Dmitry LONGICH
MATCH TOUR
Manchester United - Aston Villa. The low profile of the poster of the central meeting of the tour once again indicates that the holidays are over. Aston Villa, which has not already won 10 matches in a row, is unlikely to thrill the leader of the Premier League and can only rely on probability theory. Over the past few weeks, the Birmingham people are embarking on the path of Manchester United for the third time, and the previous two times they had to step aside - not without inner dignity. The chances that it will turn out differently now are small - the Mancunians, infuriated by Newcastle, are in a hurry to take advantage of Chelsea’s difficulties and strengthen their already precarious position.
UNEXPECTED INTrigue
Blackburn - Arsenal. The first game weekend after the New Year is a mirror image of the last round before Christmas and guarantees current rivals fresh memories of each other. Especially there is something to remember, “Blackburn” with “Arsenal” - 2: 6 at “Emirates” is difficult to forget. Since then, the shaken wards of Mark Hughes won three bright victories in a row in the Premier League, and the gunners twice ruthlessly threw Liverpool cores in the English cups. A new meeting of rivals at Yevud Park threatens to become the most spectacular and productive on the tour, unless Blackburn goes too far with revenge sentiments and Arsenal does not use the upcoming match to reload.
DO NOT LOSE FROM THE VIEW
Leaving until the best of times the quiet joys of Swedish retirement life, the 35-year-old Henrik Larsson returns to elite European football. Less than an hour of playing time, it took a rookie Manchester United to open an account with goals on English soil. “Aston Villa”, who felt the unquenchable striking talent of Larsson in the cup match, now can only shudder to wait for a new meeting, this time in the Premier League.
IMPORTANT WORDS
“Today was a terrible evening for us, and all we can do now is ask for forgiveness from our fans. Now is not the time to blame someone and look for the guilty. We win all together and lose too. We need to forget about it as soon as possible this nightmare and start preparing for Saturday's game with Watford and the Champions League, ”Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez talks about the psychology of dealing with habitual routs from Arsenal.
BEAUTIFUL NUMBERS
Departure for “Stamford Bridge” threatens to turn around for “Wigan” 6th defeat in a row. “Chelsea” will do everything to prevent an increase in its own draw series to 4 matches.
Watford - Liverpool
January 13th . Wickereigh Road, 15.45.
Judge : Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wyre).
Injuries : Chambers, M. King, Carlisle, Buazza / Zenden, Sissoko, Kewell, Gonzalez, Luis Garcia, Warnock.
Disqualifications : no.
"Watford" (version of "Sport today"): Foster - Maryappa, Demerit, Shittu, Stuart - Smith, Bangura, Mahon, McNamey - Young, Priskin.
Liverpool (Sport Today version): Reina - Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise - Pennant, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Aurelio - Bellamy, Kate.
Last five matches : = - - - = / + + - + +
First round match : 0: 2.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Watford” - 6.5, the draw - 3.6, the victory of “Liverpool” - 1.44.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 15.40 (direct).
BOLTON - MANCHESTER CITY
January 13th . Reebok Stadium, 18.00.
Judge : Andre Marinner (Birmingham).
Injuries : O'Brien, Pedersen / Mills, Sun Jihai, Hamann.
Disqualifications : Dian Faye / no.
Bolton (Sport Today version): Yaaskelainen - Hunt, Meite, Ben Haim, Gardner - Ivan Campo, Speed, Nolan, Diouf - Anelka, K. Davis.
Manchester City (Sports Today): Weaver - Richards, Disten, Dunn, Onuoha - Trabelsi, Reina, Barton, Beasley - Wassell, Corradi.
Last five matches : + + + + + - / - - + + +
First round match : 2-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Bolton - 1.72, the draw - 3.2, the victory of Manchester City - 4.33.
CHARLTON - MIDLESBRO
13th of January. "Walley", 18.00.
Judge : Mike Dean (Wirral).
Injuries : Young, D. Bent, Gibbs / Maccarone, Parlor, Hoot, McMahon, Bates.
Disqualifications : Sankofa / no.
"Charlton" (version of "Sport Today"): Carson - S. Diavara, El-Karkuri, Heydarsson, Thatcher - Rommedal, Faye, Kishishev, E. Reed, Ambrose - M. Bent.
Middlesbrough (Sport Today version): Schwarzer - Parnaby, Woodgate, Pogatets, E. Taylor - Cattermole, Boateng, Arch, Downing - Viduka, Yakubu.
Last five matches : - - = = + - / - + = - +
First round match : 0: 2.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Charlton” - 2.3, the draw - 3.1, the victory of “Middlesbrough” - 2.75.
Chelsea - Wigan
13th of January. "Stamford Bridge", 18.00.
Judge : Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire).
Injuries : D. Cole, Cech, Cudicini, Bularuz, Robben, Terry / Skoko, Camara, Sharner.
Disqualifications : E. Cole, Makelele / no.
Chelsea (Sport Today version): Hilario - Jeremy, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Bridge - Essien, Obi Mikel, Lampard, Ballack - Kalu, Drogba.
“Wigan” (version of “Sport Today”): Kirkland - Boyce, De Zeuw, Hall, Baines - McCulloch, Landzat, Johansson, Kilbane - Cotteril, Heskey.
Last five matches : + + = = = / - - - - -
First round match : 3: 2.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Chelsea - 1.16, the draw - 5.5, the victory of Wigan - 12.0.
Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 00.20 (recording).
MANCHESTER UNITED - ASTON VILLA
13th of January. "Old Trafford", 18.00.
Judge : Howard Webb (Yorkshire).
Injuries : none / S. Taylor, Sorensen, Laursen, L. Moore, Delaney, Sutton, Petrov, Gardner.
Disqualifications : no.
Manchester United (Sport Today version): van der Sar - Neville, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra - Cristiano Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs - Rooney, Larsson.
Aston Villa (Sport Today version): Kirali - A. Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgwell, Barry - Agbonlahor, McCann, Osbourne, S. Davis - Baroche, Angel.
Last five matches : - + + + = / - - - - =
First round match : 3-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Manchester United” - 1.28, the draw - 4.2, the victory of “Aston Villa” - 9.0.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 18.00 (direct).
SHEFFIELD UNITED - PORTSMUT
January 13th . "Brammell Lane", 18.00.
Judge : Lee Probert (Gloucestershire).
Injuries : Lagerwood, Bennet, Kenny / Lua-Lua, Stefanovich, Pamaro.
Disqualifications : Morgan / no.
Sheffield United (Sport Today version): Gerrard - Kozlak, Bromby, Davis, Armstrong - Gillespie, Jagielka, Tonzh, S. Quinn - Nade, Hals.
Portsmouth (Sport Today version): James - Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Traore - O'Neill, Pedro Mendes, S. Davis, M. Taylor - Kanu, Mwaruwari.
Last five matches : + - - + - / = + + - =
First round match : 1: 3.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Sheffield United” - 2.5, the draw - 3.1, the victory of “Portsmouth” - 2.5.
WEST HAM - FULHAM
January 13th . Upton Park, 18.00.
Judge : Graham Pull (Hertfordshire).
Injuries : Boyer, Ashton, Ferdinand / Ballard, Elrich, Elliott, Pambridge, Knight, Niemi.
Disqualifications : no.
West Ham (Sport Today version): Green - Spector, Daily, Gabbidon, Konnichno - Reo-Cocker, Benayoun, Mullins, Boa Morte - Zamora, Harwood.
“Fulham” (version of “Sport Today”): Lastuvka - Rosenor, Kristanval, Bocanegra, Kedru - Foltz, Buba Diop, K. Jensen, Brown - Montella, McBride.
Last five matches : + = - - - / + = = = =
First round match : 0-0.
Quotes William Hill : victory of West Ham - 2.1, draw - 3.2, victory of Fulham - 3.0.
BLACKBURN - ARSENAL
January 13th . Ewood Park, 20.15.
Judge : Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Injuries : Roberts, Reed, Nelson, Enkelman / Jungberg, Gallas, Eboue, Lauren.
Disqualifications : Bentley / no.
Blackburn (Sport Today version): Friedel - Nill, Oyer, Khizanishvili, Todd - Emerton, Savage, Tugay, Pedersen - Nonda, McCarthy.
Arsenal (Sport Today version): Lehmann - Hoyt, Kolo Toure, Jura, Clichy - Gleb, Fabregas, Gilberto Silva, Rosicky - Henry, Baptista.
Last five matches : + - + + + / = + + - +
First round match : 2: 6.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Blackburn” - 3.75, the draw - 3.2, the victory of the “Arsenal” - 1.83.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 20.10 (direct).
Everton - Reading
January 14th . Goodison Park, 16.45.
Judge : Mike Riley (Yorkshire).
Injuries : Arteta / no.
Disqualifications : Boyle, Hibbert, Pistone, Turner, Nuno Valente / Mate, Stack.
Everton (Sport Today version): Howard - Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Naismith - S. Davis, Carsley, Cahill, Osman - Anichebe, Johnson.
Reading (Sport Today version): Hahnemann - Marty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey - Little, Sidwell, Harper, Hunt - Lita, Doyle.
Last five matches : - + = + - / - - = - +
First round match : 2-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Everton - 1.95, the draw - 3.1, the victory of Reading - 3.5.
TOTTENHAM - NEWcastle
January 14th . White Hart Lane, 7 p.m.
Judge : Steve Bennett (Kent).
Injuries : R. Keen, Pekar, Lennon, Jenas / N'Zogbia, Bramble, C. Moore, Bernard, Krul, Ameobi, Owen, Carr.
Disqualifications : no.
Tottenham Hotspur (Sports Today): Robinson - Shimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee Yoon Pio - Gali, Huddlestone, Zokora, Malbranck - Berbatov, Defoe.
Newcastle (Sport Today): Given - Solano, Huntington, S. Taylor, Edgar - Milner, Parker, Butt, Emre - Dyer, Martins.
Last five matches : + - + - = / + + - - =
First round match : 1: 3.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of “Tottenham Hotspur” - 1.7, the draw - 3.3, the victory of “Newcastle” - 4.33.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus On-Line, 18.55 (live).
NOTE : match start time is Moscow time.
TOURNAMENT TABLE
| Teams | AND | AT | N | P | Balls | Glasses |
| one | MANCHESTER UNITED | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 49-15 | 54 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 37-17 | 48 |
| 3 | LIVERPOOL | 22 | 12 | four | 6 | 32-16 | 40 |
| four | BOLTON | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 27-21 | 39 |
| five | ARSENAL | 22 | eleven | 6 | five | 41-19 | 39 |
| 6 | PORTSMOUTH | 22 | ten | 6 | 6 | 33-22 | 36 |
| 7 | TOTTENHAM | 22 | 9 | five | eight | 26-28 | 32 |
| eight | Everton | 22 | eight | 7 | 7 | 28-22 | 31 |
| 9 | READING | 22 | 9 | 3 | ten | 30-30 | thirty |
| ten | MANCHESTER CITY | 22 | eight | five | 9 | 19-25 | 29th |
| eleven | BLACKBURN | 21 | eight | four | 9 | 24-29 | 28 |
| 12 | FULHAM | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 22-32 | 27 |
| 13 | NEWCASTLE | 22 | 7 | five | ten | 23-28 | 26 |
| 14 | ASTON VILLA | 22 | five | eleven | 6 | 23-25 | 26 |
| 15 | SHEFFIELD UNITED | 22 | 6 | five | eleven | 17-29 | 23 |
| sixteen | Wigan | 21 | 6 | four | eleven | 23-32 | 22 |
| 17 | MIDLESBRO | 22 | 6 | 6 | ten | 21-27 | 24 |
| 18 | WEST HAM | 22 | five | 3 | 14 | 12-33 | 18 |
| nineteen | CHARLTON | 22 | four | four | 14 | 17-40 | sixteen |
| 20 | Watford | 20 | one | 9 | ten | 12-26 | 12 |
SNIPERS: Drogba (Chelsea) - 13, Cristiano Ronaldo - 12, Doyle (Reading), van Persie (Arsenal) - 10, Kanu (Portsmouth) - 9, Rooney, Saa, (both - MJ) - 8.
24th round. 01.20. Aston Villa - Watford. Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool - Chelsea. Manchester City - Blackburn. Middlesbrough - Bolton. Newcastle - West Ham. Portsmouth - Charlton. Reading - Sheffield United. 01/21. Arsenal - Manchester United. Wigan - Everton.