Man City Vs. West Brom

Manchester City face West Brom at the Etihad on Saturday for Saturday’s early kick-off. City, who exited the Champions League after defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday, are in desperate need of a win to kick-start some momentum between now and the end of the season. If they can't win the title, which looks highly unlikely, they must finish the season strongly and remain in second position before embarking on a summer spending spree that sees them inject some pace into an aging squad. For West Brom, they have little to play for but will be keen to maintain the clear progress made since Tony Pulis was appointed at the turn of the year. Form Guide (Last 5 results for both teams) City Barcelona 1-0 City (Champions League last-16 second leg) Burnley 1-0 City City 2-0 Leicester Liverpool 2-1 City City 1-2 Barcelona (Champions West Brom West Brom 1-0 Stoke City Aston Villa 2-0 West Brom (FA Cup sixth round) Aston Villa 2-1 West Brom West Brom 1-0 Southampton Sunderland 0-0 West Brom Predicted Formations City It's never easy to predict a City line-up given the resources at Manuel Pellegrini's disposal, but it can be even more so on the back of a midweek European game. He's likely to shake things up considerably. Yaya Toure is out with an Achilles problem, and Aleksandar Kolarov (muscle) and James Milner (knee) are unlikely to be involved.

West Brom Baggies goalkeeper Ben Foster is out with a knee problem, and Chris Brunt and Claudio Yacob are both suspended. Pulis may well sacrifice Brown Ideye and go for an extra man in midfield in an attempt to stop City gaining control of the game.

Arsenal Predicted Line Up

Arsenal predicted XI for Newcastle clash: Changes all round as Gunners rotate tired squad Arsenal travel to St James’ Park this weekend to face Newcastle in a clash that could have serious repercussions at the top of the Premier League table. The Gunners head to the North East straight after their Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of AS Monaco, and Arsene Wenger may be forced to make a few changes to counter potentially tired legs following a few tough weeks of fixtures. See how we think the Frenchman will line up his side below: David Ospina GK: David Ospina Hardly had anything to do in the midweek game, and Arsene Wenger doesn’t look like he’ll be re-calling Wojciech Szczesny any time soon. RB: Calum Chambers Bellerin ran his heart out on the right-wing against Monaco and will surely deserve a rest given his incredible exploits that saw him struggling towards the end of the 90 minutes. CB: Gabriel The Brazilian could make just his second start in the Premier League for Arsenal against the Magpies after recovering from a hamstring issue. CB: Laurent Koscielny Looks to have put his early season injury concerns behind him, and is back to his best as one of the Premier League’s most reliable and commanding defenders. LB: Kieran Gibbs Nacho Monreal and Gibbs’ weekly competition for the starting role looks set to be awarded the Englishman’s way (in this fixtures at least), given Monreal’s exertions over the past few weeks against the likes of Man United, West Ham, and Monaco. CM: Francis Coquelin CM: Aaron Ramsey Santi Cazorla will likely start on the bench after putting everything into his performance in the Champions League to try and force an Arsenal win. Ramsey was only on-field for less than 30 minutes in the principality on Tuesday, and will be raring to make up for lost time after suffering a number of injuries this season. Two goals in two games is a pleasing record he’ll be looking to continue. LW: Danny Welbeck Was so impressive and imposing in midweek, and was frightfully unlucky not to get a goal for his troubles. Should be fresh enough to start in Newcastle after coming off in the second half on Tuesday. RW: Theo Walcott It would be a lie to say he was impressive when he came on against Monaco – despite hitting the post with a shot which rebounded and was dispatched by Aaron Ramsey – he mainly just stood around in spaces where he couldn’t be found by his Arsenal teammates instead of effectively stretching the play. But he’ll likely start on Saturday given Alexis Sanchez is clearly desperate for a rest. CAM: Tomas Rosicky Back from illness and likely to start given the incredible performance of Mesut Özil in the Champions League that will likely have caused a few sore muscles on Wednesday morning. Arsenal might struggle for the same creativity and ball retention without the German, but will have to deal with his absence if they want to avoid another long- term injury.

Man Utd Vs Tottenham

Competition Barclays Premier League KO 15 Mar 2015 16:00 Venue Old Trafford

Following a run of 17 wins and no defeats in 22 Barclays Premier League matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United have won none of the last five meetings (D3 L2). Spurs are only the third team in the Premier League era to go five league games unbeaten against the Red Devils, after Liverpool (2000-2002) and Blackburn Rovers (2004-2006). Similarly, after 26 games without defeat at home to Spurs in all competitions, having won the previous nine in a row, Man Utd have lost their last two home games against Tottenham. Spurs have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 Premier League away matches. Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals in his last eight Premier League starts against Spurs. Harry Kane has scored in his last six Premier League away games; only one player in the competition's history (Robin van Persie, nine in a row) has scored in seven consecutive away games. Rooney has scored 94 goals at Old Trafford, only Alan Shearer with 97 at St James Park (two for Blackburn) and Thierry Henry with 114 at Highbury have scored more goals on one single ground in Premier League history. The Red Devils have won 11 of their last 13 Premier League matches at Old Trafford (D1 L1). Manchester United have lost just two of their last 18 Premier League matches (W12 D4 L2). Tottenham have recovered more points from losing positions than any other team in the Premier League this season (16).

Chelsea vs Southampton

Barclays Premier League Time: 15 Mar 2015 13:30 Venue: Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have lost just one of their last 11 Barclays Premier League games against Southampton (W6 D4 L1). Shane Long has scored in two of his three Premier League appearances at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are the only team in the four divisions of English football who have not lost a home match in the league this season. Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League to recover anything from a game where Southampton have taken the lead this season. Both sides scored from their only attempts on target in the 1-1 draw back in December. Eden Hazard has scored two Premier League goals against Southampton, both in the 45th minute. After winning 10 straight Premier League home matches, Chelsea have scored only once in each of their last three and drawn two of them (W1). The Blues have conceded just seven goals in their last 21 Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge, keeping 16 clean sheets in that run. Sadio Mane has scored in five of his last seven Premier League starts. Southampton are the only team not to concede a penalty in the Premier League this season.

Competition:Barclays Premier League Time: 14 Mar 2015 17:30 Venue: Turf Moor There have been 45 goals scored in the last nine matches between Burnley and Manchester City in all competitions. City are unbeaten in their last six visits to Turf Moor in all competitions, winning the last five in a row and scoring 17 times in the last four. In the last 68 league matches where Man City have been two goals ahead at any stage, Burnley are the only team to come back to get any kind of a result when they drew 2-2 at the Etihad back in December. City are unbeaten in their last 13 matches in all competitions against Burnley (W8 D5 L0). Burnley won five of their first six home games in the Premier League (W5 L1) but since then have won just five of the last 27 (W5 D10 L12). The Clarets have scored just 13 goals in 14 Premier League home games this season. Manchester City have lost just three of their last 27 Premier League away games (W17 D7 L3). No home team has stopped Manchester City from scoring in their last 20 Premier League away matches. Manchester City have fired in 469 shots (inc. blocked) this season, the most in the Premier League. Manchester City have scored 998 goals in the Premier League.

Arsenal Vs Westham

Competition: Barclays Premier League Date and Time: 14 Mar 2015 15:00 Venue: Emirates Stadium Theo Walcott has scored five goals and set up three more in his last four Barclays Premier League games against West Ham. West Ham have won none of the last 13 Barclays Premier League games against Arsenal (W0 D2 L11), losing the last eight in a row. Olivier Giroud has scored four goals in his four Premier League appearances against West Ham. The Hammers have scored the first goal in four of the last five Premier League meetings with Arsenal, but the Gunners have come back to win on each occasion. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League London derbies at the Emirates, but West Ham were the first team ever to beat Arsenal at their new stadium back in April 2007. The Hammers have won just one of their last seven Premier League London derbies away from home. Sam Allardyce has never coached a winning team away at Arsenal in the Premier League, losing seven and drawing three of his 10. Arsenal have won seven consecutive home league games; they have not won eight in a row since November 2005 (13). Olivier Giroud has scored eight goals in his last 10 Premier League starts. West Ham (15) have scored the most headed goals in the Premier League, while only two teams (Burnley 17 & Stoke 11) have conceded more than Arsenal (10, same as QPR).

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says sorry

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has apologised for his team's performance against Schalke, admitting they deserve all the criticism they get. The defending champions were booed off at the Bernabeu after losing the second leg 4-3 - despite reaching the quarter-finals 5-4 on aggregate. Fans also waved white handkerchiefs - a symbol of disgust at a bad performance. "I'm very sorry. We played very badly and that is bad for our image," said Ancelotti. "We're professionals, we don't make ourselves look ridiculous." Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo looked dejected at full time and announced after the match he would not be speaking to the media for the rest of the season The 10-time European champions have qualified for their fifth successive Champions League quarter-final but were left hanging on at the Bernabeu as they suffered a fifth defeat of 2015. Schalke, who were trailing 2-0 from the first leg, applied heavy pressure late on for the one goal they needed to qualify as Real lost for the first time in 22 home Champions League matches. Ancelotti ended his first season in charge by winning the Champions League last May, but has faced growing criticism from sections of the club's support this time round.

Frenchman to sign for Arsenal on big £34.5 million deal?

Real Madrid star Karim Benzema will move to Arsenal this summer, if the London club make an offer of £34.5m, according to the Metro. The Gunners are keen to add another striker to their squad, as Arsene Wenger seeks to add another world class forward to his attack. And they have set their sights on Benzema, who has been heavily tipped to leave the Bernabeu for the last few seasons.

Arsenal eyeing Dortmund star

Arsenal are eyeing up a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Neven Subotic this summer, the Metro claims. The Serbian defender is out of contract at the end of next season, and the BVB could be tempted to cash-in as he enters the final year of his deal. Per Mertesacker’s future with the North-London club has come under question this season, and following Gabriel Paulista’s impressive performances since joining in January, the German could be replaced. Subotic is one of the centre-backs who could come in in the World Cup winners place, along with Loic Perrin, who was close to a move to Arsenal in the winter window before they signed the Brazilian. The Frenchman has admitted he was eager to make the move to join Arsene Wenger’s side, and could still move on in the near future to further his careeer. The Gunners have also been linked with moves for Fabian Schar, Aymeric Laporte and Mats Hummels, although are claimed to have given up on the latter in favour of Subotic.

Man city could sign Messi says new sporting Directore

Barcelona's new international sporting director admits the financial firepower of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain could one day lure Lionel Messi away from the Camp Nou. There has been speculation over Messi's future since the turn of the year although the Argentina forward has been in record-breaking form for the Blaugrana. Messi scored his 24th La Liga hat-trick during the Catalans' 6-1 mauling of Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to send them top of the table. The 27-year-old, who is Barca's all-time top scorer, is tied to the club until June 2019 and has a £205 million release clause in his contract. And although Ariedo Braida admits that it would be "nearly impossible" to pry the little magician away from the club, he feels big-spending City and PSG are two clubs that might be capable of pulling off a mega-deal for the player. He told Spanish TV channel Esport3: "I believe it's very difficult that Messi will leave Barca but at times in football strange things happen. "Now with these clubs that have so much money like (Manchester) City, certain amounts don't seem to have a value. "In football things happen that appear impossible but I hope he will remain. "Sometimes strange things happen. He is a phenomenon, an extra-terrestrial comparable to Maradona and Pele." Messi claimed earlier this year that he was happy at Barca and quashed speculation that he would leave the club this summer. He has so far enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 30 goals and setting up 14 more in 26 league appearances.

Arsenal won't Suffer from Oxlade Chamberlain Injury Blow

It is coming up to that time when Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal fans hold our collective breaths, cross our fingers and hope that none of the Gunners come back from the international break with an injury. But in one way this upcoming two week break in club football has come at a good time for Arsenal, as it coincides with the short spell on the sidelines that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is facing. According to a Daily Mail report, the Ox has had a scan on the hamstring strain he suffered in the FA cup game at Old Trafford and the initial prognosis is a four week lay-off, although this has yet to be confirmed by the club. That means that the player that danced so brilliantly through the Man United defence to set up Monreal for the first goal on Monday, will miss the three games before the international break, including the return leg od the Champions League in Monaco. But after missing the two England games, the Ox could be ready to return, perhaps in time for the visit of Liverpool on April 4th but almost certainly for the games after that including the FA cup semi at Wembley. This is certainly a blow for Arsenal, but timing has been a little bit kind to us as Aaron Ramsey is now fit again and Jack Wilshere may also be available for the Monaco match. It could have been much worse for the Gunners to be honest and it often has been in the past. How much will we miss the Ox?

Chelsea racism victim declines Mourinho’s invite

PARIS - The black man blocked from boarding a Paris Metro by Chelsea fans chanting racist slogans said he was still traumatised and would not accept an invitation from the soccer club to attend the Chelsea-Paris Saint-Germain match in London. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had invited the French man named only as Souleymane to Wednesday's second-leg match at Stamford Bridge. "I won't go. They can't buy me with a little piece of paper. I'm not a child," Souleymane told RTL radio. "I don't want to sit in that stadium next to those people who pushed me." Last month, a group of Chelsea fans chanting "We're racist and that's the way we like it" pushed Souleymane back as he tried to board a metro train before the 1-1 Champions League draw against PSG. Mourinho said he was disgusted by the behaviour of the fans, five of whom were suspended from attending matches after being identified through amateur video footage. Souleymane said he was no longer sleeping at night. "I still hear the voices of those people who pushed me because of the colour of my skin," he said. "I can't go to work anymore. I live with racism but it's the first time I've had to go to a doctor to ask for pills to calm myself down." Following the incident, London and Paris police launched investigations and Chelsea has said the club could issue banning orders for life. "I want these people to be prosecuted and justice to be done," Souleymane said. "Racism must stop."

Angry Ronaldo’s record overshadowed by poor Real show

MADRID - Two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo may have become the record scorer in European competition on Tuesday but the Real Madrid forward was left seething by another poor performance from the stuttering European champions. Television cameras captured a grim-looking Ronaldo shaking his head and apparently mouthing "disgrace" to Karim Benzema shortly before the end of Real's 4-3 defeat to Schalke 04 at the Bernabeu, the holders squeaking through to the quarter-finals 5-4 on aggregate. Ronaldo's two first-half headers had helped keep hopes of a record-extending 11th European crown alive and took his tally in European competition to a record 78 goals, surpassing Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (76) and former Real striker Raul (77). However, they were one of the few bright spots in a generally weak showing that came hard on the heels of the 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend that cost Real top spot in La Liga. The reverse to Schalke was their first home defeat in the Champions League in 22 matches since April 2011 and the players were whistled off the pitch by the angry home fans, many of whom waved white handkerchiefs in the traditional sign of discontent. Ronaldo gruffly announced to reporters he was not going to speak to the media again until the end of the season, leaving captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas to try to explain the team's recent slump. "The team has again failed to reach the level of recent months but what's important is that we realise that," the Spain international said. "We have to understand the Madrid fans and today we weren't up to the standards of Real Madrid and the Champions League last 16," he added. "We were made to sweat too much but what we have to do is be more united than ever. "Although we fell short of what was required, we did enough to get through." Real have little time to set things right with a trip to Barca for the La Liga 'Clasico' looming on March 22. They host Levante on Sunday, when they could find themselves four points behind their great rivals, who play at Eibar on Saturday. The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals is on March 20.

Falcao plays for Man United U21s

Falcao plays for Man United U21s London - Under-performing Manchester United loanee Radamel Falcao made a surprise appearance for the club's under-21 team in a match against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. Having been an unused substitute in United's 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at home to Arsenal on Monday, the Colombia star was given a 72-minute run-out in the match at Old Trafford, which finished 1-1. Falcao joined United from Monaco last September in a reported 6 million ($9 million, 8.5 million euros) loan deal with a view to a permanent 43.5 million transfer, but has found the net just four times in 20 appearances. United manager Louis van Gaal has preferred Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini to Falcao in recent matches and offered an unconvincing defence of the former Porto and Atletico Madrid striker after the Arsenal defeat. "He has scored four goals and has three or four assists, so that is his contribution," the Dutchman said. "He stimulates also the other players, so that is an aspect of the profession."