Carlisle out to impress

With only one game taking place in the Football League on Monday night, all eyes will be on the clash between Brentford and Carlisle United at Griffin Park (Brentford 21/20, draw 12/5, Carlisle 13/5).

Both teams are battling in the top half of the League One table, as they hope to secure a place in the play-offs come the end of the regular season.

Brentford find themselves eight points off the top six and need to start picking up wins soon if they want to stay in the running for the post-season action.

The Bees have some serious goal threats, with former Millwall forward Gary Alexander and Clayton Donaldson looking dangerous in attacking positions.

Alexander has 14 goals to his name in all competitions this season and Carlisle will be fully aware of the danger he poses from his time with the Lions, when they were in the third tier of English football.

Brentford’s season stalled due to the freezing conditions over recent weeks, with back-to-back games against Oldham and Preston going by the wayside due to the cold.

The Bees got back into action in their last outing against Colchester United, but looked rusty in the encounter and went down 2-1 at the Community Stadium.

Manager Uwe Rosler will be looking to put that game behind his players as they get back into the momentum of playing week in week out.

The German will be preparing his side to take on a Cumbrians side who find themselves just two points off the top six with 16 games of the season remaining.

Cumbrians manager Greg Abbott is looking forward to the televised clash on Monday night, as he wants his side to show what they are all about.

Promotion has been a long-term target for the Blues, with the club regularly pushing at the top half of the table.

Abbott has highlighted Brentford’s strong defence and it will be down to the likes of strikers Lee Miller and Francois Zoko to try and get their names on the scoresheet on Monday.

The attacking pair have 10 goals apiece in all competitions this term but were unable to break the deadlock in United’s last outing, as they played out a goalless draw with Tranmere last Tuesday.

Abbott will be boosted by the news the club have been able to keep hold of attacking youngster Jordan Cook, who has extended his loan deal at Brunton Park from Premier League outfit Sunderland.

The 21-year-old striker is likely to add to his four appearances on Monday night as he goes in search of his first goal for Carlisle.

This looks like it will be a closely fought affair, with both teams desperate to stay in the running for the play-offs this term (11/1 for 1-1 draw at full-time).

With both teams struggling for goals, defences might just come out on top in this one and a draw looks like a likely result between two evenly matched sides (4/1 Draw first half/Draw second half).

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Nani out to impress

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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