Chelsea Vs Everton May 19, 2013

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"Parting is such sweet sorrow." No, the oft repeated Romeo and Juliet quote doesn't quite fit such a strange day of farewells.
Rafa Benitez has created history with Chelsea, the first club to hold Champions League and Europa League trophies at the same time, but there'll be few tears at his departure. Everton fans however will lift the rafters as they say their goodbyes to David Moyes after 11 years.
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Benitez has achieved his targets - a European trophy and Champions League qualification. More than that, he's improved certain players. David Luiz has learned about responsibility and team structure. Fernando Torres has regained his zest for football and goals.
He's managed his squad thoughtfully through 68 gruelling games - this the 15th in 51 days - and he has one last task to achieve.
A win will guarantee automatic Champions League qualification. Anything less and Arsenal could pip them for third place.

There's even the possibility of a play-off against the Gunners if the two clubs finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored.
Benitez has behaved with dignity and great professionalism. Will he finally have squeezed some affection from hardened Shed Enders?
It'll be an emotional day for Moyes. In 11 years he has amassed nine top-eight finishes. This year they'll be above Liverpool for the second year running.
He's worked miracles with pennies and farthings. His team now is as typically difficult to beat as it has been for years.
There will be tears at full-time. "Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." No, poet Kahlil Gibran won't do either because Everton fans should celebrate the Moyes era and wish him well.
Let's make a song and dance of it instead with that wonderful Broadway lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz:

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led to those who help us most to grow
If we let them and we help them in return."
It won't be sung on the terraces but it'll do for me. Good luck Rafa. Good luck Mr Moyes.

West Brom Vs Manchester United May 19, 2013

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English football will witness the end of an era on Sunday when Alex Ferguson takes charge of Manchester United for the 1,500th and final time in their last game of the season at West Bromwich Albion.

Having waved goodbye to Old Trafford in an emotional 2-1 win over Swansea City last weekend, Ferguson will close the door on his managerial career at The Hawthorns — 26 years, six months and 11 days since his first game at the United helm, a 2-0 loss at Oxford United on November 8, 1986.

It promises to be a day rich in nostalgia for Ferguson, who will be succeeded by Everton manager David Moyes on July 1.

In his final pre-game press conference, he cast his mind back to the very beginning of his journey as a manager, with Scottish minnows East Sterling in 1974.

“I have had 39 years as a manager,” said the 71-year-old.

“On that day in 1974 when I started at East Stirling, I had eight players and no goalkeeper. Today I have six goalkeepers and about 100 players.

“I remember the old chairman, Willie Muirhead. He was a great chain smoker. When I asked him for a list of players, he started to shake. His cigarette was going 100 miles an hour.

Ferguson will retire with 49 trophies to his name, 38 of which he has amassed during a record-breaking stint at United in which he established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the history of professional sport.

However, for all the inevitable emphasis on his past, Ferguson has pledged that his final team selection will be forward-thinking.

The Scot says he intends to field Phil Jones and Jonny Evans at centre-back, while he has also promised to honour a vow made to second-choice goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard that he would start the game.

“I stand by that. Anders will be in goal,” Ferguson said.

“I will play one or two younger players, and I want to play Jonny Evans and Phil Jones at centre-half because they are the future. Nemanja (Vidic) and Rio (Ferdinand) will just have to make do with a place on the bench.”

Paul Scholes could make one last appearance for United, having announced his retirement last week.

The 38-year-old is only the third player to have made more than 700 appearances for the club, after Bobby Charlton and Ryan Giggs, and turned out for the 717th time in United’s colours against Swansea.

Ferguson must also decide whether or not to hand a start to Wayne Rooney, having left him out of the squad for the Swansea game after the unsettled striker submitted a transfer request.

United have taken 35 points from a possible 39 against West Brom since the Midlands club were promoted to the top flight in 2002, but manager Steve Clarke wants his side to finish the season on a high.

Despite a run of just one win in eight games, West Brom are guaranteed to finish no lower than ninth, which will be their best performance in the Premier League era.

“We must have done something right in the early part of the season in that we never looked close to being dragged into the relegation tussle and there were a lot of teams involved this season and we were nowhere near it. And we’ve finished in the top half of the table again,” Clarke said.

French forward Marc-Antoine Fortune returns from suspension for West Brom, but right-back Steven Reid is an injury doubt after picking up a knock in last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Norwich City.

Newcastle United vs Arsenal May 19, 2013

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Arsene Wenger insists he would have been happy to see Arsenal’s Champions League hopes go to the final day when his side appeared out of the race for a top four finish earlier this season.

Wenger’s side trailed Tottenham by seven points in March, but now play their final fixture at Newcastle on Sunday knowing victory will guarantee they finish at least fourth and secure a spot in the Champions League qualification rounds.

Should Chelsea fail to beat Everton, they could yet finish third, possibly via a play-off if the two clubs finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored.

The uncertainty ensures there will be some nerves at St James’ Park. But Gunners boss Wenger said: “I know for a long time that for us, when we were seven points behind, we would all be happy that it goes to the last day.

“We are in a position where nobody expected us to be. We have our destiny in our hands, our fate in our hands and that’s what you fight for in the game.

“It is a game that we will now want to win but at least we fought back to be in a position where we master our own fate.”

Asked about the prospect of a play-off with Chelsea, he added: “I would fancy that. A play-off exists only if win our game, so let’s win the game and see what happens.

“The biggest task is to win the game and not speculate too much on what happens after because the first compulsory thing we face is to win the game on Sunday.”

Wenger also revealed he is close to signing Auxerre forward Yaya Sanogo.

“We are advanced with him, but it is not done,” he said. “I am very confident.

“He is a young striker who is promising, and has a big talent.”

Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta is set to miss the game with a calf problem suffered against Wigan in midweek, while Wenger remains unsure whether Jack Wislhere is ready to complete a full 90 minutes, with the England midfielder due to have an ankle operation at the end of the season.

However, French striker Olivier Giroud returns for the Gunners after serving a three-match suspension.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has challenged his players to end a turbulent season on a high by playing a part in frustrating Arsenal’s Champions League hopes.

Pardew’s side have conceded nine goals in their last two home games, and were humbled 7-3 at the Emirates Stadium in December.

They only sealed their Premier League future with victory last weekend at QPR, but could finish as high as 10th if they inflict the Gunners’ first defeat on Tyneside since 2006.

“It’s very important to go out by putting in a good performance for our fans,” Pardew said.

“The last couple of home games have been tough for us, and there’s something riding on the game for Arsenal which I think is good for us.”

Pardew was forced to clarify his comments after suggesting tongue in cheek this week that he didn’t mind if his side suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Wenger’s men.

“I’ve had a few Tottenham fans remind me about that comment, but it was made purely out of relief after the victory at QPR, and was definitely tongue in cheek,” he added.

Steve Harper, the 38-year-old goalkeeper who will leave in the summer, plays his 199th and final game for Newcastle as he brings the curtain down on a near two-decade spell at the club.

“He’s been a great servant of this club and an absolutely superb professional,” Pardew said.

Venue St James’ Park, Sunday 4pm

Tickets Here

Last season Newcastle 0 Arsenal 0

Referee Howard Webb

San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors May 16,2013

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The Golden State Warriors are 4-0 following a loss during the 2013 NBA playoffs, which is important to consider when making your picks Thursday, as they take on the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena.

San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors NBA Basketball
Date: May 16, 2013
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Place: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, California
Contest: NBA Playoffs

Benfica 1-2 Chelsea May 15, 2013

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Would be a huge result for Chelsea if they won, considering they won Champions League last year and then became the first reigning champions to be knocked out in the Group Stages (and then parachuting down into this years Europa League).

For Benfica, the Portuguese side has been the bridesmaid in this competition more times than they’d like to remember….

Chelsea – Fernando Torres – 60th minute

Benfica – Oscar Cardozo PENALTY KICK – 68th minute

Chelsea – Branislav Ivanovic – 90+2nd minute


On the injury front, though, manager Jorge Jesus doesn't have any problems to contend with. Fighting game between Benfica vs Chelsea is very important. These two giants are facing a great fight UEFA final.

Never before has a club followed up a Champions League win with victory in UEFA’s second-most prestigious competition, but that’s exactly what Chelsea will be out to do when they face Benfica in Wednesday’s Europa League Final in Amsterdam.

It’s not exactly the ideal pattern.

No doubt the Blues would have preferred to put together a more serious defense of last spring’s European Cup triumph, but after an early Champions League exit and difficult start to the season that had them outside the Premier League’s top four, they have managed to right the ship and will conclude the campaign with both a third-place finish and European final.

It could certainly have been worse, and Chelsea fans can take heart that things are trending upwards for their club.

Benfica, meanwhile, come into Wednesday’s final on the back of their first Portuguese Primeira Liga defeat of the season—a 1-0 loss away to Porto that now has them trailing the reigning champions by a single point with one match to play.

With the title now out of their hands the Europa League will now have added importance for the Lisbon giants, and following six straight defeats in European finals they’ll be looking to start a new streak at Amsterdam Arena.

This may not be the continent’s showcase event, but with clubs as esteemed as Benfica and Chelsea contesting Wednesday’s match, this year’s Europa League Final may just seem bigger than it really is.