UFC Fight Night 31 Fight for the Troops 3

UFC Fight Night 31 Fight for the Troops 3 November6/2013
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Tim Kennedy vs. Rafael Natal
Liz Carmouche vs. Alexis Davis    
Ronny Markes vs. Yoel Romero    
Jorge Masvidal vs. Rustam Khabilov    
Colton Smith vs. Michael Chiesa
James Krause vs. Bobby Green    
George Roop vs. Francisco Rivera
Dennis Bermudez vs. Steven Siler
Germaine de Randamie vs. Amanda Nunes    
Chris Camozzi vs. Lorenz Larkin
Yves Edwards vs. Yancy Medeiros
Neil Magny vs. Seth Baczynski    
Derek Brunson vs. Brian Houston

This Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event goes out to those good ole' boys fighting for liberty.

The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's "Fight for Troops" series continues this Wednesday night (Nov. 2, 2013) as UFC hits Fort Campbell, Kentucky, airing live on Spike TV. Duking it out in the main event are active Army Ranger Tim Kennedy, fresh off a win over Roger Gracie, and Rafael Natal, who has won five of his last six bouts inside the Octagon.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout Alexis Davis will take on ground-and-pound machine Liz Carmouche, while Cuban wrestling Olympian Yoel Romero looks to snap the seven-fight win streak of Ronny Markes.

That's just the top of an extensive mid-week fight card.

Here we go:

155 lbs.: Bobby Green vs. James Krause

Bobby Green (20-5) entered UFC on a four-fight win streak and definitely looked the part against Jacob Volkmann, outlasting the powerful wrestler to earn "Submission of the Night" with just 35 seconds left in the fight. He was set to face another of the division’s grinders, Danny Castillo, at UFC on Fox 8 before injury delayed his sophomore appearance.

Green, who has 16 stoppages to his name, will give up four inches of height to James Krause (2-4).

Unnecessarily egotistical nickname notwithstanding, Krause bounced back from a knockout loss in the elimination rounds of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) quite impressively, reeling off four consecutive wins to earn a spot in UFC. He took full advantage of his short-notice debut, submitting Sam Stout in the waning seconds of their bout after largely outclassing the UFC vet.

He has now won eight consecutive fights, six of them by stoppage.

Honestly, I’m kind of stumped here because this is a very evenly-matched contest between two very solid fighters. After careful deliberation that may or may not have involved pitting Level 9 CPU Wario and Luigi against one another in Super Smash Bros.

Brawl, I’m leaning toward Krause.

The name of the game here is range -- Krause’s striking is offbeat, but very effective at maximizing his considerable length. Green will have to consistently press forward and take advantage of every opportunity Krause gives him to lay hands on him.

The area that does have me worried is the ground game. Krause was grounded by Stout a little too easily for my taste. Still, Krause should be able to use his reach to rack up the strikes, offsetting the time he spends on his back enough to earn the nod on the judges' cards.

Prediction: Krause via unanimous decision

135 lbs.: George Roop vs. Francisco Rivera

After dropping three of four contests at Featherweight, the 6’1" George Roop (14-9-1) elected to give 135 pounds another try, and so far, it seems to be the right choice. After defeating Reuben Duran via decision in a humdrum affair, Roop survived a hard knockdown late in the first to finish former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion Brian Bowles a little less than two minutes into round two.

He is currently on his first multi-fight win streak since 2008, going even (6-6-1) in that span.

Edwin Figueroa gave him a rough go early on, but it was Francisco Rivera (9-2) who ultimately came out on top in their UFC 156 match up of power-punchers, beating him down late in the second stanza. The victory marked Rivera’s sixth knockout win, seventh if you count his overturned finish of Roland Delorme in 2012.

As is tradition for opponents of Roop, Rivera will enter the cage at a sizeable height disadvantage, standing five inches shorter.

I’m always annoyed when Roop shows up in my inbox because I seem physically incapable of picking his fights correctly. Please keep that in mind as I describe the reason Rivera is going to blow his doors off.

Part of the reason he’s so hard to predict is that Roop is inconsistent with how well he uses his height. Cub Swanson and Brian Bowles were both able to buckle him with big right hands, but Roop used range well against Chan Sung Jung and Hatsu Hioki. The one thing that is consistent about him, though, is that his jaw is iffy, which is an incredibly poor attribute to have against Rivera.

Simply put, "Cisco" is a terrifically powerful puncher, one of the strongest at that weight. Should he connect with Roop’s jaw, I have zero doubt that the fight will end then and there. If Roop fights to the utmost of his abilities, I could conceivably see him taking advantage of his superior length, but that’s not something to put money on.

Roop lands some solid long-range kicks early before Rivera slips inside and turns his lights out.

Prediction: Rivera via first-round knockout

145 lbs.: Dennis Bermudez vs. Steven Siler

It’s been quite an eventful year for Dennis Bermudez (11-3). He kicked off the race for "Fight of the Year" way back in February alongside Matt Grice, surviving a rough pair of opening rounds to batter the very game "Wolverine" in the third for a split decision win. Against Max Holloway in May, "The Menace" took a flush spinning back kick to the face, but managed to pull out a controversial decision victory.

Now riding a four-fight win streak since his submission loss to Diego Brandao at TUF 14 Finale, Bermudez gives up five inches of height to his former TUF teammate.

Ten losses may seem like a lot, but Steven Siler (23-10) has a deceiving record. He started his career 5-7 before winning 18 of his last 21 appearances. His last time out was perhaps his most impressive yet, an impressive 50-second knockout of one-time 145-pound kingpin Mike Brown.

Siler has quietly gone 5-1 in UFC, putting him on the brink of contendership.

I’m not going to lie and say Bermudez looked great in his last two bouts -- he was very impressive in the third round, but there’s a very good argument that he lost the previous two in both cases. Further, he gets dropped once per fight with clockwork regularity, a surefire way to get out of the judges’ graces.

He is, however, a very solid wrestler, an area which has thus far been Siler’s premiere weakness. Darren Elkins controlled him fairly easily for all three rounds, while Kurt Holobaugh managed to take a round off him via top control. Siler is solid defensively on his back, but not the kind of offensive threat that can make Bermudez think twice about shooting.

Despite not being a big puncher, Siler’s going to wind up dropping Bermudez in the first round. That’s going to be all the success he gets; however, as Bermudez asserts his wrestling dominance for 29-28s across the board.

Prediction: Bermudez via unanimous decision

135 lbs.: Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine de Randamie

Sometimes, a nickname sticks that’s just perfect. And you can’t describe Amanda Nunes (8-3) much better than "Lioness of the Ring." The Strikeforce and Invicta veteran has ended all of her wins inside two rounds, seven by knockout, including the only women to defeat Germaine de Randamie in Vanessa Porto and Julia Budd.

Nunes, at 5’7," stands four inches shorter than "The Iron Lady."

Germaine de Randamie (4-2) entered her UFC debut with less than one-fifth her opponent’s experience, but left with the win, outstriking and shutting down the takedowns of Julie Kedzie for a unanimous decision. She had previously picked up her second Strikeforce victory at the expense of former JEWELS champion Hiroko Yamanaka, improving her record on the promotion to 2-1.

She is one of the most decorated strikers in women's MMA history, owning a kickboxing record of 37-0 and multiple Muay Thai world championships.

Though it has gotten very little attention, this fight has massive potential. It’s an excellent clash between tremendous power and crisp technique. Nunes is one of the biggest punchers in women’s MMA, while de Randamie’s striking pedigree is unmatched in the division.

In my opinion, power is going to come out on top.

In addition to lethal punches, Nunes is physically strong enough to impose her wrestling game, an area in which de Randamie is vulnerable. In addition, Amanda is much more experienced, having faced and beaten some excellent competition.

With her length and Muay Thai experience, de Randamie has the advantage at long range and in the clinch, but I believe Nunes’ aggression and strength will let her do damage from mid-range and close in on a takedown when necessary, eventually finishing de Randamie either by ground-and-pound or a big shot standing.

Prediction: Nunes via first-round technical knockout

It may lack a big name, but pretty much every fight on this card's got something going for it. There are worse ways to spend your Wednesday evenings.

Borussia Dortmund vs Arsenal

The Gunners sit top on goal difference ahead of Dortmund and Napoli, and defeat would likely see them drop to third with two matches remaining.

Arsenal were beaten 2-1 by Dortmund at the Emirates a fortnight ago, which blew Group F wide open after the Gunners had won their opening two games.

The Premier League leaders are performing wonderfully well domestically and sit five points clear, but Arsene Wenger knows they will need to show some of that form in the Ruhr Valley if they want to take anything from Dortmund.

Arsenal have travelled to the Westfalenstadion on two previous occasions but have never won, coming away with a loss and a draw.

Like Arsenal, Dortmund are going very well on the home front and they currently sit in second, just one point off leaders Bayern Munich and have won their last four games in succession.

With two matches played, it appeared that Arsenal, on six points, were going to cruise through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

However, the 2-1 defeat last time out to Borussia Dortmund has muddied the water somewhat. The Gunners are now locked on the same points as Dortmund and Italian outfit Napoli.

On Wednesday, Arsene Wenger's side will travel to Germany for the return match with Dortmund. The Yellows have played eight games at home this term, winning all of them. What's more, they won all six of their home matches in the competition last term.

Injuries have ruled both Sebastian Kehl and Ilkay Gundogan out of the clash, while full-back Lukasz Piszczek will sit out the contest following summer surgery to fix hip and groin problems.

Meanwhile, Mathieu Flamini will be absent for Arsenal because of a groin complaint. There is also a doubt over the availability of both Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs because of injury.

The two sides have met in Germany on two previous occasions, with Dortmund winning back in 2002 thanks to two goals from now Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky. The other encounter, in 2011, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Recent form

Dortmund: WLWWWW

Arsenal: DWLWLW

Possible starting lineups

Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Hummels, Subotic, Schmelzer; Sahin, Blaszczykowski, Bender; Mkhitaryan, Reus; Lewandowski

Arsenal: Szczesny; Vermaelen, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna; Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky; Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud

Chelsea vs Schalke

Chelsea will look to build upon their comfortable position in the Champions League group stages and shake off their defeat at Newcastle as they take on Schalke 04 at Stamford Bridge.

José Mourinho will make changes due to fitness and form from the game at St. James' Park - Fernando Torres will miss out through injury, while Juan Mata is likely to find himself on the bench at best.

Schalke, meanwhile, will look to build on their dangerous away form in the Bundesliga, with six wins and no defeats in their last seven games away from Gelsenkirchen.

Chelsea's 3-0 win at Schalke gave them a commanding position in the group after their shock loss to Basel, and a win here should see them take complete control. But Schalke - and Chelsea - are both capable of springing a surprise.

Two victories against Steaua Bucuresti and Schalke 04 have put Chelsea back on track as far as Champions League qualification is concerned.

Jose Mourinho's men lost their opening group encounter against Swiss side Basel, but the six points have seen them move to the top of the standings on goal difference.

On Wednesday they will play host to Schalke at Stamford Bridge, having defeated the German club 3-0 last time out in Gelsenkirchen.

It is expected that manager Mourinho could make some alterations to his starting lineup, with the likes of Gary Cahill and Samuel Eto'o thought to be pushing for recalls.

Meanwhile, Julian Draxler should start for the away side. The 20-year-old, who has scored two goals in the competition this season, is believed to have attracted the attention of Manchester United and Arsenal.

Schalke make the trip to West London in positive form away from home, having won six of their last seven matches on the road.

The two teams met at the Bridge back in the 2007, when the Blues ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba either side of half time.

However, Schalke claimed a 2-0 victory from their last trip to London in 2012 at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Recent form

Chelsea: WWWWWL

Schalke: WWWLLW

Possible starting lineups

Chelsea: Cech; Cole, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic; Essien, Mikel; Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard; Eto'o

Schalke: Hildebrand; Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Aogo; Jones, Boateng, Neustadter, Draxler, Meyer; Szalai

Barcelona vs AC Milan

FC Barcelona can extend their lead at the top of Group H to a maximum of five points tomorrow, as they prepare to host Max Allegri's struggling AC Milan at the Camp Nou. It will be the eighth time in the past three seasons that these two clubs have squared off in UEFA Champions League action and over that period at least, the Blaugrana have made the Camp Nou something of a fortress, winning two and drawing the other meeting with the Rossoneri. This run of course culminated with Barcelona's spectacular 4-0 mauling of Milan back in March -- in a performance that many labelled as the best since the Manita victory over Real Madrid in November 2010.

High praise indeed, and one could be forgiven for expecting a similar result tomorrow evening. After all, Barcelona will be fully rested after their four day break while Milan continue to struggle with both injuries and poor form. Admittedly their home form has only been patchy at best, but Milan's away form has been nothing short of abysmal: Allegri's side are yet to register an away win this season (in seven attempts). As evidenced by their atrocious defensive record (15 goals conceded in those seven fixtures), Milan simply don't possess the same defensive discipline away from the San Siro -- and dare I suggest that the quality of the pitch may have something to do with this record?

Whatever the reason, the Rossoneri need to rectify their problems -- and fast. At this rate, Allegri only has a matter of games to save his job -- and the UEFA Champions League matches must be of particular importance if one assumes that Milan's UCL standing is one of the few saving graces of Allegri's increasingly shambolic reign.

With that in mind, how will Allegri approach this game? Will the pressure liberate the Italian to try a different, more offensive approach, or will it force Milan into a defensive shell and hope for a point?

TEAM NEWS

BARCELONA

Brazilian full-back Adriano Correia is set to make his return after a slight knock ruled him out of Friday's derby win over Espanyol, although there are still a few question marks surrounding the match fitness of Barça's four-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi. His "downturn" or "decline" has been well documented, with many pointing to Messi's recent injury as a reason for his slight drop in statistical productivity. Note that I fall short of saying "form" because really, Messi has been playing well. Whatever the case, all eyes will be on Messi tomorrow, who will undoubtedly be hoping to return to goalscoring form in front of the adoring Camp Nou crowd.

Victor Valdes helped himself to a tenth clean sheet of the season on Friday and has a chance to make it three in a row tomorrow -- an accomplishment that has evaded him thus far this season. In fact, you have to go as far back as x for the last time that Barça registered three consecutive shut-outs; so is it realistic to be hoping for another clean sheet tomorrow?

At face value it does seem odd.  Barcelona will be up against one of the most talented strikers in the world in Mario Balotelli and let's face it; the form book really isn't on our side here. However, recent performances seem to suggest that Gerard Piqué is back to or at least approaching his very best, while Barça's full-backs are no longer being frequently caught out. Certainly I'm having trouble identifying those shortfalls that countless experts analysed ad infinitum in the summer.

Even without a Thiago Silva or a David Luiz, the Blaugrana seem a little more balance – perhaps as a result of Jordi Alba’s injury? If true, Martino may have a difficult decision to make upon the Catalan full-back’s return to fitness, but for now, let’s turn our attentions back to tomorrow’s game; who will start in the Barça backline?

Chances are that both Gerard Piqué and Dani Alves retain their places in the starting line-up, although it’s possible that both Martin Montoya and Javier Mascherano could drop to the bench despite playing their part in Friday’s clean sheet. Adriano’s return to fitness definitely hints that he will return to the fold, while I have a feeling that Martino may be looking to hand a start to either Marc Bartra or Carles Puyol – the latter of course forms a formidable partnership with the resurgent Geri Piqué, and the double-act are yet to feature together since Puyol’s return from a seven month lay-off.

In midfield, Sergio Busquets could probably use a rest, but is unlikely to get one given the stature of tomorrow’s opposition, as well as the importance of the fixture, meaning that Martino may well want to plan for a Busquets-less midfield on Sunday by resting Xavi. Cesc Fàbregas could deputise in his absence, while Andrés Iniesta would continue to fill the other advanced midfield berth. Rumours from the oft-unreliable and sensationalist Daily Star over here in England suggest that both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are readying bids in excess of £15 million for young Sergi Roberto – so I expect many of you will be in favour of starting Roberto in order to pre-empt another "Thiago", but I remain doubtful that he is ready for a match of this calibre, so he’ll likely have to make do with a place on the bench – at very best.

Moving onto the attack, let’s gloss over Lionel Messi. We know he’ll start and the whole "form" thing was mentioned earlier, so there’s no real need to revisit it again; but there is a need to revisit another topic: the form of Alexis Sánchez and Neymar. Barça Blaugranes editor Luis Mazariegos summarised it best when he said that they are "proving the doubters wrong".

Neymar has coped admirably with the "step up" from Brazil to Europe, further lending weight to the argument that European football isn’t actually that far ahead of football’s second-biggest continent, all the while demonstrating the teamwork that arguably sets him apart from the likes of Robinho and if we want a Barça-related example, Keirrison, who both made similar big money moves, only to struggle to replicate the form they displayed back in Brazil. Alexis Sánchez on the other hand had previously struggled for confidence and indeed clarity about his role in first Pep Guardiola’s, then Tito Vilanova’s system, but under Tata Martino, the Chilean has been a revelation. With seven La Liga goals to his name, he is easily on course to eclipse the 12 goal haul he achieved in his debut season, and he may even break the 20-goal barrier and become the first Barça player not named Lionel Messi to do so since Samuel Eto’o.

With any luck, both Sánchez and Neymar will start tomorrow, ideally making a similar impact to last Friday against Espanyol.

MILAN

Mario Balotelli is fit and ready to start his first match at the Camp Nou, but enters this fixture stuck in something of a rut. He’s no longer the powerful striker to be feared by opposing defenders; at the moment, Balotelli is reverting back to his "Manchester City form", where he’s hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. On Saturday, "Super" Mario picked up his eighth yellow card of the season. When you consider that this doesn’t include the double-yellow/red card he earned against Napoli, and that he missed four matches through suspension/injury, it’s quite a total. He’s being petulant, and as Cristiano Ronaldo/Pepe/Sergio Ramos have demonstrated on countless occasions, Barcelona doesn’t bring the best out of petulant characters. Whether it’s a trademark strop, or a more violent approach, Barça often extract the worst reactions from short-fused players; will Balotelli be the next to make a fool of himself?

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WDDWWW

Milan: LWDLDL

LAST MEETING

AC Milan 1-1 FC Barcelona – 22nd October 2013 – UEFA Champions League

Robinho surprisingly gifted the Rossoneri the lead before the supposedly out-of-form Lionel Messi rescued a point with a sublime finish.

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Adriano; Busquets, Fàbregas, Iniesta; Sánchez, Messi, Neymar

Milan (4-1-3-1-1): Amelia; Abate, Zaccardo, Zapate, Constant; De Jong; Muntari, Montolivo, Poli; Kaka; Balotelli

Melbourne Victory vs. Wellington Phoenix

Melbourne Victory vs. Wellington Phoenix November4/2013
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Melbourne Victory confirmed earlier this week that Kevin Muscat will follow where Ange Postecoglou left off.

The choice comes as no surprise, seeing that Muscat has been assistant since 2011 and spent 18 months under the tutelage of the new Socceroos boss.

The questions are now on Muscat and his credentials: does he have the tactical nous to switch things if they go wrong? Does he have the motivation to fire up the players when the chips are down?

Muscat is a passionate person, but he is aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead of him, labelling the Victory a “beast” to manage.

So it seems fitting that Muscat will be facing off against the coach that made him such a successful clog in early Victory days. Ernie Merrick led the Victory to two titles and three grand finals, but left in 2011 after a disappointing campaign.

He’s back now with the Phoenix, who despite early predictions have risen to a few challenges this season. They were unlucky to lose to Brisbane in Round One, followed that performance with a draw to the Wanderers at Parramatta and if it were not for some wayward shooting, would have defeated the Jets.

The team is slowly becoming a typical Merrick outfit: tight in defence, and pushing forward with a possession-based game. It’s a far cry from the counter-attacking defensive mindset of previous boss Ricki Herbert.

Key Battle

Mark Milligan v Carlos Hernandez.

The Victory know all about the Costa Rican playmaker. For five seasons, he was chief-creator for the Victory, but he’s back to haunt them now. Hernandez has made an instant impact on his return to the league, and when he clicks, so does the Phoenix.

The question on who to curve his abilities will rest on Victory Captain, Mark Milligan. The defensive midfielder is both destroyer and creator for the Victory, so it will come down to him to stop Hernandez having an influence on proceedings. The Phoenix’s talisman will also need to remember his defensive duties and try to curb the Victory’s key midfielder.

Team News

With a full squad at his disposal, the likelihood is that Muscat won’t change a winning formula, or the customary 4-2-2-2 formation that is part of the team’s structure. The return of marquee signing Pablo Contreras will raise questions of who will be omitted out of centre-back duo Nick Ansell and Adrian Leijer in the starting XI.

On the other hand, Merrick has admitted that his decision to play with three forwards in the last two games has contributed to the Phoenix’s slow starts.

“We can’t play with that many strikers in this team and I think I’ve learned my lesson now,” Merrick said.

“Defensively we did fine in the midfield, but there was no progression forward – there was no transition from the midfield to the strikers.”

Merrick isn’t known for making the same mistake three times, which means he will change the team for this week’s clash. The question of who will be dropped from the line-up is unknown.

Last Meeting

Wellington Phoenix 2 Melbourne Victory 3

It was the final round of the year, with Victory looking to confirmed third place and the Phoenix hoping to get off the bottom of the table after a terrible season. The Melbourne side went up 3-0, thanks to a double by Marco Rojas and Marcos Flores. But the home side provided a grandstand finish with two late goals by Jeremy Brockie that had the Victory hanging on for dear life in the dying stages of he match.

The Prediction:

Melbourne Victory 2 Wellington Phoenix 0

The Phoenix will be looking to spoil the party, and they are due for a win soon. Although they appear an improved outfit, the hosts will have too much quality for their opponents. The Victory are in a decent patch of form and on a special Monday night match in front of their partisan fans, they will be extremely confident of grabbing the three points.

Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid

Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid November2/2013
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Struggling Rayo Vallecano take on Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday looking to get themselves out of the bottom three.

Vallecano have the worst goal difference in the league, which is largely down to their miserable away form, and they come up against a Real side who put seven past Sevilla on Wednesday night.

Real recovered from their El Clasico defeat against Sevilla last time out, with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo particularly impressive.

Rayo have a couple of injuries still lingering including Nery Castillo, while Carlo Ancelotti could well name an unchanged side.

Recent form

Rayo: LLWWLL

Real: WLWWLW

Possible starting lineups

Rayo: Ruben; Arbilla, Niguez, Galvez, Tito; Adrian, Trashorras; Falque, Viera, Lass; Bueno

Real: Lopez; Arbeloa, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Illarramendi, Khedira; Bale, Isco, Ronaldo; Benzema

Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich

Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich November2/2013
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Hoffenheim take on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday looking to maintain their solid start to the new season.

The hosts have drawn three of their opening five games at home, although they are tough to beat in front of their own fans with just one defeat.

Bayern are starting to find their scoring touch with 12 goals in their last three in all competitions, but they have been behind in each of their last two league games.

The hosts have a number of players still out, including defenders Alexander Stolz and Matthias Jaissle, while Dante and Claudio Pizarro are unlikely to be available for Pep Guardiola.

Recent form

Hoffenheim: WLDDLW

Bayern: WWWDWW

Possible starting lineups

Hoffenheim: Casteels; Beck, Abraham, Sule, Salihovic; Polanski, Rudy, Strobl, Firmino; Modeste, Volland

Bayern: Neuer; Rafinha, Van Buyten, Boateng, Alaba; Lahm; Robben, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic

England vs Australia

England vs Australia November2/2013
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With the 10 year anniversary of England's World Cup win, when they beat Australia in the final, fast approaching, the current crop will be looking to show they are capable of emulating Sir Clive Woodward's team.

Joel Tomkins will make his England debut in the game at Twickenham just two years after switching codes from rugby league.

The outside centre has been given the chance to impress by head coach Stuart Lancaster, with Gloucester's Billy Twelvetrees set to partner him at inside centre.

Tomkins' Saracens team-mate Billy Vunipola and London Irish wing Marland Yarde will make their Twickenham bows after winning their first international caps in Argentina earlier this year.

Lee Dickson, who started both Tests against the Pumas, beats off competition from Ben Youngs and Danny Care to win his 10th cap at scrum-half, with Owen Farrell confirmed as his half-back colleague.

Dan Cole, Ben Youngs and his brother Tom also return to the matchday squad for the opening QBE Autumn international.
Captain

Australia, meanwhile, have named Ben Mowen as captain with James Horwill being told to focus on his own game.

Mowen skippered the Wallabies in their 14-13 victory over Argentina during the Rugby Championship and will lead the side out again in the opening QBE Autumn international.

Quade Cooper has been selected as vice-captain by head coach Ewen McKenzie, who has urged Horwill to rediscover his passion and aggression.

"There's no doubting James is a world-class leader but it's important he is putting his own personal performance first and playing to the level we know he is capable of on a weekly basis," said McKenzie.

England: Brown, Ashton, Tomkins, Twelvetrees, Yarde, Farrell, Dickson; M Vunipola, T Youngs, Cole, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw (capt), B Vunipola
Replacements: Hartley, Marler, Wilson, Morgan, B Youngs, Flood, Foden.

Australia: Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Toomua, Cummins, Cooper, Genia, Mowen (c), Hooper, Fardy, Horwill, Timani, Alexander, Moore, Slipper.
Replacements: Fainga'a, Robinson, Kepu, Douglas, McCalman, White, Lealiifano, Foley.

Newcastle Jets vs Central Coast Mariners

Newcastle Jets and the Central Coast Mariners will meet in Round 4 of the 2013-14 A-League season at Hunter Stadium on Saturday, November 2 at 7.45pm AEDT.

Head-to-head:
Played: 29, Wins: Newcastle 9, Central Coast 10, Draws: 10

Previous encounter:
Central Coast 0-0 Newcastle, December 8, 2012

Form:
Past five matches:
Jets: DDLLD
Mariners: WDDLL

The Game:
The F3 derby is not the game the Jets will have wanted to face in such a slump, with their goal drought now lasting 406 minutes (includes last season). Coach Gary van Egmond will be hoping star striker Emile Heskey is fit to take his place in the line up, having battled a knee injury sustained in pre-season. The towering Englishman will be hoping he can break the Jets' duck this season, as they have gone goalless in their three matches so far. Despite their story of woe up front, the picture is not so disastrous looking at the table as they have two points - and are just two points outside the finals positions. But it will be a long season if their goal drought continues to haunt them early in the campaign.

The Mariners re-gained their mojo with a confident 1-0 win over Adelaide United last start, holding onto a lead gained early via a Nick Fitzgerald goal. The back-four of Zach Anderson, Josh Rose, Trent Sainsbury and Storm Roux that almost held out Western Sydney on the opening matchday, went one better as a defensive unit to keep the club's first clean sheet of the season - alongside first-choice keeper Justin Pasfield. They have a very big chance to make it consecutive shutouts too, what with the Jets' issues in front of goal.

The big issue:
Newcastle - goals. It will come as no surprise that Newcastle need goals, and may throw in Heskey before he is fully fit in a desperate attempt to score. They came tantalisingly close in NZ, but their confidence at converting is shot.

Central Coast - Consistency. The Mariners have been renowned in seasons' past for their brilliant runs of results, however have began the season with a couple of draws and a narrow win. Now is the time for Graham Arnold's side to stamp down their authority as a serious title contender.

The game breaker:
Mitchell Duke - he has only played 31 F3 derby minutes, but will be looking to further enhance is reputation as the next big thing in the A-League by adding to his one goal so far this season. Is the focal point of most Mariners' attacks, and should have chances to bury the Jets.

Prediction: Newcastle 0-2 Central Coast
The Mariners are a class above, and if they are anywhere near their best, they will win. The Jets are simply down on confidence, and in front of a packed Hunter Stadium with expectations high, it might be too much for Van Egmond's developing side to handle. Central Coast are much more seasoned, and should get the three points here.

Gennady Golovkin vs Curtis Stevens

Gennady Golovkin vs Curtis Stevens November2/2013
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One of the first things someone might notice about middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin is his amiable personality. With concussive power in his fists, Golovkin always seems to be smiling and in a good mood.

He's quick with a handshake or a pat on the back and, as his command of English grows, the Kazakhstan native is more and more comfortable in the media spotlight. Even in the days leading up to a fight, Golovkin's demeanor rarely changes. GGG, as he is known, is respectful of everyone and has never been one to talk trash with his opponents.

As Golovkin has often said, boxing is a business, but it's also a sport, and he's a sportsman.

But Curtis Stevens, the brash contender set to challenge Golovkin for his title Saturday night (HBO, 10 ET/PT) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, has rubbed Golovkin the wrong way. "He has big mouth. Talk, talk, talk, every day, on Facebook, Twitter," Golovkin said, mimicking with his hands. "Too much for me. I don't think he's crazy, but he has panic. This is too much for him. He says, 'I will kill him.' This is crazy talk."

The scheduled 10-round co-feature matches a pair of undefeated heavyweights with strong amateur credentials who will try to impress in their first major American TV fight: Magomed Abdusalamov (18-0, 18 KOs) of Russia and Mike Perez (19-0, 12 KOs), a Cuban defector to Ireland.

Stevens (25-3, 18 KOs) essentially talked his way into the fight, and has needled Golovkin (27-0, 24 KOs) and talked smack since before the bout was even signed in late August.

Stevens, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native who will be fighting in front of his hometown fans, didn't let up at Thursday's final news conference, saying, "Come Saturday night, I'm gonna f--- Gennady Golovkin up!"

Golovkin, 31, didn't get mad, didn't push and shove during the staredown. Instead, he responded with a simple, "I have just one question for you, Stevens: Are you serious?"

Golovkin plans to save his ire for the ring, where even when he is destroying opponents, he often smiles and clearly seems to enjoy himself. And why not? Golovkin, who lives in Germany but trains in Big Bear Lake, Calif., will be making his ninth title defense, is the owner of the highest knockout percentage (89 percent) among active titleholders and has seen his fan base grow with each of his three previous fights in the United States.

He is coming off the most impressive victory of his career in June, when he cut down top contender Matthew Macklin in the third round with a brutal, rib-cracking body shot. For Golovkin, it was his 14th knockout in a row. He hasn't heard the final bell since an eight-round decision win 2008.

But Stevens, 28, has all but dismissed the destruction of Macklin.

"Macklin was a scared puppy dog, in my eyes," Stevens said. "I'm coming there ready. I'm not scared, obviously, because I asked for the fight. The fight wasn't given to me by [Golovkin promoter] K2 or Main Events [which promotes Stevens]. I asked for this. I wanted it, so I believe what you all have to understand is that I am not scared of him. I don't care what he did to his last four opponents, five opponents. I am not them in any way, shape or form. So I'm ready."

Golovkin left the trash talk to trainer Abel Sanchez, who has worked with his share of top fighters, most notably Hall of Famer Terry Norris.

Sanchez said what Golovkin doesn't seem to want to say -- that they believe Saturday's fight will be easier than the obliteration of Macklin.

"It will be an explosive, quick fight," Sanchez said. "When you're fighting a guy like Stevens, you have to be wary of the fact that he supposedly can punch. But he doesn't know what a puncher is until he gets hit by this guy [Golovkin]. Macklin is a better fighter than Stevens, a tougher fighter than Stevens. Macklin is just an all-around better fighter, been in bigger fights. If you saw the [Derrick] Findley fight [an eight-round decision in April], Curtis is a mutt.

"This will be shorter than the Macklin fight, because if Stevens does what he says he's gonna do -- that he's coming at us -- if he comes at us, he's through."

Golovkin was sitting right next to Sanchez when his trainer made the bold remarks. Asked what he thought of what Sanchez said, Golovkin's answer was simple: "I want to knock him out. This guy? Too much talking."

Stevens has heard Sanchez's comments and dismissed them.

"Abel talks a lot, you know," Stevens said. "Abel will say, yes, it's not going to go past three rounds or Gennady isn't going to box, but in the back of their minds their game plan probably is coming here to run and do the European-style fighting. If Gennady comes in there and runs, [it's] because he knows if I touch him, his ass might go night-night."

That would be an impressive feat against Golovkin, who claims to have never been down as a professional or during a storied amateur career, which included a 2004 Olympic silver medal.

Stevens has won four fights in a row -- three by highlight-reel knockout -- since a major upset decision loss to Jesse Brinkley in 2010. Stevens was then idle for almost two years because of promotional problems. But since his return, for which he dropped down in weight from super middleweight to middleweight, he has been storming through B-level opponents, the distance fight with Findley notwithstanding.

"I watched last couple of his fights," Golovkin said. "His opponents are not as good as mine."

Stevens comes to the fight with a lesser résumé than Golovkin but a reputation for his punching power.

"I'm just ready to get in there and just shock the world," Stevens said. "I'll be the underdog in this fight, but I really don't care being the underdog or the favorite to win, you know. But I have a problem when people just believe in their mind that he's just going to walk through Central Park with me.

"I believe they forgot about me these last two years since I've been off, you know? But I believe that come [Saturday], I'll show them why I'm one of the top middleweights."

Golovkin, however, might be the best middleweight in the world right now. He certainly has been impressive in his three title defenses so far this year. Besides the Macklin win, Golovkin shredded Gabriel Rosado's face, stopping him on cuts in the seventh round (a fight also held at the MSG Theater) in January; and he scored a devastating third-round stoppage of Nobuhiro Ishida in Monte Carlo in March -- a knockout of the year candidate.

Sanchez and Golovkin are both expecting another such knockout.

"The first punch that [Stevens] gets hit with will be a wake-up call, a wake-up call to what he's stepped into," Sanchez said. "I hope he comes out [to fight]. If he does, then it's going to be a great couple seconds for the fans.

"If he doesn't and he boxes and he holds, well, it'll just be a matter of time. But he's stepping into something that he really has no clue what it's all about."

Golovkin came about as close to trash talking as he gets when pressed about Stevens.

"He is very strong, has good punch, hard punch," Golovkin said. "I think it's a serious situation for us. I am very serious. For me, this is business and a sport, not just a big show. I am bad boy. This is my show -- knock him down, knock him out."

Golovkin, of course, was smiling when he said it.

Fulham vs Manchester United

Fulham vs Manchester United November2/2013
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Fulham host Manchester United on Saturday with both sides in need of the points to move up the Premier League table.

The Whites have won just one of three home league games so far this season and have lost two in a row in all competitions.

United have come in for criticism early in the season but their two most recent games have shown signs of improvement; they came from behind twice to beat Stoke City in the league before thrashing Norwich City 4-0 in the League Cup.

For Fulham Hugo Rodallega, who scored twice against Leicester City, is likely to miss out after coming off in the game while Brede Hangeland remains out.

United have Danny Welbeck pushing for a return, and there are likely to be a host of changes from both managers after resting names for their respective League Cup clashes.

Recent form

Fulham: DLLWWL

United: WLLWDW

Possible starting lineups

Fulham: Stekelenburg; Riether, Senderos, Amorebieta, Richardson; Sidwell, Parker; Ruiz, Berbatov, Kasami; Bent

United: De Gea; Smalling, Jones, Vidic, Evra; Januzaj, Carrick, Cleverley, Kagawa; Rooney, van Persie

Perth Glory vs Sydney FC

Head-to-head:
Played: 24 - Wins: Perth 5, Sydney 11, Draws: 8

Previous encounter:
Glory 2-1 Sydney FC, March 2, 2013

Form:
Past five matches:
Glory: WDLWW
Sydney FC: LLWLL

The Game:
After a solitary point from their opening two games, the mood has certainly changed at Perth over the last week or so. Not only have they signed former EPL star William Gallas for the season but their young and exciting side also broke through for a vital win. Jamie Maclaren's goal handed Alistair Edwards side a 1-0 win over Melbourne Heart and puts them into the top six for the first time this season. In another boost for the home side they could be boosted by the return of star striker Shane Smeltz, who has missed the first three games with a hip problem. If there's promising signs for the Glory it's been the complete opposite for the Sky Blues. Not only have they looked ordinary in back-to-back losses but they were also dealt a blow with Rhyan Grant ruled out for the season, with the youngster requiring a full knee reconstruction. Frank Farina's main mission this week will be re-discovering some team morale and confidence after a forgettable fortnight. Most of the focus will centre around whether skipper Alessandro Del Piero boards the plane, with the Italian veteran still battling a calf problem. Pedj Bojic, Brett Emerton and Terry McFlynn could also return after missing the derby last weekend.

The big issue:
Glory – Perth still need to find a way to find the back of the net regularly while Smeltz is not 100 percent fit. They created a host of opportunities against the Heart but only managed to one goal through Maclaren. In the likes of Ryo Nagai, Sidnei Sciola and Steven McGarry they have the players to unlock defences but unless they can discover a cutting edge in front of goal, consistent result could be hard to come by for Edwards' side.

Sydney – Cut out their defensive lapses. Farina labelled the loss to the Wanderers as undisciplined and error-prone. The Sky Blues boss was referring mainly to his defence, which has looked shaky in leaking six goals in the last two matches. Unless they can find a way to stop gifting their opponents soft goals, Sydney's poor start to the campaign will only get worse.

The game breaker:
Sidnei Sciola – Unlike his opponents of the same name this weekend, Sidney has been in superb form over the first three weeks of the season. While Edwards' focus in assembling his squad has revolved around youth, the Brazilian adds that touch of class and creativity needed in every team. Sidney has shown a great ability to take on and beat his marker and was unlucky not to have provided the final pass on a host of occasions against the Heart. With the Sky Blues' defence in all sorts so far this season, the glory should look to get the ball to the 27-year-old playmaker as often as they can.

Prediction:Glory 3-1 Sydney
While the Glory head into this clash full of confidence and in better form, they have traditionally struggled against the Sky Blues. Perth have only beaten Sydney five times in the first eight seasons of the A-League, which stretches 24 matches. Edwards and his players have set a goal of making nib Stadium a fortress this season and after a first-up win last weekend they should have little trouble adding to it. If Del Piero plays then the Sky Blues have some hope but even the presence of the Italian veteran may not be enough to half Sydney's losing run.

Arsenal vs Liverpool

Arsenal vs Liverpool November2/2013
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It may be early days in terms of the Premier League title challenge, but Arsenal and Liverpool will be fighting for top spot when they go head to head at the Emirates on Saturday.

The Gunners currently hold the coveted spot in the table, with Liverpool residing in third, two points adrift of this weekend's competitors, level with second-placed Chelsea.

Depending on Chelsea's result in their early kickoff against Newcastle United, the Reds could potentially go to the number one spot if they defeat Arsenal, who are unbeaten in their last eight league fixtures.

All eyes will be on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who was the subject of a rejected reported £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal in the summer window, and he heads into this weekend's clash off the back of a hat-trick in Saturday's 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion.

While Liverpool are reaping the rewards of a Suarez and Daniel Sturridge strike partnership, the Gunners have been prolific themselves, with Olivier Giroud making many of the headlines, as well as the influence of summer signing Mesut Ozil.

This fixture last season resulted in a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, with Liverpool relinquishing their lead to share a point with their Premier League rivals.

In terms of Saturday's teams, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed today that Philippe Coutinho will be included in the squad following a spell on the sidelines with injury.

For Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, Jack Wilshere could feature in the encounter, while Mikel Arteta is expected to return to the fold following his suspension as a result of the red card he picked up during last weekend's 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Recent form

Arsenal: WWWDWW

Liverpool: DLWWDW

Possible starting lineups

Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Cissokho, Toure, Sakho, Skrtel; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson; Sturridge, Suarez

Newcastle United vs Chelsea

Newcastle United vs Chelsea November2/2013
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Chelsea head to St James' Park on Saturday attempting to move to the top of the Premier League table.


The lunchtime kickoff gives the Blues the opportunity to overtake leaders Arsenal, and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be confident of sealing their seventh win in a row.

The Portuguese coach made 10 changes for the Capital One Cup match with Arsenal, but he is expected to revert to the lineup that began last Sunday's win over Manchester City.

Newcastle have endured a turbulent few days after suffering defeat to local rivals Sunderland and being dumped out of the League Cup by Manchester City.

Despite sitting in 11th position in the table, manager Alan Pardew is under pressure to produce results on Tyneside, and defeat here could see them plummet towards the relegation zone by the end of the weekend.

Pardew is expected to hand a Premier League recall to Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa after he missed the derby loss at the Stadium of Light.

Recent form

Newcastle United: LWDLL

Chelsea: WWWWW

Possible starting lineups

Newcastle United: Krul; Debuchy, Santon, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa; Tiote, Sissoko, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Gouffran; Remy

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cole, Cahill, Terry; Lampard, Hazard, Ramires, Oscar, Schurrle; Torres

Tottenham vs Hull City

Tottenham and Hull City will clash for the second time in four days, with the two sides vying for victory in the Capital One Cup.

Andre Villas-Boas' charges secured a 1-0 triumph over Hull in Sunday's Premier League encounter, and Spurs will once again welcome Steve Bruce's side to White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

Tottenham's weekend victory came in debatable circumstances, as referee Michael Oliver awarded a penalty against Ahmed Elmohamady for handball.

The decision appeared a harsh one, with the Egyptian seemingly unintentionally using his arm to block Jan Vertonghen's cross.

Spain international Roberto Soldado duly converted the spot kick - his third from 12 yards already this season - as Spurs secured back-to-back top-flight victories, much to the chagrin of Bruce.

The fixture with Hull is the hosts' third in the space of just seven days, meaning Villas-Boas could rotate his squad with the likes of Erik Lamela coming into contention.

The former Roma midfielder has yet to start a Premier League game for the club, and Villas-Boas admits he is looking for the 21-year-old to stake his claim for a starting spot.

"With Erik it was a little bit more difficult but we have given him massive, massive help and his family arrived this week," he said.

"He knows he isn't producing half of what he can produce but he understands the situation now is that he has to compete for his place."

The game is likely to come too soon for Etienne Capoue, despite his return to training from an ankle injury, while Danny Rose is out with a similar problem, but Andros Townsend is not expected to be sidelined after he fell into a photographer's pit on Sunday, injuring his wrist in the process.

Hull, meanwhile, have been in good form upon their return to the top flight, with Bruce's side taking 11 points from nine games, and moving to 10th place in the Premier League.

But Sunday's reverse means they have gone three games without a league victory, including losses in their last two matches.

Hull head into the match with an extensive injury list that includes goalkeeper Allan McGregor [thigh], defenders James Chester [hamstring] and Abdoulaye Faye [knock] and forwards Sone Aluko [calf] and Danny Graham [hamstring].

Tottenham defeated Aston Villa in the previous stage, while Hull have seen off challenges from Leyton Orient and Huddersfield Town to make round four.

Real Madrid vs Sevilla

Real Madrid have the chance to get back to winning ways in La Liga on Wednesday when they welcome Sevilla to the Bernabeu.

Los Blancos lost more ground on leaders Barcelona last weekend as they lost 2-1 to their arch rivals at the Camp Nou.

That result saw Carlo Ancelotti's side fall six points behind Barca in the table with 10 matches played.

Meanwhile, a second consecutive victory for Sevilla could see the visitors move into the top half of the standings.

Madrid, who are still without Xabi Alonso, have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match.

Juan Cala is available again for the away side after serving a suspension, while Marko Marin, Federico Fazio and Stephane Mbia are likely to miss out.

Recent form:

Madrid: LWWWWL
Sevilla: DWWDDW

Possible lineups:

Madrid: Lopez; Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Marcelo; Khedira, Modric, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo

Sevilla: Beto; Figueiras, Carrico, Pareja, Moreno; Jairo, Cristoforo, Rakitic, Vitolo; Bacca, Gameiro

Chelsea vs Manchester City

Some have suggested that this Sunday's encounter is between the two clubs likely to challenge for the Premier League title this season - Chelsea and Manchester City.

Despite their prospects for the campaign, Blues boss Jose Mourinho has played down the importance of the contest at Stamford Bridge this early in the season.

However, with just one point between them in the league table, either side can put pressure on leaders Arsenal if they grab all three points this weekend.

Despite both clubs being tipped to challenge for the title, neither side has dominated the league from their first eight matches of the campaign, with Chelsea and City sharing the top four with Arsenal and Liverpool.

Mourinho's men can grab their third-straight win in the league if they defeat City on home turf, while Manuel Pellegrini could guide his side to second above Liverpool and Chelsea with three points.

This fixture last season produced a goal-fest at Stamford Bridge, with City clinching the match 5-3, but both clubs were under the leadership of different managers at the time.

Chelsea are expected to welcome back Ashley Cole into the fold following three weeks out with a rib injury, while City remain without captain Vincent Kompany as the defender continues to recover from a thigh problem.

Recent form

Chelsea: DLWDWW

Manchester City: WDWLWW

Possible starting lineups

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Willian, Mata, Hazard; Torres

Manchester City: Hart; Richards, Garcia, Nastasic, Clichy; Toure, Fernandinho; Nasri, Aguero, Silva; Negredo

Perth Glory vs. Melbourne Heart

Head-to-head:
Played: 10, Wins: Glory 4, Heart 3, Draws: 3

Previous encounter:
Heart 2-0 Glory, February 9 2013

Form:
Past five matches:

Glory: DLWWW
Heart: DDWLD

The Game:
Both the Heart and the Glory need a win to kick-start their season at nib Stadium, but the hosts have more to lose after their sluggish start to the campaign. Alistair Edwards' men played out a disappointing 0-0 draw in Newcastle after losing 3-1 to Adelaide in the opening round. A return to Perth is a welcome relief, especially against a side perhaps still hurting after giving up a two-goal lead in the previous round. John Aloisi's Heart led Central Coast 2-0 before a pair of Marcos Flores penalties helped the Mariners secure a fortunate point at AAMI Park. Heart held city rivals Victory to a scoreless draw in the opening round but will be eager to get a win ahead of tough matches against Brisbane and Western Sydney.

The big issue:
Glory – finding goals without injured star striker Shane Smeltz continues to be an issue for Perth. They managed one through Ryo Nagai in Adelaide but struggled against the Jets, with the trip to Hunter Stadium a winnable affair they failed to take advantage of. Nagai and Sidnei look dangerous while Jamie Maclaren needs to do more up front. Perhaps including teenager Daniel De Silva in the starting line-up may be what the Glory need.

Heart – Aloisi's men are finally put to the test interstate this season. It was their record outside Victoria last season which proved costly. Outside of their home state last season, the Heart played out a draw and remarkably tasted defeat 11 times. That record may improve courtesy of their counter-attacking style, which appears the way Aloisi intends to play regularly. Sitting back and using their pace on the break could suit Heart against a Glory side who like to keep possession.

The game breaker:
David Williams – the Heart speedster scored a brace against the Mariners and probably should have had a hat-trick. Replacing Harry Kewell behind the striker, Williams impressed and is one of several Heart attackers suited by their counter-attacking style. Malta international Michael Mifsud appears likely to start up front and that pace, as well as Williams' energy, has the Heart well-placed to end their dreadful away record.

Prediction: Glory 0-1 Heart
The Heart are yet to concede from anywhere but the penalty spot this season and Aloisi's new set up should make them difficult to break down again. Rob Wielaert and Patrick Kisnorbo have combined well in the centre of defence, while Aziz Behich has been solid at left-back and Jason Hoffman better than most expected on the right. Without Smeltz, Perth have found it difficult to score despite Sidnei impressing. A goal may be all that separates these two teams and Heart may well find it on the break to claim their first win outside Victoria since December 2011.

Wellington Phoenix vs. Newcastle Jets

Head-to-head: Played: 19, Wins: Wellington 12, Newcastle 5, Draws: 2
Previous encounter: Wellington 1-2 Newcastle, February 27, 2013
Form: Past five matches (including pre-season):
Phoenix: DLLWL Jets: DLLDL
The Game: The Nix defied the odds to come from behind and snare a point on their trip to Western Sydney last weekend, in a promising sign in the infancy of Ernie Merrick's reign. Now back on home turf, they welcome a fairly listless Newcastle Jets side to town - who have not troubled the scorers in 180 minutes and are the only side yet to score in the league. A potential saviour for that stat - Emile Heskey - remains sidelined by a knee injury. Merrick made four changes from round one to two, with Glen Moss, Leo Bertos, Andrew Durante and Jeremy Brockie - the latter the goalscorer versus Wanderers - all coming in to help Wellington improve from their last-gasp 2-1 loss to Brisbane. It will be interesting to see how Belgian Stein Huysegems is used against the Jets, after he was withdrawn after just 30 minutes in Parramatta for tactical reasons.
The youthful Jets outfit have been poor in their two games thus far - with a 2-0 loss to Sydney made worse by the fact the Sky Blues were routed by Brisbane 4-0 a week later. Gary van Egmond's men need to find a pathway to goal, and fast, if they are to be any realistic finals threat in 2013-14.
The big issue:Wellington - winning. The New Zealand club have won just 32 of their past 88 matches, with just seven successes from 27 matches last season. Sure, 86 of those matches were under former boss Ricki Herbert but a maiden victory for Merrick would go a long way to setting the winning standard this season.
Newcastle - goals. They have enough talent to put balls in dangerous areas, but they just need the right finisher. They can't rely on Heskey to score the lot this campaign.
The game breaker:Carlos Hernandez - the Costa Rican showman finds himself in good fitness and form in the infancy of the season. The former Victory man is yet to find the back of the net, but could find some space around the edge of the area in Napier to rifle home his first in black and yellow.
Prediction: Wellington 3-0 Newcastle The Jets have not troubled the scorer this season, and it is hard to see how they will do so at a venue they have never before played at. It is hard for good teams to come away from NZ with three points - see Brisbane's late show in round one - let alone a team bereft of experience and confidence. Merrick's men should have a flurry of sights on goal, and just need to be clinical to hand their fans in Napier a comfortable victory.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2013

Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship in Hell in a Cell)
Curtis Axel (c) vs. Big E Langston (Intercontinental Championship)
Los Matadores vs. The Real Americans
AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella (Divas Championship)
Cody Rhodes and Goldust (c) vs. The Shield vs. The Usos (Tag Team Championship)
CM Punk vs. Ryback and Paul Heyman (Hell in a Cell)
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. John Cena (World Heavyweight Championship)


This Sunday, it's time for WWE Hell in a Cell, which features two matches that will take place inside the most imposing structure in pro wrestling, the titular Cell. Finally, the fate of the WWE Title will be decided, as Daniel Bryan will take on Randy Orton in the Cell, with special referee Shawn Michaels guaranteeing that the match will not end without a new champion being crowned. In addition, CM Punk has his best chance ever to exact revenge on Paul Heyman, as he faces his former manager and Ryback, also in Hell in a Cell.

Meanwhile, John Cena will return from another major injury and jump right into the title picture, as he'll challenge Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Title. Also, the Divas title, Tag Team Championships, and the Intercontinental title will all be defended on the card.

Twice will rivals enter "The Devil's Playground" looking to use as violent a retribution as is allowed in the PG era. A Hall of Famer will oversee a Hell in a Cell match between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship while CM Punk will look to maim Paul Heyman in another.

A strong undercard promises an exciting show beyond those matches, including a Triple Threat match that threatens to steal the show.

RANDY ORTON VS. DANIEL BRYAN

Certainly a big focus of this match will be Shawn Michaels as guest referee. Will he align himself with Triple H/Randy Orton, or will he call it down the middle? Unless we foresee The Heartbreak Kid being involved with WWE regularly — in which case, a Triple H reunion makes sense — I see this one being called down the middle and Daniel Bryan finally getting his hands on the title for longer than a day. WWE thrives on moments, and this scenario lends itself to Shawn Michaels celebrating with Daniel Bryan postmatch. I feel like the Cell has a finality to it, like there must be a conclusion.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE: ALBERTO DEL RIO VS. JOHN CENA

I like John Cena returning and facing Del Rio for the world title. Cena's involvement with the WHC is a big deal, seeing as how he's the face of the company. The scenario I like best: Cena winning, Del Rio getting mad and applying the Cross Armbreaker to reinjure Cena, allowing Damien Sandow to cash in and win the title. Cena and Sandow would be fresh, interesting and a chance for Sandow to prove he can hang, which many people believe he can. Plus, I have an interview with Sandow scheduled next week, and I'd much rather interview a champion who just beat John Cena.

HELL IN A CELL: CM PUNK VS. RYBACK AND PAUL HEYMAN

I'll admit, I have lost a little interest in this scenario, but not because I don't appreciate the participants. I suppose I have fatigue over this rivalry, so I really hope CM Punk wins, gets the big attack everyone wants to see on Heyman, and we all move on.

DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP: AJ LEE VS. BRIE BELLA

I honestly believe that a "Total Divas" episode will feature a cast member winning the Divas title — more specifically, Brie Bella dethroning AJ Lee. I'm expecting it to happen here, and getting the all-access view of it on "Total Divas" in the future.

TAG TITLES: TEAM RHODES VS. THE SHIELD VS. THE USOS

To me, this is a great way to have the Usos win the title without Team Rhodes getting pinned, allowing the Usos to continue a rivalry with The Shield and the next tag team in line. (Real Americans, perhaps?). Looking at the scenario logically, I feel the Rhodes brothers winning the tag gold was more about making the Shield look weak than making Team Rhodes champions. This was acccomplished and done very well. Now, if the Usos were to become champions without the Rhodes team getting pinned and looking weak, this is another win. The Usos certainly would make the tag title a priority and (hopefully) defend it regularly. Give me Usos over the Shield to win the gold.

LOS MATADORES VS. THE REAL AMERICANS

I've called this for a while, and I'm calling it again: Antonio Cesaro will give a Giant Swing to both members of Los Matadores, maybe even El Torito on top. The Real Americans win, then challenge the Usos for the tag titles.

INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE: CURTIS AXEL VS. BIG E LANGSTON

Big E is due for a championship run after being NXT champion. Axel just isn't meshing to me as IC champ, despite his lineage. It might be time for fresh blood, but I also don't see every secondary title switching hands. Axel retains.

Central Coast Mariners vs Adelaide United

After two draws to begin their campaign, the Central Coast Mariners return to Bluetongue Stadium to host Adelaide United this afternoon. We’ll have live scores and commentary from 5.30pm AEDT.

Central Coast come into this game after making both Western Sydney and Melbourne Heart look like quality football teams.

Pasfield’s beard is the only real highlight of their first two games, after fighting for a draw against the Wanderers and an extremely lucky comeback against Melbourne Heart, Central Coast will be looking to this Saturday as opportunity to post their first win.

The Mariners will be wearing bright pink kits in support of Pink Ribbon Day.

Adelaide has radically changed their game plan this season, however no-one from Barcelona will be filing for obstructions of copyright.

Gombau’s side are possibly the most exciting team to watch; similar to Brisbane and Melbourne in their build up play, but also because their defenders’ acute awareness to always find the opposition forwards.

Some one would pass it off as growing pains for the Radelaideans, but if it continues much longer, will become a chronic disease.

Osama Malik was converted into a defender last week, and looked every bit out of place as Victory streamed forward.

Awer Mabil frustrated both the Melbourne Victory’s defence and his own manager as he sought to go one-on-one too often.

Expect him not to start, but if they’re chasing the game, don’t be surprised if he’s brought on to be brought down in the box by Nick Montgomery.

To the workhorse Central Coast midfielder, he’ll either be sent to the doggers by Adelaide’s passing style, or like the outside favourite at Lockhart Race 3, will knock off Adelaide’s jockeying midfielders causing either serious injury or a yellow card.

Either way, he’s some kind of equine, and I’m still trying to work out if he’s a horse or a donkey.

Adelaide welcomes back Isaias and Nigel Boogaard from suspension, however Daniel Bowles is not expected to play.

The Mariners are expected to have a full squad, save for Daniel McBreen whose loan spell/money earner at Shanghai SIPG does not end until the 31st of October.

The last time these teams played was on March 24 earlier this year, the result was Adelaide United 0-2 Central Coast Mariners.

Central Coast are set to play on their third Saturday in a row, while Adelaide are still yet to play on the same day twice, which is good because it would be a fixture list and squad nightmare.

Adelaide has four players in the top ten for yellow cards after two games, while the Central Coast, like a tourism guide to Australia, do not feature.

Central Coast Mariners have not had a win in their last five matches.

Adelaide United have not beaten the Mariners in the last 11 matches between the two teams.

The last time Adelaide United won when playing away to Central Coast Mariners was all the way back in January 2009, when they pinched a 1-0 victory.

UFC Fight Night 30

Main Card

    * Lyoto Machida vs. Mark Munoz
    * Melvin Guillard vs. Ross Pearson
    * Jimi Manuwa vs. Ryan Jimmo
    * Norman Parke vs. Jon Tuck
    * Alessio Sakara vs. Nicholas Musoke
    * Phil Harris vs. John Lineker


Preliminary Card

    * Al Iaquinta vs. Piotr Hallman
    * Andrew Craig vs. Luke Barnatt
    * Rosi Sexton vs. Jessica Andrade
    * Andy Ogle vs. Cole Miller
    * Jimy Hettes vs. Rob Whiteford
    * Brad Scott vs. Michael Kuiper



Former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida makes his middleweight debut on Saturday night in Manchester where he faces recent training partner Mark Munoz.

The UFC Fight Night 30 main event became official on Friday when the participants made weight. Munoz stepped on the scale first and weighed 186 pounds. Machida weighed 185.

"It was very hard [cutting to 185], but I did this for four weeks," Machida said "It's tough to face my friend Mark Munoz, but we are professional.

"The winner buys dinner. I will buy the dinner."

Machida and Munoz accepted a late offer from UFC officials just two days after training together. Each fighter was preparing to face other opponents - Machida was in line to meet Tim Kennedy in a November 6 light heavyweight bout. Munoz was originally set to take on Michael Bisping on Saturday.

While they were both initially reluctant to fight one another, they eventually agreed.

Machida will seek to rebound from an August 3 unanimous-decision loss to Phil Davis at UFC 163.

Munoz eyes his second win in a row - he dominated Tim Boetsch in July en route to a unanimous decision.

Lightweights Melvin Guillard and Ross Pearson weighed 155 and 156, respectively, for their co-main event showdown.

Pearson returns from featherweight to the 155-pound division where he seeks to extend his win streak to three. Guillard eyes his second win in a row.

With the exception of flyweight John Lineker, every other fighter on the card made weight. Lineker, who has had difficulty making the 125-pound limit in recent bouts, tipped the scale at 128 - two pounds above the nontitle flyweight limit. His opponent, Phil Harris, weighed 125.

Lineker was given an hour to cut the weight, but opted not to accept the offer. He will relinquish 25 per cent of his purse.

England vs Australia

England will be out to provide the perfect response to a tumultuous week when they take on Australia in the World Cup opener at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Steve McNamara's side have had far from the ideal build up to the tournament having lost their warm-up match against Italy last weekend.

The disruption continued during the week as Gareth Hock was omitted from the squad after reportedly failing to turn up for a training camp.

James Graham has now been left out of the 19-man squad for the clash with the Kangaroos amid speculation he was one of a number of players to defy a ban on alcohol.

McNamara refused to address any of the reports when he walked out of a press conference on the eve of the tournament, and a heavy defeat on Saturday will only serve to increase the pressure on the coach.

He has named the three Burgess brothers in his 19-man squad while Brett Ferres, who was drafted in as a replacement for Hock on Tuesday, is also included.

Uncapped second rower Liam Farrell makes the 19 but his Wigan team-mate Sean O'Loughlin has been ruled out after he failed to recover from injury.

Australia have included Brent Tate in the centres as he has edged out Michael Jennings for the starting spot in place of the injured Justin Hodges.

Robbie Farah is named on the bench with Sheens having a definite game plan for using the Wests Tigers hooker to target the big England forwards later in the game, with Cameron Smith then likely switching to loose forward.

England squad: Ablett, G Burgess, S Burgess, T Burgess, Burrow, Charnley, Chase, Cudjoe, Farrell, Ferres, Hall, Hill, Mossop, Roby, Sinfield (capt), Tomkins, Watkins, Westwood, Widdop.

Australia: Slater, Morris, Tate, Inglis, Boyd, Thurston, Cronk, Scott, Smith (capt), Tamou, Bird, Thaiday, Gallen.

Interchange: (from) Robbie Farah, Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis, Corey Parker, Jarryd Hayne, Nate Myles.

Manchester United vs Stoke City

Manchester United will be looking to build on their Champions League success in midweek when Stoke City visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

David Moyes's side edged past Real Sociedad on Wednesday evening to remain top of their group.

However, last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Southampton means that the Red Devils currently sit eighth in the Premier League table.

Stoke ended a run of three consecutive defeats last weekend when they drew with West Bromwich Albion.

Mark Hughes's team have not tasted victory in the league since a 1-0 success over West Ham United at the end of August.

United striker Robin van Persie missed the midweek clash against Real Sociedad with a toe injury but could be fit enough to face the Potters. Jonny Evans and Phil Jones are set to continue their partnership in the centre of defence while Marouane Fellaini is in line to start.

For Stoke, Geoff Cameron remains doubtful for the match as he continues to recover from a calf injury, so Andy Wilkinson could deputise at full-back.

Oussama Assaidi, Marko Arnautovic and Jonathan Walters are expected to be handed starts by manager Hughes.

Recent form

Man Utd: LWLLWD

Stoke: WDLLLD

Possible starting lineups

Man Utd: De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Evans, Evra; Nani, Fellaini, Carrick, Young; van Persie, Rooney

Stoke: Begovic; Pieters, Huth, Shawcross, Cameron; Assaidi, Ireland, N'Zonzi, Adam, Arnautovic; Walters

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

The El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid is one of the biggest matches of the football calendar, and the first explosive encounter gets underway at Camp Nou this Saturday.

All eyes will be on the two players deemed the greatest in the world at this present time - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but focus will also be on summer signings Neymar and Gareth Bale, who moved to Barca and Madrid respectively for hefty fees.

Despite Bale's highly anticipated arrival at the Bernabeu following his £85m switch from Tottenham Hotspur, the Welshman has had an inconsistent start to his career in Spain due to injury.

The 24-year-old made an appearance from the substitutes' bench in Madrid's 2-1 victory over Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, but is unlikely to start in this weekend's clash due to lack of match fitness.

While plenty of focus will be on the players, this is the first El Clasico for Barca boss Gerardo Martino and Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has led his side to third in the league table after nine fixtures.

Barcelona remain La Liga leaders with an unbeaten record and 28 goals to their name so far, while their arch-rivals have lost once in their campaign so far.

Madrid secured last season's El Clasico 2-1 on home turf, as well as clinching a 3-1 victory at Camp Nou.

Ronaldo could be joined by Angel di Maria and Isco in attack, leaving Luka Modric on the bench, while both Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema will be fighting for starting spots.

Messi is likely to feature for Barcelona in the encounter following his first start since returning from injury against AC Milan in the Champions League in midweek.

Recent form

Barcelona: WWWWWD

Real Madrid: DWWLWW

Possible starting lineups

Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano; Sergio, Xavi, Iniesta; Sanchez, Neymar, Messi

Real Madrid: Lopez; Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Carvajal; Khedira, Illarramendi; Ronaldo, Di Maria, Isco; Benzema