Chelsea aim to extend lead, Mancini eyes City bow

December 26, 2009

Chelsea can cement their position on top of the Premier League with a win over Birmingham on Saturday, while new Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini gets his first taste of English football against Stoke.

With second-placed Manchester United not in action until Sunday’s clash at Hull, Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea will move seven points clear of the reigning champions if they can defeat Birmingham at St Andrews.

But Ancelotti, whose team have spluttered of late, would be wise not to take Birmingham for granted.

While Chelsea have looked surprisingly vulnerable during a run of one win in six matches in all competitions, Birmingham have risen to seventh place on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run.

Ancelotti, who will be without injured France striker Nicolas Anelka, needs a big performance from Didier Drogba after the Ivory Coast striker’s anonymous effort in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at West Ham as he will be making his last appearance before flying off to the African Nations Cup.

“Birmingham have had five consecutive victories and a draw,” Ancelotti said.

“Above all, it’s difficult to play up there. They put a lot of pressure on and we’ll have to pay attention.”

While Ancelotti looks for the solution to Chelsea’s recent inconsistency, his compatriot Mancini will hope for an early sign that there is no dressing room dissent over his appointment.

Several of City’s players including Craig Bellamy and Shay Given were reported to be unhappy that Mark Hughes was sacked to make way for former Inter Milan coach Mancini.

Hughes was dismissed despite losing just two league matches this season, so Mancini will know that only instant success will satisfy the club’s Abu Dhabi based owners.

But the former Italy forward, who has only been at City for a week, said: “I thought the players trained very well. I think I have a good team and we have only one problem and that is many players injured.

“I have a good relationship with the players. I appreciate some players are close to Mark but that is a good thing for a manager.”

Rafael Benitez is another manager under close scrutiny this weekend after Liverpool’s woeful 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth last Saturday left them eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Missing out on a spot in the Champions League would leave Benitez in severe danger of losing his job and Spaniard, whose side host Wolves, acknowledges things must change soon.

“I must manage and control the anxiety of the players, and the anxiety of the fans,” Benitez said.

“We know we have to change the situation, sooner rather than later. That is clear.

“If we talk too much about having to win a title, or win a cup, it just makes things worse. We must help our players by making them concentrate on the next match and winning it.”

Liverpool’s poor form has given Villa and Tottenham hope of snatching one of those lucrative top four spots.

Villa, who have already beaten United, Liverpool and Chelsea this season, go in search of a big four cleansweep at Arsenal on Sunday.

Tottenham travel across London to face Fulham, who thrashed United 3-0 last weekend.

That loss was the lowest moment for United in an erratic campaign marred by injuries to a host of defenders.

Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to have Nemanja Vidic or Wes Brown back at Hull on Sunday, but he knows the hosts will go on the attack in an attempt to exploit United’s weakness at the back.

“Hull will be encouraged by the fact we have these defenders injured. They will certainly have a go at us,” Ferguson said.

Fixtures (1500GMT unless stated)

Saturday

Birmingham v Chelsea (1245GMT), Burnley v Bolton (1400GMT), Fulham v Tottenham (1300GMT), Liverpool v Wolverhampton (1730GMT), Man City v Stoke, Sunderland v Everton, West Ham v Portsmouth (1300GMT), Wigan v Blackburn

Sunday

Arsenal v Aston Villa (1330GMT), Hull v Man Utd (1600GMT)

LONDON (AFP)

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Celtic desperate to play down Old Firm clash

December 26, 2009

Spain midfielder Marc Crosas has told his Celtic team-mates to concentrate on their upcoming game against Hamilton and put the New Year Old Firm derby to the back of their minds.

The Hoops face rivals Rangers on January 3 but have games against Billy Reid’s side on Saturday and Kilmarnock to contend with first.

Celtic slipped four points behind Rangers in the race for the Scottish Premier League title with a 2-1 defeat at Hearts last weekend.

Crosas has warned his colleagues not to be so focused on the Old Firm clash in case they slip up again and find themselves further behind.

But the former Barcelona star insists that no matter what happens over the festive period, these games will not determine who is going to win the league.

“The Christmas period isn’t going to decide who wins the title, but whoever comes out on top will be in a better position,” he said.

“We have three very important games coming. Everybody will be talking about the Rangers game, but if we don’t get positive results against Hamilton and Kilmarnock, winning the derby would be for nothing.

“The games are all equally important and if we can come out of the Christmas fixtures in a good position, we will be set up for the second half of the season.

“It has been a frustrating season so far. I think we have played well in most of our games and had some great wins, but we haven’t always got what we deserved. That’s been disappointing.”

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray will be without Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney due to injury and Gary Caldwell will miss the match against Hamilton through suspension after he was red-carded in the defeat to Hearts.

A win for the Hoops would reduce the gap at the top and heap pressure on Rangers who don’t take on Hibernian at Easter Road until Sunday.

Walter Smith’s side are in good form having scored 15 goals in the past four league games but face a resurgent Hibs side under new boss John Hughes.

The former Falkirk boss has led the Edinburgh side to third in the league and Smith warned of the dangers awaiting his side at Easter Road following a 1-1 draw at Ibrox earlier in the season.

“Hibs are going extremely well this year, but, regardless of circumstances, a trip to Easter Road is difficult for any Rangers team,” Smith said.

“We went there at the end of last season and found it tough. They ended up being influential in where the championships ended up.

“Fortunately, we went on to win it, but this season they’re gaining in confidence and are playing very well. We had a game with Hibernian at Ibrox earlier in the season and it was excellent.

“It could have gone either way, and although we ended up having far more opportunities to score, they could have sneaked it at the end.

“Hopefully, we’ll have another game like that this weekend, and from our point of view we’ll get a better result than we did last time out.”

Smith will be without midfielder Kevin Thomson for the game through injury.

Elsewhere on Saturday managerless Dundee United take on Kilmarnock, bottom club Falkirk play Hearts, Motherwell host St Johnstone and St Mirren are at home to Aberdeen.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Celtic v Hamilton, Dundee United v Kilmarnock, Falkirk v Hearts, Motherwell v St Johnstone, St Mirren V Aberdeen

Sunday

Hibernian v Rangers (1200)

GLASGOW (AFP)

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