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High Fives From Magic Mike

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 29.... FA Cup 6th Round.... Round 28.... Round 27.... FA Cup 5th Round

Revenge is Sweet

 

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Blackburn Rovers at White Hart Lane. Spurs turn their attention back to the Premier League after last week’s break due to cup action. With Liverpool’s chances of a 4^th place being hit with an unexpected defeat to Wigan on Monday, Spurs will be looking for a home win over mid-table Blackburn. David Bentley may start for Spurs against his former club and Paul Robinson will start for Blackburn together with the other former Spur, Pascal Chimbonda expecting to be pushing for a place in the side.  Spurs will be looking for the double this season over Blackburn having won at Ewood Park in December.

Magic predicts: Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Blackburn Rovers 0

 

Birmingham City vs. Everton at St Andrews Stadium.  Birmingham saw their FA Cup dreams shattered as they crashed out at the quarter-final stage at Portsmouth last Saturday. Alex McLeish will need to lift his troops who now have little to play for.  McLeish will be looking for the sprit that his players showed in their early league and FA Cup meetings at Goodison Park, games which Birmingham drew and won.

Everton have been hitting the kind of form that they achieved last season in finishing 5^th in the Premier League. David Moyes has Phil Jagielka back to fitness as well as Mikel Arteta. Phil Jagielka also made his first Premier League start against Hull since his injury and played the full 90 minutes whilst Arteta, with a few more games under his belt, was in inspired form last Sunday against Hull, scoring twice , in Everton‘s 5-1 rout.

Magic predicts: Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2

 

Bolton Wanderers vs. Wigan Athletic at the Reebok Stadium. A 6 point Lancashire relegation battle. The corresponding fixture at Wigan a few weeks ago ended in a bore draw when both teams were in a worse league position than they stand today. Bolton’s prospects improved after consecutive wins against relegation rivals Wolves and West Ham but those results were dampened somewhat by the mid-week defeat at Sunderland that still leaves the Trotters with 3 wins short of confirming their place in the Premier League next season.

Wigan are in a similar position to Bolton but their survival hopes took a turn for the better as another goal from Hugo Rodallega beat Liverpool on Monday to add to the scalps of Aston Villa and Chelsea this season.

Another closely fought game can be expected.

Magic predicts: Bolton Wanderers 1 - Wigan Athletic 0  

 

Burnley vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers at Turf Moor A relegation battle between 2 of last season’s promoted sides and this season’s relegation rivals. It’s a game that neither side can afford to lose with a win being welcome relief and possibly lifting them out of the relegation zone. Burnley earned a point in mid-week with the home draw at Stoke but their dismal away record suggests the Clarets need to win their remaining home games to survive.

Wolves lost to Manchester United last Saturday and after a previous away defeat to other relegation rivals Bolton, Mick McCarthy’s side need a result.

Magic predicts: Burnley 2 - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

 

Chelsea vs. West Ham United at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea made it successfully to the FA Cup semi- finals last weekend and had a day off from Premier League action. This break saw Manchester United take over at the top of the table and Arsenal move level on points. Chelsea still have a game in hand and will need to make that count. They face a struggling Hammers, who lost out in the vital relegation clash with Bolton last Saturday. Gianfranco Zola’s side face a difficult run-in to the season and David Gold must certainly be sweating at this moment about his investment.

Magic predicts: Chelsea 2 - West Ham United 0 Banker

 

Stoke City vs. Aston Villa at The Britannia Stadium. Stoke were disappointed to lose out to Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final stage last weekend and will be looking to bounce back in the league aiming to finish in the top half of the Premiership. They drew at Burnley in mid-week and will be looking to return to winning ways against Martin O’Neill’s Villa side who did maintain their own interest in the FA Cup by coming back from a 2 goal deficit to earn a victory at Reading. Villa play catch-up in the league with games in hand due to their long runs in both of this season’s domestic cup competitions. Last season Villa faded in the last 10 games of the season but this year Martin O’Neill will be hoping his squad’s increased size can provide the strength and depth to earn Villa the final Champions League berth.

Magic predicts: Stoke City 1 - Aston Villa 1

 

Hull City v.s Arsenal at the Kingston Communications Stadium. Hull are deep in trouble and come into the game following a 5-1 drubbing at Everton last weekend. It doesn’t get any easier for Hull as Arsenal are buoyed by their mid-week performance in the Champions League when they sailed past Porto and into the quarter-final stage. The Gunners are very much back in the race for the Premier League title as well. It remains to be seen whether Cesc Fabregas will make an appearance following him tweaking his hamstring against Burnley last weekend. Fabregas has been key to Arsenal’s success this year and scoring more goals from midfield in a season than any other Arsenal player in Premier League history. The Gunners should prove too hot to handle for the Tigers even without their Spanish Wizard.

Magic predicts: Hull City 1 - Arsenal 3

 

The Sunday fixtures begin with the clash at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Fulham. United come into the game following a 4-0 mid-week thrashing of AC Milan to progress into the Champions League quarter-finals. Wayne Rooney continued his impressive form in that game. United will be keen to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League. United were outplayed by Fulham in their earlier meeting this season at Craven Cottage when United went down to their heaviest defeat of the season, losing 3-0. The Red Devils will be looking for revenge but are sure to face stubborn resistance from Roy Hodgson’s Fulham. Last weekend Fulham were held by Spurs in the FA Cup and face a replay for the right to meet Portsmouth in the semi-final. With a place at Wembley at stake, Roy Hodgson’s side may be distracted.

Magic predicts: Manchester United 1 - Fulham 0

 

Sunderland vs. Manchester City at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland ended their miserable win-less sequence when on Wednesday night, at the 15^th attempt, when they defeated Bolton by a 4 goal margin. Darren Bent pushed his claims for an England place with a hat-trick. The win lifted Sunderland to 13^th place in the table to ease relegation fears for Steve Bruce. Bruce will be hoping that win will be a springboard for Sunderland to return to their early season form.

In the earlier meeting this season Sunderland were unlucky to lose out to City by the odd goal in 7. With a win under belts and confidence restored, the Black Cats will give the rich kids from Manchester a difficult game. Roberto Mancini’s team enjoyed an impressive 4-1 victory at Chelsea last time out and City will need to win again to maintain their push for the Champions League qualifying spot.

Magic predicts: Sunderland 1 - Manchester City 1  

 

Liverpool vs. Portsmouth at Anfield. Liverpool lost ground in their pursuit of the 4^th spot when losing disappointingly at Wigan.  Rafa Benitez’s side have it all to do to make the Champions League for next season and perhaps even the Europa League may be beyond them? Liverpool lost at the Premiership’s basement club earlier this season in a shock result and can ill-afford the same result today.

Portsmouth might be in administration and propping up the Premier League but that can’t dampen the spirits of the players. Pompey reached the semi -final stage of the FA Cup for the second time in 3 years last weekend and Avram Grant’s side will be out to inflict more pain on the lacklustre Reds.

Magic predicts: Liverpool 2 -Portsmouth 1

 

The re-arranged Tuesday night fixture, Wigan Athletic vs. Aston Villa at the DW Stadium makes up round 30. Wigan upset Aston Villa on the opening day of the season with a 2-0 victory at Villa Park to give Wigan boss Roberto Martinez some early season success. Fortunes though have long since changed, with Wigan embroiled in a relegation battle and Villa pushing for a FA Cup final place to add to the Carling Cup Final appearance against Manchester United. Aston Villa are also aiming for the 4^th and final Premier League.

Hugo Rodellaga will be the main goal threat for Wigan whereas Aston Villa have an array of riches to trouble the Wigan defence.

Magic predicts: Wigan Athletic 0 - Aston Villa 1