Midweek TV Preview: 24 - 26 May 2010

Monday 24th May

20:00 England v Mexico, International Friendly, ITV1/ITV HD
Every time England qualifies for a major tournament, a nation expects - expects most of its players to pick up metatarsal injuries beforehand, that is. Who'd have thought our very own Wembley Stadium pitch would ensure that'll probably be the case ahead of World Cup 2010? Tune in tonight to find out which players have their hopes of boarding the plane to South Africa go up in smoke.

22:00 Argentina v Canada, International Friendly, ESPN
Maradona didn't want to play this match so close to the World Cup as he felt the opposition weren't relevant or of sufficient enough standard. As it turned out, the AFA overruled him as they needed an excuse to celebrate Argentina's 200th anniversary of independence from Spain. Bad luck Diego... now just win the match for your sake and that of all your countrymen.

Tuesday 25th May

19:45 Republic of Ireland v Paraguay, International Friendly, Sky Sports 1
Paraguay aim to get a flavour of what it's like to play against tricky European opposition. Italy awaits in the World Cup, so what better than to get the next best thing - a national team with an Italian head coach.

01:00 (Wednesday) USA v Czech Republic, International Friendly, ESPN
The USMNT, meanwhile, test their mettle against a team of Slovenia doppelgangers in Connecticut. Bob Bradley has many an injury worry amongst his defence so by default this might be a good time for him to try out an attacking formation. Neither team has won many games of any sort for a long time, so there's much potential here for one of the parties to be cheered up by a win.

Wednesday 26th May

11:00 TBC, J League Cup, British Eurosport 2
At time of going to press, we're not aware of which game will be shown and that, we think, is because British Eurosport 2 are still trying to pick the best match from an uninspiring bunch. Needless to say that FC Tokyo are leading Group A and Urawa Reds are at the top of Group B. Consider yourselves informed.

Midweek TV Preview: 17 - 20 May 2010

Monday 17th May

19:45 Charlton Athletic v Swindon Town, League One Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1 (2-1 to Swindon in the 1st leg)
That sound you hear is the last knockings of the domestic football season coming to an end around Europe. That doesn't make the remaining games any less important, mind - quite the contrary. A cavalcade of drama and excitement awaits those wise enough to tune into the League 1 and 2 Play Off Semi-Finals, starting at the Valley. But for a ricket by Swindon 'keeper David Lucas, The Robins would have travelled to the Addicks with a two goal advantage and one foot on the not-so-hallowed Wembley turf.

Tuesday 18th May

19:45 Millwall v Huddersfield Town, League One Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1 (0-0 in the 1st leg)
A full house at The Den with the whole season hanging on the right result. Should be a colourful occasion to say the least.

Wednesday 19th May

19:45 Rotherham United v Aldershot Town, League Two Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1 (1-0 to Rotherham in the 1st leg)
Two former crisis clubs meet with the tie on a knife edge. Millers fans will know that a one goal lead means nothing. Promises to be a moderately less than awful atmosphere at the Don Valley Stadium.

20:30 Sevilla v Atletico Madrid, Copa Del Rey Final, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Atleti seek to turn a dreadful season on its head with a cup double. Sevilla may prove slightly tougher opposition than a Fulham side which was dead on its feet.

Thursday 20th May

19:45 Morecambe v Dagenham & Redbridge, League Two Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1 (6 (SIX) - 0 to Dagenham & Redbridge in the 1st leg)
"Morecambe need to pull off the greatest comeback since me." - Lazarus

Midweek TV Preview: 11 - 12 May 2010

Tuesday 11th May

15:15 Spartak Nalchik v Lokomotiv Moscow, Russian Premier League, ESPN
A bit of a sad occasion, this. What you're reading is probably our last TV Preview of the season (at least one of any real substance) now that all the cups and medals have been handed out. There will, of course, be the odd Cup Final and Japanese A-League curio cropping up on the box from time to time, but until the World Cup rolls around, this is it for now. We begin with a mid-afternoon kick-off between the teams currently 2nd and 9th in the RPL, both of whom are looking to bounce back from midweek defeats.

19:45 Nottingham Forest v Blackpool, Championship Play-off Semi Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Blackpool visit the City Ground with a 2-1 lead from the first leg and what a hum-dinger it was. Ian Holloway's side had to come back from 1-0 behind, but come back they did leaving everyone totally confused as to who will reach the play-off final. Holloway was asked if Blackpool were ready to take their place in the Premier League, his answer being "I've got to get there and I don't care if we take a thumping week in, week out, I don't care". You say that now, Ian...

Wednesday 12th May

10:30 Last 16 match, AFC Champions League, British Eurosport 2
No specifics on who we'll see but out of the last 16, Australia and Japan only have one representative remaining (Adelaide United and Kashima Antlers respectively). Our money's on the Final being between an Iranian team and a South Korean one... just don't ask us which ones.

19:45 Atletico Madrid v Fulham, UEFA Europa League Final, Five
The moment of truth has arrived for Roy Hodgson and his band of merry men and only a volcanic ash cloud can delay the inevitable humiliation Atletico Madrid will receive at Fulham's hands. Bullish talk, we know, but surely justified on the basis of The Cottagers' achievements this season. Good luck, Fulham, but we've a feeling you won't need it.

19:45 Cardiff City v Leicester City, Championship Play-off Semi Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Leicester suffered the ignominy of a late-conceded Peter Whittingham goal in the first leg, leaving Nigel Pearson to rue a series of missed chances and Alan Wiley's notably iffy refereeing. Advantage Cardiff, then, as the Bluebirds attempt to end the tie as a contest in front of a home crowd.

Midweek TV Preview: 4 - 6 May 2010

(All times - UK)

Tuesday 4 May

19.00 Barcelona v Tenerife, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Three wins in the last four have given Tenerife real hope of staying up - defeat here won't be the end of the world but they'll need to put in a good performance to maintain momentum.

19.45 Celtic v Rangers, SPL, Sky Sports 3/HD3
A chance for Celtic to salvage some pride or a chance for the champions to really rub it in.

21.00 Valencia v Xerez, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
The teams in the bottom three have turned things around a bit recently making the bottom half of the table incredibly tight. Xerez are bottom, though, and unlikely to escape.

Wednesday 5 May

19.30 Hamilton v St Mirren, SPL, ESPN/ESPN HD
St Mirren could use an extra point or two to put distance between them and the bottom two but haven't managed a goal against Academicals in their three games this season.

19.45 Motherwell v Hibernian, SPL, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Why is this on telly? Who cares?

20.00 Man City v Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
The last truly competitive match of the Premier League season is the fourth place play-off. City need to win to stand a chance of reaching the Champions League; a win for Spurs secures it for them. Probably the best match between now and the World Cup.

21.00 Real Mallorca v Real Madrid, La Liga, Sky Sports 4/HD4
A tough trip for Madrid - they need maximum points here but Mallorca are fighting to keep hold of fourth place. Madrid need maximum points from their last three games to hope to take the title - even then they'll be hoping Sevilla do them a favour next weekend.

Thursday 6 May

11.15 Rubin Kazan v Sibir Novosibirsk, Russian Premier League, ESPN
After eight games the Russian League is already a quarter of the way through. The champions have struggled in front of goal but are still unbeaten. Sibir managed just their first win of the season last time out and are rooted to the bottom.

15.45 Zenit St Peterburg v Spartak Nalchik, Russian Premier League, ESPN
Only goal difference separates these two at the top of the table with Spartak just edging it. Both sides are very tight in defence so don't expect a lot of goals. After this there'll be just two games until the mid-season break.

Midweek TV Preview: 26 - 29 April 2010

(All times UK)

Monday 26th April

20:00 Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion, Championship, Sky Sports 1/HD1
OK so here's the situation: Palace are fourth from bottom, one point above Sheffield Wednesday. If they can beat promoted West Brom they will stay in the league and relegate Wednesday. Any other result means that Palace will have to at least draw their last game at the weekend which happens to be against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Squeak!

Tuesday 27th April

19:45 Lyon v Bayern Munich, UEFA Champions League, Semi-Final 2nd leg (0-1), Sky Sports 2/HD2
Question marks surround the fitness of Bayern's centre back partnership and Ribery is out of sorts. A recipe for a Lyon comeback? I reckon the French team will win on the day but that itself may not be enough to make it to the Final.

Wednesday 28th April

17:00 CSKA Moscow v Zenit, Russian Premier League, ESPN
A nice little taster for those of you who are home by 5pm ahead of the main event tonight. A win for CSKA will put them on top of the table above Spartak Nalchik.

19:45 Barcelona v Inter, UEFA Champions League, Semi Final 2nd leg (1-3). ITV1/HD
One for the chalkboards this. Particularly: number of minutes in which the ball travelled in the direction of the Inter goal and number of complaints from Barca forwards about rough treatment from Inter defenders. Expect Barca to attack attack attack from the start. Can't wait.

Thursday 29th April

20:05 Fulham v Hamburg, UEFA Europa League, Semi-Final 2nd leg (0-0), ITV4
This could be Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia's final game if he loses this one. Tonked 5-1 by Hoffenheim at the weekend, the Europa League Final hosts travel to west London needing to produce a heroic performance if they're to beat an excellent Fulham side.

20:05 Liverpool v Atletico Madrid, UEFA Europa League, Semi-Final 2nd leg (0-1), Five
Hard to see Liverpool not scoring at Anfield. Alas, I've not seen a single minute of Liverpool in this competition. However, something tells me that this one could go to extra time so here's hoping for a timely resolution at the Cottage.

Midweek TV Preview: 19 - 22 April 2010

Monday 19th April

19:45 Plymouth Argyle v Newcastle United, Championship, Sky Sports 1/HD1
With promotion back to the Premier League already sown up, Newcastle can claim the Championship title outright with at least a point against The Pilgrims in this match. Sadly Chris Hughton's side can no longer beat Reading's record 106-point total from the 2005-06 season, but they can still notch up 104 if they win their three remaining games which will certainly be a great achievement in its own right. Plymouth, meanwhile, are realistically looking at winning all their three remaining games just to stay up. Not sure whether to commiserate with you now or later, to be honest...

20:00 Liverpool v West Ham, Premier League, ESPN/ESPN HD
Both teams are without key players for this one. Liverpool's Fernando Torres has had surgery on his knee and will be absent for the rest of the season while West Ham have to do without Scott Parker who yet again is suspended. Strangely enough The Hammers have a fair chance of picking up three points at Anfield - so long as they can maintain the spirited approach they've offered up in their last couple of games. Wouldn't bank on it though.

Tuesday 20th April

19:45 Queen of the South v Ross County, Scottish First Division, BBC ALBA
Fourth v fifth in the Scottish First. Both teams have lost just one game in their last seven in the league and a win for either will see them rise to third in the table. Warning: Not for the feint-hearted or non-Gaelic speakers, or both depending on your outlook.

19:45 Inter Milan v Barcelona, Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Former Barca starlet Samuel Eto'o has gone on record as saying his old team are beatable in this tie, and heaven knows the distinctly average Espanyol came close to proving it on Sunday in La Liga. Inter got a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Juventus on Friday, so perhaps Jose Mourinho will fancy his chances of getting an honourable first leg win here.

Wednesday 21st April

17:00 Udinese v Roma, Coppa Italia Semi Final 2nd Leg, ESPN/ESPN HD
Roma are already two goals up from the first leg so an way goal in this match (presuming the Away Goals Rule counts in the Coppa Italia) would kill off any Final ambitions plucky Udinese might have. The Bianconeri did beat Milan 1-0 in the previous round, but on paper at least this looks like one-way traffic for the Claudio Ranieri juggernaut.

19:45 Bayern Munich v Lyon, Champions League Semi Final 1st Leg, ITV1/ITV HD
What better way to keep your treble-winning hopes alive than by beating Hanover 7-0 at the weekend? Bayern were on blistering form on Saturday with Robben getting a hat-trick and Olic and Muller getting two each. Lyon, conversely, became the first team since March 21st to not beat Bordeaux in the league. Given Bordeaux's recent cataclysmic implosion, they should hang their heads in shame.

Thursday 22nd April

20:05 Atletico Madrid v Liverpool, UEFA Europa League Semi Final 1st Leg, Five
As mentioned earlier, Fernando Torres will not be facing his old side having just gone under the knife. That said, it's debatable whether any of the Liverpool players will be travelling to Spain given the ubiquitous threat of volcanic ash affecting air travel. Don't be surprised if this gets replaced in the schedules with an episode of 'Cowboy Builders' or some such nonsense.

20:05 SV Hamburg v Fulham, UEFA Europa League Semi Final 1st Leg, ESPN/ESPN HD
Likewise, Fulham may be heading over to the continent on the Eurostar even as we speak in order to ensure their participation in this intriguing semi-finaarl.

Midweek TV Preview: 12 - 15 April 2010

Monday 12 April

19.45 Swindon Town v Exeter City, League One, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Swindon are currently in the box seat to join Norwich for automatic promotion from League 1. Still six games to go though and they're under huge pressure from Millwall and Charlton (but not from Leeds). Exeter's precarious position near the relegation zone could be made a little easier if Hartlepool are deducted points for fielding an ineligible player.

Tuesday 13 April

19.00 Real Valladolid v Sevilla, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
The start of a La Liga-fest with half of the full midweek card being shown live on Sky. Sevilla are back on winning ways in time for the run-in for fourth place. Valladolid are stuck in the relegation zone having won just two home games all season.

19.45 Celtic v Motherwell, SPL, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Defeat for Celtic would leave Rangers just three points away from the title and following Celtic's shock cup exit at the weekend Motherwell might fancy their chances

20.00 Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers, Premier League, ESPN/ESPN HD
Chelsea have the chance to go four points clear at the top against a side that has slipped back into the relegation battle after losing four or their last five. Bolton went down 4-0 here in the League Cup in October - expect a similar scoreline here.

21.00 Getafe v Villarreal, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Mid-table tussle with two teams looking to sneak into the Europa League, which for Villareal would represent a huge turnaround (or highlight how weak La Liga truly is beyond the top two).

Wednesday 14 April

07.30 Changchun Yatai v Kashima Antlers, AFC Champions League Group F, British Eurosport 2
Strange choice of fixtures as this group is pretty much done and dusted. Antlers are already though while the Chinese hosts are already out. Dead rubber - very disappointing, Yoyosport!

11.00 Vissel Kobe v Urawa Reds, Japanese J League Cup Group B, British Eurosport 2
Magic of the Cup.
Hang on, they've got a group stage!
Crazy Japanese.

18.00 Willem II v Ajax, Dutch Eredivisie, ESPN
Just three games to go in the Eredivisie, but it looks increasingly unlikely that Ajax are going to close the four point gap at the top with Twente. Ajax are on an incredible 11 game winning streak, but Steve McLaren's men have only dropped five points themselves in that period.

19.45 Dundee United v Rangers, SPL, Sky Sports 3/HD3
The last game in SPL's regular season could be pivotal depending on the previous night's results. Rangers are just two wins away from the title while United know that victory against Celtic in the Clausura will make Champions League football a real possibility.

20.00 Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Running around Wembley for two hours only to be knocked out of the Cup is hardly the best preparation before you play the top three in succession. For Spurs to finish fourth will require a herculean effort and will require them to bury a lot of ghosts. This fixture has been extremely tight over recent years, while Arsenal fans will point that Spurs haven't beaten them in the League since 1999, the Gunners have only managed two wins here themselves in all that time.

21.00 Barcelona v Deportivo, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Deportivo's melt-down continues. Barca can now cruise to the title following their win in the weekend's Clasico.

Thursday 15 April

19.00 Almeria v Real Madrid, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Still seven games to go and just three points off the top, but you can't help but feel that Real always knew they'd be second place in the end. Another joyless victory for them here.

21.00 Valencia v Athletic Bilbao, La Liga, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Valencia have suffered a couple of defeats lately making their current third spot a bit less secure than they'd hope. Their home form is fine though - they've only conceded two goals here this year and will be looking to make up for the disappointment of their Europa League exit last week.

Midweek TV Preview: 5 - 8 April 2010

Tuesday 6th April

17:30 CSKA Moscow v Inter Milan, UEFA Champions League, Quarter-Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Jose will not under estimate Russian opposition and will be weary of the trickery of Serbian winger Milos Krasić. Saying that, it would be a major shock if CSKA were to progress.

19:45 Barcelona v Arsenal, UEFA Champions League, Quarter-Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Difficult to know if Arsenal are a genuine threat to Barca or will meet the same fate as Stuttgart (allowed their moment of glory at home in the first leg before being sent packing in the second). Either way it promises to be tremendous fun.

Wednesday 7th April

19:45 Manchester United v Bayern Munich, UEFA Champions League, ITV1
Robben is due back for the visitors and Franck Ribery was a substitute during their top-of-the-table clash with Schalke at the weekend so he could rest up. United are Rooney-lite (or so we think) and wounded after their defeat to Schalke. That Bayern defence though. I just don't trust it.

19:45 Bordeaux v Lyon, UEFA Champions League, Quarter Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Definitely Advantage Lyon but you can bet that Laurent Blanc will be chucking everything but the évier de cuisine at the visitors.

Thursday 8th April

20:05 Wolfsburg v Fulham, UEFA Europa League, ITV4
That pesky away goal has thrown a spanner in Fulham's works. The Wolves are in good goalscoring nick and Dzeko is on fire. It will need to be another heroic night for The Cottagers if they are to succeed.

20:05 Liverpool v Benfica, UEFA Europa League, Five
More away goal shenanigans, this time for Benfica. You can rely on the Anfield roar to be in full voice for another classic European night. Hard to choose which of the two Europa League ties involving English clubs is the one to watch.

Please note that the additional fixtures on ESPN and ITV4 have not been confirmed and the time of writing.

MIdweek TV Preview: 29 March - 1 April 2010

Monday 29 March

19.45 Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest, Championship, Sky Sports 1/HD1
After the distraction of Andy Carroll having an almighty punch-up with team-mate Steven Taylor, Newcastle won't want us or anybody else bringing up the issue as they continue their relentless pursuit of automatic promotion. So no jokes about boxing, no pugilistic references, no nothing. It just remains to say this is a match between the teams currently sitting first and third in the table which is sure to be a real knock-out. Bugger.

20.00 Man City v Wigan Athletic, Premier League, ESPN/HD
A second north-west derby in the space of three days for ESPN, and this one might be more of a contest than the formality that was 'Bolton v Man U'.

Tuesday 30 March

19.45 Bayern Munich v Man Utd, Champions League Quarter Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
As Terry reported earlier in Bundesbag, Louis Van Gaal initially left Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben on the bench for Bayern’s match against Stuttgart at the weekend, but having gone 1-0 down, both were sent into battle whereby the latter promptly picked up a calf strain. Though Ribery returns for Bayern, Robben looks set to sit this one out – a weakness that could be exposed as Sir Alex welcomes back Wayne Rooney to the fold.

19.45 Lyon v Bordeaux, Champions League Quarter Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Much credit has been given to both these teams for putting French football back in the spotlight once again, and rightly so. Their European campaigns this season (if not their domestic ones) have been near flawless, but the key question is “who will win out of these two?” Bordeaux lost 3-1 to Marseille in the French League Cup Final at the weekend while Lyon beat bottom club Grenoble 2-0, which, quite honestly, is our oblique way of saying “we’re not sure”.

Wednesday 31 March

11.00 FC Tokyo v Nagoya Grampus, J League Cup, British Eurosport 2
Both teams have made solid enough starts to their J League campaigns, particularly the current J League Cup champions FC Tokyo who will aim to be one of the two qualifiers for the semis from this group, Group A.

14.00 Bunyodkor v Zobahan, AFC Champions League Group Stage, British Eurosport 2
‘Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Bunyodkor’, no less, and mighty champions of the Uzbek League. They’re up against the runners-up in last year’s Iranian Pro League, but hey, we’re just trotting out the stuff you already know here.

19.45 Inter v CSKA Moscow, Champions League Quarter Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Not exactly the tie of the round, but an interesting one on account of CSKA being the first Russian team to reach the Champions League quarter finals in 14 years. A very real threat and a big challenge for The Special One to overcome if they intend to reach the last four.

19.45 Arsenal v Barcelona, Champions League Quarter Final 1st Leg, ITV1/HD
Cesc Fabregas is a doubt for The Gunners following the knee injury he picked up against Birmingham at the weekend. Arsenal are also without Nasri, Diaby and Arshavin while Barcelona will have to do without Iniesta after a hamstring injury put paid to his involvement. Despite such big-name absentees, this should be an absolute corker of a match between two teams that love to play football the way it should be played.

Thursday 1 April

20.05 Valencia v Atletico Madrid, UEFA Europa League Quarter Final 1st Leg, ITV4
Atletico beat Valencia 4-1 in the league back in February – a fact that will remind Unai Emery of the need to tighten up his defence, if only to deny Atletico a valuable away goal.

20.05 Benfica v Liverpool, UEFA Europa League Quarter Final 1st Leg, Five
Time for The Reds to show how serious they are about winning some European silverware. A decent 3-0 win over Sunderland bodes well for Rafa and his men, but some say Sunderland were so bad that Liverpool should have won by more than double the eventual scoreline. We won’t expect too much against Benfica, then.

20.05 Fulham v Wolfsburg, UEFA Europa League Quarter Final 1st Leg, ESPN
The return of the conquering heroes. Roy Hodgson’s brilliant mastery of the previous tie against Juventus shows he has the wherewithal to guide his team to victory against anyone (except Hull, possibly). Wolfsburg are there for the taking, but in Edin Dzeko and Grafite, Wolfsburg have plenty of ammunition to repel Fulham’s advances – if they’re up to the challenge...

MIdweek TV Preview: 22 - 25 March 2010

Monday 22 March

19.45 Leeds Utd v Millwall, League One, Sky Sports 1/HD1
A fixture to leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth of any fan of football, unless of course you have a misguided nostalgia for "firms" and British Rail football specials. Leeds have a cushion of 12 points in the automatic promotion spots, Millwall's hold on a play-off place is less secure but their form suggests they have what it takes. Should actually be a good game.

Tuesday 23 March

20.00 West Ham v Wolves, Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
A week or so ago it was looking like anyone in the bottom half could be in danger of going down. Results since suggest that it's most likely to be from the current bottom three and these two. Given how bad the bottom three actually are, a win here will see another side almost safe.

Wednesday 24 March

10.00 Kashima Antlers v Persipura Jayapura, AFC Champions League Group F, British Eurosport 2
Persipura were embarrased 9-0 on matchday 2 and more humilation could be heaped on the Indonesians as they face an even better team here.

19.00 Barcelona v Osasuna, La Liga, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Early evening action from Spain, sees Osasuna hoping that an unfamilar kick off time will somehow stop the inevitable happening. It won't.

19.45 Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham, FA Cup Quarter Final Replay, ITV1/ITV HD
A tasty fixture between two sides playing well and playing good football. Of course, ITV will have to hide their disappointment if Fulham beat Spurs and deny everyone the chance of seeing the Harry Redknapp semi-final in front of 30,000 bile-filled Portsmouth fans.

19.45 Dundee United v Rangers, Scottish FA Cup Quarter Final Replay, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Not the formality I eluded to in my preview from a week or so ago: United fighting back from two goals down to finish the game 3-3. A rare competitive offering from north of the border.

19.45 St Mirren v Celtic, SPL, ESPN/ESPN HD
However if the League's more your thing, there's a proper, normal foregone conclusion on the other side.

21.00 Valencia v Malaga, La Liga, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Can't really see beyond a comfortable home win here either. Valencia are stumbling their way to third place but, thanks to a lack of pressure from the chasing pack, should make it to the non-qualifying Champions League spot.


Thursday 25 March

19.45 Napoli v Juventus, Serie A, ESPN
The Old Lady's season goes from bad to worse. Last week's humbling at Fulham came on top of some woeful Serie A displays but Napoli's current form is even worse. What should be a tantalising encounter now just a desperate battle for a Europa League spot.

Midweek TV Preview: 15 -18 March 2010

Monday 15th March

19:45 Notts County v AFC Bournemouth, League Two, Sky Sports 1 / HD1
Clash of the crisis clubs, off the pitch at least. County are in fourth place, only three points off their visitors in second. Recent media coverage of these two clubs has been about their respective financial troubles, Now, at least, both teams can show the nation what their imaginary money is paying for.

20:00 Liverpool v Portsmouth, Premier League, ESPN / ESPN HD
Unless the nation happens to be watching Liverpool on the telly. This is the second week in a row that the Reds are playing on a Monday and a Thursday. A ready-made excuse for Rafa?

Tuesday 16th March

19:45 Chelsea v Inter Milan, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2 / HD2
The Big One. Don the hype shades before this game as the Sky pre-match build up rolls out the red carpet for His Highness the Special One of Mourinho. Expect lots of praise for the former Chelsea boss and spades of condescension after the match when Messrs Keys, Redknapp and Souness ask why Jose is wasting his time in Serie A. "It's so negative over there." "I watched an Italian game five years ago and is was dull." "He's wasted in Milan, they don't like him. He should come back to the Premier League and be with the best." Unless of course Inter win and then it'll be all about the ref.

19:45 Sevilla v CSKA Moscow, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 3 / HD3
Battle of the dark horses this one. Sevilla have a great European pedigree but have been disappointing domestically. By rights, they should progress but must beware a dangerous CSKA side.

Wednesday 17th March

19:45 Bordeaux v Olympiacos, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 1 / HD1
The Greeks look to have blown their chances against Bordeaux who are heavy favourites. There is still a job to be done, though, if Laurent Blanc's date with destiny (an honourable defeat to an English club) is to be met.

19:45 Barcelona v VFB Stuttgart, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, ITV1 / ITV HD
Stuttgart have had their moment in the first leg and deserve to enter the Nou Camp on level terms, however anything other than a win for Barca would be an enormous shock.

Thursday 18th March

18:00 TBC, UEFA Europa League Last 16 2nd Leg, ESPN
20:05 TBC, UEFA Europa League Last 16 2nd Leg, ESPN
No confirmation from the Mouse as to their Europa League coverage plans at the time of writing, nor from ITV for that matter. However, Fulham's game against Stuttgart will be among the games covered on UK TV. Look out also for Bremen v Valencia, Sporting v Atletico Madrid, Wolfsburg v Rubin or Marsellie v Benfica as possibilities. All finely poised ties demonstrating that, in the knockout stage at least, this competition provides tremendous value.

20:05 Liverpool v Lille, UEFA Europa League Last 16 2nd Leg, Five
It's almost impossible to predict the outcome of this game. Under normal circumstances, Liverpool's performance in the first leg would have been perceived as anomalous and a spirited home win would have been forecast. But with Liverpool I'm afraid you just don't know anymore.

Midweek TV Preview: 8 - 11 March 2010

Monday 8th March

19:45 Colchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion, League One, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Both teams have lost only one game in their previous six, and for Colchester that was their last game against Bristol Rovers - a game that slowed down The U's attempts to catch third-placd Charlton. Brighton, meanwhile, could do with the three points to pull further clear of the stragglers near the bottom. A draw looks likely here.

20:00 Wigan Athletic v Liverpool, Premier League, ESPN/HD
ESPN don't half pick 'em. Wigan haven't scored in their last three matches and Liverpool have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League away games, including the last three in a row. This has '0-0' written all over it, which by our predictive capabilities means an eight-goal thriller lies in store.

Tuesday 9th March

19:45 Arsenal v Porto, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
With The Gunners 2-1 down after the first leg, Wenger has the dilemma of whether or not to play Cesc Fabregas after he went off with a tight hamstring against Burnley at the weekend. A single goal could be all Arsenal need and with Bendtner looking frankly myopic at times, the Frenchman might find the decision is easier to make than he thinks.

19:45 Fiorentina v Bayern Munich, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Like Arsenal, Fiorentina are a goal down from the first leg but in truth both teams need to sharpen up a bit after their weekend domestic matches. La Viola haven't lost a home game in the Champions League this season while Bayern haven't lost an away game in any competition since their trip to Bordeaux over four months ago. Should be a cracking and somewhat unpredictable game.

Wednesday 10th March

10:30 Pohang Steelers v Sanfrecce Hiroshima, AFC Champions League, British Eurosport 2
Current champions Pohang (from South Korea) face the fourth-best team in Japan last season, Sanfrecce, in this Group H clash. Both teams lost their opening day games and will be looking to stay in touch with group leaders Adelaide United by picking up all three points today.

19:45 Real Madrid v Lyon, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
An away goal for Lyon would make things a whole lot tougher for Real who already trail 1-0 after the first leg. A welcome boost for Manuel Pellegrini comes in the form of Barca's slip at the weekend which allowed Real to go top of La Liga, but they may need to rely on a similarly faltering Lyon if they're to get anything out of this match.

19:45 Man Utd v Milan, Champions League Last 16 2nd Leg, ITV1/HD
A thrilling first leg ended 3-2 to United to set up a fiery second leg in which Beckham may very well make an appearance to please the home fans. Milan failed to score against Roma at the weekend and will have to dig deep to find the two-goal-win they need to reach the last eight.

Thursday 11th March

18:00 Atletico Madrid v Sporting Lisbon, UEFA Europa League Last 16 1st Leg, ESPN
Atletico only scraped a 90th-minute equaliser against Real Zaragoza on Sunday while Sporting put four past Belenenses. Form suggests a win for the away team but Atletico are a different team now to the one they were, ooh, two weeks ago.

18:00 Lille v Liverpool, UEFA Europa League Last 16 1st Leg, Five
Lille featured in one of five 1-1 draws in Ligue 1 this weekend, there's being all the more surprising as it was against struggling Saint Etienne. That slight worry aside, this should be a fine match as Lille's style of play is by far the easiest on the eye in the French top flight and should bring out the best in Rafa's Liverpool too, with any luck.

18:00 Hamburg v Anderlecht, UEFA Europa League Last 16 1st Leg, ITV4
Anderlecht are twelve (TWAALF) points clear at the top of the Belgian Pro League and must be craving some decent opposition by this point of the season. A trip to Germany should sort that out. One of the hidden gems of this week's Europa League schedule.

20:05 Valencia v Werder Bremen, UEFA Europa League Last 16 1st Leg, ESPN
A tough ask for Werder. Valencia are a tough nut to crack at home but both teams are on similar form at the moment so a close match should ensue.

20:05 Juventus v Fulham, UEFA Europa League Last 16 1st Leg, ITV4
A proud day for The Cottagers as they travel to Turin for their toughest European challenge yet. Roy Hodgson's main concern is a lack of goals recently - just one in their last three games - but they'll settle for a 0-0 here if it means starting the second leg at home with half a chance of winning. If nothing else, this'll be a great opportunity for a Fulham player to make a name for themselves, or indeed the whole team if they can get under Juve's skin early doors.

Midweek TV Preview: 1 - 3 March 2010

Monday 1 March

19.45 Crusaders v Glenavon, Irish Premiership, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Two sides struggling for form as the Northern Irish 'Clausura' approaches. Crusaders have gone from title challengers to being in serious danger of playing out the remainder of the season at the wrong end.

Tuesday 2 March

20.05 Brazil v Republic of Ireland, International Friendly, ITV1
The Emirates stadium, Brazil's unofficial European venue, hosts the Republic's first match since The Paris Incident. I don't think there's any significance to this fixture - maybe this will help the Brazilians against World Cup Group G rivals Ivory Coast, who have an identical national flag to Ireland.

Wednesday 3 March

18.00 England U21 v Greece U21, UEFA U21 European Championship, ESPN/HD
Greece currently top the group with England two points behind with a game in hand. Because seven teams qualify along with the hosts, winning one of the ten qualifying groups just entitles you to a play-off along with the four of the best runners up. The finals in Denmark next summer will be used to determine which European sides will join Team GB in the 2012 Olympics in London.

19.45 Wales v Sweden, International Friendly, Sky Sports 2 / HD2
Happy St David's Day to all our Welsh readers. Long term development here with two teams you won't be seeing in South Africa. The Swedes will provide a useful test for the Welsh in the run-up to a tough qualification campaign for Poland/Ukraine 2012 .

20.00 England v Egypt, International Friendly, ITV1/ITV HD
What should be excellent World Cup preparation against the best team in Africa is of course over-shadowed by the ongoing unpleasantness. You know things must be bad when Craig Bellamy is scoring points off you for the way you conduct yourself.

20.00 Scotland v Czech Republic, International Friendly, Sky Sports 1/HD1
This match was organised weeks before the Euro 2012 draw pitted these two nations against each other in Group I. With holders Spain also in the group, these fixtures could be key to the runners-up berth in this group. As such, this fixture will probably bear little resemblance to the real deal this coming October.

Midweek TV Previews 22 - 25 February 2010

Monday 22nd February

19:45 Rotherham United v Shrewsbury, League Two, Sky Sports 1/HD1
The Don Valley Stadium may not provide the most glamorous surroundings to kick off what should be a fantastic week of football but Sky have picked a well matched fixture for their rare trip to the fourth division. Rotherham are a point ahead of The Shrews in the Play-Off Zone and both teams may encounter each other once again in the post season.

Tuesday 23rd February

11:00 Bunyodkor v Al Ittihad, AFC Champions League, British Eurosport 2
When I was out of work last year I'd have been all over this one. Bunyodkor are managed by Big Phil Scolari and can count the legendary Rivaldo in their squad. Their visitors are from Saudi Arabia. This should be an intriguing encounter and we look forward to what we hope will be more matches from the Asian Champions League on Eurosport.

17:00 Benfica v Hertha Berlin, UEFA Europa League, ESPN
Readers of the Bundesbag will know that Hertha are almost cut adrift at the bottom of the Bundesliga. On paper this should be a home win and see Benfica though to the next round. But the Berliners are a different team in this competition and will fancy 'Fanis Geikas to cancel out the Portuguese club's away goal.

19:45 Stuttgart v Barcelona, UEFA Champions League Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
For those of us who don't have access to Sky's interactive service, this staggering of the knock out stages of the Champions League is a godsend. This fixture would amost certainly been relegated to the red button and it is one of the more intriguing fixtures. Stuttgart are rejuvenated under new coach Christian Gross and Barca are struggling with injuries. Definite upset potential here.

19:45 Olympiakos v Bordeaux, UEFA Champions League Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Time for a Greek side to break through in the Champions League? Bordeaux's form has been patchy in both Ligue and Coupe so the chance is there for Olympiakos to take a hefty lead to France in a fortnight.

Wednesday 24th February

17:30 Fiorentina v AC Milan, Serie A, ESPN/ESPN HD
Bonus Serie A for those of you who can make it back from work in time. Milan's shortcomings were cruelly exposed by Wayne Rooney last week but should be more comfortable on domestic ground against an inconsistent La Viola.

17:30 CSKA Moscow v Sevilla, UEFA Champions League Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 / HD1
Maintaining form during the close season is often a problem for the European teams who play during the Summer and Sevilla are among one of the best teams on the continent. Having said that the start of the Russian season is just around the corner so the Muscovites should be in good shape if a little ring rusty.

19:45 Inter Milan v Chelsea, UEFA Champions League Last 16 1st Leg, ITV1/ITV HD
Ancelloti returns to the San Siro albeit to face the other lot and Jose welcomes his old comrades. Both teams are top of their respective tables and both are desperate to win the Champions League. A fascinating encounter awaits whoever chooses to watch. I won't be one of them on account of Palace playing Villa in the Cup. A game you can watch live on the FA's website.

Thursday 25th February

18:00 Unirea v Liverpool, UEFA Europa League, ESPN
The first leg was screened on Five but in view of UEFA's staggered schedule the second leg clashes with Home And Away and we can't upset Alf now, can we? But the fifth channel's loss is ESPN's gain as this delicately poised tie goes to Romania. One question - what happens if there's extra time and penalties. Surely that will mean we'll miss the start on the 8:05 kick-offs.

18:00 Shakhtar Donetsk v Fulham, UEFA Europa League, ITV4
If this match measures up to the first leg then we're in for a treat. Shakhtar were awesome in patches and will be looking to their playmaker Illsino to work his mojo. Fulham have the lead thanks to a brilliant strike from Zamora but have to contend with an away goal.

20:05 Werder Bremen v FC Twente, UEFA Europa League, ESPN
Good choice! Twente have a 1-0 lead which could easily be wiped out by the goal crazy Bremen. However, the German's liberal approach to defending will not guarantee them success.

20:05 TBC, UEFA Europa League, ITV4
Presumably this will be the Juve-Ajax game. Personally I think they should go for Salzburg v Liege which stands at 2-2 after Liege fought back from 2-0 down.

20:05 Sporting Lisbon v Everton, UEFA Europa League, Five
So Five have lumped for the other Merseyside club. Everton are the hottest ticket in the Premier League right now so this is most definitely the tie of the night amongst some pretty stuff competition. Who said the Europa League was rubbish?

Midweek TV Preview: 15 - 18 February 2010

Monday 15th February

19:45 Bristol Rovers v Charlton Athletic, League One, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Two teams that haven't won a game since mid-January. With Sky, however, you can see games as unappealing as this in High Definition each and every week, and all for a bigger monthly subscription than you're paying now.

Tuesday 16th February

17:45 Everton v Sporting Lisbon, UEFA Europa League, Round of 32 1st Leg, ESPN
Been enjoying the recent run of midweek Premier League games? Shame - European competition is back with a vengeance with the return of those all-important knock-out rounds. As for Sporting Lisbon, they've recently lurched from invincibility to abject incompetence. A good time for Everton to be playing them, therefore, and with a fervent home crowd behind them a valuable win looks very likely indeed.

19:45 Milan v Manchester United, UEFA Champions League, Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
And so United finally get the chance to banish the memory of that fateful night in May 2007 when Milan beat them 3-0 at the San Siro to reach the Champions League Final against Liverpool. To do so, United need an away goal or two and Wayne Rooney will singularly be the spearhead for that plan. One wonders if they'll have any other cards to play if Rooney's marked out of the game but at least both clubs are in similar form at the moment so technically it's anybody's for the taking.

19:45 Lyon v Real Madrid, UEFA Champions League, Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 3/HD3
On paper there's only one way this tie's going, and that's a win for Real. Lyon are still holding out for a sniff of success in Ligue 1 at the moment, but they're far from convincing - pretty much the opposite to Real in La Liga. Should be an entertaining match, but Lyon will have to up the ante on their recent performances to stand a chance of reaching the last eight of this competition.

Wednesday 17th February

19:45 Rangers v St Mirren, Scottish Cup 5th Round Replay, Sky Sports 1/HD1
So much for us saying it was all going right for Rangers prior to the previous tie between these two a week ago or so. That match finished surprisingly goalless, but the replay's at Ibrox and on current form The Gers are odds-on to wrap it up this time around. We'd even stake our bookmaker's house on Rangers winning this one - we're that certain of the outcome.

19:45 Porto v Arsenal, UEFA Champions League, Last 16 1st Leg, ITV1
These two met in the group stages of the Champions League last year and Porto finished top despite a 4-0 defeat to The Gunners at The Emirates. In the end, both Porto and Arsenal were beaten by Man United en route to the Final, and who knows, it may even happen this year. It will, of course, depend on Wayne Rooney's effectiveness as the singular spearhead for Man United, etc, etc...

19:45 Bayern Munich v Fiorentina, UEFA Champions League, Last 16 1st Leg, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Bayern are ripping up the Bundesliga, Fiorentina are failing miserably in Serie A. The resumption of the Champions League couldn't have come at a worse time for the latter. Home win.

Thursday 18th February

18:00 Ajax v Juventus, UEFA Europa League, Round of 32 1st Leg, ESPN
You know you're old when the mere mention of these two teams in the same sentence conjours up images of the 1973 European Cup Final. Images which can thankfully be watched time and time again on YouTube and made all the better for Brian Moore unwittingly promoting a popular brand of household floor cleaner.

20:00 Panathinaikos v AS Roma, UEFA Europa League, Round of 32 1st Leg, ESPN
Having squeezed past Fulham in the last round (amongst others), Roma now face The Greens who were only previously beaten by Galatasaray in their group. A match with considerable curiosity value for the neutral but greater meaning for those trying to figure out if Roma are the real deal this season.

20:05 Liverpool v Unirea Urziceni, UEFA Europa League, Round of 32 1st Leg, Five
Rafa staggers into the Last Chance Saloon hoping the Romanians will do the decent thing and stand aside rather than pick a fight. If Unirea can pull off the sort of result they had at Ibrox last November, maybe there'll be a new sheriff in town at Anfield sooner rather than later?

Midweek TV Preview: 8 - 10 February 2010

Monday 8 February

19.45 Colchester United v Southend United, League One, Sky Sports 1/HD1
It's a hoary old chestnut that form counts for nothing in derbies but this Essex encounter finds the top teams at opposite end of the table. Colchester are nestled nicely in the play-off spots while the Shrimpers are struggling just two points above the drop zone. Southend are likely to give a debut to young Arsenal striker Sanchez Watt, who they have on a month's loan.

Tuesday 9 February

19.00 Carlisle United v Leeds United, Johnstone's Paint Trophy, Northern Final 2nd Leg (2-1), Sky Sports 3/HD3
Ooh look, two all United clashes in two days. With the closure of the transfer window and their exit from the FA Cup, Leeds can go back to concentrating on winning games. They've managed just one win in eight since their heroics at Old Trafford, though today's opponents haven't fared much better in that time. A late Joe Anyinsah goal in the first leg gives the advantage to Carlisle.

19.45 Manchester City v Bolton, Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
While their defeat at Hull further highlighted City's struggles on the road it can't be forgotten that Owen Coyle has already taken a point with that amazing 3-3 here with Burnley. Expect much of the coverage to be taken up with lingering shots of Wayne Bridge on the bench.

Wednesday 10 February

19.45 Arsenal v Liverpool, Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Liverpool are fourth - Rafa has been good to his word got them there. Though what that says about the quality of the Premier League is moot. Arsenal come into this one hurting: embarrassed at home by United and then better but ultimately toothless against Chelsea. The weaker two of the Big Four, this fixture has produced some crackers over recent seasons: with desperation in both camps we could see another one here

19.45 Motherwell v Rangers, Scottish Premier League, ESPN/HD
Motherwell have put their truly awful December behind them and are unbeaten this year (though that will probably end here). That run of five defeats they had included a 6-1 mauling at the hands of today's opponents

Midweek TV Preview: 2 - 4 February 2010

Tuesday 2 February

19.45 Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers, FA Cup 4th Round Replay, ITV4
A week of cup action lies ahead with some matches that are mostly of parochial interest only. Starting with this FA Cup replay at Selhurst Park. The Eagles have lost Victor Moses to Wigan but had not been playing him in the Cup anyway. They were set to lose Danns and Clyne to Southampton and Wolves respectively but both declined the move. This either means that that a massively rich sugar daddy is about to take over the club or the wages offered was hardly worth the travel. Hmmm.

19.30 Kilmarnock v Celtic, SPL, ESPN
Will Robbie Keane start for Celtic? You bet he will. Tony Mowbray's team maybe 10 points behind Rangers but the ex Spurs striker is Celtic mad and will score a bucket load of goals this season, starting tomorrow.

Wednesday 3 February

19.00 FC Twente v Heracles Almelo, Eredivisie, ESPN
A rare midweek foray into the Dutch League and a chance to catch up on an old chum.

19.45 Rangers v St Johnstone, Co-operative Insurance Cup, Semi-Final, BBC1 Scotland
A Scottish League Cup tie only available and of interest in Scotland to be frank.

19.45 Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur, FA Cup 4th Round Replay, ITV1
Definitely the most intriguing tie of the week for neutrals. Yours truly confidently predicted on the Sound Of Football podcast a couple of weeks ago that Spurs would end Leeds' cup dream convincingly. Now that my prediction has gone the way of Palace's play-off chances I can easily see the League 1 club pulling off a shock. On the other hand, Spurs are really good so you never know. Promises to be emotional.

20.30 Sevilla v Getafe, Semi-Final 1st Leg, Copa Del Rey , Sky Sports 2/HD2
Sevilla must see the Cup as a relatively easy way of picking up some silverware since Real and Barca are out of the picture. A stonking home win is definitely on the cards against an average Getafe side.

Thursday 4 February

20.30 Atletico Madrid v Racing Santander, Semi-Final 1st Leg, Copa Del Rey, Sky Sports 2/HD2
With Atletico on the rise, the Madrid club will have thoughts of picking up a cheap pot and salvaging their hitherto disastrous season. Having said that, a cursory glance at Google News reveals that Sergio Canales is still at Racing. Perhaps the young whizz kid is dreaming of cup glory before his inevitable Summer move to CF Somewhere Else.

Midweek TV Preview: 25 - 28 January 2010

Monday 25th January

15:45 Egypt v Cameroon, Africa Cup of Nations Quarter Final, British Eurosport/HD
Hard to know which Cameroon side will turn up for this match. Inconsistent in their group matches, only Zambia have now got longer odds to win the competition of the six teams remaining (according to the bookies). Egypt remain favourites, however, and rightly so on the basis of their fine form thus far.

19:15 Zambia v Nigeria, Africa Cup of Nations Quarter Final, British Eurosport/HD
Incredibly, Zambia ended up topping Group D based on head-to-head results with Cameroon and Gabon. Their reward is a quarter final against Yakubu, Martins and Co., and if truth be known, they could scramble to a win if they're on top form.

19:45 Zidane, Ronaldo & Friends v Benfica All Stars, ESPN
And you thought a football match couldn't be marketed like a Lew Grade Sunday night variety show. As it is, this match has a serious purpose: to raise money for the relief effort in Haiti where 150,000 were killed by the recent earthquake. Since this event was announced last year, Ronaldo has withdrawn due to commitments with Corinthians in Brazil, so he's been replaced on the roster by Kaka. You'd have thought they'd have checked out Ronaldo's availability first before putting his name on the marquee, but there you go...

19:45 Charlton Athletic v Leyton Orient, League 1, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Leyton Orient's sad slide towards the wrong end of the table was briefly arrested last Tuesday when they picked up a rare win at home to Yeovil. Charlton, however, will be a different prospect, unbeaten as they are in their last eleven games.

Tuesday 26th January

20:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham, Barclays Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Tottenham have failed to score in their last two league games and the last two meetings between these two have ended 0-0. With Fulham going through a decidedly up and down phase, we wouldn't mind betting this will be a low-scoring affair too.

20:00 AS Roma v Catania, Coppa Italia Quarter Final, ESPN
Catania have finally discovered the art of winning games again, as Genoa found out to their cost in the last round. Pity, then, that they're facing a Roma side that haven't lost a game in almost three months in all competitions.

Wednesday 27th January

19:30 Everton v Sunderland, Barclays Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Since Sunderland's 1-0 win over Arsenal on November 21st, they've had three draws, five defeats and no wins. A poor run of form that can only be beaten by Burnley as things stand, and an away trip to Goodison is unlikely to bring the smile back to Steve Bruce's face.

19:45 St Mirren v Rangers, Scottish Premier League, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Rangers are looking much more the definite article these days - seven points clear of Celtic at the top of the table (albeit having played one game more than The Bhoys) and undefeated since early December. St Mirren's wins tend to come along like buses (i.e. two or three together after a long wait) but this doesn't look like being the start of another such example. A hard-earned draw at best for The Buddies.

20:00 Manchester Utd v Manchester City, Carling Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
So Carlos Tevez claims the comments he made about Gary Neville in an interview with Argentinean radio lost something in translation. Carlos - if you're talking about the bit where you called him a "sock-sucker", there's no need to apologise. We understand exactly what you meant.

20:00 AC Milan v Udinese, Coppa Italia, ESPN
Even with the help of walking tattoo David Beckham, Milan couldn't break down rivals Inter last night. The Nerazzuri ended the game with nine men and still they won 2-0. This should be an altogether easier prospect for Milan though, what with Udinese being in very poor shape at the moment.

Thursday 28th January

16:00 Ghana v Zambia/Nigeria, Africa Cup of Nations Semi Final, British Eurosport/HD and BBC Red Button
Without wishing to cause offence, Ghana's place in the semis can be put down largely to Togo's enforced absence from the competition. A defeat to the already eliminated Ivory Coast and a couple of narrow 1-0 wins over unfancied Burkina Faso and hosts Angola isn't the most strenuous route to the last four anyone's ever had. The irony is they may well reach the Final on the basis of averaging one goal a game.

19:15 Algeria v Egypt/Cameroon, Africa Cup of Nations Semi Final, British Eurosport and Eurosport HD / BBC3
Algeria's extra time win over Ivory Coast last night was described as a 'thriller' on the BBC website, but it only got thrilling in the final moments of the 90 minutes and in extra time when the goals started flying in. Before that, Algeria looked a little leaden-footed and lacking creativity to prize open the Ivorian defence. Still, full credit to them for getting a memorable win and good luck trying to do the same against tonight's opponents.

19:45 Inter Milan v Juventus, Coppa Italia Quarter Final, ESPN
It's all going horribly wrong for Juventus at the moment, and this match may well see more misery piling up on them as they travel to the incomparable Inter. The winner of this one plays Fiorentina in the semi finals.

Midweek TV Preview: 18 - 21 January 2010

Monday 18 January

16.00 Angola v Algeria, Africa Cup of Nations Group A, British Eurosport/HD
It's wide open in Group A with all teams still in with a shout. Angola sit top of the group, unbeaten, and just need a draw to progess. Algeria must win to avoid an early exit - a result that would see the hosts sweating the result of...

16.00 Mali v Malawi, Africa Cup of Nations Group A, British Eurosport 2
Apart from the amazing last 20 minutes against Angola, Mali have disappointed. A win here should see them through though. For Malawi, a win will make sure they get to the next stage though a draw could be enough. In this competition, results between teams are taken into account before goal difference to settle group placings.

19.45 Newcastle v West Brom, Championship, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Newcastle's lead has been cut to two points as Forest's great run continues. The Baggies last three defeats have been in games against their serious promotion rivals (four if you include Palace!) Another loss here will see them drift nine points from the top.

Tuesday 19 January

15.45 Ghana v Burkina Faso, Africa Cup of Nations Group B, British Eurosport
If Burkina Faso manage to repeat their heroics from the first game in this group (0-0 with Ivory Coast) they'll go through to the quarter-finals. Having lost to Ivory Coast on Friday, Ghana have to win to progress.

19.45 Cardiff City v Bristol City, FA Cup 3rd Round Replay, S4C
A very tasty all Championship cup tie. The first game finished 1-1 after Gavin Williams got a last minute equaliser to cancel out Michael Chopra's opener for Cardiff. A cracking atmosphere from the two sets of fans should make the Welsh commentary easier to live with.

19.45 Rangers v Hamilton, Scottish Cup 4th Round Replay, Sky Sports 2/HD2
It's unlikely we'll see the same thrills and spills we saw in the 3-3 at Hamilton. There may well be six goals - maybe not so evenly shared though.

20.00 Manchester United v Manchester City, Carling Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
United have bigger fish but the mixture of youth and experience they once reserved for this competition is now their regular selection. City want this, but their defeat at Everton showed a side that looked unwilling or unable to dig in when they need to - not a good thing when you go to Old Trafford whatever United side you're facing.

Wednesday 20 January

16.00 Egypt v Benin, Africa Cup of Nations Group C, British Eurosport/HD
They may not be in the World Cup but Egypt don't look in the mood to let their grip on this competition loose any time soon. They're already through to the next stage and guaranteed top spot following their win over Nigeria.

16.00 Nigeria v Mozambique, Africa Cup of Nations Group C, British Eurosport 2
A draw will be enough for the Super Eagles, but their one goal win over Benin hasn't really convinced anyone they'll get much further than the quarter finals.

19.00 Milton Keynes Dons v Southampton, Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 3
MK Dons look to regain the trophy they won back in 2008. On league form, there's nothing to separate these two - they've both earned 39 points so far in League 1, but of course the Saints started on -10 points. The second leg is on 16 February (ooh, that's Pancake Day!)

19.30 Aston Villa v Blackburn, Carling Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg (1-0), BBC1
James Milner's first half goal gives Villa the advantage. Blackburn had a great result at the weekend whereas Villa did not, so this tie certainly isn't over yet. Just so you know, the away goals rule only comes into effect AFTER extra time - as Burnley found out last season.

19.45 Fiorentina v Lazio, Coppa Italia Quarter Final, ESPN
Lazio, the Cup holders, won 2-1 here at this stage of the competition two years ago. Back then the quarter finals (and the final) were two legged affairs - now only the semis are played over two legs.

20.00 Liverpool v Tottenham, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Will the real Tottenham please stand up... One of the biggest criticisms levelled at Tottenham and their Champions League aspirations has been their inability to go away to the Big Four clubs and win. The last time they managed a victory was against today's opponents back in the 93/94 season. Since then it's been no wins in 65 (SIXTY FIVE) attempts! Today, they not only have the opportunity to put that record behind them, they also have the chance to do the double over Liverpool for the first time in 23 years. Yes, this is exactly what I wrote a week and a half ago.

Thursday 21 January

16.00 Cameroon v Tunisia, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/HD
A very close group with everything still to play for. Despite losing to Gabon, a draw will be enough for Cameroon. Tunisia need the win.

16.00 Gabon v Zambia, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport 2
As above, Gabon need only a draw to go through, but they'll want the win to finish top and avoid Egypt in their next game. Zambia can still go through with a win.

Midweek TV Preview: 11 - 14 January 2010

Monday 11th January

13:30 Malawi v Algeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
Despite the bloody intervention by The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda there is still a football tournament to be played. Few people are better equipped to move on after tragedy than the war torn populous of Angola. So while the recriminations and hand wringing is left to the politicians, it's down to the players to get get on with the football.

16:00 Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The clock is ticking for Cote D'Ivoire's golden generation. Despite all their talent they remain potless and the longer they leave it, the older they get. Incentive enough then for Drogba and co. to make short work of Burkina Faso and start planning for their next game against the mighty Ghana.

18:15 Ghana v Togo, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The latest reports suggest that the Togolese squad intend to return home in accordance with the wishes of their government. It's possible that the situation may yet change but unfortunately, this fixture remains in doubt.

19:30 Manchester City v Blackburn Rovers, Barclay's Premier League, ESPN/ESPN HD
Presumably the swanky new City Of Manchester Stadium has the facilities to cope with Blighty's Scandanavian winter. The question is whether the surrounding infrastructure can cope with all the footfalls on the way to the ground. At least the Rovers fans don't have that far to travel if the game gets called off at the last minute.

19:45 Cliftonville v Glentoran, Irish League, Sky Sports 1
Not sure if the weather will be any better in Belfast for this city derby. Cliftonville are on a great run and only two points behind the visitors.

Tuesday 12th January

15:45 Egypt v Nigeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Egyptians are many people's picks to win the Cup for the third time in a row. The champions are not going to the World Cup and would see this as an opportunity to redress the balance. Nigeria are off to SA although no one is quite sure how. Expect the Egyptians to vent some serious frustration on the west Africans.

18:15 Mozambique v Benin, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Benin squad is made up of a sizable chunk of Nigerian ringers and are hoping that their extra height will cause a few surprises in Group C. Meanwhile, Mozambique are back in the tournament for the first time in ten years.

19:45 Coventry City v Portsmouth, FA Cup Third Round Replay, ITV4
Some might say that Coventry were favorites to win this match against the African-shorn Pompey. However the Sky Blues are still pretty ordinary so it would be wise to put your money on a shoot-out after extra time. Better still, keep your cash in your pocket.

20:00 AS Roma v Triestina, Coppa Italia, ESPN
Serie B struggler Triestina travel to the Eternal City in the hope of working some cup magic. Not sure the Coppa Itailia really works like that though.

Wednesday 13th January

15:00 AC Milan v Novara, Coppa Italia, ESPN
Novara are top of Lega Pro 1 which is Italy's third division and make the relatively short trip to Milano to take on what will presumably be a Milan team made up of second string players and first teamers who have pissed off Leonardo for whatever reason.

15:45 Cameroon v Gabon, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport / British Eurosport HD
Group D gets underway with a Cameroon side revitalised under Pasul Le Guen. Gabon were pipped to a World Cup place by their opponents and will be looking fpor some payback. In addition, the Gabonese are co-hosts of the tournament in 2012 and will be eager to make an impact.

17:30 Genoa v Catania, Coppa Italia, ESPN
An all-Serie A clash which could be a feistier affair. Genoa will surely fancy their chances of winning some silverware.

18:15 Zambia v Tunisia, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
Perennial group stage fodder meet bad travellers. Tunisia's record outside North Africa is not great but even that should not stop them from feeling confident about a Zambian team who have made an art of not making it to the quarter-finals.

19:45 Juventus v Napoli, Coppa Italia, ESPN
If this were a league fixture I'd be all over this one. But it's a cup match and both teams have bigger fish to fry. Besides, there are more interesting games on tonight in Benguela and on Merseyside...

19:45 Liverpool v Reading, FA Cup, ITV1
...where you sense that the slightest hiccup could send Liverpool into a downward spiral. Fortunately for them, Reading are pretty awful and will need to draw on hitherto unknown resources to pull off a shock. That is not to say that it won't happen but if it did, Royals season ticket holders would have every right to ask why they can't play like that a little more often.

21:00 Sevilla v Barcelona, Copa Del Rey - Round 5, Sky Sports 2
Two great teams clash in the Spanish Cup. May make for an interesting postscript to the evening's fare.

Thursday 14th January

15:45 Mali v Algeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
It has been suggested that the Algerians are fixated on the England World Cup game and will be only half interested in the Africa Cup Of Nations. If true, they could be easy pickings for the competition's dark horses.

18:15 Angola v Malawi, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Black Antelopes may have the home advantage but will have all the pressure to boot. Malawi are only occasional visitors to this competition so a home win, albeit a nervous one, is on the cards.

20:00 Blackburn v Aston Villa, Carling Cup, Sky Sports 1/HD1
The first leg of the "other" semi-final gets underway on a Thursday for the benefit of the TV schedulers. A lot at stake here with entertainment guaranteed over the course of the two legs.