Welcome to "High Fives" the personal column of our ace Director of Football "Magic Mike".
Magic Mike's football credentials are first class. Last season he handily beat the Beeb’s expert tipster “Lawro” who never got a look in after Magic took an early lead at the start of the 2008/09 season.
A good number of our players were rescued by Magic’s tips in our Five Lives scheme which automatically gives you his tips, up to five times during the season, should you forget to enter them yourself. Magic Mike's canny inside knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of players and teams, combined with a passion for getting it right, is what you need to make an impact in this game. It also means you're going to have to be at your best to outdo him.
The Management - Score Five
And now, once again, over to Magic Mike...
See what Mike had to say in the olden days - visit his 2008/09 season archives.
previous predictions -
Round 11.... Round 10.... Round 9.... Round 8.... Round 7
Aston Villa vs. Bolton Wanderers at Villa Park. Villa came back from behind against Everton with John Carew netting the equalizer in a 1-1 draw in a game that saw Carlos Cuellar unfortunately red-carded that will see him miss the game. Before their mid-week visit to West Ham, Villa have drawn 3 out of their last 4 league games 1-1 and will be looking for a victory to get their challenge for a Champions League place back on track.
Bolton lost for the 7th consecutive season at home to Chelsea last Saturday by a 4-0 margin that was in part due to the sending off of J. Lloyd Samuel for a trip on Didier Drogba. The red card will mean that he will miss the trip to his former club. Bolton have 3 other former Villa players, Zat Knight , Gary Cahill and Gavin McCann, in their ranks and if selected they will be out to impress. The last 2 seasons Bolton have conceded 4 goals on their visits to Villa Park and Gary Megson will be hoping for a better showing this time.
Magic predicts: Aston Villa 3 – Bolton Wanderers 1
Blackburn Rovers vs. Portsmouth at Ewood Park. Blackburn have faced what are arguably the 2 toughest Premier League 2 fixtures of the season in their last 2 outings, away games at Chelsea and Manchester United. With no goals scored and 7 goals conceded, things can only get better for Rovers and Sam Allardyce will be looking for 3 vital home points against fellow strugglers Portsmouth in what is already a 6 pointer. A Blackburn win would see them move 6 points clear of Pompey, whilst a Pompey win could see them move out of the relegation zone for the first time this season, and ahead of Blackburn. Paul Hart’s side had their best win of the season, a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan last Saturday. Aruna Dindane underlined his capabilities with a hat-track in the game. With confidence in the camp on the rise, Portsmouth will be looking for 3 points.
Magic predicts: Blackburn Rovers 2 - Portsmouth 0
A Lancashire derby at The City of Manchester Stadium sees Manchester City take on Burnley. City have disappointingly drawn their last 4 league games that has seen them fall adrift of Chelsea and Manchester United at the Premiership summit. Mark Hughes will be looking for is his side to end this sequence against a Burnley side that have a Jekyl and Hyde record home and away, 5 victories out of 6 starts at home but 6 defeats in 6 on the road. A visit to Eastlands is one of the Clarets sternest tests of the season so far and it’s hard to see Owen Coyle’s men improving to pick up their first away points in this fixture.
Magic predicts: Manchester City 2 - Burnley 0
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland at White Hart Lane- Spurs suffered a painful defeat in the North London derby last Saturday that saw them fall out of the top 4 for the first time this season. They thwarted and matched Arsenal for most of the game but finally slumped to a 2nd consecutive defeat. Harry Redknapp will be looking for his side to get back on track and will welcome back Jermain Defoe to the side following suspension.
Sunderland recovered from a 2 goal deficit against West Ham last Sunday and Steve Bruce will be wondering how his side failed to take all 3 points with a strong second half performance and despite being down to 10 men with Kenwyne Jones seeing the red mid and being dismissed. As a consequence Jones will be missing the game this week although his strike partner Darren Bent as well as former Spurs players Steed Malbranque and Andy Reid will be out to prove a point to their former club. Bent in particular has been in splendid form since his acrimonious GBP 12m move to the Stadium of Light. His form could see him on the plane to South Africa come May. Last season Sunderland took the honours in this fixture but that was in the middle of Tottenham’s dreadful start to the season
Magic predicts: Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Sunderland 1
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Arsenal at Molineux. Mick McCarthy’s side made a stirring comeback last Saturday against Stoke with an unlikely brace from Jody Craddock. Wolves have now drawn 4 of their last 5 games and but with a win counting for so much Wolves find themselves struggling. Games don’t get any easier for Wolves as they play an in-form Arsenal side that moved up into 3rd place in the Premier League. Arsene Wenger ‘s side will be without Gael Clichy who has suffered a stress fracture to his back but the Gunners should still have too much quality for Wolves.
Magic predicts: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 - Arsenal 3
Hull City vs Stoke City at the Kingston Communications Stadium- Adam Pearson has returned to the club as chairman after quitting his post at Derby and has given his backing to manager Phil Brown. Hull’s plight at the foot of the table continues as last week saw them go down to Burnley. The Tigers can count themselves unlucky as they thought Geovanni had struck an equalizing free-kick only for the goal to be disallowed for pushing in the wall. Burnley made the game safe by adding a second goal minutes later and Geovanni received a red which means he will miss today’s clash. Nothing is going right for Hull at the moment and a win is badly needed .
Stoke let a 2 goal lead slip last Saturday and Tony Pulis will have earmarked this game as one not to lose at the start of the season and a win today would leave Stoke 11 points clear of Hull. The ambition of both these clubs is first and foremost to maintain their Premier League status and Hull are the more desperate at this stage of the season.
Magic predicts: Hull City 2 - Stoke City 0
West Ham United vs. Everton at Upton Park. West Ham registered only their 2nd victory of the season against Aston Villa in mid-week as Zavon Hines proved to be Hammers’ hero with a last minute winner. Gianfranco Zola’s team have been steadily improving in recent matches and will be eyeing the game against the injury hit Toffees to make it a second consecutive victory and to lift themselves out of the relegation zone .
Everton have now gone 4 games without a victory. David Moyes’ squad is being tested to the full with injuries and suspensions taking their toll. 3 drawn home games in that sequence have meant that Everton are disappointingly standing in 13th place in the table and face a challenging fixture list in the next month. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov was hero and villain last Saturday as he gave Everton a lead before seeing red with a mis-timed challenge. He will be missing for today’s game to add to David Moyes’ woes.
Magic predicts: West Ham United 2 - Everton 1
Wigan Athletic vs. Fulham at the DW Stadium. Manager Roberto Martinez as well as Wigan supporters must be very frustrated with WIgan’s form. Last week they were thrashed 4-0 at bottom of the table Portsmouth and yet this was the same Wigan side that humbled Chelsea just a few weeks ago and become the first team to take points off Burnley at Turf Moor last time out. Martinez will be looking for consistency of the kind on display against Chelsea as they take on the Cottagers
Fulham inflicted Liverpool with a 5th league defeat of the season for a comfortable win which saw them move to a mid-table position . That victory came on the back of Fulham’s creditable 2-2 draw against Manchester City and with 4 points from those 2 fixtures, Roy Hodgson’s side look like they may be getting back on track after a disappointing start to the season.
Magic predicts: Wigan Athletic 0 - Fulham 1
Chelsea vs.Manchester United at Stamford Bridge- One of the biggest games of the season so far. Both sides qualified for the second phase of The Champions League with draws in mid-week and Carlo Ancelotti and Alex Ferguson meet for the second time this season after the Community Shield curtain-raiser to the season . The honours that day went to Chelsea following a 2-2 draw, the Blues went onto win 4-1 on penalties. Chelsea with home advantage will be looking for 3 points and to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership to 5 points. A win for Alex Ferguson’s side would mean that they would return to the Premier summit.
As always expect a tight game with nothing much to chose between the sides.
Magic predicts: Chelsea 2 vs. Manchester United 1
Round 12 is concluded with the Monday night fixture between Liverpool and Birmingham City at Anfield. Liverpool’s season looks in danger of imploding as the Reds face an almost certain exit from the Champions League when Lyon equalized in the late on to cancel out Ryan Babbel’s fine effort. Liverpool need to bounce back with a victory to keep the Premiership title aspirations alive. Defeat last week at Fulham was Liverpool’s 5th of the season and they are already 9 points adrift of leaders Chelsea. With Chelsea and United facing each other on Sunday, Liverpool do have the opportunity to make up some ground on at least one of their rivals.
Birmingham have taken 4 points from their last 2 home games and eased some pressure on manager Alex McLeish. The Blues will no doubt prove to be dogged opposition for Liverpool and I expect a close game.
Magic predicts: Liverpool 1 - Birmingham City 0
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