A Merseyside Derby at Wembley Stadium promises to be electric
Could Everton make an already inconsistent season for Liverpool even worst?
Just a day before the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, not only will this match be emotional; but it will also mean a lot for two sides that have struggled all season.
Liverpool went out and spent over £50 million on summer transfers and is currently sitting in eighth place in the Barclays Premier League. Not only is that not acceptable for a team like Liverpool, but to make matters worst, Everton is currently in seventh place.
With many Everton fans enjoying the fact that Everton are ahead of Liverpool, they will look to Saturday’s matchup as another chance to take it to their neighbors. A Merseyside Derby always has potential and always manages to bring its spectators out of their seats. Two intense rivals looking to not only win, but also take on bragging rights in the city.
For Everton, an up and down season has them in seventh place at the moment. Considering the fact that Everton manager David Moyes doesn’t have much money to spend, if any, that is a very good accomplishment. The Toffees will come into this match having won three out of their last four matches.
On Monday night, Everton hosted Sunderland for the Premier League and top off a stellar performance with a 4-0 victory. This time around they will have a more difficult opponent, but also an opponent that has shown they can be complacent and inconsistent at times. Will Everton be able to overcome their same city rivals? Will Everton be the new team to beat in Merseyside at the end of the season?
Can Roberto Di Matteo keep Chelsea in the hunt for some FA Cup silverware?
A victory for Di Matteo could only make Roman Abramovich wonder if he should give the Italian a permanent deal?
On Sunday, Wembley will host yet another rivalry. This time around it will be a London Derby with Tottenham and Chelsea looking to secure a spot in the final.
Spurs have won just one match in their last eight in the Barclays Premier League. For a team that just two months ago was overjoyed with the possibility of finishing third in the Premier League, they have now made their way down to fourth.
A mid-week loss at White Hart Lane to Norwich City certainly won’t help their confidence. Speculation about Harry Rednapp taking the England manager position seems to have really affected Spurs.
Being able to make it to the FA Cup final could be a good sending off for Harry Rednapp if indeed he takes the England job.
For Chelsea, it is said that interim coach Roberto Di Matteo is expected to rest some of his usual starters. Chelsea has an extremely important match mid-week at Stamford Bridge when they play host to Barcelona for the semi-finals of the Champions League.
What many expected to be an outstanding season for Chelsea quickly turned into a disaster. Since Di Matteo has been appointed interim manager, Blues fans have had more to cheer about than when Andre Villas-Boas was in charge.
Di Matteo now faces the possibility of not only taking Chelsea to the final of the FA Cup, but he could also get Chelsea into the final of the UEFA Champions League. What a better way to show your boss that you are the right man for the job. The Italian now faces the question of figuring out which competition he is going to favor more.
If he thinks Chelsea have a realistic chance of knocking off Barcelona, does he rest his players Sunday? Or does he start his squad on Sunday and hope to have them recovered to take on Barcelona and hope for the best?
Predictions: I expect the Merseyside derby to be more interesting than the London Derby. Both teams will come out trying to prove a point and take back the Merseyside thrown. I see a thrilling match with Everton pulling off a shocking victory to confirm a spot in the final.
In Sunday’s match, I would expect a ‘re-modeled’ Chelsea squad. They will more than likely look to rest some key players and hope that they can still manage to complete the job. Rednapp’s men will once again taste defeat as Chelsea move into the finals.
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