5. Manic Street Preachers- Welsh legends of the indie rock game Manic Street Preachers have an arsenal of classic hits under their belt which will surface when they perform in the evening on the Virgin Media stage (Saturday for Weston Park and Sunday for Hylands Park).

4. The Wombats- Hailing from Liverpool The Wombats are acclaimed for writing catchy pop songs and they have a live show which is not to be missed. They will definitely get the crowd more than a little excited, and they will be performing on the 4 Music Stage on the Saturday at Weston Park and Sunday at Hylands Park.

3. Plan B- Plan B is currently going from strength to strength in terms of commercial success and he will playing what is sure to be triumphant show at V Festival. His live show is full of explosive raw energy and he will offer the perfect build up the Arctic Monkeys on the Virgin Media Stage (Saturday for Hylands Park and Sunday for Weston Park).

2. Arctic Monkeys- Arcitc Monkeys have an array of classic indie rock songs and they will be sure to evoke some mass sing alongs and crowd jumping with their headline slot on the Virgin Media Stage (Saturday for Hylands Park and Sunday for Weston Park.)

1. Eminem- Eminem’s live show is certainly not one to be missed. He is a born entertainer and with his back collection of classics beside him he will be sure to be the ultimate climax to Weston Park on the Saturday and Hylands Park on the Sunday on the Virgin Media Stage.

V Festival tickets are still available online.

Wenger has seen his team lose the Carling Cup final, as well as failing in the Champions League and FA Cup.

The Gunners are now all but out of the Premier League title race, as they are 9 points behind Manchester United with just four games to play.

“We feel more frustrated than ever because we are closer than ever to win this league,” said Wenger.

“It is vital for us to show that we have some mental qualities and finish with a very strong fighting spirit.”

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Chelsea currently have 67 points and Arsenal sit on 64. United visit Arsenal this weekend and are then at home to Chelsea on May 8th.

“There is still drama ahead. Two months ago everyone was looking at these two games as league deciders. They probably are now,” said  Ferguson.

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The centre-back has been out for seven months but is ready to help out with his club’s final few games.

However, Vermaelen has been left out of the team for Saturday’s game against Manchester United.

“Physically I feel good,” the Belgian defender told Arsenal’s website.

“It’s up to the boss. I hope I’ll be back in the squad soon.”

Premier League tickets are available now.

City are currently four points ahead of Tottenham, with a crunch match between the two coming up next month.

But de Jong thinks City should be looking to catch teams above them in the league, rather than looking below them.

“You have to aim as high as you can and all we can do is focus on each game and keep collecting three points,” he told mcfc.co.uk.

“We are in the top four and that is where we want to stay and the way to do that is to not think about the future only the next match. If we keep our focus then of course we can challenge for third place but all we can do is keep winning and see what happens.”

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The seven-times platinum LP, which was today named as the most downloaded album of all time on Amazon.co.uk, has now spent the most consecutive weeks in pole position for a solo artist’s studio album.

Adele’s effort previously became the fastest album to sell one million copies between January and March, and broke the record for most downloads in the UK.

The London singer also dethroned Madonna as the female artist to have spent the longest time at number one on the album chart.

Sandwiched between 21 and Adele’s previous album 19 is Katy B and her debut album ‘On A Mission’, while Jessie J completes the Brit School reunion after climbing four places to five with Who You Are, following Arsenal and England star Theo Walcott presenting her with her platinum disc earlier in the week.

Also shuffling upwards this week are Michael Buble’s Crazy Love, which advances five spots to seven in its 77th week of release, former number one Doo Wops & Hooligans by Bruno Mars, up three to eight, and Elbow’s Build A Rocket Boys!, which is at nine from last Sunday’s 14.

Adele tickets are available online

The team made up of World Cup winning Spaniards and the mercurial Argentine Lionel Messi are the favourites to lift the Champions League this year, and progressed through the last stage with a 4-3 aggregate win over Arsenal. But Barca’s away record in the Champions League isn’t very good and manager Pep Guardiola has never won a knockout game away from home. Shakhtar, however, haven’t lost a home game since October 2008 and have never lost in the Donbass Arena since its grand opening in the summer of 2009.

If Barcelona turn on the style, the tie could be over by the time Shakhtar leave Spain. Barca have had the fewest shots on target against them this campaign, but face a side who have scored 26 goals in their last 10 Champions League games. Shakhtar’s proclivity to signing Brazilians works means the side boasts an impressive attacking line-up.

The last time the two sides met was in the 2009 Super CUp Final, where a Pedro goal deep in extra time saw Barcelona win 1-0. This game is by no means a formality and, in a similar poisiton to Spurs at Madrid, if Shakhtar can leave the Nou Camp still with a chance, their astonishing form at home will lean heavily in their advantage.

UEFA Champions League tickets are available online

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The quartet missed the 2-2 draw with West Brom in the Gunners’ last game two weeks ago.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is also confident that Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey will be available. A final decision on the trio will be made after training tomorrow.

The 41-year-old German played a full 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat to Wigan, suggesting Arsene Wenger may call on him for Saturday’s match against Blackburn.

Lehmann has come out of retirement to ease Arsenal’s goalkeeping crises, as Manuel Almunia was their only fit senior keeper.

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Blackburn manager, Steve Kean, told ESPNsoccernet: “Yes, I can confirm we are interested.”

Since being taken over by Venky’s last Autumn, Rovers have been searching for a big name to add to their ranks. The former Manchester United striker has now been confirmed as their next target.

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Chelsea will face an English club in the knockout stages again after being drawn against Manchester United. The Blues have faced Liverpool and Arsenal in the Champions League in recent years as well as Manchester United in the 2008 Final.

Barcelona will face Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in what will be a fascinating tie against a Shakhtar team with a formidable home record and a Barca side that have failed to win a single away game in the knockout stages under Pep Guardiola.

Holders Inter Milan will play German side Schalke, who have a new manager in ex-Hoffenheim gaffer Ralf Rangnick. Inter produced a remarkable comeback to beat Bayern Munich in a replay of last season’s final and will face a German side who have struggled domestically this seaon.

The final is at Wembley Stadium on May the 28th and the quarter-final first leg ties will be played on the 5th and 6th of April.

UEFA Champions League final tickets are available online

Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam takes his place in midfield alongside Aston Villa youngster Barry Bannan. Manager Levein will be hoping for a morale boosting victory against the Brazilians.

The full Scotland squad:

Goalkeepers: Allan McGregor (Rangers), Craig Gordon (Sunderland/ENG), Iain Turner (Everton/ENG)
Defenders: Phil Bardsley (Sunderland/ENG), Christophe Berra (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic/ENG), Stephen Crainey (Blackpool/ENG), Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers/ENG), Alan Hutton (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steven Whittaker (Rangers), Danny Wilson (Liverpool/ENG), Mark Wilson (Celtic)
Midfielders: Charlie Adam (Blackpool/ENG), Barry Bannan (Aston Villa/ENG), Scott Brown (Celtic), Kris Commons (Celtic), Don Cowie (Watford/ENG), Murray Davidson (St Johnstone), James McArthur (Wigan Athletic/ENG), James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Robert Snodgrass (Leeds United/ENG)
Forwards: James Maguire (Aberdeen), Kenny Miller (Bursaspor/TUR), Steven Naismith (Rangers)

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Manager Arsene Wenger initially stated that Djourou had dislocated his shoulder and would be out for the season but an assessment by the Swiss FA suggests otherwise, with a specialist’s judgement to delay a decision on an operation giving Djourou hope that he can play in the Gunners’ title run in.

“In my heart, I was initially hopeful because they said to me that I didn’t have a rupture and nothing was broken so I was thinking: ‘Brilliant, I can get back as quickly as possible,’” he told The Guardian. “But then we come to reality. When you dislocate a shoulder, it takes a lot of time. The thing with shoulders is that if you don’t operate and I played in a month, it could come out again.”

After a demoralising three weeks in which Arsenal have been eliminated from 3 out 4 competitions, Djourou still held hope of lifting the Premier League title in May: “We haven’t won for so long but we have got the quality and if we could get that first trophy, it could be the start of something new.”

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It was thought that Djourou would miss the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder during Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester United.

But latest reports suggests he will return within the month.

The Swiss FA claim the 24-year-old could be ready for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria on March 26th.

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The 41-year-old goalkeeper has been a free agent since retiring in 2010 after two years with Stuttgart.

Injuries to Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone have forced manager Arsene Wenger’s hand as Manuel Almunia is his only fit keeper.

If the deal is done in time, Lehmann is likely to be included in the squad for Saturday’s trip to West Brom.

The controversial German was part of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ team, when he played a key role. Arsenal will hope his winning attitude will help them in the Premier League title race.

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Nani trained with the first team today, confirming rumours that he would be available for the Marseille clash despite manager Alex Ferguson ruling him out last week.

“He trained on Sunday also, he and Michael Carrick, which is a better situation than I had at the weekend,” Ferguson told a news conference, referring to Saturday’s FA Cup win over Arsenal where he was forced him to field seven defenders.

“Both will be involved tomorrow.”

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Petit, who won the Premier League and FA Cup double with Arsenal in 1998, told The Sun: “Since 2005, and the departures of Vieira, Pires and company, you realise he’s banking above all on a young, malleable team where he can invest in a sporting project. Arsenal’s game is a trademark on the pitch but there aren’t really any players with a winning mentality.”

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Arsene Wenger stated last week that injuries to Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone would force him to seek a goalkeeper on emergency loan, as Manuel Almunia is the only senior goalkeeper at the club who is fit.

Lehman spent five years with Arsenal, making over 200 appearances.

Lehmann, who is now 41, was quoted by Germany’s Bild as saying: “I am in London and so far have heard nothing of such plans, but you never know.”

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Nani will definitely miss the FA Cup quarter final clash with Arsenal as well as Tuesday’s Champions League game with Marseille.

The Portuguese star, who has been a key player for United this term, was forced out of the Liverpool game after a vicious tackle from Jamie Carragher in the first half.

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The young Pole was injured while making a routine save from a Dani Alves free-kick early in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Barcelona.

Lukasz Fabianski is out for the season with shoulder problems, Vito Mannone is on-loan at Hull and troubled by a thigh injury, which leaves Manuel Almunia as the only available goalkeeper.

Arsenal travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final tomorrow evening. It has already been confirmed they have lost captain Cesc Fabregas to injury.

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Ferguson, who has not spoken to the media since his team lost 3-1 to Liverpool, believes Arsene Wenger’s side have restored the rivalry between the two teams.

Ferguson said: “Last season they faded around the February to March period to leave Chelsea and ourselves in a two-horse race that saw us pipped at the post by a point. I think most pundits expected to see something similar this season, plus a challenge from Spurs and Manchester City to make it even more difficult for Arsenal to get back up to the top. But Arsene Wenger and his players have rearranged the pecking order somewhat to come storming through to lie in second place.”

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Arsenal, having won the first leg, will be hoping that their big game players will be available to seal the victory. Cesc Fabregas has been rated as 90% fit, while Robin Van Persie has also been named in the squad, subject to fitness test later today.

After the bitter disappointment of losing the Carling Cup Final to Birmingham, and being held by Sunderland at the weekend, Arsenal have looked shaky and will require their big players to steady the ship.

Barcelona warmed up for the game by beating Zaragoza 1-0, with many of their influential players on the bench.

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Manchester United are always an intimidating team to face, but after looking invincible for so much of the season, their form has dipped at a time when they may need it most. An embarrassing loss to Wolves, a laboured victory over Crawley Town, and a crucial defeat to Chelsea may suggest it is a good time to face the red devils. Upcoming games against Liverpool and Marseille could also mean Sir Alex Ferguson may take his eye off the FA Cup.

Arsenal are also in an erratic run of form. A team that beat Barcelona could only draw with Leyton Orient in the FA Cup four days later. They may have smashed Orient 5-0 in the replay at the Emirates, but only after a devastating loss to Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final. Similar to United, the Gunners also have a huge match four days before the quarter-final with a visit to Barcelona.

Manchester United play to win in every competition, but it may be that Arsenal can spring a surprise as they are desperate to win some silverware. Both teams are fighting hard in the league and it could well be that whoever rolls the dice and brings out the big players, rather than too many reserves, will progress to the semi-finals.

Tickets for all football competitions, domestic and European, are available.

The back-to-back games represent a groundbreaking move for the NBA, which hopes to achieve similar success to that of the recent NFL games at Wembley.

Chelsea stars Petr cech and Didier Drogba will be cheering for the Nets while Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas is backing the Raptors. The Raptors boast Spanish star Jose Calderon, whose $9million salary blows compatriot Fabregas’s pay out of the water.

Tickets for both matches are available now.

New Jersey Nets v Toronto Raptors - 4th March
Toronto Raptors v New Jersey Nets – 5th March

The back-to-back games represent a groundbreaking move for the NBA, which hopes to achieve similar success to that of the recent NFL games at Wembley.

Basketball is sure to be one of the most popular events at the 2012 Olympics, and this event will only add to the surge of interest. Even other sportsmen have been getting involved. Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas is backing the Raptors while Chelsea stars Petr cech and Didier Drogba will be cheering for the Nets.

Tickets for both matches are available now with prices starting at £12.

New Jersey Nets v Toronto Raptors - 4th March
Toronto Raptors v New Jersey Nets – 5th March

Amir Kahn has not enjoyed the success that many thought he would after turning pro in 2005, but his popularity is undeniable. McCloskey may not be a huge name, but he will prove a stern test for Kahn, who will want to put on a show for his growing number of supporters.

Kahn has parted company with conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, the man credited for much of his recent success. However, he does not think this will affect the McCloskey bout. Kahn is the overwhelming favourite, but the tricky Irishman is more than capable and may just spring a surprise in what is expected to be an exciting fight.

With the exception of the Champions League final, El  Clasico is perhaps the biggest club game in the world. It also rarely disappoints. The reverse fixture earlier in the season resulted in a 5-0 thrashing for Real Madrid, including David Villa bagging two goals for Barcelona, inflicting a first defeat for Jose Mourinho since he took over at Real.

Mourinho will be eager to get revenge, especially at a time when Barcelona look a little less invincible after their Champions League loss to Arsenal and a lumbering, albeit victorious, performance at home to Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona still lead Real by five points in La Liga, so a win for Mourinho’s expensively assembled side will be vital in keeping the title race open.

Tickets are available for both events now.

Amir Kahn vs Paul McCloskey
Saturday 16th April 2011 – MEN Arena, Manchester – from £50

Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Sunday 17th April 2011 -  Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid – from £323

Tickets for huge derbies such as Arsenal vs Chelsea on the 27th December, or games that could win or lose the Premier League including Arsenal at home to Manchester United in April.

Compare and buy Arsenal tickets online now for the best prices.

Tickets are still available to compare and buy online, so now is your last chance to get tickets to one of the biggest games of the season.

Manchester United will be playing at home in front of the Old Trafford crowd, and will hope to increse their advantage over rivals and currently third place Arsenal in a game they must win to keep ahead in the Premier League.

With tickets still available online now is the time to see the likes of Wayne Rooney, Samir Nasri, Dimitar Berbatov, Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Javier Hernandez battle it out before the January transfer window.

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Real Madrid. Winners of nine European Cups. Employers of some of the best footballers that have ever played the game: di Stefano, Puskas, Zidane, the Brazilian Ronaldo. Today they have Iker Casillas, capable of Gordon Banks-esque saves like against Sevilla in October 2009, as an angry colossus in goal. Sergio Ramos bombing up the right flank, his signature hair product retailing at $80 a barrel. The new Galacticos: Angel Di Maria, Kaka, Gonzalo Higuain – and of course Cristiano Ronaldo. A coach to match the players in Jose Mourinho, who shares the most ardent Madridista’s disdain for their Catalan rivals. They have a glorious arrogance about them – unless you happen to be a Manchester United fan of viruses – and play some remarkable football.

When the two giants of Spanish football meet, sparks tend to fly. While it is never easy to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou, in last season’s match at the Santiago Bernabeu Real Madrid’s tactical naivety was exposed. The then-manager Manuel Pellegrini elected against playing Lassana Diarra as a spoiler in midfield, meaning Xavi had free reign to supply Messi and Pedro for easy finishes.

Barcelona tickets are amongst the most sought after in world football – especially when they face their arch rivals from the Spanish capital. It is called El Clásico for a reason.

Inter Milan are the current European Cup holders, but have since lost coach Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid. In his place they have hired former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, and he won the competition back in 2005. Of course, that year the Reds came from 3-0 down to defeat AC Milan on penalties, and in inflicting such a morale sapping defeat on the Nerrazzuri’s arch rivals Benitez will have done his job prospects no harm at all.

Inter Milan boast plenty of star players. There is the rampaging right back Maicon, who doesn’t view shooting from practically a 180 degree angle as a ridiculous thing to do. For those questioning if the Brazilian’s goal against North Korea (or the Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea if you prefer) was deliberate, he scored a near identical one against Portugal in November 2008. The midfield boasts star names such as Esteban Cambiasso, and Wesley Sneijder, while up front Benitez can choose from Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito, Goran Pandev and Mario Balotelli.

Formidable opposition for UEFA Europa Cup champions Atletico Madrid to tackle.

Still, the Spanish side can call upon a mighty strike pairing themselves. Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero are two of the most feared forwards in Europe, and they are backed up by Jose Antonio Reyes, Simao Sabrosa, Raul Garcia and former Arsenal player Fran Merida. Forlan was awarded the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup, and with good reason – he appeared to be the only player to have mastered how to shoot with the Jabulani ball, and was a constant danger.

UEFA Super Cup tickets are on sale now, and Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid on August 27th 2010 ought to be a classic. The fact that it takes place at the Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo, Monaco in the height of summer hardly reduces the attraction…

Tonight the national team will board an aeroplane at Heathrow to OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, and then business will truly begin.

With ten days until England’s opening match against the United States, there is still time to join them in South Africa – and thousands of World Cup tickets are still on sale from just £81.

England v USA tickets at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg are available from £153
England v Algeria tickets at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town are available from £103
England v Slovenia tickets at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth are available from £81

Although Capello’s final squad has attracted plenty of questions, there still remains a very real undercurrent of hope in England that this could be the most successful tournament since the  run to the semi-finals in 1990. A look at their projected path to the final – should they progress that far – shows that the knockout stage features some dangerous teams, but ones that can be beaten.

Having won their most recent two international friendly matches against Mexico and Japan, England are the favourites to top Group C, and in that scenario would play the second placed team in Group D: Germany, Serbia, Ghana, or Australia.

Group C winners v Group D runner-up tickets at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg are available from £123

Should they emerge from the second round victorious, they would be expected to play France in the quarter finals.

World Cup Quarter Final tickets are available from £164

While French coach Raymond Domenech has attracted widespread criticism for his bizarre management style – which reportedly includes selection based on astrology signs – his team still has a number of talented players in their ranks. France have also participated in two of the last three World Cup Finals, in 1998 and 2006.

If England were to triumph over the French, their semi-final would be at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town – against the best national side in football history: Brazil.

World Cup Semi Final tickets are available from £355

Stars of Brazil sides over the years have included Pele, Zico, Romario, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, and this year’s tournament offers Kaká the chance to shine behind Luis Fabiano up front. With a world class keeper in Julio César, and solid defence thanks to the likes of Lucio, this will be a tremendously difficult task for England to overcome.

There would be no shame in going out at the semi final stage, and a bronze medal might be some consolation.

World Cup Third Place Playoff tickets are available from £131

Still, should they put in an incredible performance and beat Brazil for the first time since March 1990, they would then perhaps face either Spain or Argentina in the World Cup Final.

World Cup Final tickets are available from £560

Capello has publicly stated that he is aiming no lower than the final, but England haven’t beaten Spain since 2001 in Sven-Göran Eriksson’s first match in charge. They have since lost the last three encounters.

The record against Argentina is a sight better, and England v Argentina matches certainly have a history of drama. A wonder goal from the eighteen year old Michael Owen could not prevent England being eliminated on penalties in the 1998 World Cup second round – with David Beckham being sent off for a kick on Diego Simeone. Still, Beckham was redeemed four years later in South Korea, when he scored the winning penalty in the 2002 Group Stage match.

Although he is contracted to Los Angeles Galaxy, there will be no Hollywood climax to Beckham’s career with a World Cup win; an injury to his Achilles tendon has ruled him out of the tournament.  Nevertheless, Beckham is set to play a role in England’s effort to claim the FIFA World Cup trophy – he will travel with the squad as moral support.

You could still do the same yourself.

Both sides have away fixtures against bottom half sides in their final match of the season that they will be expected to win; Manchester City face West Ham, while Spurs take on relegated Burnley. Presuming both Champions League contenders gain victory against these sides – neither of which has anything left to play for, the match against Tottenham is Manchester City’s last chance to overtake their north London rivals.

For Roberto Mancini’s side then, victory is vital – especially given that this is their last match at Eastlands, where they boast a very strong record. Tottenham are somewhat shaky on the road, but are in good form ahead of the clash. Spurs have won eight of their last ten league matches – a run that includes successive matches against Arsenal and Chelsea.

In the reverse fixture between these sides in December, Tottenham won 3-0 in a convincing performance. However, this match will be a different kettle of fish entirely. Manchester City have changed their manager, added the signings of Adam Johnson and Patrick Vieira, and there is far more at stake this time around. The game may come down to which manager and team can hold their nerve.

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- If Liverpool could match their away form to that of at Anfield they would not be battling to get the fourth Champions League spot.

- Blackburn’s away form must be fairly shocking as they are nowhere near challenging for Europe, let alone the top four.

Liverpool’s season has been covered in great detail elsewhere, but Allardyce’s positive spin on things has been rather less scrutinised. In fact, Blackburn would be in 18th position if away form was all that mattered. Having picked up a paltry six points on their travels from Ewood Park, it would be the understatement of the century to say that much can be improved.

However, Saturday April 3rd 2010 offers a fabulous opportunity to pick up only a second away win of the season. Blackburn will take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park, and although the Hampshire side are showing a great deal of heart in their matches, even without the 9 point penalty for going into administration Portsmouth would be bottom of the league. In the reverse fixture, Blackburn completed a convincing 3-1 victory despite going behind in the 15th minute to a Jamie O’Hara goal.

Last night Portsmouth lost 5-0 at home to Chelsea. While Blackburn are not of the calibre of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, it is another low point for Pompey in a miserable season, and heads inevitably tend to drop – especially after such a drubbing. Blackburn beat notoriously difficult to break down Birmingham City 2-1, thanks to a brace from David Dunn, and this result coupled with a good value draw against Chelsea stands them in good stead for the visit to Pompey. With their last and only other away victory coming in November against the struggling Bolton Wanderers of Gary Megson (who has since been sacked), there will not be a better opportunity for Blackburn to overcome their away demons.

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Like their previous season in the Championship when their away record was the best in the division, it is Wolves’ form in enemy territory which has been most impressive. Their record on their travels is identical in terms of results to Liverpool’s, and it is ahead of many sides above them in the table, such as Everton, Fulham, Stoke, Blackburn and Sunderland. Mick McCarthy has built his side with firm foundations with Marcus Hahnemann a huge presence in goal, Jody Craddock and Christoph Berra offering discipline to the defence, and Kevin Doyle chasing down lost causes up front. Both Craddock and Doyle have chipped in with their fair share of goals too, which has confounded pundits who thought they were mere Championship level.

The one place Wolves can make a vast improvement is in attack, as they have scored the least goals in the division. Before last night’s game, the Premier League’s leading marksman Wayne Rooney had scored more goals than the entire Wolverhampton Wanderers squad, and their current average of less than a goal a game means they are over-reliant on shutting out opposition rather than putting them under pressure – as their two smash-and-grab 1-0 victories over Tottenham demonstrate.

Mick McCarthy was very publicly criticised for changing all ten outfield players for Wolves’ trip to Old Trafford in December, but he vindicated his decision by defeating Burnley convincingly in Wolves’ next league game. West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola had a similar scenario in mind when he rested first choice strikeforce Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole for Manchester United’s visit to Upton Park, but the side capitulated upon the pair’s restoration to the lineup against Wolves. Zola is now coming under increased pressure from both fans and owners of the club, and given that McCarthy has had a far more limited budget to the Italian, Wolves’ achievements so far are all the more impressive.

Wolverhampton Wanderers tickets are available on Tixdaq.com to many of their remaining fixtures! They have games against Everton, Arsenal, Stoke, Fulham, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Sunderland to come, so get your tickets at the lowest price online now!

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These victories have all but ensured Bolton’s presence in next season’s Premier League, but equally it is the managerial changes around them that could prove critical. Portsmouth are all but relegated following their points deduction for going into administration, but Hull and Burnley have made unusual appointments in the manager’s hotseat. When Phil Brown was sacked as Hull manager, they appointed Iain Dowie, whose track record in charge of relegation candidates is questionable to say the least. At both Crystal Palace and Charlton his sides rarely proved difficult to break down, and Hull contrived to lose to bottom club Portsmouth in his first game as manager.

Burnley fought to keep Owen Coyle in charge of their team, but do not have the budget to match their Lancashire rivals. His replacement Brian Laws had a rather disastrous tenure at Sheffield Wednesday in his previous appointment, and results at Burnley have not been good. In taking the manager from another struggling team, Bolton appear to have secured their safety.

All this makes for an fascinating clash on Saturday 27th March 2010, when Manchester United head to Bolton’s Reebok stadium. If Burnley and Hull continue to make a hash of their fixtures, Bolton only have pride and a higher league position to play for, and it is down to Owen Coyle to keep the ship on course. For Manchester United, motivation rarely seems an issue, especially with notoriously hard taskmaster Sir Alex Ferguson in charge. The Red Devils are chasing both the Premier League title and UEFA Champions League, and every year seem to hit their best form at this stage of the season.

Bolton will need to start the match well, for this season when the opponents have scored first, they have only managed to salvage one point from 14 matches. With Wayne Rooney on fire, they will hope that the welcome return of Gary Cahill aids their fortunes.

Tickets are still available for this exciting clash at the Reebok Stadium, and Tixdaq.com has the cheapest from trusted vendors such as SeeTickets, Ticketmaster, Viagogo, Gigantic, GetMeIn, Seatwave and even eBay!

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This Wednesday sees Aston Villa take on a rejuvenated Sunderland team, and both will have many points to prove. Villa are unbeaten in eight, but with five of those eight games being draws and four of those draws insipid 0-0 affairs, to label the team as in form is a tad misleading. Sunderland have had an unusual 09-10 to say the least. Having begun the season in encouraging fashion with a draw at Manchester United and victories over Liverpool and Arsenal, they looked at the very least certain to cement a mid-table position. After defeating Arsenal in November though, Sunderland went into a bizarre freefall and only achieved their next victory in March when they thrashed Bolton Wanderers 4-0. They now look safe from the relegation scrap though, with seven points between them and the bottom three, and will now be looking up the table again.

At this stage last season, fatigue caught up with Aston Villa dramatically. A rather odd statistic is that last Tuesday’s win over Wigan was their first victory in the month of March in Martin O’Neill’s entire reign at the club, and although squad depth is greater than last year, there is still a reliance on certain players – Milner, Agbonlahor and Ashley Young to name a few.

Following this match both teams have tough-looking away games; Aston Villa take on Chelsea and Sunderland go to Liverpool, which makes this game even more important. There are still a limited supply of tickets left for this tantalising clash, and Tixdaq.com has the cheapest available online!

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Real Madrid will face Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Sunday April 11th 2010, and with a fortnight between their last league and El Clásico, they will either be hugely refreshed or suffering a loss of momentum due to a lack of matches. Barcelona will play both legs of their Champions League quarter finals against Arsenal in that period, and so they have the opposite fears of either burnout or heads dropping – should they lose.

It all makes for a fascinating build up ahead of the crucial tie, and Tixdaq.com has Real Madrid vs. Barcelona tickets at the cheapest available price online! Just click the link below…

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This Saturday sees two of the more ambitious teams clash; Roy Hodgson’s progressive Fulham side take on nouveau riche club Manchester City, and it looks set to be a classic. The West London side are in the middle of a hectic run which includes matches against Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Juventus (twice) all in the space of 25 days, and with a tepid draw against Spurs followed by two convincing losses to Manchester United and Juventus, their form looks to be stuttering.

Manchester City have been as inconsistent as anyone this season, and though their last visit to West London resulted in a barnstorming 4-2 success at Chelsea, who are notoriously strong at home, they followed it up with a rather insipid draw at Sunderland, where only the introduction of Adam Johnson brought impetus to the side. There were many damning statistics after the Sunderland match, but one that stands out is Shaun Wright-Phillips’ 47% pass completion – shocking for an England international. They still ought to be the favourites to claim the fourth Champions League place, with games in hand on all their rivals, but with Mancini seemingly unsure of his best side and prone to first half substitutions, this game looks far too difficult to call.

There are still tickets left for this mouthwatering clash, and we have the cheapest available to compare and buy from official sellers!

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The top two teams in the league face each other in less than a month, with the victor to surely become favourites for the domestic crown. It has been a topsy-turvy season with only one constant: its unpredictability. Many tipped Liverpool for the title but they are firmly locked in a battle for fourth, with Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa all with points advantage or games in hand.

Many thought Arsenal would fall away as in previous years, particularly after Aaron Ramsey’s broken leg echoed memories of Eduardo’s similar injury in 2008. That year, the Gunners crumbled quite dramatically, but in the last month they have clawed back Chelsea’s nine point advantage to level with them, and are just two points behind Manchester United. A draw between the Red Devils and Chelsea could lead to Arsenal sneaking to the title as they have on paper the easiest remaining fixtures.

With so many matches in this Premier League season going against form, it is impossible to predict the final outcome, and that is why it is the most captivating in recent memory.

Manchester United vs. Chelsea tickets are still available to buy through Tixdaq.com beginning at the astonishingly good value price of just £20.

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This season has been more open than any in recent memory when it comes to both the title race and European slots, and this may also have been a factor in the collective decision. Clubs such as Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have shown encouraging signs of genuine improvement, and so the prospect of being able to compete on a regular basis for the fourth spot without changing the league format may have influenced their decision.

As it is, the Barclays Premier League is arguably the most entertaining league in the world, and with more goals than at the same stage of competition last year, it is in rude health indeed.

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Ferguson claims that on paper, Arsenal have the easier fixtures for the remainder of the season, and this could work in their favour with United and Chelsea still yet to face each other.

Speaking on his club’s official website, Ferguson seemed very wary of the threat that Arsenal pose.  “Arsenal are bang in the frame now. They have the easiest programme on paper and it will be an interesting run-in. Chelsea losing (to Manchester City) was a good result for us, but there are a lot of hard games left. You have to focus at the turn of the year and make sure you don’t make mistakes.”

Tickets are still available for Arsenal’s remaining Premier League fixtures, and this season’s run-in is shaping up to be one of the most exciting we have seen for many years.

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Since then however, they have struggled for form in a dramatic way, and after over three months after their last win they are in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle. The phrase that is used far too often is “too good to go down”, and Sunderland may have some gifted players, but unless they get themselves out of this rut they are by no means safe.

Sunderland’s fixture list for the remainder of the season begins with some tough games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Birmingham, Liverpool and Tottenham, and were they to come away from those matches pointless their situation could be approaching dire. This would make their final run of games against fellow-strugglers West Ham, Burnley, Hull and Wolves (with the small matter of Manchester United in between the last two) all vital six-pointers.

Tickets to Sunderland’s remaining fixtures are available at the cheapest price going on Tixdaq.com. Support the Black Cats and help them climb the table!

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Brazil are the most feared side in any World Cup, for they are the nation to have won the competition the most, with five triumphs, and their ability to produce supremely gifted players such as Pele, Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka is unrivalled in world football.

There are still a limited amount of tickets available to the Ireland vs. Brazil game at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday March 2nd, and Tixdaq.com is the place to get them. This is a fantastic opportunity to see one of the best teams in the world in the UK beginning at the great price of £39, so get yours today!

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This time however, Arsenal did not collapse. Though captain Cesc Fabregas and central defender Thomas Vermaelen wore pained expressions at the sight of their stricken teammate, they went on to score late goals to move just three points from Chelsea in the Premier League table. With top two Manchester United and Chelsea yet to play at Old Trafford, Arsenal will be hoping that their newfound resolve in the face of adversity will result in a famous triumph.

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Chelsea have tough games against Manchester City, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool to play. Manchester United are yet to play Liverpool, the aforementioned game against against Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham. Arsenal’s biggest tests come against a physical Stoke Side at the Britannia Stadium where they have been beaten in their last two meetings, Birmingham away, and Tottenham and Manchester City. They are currently six points behind leaders Chelsea and five behind Manchester United, but the fact that at least one of the teams has to drop points in their clash will inspire the Gunners.

This Barclays Premier League title race is still a three-way battle, and could go right down to the wire in the closest it has been in years.

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The England left back’s stance is understandable but still, quite a surprise, and perhaps a more focused Wayne Bridge will help Manchester City in their push for fourth place, as their fixture list to end the season includes tough games against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. As well as that, Tixdaq can reveal that there are tickets available for Saturday’s huge game against Chelsea.

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Chelsea return to Barclays Premier League action this weekend when they welcome Sunderland to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues will be keen to reassert themselves at top of the table after a stuttering end to 2009. Chelsea ended last year with a sketchy 2-1 win over Fulham and will be desperate to  keep that winning feeling alive though they will be hoping for an marked improvement in performance.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men were due to play relegation-threatened Hull last weekend but the match at the KC Stadium – along with the vast majority of fixtures across the country – was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. This opened the door for Arsenal to close the gap on their London neighbours and for Manchester United to take over at the top of the table. Thankfully for Chelsea, Everton and Birmingham held their main title rivals to draws and they maintained their position on top of the Premier League tree.

The postponement had another unforeseen benefit in that it meant that there was one less match in which Chelsea would miss their quartet of players currently serving in the Africa Cup of Nations. While the Blues would have been expected to win the match in any case the prospect of an XI bolstered by Didier Drogba and Michael Essien will be a far more daunting prospect for the Tigers.

Sunderland have experienced a similarly poor run results lately having gone seven league matches without a win since their 1-0 triumph over Arsenal in November. The Black Cats were comprehensively outplayed by Chelsea in the reverse fixture earlier in the season when the Blues ran out 3-1 winners despite Darren Bent giving the home side the lead in that game.

Manager Steve Bruce will have to decide whether he should instruct his team to attack a Chelsea side that is shorn of two of their star players and suffering a rare drop in confidence or whether to pack the midfield to keep the match tight with the possibility of nicking a goal on the counter-attack.

Avoiding defeat will represent a moral victory for Sunderland while nothing less than a win will do for Ancelotti as his team seek to cement their position at the top.

Tickets for Chelsea v Sunderland are still available to compare and buy at tixdaq.com.

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Burnley travel to the Theatre of Dreams with good hopes of causing an upset. They won 1-0 against the Red Devils back in August thanks to a stunning volley from Robbie Blake, while Manchester United’s form has been inconsistent of late, with a home defeat against Leeds United in the FA Cup followed by scraping a draw away to Birmingham. Sir Alex Ferguson will be keen to get his side back on track, especially in light of Arsenal’s current good form and the suspicion that Chelsea will kick into gear again soon.

With the tie under a week away, Tixdaq can confirm that tickets are selling out fast, but there is still time to grab tickets for this game as well as many other Manchester United fixtures this season.

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It won’t be easy though. Burnley beat the reigning champions 1-0 back in August courtesy of a stunning volley from Robbie Blake, and they will be keen to impress their caretaker manager Steve Davis - put in as a stop gap after Owen Coyle’s move to Bolton.

With the tie only a week or so away, Tixdaq can confirm that tickets are selling out fast, but there is still time to grab tickets for this game and many other Manchester United fixtures this season.

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