Search This Blog

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Wolverhampton v Tottenham Premier League Match on March 6



Football Match: Wolverhampton v Tottenham
Venue: Molineux
Date: Sunday, 6 March
Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles.
Wolves midfielder Jamie O'Hara is ineligible to play against his parent club under the terms of his loan.
Steven Mouyokolo and Ronald Zubar are ruled out with injury while Dave Edwards and Dave Jones are doubts, but Stephen Hunt is fit again.
Tottenham pair Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart remain unavailable but hope to return for the Champions League tie against AC Milan in midweek.
Ledley King is training again after a groin injury but is unlikely to play.
The season's ambition of these clubs differ greatly, but their sorrow will be shared ahead of kick-off when they honour the memory of Dean Richards.
Richards, who played as a defender for both clubs, died last weekend aged 36 after a long illness. He became a firm favourite at Wolves following his move from Bradford in 1995, playing 145 games before joining Southampton. He signed for Tottenham in 2001 for £8.1m - a then-record fee for an uncapped English player - and made 81 appearances for the club before being forced to retire as he was suffering from dizzy spells and headaches.
Richards' wife and two sons are due to attend Sunday's game, and a representative from each of his four former clubs will hold aloft their team's shirt in the centre circle prior to a minute's applause before kick-off.
The game itself is an opportunity for Wolves to climb out of the relegation zone, and for Tottenham to bolster their chances of a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. Spurs will be playing for the first time in 12 days since a 3-1 defeat at Blackpool, who Wolves thrashed 4-0 last weekend to move off the bottom.

Liverpool v Man Utd Premier League Match on March 6



Football Match: Liverpool v Man Utd
Venue: Anfield
Date: Sunday, 6 March
Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen to live coverage on talkSPORT and full match commentary on BBC Radio Merseyside, with updates on BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles.
Liverpool's club record signing Andy Carroll has trained since Wednesday and is being considered for his debut after overcoming a thigh injury.
Martin Kelly is out for a month with a torn hamstring, but Raul Meireles should recover from a knee problem.
Wes Brown is expected to partner Chris Smalling in Manchester United's defence, with Nemanja Vidic banned and Rio Ferdinand unlikely to be fit.
Ryan Giggs is poised to make a club record 607th league appearance.
Sir Alex Ferguson has long since achieved his stated mission to knock Liverpool off their perch, but defeat at Anfield would leave the United manager spitting more feathers.
He faces a touchline ban after being charged for his outspoken criticism of referee Martin Atkinson in the wake of the midweek defeat at Chelsea. What would bother Ferguson far more is if his team's advantage in the title race is eroded on Sunday.
Tensions between Liverpool and Manchester originate from a battle for the lucrative cotton trade in the 19th century, and the hostility remains undiminished when the two most decorated football clubs in England go head-to-head. In the build up to this match, Kenny Dalglish responded to the prospect of United overtaking Liverpool's record of league titles by pointing out that the Anfield club still have the edge because they have won more European Cups.
Liverpool, of course, have not dominated the domestic scene since 1990, when Dalglish was first in charge. He quit the following February, and United have gone on to be 11-time champions under Ferguson's guidance.
Although this has been an unequal rivalry in the Premier League era, Liverpool have been rejuvenated by the return of Dalglish for a second spell as manager. He has been in opposition with Ferguson since their playing days in Glasgow, and will relish the opportunity to clip United's wings.

St Mirren v Rangers Scottish Premier League Match on March 6



Football Match: St Mirren v Rangers
Venue: St Mirren Park
Date: Sunday 6 March
Kick-off: 1245 GMT
Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sport website
St Mirren forward Paul McGowan returns from suspension and defender Lee Mair is fit following illness.
David Barron, Paul McQuade, Gareth Wardlaw and Nick Hegarty are still out but are all closing in on a comeback.
Rangers defender Sasa Papac is ruled out with a head knock sustained during Wednesday's fiery Old Firm clash.
Kyle Lafferty is banned, while Nikica Jelavic, Jamie Ness and Steven Naismith join longer-term casualties Kirk Broadfoot and Lee McCulloch.
St Mirren manager Danny Lennon: "I certainly know that you've got to respect every opposition but what you can't do is give them too much respect.
"We know we've got to get in about them.
"I was asked the question 'will you go and park the bus?'. You defend when you've got to defend but we are certainly not a team that goes out to line up in defence.
"I feel that any time we try to hold on to something that we are at our most vulnerable. We have got to make sure we keep to our strengths."
Rangers manager Walter Smith: "St Mirren have been very well organised this season and have had some good results this season so we expect a tough game.
"We had a difficult enough game there earlier in the season and we have an injury situation just now that we have to overcome.
"We had seven players missing on Wednesday and we will probably have to add Sasa Papac to that list.
"Sasa was unconscious and will have to see the doctor. Having had a head knock earlier in the season, that will be a factor."

Friday, March 4, 2011

Celtic v Hamilton Scottish Premier League Match on March 5



Venue: Celtic Park
Date: Saturday 5 March
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sport website

Fraser Forster and Joe Ledley return from suspension for Celtic's home match against Hamilton in the SPL. Forster will replace Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska, who played in the midweek win over Rangers. Accies defender Martin Canning, who has a stomach injury that requires an injection, is suspended. Forward Marco Paixao is still out with a knee complaint, while midfielder Alex Neil and defender James Gibson also remain on the sidelines through injury.
Celtic coach Alan Thompson: "We want to get back to winning ways after a defeat in the league last Sunday to Motherwell.
"We'll be going all guns blazing in a good manner to try and get three points.
"After a lot of energy expended and a big win against Rangers in midweek we have to approach the game in the right manner.
"We're in three domestic trophies, but first and foremost we'll be concentrating on getting three points against Hamilton."
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall: "It's not a game we are expected to win - it's top versus bottom.
"But the one thing I can guarantee is that we will take the ball and try to pass it.
"You have to be brave and I mean taking the ball in all areas of the park and not worrying if you make a mistake.
"But we won't get too many chance so if we get them we have to take them.

Teams:
Celtic: Forster, Wilson, Majstorovic, Mulgrew, Ledley, Izaguirre, Brown, Kayal, Ki, Samaras, Commons, Hooper, Juarez, Rogne, Zaluska, Stokes, Forrest, McGinn.

Hamilton Academical: Cerny, Elebert, McLaughlin, McDonald, Carrington, Mensing, Routledge, Antoine-Curier, Imrie, Casalinuovo, Crawford, Flavio Paixao, Hasselbaink, Murdoch, Skelton, Graham, Gillespie, McAlister.

Hearts v Kilmarnock Scottish Premier League Match on March 5



Venue: Tynecastle
Date: Saturday 5 March
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sport website
Hearts defenders Andy Webster and Lee Wallace are doubtful for the visit of fourth-placed Kilmaernock.
Kevin Kyle is out, as are suspended duo Ian Black and Ruben Palazuelos, while David Obua and Suso Santana may be absent once more.
Kilmarnock's Momo Sissoko is suspended for the trip to Edinburgh.
Goalkeeper Cammy Bell is still out with an ankle injury and midfielder Mehdi Taouil could be missing for a month with a hamstring problem.
Hearts manager Jim Jefferies: "I think this one on Saturday could go a long way to cementing third place, but it will not be easy.
"We want to get third place tied up and there's one club - no disrespect to the others - I want to finish fourth.
"They would deserve that because they've been great to watch this year."
Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen: "I think it is almost impossible to catch them in third place because of their quality.
"They will challenge the Old Firm all the way, if they don't catch them they will be comfortably third.
"I'm sure that is their target for the season and it is looking very likely that they will achieve that.
"We are battling for a top-six spot. It is very tight.
Teams
Hearts: Kello, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Stevenson, Driver, Elliott, Skacel, Glen, Jonsson, Mrowiec, C Thomson, Wallace, J Thomson, Santana, Balogh, Webster, Barr, Templeton, MacDonald, Obua.
Kilmarnock: Jaakkola, Hay, Fowler, Wright, Sissoko, Hamill, Rui Miguel, Bryson, Pascali, Eremenko, Gros, Mendes Silva, Letheren, Clancy, Agard, McKenzie, Kelly, Berntsson, Aubameyang.

Inverness CT v Motherwell Scottish Premier League on March 5



Venue: Tulloch Caledonian Stadium
Date: Saturday 5 March
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sport website
Inverness hope both Jonny Hayes and Aaron Doran will make their Scottish Premier League game with Motherwell.
Hayes suffered a reaction to a foot problem during the midweek defeat by Dundee United while Doran is rated 50-50 with a hip injury.
Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan returns from suspension and Steven Saunders is also in contention following a hamstring problem.
Steve Jones is training again after an injury but will not make the trip.
Inverness forward Richie Foran: "Motherwell is a club that's close to my heart, I had some great times and some of my best football memories there, but I'll be looking for three points.
"They are a very good footballing side, they got a huge boost after beating Celtic. I watched the highlights and they beat them well, it was a well-deserved three points.
"They beat us up here too so I'm hoping they can be a little complacent coming up here and we can get at them from the first whistle."
Motherwell wide player Tom Hateley:
"Perhaps we are not consistent enough, we got beaten and then beat Celtic.
"We did well on the day and we have to do well again to beat Inverness.
"We've got a run of five or six big games, there are so many teams in contention for the top six.
"If we can carry on the momentum from the other day and get that consistency, we have the belief that we can go anywhere and win."
Inverness from): Esson, Innes, Duff, Doran, Odhiambo, Foran, Rooney, Munro, Duncan, Sutherland, Hogg, MacDonald, Hayes, Ross, Cox, Tokely, Gillet, Morrison, Tuffey.
Motherwell (from): Randolph, Hateley, Gunning, Hammell, Hutchinson, Jennings, Lasley, Forbes, Murphy, Humphrey, Sutton, Jeffers, Meechan, Pollock, Casagolda, Craigan, Saunders, Hollis.

St Johnstone v Hibernian Scottish Premier League Match on March 5



Venue: McDiarmid Park
Date: Saturday 5 March
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sport website
St Johnstone are still without Michael Duberry for the visit of Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League.
The defender is expected to be out for up to four weeks with a groin injury, while Kevin Moon and Chris Millar also remain on the sidelines.
Striker Ricardo Vaz Te could make his Hibs debut, and on-loan Jakub Divis might make his first start in goal.
Graham Stack is out with a shoulder injury and Divis is vying for a place with Graeme Smith and Mark Brown.
St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes: "It's a big ask and they have done well lately. We know they are coming here with that added ingredient of confidence and belief, which is always important to any team.
"The fact that they are coming here on such good form makes them more difficult but we plan to be difficult opponents ourselves."
Hibernian manager Colin Calderwood: "We've got three away fixtures in a row - we started with a victory at Hamilton and we'll need to do it again.
"To keep up with the teams around about us we're going to have to win and that's the intention."
Teams:
St Johnstone (from): Enckelman, Grainger, MacKay, Anderson, Gartland, Morris, Adams, Craig, Invincibile, Reynolds, Davidson, MacDonald, Samuel, May, Maybury, Novikovas, Smith, Taylor.
Hibernian (from): Smith, Dickoh, Towell, Hanlon, Booth, Wotherspoon, Nish, Riordan, Rankin, Murray, Stevenson, Duffy, Trakys, Thornhill, Brown, Miller, Scott, Palsson, Sodje, Vaz Te, Divis.

Share

Bookmark and Share