Dmitry LONGICH
MATCH TOUR
Manchester United - Bolton. The fewer obstacles that remain on the difficult path of Manchester United to the championship, the more difficult it becomes to overcome them. On the eve of Saturday's match, Sir Alex Ferguson was left without the main goalkeeper, the leading midfielder, with one battle-worthy striker and a half-empty bench. And then there’s a rival from a cohort of stubborn and always ready to make a sensation. Not an easy barrier. However, it’s more convenient to conquer the barriers just to “Bolton” - the nickname obliges. It’s just that they aren’t visible yet on the way of the “Trotters” - by the 30th round the team found themselves in splendid isolation on the fifth line of the tournament table. Image for Bolton, habitually deciding for United, the match will be the first on the tour and will create the mood for the English gaming weekend in general and Chelsea personally.
UNEXPECTED INTrigue
“Everton” - “Arsenal”. Desperate for motivation for the rest of the season, suffering from numerous injuries, disqualifications and cup failures, Arsenal, meanwhile, plays best in the Premier League in the new year - six wins and a draw in seven matches. This championship will not bring great happiness to the “gunners”, but Liverpool is always nice to get ahead, and it’s useful to play the line-up for future achievements without any fuss. Everton’s tasks are not an example more specific - the place in European competitions is so close that you can touch it with your hand. Team David Moyes on the go and with the help of his own “Goodison” is quite capable of stopping the victorious procession of the “Gunners”. In the matches of these teams in recent years there has always been something interesting - whether it was the victory of “Everton” with a scandal in the past Liverpool date or 0: 7 in London a year earlier. So Sunday's game is quite able to complete the tour with a non-trivial punctuation mark.
DO NOT LOSE FROM THE VIEW
The native Birmingham Luke Moore , having received a shoulder injury at the end of September, spent almost half a year on the periphery of public attention. Having recovered health, the Aston Villa striker faced stiff competition from Young, Maloney and Carew, who had been bought in his absence and still couldn’t return to the squad. However, Moore, decisively rejecting doubts and a few rental offers, has long been ready to show everyone who is really the main young English hope here. It remains only to wait for a chance from Martin O'Neill.
IMPORTANT WORDS
“There are always a lot of rumors around Real Madrid. I even read in the newspapers that people from Madrid met me. It's not true - I'm happy at Liverpool. I feel support, but new people have taken over the helm of the club and it’s very important to me talk with the American owners. I talked with them once, but now I want to see them as often as possible and discuss our future. It's not only about the funds for new players - I want to know the club’s development plans, ”- Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez I’m ready to support those who have become among a English fashion coaches talk about Real Madrid and their own leadership.
BEAUTIFUL NUMBERS
London “Tottenham Hotspur”, as if forgiving sins before the fans, gives everyone a free month of enchanting matches. In 7 meetings in all tournaments during this time, “Spurs” scored 23 goals, conceiving 12 and providing an incredible average performance for modern football for a game of 5 goals.
MANCHESTER UNITED - BOLTON
March 17th . Old Trafford, 15.45.
Judge : Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
Injuries : van der Sar, Saa, Fletcher, Sylvester, Solscher / O'Brien.
Disqualifications : Scholes / no.
Manchester United (Sport Today version): Kushchak - Neville, Vidic, Ferdinand, Heinze - Cristiano Ronaldo, O'Shea, Carrick, Park Ji Sung - Giggs, Rooney.
“Bolton” (version of “Sport Today”): Yaaskelainen - Hunt, Meite, Dian Faye, Ben Haim - Ivan Campo, Speed, Nolan - Yannakopoulos, Diouf - Anelka.
Last five matches : + + + + + + / = + + - -
First round match : 4-0.
Quotes William Hill : Manchester United win - 1.3, draw - 4.2, Bolton win - 8.5.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 15.40 (direct).
Chelsea - Sheffield United
March 17th . Stamford Bridge, 6 p.m.
Judge : Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Injuries : D. Cole, Bridge / Lucetti.
Disqualifications : Obi Mikel / no.
Chelsea (Sport Today version): Czech - Paulo Ferreira, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, E. Cole - Ballack, Makelele, Lampard - Robben, Drogba, Kalu.
Sheffield United (Sport Today version): Kenny - Geary, Morgan, Davis, Armstrong - Kazim-Richards, Fathi, Tonj, Dzhagelka, S. Quinn - Hals.
Last five matches : + + + + + / + - + - =
First round match : 2-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Chelsea - 1.14, the draw - 5.5, the victory of Sheffield United - 15.0.
Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 1.10 (recording).
MIDDLESBRO - MANCHESTER CITY
March 17th . Riverside, 18.00.
Judge : Kate Stroud (Hampshire).
Injuries : Bates / Mills.
Disqualifications : no.
Middlesbrough (Sport Today version): Schwarzer - Parnaby, Riggott, Pogatets, E. Taylor - Cattermole, Boateng, Morrison, Downing - Viduka, Lee Dong Guk.
Manchester City (Sport Today version): Isaksson - Richards, Disten, R. Dunne, Ball - Trabelsi, Hamann, Barton, Wassell - Dickov, Corradi.
Last five matches : = = - + = / - - - - - -
First round match : 0: 1.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Middlesbrough - 2.1, the draw - 3.2, the victory of Manchester City - 3.0.
RADING - PORTSMUT
March 17th . "Madeisky Stadium", 18.00.
Judge : Steve Bennett (Kent).
Injuries : Conwy, Sonko, Mate / Pedro Mendes, Lauren.
Disqualifications : none / Sh.Davis.
Reading (Sport Today version): Hahnemann - Halford, Bickey, Ingimarsson, Shorey - Little, Sidwell, Harper, Hunt - Lita, Doyle.
“Portsmouth” (version of “Sport Today”): James - Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Stefanovich - O'Neill, R. Hughes, N. Kranchar, M. Taylor - E. Cole, Mwaruwari.
Last five matches : + + + - - / = - + - -
First round match : 1: 3.
Quotes William Hill : victory of Reading - 1.9, draw - 3.2, victory of Portsmouth - 3.5.
TOTTENHAM - WATFORD
March 17th . White Hart Lane, 6 p.m.
Judge : Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Injuries : L. King, Dervit, Assou-Ekotto, E. Gardner, Tainio, Murphy / M. King, Stuart.
Disqualifications : no.
Tottenham Hotspur (Sport Today version): Robinson - Shimbonda, Dawson, Ricardo Rocha, Lee Yoon Pio - Gali, Zokora, Huddlestone, Malbranco - Defoe, Berbatov.
"Watford" (version of "Sport Today"): Foster - Maryappa, Demerit, Shittu, Powell-Smith, Mahon, Francis, Cavalli-Henderson, Boise.
Last five matches : - - + + + / - + = - =
First round match : 0-0.
Quotes William Hill : Tottenham win - 1.44, draw - 3.6, victory of Watford - 6.5.
WIGAN - FULHAM
March 17th . JJ Stadium, 18.00.
Judge : Steve Tanner (Avon).
Injuries : Kirkland, Boyce / Ballard, Elrich, Elliott.
Disqualifications : McCulloch, Baines, Hall / Montella.
“Wigan” (version of “Sport Today”): Filan - R. Taylor, Jackson, de Zeuw, Unsworth - Valencia, Landzat, Skoko, Kilbane - Folan, Heskey.
"Fulham" (version of "Sport Today"): Niemi - Foltz, Knight, J. Piers, Kedru - S. Davis, Smertin, Brown, Buba Diop, Radzinsky - McBride.
Last five matches : + - = + + / - + - - =
First round match : 1-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Wigan - 2.0, the draw - 3.2, the victory of Fulham - 3.2.
BLACKBURN - WEST HAM
March 17th . Ewood Park, 20.15.
Judge : Howard Webb (Yorkshire).
Injuries : Reed, Savage, Oyer, Todd / Upson, Ashton.
Disqualifications : Mokoena / no.
Blackburn (Sport Today version): Friedel - Emerton, Khizanishvili, Samba, Warnock - Bentley, Dunn, Tugai, Pedersen - McCarthy, Nonda.
West Ham (Sport Today version): Green - Nill, Ferdinand, Davenport, Konnichki - Boyer, Reo-Cocker, Kouache, Boa Morte - Tevez, Zamora.
Last five matches : - + - - + / - - - - -
First round match : 1: 2.
Quotes William Hill : Blackburn victory - 1.57, draw - 3.5, victory of West Ham - 5.0.
CHARLTON - NEWcastle
March 18th . The Walley, 16.30.
Judge : Graham Pull (Hertfordshire).
Injuries : Gibbs, E. Reed, Bougerra, Thatcher / C. Moore, Ameobi, Owen, Ramage, Krul, Babayaro, Carr.
Disqualifications : None / Butt.
"Charlton" (version of "Sport Today"): Carson - Young, El Karkuri, Heydarsson, Sankofa - Ambrose, A. Song, Holland, Thomas - D. Bent, Hasselbeink.
Newcastle (Sport Today version): Given - Solano, S. Taylor, Bramble, Oneva - Milner, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia - Dyer - Martins.
Last five matches : = - - + = / + - + - =
First round match : 0-0.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Charlton - 2.25, the draw - 3.2, the victory of Newcastle - 2.75.
ASTON VILLA - LIVERPOOL
March 18th . "Villa Park", 16.35.
Judge : Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
Injuries : Sutton, Delaney, Laursen / Kewell, Luis Garcia, Crouch.
Disqualifications : no.
Aston Villa (Sport Today version): Sorensen - Bardsley, Mellberg, G. Cahill, Bouma - Agbonlahor, Petrov, McCann, Barry - Moore, Carew.
Liverpool (Sport Today version): Reina - Finnan, Carragher, Hyyupya, Fabio Aurelio - Pennant, Gerard, Xabi Alonso, Riise - Bellamy, Kate.
Last five matches : - + - = - / + = - + -
First round match : 1: 3.
Quotes William Hill : the victory of Aston Villa - 3.75, the draw - 3.2, the victory of Liverpool - 1.83.
Broadcast : RTR-Sport, 1.10 (recording).
Everton - Arsenal
March 18th . Goodison Park, 19.00.
Judge : Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wyre).
Injuries : Boyle, McFadden, Nuno Valente, van der Meide, T. Cahill / Henry, Van Persie, Eboue, Clichy.
Disqualifications : None / Adebayor.
Everton (Sport Today version): Howard - Neville, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott - Osman, Arteta, Carsley, Manuel Fernandes - Johnson, Anichebe.
Arsenal (Sport Today version): Lehmann - Dzhuru, Gallas, Kolo Toure, Hoyt - Jungberg, Fabregas, Gilberto Silva, Denilson, Rosicky - Baptista.
Last five matches : = + - + = / + = + + +
First round match : 1: 1.
Quotes William Hill : victory of Everton - 3.0, draw - 3.2, victory of Arsenal - 2.1.
Broadcast : NTV-Plus Football, 18.55 (direct).
NOTE : match start time is Moscow time.
TOURNAMENT TABLE
| M | Teams | AND | AT | N | P | Balls | ABOUT |
| one | MANCHESTER UNITED | 29th | 23 | 3 | 3 | 66-19 | 72 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 29th | 20 | 6 | 3 | 51-19 | 66 |
| 3 | ARSENAL | 28 | sixteen | 7 | five | 51-23 | 55 |
| four | LIVERPOOL | 29th | sixteen | five | eight | 44-20 | 53 |
| five | BOLTON | 29th | 14 | five | ten | 34-34 | 47 |
| 6 | Everton | 29th | eleven | ten | eight | 37-26 | 43 |
| 7 | READING | 29th | 13 | four | 12 | 43-38 | 43 |
| eight | PORTSMOUTH | 29th | eleven | eight | ten | 36-31 | 41 |
| 9 | BLACKBURN | 29th | 12 | four | 13 | 35-39 | 40 |
| ten | TOTTENHAM | 28 | eleven | 6 | eleven | 36-40 | 39 |
| eleven | NEWCASTLE | 29th | ten | 7 | 12 | 34-37 | 37 |
| 12 | MIDLESBRO | 29th | 9 | 9 | eleven | 32-34 | 36 |
| 13 | ASTON VILLA | 29th | 7 | 12 | 9 | 29-34 | 33 |
| 14 | FULHAM | 29th | 7 | 12 | ten | 31-44 | 33 |
| 17 | Wigan | 29th | 9 | five | 15 | 30-44 | 32 |
| 15 | SHEFFIELD UNITED | 29th | eight | 7 | 14 | 25-41 | 31 |
| sixteen | MANCHESTER CITY | 28 | eight | 6 | 14 | 20-34 | thirty |
| 18 | CHARLTON | 29th | 6 | 6 | 17 | 26-49 | 24 |
| nineteen | WEST HAM | 28 | five | five | 18 | 18-46 | 20 |
| 20 | Watford | 29th | 3 | eleven | 15 | 18-43 | 20 |
SNIPERS : Drogba (Chelsea) - 18, Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) - 16, Van Persie (Arsenal), Yakubu (Middlesbrough) - 12, Doyle (Reading), McCarthy (Blackburn), Henry (Arsenal), Rooney (Man. United), Martins (Newcastle), Lampard (Chelsea) - 10, Kanu (Portsmouth), Kate (Liverpool) - 9.
31st round. 03/31. Bolton - Sheffield United. Charlton - Wigan. Fulham - Portsmouth. Liverpool - Arsenal. Manchester United - Blackburn. Newcastle - Manchester City. Watford - Chelsea. West Ham - Middlesbrough. 04/01. Tottenham Hotspur - Reading. 04/02. Aston Villa - Everton.