Match of the Week: Paris St Germain v Chelsea

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Two financial strong teams meets in the Champions League, but which one can go on to the next round? The Match of the Week is the first leg between Paris St Germain and Chelsea.


Paris St Germain v Chelsea
Parc de Princes
Champions League Quarter-finals
02-04-2014 @ 19.45 UK








How are the two teams form?

The hosts from Paris are unbeaten in their last 15 Ligue 1 matches, and have only lost one of their matches in Champions League. Their opponents, Chelsea, lost against Crystal Palace in the weekend and have lost their last two away matches, and have lost two of their Champions League matches this season. 

Chelsea won the last meeting between the two sides, back in 2012 when they met in the World Cup for club teams. 

How are the probable lineups?

While Paris Saint Germain are injury free according to Transfermarkt, Chelsea will be without Ashley Cole, Samuel Eto'o and Marco van Ginkel.

Sirigu

van der Wiel - Alex - Thiago - Maxwell

Motta

Matuidi - Verratti

Lucas - Ibrahimovic - Lavezzi
__________________________________________

Torres

Hazard - Oscar - Willian

Matic - Luiz

Azpilicueta - Cahill - Terry - Ivanovic

Cech

What to expect from this match?

It's Zlatan against Hazard when PSG and Chelsea clashes at Parc de Princes, and we are looking to get a treat from the two sides. This is Paris Saint Germains opportunity to show Europe that French football is back in the top, and the side have the squad to cause problems for Chelsea. That said, the Brits have the experience and especially their defence should be able to keep Zlatan away from the goal. However, in the other end of the pitch they look less dangerous with Fernando Torres as the only striker available at the moment. Chelsea have played PSG twice in Europe before this season, and have kept a clean sheet in both matches and they can do it again on Wednesday, but at the same time PSG have scored in 16 successive ChL matches, netting at least twice in 12 of these games. The Chelsea defence will be crucial in the match, and I believe it can end in a 1-1 draw.

What are the odds?

PSG are the favorites according to oddschecker.com, with Boylesport having a 11/10 odds on the French. On the other hand, BETVICTOR has a 31/10 bet on a Chelsea victory while a draw gives 5/2 at bet365.



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Keep an eye on: Rolf Toft

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  • Name: Rolf Toft
  • Age: 21 (04-08-1992)
  • Position: Striker
  • Club: Aalborg BK
  • International caps: None
  • Value: £125.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)
He is a product of one of the many satellite clubs of Aalborg BK and have been compared to Wayne Rooney; his name is Rolf Toft and he is one of Aalborg's talented strikers.

During the research on this week's talent, one fans site described Rolf Tofts play style to the Manchester United star Wayne Rooney's. Not a Mr nobody that Rooney, but the talent takes the words with ease and acknowledge that Rooney is a great player and that he likes his play style. Unlike Rooney, Toft didn't get that instant success for his team as the Brit did for Everton.

During his youth career in the small club FC Hjørring [Vendsyssel FF today] Toft was a part of the 2nd team for a long time, as he was promoted to the best youth squad in the club, things started going fast; suddenly Aalborg were on the hunt for the talent:
"It went fast from playing on the 2nd team [Youth] in Hjørring to play for the 1st team and then suddenly be on my way to Aalborg, but it was nice that they were interested in me,” Toft says and reflects on what made him interesting for the Superliga team:
“I did well, and the sports director in Hjørring had a past in Aalborg so I believe they talked about me, at least that is what I heard.”
In Aalborg, Toft went directly into a very talented squad with names as Nicklas Helenius (Aston Villa), Lucas Andersen (Ajax Amsterdam) and Kasper Kusk (Aalborg), and felt the pressure right from the start. The striker was suddenly not the best, but among the best and had to fight for his position, until he in 2011, after training with the Superliga squad for six months, was offered a contract. In the same year, he had his debut when he was sent on against Odense Boldklub for the last five minutes, not as a striker, but as a midfielder. 
”It is always good to play some different positions and I can play on the wing, but I would rather be up in front," the striker says.
Since his debut, Toft went in and out of the squad, but had great success with the reserves where he started a goal streak. The many goals may be one of the reasons why he during the start of this season played six matches and started in two of, but then was sent on loan to Vejle BK. From the outside the loan to Vejle could seem rather odd, but the talent has a good explanation:
“It wasn’t in the cards that I would get much match time, and with a Rasmus Jönsson on his way back from his injury, I wanted to get some more experience and time on the pitch.”
However, Toft and Vejle wasn't a happy marriage and after nine matches and one goal, the talent returned to Aalborg to fight for a place in the starting lineup.
“It was a good place to be and the teammates were great, but I came for playing on a high level and didn’t get much time on the pitch,” Toft says about his short spell in Vejle. 

In Aalborg, Toft is now one of six strikers competing for a place in the starting lineup, with the Swedish striker Rasmus Jönsson, on loan from Wolfsburg, and the Lithuanian talent Lukas Spalvis, as the preferred partners at the moment. However, last Sunday the striker was back in the squad and got the last five minutes in the defeat to SønderjyskE and the striker knows that he will have to fight to get some time on the pitch.
“I fight for the every minute I can get, and then we will have to see during the summer if I am to leave Aalborg or I will get more time on the pitch.”  

Obviously, as with every other young Danish Footballer, Toft dreams of an adventure abroad and with Nicklas Helenius in Aston Villa and Lucas Andersen in Ajax, Aalborg could also be a great offset for the striker, but at the same time also a place for him to develop - if he gets the time of the pitch he requires:
“It is good to see that the players from Aalborg can move on to bigger clubs, and at the same time it is nice to play with some players on your own age, whom you have a bit more in common with than the older players,” he says.

However, as the talent mentioned earlier he will have to look for somewhere else to play if he is not given enough time on the pitch to develop, and it seems as Aalborg will have either to let him play or lose him him play or lose him; a loan deal is out of the picture. 
"Either it is Aalborg or somewhere else permanently, but I want to play in Aalborg more than anywhere else,” the talent ensures the fans before preparing for the next days training.






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Friday Five

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It's Friday and time for our weekly look back at what have happened the last seven days.

Friday 21st March - Champions League draw

We can look forward to some killer games in this years Champions League Quarter-finals. Manchester United will get their hands full against Bayern Munich while Chelsea will meet PSG in a battle between two giants. Furthermore, Dortmund, once again, meets Real Madrid in a replay of last season. In the last match we can look forward to a Spanish battle between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. The Champions League is treating us well this year!

Tuesday 25th March - The Manchester Derby

Manchester City took the third win of three at Old Trafford with a 3-0 win in the Derby. Edin Dzeko brought his total goals for City to 40 when he scored in the first minute and again in the 56th before Touré finished the humiliation with a goal in the last minute. The Manchester City win was not even close to the result from the last match at Etihad, but the Sky Blues dominated the Red Devils throughout the match.


Wednesday 26th March - #Moyesout

The morning after Manchester United's derby defeat saw #Moyesout trending on Twitter for the second time. The manager came under fire already during the match where stewards were sent to guard the famous banner supporting David Moyes at Old Trafford. However, Wednesday morning hundreds of tweets from furios fans and comical memes were tweeted under the hashtag #moyesout. Whether Manchester United will listen to their fans only time can show.


Wednesday 26th March - Kasper Schmeichel scores! or did he?

Did Kasper Schmeichel scorer his first goal for Leicester or was it Chris Wood? We will let you decide:


Thursday 27th March - UEFA launches new European league

The Nations League is as the name implies a new international tournament with the European national teams playing against each other instead of the friendlies. The concept of the tournament hasn't been confirmed yet, but the leagues (four levels) will start in autumn 2018, and four Euro places will be in play. The 54 member associations will be divided into four groups after their world ranking, and the nations will play either four or six matches during autumn 2018. During 2019, the nations will play for promotion or relegation depending on their position in the league. The Nations League is thought to run along with the Euro- and World Cup-qualifications.













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Thursdays Transfer Rumours

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It's Thursday, and it's time for the weekly transfer rumours update! This week Bendtner could head home, and Real Madrid have a couple of Premier League players in their sight.

Nicklas Bendtner may return to where it all started after being pictured watching FC Copenhagen (The Mirror) - Probability: Low

Tottenham are keeping an eye on Red Bull Salzburg winger Sadio Mane (Metro) - Probability: Medium

Arsenal will face competition from Real Madrid in their hunt for Lukasz Piszczek (Fichaje.nest) - Probability: Medium

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is a target for La Liga giants Real Madrid (Daily Star) - Probability: Low

Manchester United face competition for Portuguese midfielder William Carvalho, with Monaco reported to be interested (Inside Futbol) - Probability: High

Southampton is keeping an eye on Leeds defender Sam Byram as a replacement for Calum Chambers, should he move to Manchester united or Arsenal (The Mirror) - Probability: Low

Demba Ba is planning a summer exit from Chelsea and is looking for a move to a Serie A side (Daily Star) - Probability: High

Sam Allardyce is under pressure as West Ham boss, with reports linking Michael Laudrup to the role (The Sun) - Probability: Low

Real Madrid could rival Premier League giants for Southampton left-back Luke Shaw (The Mirror) - Probability: Low

Ryan Bertrand will only return to Chelsea if he is guaranteed a place in the side (The Sun) - Probability: Medium

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The Wednesday Predict

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The 32nd round of the Premier League is just around the corner and Great Dane Football Blog gives you our predictions on the weekends matches.

Manchester United v Aston Villa

Old Trafford
29-03-2014 @ 12.45 UK








Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra; Carrick, Fellaini; Valencia, Mata, Welbeck; Rooney.

Injuries: Robin van Persie (Knee) Doubts: Jonny Evans (Calf), Chris Smalling (Hamstring), Antonio Valencia (Eye) Bans: None.

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Guzan; Bacuna, Baker, Vlaar, Bertrand; El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor. 

Injuries: Chris Herd (Personal reasons), Libor Kozák (Broken leg), Charles N'Zogbia (Achilles), Jores Okore (Knee) Doubts: Karim El Ahmadi (Thigh), Andreas Weimann (Leg) Bans: None.

Manchester United lost the Manchester Derby once again last night while Aston Villa lost against Stoke last weekend. Both sides were beginning to show an upgoing form until the last round, and are looking to recover it in this match. However, Manchester United are favorites on Old Trafford on Saturday as Aston Villa have only won once against the Red Devils once since 2009. United are in more need of the three points than Aston Villa are if they want to get that crucial 5th that gives access to Europa League.


Southampton v Newcastle

St Mary's Stadium
29-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









Southampton (4-2-3-1): Boruc; Chambers, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw; Ward-Prowse, Cork; Lallana, Davis, Rodriguez; Lambert.

Injuries: Kelvin Davis (Knock) Doubts: Nathaniel Clyne (Groin), Guilherme Do Prado (Knock), Jay Rodriguez (Leg), Morgan Schneiderlin (Knock), Victor Wanyama (Knock) Bans: None.

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Krul; Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Williamson, Dummett; Anita, Tioté; Sissoko, de Jong, Gouffran; Cissé.

Injuries: Mathieu Debuchy (Groin), Gabriel Obertan (Knee), Ryan Taylor (Knee), Loïc Remy (Calf) Doubts: Sam Ameobi (Ankle), Davide Santon (Illness) Bans: None.

Newcastle, 8th in the table, meets Southampton, 9th, at St Mary's Stadium this weekend, in a match where Southamptons are the favorites. However, the Saints have only won once against Newcastle since 2002. Both sides lost their last Premier League game, and only one point is separating them at the moment. Both sides are struggling with injuries at the moment, but looking at the two lineups, on paper, Southampton just looks that stronger than Newcastle.


Stoke City v Hull City

Britannia Stadium
29-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








Stoke City (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Adam, Whelan; Odemwingie, N'Zonzi, Arnautovic; Crouch.

Injuries: Robert Huth (Knee) Doubts: Oussama Assaidi (Knee), Erik Pieters (Muscle) Bans: Jonathan Walters.

Hull City (4-4-2): McGregor; Elmohamady, Davies, Chester, Rosenior; Sagbo, Huddlestone, Livermore, Meyler; Jelavic, Long.

Injuries: Robert Brady (Groin), Joe Dudgeon (Knee), Paul McShane (Ankle) Doubts: Curtis Davies (Knock), Shane Long (Knee) Bans: George Boyd.

Stoke are unbeaten in four Premier League matches as they welcome Hull City to Britannia Stadium. The Tigers, on the other hand, have won two of their last three matches after beating West Brom last weekend. The two sides have a history of draws as five of the last ten meetings have ended without a winner while Stoke have the overhand with three wins against Hull's two. Hull can with a win move closer to Stoke in the table, but given the Potters current form they will have to work hard to get three points.


Swansea v Norwich

Liberty Stadium
29-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Vorm; Rangel, Williams, Chico, Davies; De Guzmán, Britton; Dyer, Michu, Hernández; Bony.

Injuries: Kyle Bartley (Hamstring) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Norwich (4-4-2): Ruddy; Martin, Yobo, Bassong, Olsson; Snodgrass, Tettey, Howson, Hoolahan; Elmander, van Wolfswinkel.

Injuries: Elliott Bennett (Knee), Leroy Fer (Hamstring) Doubts: Michael Turner (Lack of match fitness) Bans: None.

Swansea got a late draw against Arsenal yesterday when Mathieu Flamini scored an own goal in the dying minutes of the match. Saturday, they take on Norwich who won against Sunderland last weekend and are 13th in the table, two points ahead of Swansea. The Swans have not won in their last six Premier League matches while Norwich have two wins in their last five games. Despite the statistics, Swansea are considered the favorites by the bookmakers, and looking at the current squad situation, the Dyer, Michu, Hernández and Bony attack should be more than able to bring the Norwich defense under pressure.


Crystal Palace v Chelsea

Selhurst Park
29-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni; Mariappa, Dann, Delaney, Ward; Jedinak, Dikgacoi; Puncheon, Ledley, Bolasie; Jerome.

Injuries: Marouane Chamakh (Hamstring) Doubts: Dwight Gayle (Ankle) Bans: None.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Luiz, Matic; Schürrle, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.

Injuries: Ashley Cole (Knock) Doubts: Samuel Eto'o (Hamstring), Marco van Ginkel (Lack of match fitness) Bans: Ramires.

Chelsea's last match ended in a 6-0 victory against Arsenal and they might as well get the same number of goals against Crystal Palace. The Glaziers have not won against Chelsea in the last four meetings, and they are not left with many chances against Oscar, Hazard and Torres in the weekend. Crystal Palace are currently 17th in the league table, three points above the relegation line while Chelsea needs three points to keep their 1st in the Premier League.


West Bromwich v Cardiff

The Hawthorns
29-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








West Bromwich Albion (4-1-2-1-2): Foster; Reid, McAuley, Dawson, Ridgewell; Mulumbu; Morrison, Dorrans; Sessegnon; Thievy, Anichebe.

Injuries: Morgan Amalfitano (Knock), Chris Brunt (Knee), Billy Jones (Hamstring), Diego Lugano (Knee), Goran Popov (Neck), Claudio Yacob (Hamstring) Doubts: Victor Anichebe (Hamstring), Gareth McAuley (Ankle) Bans: Jonas Olsson.

Cardiff City (5-3-2): Marshall; Fabio, Caulker, Cala, Théophile-Catherine, John; Mutch, Medel, Kim Bo-Kyung; Bellamy, Campbell.

Injuries: Mark Hudson (Hamstring) Doubts: Graig Noone (Muscle), Andrew Taylor (Knock) Bans: None.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær have not been able to turn the Cardiff de route, finding his side 19th in the league table. Saturday, Cardiff visits West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorne in what can be another hard away match for the Welsh. That said, West Brom have not won at home in six matches, and this might just be Cardiff chance. Furthermore, West Brom is struggling with injuries at the moment, but their available players should be able to beat a weak Cardiff.


Arsenal v Manchester City

Emirates Stadium
29-03-2014 @ 17.30 UK








Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta; Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski; Giroud.

Injuries: Abou Diaby (Knee), Laurent Koscielny (Calf), Ryo Miyachi (Hamstring), Mesut Özil (Hamstring), Aaron Ramsey (Thigh), Theo Walcott (Knee), Jack Wilshere (Foot) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Kompany, Clichy; Fernandinho, Touré; Navas, Silva, Nasri; Dzeko.

Injuries: Sergio Aguero (Muscle), Matija Nastasic (Knee), Micah Richards (Muscle) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Arsenal are still licking their wounds after their humiliating loss against Chelsea last week and more or less lost the chance of winning the Premier League. This week, Manchester City visits Emirates Stadium and last time the two sides met, they won 6-3 at home. Manchester City are also favorites on Saturday with their current winning streak of three consecutive matches. Arsenal needs three points to stay in the top battle, but they are not likely to get them against Manchester City on Saturday.


Fulham v Everton

Craven Cottage
30-03-2014 @ 13.40 UK








Fulham (4-2-3-1): Stockdale; Riether, Hangeland, Heitinga, Richardson; Sidwell, Kvist; Holtby, Kasami, Kacaniklic; Woodrow.

Injuries: Matthew Briggs (Hernia), Dan Burn (Muscle), Askhan Dejagah (Muscle), Damien Duff (Knee), Kostas Mitroglou (Knee), Scott Parker (Knee) Doubts: None Bans: Fernando Amorebieta.

Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Barry, McCarthy; Mirallas, Osman, McGeady; Lukaku.

Injuries: Darron Gibson (Knee), Arouna Koné (Knee), Lacina Traoré (Hamstring), Bryan Oviedo (Broken leg), Steven Pienaar (Knee) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Everton can close in on Arsenal with a win against Fulham, currently 20th in the league table, and are the favorites in Sunday's match. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 4-1 win to Everton, and this meeting might just end the same way. Fulham are really struggling in the bottom of the table and given they have only won one of the last ten meetings between the sides they will get in trouble on Sunday.


Liverpool v Tottenham

Anfield Road
30-03-2014 @ 16.00 UK








Liverpool (4-1-2-1-2): Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan; Gerrard; Henderson, Allen; Sterling; Sturridge, Suárez.

Injuries: Sebastián Coates (Knee), Enrique (Knee) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Naughton, Vertonghen, Kaboul, Rose; Dembélé, Bentaleb; Lennon, Chadli, Eriksen; Adebayor.

Injuries: Etienne Capoue (Ankle), Erik Lamela (Thigh) Doubts: Kyle Walker (Groin) Bans: None.

Liverpool are unbeaten in 11 consecutive matches and are 3rd in the Premier League before the Tottenham match. Tottenham, on the other hand, won their last match after losing two in a row. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 5-0 victory to Liverpool, but it is very unlikely to happen again as Tottenham looked good in their Southampton match last week. However, Liverpool will win this match as they simply seems to be unstoppable at the moment.


Sunderland v West Ham

Stadium of Light
31-03-2014 @ 20.00 UK








Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Mannone; Bardsley, Brown, O'Shea, Dossena; Bridcutt; Johnson, Colback, Ki, Scocco; Wickham.

Injuries: Steven Fletcher (Ankle), Keiren Westwood (Shoulder) Doubts: None Bans: None.

West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Adrián; Demel, Tomkins, Collins, McCartney; Noble, Taylor; Diamé, Nolan, Downing; Carroll.

Injuries: Marco Borriello (Hamstring), Joey O'Brien (Shoulder dislocation) Doubts: Matthew Jarvis (Thigh) Bans: None.

Sunderland have not won in their last four Premier League matches and are 18th in the table with three points up to Crystal Palace. West Ham have lost their last three matches and are currently six points from the relegation line. From the positions in the table, West Ham are the favorites, but the Hammers have not won against the Black Cats since 2010, and given their current form they are not likely to change this on Monday. That said, Sunderland doesn't seem to have any power up front why this probably will end in a draw.

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Will Chelsea hold on to Lukaku?

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Romelu Lukaku is returning to Chelsea from his loan spell at Everton this summer, but already he is linked
with several clubs.

Last season he scored 17 goals for West Bromwich, this season he is on 11 for Everton; still his future in Chelsea is uncertain. It is the curse of being a talent in Chelsea some will say, as Romelu Lukaku undoubtedly has the talent, but doesn't seem to get a chance with José Mourinho.

His great performances in West Brom and Everton have now caused some attention to the Belgian as the papers today writes that Newcastle, Everton and Tottenham are all interested in signing the striker. A deal could well be under way as Mourinho seems to be more focused on bringing in Falcao or Hulk, and could use the money from a Lukaku transfer. According to the papers, Chelsea demands around £24m for their talented striker.

It seems odd that Mourinho is more focussed on bringing in a name from another league, rather than giving Lukaku, a young player with Premier League experience, the opportunity. However, the two have been in a media battle earlier this year, and this might explain why the manager is willing to let the striker go.

Question is now if this is all just a good story for the press, or if Lukaku will find another club next season.
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Match of the Week: Manchester United v Manchester City

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Tomorrow, Manchester, will either be red or blue when the two rivals meets in the postponed derby at Old Trafford.


Manchester Utd v Manchester City
Premier League 28th Round
25-03-2014 @ 19.45 UK









How are the two sides form?

Manchester have had troubles this season, but both the players and the manager hoped that their 3-0 win against Olympiakos last Wednesday was the turning point for the Red Devils. Saturday they won 2-0 against West Ham, and a win against Manchester City tomorrow will create hope for some European football next season.

Manchester City are out of the Champions League and can now fully focus on the league and the Capital One cup. City are unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches and have been one of the strongest sides this season.

Manchester City have won the last two meetings between the two sides and have five wins against Uniteds four in the last ten meetings.

What are the probable lineups?

Robin van Persie is currently the only Manchester United7 player confirmed to be out along with Nemanja Vidic serving a ban. However, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Valencia are all rated doubtful. Manchester City are without Sergio Aguero, Matija Nastasic and Micah Richards while Edin Dzeko is rated doubtful.

De Gea

Rafael - Ferdinand - Jones - Evra

Carrick - Fellaini

Januzaj - Mata - Welbeck

Rooney
___________________________________

Negredo - Dzeko

Silva - Fernandinho - Touré - Nasri

Kolarov - Lescott - Demichelis - Zabaleta

Hart

What to expect from this match?

Given that the Manchester Derby have only ended in one draw of the last ten played, there will be found a winner on Tuesday evening. Manchester City have the upper hand against Manchester United and I expect them to be the dominating side in this match. That said, United owns the fans a Derby win at Old Trafford and will fight hard to get it. It is impossible to say if their form have changed with the win over Olympiakos, but a win against City will show if they are back on track. City are missing Aguero up front, but both Dzeko and Negredo have something to prove and I can see Dzeko put one into the back of the net. City are most likely to pull out with a win.

What are the odds?

BET365 gives a 5/6 odds on a Manchester City win while BetFred gives 5/2 on a Manchester United win. A draw gives back 13/5 on SkyBet. Wayne Rooney has scored five goals in his last five games in all competitions against Manchester City and gives 13/2 at PaddyPower if he scores the first goal of the match. 

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Keep an eye on: Kevin Ray Mendoza Hansen

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Photo: Ali Shahrokhtash

  • Name: Kevin Ray Mendoza Hansen
  • Age: 19 (29-09-1994)
  • Position: Goalkeeper
  • Club: Viborg FF
  • International Caps: None
  • Value: £50.000 (Transfermarkt.co.uk)

He had his debut in the Danish 1. Divison when he was only 17, have had a tryout in Liverpool and is now on the look for a new club; this week we keep an eye on Viborgs Kevin Ray Mendoza Hansen.

Take the name Kevin Ray Hansen, add then Mendoza and you have a not so typical Danish name. However, there is a good explanation to the young goalkeeper's rather untraditional name of Danish standards and as the talent put it himself he is a mix of nationalities. His grandmother was Filipino and his Grandfather was Spanish, add then his Danish father and you have a multinational young talent eligible to play for the Philippines. Even though his mother have urged him to contact the Philippine national team, Kevin Hansen has his mind somewhere else.

The young keeper is a product of Viborg's youth department and is described as a safe goalkeeper with a great calmness and self confidence and was already at a young age promoted to the, back then, 1. division squad.

“It is a special feeling; when you come from U17 and U19 you have the green blood running through your veins, and it is a perfect feeling to be a part of the best team in Viborg," Hansen says about his life in Viborg.

Soon after being promoted, and by the age of 17, Kevin Hansen was given his debut for Viborg as the, by then, first choice Martin Hansen was going through a troubled time of injuries. For the same reason, it didn't come as a shock for the talent that he suddenly was in the lineup. However, since the debut the goalkeeper has had trouble getting time on the pitch, even before the start of this season where Viborg only had Kevin Hansen in their squad. However, the club decided to bring in another and more experienced goalkeeper.

“Obviously, you are disappointed and it feels like a defeat, but I was prepared as I knew they wanted a more experienced goalkeeper, so it wasn’t a big surprise, but obviously I hoped they would give me a chance," Hansen says the arrival of a new goalkeeper. 

While not  getting a chance in Viborg, Liverpool gave him a chance last year when they invited the goalkeeper for a week's tryout in England. The tryout was arranged with the help from Martin Hansen who was a part of Liverpool's youth department before joining Viborg made the contact with John Acterberg, the goalkeeper coach at the Merseyside club. Mendoza sent some videos to Acterberg and luckily for the talent, he liked what he saw.

“It is probably the biggest experience in my life; the environment was perfect and I got to train with some of the best players, so it was really good," the talent says. 

“I learned that everything is hard work, the training was harder and there was a lot of self training and weightlifting.”

Despite the interest from Liverpool Hansen have been in the shadows of more experienced goalkeepers, and by the end of this season his time in Viborg is over. The talent is looking to leave his heart club in order to get more experience even though it means he may have to take a step down from the Danish Superliga level. 

“My aim is to get back in the best league, but I’m still young and has the time on my side," he says and ends the interview with a talk about his dreams in football: 

“I dream of a breakthrough abroad somewhere; England is a dream, but Spain, Germany and maybe Italy would also be great.”







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Friday Five

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Another week has gone by, and a lot have happened in the world of football; Great Dane Football Blog have picked five highlights, in a week where records have been broken.

Friday March 14 - Anelka sacked by West Bromwich

Nicolas Anelka's West Bromwich Albion career ended Friday night when the French nomad was sacked for "gross misconduct." The striker was given a five-match ban and a £80,000 fine by the FA for the quenelle gesture he mad at Upton Park in December. Just hours before he was sacked, he Anelka announced that he was terminating his playing contract with the club, but it turned out he was sacked. His hunt for a new club might turn out to be a hard one as FIFA is considering a global ban for the 'quenelle.'

Sunday March 15 - Mourinho

Aston Villa won against Chelsea on Sunday, but it was Willian, Ramires and Mourinho who stole the picture. First, Willian was sent off after two yellow cards, then Ramires, rightful, was sent off before Mourinho was asked to leave the bench for arguing with the ref. William only had himself to blame after receiving a second yellow card for a cynical challenge to stop a Delph run. Ramires challenge was not much better, and finally Mourinho felt the referee was against him. Mourinho was yesterday charged for improper misconduct.


Sunday March 15 - Zlatan breaks PSG record

The Swede took his season tally to a club-record with 40 goals in the 2-0 win against St Etienne. Ibrahimovic surpassed Carlos Bianchi's record from the 1977-78 season where the Argentine scored 39 goals. Zlatan surely is one of the best strikers in the world, but credits have to be given to the team behind him and the league he is playing in. Many still believes that Zlatan could be playing in a much better league than the French. However, the Swede can now add another record to his long cv.

Monday March 16 - Lionel Messi breaks Barcelona record

He is only 26 but have already made his 25th hat-trick for Barcelona on Sunday. As it wasn't enough, the hattrick helped the Argentinian to become Barcelona's all-time leading scorer when he helped his side to a 7-0 win over Osasuna. Messi have now scored 371 goals and eclipsed the record set by Paulino Alcantara who scored 369 goals in 356 appearances between 1912-1927. This is the sixth consecutive season in which the Argentinian has scored 30 goals, and currently on 18 goals this season.

Tuesday March 17 - Ronaldo is set to break record

After Real Madrid's Champions League win against Schalke on Wednesday, where Ronaldo scored twice the Portuguese is only 2 goals away from breaking the Champions League goalscoring record. The record holder at the moment is Ronaldo's rival from Barcelona with 14 goals. However, with 13 goals on the account Ronaldo is more than likely to take the Champions League goalscoring record this season.











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Thursdays Transfer Rumours

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A new week of rumours and one of them sends Kasper Schmeichel in his fathers footsteps. Great Dane Football Blog gives you an update on the transfer rumours.

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel could join Manchester United in the summer, according to his agent (The Mirror) - Probability: Low

Fernando Torres is the main target for Atletico Madrid this summer (The Sun) - Probability: High

Manchester City are eyeing Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes when he leaves Nou Camp at the end of the season (Daily Mail) - Probability: Medium

Roma wants to sign Newcastle full-back Mathieu Debuchy (talkSPORT) - Probability: Medium

Standard Liege striker Michy Batshuayi is flirting with Arsenal for a Premier League move (The Mirror) - Probability: Low

PSV's Belgian forward Zakaria Bakkali is a target for Liverpool and Arsenal (Daily Express) - Probability: Low

Former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf is a target for Cardiff and Stoke when his Hannover contract ends this summer (talkSPORT) - Probability: High

Liverpool and Manchester United are both hunting Bayern Munich's Xherdan Shaqiri (The Mirror) - Probability: Medium

Stoke boss Mark Hughes is targeting QPR's 18-year-old Canadian winger Michael Petrasso (Daily Mail) - Probability: Low

Chelsea are looking to sign Southampton's 18-year old striker Sam Gallagher (Metro) - Probability: Low







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The Wednesday Predict

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Another round of the Premier League is coming up, and this week we have another London Derby on the program. Here are the Wednesday Predicts.


Chelsea v Arsenal

Stamford Bridge
22-03-2014 @ 12.45 UK









Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Luiz, Matic; Schürrle, Oscar, Hazard; Eto'o.

Injuries: Ashley Cole (Knock), Tomas Kalas (Leg), Marco van Ginkel (Knee) Doubts: David Luiz (Knock) Bans: Ramires, Willian.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Flamini, Arteta; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Cazorla; Giroud.

Injuries: Abou Diaby (Knee), Mesut Ozil (Hamstring), Aaron Ramsey (Thigh), Theo Walcott (Knee), Jack Wilshere (Foot) Doubts: Nicklas Bendtner (Illness), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Calf).

It's number one against number three in the Premier League when Arsenal goes into their second derby in a week at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have a midweek win against Galatasaray in their backpack and will go into the match with a couple of tired players. At the same time,  Arsenal are struggling with injuries at the moment and is missing profiles as Ozil, Walcott, Wilshere and Ramsey. Chelsea are the favorites for the win at the Bridge with Arsenal not winning against the Pensioner in the last six meetings.


Newcastle v Crystal Palace

St James Park
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Krul; Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Williamson, Dummett; Anita, Tioté; Sissoko, de Jong, Gouffran; Cissé.

Injuries: Hatem Ben Arfa (Personal reasons), Mathieu Debuchy (Groin), Gabriel Obertan (Knee), Ryan Taylor (Knee), Loïc Remy (Calf) Doubts: Gael Bigirimana (Ankle), Robert Elliott (Knee), Davide Santon (Knee) Bans: None.

Crystal Palace (4-1-2-2-1): Speroni; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Parr; Jedinak; Dikgacoi, Ledley; Puncheon, Bolasie; Murray.

Injuries: Marouane Chamakh (Hamstring) Doubts: Barry Bannan (Illness), Daniel Gabbidon (Knock) Bans: None.

Crystal Palace are above the relegation line, but can go beneath it again after the match against Newcastle at St James Park while the Toons can move up a position with a win. With Loïc Remy out with an injury Papiss Cissé is probably going to start against Crystal Palace and the Senegalese have something to prove for both manager and fans, as he seems to have lost their support. The last six matches between the two sides have only given Crystal Palace one point, and the Glaziers are not likely to take three against Newcastle on Saturday.


Everton v Swansea

Goodison Park
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard; Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines; Barry, McCarthy; Mirallas, Osman, McGeady; Lukaku.

Injuries: Darron Gibson (Knee), Arouna Koné (Knee), Lacina Traoré (Knee), Bryan Oviedo (Broken Leg) Doubts: Gareth Barry (Shin), Phil Jagielka (Hamstring), Steven Pienaar (Knock) Bans: None.

Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Vorm; Rangel, Williams, Chico, Davies; De Guzmán, Britton; Dyer, Hernández, Routledge; Bony.

Injuries: Kyle Bartley (Hamstring), Garry Monk (Knee) Doubts: Nathan Dyer (Foot), Jonjo Shelvey (Hamstring) Bans: None.

Everton have won their last five consecutive Premier League home matches and can extend their streak with a win against Swansea on Saturday. Swansea, on the other hand, have not won in their last four Premier League matches, and Garry Monk's magic seems to have disappeared. Furthermore, the Swans haven't won against Everton in their last six meetings and given the Toons home form they are not likely to take their fist win on Saturday.

Cardiff v Liverpool

Cardiff City Stadium
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









Cardiff City (4-1-2-2-1): Marshall; Fabio, Caulker, Turner, John; Medel; Mutch, Kim Bo-Kyung; Noone, Campbell; Jones. 

Injuries: Mark Hudson (Hamstring) Doubts: Andrew Taylor (Knock), Ben Turner (Knock) Bans: None.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan; Coutinho, Gerrard, Henderson; Sterling, Sturridge, Suárez.

Injuries: Sebastián Coates (Knee), Enrique (Knee) Doubt: None Bans: None

The Cardiff defends will get their troubles against a well playing Liverpool attack in the match on Saturday. 43 goals have been scored by Sturridge and Suárez so far this season, and the duo will be eager to add to their score against a Cardiff defends that have let 52 goals in this season. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last ten matches and currently second in the table while Cardiff are 19th after losing last week against Everton. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is facing a relegation if he cannot turn the bad form around, and will hope that Liverpool will not be to hard against his team. 


Manchester City v Fulham

City of Manchester Stadium
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









Manchester City (4-4-2): Hart; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Lescott, Kolarov; Nasri, Touré, Fernandinho, Silva; Dzeko, Negredo.

Injuries: Sergio Aguero (Muscle), Matija Nastasic (Knee) Doubts: Stevan Jovetic (Hamstring), Micah Richards (Knock) Bans: Vincent Kompany.

Fulham (4-4-2): Stekelenburg; Riether, Heitinga, Hangeland, Richardson; Dejagah, Sidwell, Holtby, Kacaniklic; Woodrow, Mitroglou.

Injuries: Matthew Briggs (Hernia), Damien Duff (Knee), Giorgios Karagounis (Muscle), Scott Parker (Knee) Doubts: Darren Bent (Personal reasons), Ashkan Dejagah (Leg), Kostas Mitroglou (Knee) Bans: None.

City are favorites against a struggling Fulham side and can bring themselves into top three with a win. Felix Magath took his first win for Fulham last week with a 1-0 victory against Newcastle, and will hope to take another one on Saturday. However, Fulham have not won against City since 2009 and given Manchester City's current form they are unlikely to take their first on Saturday.


Norwich v Sunderland

Carrow Road
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








Norwich (4-4-1-1): Ruddy; Martin, Yobo, Bassong, Olsson; Snodgrass, Tettey, Johnson, Redmond; Hoolahan; van Wolfswinkel.

Injuries: Elliott Bennett (Knee), Leroy Fer (Hamstring), Jonás Gutiérrez (Calf), Michael Turner (Hamstring) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Sunderland (4-1-2-2-1): Mannone; Bardsley, Brown, O'Shea, Alonso; Bridcutt; Colback, Ki; Johnson, Borini; Altidore.

Injuries: Kieren Westwood (Shoulder) Doubts: Steven Fletcher (Ankle) Bans: None.

It is two equal teams that clash Saturday at Carrow Road; the last ten matches have ended in four wins for each side and two draws. Norwich are favorites given their 15th position in the league compared to Sunderlands 18th, but Sunderland can surprise against the Canaries. Norwich's season has been a rollercoaster of up and downs, and Chris Hughton has not been able to make things work. This can be in the advantage for the Black Cats who can bring themselves above the relegation line with a win.


Hull v West Bromwich

KC Stadium
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK








Hull City (4-4-2): McGregor; Rosenior, Davies, Chester, Figueroa; Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Meyler; Jelavic, Long.

Injuries: Robert Brady (Groin), Joe Dudgeon (Knee), Paul McShane (Ankle) Doubts: None Bans: None.

West Bromwich Albion (3-5-2): Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson; Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Morrison, Sessegnon, Ridgewell; Thievy, Anichebe.

Injuries: Chris Brunt (Knee), Billy Jones (Hamstring), Diego Lugano (Knee), Goran Popov (Neck), Claudio Yacob (Hamstring) Doubts: Morgan Amalfitano (Knock) Bans: Jonas Olsson.

Only two points separate Hull and West Brom in the league before they meet on Saturday, but given their last two meetings it is unlikely that any of them will move anywhere in the table. The two sides have played a draw in their last meetings. While Hull lost to Manchester City last week, West Bromwich took a 2-1 victory against Swansea, but it is Hull that are favorites at KC Stadium according to the bookmakers. However, The Tigers have not won at home in their last five matches and can face problems against West Brom.


West Ham v Manchester United

Upton Park
22-03-2014 @ 15.00 UK









West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Adrián; Demel, Reid, Tomkins, McCartney; Noble, Taylor; Jarvis, Nolan, Downing; Carroll.

Injuries: Marco Borriello (Hamstring), Joey O'Brien (Shoulder dislocation) Doubts: None Bans: None.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Jones, Evra; Carrick, Fellaini; Mata, Rooney, Januzaj; van Persie.

Injuries: None Doubts: Jonny Evans (Calf), Javier Hernandez (Knee), Chris Smalling (Hamstring) Bans: Nemanja Vidic.

Manchester United needs three points at Upton Park if they want to keep up with Everton, but they might go into the match without a manager as rumours says David Moyes could be sacked if United are sent out of the Champions League tonight. West Ham have lost the last two matches in the Premier League and are currently 12th in the table and can take a step towards Stoke with a win. Manchester United's current form opens for a West Ham win as nothing is certain with the Red Devils at the moment.

Tottenham v Southampton

White Hart Lane
23-03-2014 @ 13.30 UK









Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-2-2-1): Lloris; Walker, Vertonghen, Kaboul, Rose; Sandro; Eriksen, Bentaleb; Lennon, Townsend; Adebayor.

Injuries: Etienne Capoue (Ankle), Vlad Chiriches (Back), Michael Dawson (Hamstring), Erik Lamela (Thigh) Doubts: Moussa Dembélé (Hamstring), Younes Kaboul (Knock), Kyle Walker (Groin) Bans: None.

Southampton (4-4-1-1): Boruc; Clyne, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw; Davis, Ward-Prowse, Schneiderlin, Rodriguez; Lallana; Lambert.

Injuries: Jack Cork (Ankle), Kelvin Davis (Knock) Doubts: Dejan Lovren (Groin), Victor Wanyama (Knock) Bans: None.

Tottenham have lost their last two matches in the Premier League, against Arsenal and Chelsea, and are more or likely out of the Europa League after losing 3-1 to Benfica. The players will, therefore, be eager to get three points on the account and try and save the season with a European qualification. Southampton have won their last two Premier League matches and are only three points behind Manchester why a victory would help them getting closer to the top. Tottenham won the last meeting between the two sides and should make it a double this week.


Aston Villa v Stoke

Villa Park
23-03-2014 @ 16.00 UK









Aston Villa (4-3-3): Guzan; Bacuna, Baker, Vlaar, Bennett; El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor.

Injuries: Chris Herd (Personal reasons), Libor Kozák (Broken leg), Charles N'Zogbia (Achilles) Doubts: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Calf) Bans: None.

Stoke City (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; N'Zonzi, Whelan; Odemwingie, Arnautovic, Etherington; Crouch.

Injuries: Robert Huth (Knee) Doubts: Oussama Assaidi (Knee), Erik Pieters (Muscle) Bans: Jonathan Walters.

Aston Villa took 1-0 win against Chelsea last week, and are now unbeaten in two league games positioning them 10th in the table. Stoke are just behind them in the table, and are unbeaten in their last three matches before visiting Villa Park. Aston Villa are the favorites, but will have to fight for the three points against a Stoke finding their form and eager to move up in the table. However, Villa won the last meeting between the two sides and should be able to take three points on Sunday.


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