Everton v Chelsea

With Steven Pienaar suspended following his red card in Saturday’s Merseyside derby and Marouane Fellaini injured, David Moyes will have to rearrange his midfield and that could see a first start of the season for Mikel Arteta.

Tony Hibbert, Dan Gosling and Phil Jagielka are still missing. Everton are the only side not to lose at Chelsea so far this season, forcing a 3-3 draw there in December.

Chelsea could be unchanged from the side that beat Arsenal 2-0, particularly as John Terry has been given the all-clear after suffering a dead-leg, but Carlo Ancelotti could consider starting with Salomon Kalou and Joe Cole. Juliano Belletti, Michael Essien and Jose Bosingwa are all sidelined.

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Kenny Dalglish pointed thefinger at referee Phil Dowd

Kenny Dalglish pointed thefinger at referee Phil Dowdafter his Anfieldhomecoming ended indisappointment yesterday. Dalglish's first home game ofhis return as Liverpoolmanager brought a drawwith Everton to leave himstill looking for his first winafter three games back incharge. The home side were a goalup at half-time butultimately needed a DirkKuyt penalty to salvage adraw after two Everton goalsin the first six minutes of thesecond period. Unimpressed: Kenny Dalglish wasn't happy with Phil Dowd's displayDalglish claimed the visitorsshould not have beenawarded the corner that ledto Sylvain Distin's equaliserand that Liverpool defenderMartin Kelly was fouled inthe build-up to the JermaineBeckford goal that put DavidMoyes' team ahead. Dalglish said: 'The first goalshould have been a goal kickand not a corner. Even if Ihad not got lenses in I couldhave seen that.'For the second one, MartinKelly got battered and thenwe got turned on the edgeof the box when he wasabout to clear it. Maybe onanother day you would getthose decisions given in yourfavour.'But at this moment in timethere is not a great deal ofgood fortune going our way. 'But it's a great credit to theplayers that they continue totap away at the door and totry and get better luck. Theharder they try the sooner itwill come.' Animated: Kenny Dalglish (right) and assistant coach Sammy Lee (left)Everton manager Moyessaid: 'I am disappointed wedidn't take all three pointsafter the second halfperformance but I amdelighted we went in athalf-time only 1-0 down.'Liverpool had been thebetter team in the first halfand won all the duels so itneeded a word to correct itat half-time. 'So we have taken a drawfrom a game where mostpeople favoured Liverpool.'At 2-1 up I thought we maygo on and get a third.'I know Liverpool weremissing two (Steven Gerrardand Jamie Carragher) but itis different for a club likeEverton, who have a muchsmaller squad.' Liverpool 2 Everton 2: Kuyt spot-kick salvages point on King Kenny's Anfield returnLiverpool are better than results suggest, insists Dalglish after drawKenny Dalglish: We can't live on past glories for ever at Liverpool


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Tottenham v Manchester United

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has ruled out David Beckham playing against his old club Manchester United this weekend - because the midfielder isn't

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/852465-david-beckham-not-fit-enough-to-play-against-man-united-redknapp#ixzz1AvZXRPxW


Beckham has been training with the north London side this week ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with United at White Hart Lane this Sunday.

There are still doubts surrounding the deal with Beckham's parent club Los Angeles Galaxy, and whether the former England captain is eligible to play in competitive matches during his two-month stint on these shores.

But, either way, Redknapp has ruled out playing him against his former club because the 35-year-old is not up to speed yet.



Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/852465-david-beckham-not-fit-enough-to-play-against-man-united-redknapp#ixzz1AvZcXRNP

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Birmingham v Aston Villa

Points will be at a premium on Sunday when Birmingham host Aston Villa at St Andrews in the Second City derby.

Gerard Houllier's Aston Villa are languishing in the English Premier League relegation zone with just 21 points from as many games, although in their most recent match they enjoyed a 3-1 away win over Sheffield United on Saturday to book a spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Their league form, however, has been woeful in recent weeks and they have to go back to December 11 to find their last win.

The on-loan Tottenham right-back believes Villa will climb out of the drop zone to safety.

He said: "I don't think Villa will be in a relegation battle at the end of the season.

"The Premier League is tight and with the dressing room we have got I think there are the players to get out of it.

"I went to the Sunderland game before the one I played in against Sheffield United and some of the play that they showed was great.


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Liverpool v Everton

Kenny Dalglish will return to the dugout for his first home game since being restored to the helm against Everton on Sunday - the team his last Anfield clash was against 20 years ago.

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Supporters are always vocal and passionate about every Merseyside Derby, but fans are expected to raise the roof as the King walks out of the tunnel and takes his place on the touchline.

Speaking about the upcoming derby, former Red Alan Hansen said: "I expect the atmosphere against Everton to be absolutely phenomenal, it'll be some game!"

Liverpool were unable to secure city bragging rights the last time the two sides met back in October. Everton comfortably won 2-0 in what was then manager Roy Hodgson's derby debut.

Many ex-Liverpool legends and footballing stars have spoken out about the recent appointment of Dalglish and the Scot will be looking for a clear win at Anfield to back up the praise he has been receiving.

But no doubt Dalglish will instruct his team to watch out for the talent of in-form Everton youngster Seamus Coleman. The right-sided Irish player is an emerging talent and David Moyes has rewarded his form of late with a regular starting position. Two goals and one assist in his last four matches have impressed both the Everton boss and the Goodison fans.

Liverpool and Everton have taken part in 97 Derby games at Anfield, with the Reds winning 40, losing 24 and drawing 33.

144 goals have been scored against Everton on home turf and Dalglish will be hoping star striker Fernando Torres will add to that tally.

Author: Ollie Cowan

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West Ham v Arsenal.

WEST Ham loan recruit Wayne Bridge says the team is good enough to start rising away from the Premier League relegation zone.

The former England international joined the Hammers until the end of the season and said he was not worried by their current status as the league’s bottom club.

“There is a lot of quality here and I know we can move up the table,” he said. “The first half on Tuesday was great. There should have been more goals and then the team came back with ten men. If we play like that every week then we’ll be fine.”

Bridge, 30, has had a frustrating season with Manchester City, making just a handful of league appearances and being overtaken by a host of new signings.


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Kenny Dalglish to Help Torres Kick Start His Season

Kenny Dalglish will offer Fernando Torres full access to his wealth of knowledge in an attempt to revive the ailing striker's form.When Liverpool supporters spend idle hours choosing the club's definitive dream team, many select Dalglish as a partner for Torres in the belief that an avalanche of opportunities would be created and scored.Having struggled so badly during Liverpool's bleak midwinter, Torres could do with some inspiration and the return of Dalglish might just be a catalyst for an upturn in his fortunes. As Ian Rush would testify, Liverpool No 9s flourish in the presence of King Kenny. Out of form: Fernando Torres is experiencing a similar lull to one his new manager did during his playing daysFew understand forward play better than Liverpool's greatest player and he will leave no stone unturned to ensure his striker can start producing the thrilling performances which were once the norm.Significantly, though, Dalglish - who takes his side to Blackpool for a re-arranged Barclays Premier League clash on Wednesday night - can also empathise with the problems Torres is having.The Spaniard is obviously vexed by his return of one goal against Bolton since November 10 but it is nothing compared with the 22 games without scoring that Dalglish suffered during his playing days as part of a side that had only just won the European Cup. There was also a 17-game drought at the start of the 1982-83 campaign, so it is little wonder Dalglish sports a telling smile when he is asked for his thoughts on where Torres has been going wrong. Advise: Dalglish has vowed to use his past experience to help Torres shake off his poor form'Someone asked me if I had a magic wand for Fernando,' said Dalglish. 'I said I don't need one, he has got one himself. He might lack a little bit of confidence but he is still a top goalscorer and someone everybody fears when he goes on to the pitch. I went through a worse spell than that. King Kenny speaks from experience For Fernando Torres there is perhaps no-one better to turn to for advice about being a Kop idol out of form than Kenny Dalglish. The Scot's longest run without a goal came 26 years ago when he went a marathon 22 matches without scoring. After notching in a 3-3 draw with Luton on September 4, 1984, King Kenny had to wait until January 19, 1985 before finding the back of the net again, in the 4-0 trouncing of Norwich. 'I can pass on advice and I will try and help him in any way, shape or form, but, as I say, it's the same for all the players. We've got to try and help each other. 'We've got to have respect and believe in what we're doing and carry that on to the pitch. We have got to continue working as hard as we possibly can to turn it around.' The irony is that Dalglish predicted something like this might happen. In a chapter from his recently published memoirs, the 59-year-old raised concerns about Torres. 'His summers have been filled with Euro 2008, the Confederations Cup in 2009 and the World Cup in 2010,' he wrote. 'Those demands have taken a toll. Fernando is a thoroughbred footballer and nobody would exhaust a race horse like that.' If Dalglish is to achieve only one thing during his six-month stint in charge at Anfield, many fans would happily accept it to be coaxing Torres back to the form that, until recently, made him the most feared striker in the Premier League. Buck the trend: Torres' only noteworthy performance can in the win over ChelseaApart from one sublime display against Chelsea in November, Torres has been struggling and his poor body language ensured press conferences rarely went by without Roy Hodgson being asked what he felt was wrong with the Spaniard.After a run of one goal in eight games many are now wondering whether Dalglish called it right in My Liverpool Home is the 26-year-old burnt out? Fear: Ian Holloway is wary of the wounded Liverpool animalBut heading into the fixture at Bloomfield Road, Dalglish has allayed such fears and was encouraged by the hard work Torres put in at Old Trafford on Sunday.'If he bangs a couple in I'll be looking up to him,' said Dalglish. 'It's all about relationships between players and staff, and what they can get out of each other. I've got fantastic respect for Fernando, not only as a footballer but also as a person.'Meanwhile, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway fears Dalglish's return could end in failure and rejection. Citing the example of Newcastle favourite Alan Shearer, who was not offered the manager's job on a permanent basis after failing to save his hometown club from relegation, Holloway said he hopes Dalglish does not come to regret his decision.'To come back into it after 10 years is a big step,' said Holloway. 'I hope they get it right because Kenny deserves to not ruin what he's got with the fans and football fans can be fickle. He can't carry the can for all this. It will take time. 'I don't see him as being the great golden saviour. I just see him as someone Liverpool fans trust at a time when they've lost faith.'  


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