Premier League preview

Sky Sports 1 & HD1 brings you live action from three games this weekend

By James Dall   Last updated: 18th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Premier League preview

Rafa's Reds are eyeing back-to-back league victories for the first time since September

Click below for individual match previews and statistics
Saturday
Portsmouth v Liverpool
Aston Villa v Stoke
Blackburn v Tottenham
Fulham v Man Utd
Man City v Sunderland
Arsenal v Hull
Sunday
Wolves v Burnley
Everton v Birmingham
West Ham v Chelsea

Related links

Teams

Also see

Portsmouth and Liverpool kick-off the latest round of Premier League fixtures on the last weekend of top-flight action before Christmas Day.

Forget about braving the nippy and chock-a-block high streets, stay at home and make yourself comfortable on Saturday lunchtime as Sky Sports 1 & HD1 brings you live coverage of the Reds' trip to Fratton Park. The visitors will be looking to build on a vital, albeit nervy, win during midweek whilst Pompey could climb off the bottom of the table with a shock success that would heap yet more pressure on manager Rafa Benitez.

Elsewhere amidst the festive fixture schedule, leaders Chelsea make the short trip to London rivals West Ham United on Sunday, Fulham host champions Manchester United eyeing a repeat of last season's surprise scalp, Hull City boss Phil Brown will receive an interesting reception at Arsenal on Saturday evening, Manchester City tackle an out-of-form Sunderland outfit while high-flying Tottenham Hotspur head to Blackburn Rovers.

Portsmouth have shown signs of progress under Avram Grant, with the Israeli coming up trumps in the games that his side would have expected, rather than merely hoped, to have earned points. Taking anything from their clash with Liverpool will be seen as a bonus for the South Coast club, who will know their forthcoming trip to West Ham - whom Pompey could leapfrog this weekend - is more winnable. Yet, as everyone knows, the Reds are not so much of a force this season. Indeed, their away form has been particularly troublesome, with only one triumph accrued from their last five Premier League matches on the road. Benitez's men have not recorded back-to-back league wins since September, so the need for a consistent run is evident if they genuinely believe they can re-enter the top four.

Dangerous

Chelsea halted their recent slide with a 2-1 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday. Previous to that result they had gone four games without a success in all competitions. Carlo Ancelotti's men still hold a three-point advantage over second-placed United and they will be expected to come away from Upton Park with the spoils - in a game that can be seen live on Sky Sports 1 & HD1. The dangerous adage of 'too good to go down' keeps being affiliated with West Ham, yet they continue to be unable to battle their way away from danger. Three losses on the bounce have left Gianfranco Zola's men struggling for air - they have not lost four in succession since October 2008. Furthermore, the omens are not good for the Hammers, as they have won none of their last six Premier League London derbies. It is hard to ignore West Ham's plight; Zola's letter to Santa may include the words 'Christmas miracle'.

Fulham recorded an excellent victory over Manchester United in last season's corresponding fixture at Craven Cottage. The Red Devils were severely out of sorts on that day as they had two players dismissed and lost 2-0. The Cottagers head into this term's meeting unbeaten in four matches, but will be wary of a United side who have the chance to move level on points with the table-toppers. However, when United were presented with such an opportunity last weekend, they blew it. As an interesting footnote, such is the Red Devils' reliance on Wayne Rooney to get their goals this season (12 to his name thus far) that, despite the striker laying on no less than 26 goalscoring chances for his colleagues, not one of those almost-assists has been slotted home by a team-mate.

Hull Cityboss Brown's last visit to Emirates Stadium ended in infamous circumstances, and, ahead of this weekend's encounter, Cesc Fabregas' hamstring injury means the jeans and hoodie could yet again be donned - we shall see. Speaking football, and Arsenal must take a step forward on Saturday, not sideways like they did during midweek at Burnley. Arsene Wenger's side have flirted with a title challenge this season, and must prove they can go all the way. The Tigers were victorious when they came to North London in the league last term - their record in the capital is impressive - and Brown will be hopeful his men will not undo their November hard work during this month. For Arsenal, the result must serve as an ideal warm-up to their crunch meeting with Aston Villa the day after Boxing Day.

The manner of Manchester City's loss at Tottenham will have doubtless hit Mark Hughes' men hard. While the defeat was only City's second of the campaign, it concluded a run of just 11 points tallied out of a possible 30 available. Also, Hughes has also been hit by the news that Joleon Lescott will be absent for five weeks. Perhaps fortunately for Hughes, though, his side host a Sunderland team who do not enjoy leaving Wearside. Steve Bruce's Black Cats have mustered just one win in their last 18 Premier League away matches. Sunderland's test is toughened due to City's record at home. At Eastlands, City have suffered just one top-flight defeat in their last 17 games. Furthermore, the Black Cats head into the match off the back of some concerning form: three losses from their last four outings.

Drubbing

Tottenham will feel on cloud nine after their drubbing of City, but Spurs supporters will be cautious over getting carried away. So often this term Harry Redknapp's men have struggled for consistency. Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park are Spurs' opponents. Rovers ended their search for a goal during midweek - that is just one scored in five fixtures - but still finished as the losing side. Sam Allardyce can at least take heart from a solid enough home record, with the club unbeaten in their last seven. Victories in games like these would demonstrate Spurs' growing feeling that they can upset the 'big four' apple cart. For Blackburn, their Tuesday display at Birmingham panged of a one-dimensional way of thinking, and one wonders whether that ethos will be enough to ensure them a comfortable ride up until the end of the term.

Aston Villa have emulated last season's impressive first-half-of-the-campaign charge, now the challenge is to carry that steam over the festive period and into 2010. A fourth win on the spin would reiterate the impressive job Martin O'Neill has carried out in the Midlands, although there is a chance his players will have in the back of their minds last term's meeting with Stoke. In what was arguably the turning point of Villa's season, Stoke fought back to score two goals in the final two minutes as they salvaged a point and left Villa shell-shocked. O'Neill may look to this game as a litmus test of how his side have grown. James Milner's switch to the centre continues to look inspired, while Stoke's away record continues to be their undoing: they have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games.

On Sunday lunchtime, Wolverhampton Wanderers entertain fellow promoted side Burnley at Molineux, live on Sky Sports 1 & HD1. The spotlight will shine firmly on Mick McCarthy's team selection, which should see the return of many of his regular starters. There are of course varying viewpoints on the Old Trafford matter, one being that his decision to prioritise may now put extra pressure on his returning players to pick up a three-point haul against the Clarets. Failure to do so would render the rotation a failure. While Burnley's performance and result against Arsenal was impressive, their current form is not. Owen Coyle's men are without a triumph in their previous six games. This clash and their next, against Bolton, could shape how their season turns out.

Finally, in-form Birmingham City go head-to-head with Everton on Merseyside. Cold, hard facts bring to the fore Alex McLeish's achievement thus far: Birmingham have won five games in a row and the only time they have managed six top-flight wins in succession was between January-March 1959, a run during which they defeated Everton 2-1. Quite staggering. While Everton have picked up decent draws versus Chelsea and Tottenham, they remain without a win in five matches. The nearing of key personnel returning, and perhaps the January transfer window, cannot come soon enough for David Moyes.