The South African has been struggling with a groin injury for several weeks, and has now revealed that it will rule him out of the visit to Madrid.

“Out for the Madrid game. Groin still not right,” Peinaar wrote on his Twitter account.

Spurs are already without central defenders Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate, Younes Kaboul and Alan Hutton. Manager Harry Redknapp also has doubts over the fitness of William Gallas and Tom Huddlestone, although Gareth Bale should be available.

Tottenham tickets are available now.

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Last week I wrote an article that England v USA tickets were on sale from £153. That price has since dropped to £82 from Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s official ticket partner Viagogo.

England v Algeria tickets are still available from £103, but England v Slovenia tickets have also dropped in price.

Last week England’s match against Slovenia – a potentially Group C deciding encounter – were on sale from £81. Today that price is £49 – good news for anyone planning a last minute trip to South Africa.

Ticket listings for the world cup have been indexed from websites from around the world. Please check local laws on the re-sale of World Cup tickets before purchasing tickets.

UEFA Champions League winner Cambiasso wasn’t even selected by coach Diego Maradona for this year’s tournament in South Africa, along with Inter Milan teammate Javier Zanetti, but even though Argentina haven’t progressed beyond the quarter finals of the tournament since 1990, they have a real chance of winning the 2010 World Cup.

A forward line of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Martin Palermo will inspire fear in every team in the tournament, while surprisingly Maradona has adopted a greater emphasis on defence than in his earlier matches.

The tournament may be under a week away, but World Cup tickets are still on sale for all matches of the tournament, beginning at £37, while World Cup final tickets can be found for £16494!

Argentina are in Group B of the 2010 World Cup, where they will face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece. Argentina tickets are available from £56, and a guide to each of their group stage matches is below.

Argentina v Nigeria tickets at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg are on sale from £123 through Manchester United and Chelsea’s official partner Viagogo, and rise to £1121.

Argentina v South Korea tickets at Soccer City in Johannesburg start at prices of £56 from Viagogo, with the most expensive currently retailing at £449.

Greece v Argentina tickets at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane range from £97 via Ticket Network to £2336 from Viagogo.

Ticket listings for the world cup have been indexed from websites from around the world. Please check local laws on the re-sale of World Cup tickets before purchasing tickets.

According to FIFA, almost 2.9 million World Cup tickets have been sold from primary vendors for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – almost 100% of the allocation. While plenty of tickets are available on the secondary market, this still puts it on course to become the second most attended tournament ever – quite a feat for a country approximately a ninth of America’s size.

It will be a relief for FIFA and for South African organisers, for when tickets first went on sale there were fears that stadiums would be half full thanks to slow initial consumer interest.

Now though, they can just look forward to a successful tournament.

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.

They may well be the dark horses for the tournament – despite being written off in nearly all quarters.

Much criticised coach Raymond Domenech has recently tested a more attacking 4-3-3 formation, which will make them substantially easier on the eye. Although this new strategy only helped the team to a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in a recent international friendly, that was mostly thanks to an incredible display from opposition goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Ribery and Manchester United full back Patrice Evra combined excellently down the left, while Yoann Gourcuff and Sidney Govou also excelled.

There are still over 2000 World Cup tickets left for France’s Group A games, and there is still time to get to South Africa for the holiday of a lifetime.

Uruguay v France tickets are on sale from £93
France v Mexico tickets are on sale from £90
France v South Africa tickets are on sale from £118

Despite potentially dangerous opposition in Diego Forlan’s Uruguay, recent England opponents Mexico and host nation South Africa, one would expect France to progress to the second round as winners of Group A. They will have extra incentive to do so, for the first knockout stage will most probably be tough for second place qualifiers: Group A runner-up v Group B winners would almost certainly mean facing Argentina in the second round. While that would be a hugely difficult task for either team, it has all the makings of a potential classic. Tickets are available from £140.

Group A winners v Group B runner-up would see France most likely face one of South Korea, Nigeria and Greece, who would be far more agreeable opponents from a French perspective.

From there, anything can happen. There is excellent value to be found in buying France tickets at this summer’s World Cup, and after appearances in two of the last three World Cup Finals, who would bet against the French to triumph again?

South Africa 2010 promises to be a truly unque occasion. It will be the first World Cup to be played on African soil and the enthusiasm with which this part of the world has embraced the tournament is unbounded.

The Rainbow Nation will be awash with colour and the noise from the vuvuzuelas that dominate the air at local matches and will be unlike any atmosphere experienced at previous editions of the world’s greatest sporting event. Any football fan who also enjoys a party should make sure that they are involved.

But many supporters have been put off by expensive flights and high ticket prices despite the fact that this could not be further from the truth.

Seats are still available to every single match in the tournament including the opening ceremony and tickets to the World Cup final itself – available from £671, incidentally. Even better news is that prices are dropping all the time.

Three months ago if you wanted to get a ticket to England v USA in Rustenburg you would have paid over £300. Now that same ticket is going for £113.

Likewise, tickets to England v Algeria in Cape Town on June 18. Prices were £280, now they are available from £111. Meanwhile, their final group match – England v Slovenia in the beach resort of Port Elizabeth can be attended for just £85.

Paying around £100 to see a football match may, on the face of it, seem a little expensive  but considering the quality on show, the sense of occasion and the possibility of witnessing a little piece of England football history, it is by no means outlandish especially when you can pay that much to watch a Premier League game.

Even if England isn’t your team or you just want ot be part of football’s big party there are plenty of reasonably priced tickets to watch other teams. Tickets to Brazil v Ivory Coast in Johannesburg – surely the most attractive match of the group stage – can be obtained from £85.

As for flights, you can get a return flight to Johannesburg for just £611 that gets you to South Africa in time for England’s first group game and returns you back to London after their match against Slovenia. Factor in hotel room rates that are constantly being slashed and suddenly the trip of a lifetime seems well within your grasp.

This could be the most vibrant and exotic World Cup to date and it can be done – if not exactly on a shoestring – at a relatively favourable cost.

I’m going and I think you should too.

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!

Compare and buy Ireland vs. Brazil tickets online now!

Birmingham’s season has been built on a foundation of a strong defence. Goalkeeper Joe Hart was snapped up on loan from Manchester City after they signed Irishman Shay Given, while central defence pair Roger Johnson and Scott Dann were both signed from Coca-Cola Championship sides Cardiff City and Coventry City respectively. Few imagined they would have such an impenetrable spine with players inexperienced in top-level football, but Alex McLeish has organised this Birmingham side superbly. If they maintain this form they could even push for a place in Europe, with many of their players hoping to be called up for national selection before this summer’s World Cup in South Africa. The future certainly looks bright at present for Birmingham City, and tickets are still available for this weekend’s clash with Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Compare and buy Birmingham City tickets online now!

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.

Compare and buy Manchester City tickets online now!

England’s camp is an isolated location about 2.5 miles from the nearest town of Phokeng, and is the highest training ground in South Africa. This should ensure England are well prepared to play games at altitude, for the match against the USA is indeed at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng. Capello will hope that the remote location will ensure that all focus in the England team is on the matches, with no WAGs or other distractions.

England Tickets for the group stage of the World Cup are available now!

Ticket applications for the latest sales window for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa have surpassed 500,000.

The third ticketing phase opened on December 5th the day after the draw for the group stages was made in Cape Town and the response from fans all over the world has been remarkable.

The majority of applications (77%) have been received from those living in South Africa though many tickets have been requested from the USA and the UK.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa kicks off on June 11th.

View FIFA World Cup tickets.

Around 80,000 North Koreans regularly attend football matches in the territory, but it is thought that only a few officials will actually make the trip to South Africa. The rest of the tickets will most probably end up on the secondary ticketing market.

FIFA World Cup fever has gripped South Africa since the draw for the groupos stages was made on December 4th.

The third ticketing phase was launched the following day with over 400,000 applications having been already recieved via FIFA.com But despite the global popularity of the tournament, it is the local population that have shown the most desire to attend the tournament.

Since the latest phase began 75% of the applications have come from within the host nation. With such a groundswell of popualrity, the 2010 FIFA World Cup promises to be a noisy, colourful and entertaining event with all the flavours of football and Africa perfectly entwined.

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Group H at South Africa 2010 has a distinctly latin flavour to it with Spain being accompanied Chile and Honduras. Switzerland are the sole non-hispanic nation.

The reigning European champions will be quietly pleased with the hand that fate has dealt them as they bid to win the greatest prize in sport for the very first time. A peerless qualifying campaign saw them win every single match with only England finding the back of the net more often out of all the other UEFA members. Spain are the pre-tournament favourites alongside Brazil and it is easy to see why. A solid looking back four featuring Carlos Puyol and Sergio Ramos will sit behind a quite staggering midfield of Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas though one of those quartet will almost certainly have to make way for the more defensively-minded Marcos Senna. And to top it off they have arguably the best strike partnership in international football with Fernando Torres lining up next to David Villa. They will win the group and, as long as luck does not desert them, they may well win the competition itself.

Chile completed a stunning qualifying campaign by beating Colombia 4-2 in their own back yard and came second to Brazil by a single point. They have been regular participants at the finals and that pedigree should help them to make it to the second round at least. Chile lack the star names of the past such as Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas but they have plenty of goals in them which is a quality every successful team needs.

Switzerland took advantage of a favourable qualifying group to seal an automatic spot to South Africa. They could even afford a humiliating 2-1 defeat to perennial whipping boys Luxembourg on their way to topping their group ahead of Greece which shows that they are far from being the finished article. However, they are currently marshalled by two-time Champions League winning manager Ottmar Hitzfeld who will no doubt galvanise his team into a tough unit before they take the field in June.

Honduras will be competing in their first World Cup tournament since 1982 and they wil hoping to avoid the heavy defeats they suffered in Spain. They secured their place in the most dramatic fashion when USA scored an injury-time equaliser aginst Costa Rica that gave Honduras an automatic place at the expense of their Central American neighbours who would go on to lose in a playoff to Uruguay. The predatory instincts of David Suazo and the midfield leadership of Tottenham’s Wilson Palacios will give them the platform from which to launch their campaign.

Prediction: Spain to cruise through with Chile finishing second.

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While seeded teams such as Brazil and Germany have been placed in taxing groups for the FIFA World Cup, the same cannot be said about Italy.

The reigning world champions and their manager Marcello Lippi must have punched the air once the draw for Group F was concluded with their passage to the knockout stages  – force majeur notwithstanding – all but guaranteed. Having gone unbeaten throughout their qualifying campaign despite being pushed all the way by Ireland, they will have to navigate past Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia to book their place in the second round and it would take a brave man to bet against that happening.

Slovakia though will be no pushovers. On the road to South Africa they topped their group ahead of fellow World Cup qualifiers Slovenia, forcing the Czech Republic to watch the tournament from the sofa. They will field Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel in central defence while Napoli’s Marek Hamsik will be putting himself in the shop window with a number of high profile European clubs having already registered an interest in acquiring his services.

Paraguay qualified in impressive style by collecting a record haul of points from their 18 matches. They still only finished third in the oversized CONMEBOL group but they did clinch their place in South Africa by beating Diego Maradona’s Argentina. They found themselves in England’s group in Germany 2006 and failed to make it to the second round. If Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz can get some playing time under his belt before the World Cup they might feel that they have a good chance of improving on that.

New Zealand have made it to their first World Cup finals since 1982 and that itself is a reason for celebration. The All Whites took advantage of Australia’s decision to defect to the Asia qualifying zone and booked their passage with a nervy 1-0 aggregate victory over Bahrain in a trans-federation playoff for the final place in South Africa. Nothing is expected of them except to show commitment in each of their games and they will rely on Blackburn’s Ryan Nelsen to provide the experience that they will need to compete. It’s certainly one of football’s more romantic stories but don’t expect the dream to continue into the second round.

Prediction: Italy to stroll through with Paraguay edging into second place.

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Group E in next summer’s FIFA World Cup is very well balanced group and one that is not all that straightforward to predict.

Holland are the seeded team in Group E and they will rightly be favourites to qualify top of the pile after their flawless record in qualifying. Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vaart will cause any defence problems as will Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie assuming he suffers no complications recovering from his long-term injury. One area which might be considered a weakness is at the back where they have failed to convince in recent years. But the Dutch play with the attitude of ‘you score one, we’ll score two’ and they certainly have the talent to do that.

Denmark will take part in their first major tournament for six years when they pitch up in South Africa and they will be confident of making it through the group. The Danes suffered just one defeat in qualifying for the tournament and finished above much-fancied Portugal to secure an automatic berth. The team lack any superstars but a strong collective work ethic means they are capable of felling supposedly superior opposition.

Japan have been regulars at the World Cup of late and they made it to South Africa with the minimum of fuss – losing just once on the road to qualification. A good showing on home soil in 2002 was not followed up in 2006 when they managed just a single point but with skills of former Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura in their midst they will certainly pose a danger especially if needless free-kicks are conceded within shooting distance.

Cameroon will be making their sixth appearance at World Cup finals and though they may not reach the heights of the 1990 side they are not to be discounted. Led my former Lyon and Rangers manager Paul Le Guen they are a tough outfit which also has a major goal threat in the form of Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o.

Prediction: Holland and Denmark to edge through in a very tight group

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Much has been made about Group G – the so-called ‘Group of Death’ – that has pitted Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast against each other but Group D should not be underestimated for its difficulty.

Germany are the standout team and would certainly be expected to progress into the knockout stages. Their record in the FIFA World Cup is exceptional having made seven appearances in the final, lifting the trophy on three occasions.  Players such as Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose bring extensive tournament experience to the squad but young stars Mesut Ozil and Aaron Hunt will also figure in a more dynamic side than that of the traditional German stereotype.

But it is the the other three sides in the group that will be fighting for the second qualification spot.

Australia’s switch to the Asia zone has paid dividends already as they made a smooth journey to South Africa without the need for a playoff. A rugged side, they might just lack a cutting edge and Everton’s Tim Cahill will be vital to any Australian success.

Ghana are another muscular side who will couple skill and physicality to bustle their way through the competition. Chelsea’s Michael Essien is their marquee player and he will lead the team from midfield with his all-action style. Stephen Appiah will also add know-how to the Black Stars as they bid to make the second round and beyond.

Serbia round off Group D and they are a side that cannot be underestimated. They east European nation qualified ahead of France and have a stern looking defence marshalled by Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic. Another physically powerful team, they will be no pushovers.

Prediction: Germany top, Serbia to sneak second place – and lots of yellow cards!

There has been a global surge in ticket applications to see if Italy can successfully defend their trophy in the 2010 FIFA World Cup following the draw on Friday evening. The third ticketing phase  began the following day and 219,162 ticketing requests haveso far been received via FIFA.com.

The prices for group matches range from USD 20 to USD 160 (opening match: USD 70 – USD 450; final: USD 150 – USD 900). Category 4 tickets, the most affordable, have been exclusively set aside for South African residents.

All 32 participating member associations are allocated 12 per cent of all purchasable tickets in the stadiums where their three group games will be played. These tickets were made available as from 6 December 2009 through specified websites operated by the 32 participating member associations.

The matches will be hugely over-subscribed and the tickets will be allocated via a ballot meaing alternative methods of obtaining a tickets will be sought by those not fortunate enough to get picked out of the hat.

View World Cup Tickets.

England will arrive in South Africa for the FIFA World Cup next summer with the expectation of a nation on their shoulders.

Hopes are always ludicrously high whenever England go to a major tournament but with a born winner like Fabio Capello at the helm and a near flawless record in qualifying, the clamour for ultimate glory will reach fever pitch.

A draw that has to be seen as favourable if not exactly straightforward – contrary to what the tabloids would have you believe – sees England play the USA in Rustenburg on June 12th in what looks to be the heavyweight clash in Group C. That match should determine who tops the group but Capello’s men should remember the anti-climax that was Germany 2006 and the unmitigated disaster that was their absence from Euro 2008 before assuming their place in the second round is guaranteed, let alone the final.

England are the clear favourites to lead the way but don’t forget that the USA actually went further than them in 2002 when they reached the last four. They did however end up bottom of a tough group in 2006, something they will not want to repeat.

Algeria will be more difficult than many observers give them credit for. Having successfully negotiated a playoff against arch-rivals Egypt to get to South Africa they will be desperate to give a good account of themselves when they make their first appearance in the World Cup since 1986. They will not lack for raw talent though it could be their discipline and organisation that lets them down.

Slovenia are the real dark horses in this group. For all the talk of England and USA, it must be noted that it was the tiny former Yugoslav republic that disposed of a Russia team managed by the imperious Guus Hiddink in a two-legged playoff. They will be taking part in their second World Cup and they will be aiming to improve  markedly on their performance in 2002 when they failed to gain a single point.

Prediction: England to qualify with maximum points and the USA to pip Slovenia to second place.

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Diego Maradona will return to the FIFA World Cup on June 12th when his Argentina side take on Nigeria at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.

Argentina may get the odd sensation of deja vu that day when they come up against an African team playing in Green. In 1990 a goal from Cameroon’s Francois Omam-Biyik condemned the defending world champions to a 1-0 defeat in the opening match of the tournament and only the inspiration of Maradona and Claudio Caniggia dragged the Albicelestes through their group and ultimately on to the final.

A topsy turvy-qualifying campaign that saw their controversial coach call up an incredible 78 different players was finally wrapped up with a 1-0 win in Uruguay that preceeded a quite extraordinary press conference in which Maradona insulted journalists and made obscene gestures.

But having qualified, his team must be one of the favourites to lift the trophy. With the talents of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero at their disposal they will be very tough to best.

Nigeria are currently the highest ranked team in Africa though the Super Eagles did not have it all their own way in qualifying. The spine of their team though is strong with Joseph Yobo at the back, John Obi Mikel in midfield and a strikeforce of Yakubu and Obafemi Martins. They will be both physical and skillful and while they will not win the tournament they could prove to be a major obstacle to those with real aspirations.

South Korea will be hoping to recreate the performances that took them all the way to the semi-final in 2002 but they will have it all to do if they are to get out of Group B. A talented side they certainly are but it seems like they will struggle physically amid a group full of muscular teams.

Greece have qualified for their first World Cup since 1994 and now as then they find themselves drawn alongside an Argentina outfit led by Diego Maradona. While the great man cannot now play and score against them as he did in the USA, Greece will know they will have to be at their best of they are to make the second round.

Prediction: Argentina top the group ahead of Nigeria – but only just.

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The 2010 FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11th at Soccer City in Johannesburg when South Africa take on Mexico in Group A.

The opening match will certainly have a lot of African flavour to it and the sound of the ‘vuvuzuelas’ – air horns that collectively sound like a swarm of particularly irate bees – will begin to leave their indelible mark on the tournament.

It remains to be seeen how well the hosts prosper especially as they are ranked just 86th in the world but playing on home soil can certainly raise performances – just look at South Korea‘s run to the semi-final in 2002.

Mexico had a troubled qualifying  campaign which began poorly under the auspices of Sven Goran Eriksson and finished rather better under Javier Aguirre. The CONCACAF team are always a handy team whan it comes to major tournaments but it will be major surprise if they made it past the quarter finals.

Uruguay add to the latin feel to the group and they take on France in the early evening of the same day. The South American’s had to qualify via a playoff against Costa Rica but the two-time winners will be no pushovers.

The favourites to win the group are undoubtedly France. They may have had a torrid and controversial time in reaching South Africa in the first place but with two appearances in the final in the last three tournaments they have the know-how to negotiate tricky situations. It will also be the last chance for players such as Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and William Gallas to make a mark at such a lofty level so they will not lack for motivation.

Prediction: France to qualify top with Mexico second.

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It will be third window of opportunity for football fans to get the opportunity to be part of the greatest show on Earth and tickets will be allocated on a ballot system rather than on a first-come first-served basis.

This ticketing phase will run for 49 days until the 22nd of January giving ample time for anyone all those planning on going to South Africa ample time to register their interest.

Compare and buy football tickets online now.

Manchester United eased into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night with what was in the end a comfortable 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Harry Redknapp played virtually a full strength side at Old Trafford and it was the Londoners who made all the early running with the in-form Jermain Defoe looking particularly lively. Despite Spurs dominating proceedings it was United who took the lead through a wonderful strike from Ireland international Darren Gibson that notched up his first goal of the season.

More Tottenham pressure followed but the Red Devils extended their lead before the break when a lovely interchange between Gibson and Danny Welbeck allowed the Irishman the space to curl in his second goal from the edge of the penalty area.

Tottenham were unable to lift themselves in the second half and Manchester United progress to the next round.

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England have been named as one of the top seeds for the FIFA World Cup draw that is to take place in Cape Town on Friday.

There was fear amongst FA officials that England might just miss out on a place amongst the elite and therefore risk being paired with the likes of Spain or Brazil. Thankfully for Fabio Capello and his squad that eventuality has been avoided though with Portugal and France in Pot 2 and a strong Ivory Coast team in Pot 3 there is still no room for complacency.

The draw will be held at 17:15 GMT on Friday 4th December

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The Barclays Premier League returns to action after a two week break to accommodate the playoffs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and there are plenty of tickets available to some very big matches.

November 28^th sees Aston Villa play host to Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham with both teams keen to muscle in on a top four finish.

The following day (29^th) sees a titanic clash between two of the title favourites at the Emirates Stadium when Arsenal face Chelsea. When this fixture took place last year the Blues ran out 4-1 winners though expect it to be a much closer affair this time round.

December 5^th sees a real grudge match take place in east London as Manchester United travel to West Ham United. While they may currently be at opposite ends of the table there is no love lost between the two clubs and these encounters are always fiery.

On the south coast that day there is what might prove to be a relegation six-pointer between Portsmouth and Burnley. That might be a bit harsh on the Lancastrians looking at their excellent start to the season but their away form is desperately poor and they will need to improve in that area if they are to survive in the Barclays Premier League.

There’s a repeat of last season’s FA Cup final on December 12^th as Chelsea welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge. While the Londoners lifted the famous old trophy in May both their league meetings with the Liverpudlians in the last campaign ended in closely contested draws.

Boxing Day sees a compelling capital clash as Fulham face Tottenham at Craven Cottage. As both teams like to play football in the proper way it promises to serve up a real festive treat.

December finishes with a local derby as Roy Hodgson takes his Fulham side across SW6 to face Chelsea in another mouth-watering affair.

Remember tickets are still available for all these matches and many, many more.

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