Southampton vs Barnsley August 27, 2013

Tweet

Barnsley will be without defender Jean-Yves Mvoto, who serves a one-game ban following his sending off at Blackburn.
The Tykes may hand a debut to winger Paddy McCourt, who joined the club last week.
Southampton could give a first start to record signing Daniel Osvaldo, who arrived from AS Roma this month.
Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is a fitness doubt and may not feature, while Luke Shaw has a knee problem which could prevent him from playing.

The outsider’s view of tonight’s contest at Oakwell would be that it offers a welcome distraction from the rigours of what has so far been a trying start to the Championship season.

The Reds have yet to register a win and have been on ther receiving end of two heavy defeats, most recently a 5-2 reverse at Blackburn.

Norway international Marcus Pedersen is expected to be handed his full debut after stepping off the substitutes' bench on Saturday, while fellow new signing Paddy McCourt is hoping to make his first appearance.

Midfielder Kelvin Etuhu made his first start at the weekend following a hamstring injury and should continue, but defender Martin Cranie (knee) remains sidelined.


Record signing Dani Osvaldo could make his first Southampton start.

Even in progressing to tonight’s second round of the Capital One Cup, where they meet in-form Southampton, Barnsley required a penalty shoot-out to see off League Two side Scunthorpe United.

But instead of sending his players out to enjoy themselves without the pressure of fighting for League points, Flitcroft wants his side to put into practice the positive work they have been doing on the training ground.

“We don’t need a distraction, we need a focus,” said the Reds chief.

“We need to focus on the training ground and we need to focus on our job. Distractions only bring negativity.”

Referee: S Duncan (Northumberland).

Liverpool vs Notts County August 27, 2013

Tweet

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists his side will afford Notts County “the same respect” as they will Manchester United on Sunday.

“We are concentrating only on the next game, and for us it is Notts County,” he told reporters during his Monday press conference.

Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns for their League Cup second-round tie against League One Notts County at Anfield. The match will come too soon for defender Martin Skrtel, however, with the defender still struggling with a knee injury. Uruguayan centre-back Sebastian Coates is a long-term casualty – expected to be out for most of the season - with frontman Luis Suarez still serving his suspension. Fabio Borini, who spent much of last season out injured with a broken foot, could make the team with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expected to make changes.

Notts County manager Chris Kiwomya will check on a number of players ahead of the League Cup clash. Captain Dean Leacock is a doubt, although Kiwomya will be keen to have his most-experienced defender play against the Reds. Fellow defender Alan Sheehan, who has been suffering with a hamstring strain, and forwards Enoch Showunmi and Danny Haynes missed the home league defeat to Stevenage on Saturday but will be checked ahead of the visit to Anfield

He also responded to a question about squad rotation by saying, “It will be an opportunity for some players who maybe haven’t featured to get a game, but the core of our team will very much be there.”

In theory, Liverpool shouldn’t have too much against the League One club, but it is not as simple as just turning up on the day and playing a game of football. For the Notts County players, it is ultimately the biggest game most of them are likely to ever play in, which normally results in the lower league sides raising their game, which can make it harder for the Premier League side.

A trip to Anfield will get any footballer’s blood pumping. Notts County will probably start like a team possessed. They will chase every ball, dive into every tackle and kick everything that moves.

They will be burning with the desire to cause one of the biggest upsets in Football history. Liverpool cannot allow that. The players need to be able to match Notts County in the ‘desire to win’ department if they do that, then the extra quality should see the Reds through this game.

Liverpool are expected to make wholesale changes for tonight’s game, and with Manchester United only a matter of days away, who can blame Brendon Rodgers, for doing exactly that? On the flip side, it will also be a chance for many of Liverpool’s youngsters and fringe players to show the manager, what they are capable of doing.

On the other side of the ball, Notts County captain Dean Leacock referred to the contest as a “dream draw,” adding, “It is the biggest draw we could have got. It is brilliant for the players, the fans and the club as a whole.”

Arsenal vs Fenerbahce August 27, 2013

Tweet

Arsene Wenger has called on Arsenal to finish the job when they host Fenerbahce at the Emirates on Tuesday bidding to qualify for the lucrative UEFA Champions League group stages.

The Gunners go into the second leg play-off clash in a dominant position following a 3-0 win in Turkey last week.

Second-half goals from Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud boosted the Gunners' hopes of securing their place in Thursday's draw for the group stages for a 16th successive season.

UEFA Champions League playoff round, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal vs. Fenerbahce 

Date: 7.45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013

Another season of UEFA Champions League football is almost secure.

The Gunners hold a 3-0 aggregate lead ahead of the second leg play-off after cruising to a straight forward victory in Istanbul thanks to goals from Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud last week.

Arsene Wenger may also be tempted to field a weakened side against the Turkish outfit, with one eye on this weekend's north London derby with Tottenham.

After beating Fenerbahce last week in Turkey, Arsenal need only to see out the second leg successfully at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. With a 3-0 advantage in hand, the Gunners seem destined for a 16th consecutive season in Europe's most prestigious club competition.

The second leg is scheduled to kick off at 7.45 p.m. BST, or 2:45 p.m

It was just the morale-boosting performance Wenger was seeking following his side's 3-1 opening Premier League home defeat by Aston Villa.

Manchester United vs Chelsea August 26, 2013

Tweet

United cruised to top spot last term but the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson and return to Chelsea of Mourinho has left many thinking that Moyes will be hard pressed to keep the trophy at Old Trafford.

The reigning champions were also given a difficult set of fixtures at the start of the season, including trips to Anfield and the Etihad Stadium in September, to increase the pressure on Moyes.

The Blues have won both of their first two games and would go six points clear of United if they win on Monday. "There is lots I've been looking forward to: taking the team on tour, leading them at Wembley," Moyes said. "But to do it [lead the team out] at Old Trafford for the first game against Chelsea is a thrill, it really is." Moyes, who left Everton for United in the summer, oversaw an emphatic 4-1 victory over Swansea in his opening game in charge, while Mourinho has started his second stint at Stamford Bridge with home wins over Hull City and Aston Villa.

The match will represent David Moyes’ competitive debut at the Theatre of Dreams, while Jose Mourinho will be returning to this ground for a Premier contest for the first time since November 2006, when his side earned a 1-1 draw.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea 

On Sunday, Chelsea announced via their official website that they had completed the £30 million acquisition of Brazilian playmaker Willian from Shakhtar Donetsk—a signing that saw Mourinho’s summer transfer spending surpass £57 million.

Rumour has it that Chelsea will make a third offer for Rooney after this game is out of the way. The fact is that David Moyes has steadfastly maintained the position that Rooney will not be sold. And who will be Mourinho's choice for Chelsea up front? Fernando Torres sat out their league game against Aston Villa last Wednesday, but he's not started either of their two matches against Manchester United at Old Trafford since perpetrating the most glaring of misses in front of the Stretford End when Andre Villas Boas' Chelsea were beaten 3-1 almost two years ago.

So on the tenth day of this new Premier League season comes the first big summit meeting - the first coming together of two of last season's top four. And of course the firsts also keep coming for Manchester United's new manager David Moyes - this is his bow with his new club at Old Trafford in the league. And as he himself pointed out, he was not done any favours when the fixture computer served up Jose Mourinho's new Chelsea as his team's opponents.

One benefit of this kind of team being in existence was in the brief periods when two such beasts overlapped, and genuinely great games resulted. This era was at it's zenith during the age of great United-Arsenal clashes, so recent yet seeming so far away that teams containing Robert Pires can still get talked about with an "ah, those were the days son, when men were men" wistfulness.

Manchester United and Chelsea are a long way from being as invulnerable as either of those two sides, but they may produce a sort of bastardised version of their best performances. Unless Robin van Persie breaks his leg, this match is not a decisive encounter, or even an important clash or anything from which there is particularly much to be learned. Both teams will have severe nerves, but also very little to lose. A frantic game is a clear possibility, and ending the game with 22 players on the pitch seems unlikely.

ESPN has reported Chelsea are preparing a third bid for the disgruntled England forward—likely to be in the £40 million range. And given Willian’s arrival, pending an immigration hearing, Mourinho could possibly include Juan Mata in a swap deal for the 27-year-old in order to twist United’s arm.

Manchester United injuries: Young, Rafael, Hernandez, Nani, Fletcher

Chelsea injuries: Luiz

Wayne Rooney can save his Manchester United career with a huge performance in Monday night’s clash with Chelsea.

As reported by Mark Ogden of The Telegraph, the new boss confirmed Rooney is in his plans for the early season showdown. United suffered a 1-0 loss to the Blues in the corresponding fixture last campaign and need to grab three points if they are to maintain pace with Jose Mourinho’s crammed squad.

Interestingly, it was the last Premier League visit of Chelsea that saw speculation surrounding Rooney's future intensify. Sir Alex Ferguson benched him for the game, much like the Champions League battle with Real Madrid, adding fuel to a fire that would quickly grow out of control.

Date: 8:00 p.m. BST; 3:00 p.m. ET 26 August 2013

Venue:Old Trafford, Manchester

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Real Madrid vs Granada August 26, 2013

Tweet

Madrid's ability to catch up to Barcelona in the title race, Ancelotti and his squad will seek to channel those lessons into a victorious performance against a new-look Granada.

The midfielder moved to the Bernabeu from Real Sociedad in July, but failed to make an appearance in pre-season as he recovered from muscle injuries sustained during the European Under-21 Championship, which he helped Spain win.

However, he took part in full training ahead of the game and will be a useful boost to Carlo Ancelotti's midfield numbers.

Xabi Alonso (foot) and Sami Khedira (knee) have been absent from training recently, with the former definitely ruled out.

Khedira limped out of Madrid's narrow 2-1 win over Betis last week and is likely to be replaced by Brazilian Casemiro, who came on in his place in the home victory.

Raphael Varane remains unavailable for selection due to a knee injury sustained at the end of last season, leaving Sergio Ramos and Pepe as the only senior centre-backs available to Ancelotti.

Isco is likely to continue in the creative hub for Madrid after scoring their late winner last week. Jorge Molina had given the Andalusian side a 14th-minute lead before Karim Benzema equalised shortly afterwards.

A frustrating game for Madrid looked to be heading for a draw, until the former Malaga man nodded home on his home debut in the dying embers.

Granada also kicked off their league campaign with a 2-1 success, impressively turning over Osasuna away from home.

As Dennis previewed in his scouting report, Granada acquired the services of some key players this summer. According to Sid Lowe in Real Madrid TV's latest episode of The Match, only 13 players from last season's Granada squad remain with the club. Therefore, Real Madrid should look to strike early to destabilize what may very well be a team-in-progress.

Ancelotti has called up the following players for the clash:

REAL MADRID LINE-UP
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Diego López and Tomás Mejías.
Defenders: Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Arbeloa, Nacho, Marcelo and Carvajal.
Midfield: Kaká, José Rodríguez, Özil, Modric, Casemiro, Isco and Di María.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Jesé and Morata.

Ancelotti has not revealed who will start between the posts. Looking at the defensive line, it's possible that Arbeloa may start ahead of Carvajal at right back. Carvajal started Real Madrid's first match partially because Arbeloa had been away on international duty earlier that week, so Ancelotti may start Arbeloa to see how he responds to the opportunity. The rest of the defensive line is easy to predict: Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo.

Due to injuries to Sami Khedira, Illaramendi and Xabi Alonso, Luka Modric will start in the heart of midfield likely partnered by Brazilian youngster Casemiro. Isco and Mesut Özil will likely start in the attacking midfield, although expect Angel Di María to get significant minutes in this match. Road games tend to be gritty and combative, and against a stubborn Granada side Ancelotti may require Di María's pace both on attack and defense. Kaká looked sluggish and unconvincing during Raul's testimonial match, so it's unlikely #8 will see any action.