There are two Premier League games on Sunday and all the action takes place in the West Midlands, comprising a derby that has implications at the bottom of the table and Manchester City looking to reclaim their place at the top of the table.
Wolves v West Brom
The 146th Black Country derby takes place at Molineux, with Roy Hodgson’s West Brom looking to hold onto the bragging rights after winning the clash at The Hawthorns in October.
The Baggies fans will travel the short distance glad they are away from home as, despite the fact they have won only three games in 12, some 18 of their 26 points earned this season have been on the road.
For Mick McCarthy this game will all be about restoring confidence. Their come-from-behind win at QPR last week ended a run of nine games without a win and they need to follow that up with another three points to drag themselves away from trouble. (Wolves 6/4, draw 9/4, West Brom 2/1)
Kevin Doyle (11/2 First Goalscorer) returned with an assist and the winning goal at QPR last weekend and McCarthy must decide whether the Irishman gets in ahead of Steven Fletcher and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.
The addition of Sebastien Bassong is hoped to shore up a defence that has conceded in each of their last 21 matches, but Karl Henry, Michael Kightly, Kevin Foley, Jamie O’Hara and Dave Edwards are all set to miss out.
West Brom have a dangerous Irish striker of their own in the shape of Shane Long (13/2 First Goalscorer) and he is set to be given as much time as possible to prove his fitness after troubles with chest and back pain. Hodgson could also give Keith Andrews and Liam Ridgewell their debuts.
Both these sides need points, but McCarthy should have Wolves highly motivated and that could be key in bringing the Black Country bragging rights back to Molineux.
But more importantly, it would add points and confidence to the Wolves cause and those two things have been of short supply in recent months.
Aston Villa v Man City
City saw their arch-rivals Manchester United leapfrog them to the summit of the Premier League thanks to their Saturday lunchtime win over Liverpool.
The predicted procession to glory by City has halted and now they are looking susceptible and it is only two wins from their last nine games away from home.
It is also a struggling time for Alex McLeish and there seems to be a section of the Villa support that never did, and never will, accept the Scot at the club.
The fact Villa have not won in their last six home games does not help McLeish enamour himself to the fans, but they boast a dangerous attack that could trouble the City back four. (Villa 4/1, draw 11/4, City 8/11)
James Collins, Marc Albrighton and Gabby Agbonlahor are expected to miss the game but Villa’s spine of Shay Given, Richard Dunne and Stiliyan Petrov are present and Darren Bent (13/2 First Goalscorer) and Robbie Keane will pose a real threat.
City should be boosted by the return of Vincent Kompany – after he missed last weekend’s game with a knee issue, but Yaya and Kolo Toure and Mario Balotelli remain absent.
Roberto Mancini’s side have looked more susceptible in recent weeks, but there is no doubting their strength and it should be that overall quality that means they have too much for McLeish’s workmanlike Villa. (6/1 City 2-0 victory)
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At the start of November Rangers held a 15-point lead in the SPL but that lead has been reduced to just a single point ahead of Wednesday’s Old Firm derby at Celtic Park.