Fulham

With speculation that star midfielder Clint Dempsey is on the way out of Craven Cottage, Fulham have been proactive in finding in a replacement.

According to Sky Sports, Fulham has agreed a transfer fee with FC Twente worth about 10.6 million pounds for Costa Rica forward Bryan Ruiz.

Ruiz has been rumored to go the Premier League all summer long, but has been linked with two other London clubs: Arsenal and Tottenham. However, it looks like the Cottagers have swooped in at the last minute and retrieved the signature of Ruiz.

Manager Martin Jol had said after the club's 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday that more players would be coming into the club and that Dempsey's transfer fee would be steep based on his value to the club.

Fulham have been looking for around ten million pounds for Dempsey, and now they may let the American move on, possibly to Arsenal, and that money will turned around and sent to FC Twente in the Eredivisie.

Ruiz has spent two years at the Dutch club after spending three years in Belgium with Gent. The Costa Rican international has been a goal-scoring machine wherever he has been, scoring 39 goals in 61 league games for Twente, helping the club win the Eredivisie in 2009-10 and finish second in 2010-11.

The 26-year-old has also scored nine times for his country and will score plenty more in the future.

Ruiz becomes the second player added today by Jol and Fulham, as Zdenek Grygera joined from Juventus earlier today, and the forward joins an already potent group of forwards that includes Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson and Moussa Dembele.

Back now with Fulham FC after nearly three years out of the country, Martin Jol has another chance to make an impact on the English Premier League.

The man who guided Tottenham Hotspur to two consecutive fifth place Premier League finishes and a memorable return to European football in 2006 for the first time in over six years was sacked in October 2007 after months of "secret" overtures to Juande Ramos ended in his dismissal on the grounds that he could take the club no further.

Jol's sacking (along with that of assistant manager Chris Hughton) by the Tottenham hierarchy was both unfair and unwarranted. Regardless of his team's stuttering start to the 2007-08 campaign (again exacerbated by near-constant speculation over his position), the Dutchman's work in his three years in charge should have earned him more time.

Why wasn't he?

One reason was the difficult relationship Jol had with Tottenham's then sporting director Damien Comolli. While the latter helped arrange the signing of some talented players during this period, the Frenchman never quite enjoyed the shared vision his predecessor Frank Arnesen had with Jol.

It was not the sole catalyst for Jol's eventual firing, but it undoubtedly played a part in the perception at the time that Jol was not geared for bringing Champions League football to White Hart Lane.

This was what club chairman Daniel Levy would eventually get, but only after the Ramos misstep and the time it took Harry Redknapp to re-energise a floundering squad.

Had Jol been backed rather than sacked, there has been subsequent evidence to suggest he could have delivered himself. Later in 2007-08, what was essentially his team went onto defeat Arsenal in the semifinals and then Chelsea to win the Carling Cup.

The core of that squad—Michael Dawson, Jermain Defoe, Ledley King, Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas, Gareth Bale, Younes Kaboul, Robbie Keane—would two seasons later all play their part in Tottenham qualifying for the Champions League.

Critics of Jol argue the general failure in his tenure to beat the Premier League's then "Big Four" was evidence he was not capable of breaking Spurs into that group. But there it was; many of the players he had worked with and developed proving they could contend with the division's best.

Jol was not so fortunate as to enjoy the fruits of his effort himself.

The Fulham job Martin Jol now takes over is in many ways the perfect job for the 55-year-old, and in turn, he may be just right for the west Londoners.

It is a challenge that does not bare the intensity of pressure that came with managing Ajax, nor the intrusion and undesired involvement of the higher-ups from his time at Spurs. Mohamed Fayed, like he did with Roy Hodgson, has put his faith in his new coach and given him the run of Craven Cottage.

In Jol, the Fulham supporters have a figurehead they will likely take too very quickly. The former West Brom midfielder is a passionate presence on the touchlines (famous at Spurs for his celebratory bear hugs with his coaching staff!) and also a manager who does not blame outside factors for any of his team's failings.

The image presented by Jol is of an amiable but also serious coach, an impression that went down well with the Tottenham fans and the media in his previous spell in England. Interestingly, he has never been one to be too concerned with winning a popularity contest with his players.

Instead, Jol looks to do what is best for the team, what is best to win games, and this does not always mean making friends.

During the 2004-05 campaign Jermain Defoe was more often than not preferred over Robbie Keane at Spurs, backing up his selection with plenty of goals. When the former lost form the following season, he was replaced by his Irish teammate who hit the ground running and would not look back for almost three years.

Ironically, one player this effected at Spurs is Jol's new club captain Danny Murphy.

The talented midfielder was brought in by Jol after an impressive spell at Charlton Athletic that saw Murphy force his way back into the England reckoning. At Spurs he flattered to deceive despite getting chances to earn a first-team spot and never settled, moving onto Fulham.

In west London, Murphy has excelled, becoming the fulcrum of the Cottagers' positive style of football. Jol has indicated he will remain his captain and is a part of his plans.

In his press conference on Tuesday, the Dutchman spoke of his plans to bring in four or five new additions to the squad, but there is undoubtedly already some talent there that should continue to prosper under their new manager.

Jol is under no illusions that this side is right now guaranteed Premier League football every year. At Spurs, Hamburg and Ajax his sides looked to pass the ball and attack with pace and plenty of movement.

While he will look to employ such tactics at Fulham, the closeness of the division last season emphasised the importance of consistency and solidity in avoiding being dragged into the mire.

As they displayed in their strong finish to the year last season, the likes of Bobby Zamora, Mark Schwarzer, Brede Hangeland and Clint Dempsey are players potentially more than very solid side can be built around. Just who their new manager will look to augment them with remains to be seen.

Fulham may have found a manager with the quality and toughness to continue their impressive progress of recent years, someone up for the challenge of certifying them as a legitimate top-flight club.

Martin Jol may at last have found the club willing to give him the time to do that.

Fulham's leading goalscorer and United States international Clint Dempsey could be on his way out of Craven Cottage this summer.

The Texan, who last year was linked with Italian giants AC Milan, is now reportedly drawing interest from French side Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG are a club looking to return to prominence after a couple years of success in the mid-90s when they were last league champions and reached the semifinals of the Champions League, a competition they are trying to return to for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Dempsey's performances over the last few seasons certainly merit a move to a club with higher ambitions than Fulham.

Deuce joined the Cottagers in 2007 after three fantastic seasons at New England Revolution. Since then, he has become Fulham's all-time leading Premier League scorer and has scored some of the club's most famous goals, including an impossible angle 18-yard chip over the goalkeeper to put Fulham past Juventus in the UEFA Europa League last season. Dempsey was instrumental in the club's run to the Final against Atletico Madrid.

The problem with Fulham is that Dempsey has been their highest success in years. During his tenure, the club has normally been fighting to stay above the relegation zone just to get into the top half of the table.

With PSG sitting in a position to fight for a trip to the Champions League in the 2011-12 season, Dempsey could join the growing list of Americans playing on Champions League clubs. Oguchi Onyewu became the first in 2009 when he was used as a sub in his only ever appearance for AC Milan. If Twente buy his rights from Milan in the summer, he could be back next season. This year, Sacha Kljestan became the first American to score in the competition, doing so for Anderlecht in the Qualifying Rounds. Fellow American Maurice Edu also scored for Rangers in the Group Stage, and he will be back in the tournament next year.

PSG are aiming to buy up several players in the summer in order to boost the club for a push at their first league title since 1994. Aiming to become a force to be reckoned with on the European front, an attacking midfielder of Dempsey's ability would be an excellent addition to the club and would benefit the American, who could receive a nice pay raise and a chance to play first class football.

Man, I thought we had some crazy sports owners here in the States.

Not one of them would have been so hopelessly unaware and obtuse as to erect a giant statue of a man accused multiple times of child molestation in front of the entrance to their stadium. An entrance through which pass thousands of fans every week, many of them children. 

That’s precisely what erratic Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed has done. Perhaps previously best known to pop culture as the father of Dodi Fayed, who tragically lost his life alongside Princess Diana in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris back in 1997, Al-Fayed, formerly owned Harrod’s in Knightsbridge and famously blamed MI6 for the couple’s death.

Now he builds a statue of the world’s creepiest man-child in front of his football grounds. Ah, if only all disturbed people had millions upon millions of dollars in disposable income to play around with. What an exciting, unpredictable world we would live in!

What’s next? A huge bas-relief of Gary Glitter on the walls of Craven Cottage (ironic name under the circumstances, no)? 

No, wait ... I know. How about a giant carving of Father Paul Shanley wielding a sword on the back of a triumphant steed?

Either that, or maybe they should change the name to Predator Park at Craven (pervert) Cottage.

This statue is sickening.

I mean no disrespect to the victims of sexual abuse; I’m sure Fayed doesn’t either, but he would have done well to think this through a bit more. 

Sir Bobby Robson scored 77 times for Fulham over 344 appearances in the 1950s and 60s. Wacko Jacko made zero appearances, scored zero goals and never showed the slightest interest in sports in America or abroad. His only link with the Cottagers is that Jackson attended a match as the guest of his friend Fayed in 2009.

The 15-foot simulacrum of the late “King of Pop” is rumored to have cost in the neighborhood of £100,000 to erect. Not for nothing, but a team that is hovering so precariously near the drop zone would have been better served redirecting those funds into other areas. Fulham is currently six points clear of relegation with seven matches to play.

But this isn’t really about football. It’s about decency and common sense. 

Fayed has displayed neither. In building his ode to the man who gave the world "Thriller," he has made a colossal blunder. The image of Fulham is at stake. Not to mention, it is in incredibly poor taste. He may as well have raised a monument to another depraved individual who he formerly called friend.

Why not? Why not build a 20-, no, 30-foot high testament to the greatness of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, the man whose intervention allowed Fayed to become a Haitian citizen in the mid 60s?

Duvalier, you may recall, was Haiti’s brutal dictator from 1957 to his death in 1971. With a reported 30,000 murders attributed to his brutal regime, the “brain drain” this caused is something the island nation has yet to recover from over 40 years later.

Things looked rosy for the Cottagers heading into this season. Fresh off a shock run to the Europa League Final, where they fell to Atletico Madrid, optimism was the order of the day prior the campaign.

That is gone now. The grim realization that their club is owned by a raving lunatic with piles of cash is unavoidable for Fulham supporters at this point.

Oh, I almost forgot. If you aren’t into Fayed’s pederast on a pedestal, he has a personal message for you: Go f*&$ yourselves.

Here, I’ll give it to you in his own words.

“Fulham fans will love it,” said the 78-year-old. “If some stupid fans don't understand and appreciate such a gift they can go to hell.

"I don't want them to be fans. If they don't understand and don't believe in things I believe in they can go to Chelsea, they can go anywhere else.

"People will queue to come and visit it from all over the UK and it is something that I and everybody else should be proud of."

I’m reading the words—and they are real words—but still, this statement feels like something written by Edward Lear. It is patently absurd and nonsensical. And not in the delightful literary sense like Lear’s work either, more like in a delusional sense.

My heart goes out to all Fulham fans.

I know this isn’t your fault.

Johnny Haynes, George Cohen, Bedford Jezzard and Alan Mullary: All of these players are Fulham legends, immortals in Craven Cottage history, black and white heroes from the black and white era.

How fitting it is, then, that Fulham's controversial, colourful and—in many people's eyes—idiotic owner, Mohammed Al-Fayed, decided to overlook all of these footballing legends when picking who to immortalise outside Craven Cottage: Michael Jackson.

The late Michael Jackson had his own associations with Fulham’s famous black and white colour scheme, as his face morphed from between the two colours over the course of his career, but that’s not directly where the connection ends.

In fact, Jackson is reported to have attended one game at the Cottage in 1999—clearly this is enough to constitute the grandest of memorials to the King of Pop, unveiled yesterday by the Fulham owner.

It’s rumored that the infamous extremist Osama Bin Laden attended a series of games at Arsenal in his earlier years and was quite the fan.

It’s a real shame then that Mohamed Al-Fayed didn’t choose to invest in the Gunners instead. If that had been the case, maybe the new Emirates Stadium would have garnered a great individual distinction for different reasons than its current reputation as a giant effigy to the world’s most wanted man that may have cast its shadow over north London.

Had this have been the case, the global media attention would have highlighted to the world what the majority of us in the southeast England already know: Mohammed Al-Fayed is a moron.

Maybe it’s unfair to compare the King of Pop to the head of Al Qaeda, but the logic remains the same. The Jackson statue is an insult to all the great players who ever pulled on the famous black and white shirt.

Al Fayed claims that this vulgar £100,000 contraption will attract fans of Jackson from across England and maybe even the world—this may well be true, but what exactly does this mean for Fulham? Are people going to converge on Craven Cottage to look take in the statue and then buy season tickets as souvenirs to take home with them?

This ghastly piece of gratuitous garbage is nothing more than one mentally deranged man’s tribute to another.

If one was to think of an appropriate place to erect a statue in honour of pop singer Michael Jackson, you would be forgiven for overlooking Craven Cottage, the home stadium of Fulham football club.

Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Boulevard or his hometown of Gary, Indiana, would seem like a more fitting choice.

Regardless of location, Fulham chairman Mohammed Al Fayed is set to unveil a memorial of the music icon on the banks of the River Thames; a position adjacent to the Hammersmith and Riverside stands at the stadium. The ceremony will take place at midday on April 3.

The decision has been met with a flurry of discontent and scepticism by Fulham fans—many feeling that the statue will make a nationwide mockery of the London-based club.

The Daily Mail quotes that many fans feel that the stadium has become a "dumping ground for his weird statue," following Al Fayed’s recent sale of department store Harrods.

Supporter Chris Blackhurst spoke on behalf of numerous Fulham fans in an Evening Standard commentary.

"Let's face it, we're only getting him because Fayed no longer owns Harrods and the new mob did not want to know," Mr Blackhurst wrote.

"According to Fayed, 'Michael Jackson was truly a legend.' He was that all right. But not as a footballer. And not for Fulham."

The fact that the only other statue at the ground is that of club legend Johnny Haynes, a star player in the 50s, could make Fulham fans all the more bitter.

A Facebook group has been set up in protest of the memorial and a petition has been reported to have collected hundreds of votes.

A small crowd is also expected to attend the unveiling to express their discontent.

It is unfortunate that a tribute to a much celebrated musician, who died prematurely, is being met by anger and not jubilation.

Mohammed Al Fayed has remained defiant on the issue and has received backing from first team manager Mark Hughes and star defender Brede Hangelend.

In an interview with the Daily Express, the Norwegian commented, “The chairman has done fantastic things for this club and if he wants to do this that’s fine by us.”

A Guardian article quotes the Egyptian tycoon, stating that "Michael Jackson was truly a legend, a term used too often in this modern world, saturated in the hyperbole surrounding celebrity," said Fayed.

"He was my friend, a man with whom I shared many happy memories and who died a tragic and untimely death. He left behind a legacy of music so vast it takes one's breath away; from a precocious talent to an ingenuity and ground breaking modernity that shall never be repeated.

"It shall often be imitated, but it will never be replicated. Michael Jackson was, and shall always remain, one of a kind. I hope that many fans of his will visit the statue at the Cottage from far and wide, and that Fulham fans will appreciate seeing the finest performer in the world, in and amongst them, the finest fans in the world."

Michael Jackson’s only known involvement with the club was attending a single game in 1999; a 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic in the old Second Division.

The statue is reported to have captured the pop star in an “iconic pose.”

American players aren't often the most highly thought of in English football. Many regard those of us across the pond to not have the most innate sense of love or passion for the beautiful game, but in the last few years several American players have made those in the English Premier League take notice.

Brian McBride had an excellent career at Fulham, scoring 41 goals in 151 appearances between 2004 and 2008. Tim Howard and Brad Friedel have risen to be two of the best goalkeepers in the EPL for Everton and Aston Villa respectively, and American starlet Landon Donovan experienced an excellent loan spell at Everton last season.

However, none of them have arrived at the level that Clint Dempsey has for an American as of Saturday, and few of them have had the kind of impact that he has in the last two seasons. Dempsey has been the rising star of the Cottagers for several seasons now. Last season he helped to lead them to the final of the 2010 Europa League.

Although they failed to achieve victory against Atletico Madrid, the feat of getting so far by a team that many regarded to be a mid-table bottom-feeding club in England was magnificent to watch.

Dempsey played a key role throughout the Cottagers' league campaign and Europa journey last season and scored what may have been the goal of the tournament last year when he put a masterful long-range chip shot into the net past the Juventus keeper, but he is starting to have an effect on his club this year that few realize or would ever have believed possible.

Having joined Fulham after only two seasons in Major League Soccer, he arrived untested and un-enthusing to many in the English game. Fulham had been nicknamed "Fulham America" at one time for having so much faith in American talent, but it seemed true to form with the arrival of Dempsey.

He made his name in college as a central midfielder for the Furman Paladins and rose through the ranks of the New England Revolution during their prime after being selected eighth in the 2004 MLS Draft. He scored 25 goals in 71 appearances for the Revs and was the 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year and earned his most significant achievement to date as the 2006 Honda Player of the Year.

With his credentials established in the States, Dempsey eyed a move internationally. Charlton Athletic had already been denied the services of the young midfielder when he was still under contract with New England in early 2006, and Dempsey knew that possibly the only chance to get his way was to make it happen once a free agent.

Fulham offered him a contract in 2006 after acquiring his services for four million pounds in an agreement with MLS, and upon arrival he set out to win the fans' hearts and truly did so, as he scored a vital goal against Liverpool to keep the Cottagers from being relegated to the English Championship during the last days of the 2006-2007 EPL season.

Dempsey continued to make his way in the EPL throughout the next two seasons, and in the 2009-2010 season he finally staked his major claim to fame for the Cottagers. With the London club's introduction into European competition in the newly formed Europa League, no one knew that they would find themselves in the final.

Dempsey helped lead the charge from the beginning to the end, as he scored his first goal in European competition against Amkar Perm in the qualifying phase of the competition. An injury slowed his League and European hopes in January after just being named in the English Premier League's top 11 Players by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He returned as a substitute against Juventus on March 18, 2010 and scored the previously mentioned master class strike to help seal the Cottagers' advancement in their European dream of a campaign. The goal is still debated as to whether it is or will be considered the most important goal in Fulham's history, considering that it knocked out one of the most successful teams in Italy's history.

Dempsey made further history, as he became the first American to ever play in a European final when he came on as a substitute against Atletico Madrid. Although the Mattress Makers would lift the Europa League Cup thanks to a 116th-minute winner from Diego Forlan in extra time, Fulham nonetheless had made a great success out of their European journey, though they slumped to 12th in the League.

This season has seen Dempsey achieve something no other American player has in England. He scored his 10th goal in the Premier League Saturday in the Cottagers' disappointing loss to Everton. He is now tied for seventh in the Premier League scoring table with Spurs' Rafael van der Vaart, West Brom's Peter Obemwingie and Manchester United's Javier Hernandez.

Having scored his 10th against fellow American Tim Howard seems almost ironic but possibly makes it all the sweeter. Fellow American and Former Fulham teammate Brian McBride scored nine goals in successive seasons but never was able to score 10 while in England.

However, Dempsey's goals this season have meant as much to his club as anyone. Dempsey’s league goal tally of 10 accounts for over 30 percent of Fulham’s 33 goals in the league this season. Fulham’s second-leading scorer, Damien Duff, has only four goals compared to Dempsey's 10, and the American's three assists are second in only to Welsh midfielder Simon Davies' total of four.

Dempsey's strikes also have given the team a decisive boost when it comes to points earned this season. Saturday's loss at Everton was the first game the Cottagers have lost this League campaign in which Dempsey has scored.

His two braces against Wigan Athletic and Stoke City were the difference, and his strikes against Blackburn, West Ham United, Birmingham City and Aston Villa all guaranteed draws and not losses. All totaled, Fulham have three wins, four draws and only one loss, earning 13 out of 24 points, when Dempsey is on the score sheet.

Dempsey's strikes also have meant a lot to the United States men's national team. Looking at the last 10 games he has scored in for the United States going back to 2007, they have seven wins, one draw and two losses.

Either way you look at it, if Dempsey puts one in the back of the net for club or country, it is highly influential.

The future continues to look bright for the just turned 28-year-old, as his rise to prominence in the English Premier League and on the international stage is sure to have larger clubs looking to sign him away from London during the summer.

Fulham vs. West Brom

This is a clash between two teams that come into the game in the worst possible manner, with Fulham once again back in the drop zone and West Brom fresh from a defeat at the hands of Manchester United. While drawing matches has been the problem for Fulham, the Baggies recently have found it difficult to score goals at the right time.

West Brom played well against Manchester United throughout the match, but had they scored the penalty, along with being more clinical with their other chances, they would have come away from the match with all three points. However, as it is, West Brom is at the bottom of the form table going into this match and so is Fulham.

Mark Hughes will be hoping that they get something out of this game, because failure to do so will result in the gap between them and safety stretching out.

West Brom is now just three points above the drop zone and Roberto di Matteo will be very cautious about not ending up in the slog war that is the relegation battle. Mark Schwarzer is the major casualty for Fulham, as he joins up with the Australian team for the Asian Cup.

Fulham vs. West Brom kicks off at 21:00 CET on Craven Cottage.

Blackpool vs. Birmingham

Blackpool will be hosting the first game at Bloomfield Road in over a month, and they could not have asked for a better fixture as they prepare to host a struggling Birmingham City side.

Blackpool has been promising as of late, but their last defeat against Manchester City did not do them any favours. If you thought that Blackpool's situation worsened as a result of the Manchester City defeat, Birmingham City is in an even deeper mire after a 3-0 home loss to Arsenal put them into the bottom three for the first time this season.

However, Alex McLeish will be confident going into this match, having already beaten Blackpool in the reverse fixture this season. If they can repeat that result, then Birmingham's troubles will be put aside for at least one week.

Even though Blackpool is in a comfortable position at 11th place in the Premier League table, Ian Holloway will be hoping to avoid consecutive defeats within one week. David Carney is the prominent absentee for Blackpool, while James McFadden is still not back for Birmingham City. However, that aside, McLeish has a full strength squad to put out.

Blackpool vs. Birmingham kicks off at 21:00 CET on Bloomfield Road.

Man Utd vs. Stoke City

Manchester United will be very happy to come back to Old Trafford once again, as they have endured a torrid time away from home this season. The weekend victory against West Brom was just one win among a sea of draws, which does not make for good reading if the club wants to challenge for the title.

Stoke City has also been unspectacular over the past few months, and Tony Pulis has not been able to put in a steady run of results. Hence, they find themselves unable to challenge Sunderland and Bolton for the European qualification places.

Alex Ferguson will be boosted by the return of Wayne Rooney on the scoring sheet, but he has revealed that Rooney will be facing a late fitness test in order to determine his participation in the game. Likewise, Patrice Evra is also a doubt for this game. Stoke City has been boosted by the return of Robert Huth, who returns to the side after a one-game suspension. Apart from the injury to Mamady Sidibe, Pulis has a full-strength squad to play in this match.

Man Utd vs. Stoke kicks off at 21:00 CET on Old Trafford.

Xavier @ mysportshub.co.uk

It's that time of the week again, when I attempt to predict the outcome of this weekend's Premier League games. Last week was a bit of a wash out, as only three of the 10 games were played, and I ended up with one correct outcome and two incorrect. Meaning that I lost even more ground in my predictions league, as Stephen Bradley continued his romp towards the title. I'll try to make the outcome look a little respectable before the end of the season. Here's a look at how the table stands.

	1 (1)			_Bradley08	910	+5	0
	2 (3)			essexgooner1965	715	-5	10
	3 (2)			preetgreet	705	-50	0
	4 (4)			aranmichael	615	-5	0
	5 (6)			billygooner_29	605	+10	0
	6 (5)			COSGOONER	585	-30	5
	7 (7)			Nickmc1980	535	-5	0
	8 (8)			senarmy	470	-5	0
	9 (9)			oakhamgooner	440	-30	0
	10 (10)			Imjola	420	-5	0

SUNDAY

Fulham v West Ham

Fulham are outside the relegation zone on goal difference only, despite the fact that they have only lost as many games as second placed Arsenal. Their problem, of course, is too many draws, and they need to start winning games soon or Mark Hughes will be seeking alternative employment. Where better to start winning than at home to the bottom club, who haven't won away all season so far.

West Ham are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, but things are so tight that a win would see them level on points with Fulham. With Avram Grant having to win this game—or their next one to keep his job—this is a huge game for West Ham. They played very well in their last game, and they were unlucky only to draw away to Blackburn, but failure to win here will heap the pressure on their home game against Everton on Tuesday.

West Ham really need a result in this game, but I think that Fulham will have a little bit too much for them, and just edge it.

Prediction: 2-1

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Blackburn v Stoke

Blackburn have a temporary manager after the sacking of Big Fat Sam, and he has the chance to make the position permanent if he can provide the results that the new owners want. Things aren't too good at Blackburn, though, as captain Christopher Samba apparently wants to leave, and they have serious injury problems in midfield. Their home form is good, though, as only Arsenal and Chelsea have won away to them, and they will be looking to continue that form in this game.

Stoke RFC have a pretty poor away record in the two and a half seasons they have been in the Premier League, and five defeats in eight away games is not good. They will be looking to take advantage of Blackburn's problems in midfield, although that's an area of the pitch they tend to bypass usually.

I don't think this will be a classic free flowing encounter, but I do think that Blackburn will just about come out on top.

Prediction: 2-1

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Blackpool v Liverpool

Blackpool won away to Liverpool earlier in the season, and they are level on points with them, with a game in hand in the league. They have been quite superb since their promotion and I really hope that they manage to stay up. Their home form has been a little bit erratic so far, but they play great football with commitment and heart and they cannot be written off against any opposition.

Liverpool need to get their season back on track very soon, or their chances of Europa League qualification will be gone as well as their Champions League chances. They should have Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres available to play, and if they can't score against what is a fairly poor Blackpool defence then there is something seriously wrong with Liverpool.

Almost every time I predict a Blackpool defeat they surprise me and put in a performance above their abilities and expectations, but I can't see them getting anything in this game. 

Prediction: 1-3

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Bolton v West Brom

Bolton are seventh in the table with only one defeat in nine home games and they are playing good football. Their biggest problem is that they haven't kept a clean sheet since the opening day, but only "Manure" have scored more home goals than them.

West Brom have played very well since their promotion, but their away form isn't great. They did win away to Arsenal, but otherwise they have five defeats, and they have conceded 19 goals away from home. 

I think this could be a very entertaining game, with Bolton coming out on top.

Prediction: 2-1

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Everton v Birmingham

Everton managed to get their season back on track on Monday night with a great win away to Man City. They're still not scoring enough goals to push them nearer the European contenders, and with Tim Cahill off to the Asian Cup with Australia very soon that's going to be a real problem for them. He has scored nine of their 20 league goals so far, and they need their strikers to help him out. 

Birmingham haven't won away from home yet this season, and it means that they're drifting closer to the relegation zone. Like so many other teams, they are drawing far too many games for their own good, and with an average of only one goal per game, it's hard to record wins.

Everton should continue where they left off on Monday night, and get the win they need to push them towards the top half of the table.

Prediction: 2-1

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Man Utd v Sunderland

"Manure" sit proudly on top of the league with a game in hand on the teams below them. It's a good position to be in, and they have the best home record in the league to go with it. They have won eight of their nine home games, and scored 25 goals in the process, which all points to a very tough day for their opponents.

Sunderland are a very compact unit who can hurt any team in the league. They are sixth in the table, and they have only lost three out of their nine away games so far. However, they have only won one of those games, and Steve Bruce is very fond of handing the points to his ex-club on a plate.

I can see Sunderland putting up a fight, but falling short in the end, with "Manure" increasing their lead over Arsenal and Chelsea before those two teams play the next day.

Prediction: 3-1

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Newcastle v Man City

Newcastle played very well in their last home game to beat Liverpool 3-1 under their new manager. They are an efficient unit, and with Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton back after injury and suspension they had too much for Liverpool. Andy Carroll will be a handful for the City defence too, but Newcastle will need to be tighter at the back.

Man City missed their chance to take over at the top of the league on Monday night, as they lost at home to Everton. It means that they are two points off the top, but they have played two games more than the leaders. I think that they are a better team away from home, and they have gained more points, and scored more goals on their travels. In Carlos Tevez they have a player capable of scoring for fun, and now that he has withdrawn his transfer request he should start doing that again.

I think City will get back to winning ways, as they are deadly on the break and they will get the chance to do just that in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

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Wolves v Wigan

Wolves take on Wigan in what can most certainly be called a relegation six-pointer. Whichever team wins this game will have a very good chance of climbing out of the bottom three, and Wolves have to be favourites to do just that. They have only three defeats in nine home games, and if they sort out their away form they will be confident of staying up.

Wigan have only scored five goals in eight away games so far, and their overall return of 13 goals in 17 league games just isn't enough to keep them in the league. They play good football at times, but they can be fairly toothless, and they need to find a killer instinct very quickly.

I think that Wolves will get the win they need to move very close to climbing out of the relegation zone.

Prediction: 2-0

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Aston Villa v Tottenham (1730 GMT)

Aston Villa are flirting with the relegation zone, and it won't do their manager much good if that doesn't change soon. They have an impressive home record so far, with only Arsenal managing to win at Villa Park, but their away form is killing their chances.

The Spuds have only one clean sheet in the league so far this season, and that was on the opening day. They need to get a lot better at the back, or their chances of qualifying for the Champions League again will disappear. They are currently fifth in the league, but the teams behind them are closing more than they are catching the teams above. With a goal difference of only plus three, it shows that they tend to win close games, and get well beaten every so often. Rafael Van Der Vaart should be back after injury, and he could possibly make the difference for them.

I think that this should be an entertaining game, but that it will end in a score draw.

Prediction: 2-2

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MONDAY

Arsenal v Chelsea (2000 GMT)

Arsenal need to prove their title credentials to themselves and everyone else by beating Chelsea. They should welcome Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie back to the team, but their home form has not been good this season. They have lost three of the eight home games so far, and they will have to be at their very best to win this game.

Chelsea are in the middle of their worst league run in 10 years, and if it continues they could well end up with a new manager. They have won only three of their nine away league games so far, and their confidence cannot be high going into this game. They do have all of their best players available again after various injuries, and Didier Drogba loves to play and score against Arsenal.

Arsenal could well be seen in a different light if they manage to win this game, and I think they will do just that in a very close encounter. I'll preview the game in full tomorrow, so don't forget to read that.

Prediction: 2-1

That's it for this week, but I should be back on Tuesday with the predictions for the games later in the week, as they come thick and fast over the festive period. As usual, feel free to tell me where I have gone wrong, or right as the case may be.

That's it for today.

See You Tomorrow.

The representatives of Guillermo Ochoa are almost close to a  deal with Fulham FC and Club America concerning the future of the goalkeeper.

Guillermo Ochoa has met with Alistair Mackintosh and Mark Hughes, the president and coach, respectively, of Fulham FC, and has passed his requirements for the club.

While it appears that the deal is done, some obstacles have appeared.

Guillermo Ochoa needs a working visa in order to work in Great Britain. The requirements for non-UK citizens are extensive and the EPL knows it.

Fulham denied the presence of any deal with Guillermo Ochoa. Club America announced that any deals concerning its players will be released through its official channels.

Club America appears to be displeased with Ochoa's visit to Fulham. Fulham is not content with the preliminary release of the information concerning the goalkeeper.

While the news has been gradually released, it appears that the people involved in the future of Memo Ochoa wanted to keep things a secret.

The US Latin station Univision conducted a poll among 272 people concerning Memo Ochoa in England.

172 out of 272 people surveyed (63%) think that Ochoa went to sign a contract with Fulham. 59 of 272 (22%) think that Ochoa wants to apply pressure on Club America to renew his contract.

The remaining people that were surveyed had replies that are not worth mentioning, since it is unrelated to what may be the breaking news story of Christmas 2010.

It appears that this story will not go away, with Ochoa deciding between Fulham and Club America.