Game(s) of the Week (Rankings from Poll)
7:45 ET Saturday
Liverpool v (19) Manchester City-ESPN2
This is a very important match for both clubs as we are about one-third of the way through the season. Manchester City sits in 6th on 20 points from 11 games while Liverpool is in 7th on 19 points from 12 games. Both teams came into the season with eyes on Europe and they are fighting each other for a spot at the moment. Liverpool’s train wreck of a season has a chance to get back on the tracks with the return of Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, and Daniel Agger. However, Fernando Torres and Fabio Aurelio are both likely out of the lineup. Midfielder Gareth Barry will hope to factor in the line-up for City after picking up a groin strain while on duty for England during the week. Barry was nearly signed by Liverpool back in may before going to Manchester City.
My pick: Liverpool 2, Manchester City 2
9:30 ET Sunday
Bayern Munich v (10) Bayer Leverkusen-ESPN360
This is a game very similar to the match-up above. Bayern is wallowing back in 8th place, yet still only 6 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, and only 3 points out of second. Bayern Munich, like Liverpool, is not used to being anywhere but the top of the table and this game could very well set the tone for the rest of Bayern’s season, determining whether they will be title contenders or if they will simply hope for a European spot. Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness is calling this the “game of the season,” and has even gone so far as to warn manager Louis Van Gaal, saying he needs to alter his management style. Former Bayer Leverkusen keeper Hans-Jorg Butt will be in goal for Bayern, and was direct in his assessment of the upcoming match: “There can be no excuses-Leverkusen is a direct rival, we are playing at home and we have got to win.” Leverkusen has (shockingly) not beaten Bayern Munich since 1989, but they are the last remaining unbeaten team in the Bundesliga and will look to end the first streak and continue the second. Still, I think Bayern will take this opportunity to show why they are the most expensive team in the Bundesliga.
My pick: Bayern Munich 3, Bayer Leverkusen 1. Louis Van Gaal saves his job.
MLS Cup Championship
8:30 PM ET Sunday
Real Salt Lake v LA Galaxy-ESPN360
Landon Donovan and David Beckham look to prove that they can indeed work together perfectly to achieve the ultimate success in United States club football. Beckham missed England friendlies last weekend and mid-week to concentrate on this MLS Cup run.
Top of the Table Clashes
See Russian Premier League
10:00 ET Saturday (League Two, England)
Dagenham & Redbridge v Rochdale
Dag &Red sit atop of the table in the fourth league of England, with Rochdale only 2 points behind in third. Strikers Paul Benson and Chris Dagnall lead Dagenham and Rochdale respectively with 9 goals each and both are tied for 3rd in goals scored in the league.
English Premier League
7:45 ET Saturday
Liverpool v (19) Manchester City-ESPN2
10:00 ET Saturday
Birmingham v Fulham
Burnley v Aston Villa
(1) Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Frenchmen William Gallas and Nicolas Anelka for Chelsea go up against Irishmen Kevin Doyle and Andy Keogh for Wolves.
Hull City v West Ham United
Sunderland v (3) Arsenal
(T4) Manchester United v Everton
United are in a run of mediocre form in the league, losing two of their last three games to fall five points back of first place Chelsea. Everton has been struggling with injuries all season and currently sit in 12th in the Premier League after three straight years of top six finishes. Wayne Rooney’s childhood club was Everton and he made his debut for them at age 16, becoming the youngest ever to score a goal in the Premier League. He has hit a dry spell lately and will look to capitalize on a bit of a break from competitive games and score some goals. Louis Saha returns to Old Trafford on great form, with seven goals in eight starts in the league this season. The Manchester United back line is injury and suspension-plagued, with Neville suspended while Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Evans, John O’Shea, and Fabio all doubts because of injury. Look for a back four consisting of Rafael, Nemenja Vidic, Wes Brown, and Patrice Evra, United have won every game in which they’ve taken a lead this season. Everton is the only team to not score in the first 15 minutes of any match this season. Look for United to attack early, take a lead, and hold on to it.
My pick: Manchester United 2, Everton 0
8:30 ET Sunday
Bolton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers
10:00 ET Sunday
(T15) Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic
11:00 ET Sunday
Stoke City v Portsmouth
Scottish Premier League
10:00 ET Saturday
Rangers v Kilmarnock
7:45 ET Sunday
Dundee United v Celtic
Spain’s La Liga
12:00 ET Saturday
Deportivo La Coruna v Atletico Madrid-ESPN360
Tenerife v (6) Sevilla FC
14:00 ET Saturday
(T7) Real Madrid v Racing Santander-ESPN360
16:00 ET Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v (2) Barcelona
13:00 ET Sunday
Malaga v Real Zaragoza-ESPN360
15:00 ET Sunday
Osasuna v (T22) Valencia
Italy’s Serie A
12:00 ET Saturday
Bologna v (T4) Inter Milan-ESPN360
14:45 ET Saturday
(12) Fiorentina v Parma-ESPN360
9:00 ET Sunday
(T7) AC Milan v Cagliari
AS Roma v Bari-ESPN360
Livorno v Genoa
Sampdoria v Chievo Verona
14:45 ET Sunday
(9) Juventus v Udinese
German Bundesliga
9:30 ET Saturday
SC Freiburg v (T15) Werder Bremen
(20) Schalke 04 v Hannover 96
VfB Stuttgart v Hertha Berlin
VfL Wolfsburg v Nurnburg-ESPN360
9:30 ET Sunday
Bayern Munich v (10) Bayer Leverkusen-ESPN360
11:30 ET Sunday
(21) Hamburg SV v VfL Bochum
French Ligue 1
15:00 ET Friday
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain
13:00 ET Saturday
(11) Bordeaux v Valenciennes
Grenoble v (13) Lyon
15:00 ET Saturday
AJ Auxerre v AS Monaco
Dutch Eredivisie
12:45 ET Saturday
Roda JC Kerkrade v AZ Alkmaar
14:45 ET Saturday
(T17) Twente Enschede v Vitesse Arnhem
6:30 ET Sunday
Feyenoord Rotterdam v FC Utrecht
(25) Ajax Amsterdam v Heerenveen-ESPN360
10:30 ET Sunday
PSV Eindhoven v SC Heracles Almelo
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League is getting down to the vital final two match days. Every team has played 28 games with two left. First and second place get UEFA Champions League Group Stage spots, third place gets UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round spot, fourth place gets UEFA Europa League Playoff round spot, and fifth place gets UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round spot. Sixth gets nothing. A spot in the Europa League qualifying rounds will go to the winner of the Russian Cup, and only Zenit and FC Moscow still remain in that competition, which will conclude in 2010. Note that Lokomotiv Moscow are ahead of FC Moscow on head-to-head.
| Team | GD | Pts |
| FK Rubin Kazan | +38 | 59 |
| Spartak Moscow | +30 | 55 |
| Zenit St. Petersburg | +20 | 50 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | +9 | 48 |
| FC Moscow | +14 | 48 |
| CSKA Moscow | +14 | 46 |
6:00 ET Saturday
Dinamo Moscow v Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Moscow v Spartak Nalchik
FK Rubin Kazan v Zenit St. Peterburg
Spartak Moscow v CSKA Moscow
The top two spots are effectively decided for the season, but both teams are still involved in very important games. Spartak Nalchik is 14th in the table out of 16 teams so FC Moscow should get an easy win, making it vitally important that Lokomotiv Moscow pull off a win at a tough Dinamo Moscow team. CSKA’s European hopes ride on the match at Spartak Moscow. They will want to follow up what has thus far been a decent showing in the Champions League with another spot in Europe next fall.
Turkish Super League
13:00 ET Saturday
Besiktas v (T22) Fenerbahce
13:00 ET Sunday
Galatasaray v Manisaspor
MLS Cup Championship
8:30 PM ET Sunday
Real Salt Lake v LA Galaxy-ESPN360
Other Games on ESPN360
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup all weekend
10:00 ET Saturday
Barnsley v Cardiff
2:45 ET Monday
Preston North End v Newcastle United
Coppa Italia Midweek
The final 32 teams that will compete in South Africa
AFC
Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea
CAF
Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa
CONCACAF
Honduras, Mexico, United States
CONMEBOL
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC
New Zealand
UEFA
Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland
World Cup Draw is December 4 at noon ET on ESPN2!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment