A controversial 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, and Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over West Ham, has left Spurs seven points behind City in the race for fourth. Redknapp already appears to be looking at improvements he can make for next season.

He said: “I hate when people say, ‘Oh well, if they don’t make the Champions League, they’re going to sell (Gareth) Bale or they’re going to sell (Luka) Modric – that’s not the way forward.

“The way forward now is to say, ‘Okay, let’s go and find one or two top-drawer players and go and move on again and let’s get back in the Champions League’.”

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The tenacious midfielder was stretchered off during the 3-0 defeat at Chelsea last week, and will have a scan today to decide if an operation is needed.

In a frank and personal interview with Die Welt, Löw was asked how he felt about Oliver Bierhoff’s statement that “half the national team is supposedly gay, including the training staff.”

“I’ve heard that before,” said Löw, “What can I say about it? It’s like with the toupee – that’s also untrue. Feel free to ask my wife.

Löw’s hair has been another subject of interest in Germany, with many believing the coach’s impressive head of hair was actually a toupe.

“I’ve heard that before too. Rubbish. You’re welcome to tug on it. There is so much mischief made. I suppose it’s part of my job.”

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Erin Koslowski, the mascot in question, makes a serious of observations including the royal wedding, Katie Price and a belief that all men from Manchester carry darts and a picture of a bulldog in their front pockets.

‘The English are going nuts this week about the wedding – no, not Katie Price this time but Prince William,’ explains the column.

‘The typical Manc man is called Paul. He has darts in his right pocket and in his left pocket has a picture of a bulldog. The girls are called Samantha and you can find them on page three.

‘The typical national dish is lamb with mint sauce or potatoes with mutton and is always on the menu at every party.

‘Weird: they have their chips with vinegar but no froth on the beer.’

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Ferguson told US radio station Sirius XM that friendly matches have become totally devalued.

Ferguson said: ‘I am all in favour of the competitions. The players should play in the major competitions; the European Championship, the World Cup.

‘But friendlies are a waste of time as far as I am concerned. We always say that. It is understandable for the coach. They have the players for a period when they can influence them and can build and shape their team.

‘I can understand that completely. But every time there are friendlies you get six or seven call offs. It is sometimes worthless for the manager to build on that because of the lack of players.’

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The 20-year-old Sunderland striker, who is on loan at the Black Cats from Manchester United, will take Aaron Lennon’s place in the squad after the Tottenham winger felt a twinge in his hamstring yesterday.

Welbeck may face fellow Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan, who looks certian to start up front for Ghana.

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Wilshere,19, was a key figure on his senior competitive debut against Wales in a 2-0 win on Saturday, but has expressed his desire to take part in the Under-21′s Championship in Denmark this summer.

Barry, who will be captain for tonight’s friendly against Ghana, said: “For the development and good of England, they (young players like Wilshere) should be out there playing for the Under-21s. If you look at other countries, you generally see them fielding their best players.”

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The Dutchman hit out at “incompetent amateurs” over the reporting of Gareth Bale’s injury in the build-up to Wales’ 2-0 defeat by England on Saturday.

Manager Gary Speed said Verheijen’s post, which was seen as criticising Bales’ club, Tottenham Hotspur, caused an “unnecessary problem”.

But Verheijen said: “It didn’t concern me, it made me smile.”

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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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Barry, 30, will lead out a side that will feature many changes from Saturday’s win against Wales, including rested skipper John Terry.

Liverpool’s £35m striker Andy Carroll is set to start up front, with Wolves’ Matt Jarvis in line for a first cap.

Terry, along with Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney and Michael Dawson, have all been sent home.

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The Liverpool defender has a fitness policy that means he occasionaly misses training after games, and it is expected that England are sticking to his regime, rather than the player being injured.

Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Michael Dawson have all left the camp after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wales

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In an interview with French sports paper l’Equipe, Mourinho stated: “I was hours away – I almost signed up for the England national team.

“But at the last minute I began thinking, ’I am going to coach a national side, there will be one match a month and the rest of the time I will be in my office or overseeing matches. And then to have to wait until the summer to compete in a European Championship or a World Cup’? No, it wasn’t for me.”

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“I am delighted that we were able to agree early on continuing our work until the 2014World Cup,” Loew said.

“Together with German Football Federation (DFB) chief Theo Zwanziger and general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach we believe that it makes sense to continue our successful path with the team in the same style.”

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The Istanbul club have won just one of their last seven games and fallen to seventh place in the league, 21 points adrift of league leaders Fenerbahce.

German Schuster joined Besiktas last June on a two-year contract worth 2.6 million euro a year.

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There is further concern for the Old Trafford side after Brazilian starlet Anderson was ruled out of action for the rest of the season after rupturing his cruciate ligament against West Ham on Wednesday night. Anderson had only just returned to the United side after being dropped for an unsanctioned trip home to Brazil, but could only last 19 minutes of the match. In a double blow for the midfielder, he will also miss this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

The Barclays Premier League is in the final third of the season, and tension is mounting as the title race heats up. Manchester United at least are boosted by the return of Serbian central defender Nemanja Vidic, who will probably line up alongside Jonny Evans until Ferdinand’s return to fitness.

Tixdaq can reveal that there are tickets available to crucial Manchester United games on the horizon, which includes huge games against Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

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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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The Bundesliga returns from its winter break on January 15th with Bayern Munich hosting the league’s first match of 2010 against Hoffenheim.

The Bavarian giants had an erratic first half of the season with the team initially sliding down the table putting new coach Louis Van Gaal under considerable pressure. A falling out with striker Luca Toni as well as persistent injuries to wing wizards Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery were systematic of Bayern’s malaise but an excellent December has revived fresh hope amongst the followers of Germany’s biggest football club.

Bayern won their last four league matches of 2009 but the coup de grace was their astonishing qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Needing to win in Turin against Juventus, the visitors fell behind to an early David Trezeguet goal only to regroup and smash in four goals in reply.

With their star players returning to fitness and the team in third place in the league – just two points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen – the New Year could well be a successful one for Bayern Munich.

Tickets for Bayern Munich v Hoffenheim are still available to compare and buy at tixdaq.com.

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Barcelona slumped to a shock home defeat in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey fifth round tie against Sevilla.

The Blaugranas rested nine players from team that started against Villareal in La Liga last weekend and it showed as they went down 2-1 against Manolo Jimenez’s team.

With Real Madrid also out of the competition, the winner of this tie will be firm favourites to lift the trophy which is currently held- along with every other competition – by the Catalan giants.

Barcelona will have an immediate chance to redress the balance as the two teams meet again at Camp Nou  for a league match on January 17th and it can be safely predicted that Pep Guardiola will select his strongest available side for that match.

Two consecutive league defeats – including a 2-1 reverse at Atletico Madrid last time out – have seen Sevilla slip out of the Champions League places and they will be keen to get their campaign back on track.

Barcelona still find themselves on top of the pile after Real Madrid missed out on the chance to claim top spot when they could only record a goalless draw against Osasuna.

Tickets for Barcelona v Sevilla are still available to compare and buy tixdaq.com with prices starting from £35.

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The hectic Christmas schedule often throws up some fascinating local clashes and this year is no exception.

On Monday 28th December, Fulham travel across SW6 to Stamford Bridge for the west London derby against Chelsea who have suffered a minor wobble of late.

No wins in four matches across three different competiitons for the Blues has alerted rival teams that the Barclays Premier League title that was practically awarded to them following their 3-0 win over Arsenal is now up for grabs.

Added to that is a sense of defensive fragility from set-pieces that is reminiscent of the dark days of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s reign. Manager Carlo Ancelotti maintains that he is not overly concerned and you can understand why. The goals agsint APOEL Nicosia a week ago were the first conceded at home by Chelsea since Hull came to town on the opening day of the season.

But with Michael Essien injured and their other African players off on international duty during January, Chelsea will be keen to secure maximum points over the festive period.

Fulham have had an up and down seasonso far. Their fluctuating form has been the result of an intense UEFA Europa League campaign and a lengthy injury list.

The likes of Danny Murphy have returned to the fold but the absence of star striker Andy Johnson has been keenly felt and while Bobby Zamora has found the  net a couple of times of late, the former Tottenham and Brighton forward has never been known for his potency in front off goal.

Nevertheless, Fulham will set out to frustrate Chelsea and capitalise on any defensive mistakes from the home team. A festive fixture between the two clubs last season – albeit at Craven Cottage – ended in a 2-2 draw after Clint Dempsey scored a late equaliser following a nightmare in the Blues defence in the aftermath of a corner.

Chelsea will still be favourites but a tenacious Fulham might just fancy their chances.

Tickets for Chelsea v Fulham are still available and are priced from £47.

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This weekend sees the last set of fixtures before the Bundesliga breaks up for Christmas.

The most intriguing match on the coupon sees fifth place play fourth as Hamburg face Werder Bremen in the Nordbank Arena.

The match is a re-run of last season’s UEFA Cup semi-final in which Werder Bremen prevailed courtesy of Claudio Pizarro though the subsequent supension of midfield maestro Diego meant that Werder were overturned by Shakhtar Donetsk in the final.

The game should not lack for excitement as it pits two of three most potent attacking teams against each other. Hamburg’s threat comes from all over the field with Mladen Petric and Paolo Guerrero striking from the front while Eljero Elia and veteran Ze Roberto chip in from midfield.

Werder, meanwhile, can call on Pizarro as well as Aaron Hunt, Hugo Almeida and the midfield trickery of Mesut Ozil to cause defences problems.

Neither team has been in particularly good form of late with each recording just one win from their last five matches.

Both teams sit on 28 points and while a win for one team would obviously open up a three point gap to the other, the psychological boost it would provide to the victors before they signed off for their four-week break would be immeasurable.

It would also keep them right in the title race with leaders Bayer Leverkusen currently just four points ahead of them both.

The Bundesliga is as open as ever and once again has a rightful claim to be the most competitive league in Europe.

Tickets for Hamburg v Werder Bremen are still available via this website and are priced from £44.

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One of the great dates of the football season in England is Boxing Day.

After a day of cramming in as much turkey and wine as is humanly possible, the soul needs nourishment and what better than a day at the football.

Not for England a winter break. No, sirree. Instead thousands upon thousands of  hardy souls will brave wind, rain, hail and snow to watch their beloved team.

The pick of the Barclays Premier League fixtures comes at Craven Cottage as Fulham host Tottenham in what promises to be fiercely-contested London derby.

Two good footballing teams will doubtless put on a thrilling encounter that almost guarantees a flood of goals. Harry Redknapp’s men will be ruing their home defeat to Wolves especially after blowing a 2-0 lead at Everton the previous weekend and will be searchning for three points.

Fulham though are formidable at home and this season have only been beaten there by Chelsea and Arsenal. With Roy Hodgson seeing his injury list slowly beginning to shorten this match should be extremely open.

Tickets for Fulham v Tottenham are still available to buy. Could be the perfect Christmas present.

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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.

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Had Jermain Defoe found the back of the net against Everton rather than goalkeeper Tim Howard last Sunday then a remarkable match would have ended in Spurs leapfrogging arch-rivals Arsenal into third spot in the Barclays Premier Leaguef table.

The top goalscorer in England’s top flight has been deadly this season but it was his first penalty of the season and his aberration meant Spurs had thrown away two points for the second time in the same match as they had previously held a 2-0 lead.

A peerless opening hour was all the more comforting for Tottenham fans after their inability to take advantage of a ramshackle Manchester United team earlier that week in the Carling Cup and it must have seemed as if normal service had resumed at Goodison Park until a fifteen minute period that was reminiscent of the Keystone Cops.

Now Harry Redknapp must use his much-heralded man-management skills to rouse the players from those twin disappointments and no doubt they are looking at Wolves as the perfect opponents.

The visitors’s 1-0 win over Bolton last week was their first in the league since they beat Fulham in September and a positive result was absolutely vital in light of a festive fixture list that includes visits to Anfield and Old Trafford as well as White Hart Lane.

Wolves’ lack of Premier League experience seems to be counting against them despite a plethora of spirited performances but they have also run into the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal when their more illustrious opponents have enjoyed particularly good days.

The fact that central defender Jody Craddock is the club’s top scorer has to be a concern and a mid-term injury to Andy Keogh will further hinder their potency in front of goal.

Tottenham should motor to all three points assuming that they use their quick passing and pacy wingers to their full advantage but if there are any niggling doubts in the backs of the players’ minds, the visitors may feel they can escape north London with a point.

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Manchester United face Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday evening with one aim in mind – three points.

A win for the Red Devils is essential to keep up the pressure on Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea going into the hectic Christmas schedule and if the Blues slip up at home to Everton earlier in the day then the champions could even snatch top spot.

One sticking point is the injury crisis that has beset their back five with no less than eight defensive players in the Manchester United squad either ruled out or labelled as doubtful for the clash.

On the plus side is the fact that they swept past West Ham 4-0 at Upton Park last weekend with a makeshirt back four and then secured an excellent 3-1 win away at Wolfsburg in the Champions League with a similarly fragile-looking line-up.

United will also welcome back Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov to the matchday squad though Michael Owen will be keen to retain his place after his goal-poaching hat-trick in Germany.

To say Manchester United are Aston Villa’s bogey side might be a bit selective as Sir Alex Ferguson has a pretty good record against every Premier League side but with no wins in their last 27 league meetings, recent history is not on the visitor’s side.

However, with United’s injury list reading like a telephone directory O’Neill might just fancy his team’s chances.

Villa are the third highest scorers in the league – behind only Chelsea and Arsenal – and they know a win could propel them up to third place in the table.

That might be wishful thinking but the form of James Milner has been electric and Stewart Downing seems to be finding his feet quickly after a long injury lay-off. The key to a positive result for the midlanders will be to use the ball wisely and economically and to have be disciplined and organised when they cede possession.

With United’s never say die attitude a home win might seem the likeliest result but a share of the points woulkd be no surprise.

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Chelsea play host to Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they bid to return to winning ways.

After a hugely impressive display at the Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago – when they brushed aside the challenge of Arsenal to record a thumping 3-0 win – the Blues have stuttered somewhat.

A penalty shootout elimination in the Carling Cup at the hands of Blackburn Rovers was then followed by a controversial defeat at Manchester City. A presumed walkover against Cypriot minnows APOEL Nicosia in their final group game in the Champions League proved to be anything but as the visitors stunned a packed Stamford Bridge with a late equaliser.

To add to Chelsea’s annoyance, the express train that is Michael Essien suffered a hamstring injury just after scoring in that match and will not feature for Carlo Ancelotti’s team until his national team, Ghana, have completed their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with the final being on January 31st.

Everton have had a torrid time with injuries this season and results have not been kind as a consequence.

The Toffees find themselves 15th in the Barclays Premier League table though they would have been even lower had goalkeeper Tim Howard not saved a Jermain Defoe spot-kick in injury time during their 2-2 draw with Tottenham last weekend.

The visitors will be missing the talismanic Tim Cahill due to suspension while Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka are still on the long-term injury list.

Expect Chelsea to rediscover that winning feeling but a David Moyes side never lacks for spirit and workrate to which two goalless draws against their west London opponents last season testifies.

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The Barclays Premier League match of the weekend is undoubtedly at Anfield on Sunday when Liverpool take on Arsenal.

Memories of last season’s epic 4-4 draw – that featured a four-goal salvo from Andrei Arshavin and put an irreparable dent in the Merseysider’s title aspirations – are still fresh and neutrals up and down the land will be hoping for a repeat.

As far as defences are concerned, goals could be easy to come by. Arsenal are missing the likes of Gael Clichy, Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou while Liverpool’s usually miserly defence have already conceded 20 Premier League goals – more than anyone in the top nine other than Tottenham.

Both teams have come under pressure in recent weeks with Rafael Benitez seeing his side get knocked out of the Champions League while Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal has endured a loss against Sunderland, a steamrollering by Chelsea and elimination from the Carling Cup at the hands on Manchester City. A home win against Stoke and a spirited youthful performance in Europe has boosted morale in north London but it might just be papering over the cracks.

The Gunners will fancy their chances against nervous opponents but victories against Everton and Manchester United this season suggest that big games are not the problem for Liverpool.

Still an away win is certainly posible but Eduardo – if fit – will have to track down his shooting boots.

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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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The last two French champions clash in Ligue 1 this weekend when Olympique Lyon meet Girondins de Bordeaux.

Reigning champions Bordeaux currently top the table and hold a four point lead against the second place Montpellier though the Mediteranean side do have a game in hand. Lyon missed out on the title last season for the first time in eight years having won seven in a row  – their only titles – in the years prior to that.

This season has been similarly unspectacular so far which is possibly to be expected with the departure of strike sensation Karim Benzema to Real Madrid in the summer. Lyon are treading water in fourth place with just one win from their last four league games but they will take heart from their midweek thumping of Debrecen in the UEFA Champions League.

Bordeaux either win or lose having drawn just once this season. They will also be buoyant after their European escapades having finished top of a tricky group ahead of Bayern Munich and Juventus.

Ther should be a rocking atmosphere at the Stade Gerland and if you are going to be in the area there are still tickets available – check out the Ligue 1 tickets on this website.

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This weekend sees a few very interesting matches in La Liga that could have bearing on the rest of the season for the respective clubs.

The biggesst game is undoubtedly Valencia’s match against Real Madrid at La Mestalla. The meeting of third and second in the table is the highest profile Spanish game since El Clasico and it is a game that Valencia dare not lose if they are to stay in touch with leaders. Real Madrid, on the other hand, will know that a win will put daylight between the two teams and increase the pressure on title rivals FC Barcelona.

The Spanish an European champions are in action in the Catalonia derby against Espanyol. The fixture has been dominated by the giants of FC Barcelona and it is hard to see beyond them this time either. Still, Espanyol are hovering above the relegation zone and any kind of positive result could provide the springboard to a good new year.

The other intriguing match sees Atletico Madrid entertain Villareal. These two teams have struggled badly this year after good campaigns last time and both currently sit in mid-table obscurity.

Tickets for all three matches ara still available to buy so check out the La Liga tickets on this website if you are planning a trip to sunny Spain.

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Serie A is due to take its customary two-week winter break over the Christmas period.

But before the players can tuck into the turkey and mince pies there is a feast of mouth-watering matches on the final weekend before Santa does his rounds.

Highlights from the weekend of December 20th include:

Fiorentina v AC Milan

Juventus v Catania

AS Roma v Parma

Inter Milan v Lazio

Tickets for all these matches are still available to buy so if you are planning a Christmas holiday in Italy and love your football then check out the price of Serie A tickets on this website.

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The term ‘Group of Death’ always sounds as if it should be the title of a particularly dire Steven Seagal movie but instead is attributed on a quadrennial basis to an individual FIFA World Cup group. 2002 saw England draw Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria – with the South Americans exiting the tournament – while the Albicelestes then found themselves alongide Ivory Coast, Holland and Serbia-Montenegro in 2006.

This time it is their arch rivals Brazil that find themselves in a pickle as they have been pitted against Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea. The five-time winners should still be relevantly confident of going through but must be cursing England and Italy’s luck who arguably got the most plum draws of all the seeded teams. The grace of Kaka, the thrust of Maicon and the penetration of Luis Fabiano should see them safely through to the next round but they will need to maintain their concentration throughout.

Portugal will be even more disappointed. After a troubled qualifying campaign that only just saw them overhaul Sweden to claim second place they were then drawn against the free-scoring Bosnia-Herzogovina in their playoff. They squeaked through with a 2-0 aggregate win but will have to improve massively if they are to make an impact on the tournament. Able to call on the sublime skills of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and an experienced back four, they will need big performances from them all to guarantee their place in the next round.

Ivory Coast must have spent the last four years routinely trashing every mirror they have come across as they find themselves in a horrible group for the second tournament in succession. Chelsea’s Didier Drogba will need to be fresh and firing for them to have any hope of progressing but if he is then he might just be a contender for the Golden Boot. The Toure brothers and Didier Zokora will be names familiar to most but they do have a talented squad. They will definitely need it.

North Korea have made it to their first finals since 1966 where they famously dumped Italy out of the competition before being eliminated by Portugal in the quarter-finals by a 5-3 scoreline despite taking a 3-0 lead. There is no chance of them recreating this adventure – and you can quote me on that – but just being there will hopefully bring a bit of joy to a people that have lived under a brutally oppresive regime for more than half a century.

Prediction: Brazil to top the group with Ivory Coast bringing tears to Ronaldo’s eyes.

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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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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.

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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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Group F is the by far the tightest of all those in this season’s UEFA Champions League with just three points separating all four clubs.

In fact any of the clubs can finish in any of the four positions and table-topping FC Barcelona could possibly end up bottom and out of European competition altogether.

The Catalans face the cold and hostile trip to the Ukraine to face Dynamo Kiev knowing a point will be enough to see them through to the next round with a win guaranteeing them top spot. A draw would see Kiev climb above surprise package Rubin Kazan if the Russian side lose at home away to Inter Milan but a victory by three goals over the European champions would see them overhaul Barcelona and qualify for the second round.

Jose Mourinho knows that his side need to beat Rubin to ensure safe passage to the knockout stages. If Inter Milan get just a point, a win for Kiev would knock them out while a defeat would see their opponents qualify ahead of them.

The one instruction to players of all four teams will be to win though I’m sure every dugout will be getting updates from the other match. A tense night in store.

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Fiorentina top Group E going into Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League and will be hoping to remain in that position by the time of the draw.

La Viola reached that lofty position by beating Lyon 1-0 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Matchday 5; a result that knocked cup specialists Liverpool out of Europe’s premier competition.

Now the Italian side must travel to Anfield for their final match knowing that their Merseyside opponents will be aiming to exact some sort of revenge for being dumped out of the tournament.

Only a win will guarantee first place for Fiorentina as Lyon face Debrecen at home, a game they will be expected to win handsomely. But winning on Liverpool’s own patch when they on cold Wednesday night in Europe is easier said than done.

It all depends on who Rafela Benitez selects in his line-up but winning breeds familiarity and professional pride will be the foundation of Liverpool’s performance.

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Manchester United may have safely qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League but there are still a few issues to be sorted out in Group B.

The Red Devil’s shock 1-0 home defeat to Besiktas on Matchday 5 means that they need a point from their trip to Wolfsburg to guarantee top spot and a supposedly favourable draw in the next round but they must not take this match lightly.

Wolfsburg lie in second place three points behind Manchester United and know that they need a win to make sure they qualify alongside the English side. A point may be enough for the Bundesliga champions but with CSKA Moscow sitting on the same points as them they need to match or better the Russian team’s result away at Besiktas to be in the hat for the second round.

A win for Wolfsburg would probably see them through as group winners due to their head-to-head record and with a strikeforce of Edin Dzeko and Grafite playing against what will almost certainly be a makeshift United defence, it is a definite possibility.

It’s all to play for on Tuesday night.

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Avram Grant had already conceded it would take an extraordinary turnaround to salvage Portsmouth‘s season before it emerged some players are still waiting to receive their November wages.

Grant, who is still working under the title of director of football until his new work permit is approved, has shown no regrets at accepting the offer to succeed Paul Hart.

“I knew what I was coming into,” he said. “I knew that I was coming to a team in a very bad situation, at the bottom of the league with not easy fixtures – especially in December.

“I could have said ‘no’ and not taken the job. The challenge is big and even if some people think that the chances are very low of avoiding relegation, I think it is possible.

“I really believe that we can do it, even though it will be very, very difficult. But I knew that from the first moment that I took the job.”

If Grant’s side, currently seven points adrift of safety, are to become genuine survival candidates, three points against visitors such as Burnley are a must.

Had Grant’s side made more of a string of first half chances against Manchester United last weekend, they could have surprised the champions. The reality, however, was they didn’t capitalise on those opportunities – and that has been the story of their season.

Grant rested a number of senior players for the Aston Villa midweek game in the Carling Cup and will restore Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne to the attack while keeper David James faces a late fitness test on a calf injury. Full back Steve Finnan has a slim chance of returning after a groin problem.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle, meanwhile, is confident his side’s poor away form will eventually change. In stunning contrast to their results at Turf Moor, Burnley have yet to win on the road in seven matches away from Turf Moor and their inability to defend has been their downfall. They have already conceded an astonishing 25 goals on their travels but Coyle insists that playing positive football is the only solution to their concerns.

“The players we have at this football club have been brought here because they are football players and that’s what we will continue to do,” he said. “We will continue to try and win matches at home and away. It suits the players I have and certainly suits the way I want to play. I want to play and I we will win games and it will be sooner rather than later.

Burnley need a clean sheet against Portsmouth like never before. A win against the Premier League’s bottom club would do even more to stabilise the Lancashire side’s impressive start to life in England’s top flight but it all has to start at the back and they must simply stop conceding if they are not going to throw away all the hard work they are building up at home.

Clarke Carlisle, Tyrone Mears and Andre Bikey need huge games at Fratton Park to stop Portsmouth and give Coyle’s men a base to work from going forward. Robbie Blake will need to be his typically mischievous self in and around the box while Coyle will also be hoping Chris Eagles can build on his brilliant performance at Upton Park last Saturday.

Burnley will be without skipper Steven Caldwell after his late dismissal against West Ham United last weekend but apart from that they have no new injury concerns, with Chris McCann, Jay Rodriguez and Martin Paterson still their only doubts.

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Mark Hughes must feel like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders following the midweek Carling Cup win over Arsenal, even if Arsene Wenger did field a weakened side.

The timing was also perfect considering Manchester City now host leaders Chelsea, who appear unstoppable right now despite their shock slip-up at Blackburn in midweek.

Despite dropping points on a worryingly consistent basis, City have not lost too much ground on those immediately above them.

While winning the title itself appears unlikely now, a win over Carlo Ancelotti’s men could see City return to the top four should other results go in their favour.

The incentive is there and this should provide Hughes with ample evidence of where his side stand when it comes to being compared against the very best.

Hughes said: “We get judged by the amount of money we have spent but you just have to look back at where we were this time 12 months ago and the fact we were flirting with relegation.

“We have invested wisely and we are progressing. We are two points off where I thought we would be at this stage, so I’m pleased.

“We’ve got to keep that focus and intensity, but we are not a million miles away from where we should be. But Chelsea are the team to beat, without a shadow of a doubt. They are rock solid defensively and always have a real goalscoring threat.

City need to wise up to the fact Chelsea will be smarting from being knocked out of the Carling Cup. Hughes could do worse than adopt a containing policy to start with and look to utilise the quicksilver pace of Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips to hit Chelsea on the break. The form of this pair, along with Stephen Ireland’s ability to break from midfield, will go a long way towards deciding City’s fate.

Martin Petrov is still out with a knee problem, while Gareth Barry is also a doubt after suffering a recurrence of a nagging knee problem.

A clean sweep of trophies was never really on for Chelsea but the midweek Carling Cup quarter final defeat to Blackburn Rovers will continue to rankle as an opportunity missed for some time and Carlo Ancelotti will be looking for an appropriate response from his team to that failure.

Ancelotti insisted after the game that his priority this week had always been the visit to Eastlands after Chelsea had put down such an impressive marker in the title race with last weekend’s emphatic 3-0 victory at Arsenal.

“No defeat is good,” said the manager. “But the priority of that game was to give minutes to the players who didn’t play against Arsenal. Also it was chance for our other players to recover so tomorrow we have a fresh team.”

“Manchester City are dangerous and have plenty of quality. They haven’t won the last seven and they will want to beat Chelsea. I think they are good enough to reach the top four because they have a good squad.”

Ancelotti rested Petr Cech, John Terry and Frank Lampard at Blackburn while Didier Drogba started on the bench. The plan to field an under-strength side might have worked if the Italian hadn’t used all three of his substitutions at half time.

The coach is unlikely to be so cavalier this weekend and all his big names will start as Chelsea attempt to claim their ninth successive victory against City.

Ashley Cole returns after a hamstring injury but Kalou faces a three-week absence after tearing a thigh muscle and joins Alex (hip) Jose Bosingwa (knee) and Daniel Sturridge (knee) on the sidelines.

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This weekend sees one of the fiercest rivalries in football take place when AS Roma take on neighbours Lazio in Serie A.

Both teams share the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital for their home matches though that is where their mutual co-operation ends.

AS Roma traditionally draw their support from those with a leftist political persuasion and communist flags are a familiar feature in the stands at their matches. Lazio supporters meanwhile are more commonly associated with elements from the far-right and the club are often in trouble with the authorites due to their fans brandishing swastika-emblazoned flags as well as other fascist insignia and slogans.

There is no love lost in the stands and those feelings also stretch to those involved on the pitch. Roma’s talisman Francesco Totti has already fanned the flames prior to this particular encounter by belittling Lazio striker Mauro Zarate.

“For me there are other champions. He’s a good player but he certainly isn’t a champion. He still has to grow,” said Totti.

Though always a passionate occasion the match has a differing significance for each team. Lazio are currently hovering above the bottom three and will be looking for their first win in thirteen Serie A matches when they meet their arch-rivals on Sunday.

AS Roma have been resurgent under new manager Claudio Ranieri and will be gunning for all three points in order to drive them up the table towards European qualification.

Whatever the result, it will be a colourful, raucous and spicy affair.

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Fulham face CSKA Sofia in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday knowing that it is imperative that they come away with all three points.

Late goals and unfortunate red cards in both fixtures of their double-header with AS Roma have left the west London club with it all to do if they are to qualify for the next round of the tournament.

CSKA Sofia have picked up just one point from their four matches so far though that point was gained from their opening day 1-1 draw with Fulham. With second-place Roma at home to leaders Basle in the other match in Group E it is hard to know what result manager Roy Hodgson will be hoping for in the Stadio Olimpico but whatever happens in Italy three points at Craven Cottage is a must.

Fulham are without a host of first team players including Erik Nevland, Jonathan Greening and Paul Konchesky but with key performers Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora returning to full fitness the Cottagers will be expected to get the result they so desperately need.

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Goals from Carlos Tevez, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Vladimir Weiss in the second half  guaranteed Manchester City a place in the 2009-2010 Carling Cup semi-finals.

Manchester City dominated the game and could have easily been a goal up through Craig Bellamy in the first half. Arsenal had a couple of chances, but once Carlos Tevez and Shaun Wright-Phillips had put City two goals ahead, the game was as good as finished.

Manchester City will play their fierce local rivals, Manchester United, in what will no doubt be a classic Carling Cup semi-final encounter.

The other semi-final sees Blackburn take on Aston Villa.

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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.

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The group stages of the UEFA Champions league is coming to a close and some big names are in the last chance saloon as they bid to qualify for the second round of the competition.

Liverpool have already crashed out and Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Juventus will all be hoping to avoid the same fate.

AC Milan must win at FC Zurich to ensure their safe passage while a draw in Marseille will confirm Real Madrid in the next stage. There is a winner takes all clash in Turin as Juventus meet Bayern Munich with Bordeaux already though as group winners. Barcelona need just a point from their final game and Inter Milan will scrape through with a similar result against the surprise package of the season, Rubin Kazan.

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Aston Villa booked their place in the last four of the Carling Cup with a 4-2 win at Premier League strugglers Portsmouth.

The home side took an earlyt lead when Stilian Petrov guided the ball into his own net but the lead was only fleeting as Emile Heskey equalised almost immediately. The hard working James Milner then got on the scoresheet to give Villa a 2-1 lead at half-time and when Stewart Downing scored his first goal for the club on his first start to make it 3-1 the game looked up for Pompey.

But a late rally saw Kanu nudge the ball over the line in the 87th minute and a comeback looked on. That was until a minute from time when Ashley Young finally quitened the Fratton Park crowd as he made it 4-2 to send his team into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

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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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Good news off the pitch has been rare in recent months, so manager Gianfranco Zola knows there could be no better time than to ease the West Ham‘s relegation worries with a home victory over a Burnley side that has yet to win away this season.

The players are making slow progress in their journey away from the relegation zone however. Though they have lost only one of their last five Premier League games three of those have been drawn, including the 3-3 thriller at Hull last weekend.

As a result, the Hammers will kick off with only their goal difference tally keeping them out of the bottom three but Wigan, one place and three points ahead, are also in their sights.

Burnley have picked up just one point away fromTurf Moor so far so Zola will not have to ponder too long on his tactics, which will revolve around putting as strong an attacking side as possible on to the pitch. Danny Gabbidon is back after a two-month lay-off and did well at left back at Hull, so previous first choice Herita Ilunga is likely to remain on the bench.

Long-term absentees Dean Ashton and Luis Boa Morte remain off the radar but defensive duo James Tomkins and Alessandro Da Costa face tests. Midfielder Kieron Dyer is back in contention following a hamstring problem.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle wants his side to continue playing an attacking brand of football. The Clarets’ manager has earned huge praise this season for the attractive football his side is producing in their first season in the Premier League.

He said: “We do try and entertain in games and we believe that the best thing for us to do is play attacking football so that is what we will try and do.

“We will have to be on our guard because they are a quality team but we want to impose ourselves on the match.”

Coyle’s side are currently in 11th spot in the Premier League and look comfortable at English football’s highest level.

Pundits had backed them to be guaranteed relegation favourites but Coyle has engineered six wins out of seven at home to ensure they are in a perfectly safe position as Christmas approaches.

Coyle added: “I think everyone in the Premier League, or they certainly did at the start of the season, thought that ‘here comes Burnley, here is a great chance for three points’ and I don’t mind that. It up to them how they view us. My concentration is on my players and getting the most out of them.

“We have proved that we can get points in this division, the best league in the world, and that is what we need to keep on doing.”

Coyle needs to send his side out full of self-belief against Hammers side that has won just once on home soil all term. A 4-3-3 formation would help Burnley highlight that they will not be bullied by West Ham as well as give Graham Alexander, Andre Bikey and full-backs Stephen Jordan and Tyrone Mears the opportunity to get forward and help forwards Stephen Fletcher and Robbie Blake.

A weak goal conceded to Aston Villa towards the end of last week’s match proves that Burnley’s defence can be breached at times so captain Steven Caldwell and fellow central defender Clarke Carlisle will be looking to return to peak form to ensure the Villa goal does not become a habit.

Martin Paterson, Chris McCann and Jay Rodriguez all remain long-term absentees for Burnley but apart from those problems, they are likely to name the same team that drew 1-1 with Aston Villa last weekend.

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Match previews are supplied by Fanhouse UK