Make a concerted effort to watch for the following during today’s Premiership slate:
Some Access Forssell?
Striker Mikael Forrsell’s role as Birmingham’s on-again, off-again point man offensively looks like it’s taking yet another twist. He has made just three starts since Alex McLeish took over Nov. 28, the latest in the team’s last match — the 1-1 draw at West Ham on Feb. 9. The word is he will get another against Arsenal, so maybe we’ll see the same Forssell who scored twice the last time he made back-to-back starts for the first time under McLeish in December.
Groggy Gunners
Arsenal are coming off the 4-0 Old Trafford embarrassment last Saturday, the nil-draw at home against AC Milan in midweek Champions Play, and now have to travel to the Midlands for their match against an ever-fresh Birmingham City squad. Oh, and Kolo Toure (calf), Emmanuel Eboue (suspended), Robin van Persie (thigh), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (calf) and, finally, Johan Djourou (groin) all have been ruled out.
Hammer Time
Going into Craven Cottage against flailing Fulham, West Ham’s record against the league’s current bottom five is 4-1-3, giving them 15 points out of a possible 24 for a 63-percent points pluck. That figure would be considerably higher if not for a 1-0 loss at Wigan and 1-1 draw at home to Wigan in the Hammers’ last two matches. And here’s the five league matches they face after Fulham: Chelsea (home), Liverpool (away), Tottenham (away), Blackburn (home) and Everton (away).
Road Matters
Sunderland go to Fratton Park to play Portsmouth. The Black Cats are an abominable 0-11-2 on the road this season. But hey, Pompey are just 3-2-7 at home. They also happen have a league-best 8-5-1 record on the road. They also happen to be sitting comfortably in eighth place. Sunderland are 14th, just four points from the drop zone.
No Boos Allowed
All week there have been questions about how Derby boss and should-be Wigan saint Paul Jewell, whose defining moment at the club came nine months ago — it has only been nine months? — with the road win over Sheffield United that staved off relegation on last season’s final day, will be addressed by fans at the JJB. True, Jewell did bolt a bit sheepishly right after, but come on now. “I am sure he will get a great reception,” Lactics veteran Kevin Kilbane said.
Shoot … Not Again
Manchester United goes to St. James’ Park for the reverse fixture of the 6-0 gutting of Newcastle at Old Trafford on Jan. 12 — here goes time again, already a month? It’s hard to fathom today’s matchup being anything close to that result, what with the Red Devils coming off a busy FA Cup/Champions League week and Newcastle (one would think) not forgetting to wear a helmet this time. But let’s take a moment to hearken back to one of the great in-game stat lines of the season recorded that afternoon. In addition to the six-goal blast, United rolled up a 31-7 advantage in total shots, 21-5 in shots on goal.
Channel Your Interest
Today’s Prem TV rundown:
FOX SOCCER CHANNEL
*Fulham-West Ham, 7 a.m.
*Newcastle-Manchester United, 9 a.m.
*Wigan-Derby, 1 p.m.
SETANTA SPORTS
*Birmingham-Arsenal, 4:30 a.m. (re-air at 11 a.m.)
*Liverpool-Middlesbrough, 6:45 a.m. (re-air at 3 p.m.)
*Portsmouth-Sunderland, 9:15 a.m.
