Sky Sports brings you a Premier League double bill this weekend with implications at both end of the table.
On Saturday we head to Fratton Park from 12.30pm where Avram Grant will be looking for his first win as Portsmouth manager against Owen Coyle's Burnley.
And the on Sunday from 3.30pm we're off to Goodison Park where Everton will be hoping to bounce back from their Merseyside derby defeat against top-four hopefuls Tottenham.
Moyes: difficult times
Sky Sports expert Paul Merson gives his views ahead of both games...
Portsmouth v Burnley
12.30pm, Sat, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Avram Grant's return to Portsmouth hasn't exactly had the desired effect so far...
When Paul Hart was in charge they were always in every game and usually only lost by the odd goal. Grant's come in and they've conceded four against United and four against Villa. That probably wouldn't have happened under Hart.
This is the best possible time for Tottenham to go to Everton - and that puts some pressure on them.
Paul Merson
Quotes of the week
Portsmouth v Burnley
12.30pm, Sat, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Everton v Tottenham
3.30pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
I'm surprised they decided to change the manager this soon. Hart was fortunate to get the job, but he was unfortunate to lose it too because he'd kept that team ticking along in difficult circumstances.
I'm not sure Grant has the right experience for this sort of job. His only other Premier League experience is keeping top-drawer players happy at Chelsea and he might find it hard in a very different situation at the bottom of the table.
But I have no doubt Portsmouth can stay up. They've been bang unlucky at times this year, but this is one Grant will have earmarked as a must-win game.
Playing Burnley at home is massive because their away record is shocking. I don't think he'd be happy with a draw on Saturday.
You have to beat Burnley at home if you want to stay up because Portsmouth they keep dropping points they could be eight or nine points adrift by Christmas.
Burnley have played some decent teams but everywhere they go they go out and attack - and they'll surely do the same on Saturday. That attitude explains why they've lost so many away games so heavily, but it'll be the reason why they might pick up a few away points as well.
Owen Coyle has seen teams come up in the past, play 4-5-1 away from home and still end up losing. He has decided to tell his player to have a go - and they got a reward when they scored three at Man City.
Portsmouth will be like a rabbit in the headlights if Burnley score first so I'm sure Coyle will tell his players to go out early and force the game - and that should make for a really entertaining football match.
When Burnley play it's always entertaining, Portsmouth will make a few chances too and I expect a good end-to-end game.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Home win - I just can't see Burnley keeping a clean sheet so I'm going to go for 2-1 to Portsmouth. I think there will be goals for both sides, but Portsmouth have a lot of pace going forward and that might just swing it their way.
MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Michael Brown - He's perfect for this sort of relegation battle. He'll get stuck in, he'll encourage his team-mates forward and to give him his due, he never hides in a game. The midfield battle is important in every game and if Portsmouth win that it will be down to him.
Everton v Tottenham
3.30pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
It's always difficult to go to Goodison Park and win. I always thought a win there felt like four points rather than three.
It doesn't matter how much Everton are struggling, it's tough to go to that tight ground and play in front of those fans.
Everton were the much better side against Liverpool last week, but they just don't have the luck with them at the moment. They got a good result in Europe but they keep getting injuries. Three of their best five players - Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta - have been out for a while now.
Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal would all struggle if three of their best players were out, so I do feel for David Moyes. Any team in the country would struggle with that injury list.
Tim Cahill has been quiet this year. He has an unbelievable knack of popping up in the box and scoring - he reminds me of David Platt in that sense - but if he doesn't score I don't know what else he brings to a struggling team.
He tries hard, but he doesn't tackle and he doesn't get stuck in. However, I still think David Moyes has to play him every week because he can go on a run and score five goals in five games for you.
This is the best possible time for Tottenham to go to Everton - and that puts some pressure on them. If they want to finish in the top four they need to take advantage of teams like Everton when they're struggling.
I would play Peter Crouch alongside Jermain Defoe in a tricky away game like this. If Everton play like they did against Liverpool they will put Tottenham under pressure and he can provide the outlet.
When Spurs get the ball up front it needs to stick, but with Robbie Keane and Defoe up front it might keep bouncing back.
They will create chances, as they proved against Villa last week when they were more than worth a point, but I still think it will be a tough game for them on Sunday.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Draw - I've got to go for a draw here. I've played many times at Everton and it's always a difficult, difficult place to go and win no matter where they are in the league. There will be goals though. I've played under Harry and he will always have a go, so I think it will be 1-1. But if there is to be a winner, it can only be Tottenham.
MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Tim Howard - There will be times in this game where Everton will have to ride their luck and the goalkeeper will need to make vital saves at vital times as we saw against Villa. Tottenham will make chances, even if they're 2-0 down, so Howard will be important if Everton are to get a result.
Comments (1)
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Chris Skillicorn (Everton fan) says...
I have to say I totally disagree with Paul Mersons comments that Tim Cahill doesn't tackle or get stuck in, firstly that is not his part in the game, we have Fellaini and Rodwell for that and when Neville returns that it was he is best at, but regardless of this I have never seen Cahill back out of challenge when he needs to, just because he doesn't go running round the pitch throwing tackles in doesn't mean he doesn't get stuck in, it just means he does it when he needs to. Cahill brings a balance to Everton, the simple fact is that we he doesn't play we don't either as a team. Moyes would not of made him captain if he brought nothing to the team he needs to be on that pitch, not just for the team but for the fans.
Posted 15:26 4th December 2009
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