Arsenal in L'pool's way
Liverpool will look to extend their lead at the top of the English Premier League to four points by beating Arsenal on Sunday.
With title-holders Manchester United in Japan for the Club World Cup, and second-placed Chelsea not playing Everton until Monday, Rafael Benitez's side can steal a march on their rivals at the Emirates Stadium.
But if they are to do that, they will have to end the hoodoo which has seen them fail to beat Arsenal on the Gunners' own ground since February 2000.
But Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina is confident this particular trip to north London won't prove a frustrating day out for the Merseysiders.
"It is possible for us to win on any ground," the Spaniard said. "We have already won at Stamford Bridge, which we'd not done (recently), so we're confident we can now go to the Emirates and win there too."
Saturday will give new Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce an idea of the scale of the task confronting him as the Premier League strugglers welcome Stoke City to Ewood Park.
Allardyce was appointed on Wednesday, a day after second-bottom Blackburn sacked Paul Ince following a run of just three wins in 17 matches which left them five points adrift of safety.
Former Bolton and Newcastle manager Allardyce insisted he was under no pressure to get rid of players, including 15 million pounds-rated Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz.
Aston Villa, looking to break the 'Big Four' monopoly on top positions in the Premier League, are away to a West Ham side now put up for sale by Icelandic owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson.
Strength in depth could prove a problem later in the campaign for Villa and defender Luke Young believes it's vital the English duo of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, who've so far scored 17 goals between them this season, remain injury-free.
Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur, both enjoying a revival under the guidance of two veteran managers in Joe Kinnear and Harry Redknapp, meet on Saturday with the hosts buoyed by last weekend's 3-0 win away to Portsmouth.
Both sides, who have 19 points apiece, are just a point above the relegation zone which makes their meeting at St James' Park the proverbial 'six-pointer.'
Portsmouth, who had conceded 13 goals in six games before Wednesday's 3-0 UEFA Cup win over Heerenveen in a 'meaningless' tie, will look to re-establish domestic defensive solidity away to Bolton.
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