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We all love a relegation dog fight don't we? This week, relegation fans - if such a phrase exists - we have a double serving of drop-zone six-pointers, with Burnley vs Pompey and Bolton vs Wolves.
Elsewhere, our team of previewers brings you the latest information ahead of another intriguing round of Premier League fixtures. With the Carling Cup final taking place on Sunday, with Man United taking on Aston Villa, the teams involved in the title race and the battle for fourth will look to assert some control in those side's absence. Chelsea, looking to extend their lead over United atop the league, face off against Manchester City, in the battle of the money bags.
as previewed by Seun Robert-Edomi
 
Despite their unimpressive performance at Molineux last weekend against Wolves, league leaders Chelsea managed to come away with the vital three points. Sign of potential Champions? It seems so.
Regardless, the Blues’ away record hasn’t been that impressive of recent. Only two wins from their last six on the road, and they were against relegation battlers Burnley and Wolves. Even then Chelsea could consider themselves fortunate to come away with all three points.
It took a late goal from the much maligned captain John Terry to see off Burnley at Turf Moor, whilst if not for Wolves’ profligacy in front of goal and their schoolboy defending, the team from the Black Country could have walked away from the game with at least a point to their name.
With all this said and done, the team from West London sit a point clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand over the nearest rivals Манчестер Юнайтед who are not in league action this weekend.
Their opponents Manchester City will have to be wary of the Didier Drogba express. United striker Wayne Rooney has scoped many of the plaudits from pundits and journalists, being the league’s top scorer with a return of 23 goals in 27 league games. The Ivorian, though, has a better goal to games ratio, scoring 19 in 22 league games and arguably deserves just as much credit.
The Citizens are entangled in a tight battle for fourth involving Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa. They themselves though haven’t been impressive of recent. Last weekend they played out a dour 0-0 draw with Liverpool at home, leaving them with two wins from their last six games, not exactly Champions league form really.
Even with this indifferent form, the Manchester outfit are level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand so they still have all to play for. With the return of Carlos Tevez this weekend, City should look a more potent up upfront after striker Emmanuel Adebayor has to lead the line by himself in the past couple of weeks.
Tevez is City’s top scorer and will add some much needed dynamism to City who have looked lethargic recently. The two strikers will be more than a match for the Chelsea centre-halves who haven’t looked entirely convincing lately.
What City manager Roberto Mancini has done is improve the defensive side of his team, which was City’s Achilles heel earlier on in the season. In spite of this Chelsea have only failed to win once at Stamford Bridge this season, and with Drogba in red hot form it’d be brave to back against side who are yet to suffer defeat in a big clash.
Verdict: When two out-of-form sides clash, it's hard to back against a forward in red hot form. Drogba to continue Chelsea's title march
The rest of the fixtures:
Saturday, 27th February 2010
Birmingham vs Wigan: Verdict: Wigan to come further unstuck as Blues take the spoils
Bolton vs Wolves: Verdict: Bolton wander towards the bottom of the table as share of spoils helps neither side.
Burnley vs Portsmouth: Verdict: Burnley pull ten points clear of down and out Pompey
Stoke vs Arsenal: Verdict: Arsenal have to hit 'Top Gear' to see off Stoke, who are left 'Dancing on Ice' by the Gunners' attack
Sunday, 28th February 2010
Liverpool vs Blackburn: Verdict: Liverpool continue unbeaten streak with victory over Blackburn, but Rafa's men still look unconvincing.
Sunderland vs Fulham: Verdict: Fulham will come looking for a draw, and a point is what they'll get.
Tottenham vs Everton: Verdict: Hotshot home side a sticky proposition for Toffeemen
For the full previews, please visit www.football-previews.co.uk |
