Boxing Day

Dmitry LONGICH

MATCH TOUR

Chelsea - Reading. The famous Boxing Day did not give fans of the Premier League a truly festive confrontation. Moreover, the nominally central meeting of the tour does not promise to correspond to the pacification of the moment. Reading is on a visit to Chelsea to remind everyone of the most monstrous championship match so far - the battle of the same clubs in the first round. Particularly “warm” welcome awaits Stephen Hunt, who caused a terrible injury to Peter Cech. The purely football intrigue of the meeting does not seem too entertaining. “Reading” is now noticeably passed, and “Chelsea” is not going to make Christmas gifts: Mourinho has always been at odds with British traditions.

UNEXPECTED INTrigue

“Bolton” - “Newcastle”. At Reebok Stadium two clubs from the most successful in recent times will clash. “Bolton” won three victories in a row and again crept close to the Champions League. “Newcastle” and did win five of the six previous matches and intends to break into the top ten on the wings of the New Year, although he recently looked into the abyss. The meeting will slow down the climb of at least one of the teams, and the sparks carved in this confrontation will surely be able to light more than one Christmas tree.

DO NOT LOSE FROM THE VIEW

Nigerian Obafemi Martins became a symbol of the resurrected “Newcastle”, scoring 6 goals in the last 5 matches of the Premier League. Slowly adapting in England and only recently getting rid of injuries, the athletic striker with patented African plastic has already joined the scorer race. Martins' accomplishments allowed the Forty fans to forget about the losses of Owen and Ameobi for a while, and some are already comparing the Nigerian with Alan Shearer himself. And hardly in appearance.

IMPORTANT WORDS

“We are not friends with Mourinho, but we have a rather warm relationship. Actually, I respect him not only for football success. I can’t say that the purchase of players goes without my participation, but Mourinho’s role in this matter is much higher. For example , it’s impossible for us to have a situation where the coach doesn’t want to buy a player, and I’m trying to persuade him to do the opposite. Our strategy is to raise our own players. We have invested a very large amount in our academy and we hope that this will bear fruit. In the future we will be tra it in the transfer market is much less, "- Roman Abramovich in the first lengthy policy statement in three years.

BEAUTIFUL NUMBERS

A successful match with “Blackburn” “Liverpool” can bring its own winning streak to 5 games, and the number of meetings without conceded goals - up to 8 in a row. This is the digital expression of the Merseyside winter spurt.

Chelsea - Reading

December 26th . Stamford Bridge, 4 p.m.

Judge : Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

Injuries : D. Cole, Cech / Convey, Cox, Mate, Kitson, A. Brown, Stack.

Disqualifications : no.

Chelsea (SPORT Today version): Hilario - Jeremy, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, E. Cole - Wright-Phillips, Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Robben - Shevchenko.

Reading (SPORT Today version): Hahnemann - Marty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey - Little, Sidwell, Harper, Oster - Lita, Doyle.

Last five matches : + = + + + / + - = - -

First round match : 1-0.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Chelsea - 1.2, the draw - 5.0, the victory of Reading - 11.0.

Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 15.55 (direct).

TOTTENHAM - ASTON VILLA

December 26th . White Hart Lane, 4 p.m.

Judge : Jurai Rainey (Yorkshire).

Injuries : Lennon, Jenas, Keane, Defoe / S. Taylor, Sorensen, Laursen, L. Moore, Delaney.

Disqualifications : no.

“Tottenham Hotspur” (version of “SPORT Today”): Robinson - Shimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee Yoon Pio - Tainio, Huddlestone, Zokora, Malbranck - Berbatov, Mido.

Aston Villa (SPORT Today version): Kirali - A. Hughes, Melberg, Ridgwell, Barry - Agbonlahor, McKann, Petrov, S. Davis - Angel, Baroche.

Last five matches : - + + + - / - = = - -

First round match : 1: 1.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Tottenham Hotspur - 1.8, the draw - 3.3, the victory of Aston Villa - 3.75.

WEST HAM - PORTSMUT

December 26th . Upton Park, 16.00.

Judge : Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire).

Injuries : Ashton, Tomkins, Collins / Lua-Lua, Stefanovich.

Disqualifications : Konchesky, Reo-Cocker / no.

West Ham (SPORT Today version): Green - Mirs, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Spector - Boyer, Benayoun, Mullins, Etherington - Zamora, Harwood.

“Portsmouth” (version of “SPORT Today”): James - Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Pamaro - O'Neill, Pedro Mendes, S. Davis, M. Taylor - Kanu, Mwaruwari.

Last five matches : - - - + = / = = + = +

First round match : 0: 2.

Quotes William Hill : West Ham win 2.2, draw 3.3, Portsmouth win 2.7.

BLACKBURN - LIVERPOOL

December 26th . Ewood Park, 6 p.m.

Judge : Rob Styles (Hampshire).

Injuries : Roberts, Reed, Nelson, Enkelman / Zenden, Sissoko, Kewell.

Disqualifications : no.

“Blackburn” (version of “SPORT Today”): Friedel - Neil, Oyer, Ansho, Gray - Emerton, Savage, Tugay, Pedersen - Bentley, McCarthy.

Liverpool (SPORT Today version): Reina - Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise - Pennant, Gerard, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Aurelio - Fowler, Crouch.

Last five matches : + - - + - / = + + + +

First round match : 1: 1.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Blackburn - 4.33, the draw - 3.3, the victory of Liverpool - 1.7.

Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 22.20 (record).

Everton - Middlesbrough

December 26th . Goodison Park, 6 p.m.

Judge : Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

Injuries : Boyle, Hibbert, Pistone, T. Cahill, Turner / Echiogu, Parlor, Hoot, McMahon.

Disqualifications : no.

Everton (version of SPORT Today): Howard - Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Naismith - Osman, Carsley, Arteta, McFaden - Beatty, Johnson.

Middlesbrough (SPORT today): Schwarzer - Parnaby, Woodgate, Pogatets, E. Taylor - Morrison, Arka, Boateng, Downing - Christie, Yakubu.

Last five matches : - + - - + / - - = - +

First round match : 1: 2.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Everton - 1.72, the draw - 3.25, the victory of Middlesbrough - 4.2.

SHEFFIELD UNITED - MANCHESTER CITY

December 26th . The Brammell Lane, 6 p.m.

Judge : Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wyre).

Injuries : Lee Tai, Schipperly, Bennet / Sinclair, Mills, Sun Jihai, Logan.

Disqualifications : None / Barton.

Sheffield United (SPORT Today version): Kenny - Kozlak, Morgan, Bromby, Geary - Gillespie, Jagielka, Tonzh, Quinn - Webber, Hals.

Manchester City (SPORT Today version): Weaver - Richards, Disten, Dunne, Thatcher - Trabelsi, Reina, Dabo, Wassell - Dickov, Corradi.

Last five matches : + + = + - / + = - - -

First round match : 0-0.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Sheffield United - 2.25, the draw - 3.3, the victory of Manchester City - 2.62.

BOLTON - NEWcastle

December 26th . Reebok Stadium, 18.00.

Judge : Howard Webb (Yorkshire).

Injuries : O'Brien, Giannakopoulos, Fortune / N'Zogbia, Bramble, C. Moore, Bernard, Krul, Ameobi, Owen, Carr.

Disqualifications : no.

“Bolton” (version of “SPORT Today”): Yaaskelainen - Hunt, Meite, Ben Haim, Dian-Faye - Ivan Campo, Speed, Nolan, Diouf - Anelka, K. Davis.

Newcastle (SPORT today): Given - Huntington, Ramage, S. Taylor, Babayaro - Solano, Parker, Emre, Duff - Dyer - Martins.

Last five matches : - - + + + / + + - + +

First round match : 2: 1.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Bolton” - 1.8, the draw - 3.3, the victory of “Newcastle” - 3.75.

Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 20.55 (recording).

MANCHESTER UNITED - Wigan

December 26th . Old Trafford, 6 p.m.

Judge : Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

Injuries : Carrick, Evra / R. Taylor, Camara, Sharner, Webster, Valencia, Macmillan.

Disqualifications : Vidic, Scholes / McCulloch.

Manchester United (SPORT Today): van der Sar - Neville, Sylvester, Ferdinand, Heinze - Cristiano Ronaldo, Fletcher, O'Shea, Giggs - Rooney, Saa.

“Wigan” (version of “SPORT Today”): Kirkland - Boyce, De Zeuw, Hall, Baines - Teal, Landzat, Skoko, Kilbane - Cotteril, Heskey.

Last five matches : + + + - + / + = - - -

First round match : 3: 1.

Quotes William Hill : victory for Manchester United - 1.22, draw - 5.0, victory for Wigan - 9.5.

Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 17.55 (direct).

WATFORD - ARSENAL

December 26th . Wickereigh Road, 20.30.

Judge : Mike Dean (Wirral).

Injuries : Chambers, M. King, Carlisle / Henry, Jungberg, Diabi, Gallas, Eboue.

Disqualifications : no.

"Watford" (version of "SPORT today"): Foster - Maryappa, Demerit, Shittu, Stuart - Smith, Bangura, Mahon, Buazza - Young, Henderson.

Arsenal (version of “SPORT Today”): Lehmann - Hoyt, Kolo Toure, Jura, Clichy - Gleb, Fabregas, Gilberto Silva, Rosicky - Van Persie, Adebayor.

Last year's matches : not met.

First round match : 0: 3.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Watford - 7.0, the draw - 4.0, the victory of the Arsenal - 1.36.

Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 20.25 (direct).

CHARLTON - FULHAM

December 27th . The Walley, 23.00.

Judge : Graham Pull (Hertfordshire).

Injuries : Lisby, Young, Reed, Rommedahl / Boa Morte, Buba Diop, Pierce, Ballard, Elrich, Elliott, Pambridge, Knight.

Disqualifications : no / Helgusson.

“Charlton” (version of “SPORT Today”): Carson - Sankofa, El Karkuri, Heydarsson, Traore - Kishishev, Faye, Holland, B. Hughes - Hasselbeink, D. Bent.

“Fulham” (version of “SPORT Today”): Niemi - Rosenor, Kristanval, Bocanegra, Kedru - Foltz, Brown, K. Jensen, Radzinsky - C. John, McBride.

Last five matches : - + - - - / + - - + =

First round match : 1: 2.

Quotes William Hill : the victory of Charlton - 2.37, the draw - 3.3, the victory of Fulham - 2.5.

Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 22.55 (direct).

NOTE : match start time is Moscow time.

TOURNAMENT TABLE

SNIPERS: Drogba (Chelsea) - 10, Kanu (Portsmouth) - 9, Rooney, Saa, Cristiano Ronaldo (all - MJ) - 8, Doyle (Reading) - 8.

21st TOUR. 12/30. Blackburn - Middlesbrough. Bolton - Portsmouth. Charlton - Aston Villa. Chelsea - Fulham. Everton - Newcastle. Manchester United - Reading. Sheffield United - Arsenal. Tottenham Hotspur - Liverpool. Watford - Wigan. West Ham - Manchester City.

English accent Dmitry Navoshi conference on English football