Arsenal Vs Chelsea

 

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Arsenal Vs Chelsea PREVIEW

Arsenal will look to continue their momentum by getting the better of Chelsea in Saturday's English Premier League game(Photo : Reuters ) "

No Didier Drogba. No Robin Van Persie. Arsenal's English Premier League game against Chelsea at the Emirates is going to look a little different when it comes to personnel, but the passion and fervour will be exactly the same as the big London Derby kicks off this weekend's festivities.
Four points separate the two teams in this early phase of the season, and while titles are not exactly won in September, the stature and capabilities of either sides to compete for the Premier League crown and possibly break the Manchester duopoly will be underlined after Saturday's result.

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Arsenal have always played pretty one-touch soccer, but they have also usually failed to back that up with results. For instance, the Arsenal of a couple of years ago, or even last year, would probably have folded up after going down a goal at Manchester City despite bossing the game.
This team, however, has that character and togetherness which has marked them from the rest of the 'post-invincibles' teams.
Chelsea were supposed to be one of the most eye-catching teams this season, after shelling out for the creative talents of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Marko Marin. However, that style hasn't quite caught on yet, although there were signs of it in the League Cup romp against Wolverhampton.
But again, that was against a Championship side at home. Chelsea have looked vulnerable against the big teams. They were thumped 4-1 by Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup and threw away a 2-0 lead against Juventus in the Champions League. The game against Arsenal will be Roberto Di Matteo's biggest test yet in this year's Premier League.
Wenger admitted his relief at the absence of Drogba, the striker who has dominated the Gunners for the past eight years. Fernando Torres will give the Arsenal defense, which has been impressive so far this season, a different problem, and even if the Spaniard does not look at the peak of his powers, his threat cannot be ruled out.
Arsenal will have Thomas Vermaelen back in the squad after missing last week's game at City due to flu, and the Frenchman will have the problem of aplenty in choosing two out of Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. The Frenchman will also have to decide on his attacking line-up with the likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud all getting on the scoresheet against Coventry City in Wednesday's League Cup game.
It is a challenge that the experienced manager is relishing.  "I have selection solutions, it is not a problem to have good players," Wenger said in his pre-match press conference. "When you don't have good players people say 'but you do not have good players'. When you have good players they say you have a problem as well.
"You cannot play a season with two center-backs, you just want good players in every position.
"At the moment they are all doing well, I just will select the players who are most suited to play against our opponent. At the end of the season everybody will have played.
"It doesn't exist anymore a position where one player can play all the games. The games are too intense, too repeated, and if you look well at the players who play in every single game, look how they are at 30, 31, it tells you a lot about that."
Di Matteo will have the option of selecting John Terry, despite the captain being handed a four-match ban by the FA; the ban will only come into effect once the written document is handed to the defender and the 31-year-old decides on whether to appeal the verdict.
Knowing Terry and his desire to play in every game, particularly a London Derby at Arsenal, the chances of him missing out are pretty slim, meaning the Italian manager will have to choose between David Luiz and Gary Cahill to partner the club captain.
The return of Marko Marin from injury will be welcomed with Victor Moses also hitting his straps quickly. Both Frank Lampard and Daniel Sturridge are also expected to be fit for the game, as Di Matteo, just like Wenger, is spoilt for choice in the attacking department.
A London Derby is as much a battle of wills as skills; the newfound Arsenal discipline and attitude will be put to the test against the European champions, and the team that will come out with a victory will be the team that everybody will be looking at and thinking "they are definitely going to challenging for the title".
Expected line-ups: Arsenal: Mannone, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Jenkinson, Arteta, Diaby, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Chelsea: Cech, Cole, Terry, Luiz, Ivanovic, Mikel, Lampard, Bertrand, Mata, Hazard, Torres.

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Manchester City vs Arsenal

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PREVIEW

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Arsenal have been on the receiving end of great amounts of credit this year. A good deal of it may be completely justified, but after playing an uncreative Sunderland, an uninspired Stoke, a struggling Liverpool and a quite dismal Southampton, the praise may be a bit too much.
In the opening three matches, the Gunners did manage to keep clean sheets, but in the first two they were fairly unchallenged, and against Liverpool Steve Bould's new-look defense could easily have conceded a couple.
And then after basking in the glee following the 6-1 win over Southampton, you come to the shocking realization that you just beat Southampton, and that revelation slightly taints the feeling, despite the offensive firepower.
If they win on Sunday against Manchester City, however, that will be something to be extremely proud of. Maybe the Citizens aren't in the same dazzling form as last year, but they are nonetheless a top-quality team.
This will be the first real test for the Gunners, who find themselves in sixth, although they have a game in hand.
Due to Szczesny's injury, Vito Mannone will start in goal again for Arsenal against Manchester City, having had a solid run so far. The back four of Gibbs, Vermaelen, Mertesacker and Jenkinson will also face a fantastic attack, who have managed to win games for City, despite their shaky defense.
Arsenal fans are hoping\ Mario Balotelli won't be seeing any playing time over the weekend, because last Premier League meeting between these two, he was out of control, getting sent off at the end, though it could have happened much earlier in the match.
However, Carlos Tevez—who is, unfortunately for the Gunners, starting to find his form—will be looking to tear the back line apart, having scored three goals already. Sergio Aguero will play, but whether he will start is unclear.
I think the biggest test tomorrow will be for the midfield. Cazorla, Arteta and Diaby have all been brilliant thus far, and they will clash against a side that likes playing many players in the middle of the park.
Although Nasri is set to miss the match, City have a plethora of midfielders who could crowd the midfield. With the ever-impressive Yaya Toure, David Silva (who isn't at the top of his game), Javi Garcia, Scott Sinclair, Gareth Barry and Jack Rodwell, don't be surprised if Roberto Mancini's side has a good amount of possession throughout.
Arsene Wenger will be glad that Manchester City's defense hasn't looked great so far this season, having already conceded six goals in four matches. I think Giroud should start in order to challenge balls in the air against Vincent Kompany and cause chaos for the home team—things that he does quite well.
Podolski is a favorite to score as well, but the question is how le Professeur will start up top. Will he opt for Podolski, Giroud and Gervinho, or exclude the Frenchman as he did against Southampton and go with Podolski, Gervinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain? Or will he start Theo Walcott? Wait, who?
So tomorrow will be Arsenal's first checkpoint in the 2012/13 English Premier League race, and tens of thousands of fans singing "Blue Moon" will show the Gunners' true mettle.
Will they pass their first test, or will they turn out to be a team who flunks in this exciting season?

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Saturday sees Arsenal travel to the Etihad Stadium as they take on Manchester City in the headline game of the weekend. Arsenal are on a positive run, hammering Southampton 6-1 last week and winning their Champions League opener in Montpellier; while the hosts are level on points with the Gunners but suffered heartbreak in Madrid as they lost their clash with Real Madrid in the dying minutes.
Manchester City are in a relative slump of form, last week’s trip to Stoke only bore a draw after City’s forwards struggled to break through the Potters’ defence in the hostile environment of the Brittania Stadium.
Mancini’s men then faced a very tough test as they travelled to the Bernabeu in midweek only to lose 3-2 to a flurry of late goals. They will look to recover and put a few things right against Arsenal as they try to get their Premier League title defence campaign off the ground.
Arsenal on the other hand are on a great run of results, their new signings are really starting to gel and attractive football is being played once again. The Gunners went a long way to answering the question of who will replace RVP in their 6-1 demolition of Southampton which showed some uncharacteristic opportunism and efficiency.
Their trip to Montpellier proved to be far from an easy ride, but after falling behind to a 9^th minute penalty Arsenal showed spirit to get ahead by half time and endured a barrage of Montpellier attacks to put 3 points on the board in the Champions League group stage. Arsenal will be hoping to get another 3 points against City as they face the first serious test of their title-winning credentials.
The game will be a great indicator of how far Arsenal have progressed as title challengers and a true test of Manchester City’s resolve as they try to prove their dip in form to be a minor blip. A win for City will fill them with confidence going into their next games and could be the kick-start for them in what has been a staggered start. 3 points for Arsenal would mean that they’d have beaten the Champions at their own ground and would surely give them all the belief needed that they can win the league.

Manchester City Team News:
Sergio Aguero is poised to make his first appearance since the opening match after overcoming a knee problem while Roberto Mancini has said there are no disciplinary issues concerning forward Mario Balotelli.
City midfielder Samir Nasri looks set to miss the clash against his former club through a hamstring injury.
Joleon Lescott will hope to reclaim his place from Matija Nastasic, but right-back Micah Richards (ankle) remains sidelined. 

Arsenal Team News:
Keeper Wojciech Szczesny will again be sidelined by the ankle problem which forced him out of the midweek Champions League win in Montpellier, Vito Mannone will again deputise between the sticks.
Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Emmanuel Frimpong (knee) both made long awaited returns to training this week but are still some way from first-team contention.
Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Bacary Sagna (broken leg) are still out but are expected to feature within two weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur Vs. Queens Park Rangers

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PREVIEW
Queens Park Rangers went on a spending spree this summer. They bought Park Ji-Sung, Esteban Granero, Samba Diakite and Stephane Mbia, while also adding Junior Hoilett and Andy Johnson on free transfers.
Do you notice anything about that group of players? None of them are defenders.
In QPR's defense, they also brought in Jose Bosingwa and Julio Cesar, but let's keep something in mind -- it's Jose Bosingwa and Julio Cesar. In short, QPR doesn't have much to celebrate at the back.
Through four matches, QPR has surrendered nine goals and that number is actually flattering. Had Fernando Torres been capable of kicking the ball in the general direction that is preferred by strikers (between the posts), QPR would have conceded three or four goals last week instead of zero. QPR is really a 12 goals conceded in four matches team.

QPR's abysmal defending makes this a very different match-up for Spurs than they are used to. It will be a contest basically begging Spurs to score, unless anyone believes in a central defense pairing of Ryan Nelsen and Nedum Onuoha. Anyone?
Fear not, though, because Bosingwa and Clint Hill will surely be able to pinch in and help. Well, they would if they weren't Jose Bosingwa and Clint Hill.
But the visitors will test Spurs in the midfield and that isn't something that they are used to. The midfield has been a strong point for the team, but Granero will team with Alejandro Faurlin in the middle for a formidable opposition. And out wide, Park and Shaun Wright-Phillips will test Tottenham. In terms of quality, QPR can at least test Spurs.
The advantage for Tottenham comes in numbers. Whereas QPR plays in a traditional 4-4-2 with Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse up front, Spurs will play in a 4-2-3-1 that gives them a distinct advantage in the center, so long as five is still more than four.
Whether Clint Dempsey or Gylfi Sigurdsson gets the nod, he will be able to pressure Granero and Faurlin. With Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale using their pace to close down the options win, QPR will end up with their central midfielders on an island in middle without options, while Sandro and Moussa Dembele pick off anything they try and play on the ground to Zamora and Cisse.
The concern for Spurs is two-fold: 1) Will the team by tired after Thursday's Europa League match? 2) Can Jermain Defoe lead the line by himself?
Luckily for Tottenham, QPR's defense is so bad that it renders the second question rather unimportant. The first one, though, that question could doom Tottenham.
In fact, that appears to be the only thing that can doom Spurs. They are going up against a dreadful defense and tactically set up well to disrupt everything QPR does like to do going forward. Cha-ching.

Liverpool v Manchester United

Liverpool v Manchester United to open curtain on huge Premier League Sunday

Anfield is set for an emotional afternoon as the two great rivals collide in a poignant time for the Reds while Arsenal and Manchester City will test eachother's title credential 

PREVIEW

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Liverpool will host Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday with both clubs set to pay their respects to the 96 people who died in the Hillsborough disaster.

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The revelations set out in the Hillsborough Independent Panel's Report two weeks ago sent shockwaves that resonated far beyond the footballing world, and Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and his United counterpart, Nemanja Vidic, will release 96 balloons into the air to commemorate those who lost their lives on April 15 1989.

Several individuals from both sides have called for a respectful atmosphere at Anfield, with vile chants about the Hillsborough and Munich disasters often overshadowing the sporting reasons for the clubs to be great rivals.

The pre-match handshakes will be keenly watched by all, with an opportunity given to bookend the controversy surrounding Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez, who was charged with racially abusing the Frenchman following the corresponding fixture last season.

The striker then snubbed Evra in the pre-match pleasantries at Old Trafford later in the season, but has a chance to put things right on Sunday.

Elsewhere, another huge clash in the North West sees Arsenal travel to the Etihad to face champions Manchester City.

The Gunners have made a fine start to life without Robin van Persie, remaining unbeaten and only conceding once in the league so far, with a 6-1 drubbing of Southampton last time out proving they have not lost their attacking potency.

Roberto Mancini's side have stuttered so far, but their home dominance remains unwavering, having won both ties at the Etihad this season. The Citizens have not lost on their own patch for 31 games, and have won 29 of those encounters.

Chris Hughton takes his Norwich side to the Sports Direct Arena, his first return to Newcastle United since being sacked as manager of the Magpies in 2010.

The man who replaced him, Alan Pardew, has enjoyed incredible success in the intervening period and will be looking for a second home win of the season, while the Canaries still search for their first victory of the campaign.

Finally, a London derby rounds off a scintillating set of fixtures, with QPR travelling to White Hart Lane to take on Tottenham.

Spurs have drawn all three of their home games under Andre Villas-Boas but will go in as heavy favourites, with the Hoops having taken a single point from all away games since Mark Hughes took over as manager in January.

UFC 152 Jones vs. Belfort

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REVIEW
After nearly six weeks without a UFC event, a lifetime with the current schedule, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns this weekend with the highly anticipated UFC 152 card. The card will feature a main event consisting of UFC Light-Heavyweight champion Jon Jones taking on legend Vitor Belfort in a bizarre turns of events (Justin Faux will be breaking that one down later this week.
For now, let’s examine the Facebook portion of the preliminary card.
Three bouts are scheduled to air live on Facebook, a boost from the last few events.
Kyle Noke vs. Charlie Brenneman
Welterweight
Starting the night will be a welterweight clash between Australia’s Kyle Noke and wrestling ace Charlie Brenneman.
After three straight victories to begin his UFC career, Noke was pegged as Australia’s next big star. George Sotiropolous has opened the door for Australian talent to enter, and Noke charged right through. Unfortunately, stumbling blocks in the form of Ed Herman and Andrew Craig have halted the southpaw’s progress.
Charlie Brenneman too looked to be a rising star in the division. A shocking upset decision victory over contender Rick Story last June had Brenneman pegged as a potential challenger. Losses to Anthony Johnson and Erick Silva have since halted his momentum as the Pennsylvania native looks to rebound.
Noke will certainly struggle with the wrestling pedigree of Charlie Brenneman, and it will certainly be a game-changer in what should be a close and competitive bout. Neither of them are particularly susceptible to submissions and I expect a grinding bout. Noke will struggle to keep it on the feet, but when he does he will find success.
That being said, I’m taking Brenneman as I believe his wrestling skill will shine through in a potentially dull bout.

Mitch Gagnon vs. Walel Watson
Bantamweight
Canada has not been kind to Walel Watson in his short UFC career. At UFC 140 last December, Watson lost a close but fair decision to Yves Jabouin in a fight he through he won. Now, the striking phenom returns to Canada to right the wrong.
Again, Watson will take on a Canadian. This time will be in the form of Ontario native Mitch Gagnon. A submission expert, Gagnon will need to get this bout to the ground as quick as possible. This is a classic grappler versus striker matchup and if left out of his element too long, Watson will find a way to pick apart the young Canadian.
I think Watson’s reach will help him keep this bout off the mat, and I predict he’ll pick apart Gagnon for three rounds.

Seth Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen
Welterweight
Baczynski, a native of Hawaii, has quietly put together three straight wins in the UFC’s ultra-competitive welterweight division. His well-balanced mix of striking and submissions have made him a force to be reckoned with.
An underrated talent our of Norway, Thoresen is no push over despite his lack of UFC experience. Victories over Fabricio Nascimento and John Maguire established Thoresen as a threat and a dominant UFC debut over Besam Yousef furthered his reputation.
Both men are quality prospects and should provide a phenomenal fight. Baczynski is the far more well-rounded fighter, but Thoresen’s submission prowess could cause fits. I expect a close back and forth bout between these two and I expect to see Thorosen continue his streak via submission.

Chelsea vs Juventus

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PREVIEW
As one of Europe’s greatest football teams and the side that reached three consecutive Champions League finals in the mid-nineties, Juventus are finally back among the elite where they belong.
Make no mistake, this isn’t a Bianconeri side that score 1-0 and defend with the lives as they used to do.
The playing philosophy has changed but the will to win remains the same – the Old Lady never surrenders and has not experienced a league defeat since May 15, 2011.
She’s an electrifying old hag that helped inspire a mediocre Italian national side to reach the final of Euro 2012.
Made up of her defence and half of her midfield, the Azzurri fought and dazzled as they exhibited their courage and entertaining game to help Cesare Prandelli, an ex Bianconero, realise his vision as coach.
So who is behind their victorious sparkle? Answer: Antonio Conte, the coach who is currently appealing his 10-month ban for his role in the Calcioscommesse scandal.
Let it be clear he is not accused of fixing any matches.
Accused - by one player - of knowing about a fix and not reporting it to the authorities, Conte is currently appealing the ban that will see him unable to sit on the bench for the match against Chelsea.

Antonio Conte: The mastermind behind Juve's success

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 The ex-Juventus captain turned coach grew up within the Juve bubble that knew only how to win. When he arrived as manager, he brought with him the old club style of never giving up and fighting until the end.
Under his tutelage, the Old Lady has rediscovered her swagger, her arrogance and her determination. She has finally gone back to being hated instead of pitied.
Initially known for his love of the 4-2-4 formation, Conte arrived at Juve with a tactical vision and little top-flight experience. Rather than focusing on his favoured shape, he chose to adapt to the players he had and built a system that would suit the strengths of his squad.
However, his playing philosophy remained the same. He wanted a hungry and compact Juventus that played the ball out from the back, focused on a quick and short passing game and created an abundance of chances.
His vision became a reality as Juventus, boasting the creativity of Andrea Pirlo and the energy of Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio defended and attacked to perfection.
Juve were literally unbeatable with that midfield and in addition to great results, they were entertaining to watch.
Their only problem, and one that remains today, is their inability to convert the many goal scoring opportunities they do create considering they are yet to find the world class striker they have so publically coveted.
How will they play against Chelsea?
This is a side that enjoy wearing out their opponent by playing a possession-based style of football. They rarely give up the ball and when they do, they have Vidal and Kwadwo Asamoah ready to tackle to win it back. Short passes are the aim of the game and Pirlo dictates their movements. He is the brain surrounded by energy and dynamism.

The midfield maestro: Andrea Pirlo dictates the play for Juve from the midfield

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 They switch formations but generally prefer the 3-5-2 shape that allows them to pack the midfield and exploit the flanks and during the attacking phase of the game, the likes of Marchisio are encouraged to run forward and join the front line.
Their three centre-backs in defence are the same men who lined up for Italy in the Euros. Last year they boasted the best defensive record in Europe. However, based on the matches played this season alone and especially against Genoa on Sunday, Juve’s back-line looked awfully vulnerable.
Playing without Vidal and Asamoah, the Old Lady missed her best tacklers while the space between defence and midfield meant the back-line was easily overwhelmed by Genoa’s blistering pace and quick passing game.
With the wingbacks adopting a high position on the pitch, Juve suffered when dealing with wide threats in much the same way Napoli did when playing against Chelsea last season and Conte will need to rectify this weakness before Wednesday.
Much like with Italy, if Chelsea manage to effectively man mark Pirlo then Juve will suffer - although he is not their only source of creativity. Against Genoa, he spent much of his time making tackles and defending and it was Mirko Vucinic who was left to produce play. Juventus won 3-1.
Central midfield is their true strength but Chelsea cannot neglect the Juve’s wide threat as in addition to pace and strength, Juventus’ wing-backs possess the tactical intelligence to position themselves well and make the necessary impact.
Known to perform better in the second half of matches, this is Juve’s chance to reclaim European glory so Chelsea should expect a tough match. In many ways, they possess the same strengths and are coping with similar weaknesses as the Blues – brilliant creative players, a solid defence and strikers who don’t always score. They also both have Italian managers - the question is, which one will come out on top?
Expected XI: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Machisio, Asamoah; Giovinco, Vucinic.

Real Madrid v Manchester City

 REVIEW

Jose Mourinho believes Manchester City will eventually win the Champions League should they continue developing at their current rate.
Mourinho, whose Real Madrid side open their Champions League campaign against City tomorrow night, compared the investment made by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan since he bought the club in 2008 to that of Roman Abramovich at the Portuguese's old club Chelsea.
He said: "I don't think it is very different to Chelsea.
"Since Roman bought the club, (Claudio) Ranieri was the first coach, then I came and we won the first league, some cups and some more titles.
"Carlo (Ancelotti) then came and they continued to win and finally they won the Champions League.
"With City it started off with Mark Hughes, they started spending money and buying good players.
"Then Roberto (Mancini) came and he has done a very good job. He has created a great squad, the first cup then the first title arrived.
"I don't know if it is this season or next season with Roberto, or with another person in the future, but normally in the direction the club is going, sooner or later they will win the big cup.''
Real have started their own domestic campaign poorly, winning just once in their first four league matches, but Mourinho insists he will not make wholesale changes despite questioning some of his players' commitment after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Sevilla.
"The line-up will not be very different, nor will I try to show any player that they are not in the best condition,'' he said. "It will be the best that I consider to play against an opposition full of players of the highest level.
"I don't believe I have created doubts. The principal person responsible is me. When my teams win, we win together, and when we lose, I am the one responsible.''
One person who is hoping Mourinho's prediction for City comes true and soon is Citizens boss Mancini.
City begin their second successive season in the continent's elite competition as the English champions having continued their remarkable recent progress by winning the Barclays Premier League last May.
That came after FA Cup success in 2011 brought the club a first trophy in 35 years but while Europe might seem the next logical target, Mancini is setting no bold targets for this particular season.
Speaking at the Bernabeu ahead of the mouth-watering Group D opener, Mancini said: "If you drive a Ferrari you can win, if you drive a Fiat Cinquecento, probably not.

David Silva's future at Manchester City is assured © Getty Images

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"In the past we have been working for this. I think we beat good teams but we have played together for two years and we needed time.
"I am sure we will arrive to win this trophy in the future. I do not know when, but I am sure because we are working for this.
"If we want to improve every year it is possible.''
City failed to progress beyond the group stages last season having been given a tough draw against Bayern Munich, Napoli and Villarreal.
This year the assignment is even tougher with the champions of Holland and Germany, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund respectively, also lying in wait as well as nine-time European champions Real.
Mancini said: "I think it was a good experience last year - we did well in the group but it was not enough.
"I think the group will be stronger this year but it will be difficult for all the teams.
"I think it is important now that we go to the second stage. After February anything can happen, but now it is difficult to say what we can do.''

Stoke City vs Man City

REVIEW
Michael Owen is among several new Stoke signings hoping to make their Potters debuts in Saturday's Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Britannia Stadium. Former England striker Owen, who joined last week having previously been a free agent, says he is fit to play and will be assessed by manager Tony Pulis, while Steven Nzonzi and Maurice Edu could also make their first appearances for the Staffordshire club. Fellow midfielder and transfer deadline day arrival Charlie Adam may get a first start after making his bow as a substitute in the 2-2 draw at Wigan on September 1. Winger Matthew Etherington and defender Andy Wilkinson, recently injured with a hamstring problem and concussion respectively, could be back in the team, but midfielder Jamie Ness (groin) will not be available.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero could return from a knee injury as the champions visit Stoke in the Premier League on Saturday. Fellow forward Mario Balotelli is clear to play after undergoing minor eye surgery during the international break but midfielder Gareth Barry (abdominal) is not yet fully fit and defender Micah Richards (ankle) remains sidelined. Defenders Maicon and Matija Nastastic, midfielder Javi Garcia and winger Scott Sinclair - all deadline-day signings last month - could play some part.
MANAGER QUOTES
Tony Pulis (Stoke City) on the prospect of Michael Owen making his debut: "From what the fitness lads say, he's come back a lot fitter than we thought he would. But he knows there's a lot more work to be done with the ball to get his sharpness. He wants to play, like every player. We are going to have to gauge it."
Roberto Mancini (Manchester City): "We need to think only about Stoke, we never win there, difficult pitch but it's better that we have this game now rather than at the end of the year. I think they have good players, this year they brought in new players. They are very strong, tall, but with this kind of football they are always in the Premier League and for them that is important."
MATCH STATS
Stoke City have allowed their opponents the joint-fewest shots on target in the Premier League (7).
Stoke have scored exactly one goal in each of their last four Premier League home games against Man City.
Stoke have only lost one of their last 11 home games against the teams who finished in last season’s top six (W3 D7 L1).
The last three Premier League games at the Britannia Stadium between Stoke & Man City have ended with a 1-1 scoreline.
Man City won their first two visits to the Britannia Stadium, but have not won any of the last five, drawing three and losing two in all competitions.
Stoke have won three and lost none of their last eight Premier League home matches, but have drawn the last four in a row.
Carlos Tevez has scored four goals in six Premier League games against the Potters.
Stoke have won just one of their last 14 Premier League matches (W1 D9 L4).
Man City have won eight and lost none of their last nine Premier League games.
Yaya Toure has averaged 99 passes per game so far in the Premier League – a divisional high. No player from Stoke has yet made 99 passes in total over their three matches.

Sunderland vs Liverpool

REVIEW

Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill has backed Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers to run the club his own way after a turbulent start to the season.
The two Ulstermen will go head to head at the Stadium of Light tomorrow evening three days after Rodgers' problems at Anfield were put into perspective by an independent report into the deaths of 96 of the Reds' supporters at Hillsborough in 1989. It is certain to be an emotional occasion on Wearside, but once the whistle blows, the only concentration for the men on the field will be the three Barclays Premier League points at stake.
Rodgers' men currently sit in 18th place in the table having taken just one point from their three games to date, albeit from reigning champions Manchester City and with their new manager coming under pressure in some quarters with the Andy Carroll debacle still a topic for debate.
But O'Neill said: "Brendan obviously has his style, which he brought to Swansea - I say brought to Swansea, it might have been there in the first place, but he certainly enhanced it. "If I say so, their start to the season under [Michael] Laudrup now is maybe a continuation of that work. "People can tinker with it whatever way they want, but it's worked very well. "On the back of that, he has gone to Liverpool and obviously wants to stamp his authority - or his mark, rather than authority, perhaps - on Liverpool Football Club. Obviously, that's what you want to do as a manager. "But I don't think he's going into it with eyes closed. He would have had a number of meetings there with the owners of the football club. He must have agreed to the way in which they want to work. "I believe there's a fly-on-the-wall documentary - I haven't seen it, so I really can't comment on it other than some of the reviews that people have made about it in the newspapers. It couldn't, maybe, have been done without his consent. "But whatever way he is doing it, it's entirely up to him."
Winger Adam Johnson is battling to be fit after returning early from England duty with a thigh problem, but fellow midfielder David Meyler will hope for an opportunity after confirming his return from two serious knee injuries by making his first start for the Republic of Ireland against Oman in midweek. Rodgers, meanwhile, is confident teenager Raheem Sterling can handle his meteoric rise and believes it sets an example to the club's other youngsters.
The 17-year-old received a surprise call-up for England's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine earlier this week after a number of good performances for his club. Rodgers had voiced his concerns previously about over-exposing the youngster but believes Sterling can cope with the additional focus.
"I got the call from Roy (Hodgson) and he explained the reasons for it," said the Reds boss. "He feels he is one for the future and it was an opportunity for Raheem to get a sense of what he can achieve in the next few years. "He knows how much work he has to do to get to that level on a consistent basis but the strides he has made for a 17-year-old have been fantastic. "We have to keep it in perspective and focus on his development and hopefully in the years to come he can progress and become a very good player for England. "He is very level-headed and I have been really impressed by his mentality and it is the job of people who surround him just to support him.
"As soon as he got the call-up I rang his agent straight away and said 'Make sure you're not coming up here in a hurry'. "There is a plan mapped out for him and I think people know he is in a good place here. "The job for the manager is to pick the right opportunity and he has come in and done very well but taking them out at the right time is as important as putting them in."
Left-back Jose Enrique's knee injury will be assessed ahead of the trip. The Spaniard has been training this week after the recurrence of a problem which has dogged him since the start of the season. Midfielder Joe Allen has recovered from illness which disrupted his international duty while Rodgers is confident Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates will be fine after international duty having travelled back from South America.

QPR vs Chelsea

REVIEW
And so we`re set to return to Loftus Road in a fixture that could be a highly charged affair and, if allowed to, could see simmering feuds resurface. Hopefully, that will not be the case as Chelsea seek to gain revenge for the Premier League defeat inflicted in the corresponding fixture last season, a fixture where we were forced to play the entire second half with nine men after Bosingwa and Drogba had been dismissed in the first half.

With the suggestion in the air that the pre-match handshake ritual could become something of a farce, we`re sincerely hoping that football is the big winner on the day and that nothing untoward takes place, we can but hope!

Vital Quotes:

One player who knows nothing about the fractious encounter of last season is Eden Hazard. Our expensive acquisition has made a great start to his Chelsea career and has been responsible for most of our goal so far this season.

Speaking to the media about his role in the side, Eden has remarked,

"I love to set up my team-mates."

"I`m not here to be a star, to show off, I`m here to play for the others. But if I have to try and clinch a game then I will."

"At Lille, coach Rudi Garcia made me play on the wing, which I liked because it means you are free. You do what you want offensively even if you have to defend a lot."

"People will see me at Chelsea the way I and judge me the way they want to."

And so far we`ve liked what we`ve seen!

QPR Team News:

Since that dramatic last day of the season, whereby Queens Park Rangers escaped relegation to the Championship by the skin of their teeth, Mark Hughes has taken drastic measures in the transfer market recruiting enough players to field a completely different eleven.

Amongst the new arrivals are the two keepers Green and Julio Cesar, full backs Bosingwa and Fabio Da Silva, the midfielders Diakite and Granero and up front Hoillett. Also, since we last played them, Bobby Zamora ahs joined their ranks. Missing though will be the volatile Joey Barton who has been sent to Marseille, on loan, for the season after his brainstorm in the last fixture of last season, at Manchester City.

Player to watch: Jose Bosingwa

A Champions League winner with Chelsea but allowed to leave on a free this summer. Many Chelsea supporters criticized his defensive capabilities against us but admired his attacking prowess. Let`s hope those same defensive lapses remain and the likes of Mata and Hazard are able to exploit his side of the pitch.

Chelsea Team News:

Since our last game, against Newcastle, we`ve said farewell to Raul Meireles. Entering this game Roberto Di Matteo will be mulling over whether to risk either of John Terry or Ashley Cole, both of whom have ankle knocks.

With a huge Champions League tie, against Juventus, coming up in midweek, Roberto may be tempted to rest both and utilize other members of his squad.

Hopefully none of the others on international duty will have picked up knocks that will rule them out of detention.

We`re forecasting that the starting eleven could resemble:-

Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Mikel, Lampard, Hazard, Ramires, Mata, Torres

Player to watch: Eden Hazard

Can the exciting young Belgian international continue his fine start to the season? Chelsea supporters will be hoping that is the case with Eden continuing to pull the strings and influence matters on the pitch in a big way.

Match Facts & Stats

Last season we ventured to Loftus Road twice. On the first occasion we were beaten 1-0 (in the Premier League) in a fixture that is still having ramifications off of the field. On the second occasion, in the FA Cup, it was ourselves that emerged victorious, let`s hope we can keep that winning run going and extend our good start to the Premier League season.

Ref Watch:

Andre Marriner is the referee tasked with keeping order in a fixture that last time out caused quite a furor. His assistants will be M. Mullarkey and M. McDonough with Neil Swarbrick filling the role of fourth official.

Match Prediction:

Just like all other Chelsea supporters, I`m hoping that we can get revenge for that defeat, to Queens Park Rangers, at Loftus Road last season. However, the fact that it is a local derby means that it is more of a level playing field and that things will be harder than we initially expected. I`m certain the home support will be vociferous but I`m taking Chelsea to grab the match by the horns early on, silence the home support and run out comfortable 3-1 winners

Next Fixtures:

Chelsea faces two home games in the next seven days. In midweek they face Juventus in the group stages of the Champions League before, next weekend entertaining Stoke City in the Premier League.

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