Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
1. The Championship Play-Off Semi Finals start tonight with Brentford taking on Middlesbrough at Griffin Park. Brentford who against the odds got into the Play-Off places on the final day of the season will be looking to avenge the 1-0 home defeat that Middlesbrough dished out in the regular season. League places are irrelevant now as the race for the final place in the Premier League begins. Mark Warburton who departs regardless of what happens to Brentford in the next few weeks will undoubtedly be looking to finish his reign as Brentford Manager on a massive high.
2. Also in the Play-Offs, the whole of East Anglia will be at a stand still as Ipswich take on Norwich tomorrow at Portman Road. In a game that has had to be put back to Saturday Lunchtime on Police advice you know there is the potential for fireworks Tomorrow. Alex Neil’s Canaries will be the slight favourites but again when it comes to the Play-Offs it really can go either way and it will take a brave man to predict who will get the early advantage Tomorrow.
3. Champions Chelsea take on Liverpool at Anfield. Last Season Liverpool threw their title chances away with “that slip” from Steven Gerrard, this year they will have to give a guard of honour for the newly crowned Champions. What a difference 12 months make.
4. The quest for Newcastle to get a point continues this time they face at West Brom at St.James Park. In a week where John Carver has proclaimed himself to be “The best coach in the Premier League”, a hand written letter to the fans by Fabrizio Coloccini and full backing for Carver by Chairman Mike Ashley you get the feeling they just want to get on the pitch and try and get themselves out of the mess they are in. Carver is becoming more and more out of his depth with every game and with suspensions to Janmaat and Williamson and another Siem De Jong you have to wonder if they can get the points they so badly crave but against a West Bromwich Albion side who are pretty much safe from relegation now then surely tomorrow must be the day….musn’t it?
5. Leicester face Southampton at the King Power Stadium, The Foxes who have taken 15 points from the last 18 are certainly one of if not the form team in the League at the moment with Nigel Pearson deservedly being awarded the Manager Of The Month for April, will want to obviously continue this amazing turn around in form and pull further away from the relegation zone. Southampton who haven’t won in their last 3 matches will still have aspirations of securing a Europa League place next season but it seems their season is just falling short at the last after such an amazing start but I don’t think Southampton fans will have any complaints if they don’t secure a top 6 place come the end of the season.
6. Hull take on Burnley in what can only be described as a massive relegation “6 pointer”. Hull will be looking to bounce back after their 3-1 defeat at home to Arsenal on Monday whereas Burnley will simply be looking for at least a goal. No goal in 9 matches for Burnely is terrible form at this time of the season and goal shy Danny Ings will finally be looking to get into double figures tomorrow after being stuck on 9 since February. A win for Hull could send Burnley down, I don’t think it’s going to be a particularly pretty game but it will certainly be nervy.
7. Manchester United will look to break the run of 3 defeats in a row, the first time this has happened since 2001. After 4th place looked all but wrapped up they still need at least one win to secure it. I can’t see them doing a Newcastle run of form between now and the end of the season but I think they need to learn the lessons of last Saturday’s game against West Brom when for all their possession they had, they were pretty much blunt as an attacking force. Failure to win on Saturday and the mumblings of discontent could start to mumble again at Old Trafford.
8. Manchester City face QPR this Sunday in what is now looking a 2 horse race in the worthless battle for second with Arsenal. QPR could be relegated before they’ve even kicked a ball this weekend but surely it’s going to be a case of when not if they go down. The other team in the race for Second Arsenal should have a routine home tie against Swansea on Monday in which the Swans can only really play for increasing their already record points tally but if results did go their way there is still a slim chance of snatching a Europa League spot next season.
9. Stoke v Tottenham. Stoke will win that and it will probably be last on Match Of The Day, even as a Spurs fan I’m not too sure I really care about the game. I wish I had more to write about this game, I really don’t
10. Everton take on Sunderland at Goodison Park at Saturday Lunchtime, Everton who suffered their first defeat in 7 league matches last weekend will be looking to try and finish the season in the top half of the table and at least salvage a disappointing season for them whereas Sunderland will be looking to continue the momentum they would have started with their win at home to Southampton last weekend. A win for Sunderland would temporarily put them above Newcastle and no doubt heap even more pressure on the Magpies, there were will no doubt be a few more twists and turns in the bid to stay up this weekend.
11. Real Madrid take on Valencia and Barcelona take on Real Soceidad but with the threat of the Spanish season being suspended next week, will we even see the season be completed and who would be awarded the title? Your guess is as good as mine!.
