM (Coupe du Monde); JO (Jeux Olympiques); MA (Match amical).

Les joueurs clés :

Afrique du Sud : Steven Pienaar
Le milieu de terrain des Toffees d'Everton est à l'image de l'équipe de la Mersey. Brillant lors de la précédente saison, il l'est beaucoup moins depuis plusieurs semaines. Titulaire à huit reprises en Premier League, l'ex-joueur de l'Ajax Amsterdan n'a pas été épargné par les pépins physiques. Il n'en demeure pas moins le monsieur plus de l'Afrique du sud.

Uruguay : Luis Suarez
Moins connu que Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez, beaucoup plus jeune aussi (22 ans), est la nouvelle sensation de l'Uruguaye et affole les compteur en Eredivisie avec l'Ajax Amsterdam où il évolue depuis trois saisons après avoir été transféré pour 7,5 millions d'euros en provenance de Groningen. Rapide, il est également très adroit devant le but adverse avec déjà 17 buts en 15 rencontres de championnat cette saison.

Mexique : Rafael Marquez
Le capitaine emblématique du Mexique disputera sa 3e phase finale de la Coupe du Monde. Après avoir fait ses classes à l'AS Monaco, il évolue depuis 2003 au FC Barcelone où il s'est imposé comme l'un des piliers de l'arrière-garde catalane jusqu'à cette saison. Avec l'arrivée de Chygrinskiy et l'émergence de Piqué, il est moins souvent aligné par Pep Guardiola. Il reste néanmoins une valeur certaine par son expérience, la qualité de sa relance et sa vision du jeu.

ARNAUD DEMMERLE

Equipe de France - Evra défend Henry

"On polémique sur Henry ? On devrait lui faire une statue". Le latéral international s'est rendu l'auteur d'une montée rageuse aux avants postes pour défendre son attaquant. «Que la presse mondiale détruise Henry, pas de souci. Mais que nous, en France, on s’y mette, ce n’est pas possible. Faut arrêter ! Si "Titi" avait fait annuler le but en allant voir l’arbitre et qu’on avait perdu, ce sont les mêmes personnes qui auraient parlé de son ego, qui auraient dit : "Il n’a pensé qu’à sa gueule, qu’à son image." Moi, franchement, s’il avait fait cela, je lui aurais dit : "Titi, tu nous a trahis." 

"Je fais le replay quand vous voulez, à la Playstation"

Selon le journée de Manchester United, même les internationaux irlandais acceptent ce coup du sort, puisque certains auraient évoqué avec lui un penalty non sifflé pour les Bleus au match aller : "Je suis rentré à Manchester avec des Irlandais et eux-mêmes m’ont dit qu’à l’aller, on aurait dû siffler un penalty sur moi. Ça, on l’a oublié. C’est n’importe quoi (…) Moi, le replay, je le fais quand vous voulez : à la PlayStation.»

Le bal des politiciens offusqués irrite particulièrement l'ancien monégasque : "Quand je pense qu’il y a des politiciens qui s’amusent à nous attaquer, il paraît que certains veulent faire rejouer le match… Ils ne savent même pas si le ballon est rond ou ovale et ce seront les premiers à venir boire le champagne en Afrique du Sud». Et si, au final, cette mésaventure était bénéfique aux Bleus ? Mais avantd e penser cela, mieux vaut reconnaitre certains torts : «On n'a pas été bons, on est passés tout près de la catastrophe. Mais on a sorti nos tripes. Je ne vais pas chanter, mais je n'ai pas honte.» Evra d'ajouter : «On nous inventera toujours des histoires. C'est bien, ça nous forge un mental. »

FAI Chief John Delaney Demands Ireland's Match With France Be Replayed

John Delaney has revealed today that the Football Association of Ireland will complain to FIFA after the Republic of Ireland were denied a place at next summer's World Cup following a handball from Thierry Henry in last night's play-off against France.

"The FAI today confirmed that it would like to complain to FIFA following last night's World Cup play-off match between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris," the FAI chief executive told reporters at a press conference in Dublin today.

"Conclusive video evidence of a clear handball by Thierry Henry which led to France's additional time goal has been seen by millions of football fans worldwide.

"The blatantly incorrect decision by the referee to award a goal has damaged the integrity of the sport.

"We now call on FIFA as the world governing body for our sport to organize for this match to be replayed.

"The handball was recognized by the FIFA commissioner, the referee observer and the match officials, as well as by the player himself."

And Delaney pointed to previous incidents to provide precedent for his demands.

"There is precedent for the invalidation of such results," he asserted.

"In 2005 the Bureau of the FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualifying game between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a technical error by the referee at the match.

"The FAI is hoping FIFA and its disciplinary committee will, on behalf of football fans worldwide, act in a similar fashion so that standards of fair play and integrity can be respected.

"We've also written to the French FA today as well to ask them to accede to a replay given the world nature of what happened last night.

"We've got to do what we've got to do. We owe it to the players who were magnificent last night, the management team, the supporters, who were incredible - it was one of the most incredible evenings you'll ever watch from an Irish point of view - and it's up to the people who govern the game for me now.

"Every time I go to a FIFA congress I hear about 'fair play' and 'integrity' and all those wonderful words.

"And this is not merely a league match. This was a defining game that the whole world were watching. If FIFA believe in fair play and integrity and all the things we're told, this is their opportunity to step forward."

Zack Wilson, Goal.com

Henry: I Handled The Ball Against Ireland

France’s World Cup play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland was laced with controversy, and Thierry Henry has confessed that his part in the decisive goal was indeed illegal.

Protecting a 1-0 advantage from the first leg of the tie, France fell behind to their guests in the first half when Robbie Keane side-footed home following a flowing move down the left. No more goals meant that the game went to extra-time.

As the midway point approached in the additional half hour, les Bleus snatched a decisive goal, William Gallas heading in from close range after Henry had knocked the ball across the six-yard box. The Irish protested furiously, adamant that the Barcelona man had handled the ball, and replays proved them to be correct.

Even Henry would admit his guilt after the match. “There was a hand, but I'm not the referee,” he told the press after the fixture. “‘Toto’ [Sebastien Squillaci] went up for the header. I was behind two Irishmen. The ball bounced and touched my hand, the referee didn't whistle and I played on, but of course it touched my hand.

“We're through and the fact we did it the hard way means we appreciate it all the more.”

Henry was also pleased to see former Arsenal team-mate Gallas on the end of his centre.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, we went to school together,” he said, according to France Football. “I don’t want to get nostalgic at this moment, but we have the same birthday and we went to Clairefontaine together.

“To combine together in this action, it was a great moment. It will go down in history, but the most important thing remains that we have qualified.”

The debate about Henry’s part in France’s strike continues to rage, with many people heavily critical of les Bleus’ record scorer.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com

Bosnia 0-1 Portugal: Portugal Qualify For World Cup With Comfortable Win

Portugal eased through to the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Bosnia for a 2-0 aggregate victory.

A goal from Raul Meireles midway through the second period was enough against a host side who were rather flat, despite being in with a chance of their first ever qualification.

The Portuguese came with a mission, knowing that one away goal would compel the Bosnians to score three, and started with intent.

However, a lack of fluency meant that their first real chance to test Kenan Hasagic didn't arrive until the 20th minute, when Thagio backheeled for Meireles to shoot low, only to be saved.

The game then began to break down in midfield with plenty of niggling fouls, and football itself was at a premium.

The Bosnian attack, so flowing during regular qualification, only occasionally showed glimpses of its capabilities, Miralem Pjanic looking active towards the break.

After the interval Zlatan Muslimovic was introduced for the hosts, but Portugal were more dangerous starting out.

They took the lead ten minutes after the restart, with Nani crossing for Meireles to tap home an easy finish.

The Bosnians were fully unable to create any further chances until the 74th minute, when Bajramovic forced a save from Eduardo with an audacious free-kick.

But hopes of a home revival were then dampened as Sejad Salihovic picked up a second booking for dissent, while the linesman seemed to be hit by a missle from the crowd.

Edin Dzeko, missing for most of the evening, then created and spurned a great chance ten minutes from time, but the night belonged to Portugal.

It caps a fine comeback for the Iberian side, who were at one point in danger of finishing fourth in their group, but now become team 30 of 32 to head to South Africa.

Albert Dumont, Goal.com

Barcelona Star Lionel Messi Wins Onze d'Or

The Argentine wizard has picked up another award for his performances last season...


According to AS, Barcelona's Lionel Messi has joined an elite group of players by picking up the Onze d'Or award.

The award is chosen by readers of French magazine, Onze Mondial for the player of the year in Europe. Previous winners include Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

Messi was runner up in the award last year, losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo, but has edged out his Portuguese rival as he looks set to clean up in the end-of-year awards this time around.

The Argentine has already picked up a host of trophies including the Trofeo Alfredo Di Stefano, the Premio Don Balon and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.

He is also widely tipped to win the forthcoming FIFA World Player of the Year award after being the runner-up for the last two seasons.

Anthony Wright, Goal.com

We Will Not Prevent Cristiano Ronaldo Playing For Real Madrid Against Racing Santander - Portuguese Football Federation

The way is clear for Ronaldo to return to action for Madrid next weekend...


The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) have said that they will not prevent national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo from playing for Real Madrid in their next Primera Liga fixture against Racing Santander on Saturday.

Under FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, a player who misses an international call-up due to injury cannot play for his club for five days after the last fixture of their respective international team without the permission of his national team.

It now appears though that the 24-year-old is clear to play in the game at the Bernabeu on Saturday, barring an injury setback, in a match that comes just three days after Portugal's second leg tie in Bosnia.

"The FPF was already resigned not being able to call the player [Ronaldo]. We believe that he was unable to play then, but if he has recovered, Real Madrid can use him whenever they want. We will not prevent anything," said Carlos Godinho, Portugal's sporting director.

Ronaldo returns to ball drills at training with Los Merengues on Monday and, barring setbacks, is expected to resume full training with his team-mates early in the week and should be fit to face Racing, a week ahead of Madrid's all important trip to Camp Nou to face Barcelona.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

Ghana 2-2 Mali: Black Stars Stage Fight Back Against Mali

Black Stars of Ghana had to claw back from what was looking like their first loss at home to hold Mali to a 2-2 draw in a final World Cup qualifying match played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Sunday night.

Ghana have already qualified for next year's World Cup finals after their home win over Sudan in September while Mali were already through to the Africa Cup of Nations with nine points from six matches.

Benin finished second in this group after their 2-1 victory in Sudan on Saturday. They recorded 10 points from six matches while Sudan finished bottom of the group with only a point.

The Black Stars of Ghana lined up a very strong starting XI that included skipper Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari while a disappointed Mali were without several of their top stars like Federic Kanoute, Seydou Keita and Momo Sissoko.

Youth international Samuel Inkoom was the only player from Ghana's victorious team in the FIFA under-20 World Cup to start this game, playing at the problematic left fullback position.

Lansana Fane put Mali ahead in the 24th minute with a free kick. It is the first goal Ghana conceded in the final round of the qualifiers.

Ghana pressed for an equaliser at the restart. Asamoah Gyan failed to direct his header towards goal five minutes after the break and three minutes later Mathew Amoah saw his header crash against the crossbar.

The Black Stars finally drew level after 65 minutes when Mathew Amoah helped himself to a rebound after Mali goalkeeper and captain Mahamadou Sidibe spilled an Asmoah Gyan shot.

However, the visiting team again regained their lead three minutes later when Ndiaye's header beat Richard Kingson in Ghana's goal.

In the 75th minute Sulley Muntari was denied the chance when his header crashed against the crossbar.

Ghana finally drew level with seven minutes to go through Norway-based Anthony Annan, whose free header off a free kick rests inside the Malian goal.

Samm Audu, Goal.com

Egypt 2–0 Algeria: Pharaohs Force Playoff Versus Fennecs In Cairo Thriller

The heated and long anticipated match to determine Africa’s final representative at next summer’s World Cup got underway with Egypt spurred on by massive support in the Cairo international stadium and their players responded by being more determined and better in possession from the kick off.

Lightining struck in the 2nd minute when a free kick volleyed onto Lounes Gaouaoui who parried the shot which was followed by Mohamed Aboutrika striking the rebound onto the post.

The ensuing attempt ended with the ball falling at Amr Zaki’s feet and the powerful forward ensured that Egypt would begin the match in the best possible way by scoring from point blank range.

The early goal unsettled the Algerians who were struggling to find each other on the pitch with inaccurate passes. Another great chance fell to the Egyptians in the 10th minute but Gaouaoui this time was able to stop the attempt.

Algeria’s first chance came shortly thereafter when Ahmed Hassan brought down Karim Ziani near the corner flag but Egyptian stopper Issam El Hadary cleared the cross that came from the set piece and Yazid Mansouri could not get his shot on target when the ball came his way just outside the box.

As expected, the match was a high tempo affair with Egypt pushing the envelope and Algeria doing their absolute best to remain firm and cause problems of their own when they got possession.

The Fennecs were at their best off set pieces, which has been one of their major weapons during these qualifiers, and Ziani’s almost used one to find Rafik Halliche in the box got his header on target but found El Hadary instead of the back of the net in the 19th minute.

The frenetic pace continued thereafter with both sides exchanging attacks but neither being able to get clear cut chances on goal despite good ball movement on both sides.





In the 34th minute Karim Matmour had a shot from distance deviated into a corner kick after some good interplay between him and Mourad Meghni but nothing came of the cross that followed.

Egypt responded with their own bit of pressure but Aboutrika’s cross was just a bit too tall for Mohamed Homos who could only deviate it slightly but not towards goal.

The Pharaohs then forced two corner kicks that they were unable to take advantage of yet it was the Algerians who got the final chance of the period and El Hadary was called upon again in stoppage time to save Antar Yahia’s weak strike despite his good positioning.

Rabah Saadane brought on Yassine Bezzaz in place of Matmour to begin that second period with more attacking effectiveness and help the isolated Rafik Saifi whie Hassen Shehata kept to the same lineup.

Egypt took hold of the ball once more like they had the outset of the match and controlled the midfield but their attack was lacking the incisiveness necessary to trouble the well placed Fennecs who were doing well to steal the ball whenever it neared their backline.

In the 55th minute Mohamed Barakat came on for Homos but it was Saifi who was released clear on goal and came very close to lobbing the Egyptian goalkeeper who cleared the ball into a corner kick. Meghni then put on a great solo piece of skill to evade two Egyptian players but was brought down as he was breaking free.

The moment seemed to revitalize the Greens who finally began showing their technical skill and Ziani found Bezzaz in the side of the box in the 62nd minute who fed Saifi who was once more unable to hit the target.

The Al Khor forward was injured on the play and Saadane quickly brought on Siena’s Abdelkader Ghezzal to replace him. Shehata then made one of his own changes by taking off Amr Zaki in favor of Emad Metaab.

Entering the final twenty minutes, the Egyptians began pushing everything forward to get the goal that would force a one match playoff and the visitors were bending but not breaking. Anthar Yahia had to be taken out when an injury he aggravated an injury he sustained with his club.

The last quarter of an hour was a tense affair for both sides fighting for their World Cup lives and the most notable missed opportunity for the locals being one where Gaouaoui stopped a header on goal from a dangerous in swinging corner.

Algerians dug deep into their own side with eleven men but the moment the entire nation of Egypt had been waiting for came in the 95th minute off an Emad Metaab header to force rubber match which will be played in Sudan on November 18th.

Things could have been even worse for Algeria as Barakat wasted a golden opportunity on the final play of the game to vanquish the Fennecs once and for good.

All in all it was an absolute thriller of a game that lived up to its billing and it is hard to imagine that the next one could produce more high drama than this.

Algeria will look to regroup following this result which will undoubtedly be difficult to swallow while Egypt are surely the team with the momentum now.

Rami Ayari, Goal.com

Kenya 2-3 Nigeria: Tunisia Loss And Obafemi Martins Inspired Win Hands Nigeria World Cup Ticket

This Super Eagles went into this match with one eye on the Harambee Stars, and the other on the simultaneous encounter between Tunisia and Mozambique. The millions of desperate Nigerians watching the match knew that their destiny was not in their hands, and they needed a favour from the Southern African side in order for them to be able to book a spot in South Africa.

Nigeria began the match brightly, with an early free kick falling to the visitors, but Osaze’s effort was blocked out for a corner. The Nigerians were visibly in control from the start, but the Kenyans fought back and the less than full house at the Kasarani Stadium willed their heroes forward.

In the 12th minute of the match Yakubu Ayegbeni missed a chance that he should have converted, after Osaze did well to get him the ball. On the opposite side of the pitch and against the run of play it was Kenya that bulged the back of the net with the opening goal in the 15th minute, piling more misery onto the dejected Super Eagles. Dennis Oliech had promised to score against the Super Eagles, and he did just that, with Yobo unable to clear the ball off the goal line as the Kenyan star sent the watching crowd into fits of happiness.

The Nigerians responded immediately, as captain Yobo attempts to equalise but his effort was cleared off the line before the resolute Harambee Stars stopped another Nigerian attack minutes later. The visitors were throwing everything forward, and opening themselves up to be attacked on the counter, winning a number of corners but failing to convert attacking pressure into goals.

At this point in the match, the Tunisian game remained goalless, and the Nigerian coach must have been praying for a miracle. Oliech would have made it 2-0 for Kenya after he drove into the Nigerian defence but Enyeama saved from close range to deny him.

The pace of the game slowed towards the end of the first half, with a number of injuries for both national teams forcing a slower passing game to emerge from the ashes of the frantic early attacks, but Nigeria suddenly found themselves with one half left to play and in a very difficult position considering what they needed from both their match and that of Tunisia.

The second half began with more frustration for the Nigerians, as constant pressure in attack reaped little reward. In the 56th minute a Yobo header off Mikel’s corner was well saved by goalkeeper Willis Ochieng, as Nigeria pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Time was not on Nigeria’s side, but they finally found the breakthrough in the 62nd minute, shortly after a Yobo shot banged against the cross bar. The man who brought them level was none other than Obafemi Martins, with a typical effort from the talented front man to give the visitors hope.

The side would soon celebrate their second of the game as they took the lead through Yakubu Ayegbeni in the 67th minute. The sudden urgency displayed by the Nigerians allowed them to score the goals needed, and they knew that the result in the Tunisia match would be the deciding factor. The two goals in quick succession prompted fans to throw things onto the pitch, delaying the game momentarily.

Nigeria seemed destined to win the encounter, but Kenya threw a spanner into the works, as Allan Wanga equalised with a header in the 79th minute. The football gods were as cruel as can be, as a late winner for Mozambique gave them the win that Nigeria needed from the other match, but suddenly a hero emerged for Nigeria, giving them the goal that would send them to South Africa. In an incredible twist of fate, a second goal from Martins in the 83rd minute handed the Super Eagles a hard fought win in Nairobi.

The result leaves Nigeria in first spot in the group, after having leapfrogged Tunisia on the final day to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa next year. The loss for Kenya means that they did not qualify for the African Cup of Nations in Angola, as Mozambique take that honour thanks to their win over group leaders Tunisia.

Peter Pedroncelli

Portugal Must Give 'OK' For Cristiano Ronaldo To Play For Real Madrid Against Racing Santander

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to first team action for Real Madrid will be subject to the Portuguese Football Federation's authorisation if he is to make his comeback against Racing Santander next weekend, according to AS.

Under FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, a player who misses an international call-up due to injury cannot play for his club for five days after the last fixture of their respective international team.

With real set to face Racing at the Bernabeu next Saturday, November 21, Ronaldo will have to sit the game out unless the Portuguese give him the okay to play, just three days after the second leg of their crucial World Cup play-off against Bosnia.

Ronaldo will return to ball drills at training with Los Blancos at their training ground in Valdebebas on Monday and, barring setbacks is expected to resume full training with his team-mates early in the week with a view to making some appearance against Racing, pending permission from the Portuguese.

Paul Madden, Goal.com

Manchester City Striker Robinho Rules Himself Out Of Brazil’s Match Against England

Manchester City striker Robinho has withdrawn from the Brazil squad to face England this weekend in Qatar.

The forward is continuing with his recovery from a stress fracture of the ankle and is not fit enough to feature in the friendly international.

However, the player looks set to once again annoy his club manager Mark Hughes by hinting that he may feature in Tuesday's game with Oman.

"I'm not fit yet but maybe I will be for the next game," Robinho said, according to The Guardian.

It is believed that Hughes had reached an agreement with the Brazilian management that the City star would train with the Selecao but not play in either of their matches this week.

Zack Wilson

Report: Kanoute & Adriano In Line For Sevilla Return Against Villarreal

Sevilla should be able to count on the participation of both Frederic Kanoute and Adriano when they face Villarreal at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday evening.
According to Marca, both players have recovered from their respective injuries and trained with no problems on Thursday.
The signs are that they will both play some part against el Submarino Amarillo after los Rojiblancos' midweek exertions in the Champions League.
Romaric, Diego Capel, Diego Perotti, Abdoulay Konko and Julien Escude also exercised with the main group, while the other players that featured against Stuttgart worked in the gym.
However, Aldo Duscher picked up an injury against the German side and will not be present against Ernesto Valverde's outfit. In addition, Arouna Kone is very doubtful for the clash.

Roma 2-1 Fulham: Erik Nevland Red Card Aids Roma Fightback

Fulham were left wondering what might have been after seeing a red card for Erik Nevland spark a Roma fightback in their Europa League Group H clash in the Italian capital.
The English side led at half-time through Diomansy Kamara's penalty on 18 minutes, but Nevland - who had only just replaced the injured Kamara at half-time - was stunned to see referee Kevin Blom produce a red card for a sliding challenge on Roma captain Danielle De Rossi.
It gave Roma the encouragement they needed, and two goals in eight minutes from John Arne Riise and then Chuka Okaka swung the game in the Italian club's favour. Paul Konchesky was also dismissed by referee Blom in injury time.
This result means that the Giallorossi supplant Fulham in second place in the group with two games remaining, trailing leaders Basel by a point. Fulham drop to third, but can take heart from their display. Roma, however, will argue that they dominated both possession and chances and thus fully deserved their win.
The Lupi introduced Daniele De Rossi and Julio Baptista back to the starting line-up, with Mirko Vucinic leading the line in the absence of Francesco Totti.
Meanwhile Fulham manager Roy Hodgson made three changes from the side that defeated Liverpool 3-1 on Premier League business last Saturday, with midfield trio Zoltan Gera, Bjorn Helge Riise and Dickson Etuhu replacing Damien Duff, Chris Baird and Bobby Zamora.
With the Stadio Olimpico sparsely populated at kick-off, the players also seemed slightly subdued in the opening stages. It was nine minutes before a half chance developed, and Roma captain Daniele De Rossi sharply charged down Bjorn Helge Riise’s effort from 16 yards.
Clint Dempsey decided to try his luck from fully 30 yards on 17 minutes, but his bobbling shot bounced straight into the arms of Roma goalkeeper Doni.
Within a minute, though, Fulham were granted a much better chance. Dempsey cut the ball back on the right side of the box and as Kamara shifted it onto his left foot, his right was swept from him by Marco Andreolli, who was booked for the challenge. Kamara, who moments earlier looked as though he was going to be substituted due to an injury, stepped up and sent Doni the wrong way with the penalty.
It sent the traveling Fulham support wild, but the size of their task in holding on was soon made apparent. Cicinho bought a yard of space on the right flank in the 24th minute and swung over a wonderfully inviting cross that a leaping Philippe Mexes only narrowly failed to head on target.
There was further encouragement though on the half-hour mark. A swift counterattack allowed Kamara to send Dempsey through on goal, but as he cut inside onto his right foot, the chance was lost and Andreolli stepped in to clear. Within moments, the ball was in the Fulham penalty area, but Julio Baptista’s overhead kick attempt was not on target.
Fulham were looking dangerous every time they came forward, and a beautifully flighted cross from Konchesky in the 37th minute found Kamara wide open beyond the far post, but the striker could not trouble Doni with his header.
Roma then felt they should have had a penalty of their own with four minutes to go in the first half. From a short corner, Mexes blasted in a right-footed shot that struck a bewildered John Pantsil on the arm. However, the referee, and his assistants both on the touchline and behind the Fulham goal, decided there was no intent on the Fulham defender’s part.

Friends Of Don Quixote: City Of Angels

It's been more than a decade and a half now since Atletico Madrid made the incredible mistake of letting a youngster named Raul Gonzalez escape to the other side of town. He hasn't let them forget it. His first goal for Real Madrid came in the derby back in November 1994, and over the years, Raul has scored 10 more times against his former team. The 32-year-old has been the central figure in this rivalry for as long as anyone can remember, which will make it all the more strange if he is indeed on the substitutes' bench at the start of Saturday's clash, the 145th league meeting between the two sides. However, a strong track record against Atletico stands as a pretty weak argument for his inclusion in the face of more recent events. Manuel Pellegrini made the bold decision to leave Raul out of the lineup the past two games, and Real promptly played some of its best football of the season against Getafe and Milan. The winds of change might finally be blowing in Madrid.Then again, don't count out Raul adding to his tally on Saturday. He very nearly snatched a winner at the San Siro after coming on in the second half, and two seasons ago scored a goal at the Vicente Calderon one minute into the game. Against Atletico, he doesn't need much time to do damage. Pellegrini will be forced into a change at the back, thanks to the suspension of Raul Albiol. Not good news when going up against Sergio Aguero. The little Argentine will certainly feature from the start, provided he is declared fit. He is back in business after scoring two sensational goals against Chelsea on Wednesday in what the English media believes was a trial of sorts.The 21-year-old actually began the match against the Blues on the bench, having gone more than 600 minutes without a goal. But all it took was one great performance for all the hopes of Atletico fans to once again be placed on his shoulders. Whatever the future may hold, Aguero will be determined to pick up his first win over Real since arriving in Spain. He is probably the only player capable of overcoming all the negative history that seemingly weighs down his team in these games – Atletico hasn't won a home derby in over 10 years. A victory would just about make up for a nightmarish season so far, and give manager Quique Flores a fighting chance to turn things around.
One player who might not see the field anytime soon is Cristiano Ronaldo, as the ankle injury he sustained during a World Cup qualifier is apparently worse than initially thought. After visiting a specialist in the Netherlands, Ronaldo has opted against surgery and faces a race against time to be ready for the showdown against Barcelona at the end of November. All of this according to Madrid. The Portuguese federation is having none of it, and says it plans to call up Ronaldo for the upcoming playoffs against Bosnia. Real's biggest fear is that another setback could sideline him for several months, but they are unlikely to find a sympathetic ear in Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz. Stay tuned. In the meantime, Ronaldo can kick back like the rest of us an enjoy what promises to be a very interesting weekend in La Liga.First Quest: Atletico Madrid vs. Real MadridSaturday, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes Both teams came away from their Champions League encounters with a renewed sense of optimism. The 2-2 draw against Chelsea was certainly Atletico's best performance of the season, and Real was very pleased with its first 45 minutes at the San Siro against Milan. Particularly encouraging was the play of Karim Benzema, who seems a different player without the presence of Raul. Manuel Pellegrini is expected to repeat the same formation from the past two games with Kaka playing behind the striker, flanked by Marcelo on the left and Gonzalo Higuain on the right. German defender Christoph Metzelder will likely step in for the suspended Raul Albiol, who is unlucky to miss out as a result of his ludicrous sending off last week against Getafe.Meanwhile, Quique Flores plans to reward Jose Antonio Reyes for an excellent outing against Chelsea with a start against his former team. Reyes and Simao Sabrosa will be the two wingers, as Maxi Rodriguez is relegated to the bench. Raul Garcia replaces the suspended Paulo Assuncao in the center of the midfield alongside Brazilian Cleber Santana. Second Quest: Barcelona vs. MallorcaSaturday, 2:00 p.m. EST, Gol TV Two more matches without a victory and questions are once again being asked about this Barcelona side. The Catalans continue to control almost every game and practice their slick passing style, but while last season's team always seemed to knock the ball around with a purpose, the current edition sometimes engages in possession for the sake of possession.
Andres Iniesta will likely be given a rest on Saturday, replaced in the starting XI by Thierry Henry. Barcelona needs the Frenchman to emerge, as its strongest lineup features Henry on the left wing, and Iniesta alongside Xavi in the midfield. Henry has yet to score in 515 minutes of competitive action this season, and is rumored to be at odds with Pep Guardiola.Curiously, Henry has played a total of only nine minutes in two games since being declared fit, while Daniel Alves stepped right back into the starting lineup against Rubin Kazan immediately after returning from his injury. But Henry has a golden opportunity to prove his worth against a Mallorca side that has yet to record an away win, despite its impressive start to the season. Ladies-in-waiting: Valencia vs. Real ZaragozaSunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes Valencia suffered a bit more than expected last weekend against Malaga, but Unai Emery's side is unbeaten in five league games. Much of the credit must go to a wonderful midfield that places the opposition under pressure for most of the game. With players like Pablo Hernandez, Juan Mata and Ever Banega providing the service, David Villa could be poised for one of the best years of his career. Villa will set his sights on a Zaragoza team that has allowed the second most goals this season, one fewer than Atletico Madrid. Sevilla put four past Zaragoza back in the second round, and Barcelona scored six times two weeks ago. The visitors will be without injured striker Javier Arizmendi, but midfielder Gabi Fernandez, who sat out last Sunday's win over Almeria, returns. Ladies-in-waiting: Sevilla vs. VillarrealSunday, 3:00 p.m. EST, Gol TV Fresh off becoming the first Spanish side to book a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, third-place Sevilla will look to continue its strong play in La Liga as well. Much of the focus will be on Jesus Navas, who has been in scintillating form this season and appears poised for a call up to the national team. Navas was on target against Stuttgart on Wednesday. Sevilla will host a Villarreal side suddenly brimming with confidence following two straight wins in the league, and a thrashing of Lazio in Europe. The yellow submarine must make due without midfielder Santi Cazorla (hernia), and strikers Nilmar (suspended) and Joseba Llorente (ankle). Leading the attack will likely be Giuseppe Rossi and Ruben Cani. The Impertinent Curiosity: Other Games Getafe vs. DeportivoTenerife vs. MalagaRacing vs. Athletic BilbaoValladolid vs. XerezAlmeria vs. OsasunaSporting vs. Espanyol

Cristiano Ronaldo out for another month – Real Madrid in despair

Real Madrid hopes of Cristiano Ronaldo making a swift comeback from injury has been dashed with the news that he faces at least another month on the sidelines.
He initially injured his right ankle in Real’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille at the end of September and aggravated the problem while playing for Portugal on October 10.
Early diagnosis of the injury suggested he would be sidelined for between three and four weeks.
Real Madrid have announced that the Portuguese winger has not showed enough improvement to join the first team squad in training and that he has travelled to Amsterdam to see the Dutch ankle specialist Niek van
Dijk. Few details have been made available so far, but the key news is that the 24-year-old will be out for around a month if all goes well in his recovery programme.
Real Madrid released a statement on Wednesday evening, stating that, “there has been no clinical improvement of the bone edema”. If the problem persists, Ronaldo could be forced to have surgery.
Ronaldo, Real’s record signing at 94 million euros, will definitely miss their Madrid derby meeting with city rivals Atletico on Saturday in the Primera Liga. He is Real’s top scorer with five goals in the league and four in the Champions League.
Marca believe that Ronaldo would need another two or three months to fully recover from any operation. This is a serious blow for Real Madrid who has been waiting eagerlyfor the return of its star. The Real Madrid team has lost “punch” and speed up front, two elements that have been absent of which has contributed to the teams decline in performance & results.

MLS Playoffs: Friday MLS Forecast: Conference Semifinals, Second Leg

Fortune favored the brave last night as Real Salt Lake ousted defending MLS Cup champions Columbus with a 3-2 victory (4-2 on aggregate) over the Crew in Columbus.In contrast to Columbus' conservative approach in RSL's 1-0 opening leg victory at Rio Tinto Stadium, RSL wanted to obtain possession and get numbers forward when possible at Crew Stadium. Javier Morales' excellent night sparked RSL going forward, allowing Jason Kreis' side to combine smoothly in the attacking third and create enough chances to yield surprisingly effective results. All of that endeavor wouldn't have mattered a bit without the character to respond in the face of adversity. RSL arguably had the better of the play in the first 35 minutes, yet found itself down two goals after Guillermo Barros Schelotto bounced home a free kick and sliced inside to fire home at the far post. Instead of folding up shop or dropping their heads, RSL struck back twice before the break through Morales (who capped off a stellar bit of combination work by poking home) and a Robbie Findley penalty (after Frankie Hejduk needlessly dragged Fabian Espindola to the ground) to reclaim the momentum and enter the break on level terms. Andy Williams' opportunistic second half strike from Morales' short corner provided the reward after a couple of good chances went begging and ultimately sealed the series victory.A bit of luck certainly helped RSL's cause. RSL rode through several nervous moments from Jamison Olave, a couple of legitimate penalty shouts for the home side (Olave bundling over Moreno after eight minutes and Andy Williams' apparent handball on 55 minutes) and a decent but impotent Columbus push during the second half.Then again, it's also about making your own luck at this point in the season. By stepping on the field with belief and displaying that confidence in its play, Real Salt Lake condemned Columbus to the world of wondering what could and should have been and advanced to its second consecutive conference final. On the balance of play over the two legs, RSL earned it.Real Salt Lake isn't the only entity to cast an indifferent regular season off to side to ramp up its game for the playoffs. The Forecast responded to the playoff pressure by posting an unblemished record last week. Will the Forecast's purple patch continue as the conference semifinals wind to a close?Last week: 3/3 (100%) Playoffs: 3/3 (100%)Final tally for the season: 88/195 (45%)SaturdayNew England @ Chicago – 8:30p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel) New England leads 2-1 after first legShalrie Joseph handed the Revs a narrow advantage to take back to Toyota Park. Can they make it hold up as both sides tussle for the right to host RSL next Saturday? Much will depend on the health of striker Edgaras Jankauskas (bronchitis), who trained intermittently this week but should probably be able to go. Joseph will be needed in midfield in this one to help gum up the works for Cuauhtemoc Blanco, so the Lithuanian striker needs to find a way to drag himself onto the pitch. As for the home side, the Fire certainly showed in the first leg that there will be goals for the taking, but are the cards cast against them once again? Wilman Conde (hip) hasn't trained this week, Gonzalo Segares (knee) ruled himself out before Fire coach Denis Hamlett ruled him in (maybe) and Tim Ward (foot) still looks unlikely to play. Chicago could really use at least two of those three players in the lineup to strength a defense that conceded too many free kicks in and around the penalty area last week and struggled to contain New England's speedy wingers. At least John Thorrington (athletic pubalgia) should be back to add some range and bite in central midfield. The chalk and the history (6-0-0 in home playoff games v. N.E.) says Chicago, but something – a mixture of the injuries, the lack of match fitness for the returning walking wounded and the Fire's indifferent home form during the regular season, perhaps – feels just a bit off kilter for the Fire in this one. An upset then, perhaps with the Revs grabbing a goal off a set piece.Prediction: Draw, New England to advance.SundaySeattle @ Houston – 3:00p.m. (Telefutura)0-0 after first legThe best of the first legs (at least from a neutral's perspective) ended scoreless at Qwest Field, setting the stage for an enticing second leg at a packed Robertson Stadium. The bumper crowd should give Houston an added push, but there are several causes for concern for the Dynamo. As the home team, Houston will have to grasp the initiative from the outset, but too much aggressiveness in the attacking third could leave the Dynamo susceptible to Freddie Ljungberg and Steve Zakuani heading the other way with ample room to roam. Houston also marked shoddily on its set pieces in the first leg, a flaw that may not go unpunished the second time around. Perhaps the biggest hurdle will be the mental one. New York came into Robertson Stadium and thrashed the Dynamo at this stage last season by using its pace to tear them apart on the counter. Combine those mental scars with a similarly constructed (but superior) Seattle team boasting an impressive record on the road recently and the sum total may be too much for the Dynamo to overcome. I pegged Houston to win it all prior to the season, but the road may just end for the Dynamo at this stage even with its considerable experience and the home field advantage.Prediction: Seattle win, Seattle to advance.Los Angeles @ Chivas USA – 7:30p.m. (ESPN2)2-2 after first legExpect a considerably different second leg than the error-riddled, tactically-astute first leg played out at the Home Depot Center last Sunday. That isn't to say that the things that worked last week won't work again – Chivas USA's pace over the top and Los Angeles' ability to dominate in possession and work the ball around despite the Red-and-White's pressure – but that the match should be somewhat cleaner in the second leg, In a match with more rhythm, the balance swings towards Los Angeles. Given the performance displayed in the first leg, the Galaxy should express delight at the thought of entering the second leg on level terms and with little possibility of handing in a similarly off-key performance. In order to emerge with the victory, L.A. will have to keep Sacha Kljestan (a significant factor in the first leg) in check and find ways to get David Beckham and Landon Donovan into space. A Galaxy loss at this stage would prove quite the anticlimax. Fortunately for those who favor the Hollywood ending, L.A. should have enough to exploit Chivas USA's rickety play at the back and progress onwards to the Western Conference final..Prediction: Los Angeles win, Los Angeles to advance.

Fantasy preview

Another weekend of Premier League action looms large and Fantasy Football enthusiasts will be studying the fixture list to identify who might be the best transfer options.
High-flying Aston Villa will fancy their chances of a home victory against a Bolton side still reeling from back-to-back defeats by Chelsea, while Arsenal also start as firm favourites for their away clash with promoted Wolves.
Hull City will hope the appointment of Adam Pearson as chairman has a galvanising effect on the players for their KC Stadium encounter against a Stoke team that has become increasingly difficult to beat on their travels.
Everton and Fulham are both on the road following midweek Europa League games as they visit West Ham and Wigan respectively, but there can be no doubts about which is the biggest game of the weekend.
The top two do battle at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea and Manchester United return to domestic action after high-scoring draws in the UEFA Champions League, and we should be in for another exciting contest.
The likes of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov can almost be guaranteed upon to provide plenty of points in Fantasy Football over the course of a campaign but selecting such stars does not leave much room to manoeuvre in terms of budget.
Trio of tips
It is therefore important to look out for bargain buys to complement the heavy scorers and, with this in mind, skysports.com's latest trio of transfer tips are cheaper alternatives who can still do a job, namely Craig Bellamy, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
Bellamy (£6.0m) has been one of the players of the season so far and has established himself as an integral member of the Manchester City side when perhaps some thought his place could be under threat.
The Welshman has scored a number of crucial goals already and set up several more for his team-mates, while he is such a willing runner that it is difficult not to consider him when it comes to adjudicating Man of the Match awards.
Man City will be determined to return to winning ways after a run of draws when they entertain a Burnley side that has still not picked up a point away from home and has been on the receiving end of several drubbings.
Boateng may seem a bit of a long shot but he is good value at £3.4million and playing regularly at Portsmouth following his summer move from Tottenham.
Pompey have suddenly found their form in front of goal and the creativity of midfielder Boateng might help them to build more momentum with a good result at struggling Blackburn this Saturday.
Assou-Ekotto (£3.9m) is one of Tottenham's unsung heroes at left-back and has consistently impressed this season with his dynamism and ability to get forward.
Spurs' defensive unit has looked vulnerable so it is a gamble to include any member of their backline at this stage but the loss to North London rivals Arsenal last weekend could end up being a turning point.
Harry Redknapp will have demanded an improved performance against Sunderland and they are probably due a clean sheet after just one in 11 games to date.
Bans and injuries
Last weekend saw a staggering nine red cards in the Premier League and seven remain banned for the latest round of fixtures after Villa's Carlos Cuellar and Radoslav Kovac of West Ham served their suspensions in the midweek match between the sides.
Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton), Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Everton), Geovanni (Hull) and Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland) are all missing for their sides, while Liverpool duo Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher sit out Monday's match against Birmingham, who are missing Barry Ferguson.
Gael Clichy is set to be sidelined for a month after suffering a suspected stress fracture of the back and his Arsenal team-mate Nicklas Bendtner will be out for a similar period due to a groin strain.
Tottenham's Sebastien Bassong may take a few weeks to recover from a hamstring problem, while anyone looking forward to the return of Everton playmaker Mikel Arteta should be aware he has had a setback following knee surgery.

Aldo: Rafa's the man

Despite Liverpool's desperate start to the season John Aldridge still believes manager Rafa Benitez is the right man for the job.
The Reds' hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League are now out of their hands following Lyon's late leveller on Wednesday night. They now have to hope Lyon do them a favour and come away from Florence with at least a point.
Having already suffered eight defeats this campaign the knives are out for Benitez. However, Liverpool legend Aldridge still supports the Spaniard, and insists that a change of manager would destabilise the club even further.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Aldridge stated that the fans are still behind Benitez. "Liverpool fans aren't as fickle as most," he said. "They don't press the panic button. There's enough uncertainty around the club with the owner, the debt and the new stadium. The last thing you need is to be going out looking for a new manager.
"Rafa Benitez hasn't turned into a bad manager overnight. The pressure is on, but I'm fairly confident that when they get the likes of Steven Gerrard back after the international break, they have a squad good enough to go on a good run and move into the top four, and hopefully get six points in the Champions League and progress."
Lopez late show
Liverpool only came away with a point from their trip to France, despite dominating proceedings. Substitute Ryan Babel's long range stunner looked to have secured a vital victory for the visitors, only for Lisandro Lopez to strike seconds from the final whistle.
"It went to plan brilliantly until the 90th minute," said Aldridge, who scored 63 goals for the club. "They played well, defended well, there was no real threat apart from when they scored. To drop their guard and concede so soon after scoring was very disappointing.
"The door was open for Liverpool to progress and then all of a sudden it was slammed in their face. It was strange the way it happened. Fernando Torres goes off, which takes away a bit of attacking threat. That gives Cris the licence to go forward and all of a sudden you've a different threat; he's very good in the air.
"Kyrgiakos got a little too close, Cris got a flick on and it was a tremendous finish. Liverpool just got caught out. That can happen because the lads put a lot of effort into it. A lack of concentration just caught them out. You have to give Lyon credit for that."
Hope
Liverpool now need to win their final two group games, starting at home to Debrecen, and hope that Lyon can get a result away to Fiorentina. It's a big ask, but it's a situation they're familiar with in this competition.
"It happened in 2005 and 2007; is a hat trick asking too much?" asked Aldridge. "Law of averages says you can't keep going to the well. Lyon will go to Fiorentina looking to win the group, as it gives them a favourable draw in the knockout stages. If they can do so it's in Liverpool's own hands.
"They should been Debrecen as they're the whipping boys, which would leave them needing to beat Fiorentina by more than two goals. They'd settle for that at the moment."

Top Ten - Utd v Chelsea

Chris Burton takes a look at some of the most entertaining meetings between Man Utd and Chelsea from the Premier League era

The race for the 2009/10 Premier League title looks set to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory, with a number of clubs harbouring realistic ambitions of taking the crown.
The smart money, though, would appear to be on either Manchester United or Chelsea continuing their recent dominance of English football's top prize.
Between them, the Red Devils and the Blues have ended the season in pole position in each of the last five seasons.
Chelsea enjoyed back-to-back triumphs under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, while United have now taken the prize three years on the bounce.
With that in mind, this season's sprint to the finish could be decided by results when these two heavyweights go head-to-head.
Forget David Haye against Nikolai Valuev in Nuremberg, the sporting world will be setting their sights on Stamford Bridge this weekend when United roll into the capital.
The Community Shield back in August whet the appetite for what is come, as Chelsea took the first piece of silverware of the season with a penalty shootout success after 120 minutes of action saw the two sides locked together at two apiece.
There promises to be more of the same in West London on Sunday, with precious points up for grabs and neither team wanting to surrender an inch to their arch enemies.
History also dictates that the Sky Sports cameras could be set to capture a titanic tussle between two old foes, with United and Chelsea having produced more than their fair share of memorable encounters during the Premier League era.
Here skysports.com takes a trip down memory lane and looks at some of those fixtures which have captured the imagination.
Chelsea 3 Manchester United 0 - 2006
Chelsea last took the Premier League crown back in 2006, crossing the line in style with a comprehensive victory over their closest challengers. Their 3-0 victory on home soil is perhaps more notable for a broken metatarsal suffered by Wayne Rooney, which threatened to keep him out of the impending World Cup finals, but the manner in which the Blues ruthlessly disposed of United served to underline their domestic dominance at the time. Mourinho's men took just five minutes to break the deadlock, as William Gallas notched a rare goal, and the only surprise there after was how long it took them to build on that lead. In the end a spectacular effort from Joe Cole helped to etch their name on the top-flight trophy, while a typically buccaneering burst and finish from Ricardo Carvalho with 17 minutes remaining put the seal on a memorable stroll in the summer sunshine.
Manchester United 1 Chelsea 3 - 2005
There have not been too many occasions down the years when Manchester United have had to form a guard of honour for the visitors to Old Trafford, but that is precisely what was expected of them when championship-winning Chelsea strolled into the Theatre of Dreams at the end of the 2004/05 season. With the title already wrapped up, the sight of Sir Alex Ferguson's troops welcoming his side to the field will have warmed the cockles of Mourinho. A slow start to the game will have quickly wiped that smile from his face, though, as Ruud van Nistelrooy found the target just seven minutes in. The Blues proved just why they were the finest side in the Premier League that season, though, as they responded in style. Tiago restored parity just 10 minutes after United had edged in front and Eidur Gudjohnsen handed them the lead on 61 minutes. Joe Cole put the seal on a comprehensive success eight minutes from time, securing an impressive success for the Blues behind enemy lines.
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2 - 2002
When Chelsea and United go head-to-head there tends to be goals aplenty, with only three goalless draws played out during their league meetings over the past 17 years. There have only been five occasions in all competitions during that time in which they have failed to trouble the scorers, over the course of 48 fixtures. One of those which did catch the eye came early on in the 2002/03 campaign, with a four-goal thriller on show at the Bridge. A topsy-turvy encounter ebbed and flowed from one end to the other, with it apparent from the off that defences were in for a difficult evening. Once again it was Gallas who struck first, with only three minutes on the clock. David Beckham hauled the Red Devils level midway through the first half, but Boudewijn Zenden restored the Blues' advantage on the stroke of half-time. United were not to be denied, though, and stole a second equaliser shortly after the hour mark through the ever-reliable Ryan Giggs.
Manchester United 3 Chelsea 3 - 2000
Another early meeting between these old adversaries occurred in September 2000, with both sides seemingly struggling to come to terms with the art of defence. In fairness the attacking talent on display that day was a sight to behold, with the big guns firing on all cylinders at Old Trafford. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink set the tone for what was to follow, with an absolute thunderbolt after eight minutes threatening to remove the net from its hinges. If the Blues thought they were set for a comfortable afternoon they had another thing coming, though, as United hit back in clinical fashion. In times of crisis it is imperative that star men shine, and Paul Scholes, Teddy Sheringham and Beckham - England internationals one and all - had the Red Devils 3-1 up at the break. Chelsea needed something special if they were to avoid leaving empty-handed and Norwegian hit-man Tore Andre Flo came to their rescue as he bagged a second-half brace to claim a share of the spoils.
Manchester United 3 Chelsea 2 - 2000
The appetiser for the autumn thriller at Old Trafford had been dished out just five months previous, as United and Chelsea conjured up five goals between them towards the end of the 1999/00 campaign. The Red Devils ran out as convincing champions that season, blitzing all before them. They were pushed all the way by the Blues during a classic match-up on home soil, but displayed commendable resolve to come out on top. Dwight Yorke got the goal-fest up and running after 10 minutes, but Dan Petrescu and Gianfranco Zola soon silenced the vast majority of those in attendance. United fans need not have feared, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer levelled just three minutes after Zola had turned the tie on its head. Chelsea then saw two points slip through their grasp in the second half as the Red Devils upped the tempo and Yorke plundered a 69th-minute winner.
Chelsea 5 Manchester United 0 - 1999
Manchester United travelled to Stamford Bridge in October 1999 with their Treble-winning heroics still fresh in the mind. As the holders of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League crowns, they were once again the team to beat in England. As previously mentioned they would go on to retain their domestic title, but they were given an early wake-up call at Stamford Bridge in October as they slipped to a crushing defeat. Often just scoring one against the Red Devils is regarded as quite an achievement, so to score five without reply left Chelsea supporters in dreamland. Gustavo Poyet took less than 60 seconds to breach the United defence, while a second from Chris Sutton after 16 minutes had Sir Alex Ferguson's men on the ropes. Dazed and confused, another effort from Poyet, an own goal from Henning Berg and a late strike from Jody Morris completed a miserable day for the visitors and had the Blues believing their time had finally come - it hadn't.
Chelsea 3 Manchester 5 - 1998
Chelsea's five-star showing against United in 1999 will have helped to erase some of the painful memories still lingering in the back of their mind following a disastrous showing in the FA Cup against the same opponents in January 1998. The Blues looked to be heading towards a painful spanking in front of their own supporters until a late charge some them claw back an ounce of dignity. United, in full flight during what would become an historic season for the club, controlled proceedings from the off and gave a masterclass in attacking football. A brace apiece from Beckham and Andy Cole had United well in control, while Sheringham also got in on the act to hand Ferguson's men a 5-0 lead with 15 minutes remaining. Graeme Le Saux pulled one back for the Blues on 78 minutes and two quickfire strikes from Gianluca Vialli helped to restore some respectability to the final scoreline, but Ruud Gullitt's side still crashed out of the cup at the first hurdle.
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 2 - 1997
Anyone who thinks Manchester United's ability to snatch something from nothing late on is a skill they have only recently mastered needs to think again. The Red Devils have made a habit of bailing themselves out of trouble in the dying moments of games, and have been doing so for longer than most people care to remember. Solskjaer's heroics in the 1999 Champions League final may have confirmed his super-sub status, but any avid follower of United will tell you that was not the first time the baby-faced assassin had rescued the club from the jaws of despair. In fact, the Norwegian striker reduced Chelsea to their knees in September 1997 when he snatched a dramatic point for United at Old Trafford. A Henning Berg own goal - another one - and an effort from former Red Devils favourite Mark Hughes had sandwiched an equaliser from Scholes. The Blues appeared destined to claim maximum points, but Solskjaer broke their hearts four minutes from time when he put the seal on a memorable 2-2 draw.
Chelsea 1 Manchester 4 - 1995
Another glut of goals at Stamford Bridge in October 1995, with the customary early strike and big-name scorers making an appearance. Clashes of this sort often flatter to deceive, with two evenly-matched sides prone to cancelling each other out. That trend appears to be bucked though whenever United and Chelsea go toe-to-toe, with five-goal thrillers the order of the day. On this occasion United burst out of the blocks in customary style and never looked back. Scholes did the damage inside the opening 10 minutes, helping to further his blossoming reputation with a deadly double. Mark Hughes offered Chelsea hope when he handed the Blues a route back into the game 12 minutes from time, but they were unable to build on that platform. Further efforts from Giggs and Brian McClair saw United comfortably home, helping to pave the way for Ferguson's men to reclaim the top-flight crown they had surrendered to Blackburn in May.
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 3 - 1994
Manchester United had soundly beaten Chelsea 4-0 in the 1994 FA Cup final and piled further misery on the Blues in December of the same year when they edged out a nail-biter at the Bridge. Chelsea, although not title contenders at this time, had claimed a memorable double over the Red Devils in the previous campaign, but saw any hopes they had of repeating that feat go up in smoke on Boxing Day. Eddie Newton and John Spencer were on target for the hosts, but their efforts were ultimately in vain. Eric Cantona, Hughes and McClair bagged for United, seeing them to a morale-boosting success. Chelsea were therefore left to contemplate what might have been as they munched their way through leftover Turkey sandwiches - probably.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted Chelsea's request to suspend their transfer ban.

Fifa ruled against Chelsea in August when they deemed that the English club had induced teenager Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens.
As punishment for this, the world's governing body imposed a transfer ban on Chelsea and stated they could not register new players for two transfer windows.
This meant Chelsea would not be able to sign a new player until 2011. However the Blues have successfully lobbied CAS that their ban should be suspended until their full appeal against Fifa's decision is heard by the Swiss-based court.
This now means that Chelsea will be in a position to buy players in January, if they wish.
CAS also ruled that Gael Kakuta - who was banned from playing for four months - has also had his suspension 'stayed' making him available for selection.
The CAS statement read: "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted the request for a stay filed by Chelsea Football Club Ltd and Mr Gaël Kakuta in relation to the decision taken by the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber on 27 August 2009.
"The Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber imposed, inter alia, a restriction of four months' ineligibility on Mr Gael Kakuta, and Chelsea Football Club Ltd was banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the next two complete, consecutive registration periods.
"Such sanctions are now stayed until the CAS renders its final decision in this matter."
As of yet, Chelsea are yet to receive a date from CAS for their appeal - although this is not now expected until after January.