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Fulop ready for City challenge

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Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop says he is ‘ready to do a job’ for loan side Manchester City in their quest to clinch the Premier League’s fourth Champions League place (City 11/4 Top Four Finish).

City were given special dispensation by the Premier League to take the Hungary international to Eastlands after first-choice keeper Shay Given was ruled out for their final three matches with a dislocated shoulder he suffered at Arsenal last Saturday.

City boss Roberto Mancini only has third-choice Faroe Islands custodian Gunnar Neilsen at his disposal so the arrival of Fulop on an emergency loan will boost his optrions ahead of this weekend’s massive game against against Aston Villa (City 10/11, Villa 13/5, draw 5/2 Weekend Coupon).

Fulop does not know if he will start for City, but he is confident of helping them out if he does not get the nod.

“I got the call on Tuesday from City and I was more than happy to come and help the club,” he told City’s official website.

“It’s fantastic to be here at such a time. It came out of the blue but I’m delighted to try to help City achieve their goal.

“I’m ready to play, if I’m selected. I came here to do a job and I’m confident that I can do that. I feel good, and we need a win to get that fourth-place spot, which is so important for the club.

On Given’s injury problem, Fulop added: “It’s an horrific injury for a goalkeeper.

“It’s a really bad one because you use your shoulders with almost every movement. I really hope that Shay recovers very soon.”

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Bayern chief eyes final prize

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Bayernlouis van gaal Munich boss Louis Van Gaal is confident his injury-hit squad (Bayern 3/10 to qualify for the final) can overcome Lyon on Tuesday in their Champions League semi-final second leg.

Bayern lead 1-0 from last week’s first leg in Germany but have made the journey to France with just 17 players, of which a couple are struggling with knocks, such is the extent of their injury woes at the minute.

However, Van Gaal is sure his threadbare squad can manage and will instruct his side to go out and improve on their slender lead – secured by Arjen Robben’s brilliant goal at the Allianz Arena (Robben 13/8 anytime goalscorer).

“We are not the kind of team whose aim is just to avoid conceding goals when we enter the field,” said Van Gaal.

“I’ve never told my players to play like that since the beginning of the season and I won’t start on Tuesday.

“We have many injuries and many problems,” he added.

“We have brought 17 players and if they cannot play, then we will still have 14 players. We will still be able to field 11 players.”

Lyon midfielder Jeremy Toulalan and Bayern winger Franck Ribery are suspended for the showdown after they were both sent off in the first-leg while Danijel Pranjic is also banned for the visitors.

Bayern are also missing midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who came off the bench in the first leg, as he has a stomach virus.

Lyon’s main injury concern ahead of the game is over key defender Cris, who picked up a knock in the first leg, while winger Michel Bastos sustained a leg injury in training on Friday.

Former Newcastle defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, however, is on stand-by to start if required after getting over a calf problem.

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Lampard backs Drogba

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Chelsea’s midfield star Frank Lampard believes Didier Drogba will finish the season as the Premier League’s top goalscorer (Drogba 10/11 to be the FA Premier League Top Goalscorer 2009/2010).

The Ivory Coast striker has been in fine form throughout the campaign despite departing for African Cup of Nations duty in January and a number of injury concerns.

Despite missing a number of games for Chelsea this season the 32-year-old has managed to bag 25 Premier League goals this campaign.

The current Premier League top scorer is Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (Rooney 11/10 be the FA Premier League Top Goalscorer 2009/2010) but the England international looks set to miss the rest of the season with a groin strain, allowing Drogba the opportunity to pip him at the post.

Rooney has scored just one more goal than Drogba, which means if the Stamford Bridge star can find the net twice more in Chelsea’s remaining league fixtures he will end the season as the league’s top scorer.

Lampard is confident his team-mate will manage to overtake Rooney and end the season as the most prolific striker in the Premier League.

He said: “The way Didier played against Stoke is what he’s about, people talk about Rooney being missing and he is the player of the year but we have also lost players for large parts of the season. It all evens itself out.

“Didier wants to be the top scorer in the league, he deserves to be. Let’s hope in the next two games he will score the goals to make him that.”

Chelsea travel to Anfield on Sunday where they will face Liverpool, before their final league fixture of the season where they take on Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge.

If the Blues pick up maximum points they will secure the Premier League title (Chelsea 1/2 to secure the Premier League title) as they currently enjoy a one point advantage over second placed Manchester United, with both teams having played the same number of games.

However, it will not be a straightforward task for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Wigan may have successfully avoided relegation but Liverpool are still in the hunt for fourth spot (Liverpool 14/1 to finish fourth in the FA Premiership Top Four Finish market) and will be a stern test on their home ground.

If Chelsea are to secure their first Premier League title in four years they will need Drogba to be on top form, and with Rooney unlikely to play again this season the Ivorian could well secure the top goalscorer award while helping his side clinch English football’s top prize.

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Hart hopeful of Eagles’ survival

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paul hartCrystal Palace boss Paul Hart has backed his side to avoid relegation to League One on Sunday following the 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Monday evening.

The Eagles take on Sheffield Wednesday this weekend in a survival shoot-out, with Hart convinced his side can get at least the point they need from the game to ensure their Championship status for another year and therefore relegate the Owls instead.

An early own goal by Steven Reid gave Palace the perfect start against already-promoted Albion at Selhurst Park but Gabriel Tamas’ equaliser made for a nervy night in south London on Monday.

Hart, however, is upbeat ahead of the huge clash this weekend and has called on his players to put in a similar performance against Wednesday to make sure of their place in the Championship.

“We just need another performance of that calibre,” he said afterwards.

“We don’t have to win – our away form is excellent so it’s a game to look forward to.”

The draw means they are just two points better off than the 22nd-placed Owls before the crunch clash at Hillsborough.

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Benitez focused on fourth

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Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists his team are still in with a shout of finishing fourth after the Reds (14/1 for a top four finish) 4-0 victory over Burnley on Sunday.

The Merseyside outfit are now two points behind fourth placed Tottenham with two games to go, although Spurs have a game in hand over Benitez’s men.

Just two points separate Liverpool in seventh and Tottenham (10/11 top four finish) in fourth after last weekend’s results which saw Spurs lose at Manchester United, Aston Villa (15/2) beat Birmingham and Manchester City (11/8) secure a point at Arsenal.

City and Spurs look to have the advantage in the race for fourth with a game in hand over their rivals, although that match is between the two sides at Eastlands on May 5.

With the gap between the four sides paper thin who get the last Champions League spot could well come down to goal difference, an aspect the Reds have a slight edge in following their four goal thumping of Burnley.

Liverpool took full advantage of a Clarets side out of sorts and condemned the Lancashire outfit to relegation after just one season in the Premier League.

Following Sunday’s win Benitez, who guaranteed a top four finish for Liverpool earlier in the season, was once again talking up his sides chances of playing Champions League football again next season.

“We know they (Tottenham and Manchester City) still have one game in hand but we are close and we will try our best,” said the Spaniard.

“If we finish on 68 points we will have a chance because we will have better goal difference.”

Liverpool face Chelsea (1/2 to win the Premier League) next Sunday in a game that could have massive implications for both sides as the Blues continue to battle it out with Manchester United for the title.

Chelsea opened up a one point gap over United on Sunday with a stunning 7-0 victory over Stoke meaning should they beat Liverpool next week and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side lose to Sunderland they will be crowned champions.

However, before welcoming the Londoners to Anfield the Reds face Athletico Madrid (10/11 to qualify for the final) in the return leg of their Europa League semi-final.

The Spaniards, who beat Tenerife 3-1 at the weekend, have a slender one goal advantage heading into the game and will have been lifted by the news that Dirk Kuyt might not be fit to play against them on Thursday night.

The Holland international was forced off during the game against Burnley with a calf injury and is now doubtful for Thursday night.

Liverpool are already without Fernando Torres, Maxi Rodriguez, Fabio Aurelio and Martin Skrtel and Benitez will be hopeful Kuyt doesn’t join the growing injury list at Anfield.

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Pep puts the squeeze on Barca

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Pep Guardiola will tell his Barcelona players they must not hold back when they look to overturn a 3-1 deficit in the Champions League semi-finals against Internazionale on Wednesday (2/5 Barcelona 18/5 draw 13/2 Internazionale – match betting).

The holders require at least a repeat of the 2-0 victory they inflicted on the Nerazzurri in the group stages in November if they are to reach the home of bitter rivals Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu, for the final of Europe’s premier club competition on May 22 (11/10 Barcelona – To Qualify).

There, they will meet the winners of the other semi-final second-leg clash between Lyon and Bayern Munich.

The decider comes in the middle of a potentially-pivotal week for Barca, culminating in an awkward away trip to Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday.

The Spanish champions got the result they needed on Saturday when they defeated nine-man Xerez 3-1 and remain one point clear of nearest-challengers Real.

Guardiola was able to name a makeshift side, with Lionel Messi and Pedro both starting on the bench, and goals from Jeffren Suarez, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic did the damage.

He must now focus his efforts on recovering from his heaviest defeat in Europe since taking charge at the Nou Camp to deny Jose Mourinho his second final appearance having guided FC Porto to victory in 2004.

Goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon and Diego Milito secured the Serie A title-chasers a deserved win in Milan last week and Mourinho is convinced Inter have finally arrived on the big stage.

A five-game winning streak in the knockout stage would back up that theory and the Portuguese coach has spoken of his “dream” of securing Inter a place in the final of Europe’s marquee club competition for the first time in 38 years.

Guardiola recognises that Barca must get on the front foot if they are to end the journey for Inter and has demanded his players go for the jugular.

“We need to settle it as quickly as possible,” said Guardiola.

He added: “The game needs that. We can’t sit back and see what happens while the minutes are ticking by. We have lots of goals to cancel out.”

Barca will once again be without midfielder Andres Iniesta, who has a torn right thigh muscle, as well as the banned Carles Puyol.

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Elliott backs survival instincts

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Burnley midfielder Wade Elliott is confident the Clarets can become the latest side to pull off the great escape and avoid relegation this season ahead of their must win game against Liverpool (4/7 to win in the 90 minutes betting).

Burnley are currently seven points from safety with just three games left to play and they will be down on Sunday if they lose against the Reds.

A draw would also see the Clarets effectively relegated as they would be six points behind seventeenth-placed West Ham with two games left and with the Hammers enjoying a much better goal difference.

Burnley, who were promoted last season through the play-offs, had enjoyed a strong start to the season but under new manager Brian Laws have won just two of their last 16 matches in the league, leaving them on the brink on a swift return to the Championship.

The Lancashire outfit will be hoping they can recapture some of that early season form which saw them beat Manchester United at home back in August.

Burnley have lost just six games at home so far this season with only Fulham the only side in the bottom half of the Premier League boasting a better record on their own turf.

Heading to Turf Moor on Sunday will be fourth place chasing Liverpool, looking to cut the gap on Tottenham to just two points after Spurs were beaten 3-1 by Manchester United.

The Reds (16/1 top four finish) also have just three games left to try and secure a spot in next seasons Champions League and are the current outsiders having played a game more than the other sides chasing fourth.

Reds manager Rafael Benitez will bring his side to Turf Moor having not seen them win away from Anfield since December and off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Atleticho Madrid (8/11 to beat Tenerife on the weekend Euro coupon) in the Europa League on Thursday.

Liverpool got to Spain via road and rail and it will be interesting to see how much the arduous journey has taken out of Benitez’s men.

They will once again be without star striker Fernando Torres while Reds fans will certainly be hoping Steven Gerrard ups his game having faltered to deceive in recent weeks.

Despite the wealth of talent up against his side on Sunday Elliott remains confident Burnley can win this game, and their next two against Birmingham and Tottenham, to secure another season in the Premier League.

“We know we are relying on people to do us favours now. We have to do the best we can in the final three games, see how far it takes us and hope someone helps us. Unfortunately, even the volcano eased up so Liverpool could fly back home,” said Elliott.

“I don’t know if we need a miracle but we need some big performances and a few favours. But there are precedents for it.”

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Nani out to impress

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Portuguese midfielder Nani is on a mission to dazzle and do everything he can to help Manchester United (11/10 – FA Premier League Outright) win the Premier League title this season.

The Red Devils are in a two-horse battle with Chelsea (4/6 – FA Premier League Outright) to win the trophy this season and United leapfrogged their rivals to the top with a 3-1 win over Spurs – a game in which Nani scored with a lovely finish.

Chelsea have the opportunity to get themselves back in pole position with a game against Stoke City on Sunday afternoon, where a win would put them one point clear with two Premier League games to go (Chelsea 1/7 to win, Stoke 18/1, draw 13/2 at match bets).

United’s final fixtures are away at Sunderland and then welcoming Stoke to Old Trafford and Nani told the News of the World he wants to play regularly in the first team after finally adjusting to English top-flight football after three years at the club.

“I think I am prepared for it and ready to play in this league. I am stronger and have more confidence. I want to play – I want to be the first option in my position in the team,” said the attacker.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that the club may have to cope without star striker Wayne Rooney (11/1 – World Cup 2010 Top Goalscorer) for the rest of the season.

The England forward recently returned to the first team after a ankle problem but is now struggling after injuring his groin during training, and his manager claims the 34-goal forward is likely to be out for two to three weeks.

Nani admitted that Rooney is vital to United, but he thinks the side are strong enough to win the Premier League title without the striker.

“We know Rooney is very important for the team – he is doing so well for us. But we know that this team does not just depend on one player, it depends on all eleven on the pitch,” he stated.

Following United’s 3-1 win over Spurs at Old Trafford, the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp told the BBC that he thought Chelsea face a tougher battle out of the two teams to win the Premier League title.

Chelsea face Liverpool and Wigan after Sunday’s clash with Stoke and Redknapp said it “would not be easy” for the Blues as he can see United winning their final two games.

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Pulis confident of upset

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Stoke manager Tony Pulis has backed his side to upset the title race by beating Chelsea (4/6 to win the Premier League) at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues must beat the Potters if they are to reclaim top spot in the Premier League after Manchester United overhauled them at the top of the tree by beating Tottenham 3-1 on Saturday.

Victory for United opened up a two point between themselves and Chelsea heading into the Bluies final three matches of the season.

The lead at the top of the Premier League has now changed hands on twenty separate occasions and Chelsea will be hopeful of making it twenty one by beating Stoke.

The Potters head to west London with very little to play for having secured their status as a top flight club for another season some time ago.

Pulis has called on his side to have a strong end to the season in order to finish in the top ten and with four games left Stoke are just a point away from climbing back into the top half of the table.

However, they will be massive underdogs to get anything out of Sunday’s match, with totesport.com pricing them at 18/1 in the 90 minutes betting section to come away with a win from Stamford Bridge.

Stoke also come into the game having already lost at Chelsea in the FA Cup this season and with just two wins in the last eight league outings.

Despite the opposition and their recent run of form Pulis remains confident his side can do Manchester United a huge favour and beat the Blues.

“We have got very close to taking something from Chelsea in the past couple of seasons, but still not managed to beat them. But we have a game plan, we always do against one of the big clubs, and we always believe we can achieve something in these sort of games,” said Pulis.

Stoke could have a big say in the title outcome with Pulis’ men heading to Old Trafford on the last day of the season to face United.

Chelsea (1/8 to win the FA Cup) will be hoping the title race doesn’t go that far and will be desperate to take all three points to put the pressure back on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

However, the Blues have injury and suspension concerns with John Terry out following his red card last week, while Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel will miss the rest of the season through injury.

Jose Bosingwa and Ricardo Carvalho are also sidelined, although manager Carlo Ancelotti is able to welcome back Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic to his squad.

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Gerrard relishing Atletico mission

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Steven Gerrard has said Liverpool will have to play like “heroes” if they are to overturn a 1-0 semi-final first-leg defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Europa League at Anfield next week (4/7 Liverpool 12/5 draw 9/2 Atletico Madrid – match betting).

The Reds appeared heavy-legged off the back of a gruelling 24-hour, 1,200-mile trip to the Spanish capital by road, rail and air because of the flight restrictions imposed by the cloud of volcanic ash when they fell to an early goal by former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan on Thursday.

The setback at the Vicente Calderon means Rafael Benitez’s men must roll their sleeves up if they are to reach their third European final in six years.

England midfielder Gerrard is refusing to believe Liverpool have blown their last chance of silverware this season and is expecting another special European atmosphere at Anfield.

“It is still half-time. We are still confident we can progress and we know we can turn any result around with our fans behind us, especially a 1-0,” said Gerrard.

He added: “If you don’t want to play in that game there is something wrong.

“These are the stages you want to play on, these are the nights when heroes are made.”

The Reds staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in European history when they came from 3-0 at half-time to beat AC Milan on penalties in the 2005 Champions League final.

Gerrard was at his inspirational best in the group stages when he rescued his team-mates in the final game against Olympiacos.

This season they have also trailed against Lille and Benfica before securing second-leg wins.

The 29-year-old expects Thursday will not be the faint-hearted but is confident Liverpool can reach the final in Hamburg on May 12 (3/4 Liverpool – To Qualify).

He said: “We haven’t played well at all on the road in the league or in Europe but we’ve got the experience, the know-how, of turning these results around.”

He added: “Atletico have got fantastic players who can hurt you so we know we need to perform perfectly if we want to get to Hamburg.”

Liverpool must first collect maximum points off Burnley to keep alive their remote hopes of a top-four finish and Gerrard says he expects Benitez to make changes for the trip to Turf Moor.

He said: “I’m sure the manager will make a few changes to freshen things up and we’ll try to get a win against Burnley and then prepare for a massive game, the biggest of the season, next Thursday.”

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