SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND
1 CRYSTAL PALACE would have hoped for a better start to their top-flight return, having shown little invention against Tottenham and surrendering a lead at Stoke. They were then dumped out of the Capital One Cup at Bristol City on Tuesday. Last-minute transfer negotiations continue apace as Palace prepare to entertain Sunderland at Selhurst Park this evening (Sky Sports 1, 5pm). Paolo Di Canio’s men got their window shopping done early and energetically, but they saw weaknesses in central defence and midfield exposed at Southampton last Saturday and against MK Dons in the cup on Tuesday.
2 BACK in May, the fans of Barnsley and Huddersfield stood in mutual appreciation at the John Smith’s Stadium as a 2-2 draw and favourable scores elsewhere saw them both secure last-day survival in the Championship. While both chorused ‘Yorkshire’ in unison that day, battle lines will be redrawn at Oakwell today. Having gained just one point from four games — and having shipped five at home to Southampton in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday — manager David Flitcroft will demand more from his Barnsley side.
3 AFTER successive play-off heartbreaks, Sheffield United have hardly been quick out of the blocks this season with three defeats in their five matches. If manager David Weir is to succeed where Danny Wilson and Chris Morgan failed, he will have to win games like today’s against MK Dons at Bramall Lane.
4 THE long and winding road to Wembley continues this weekend with the FA Cup’s preliminary round and there would be no more romantic story than if Wembley FC, of the Combined Counties League, could embark on a run. The subject of a short-lived marketing stunt by ESPN last season, their earlyround matches were screened live as veterans David Seaman, Graeme Le Saux and Claudio Caniggia were dragged out of retirement to play in a squad coached by Terry Venables. But will they keep an eye out for Wembley’s result at Ware FC today?
5 ARSENAL’S first opponents in the Champions League group stage will be Marseille and the Ligue 1 pacesetters face a tough challenge tomorrow evening against Monaco. But Marseille, who have spent £19million over the summer in comparison to Monaco’s £130m, have started with three wins out of three. Though Radamel Falcao cost Monaco £50m, it’s £4m Emmanuel Riviere who has caught the eye.