CHELSEA v MANCHESTER CITY: PREVIEW
Wright-Phillips made a £21million summer move to Stamford Bridge but suffered the indignity of being hauled off by Jose Mourinho just 23 minutes into Sunday’s defeat at Fulham.
“Shaun is a great kid and a fantastic player,” said Pearce. “It is not my call whether he is getting enough games or not but I do hope it works out for him down there.
“He has to fight for his place because Chelsea have such a wealth of great players but the one thing I do know about Shaun is that he will not get downhearted and he won’t sulk.”
And Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has spoken out in support of Wright-Phillips.
There were some suggestions from the Newcastle camp that the winger went to ground too easily in the incident which saw Robbie Elliott dismissed in their FA Cup clash on Wednesday night.
But Kenyon told official club website www.chelseafc.com: "Shaun is not that type of player. He is certainly a fair player, not someone who goes to get a player sent-off. I think it is an unfair comment.”
LIVERPOOL v EVERTON: PREVIEW
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina hopes to edge closer to the club record for clean sheets in a season when he steps out at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime for the 203rd Merseyside derby.
The 7-0 midweek FA Cup thrashing of Birmingham City was the club’s 30th clean sheet of the season and the first time such a total has been achieved in 22 years.
Three times in the past Liverpool have recorded 34 in a campaign and Reina, who has kept 27 of the 30 this term, is now hoping for another shut-out as Everton visit in the Barclays Premiership.
The Spain international said: “I haven’t been counting the number of clean sheets I’ve kept but I would never try to claim that I was the sole reason for any clean sheet that Liverpool have managed this season.
“If we don’t concede a goal, it’s all down to teamwork and in some of the games, I haven’t had anything to do.
“I’m lucky to have Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia in front of me but the whole team work to defend my goal when we lose the ball.”
LIVERPOOL v EVERTON: CLASSICS
David Moyes maintains he has “done nothing different” to turn Everton’s season around.
The Toffees have been beaten only once in their last 11 Barclays Premiership matches and will be confident of achieving their first win at Liverpool since 1999.
Moyes said: “I don’t think it’s anything I’ve done, or anything we had or hadn’t done on the training ground.
“It’s players coming back into form who hadn’t been playing well and are now getting close to top form again.”
MIDDLESBROUGH v BOLTON WANDERERS: PREVIEW
Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren will not follow the recent trend of fielding a much-changed team this weekend.
McClaren could be forgiven for doing so bearing in mind Sunday's clash with Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside precedes a UEFA Cup quarter-final against Basle.
"Over the last six to seven weeks we've had to rotate the squad and bring in freshness and energy because you need that," said McClaren.
"But there comes a stage when you have to focus on your players and personnel and put them out because you are in the final push of the season.
"You need your strongest team every game, and we are approaching that. Everybody is fit and wants to play, and the competition out in training is fierce.”
Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen believes Sam Allardyce's side can go one remarkable step further this season and break into the Champions League.
Jaaskelainen, who helped the Trotters reach the UEFA Cup last term, said: "Fourth spot is up for grabs and we have two games in hand over many of our rivals, which is very important.
"Last season we only finished three points off fourth place and we know it is only little details we can improve on. We are definitely going to give it a go.
"I don't know whether we will get that Champions League spot, but I know if we don't reach Europe, it's going to be a very disappointing season for us."
ASTON VILLA v FULHAM: PREVIEW
David O’Leary admits he has already drawn up a list of potential transfer targets he wants to bring to Aston Villa for next season.
O’Leary, whose 15th-placed team face Fulham on Saturday, said: “The future of Aston Villa with the young kids is great - and if we can integrate some quality players, it will be a fantastic mixture.
“What I want to do is bring in hungry people who I know can work with these young lads for the future of Aston Villa.”
Fulham assistant manager Steve Kean insists his players are “desperate” to end their wretched away run – the Cottagers remain the only club in the country yet to win on the road this season.
“You can feel how desperate the players are to get the away win. Hopefully it will come against Villa,” he said.
“You’d be hopeful given our recent fixtures that we could pick up some points at Villa - it’s a great opportunity for us to break our away hoodoo.”
SUNDERLAND v BLACKBURN ROVERS: PREVIEW
Caretaker manager Kevin Ball believes better times are ahead for frustrated Sunderland fans, who are still waiting to see a first Barclays Premiership home win as they prepare for the visit of Blackburn Rovers.
Ball, whose side are cast adrift at the bottom of the table with just 10 points from 30 matches, said: "I can understand the feelings of the fans. I have been a supporter of this football club for 16 years, experiencing the ups and downs, and supporters, some longer than me, have the same emotions.
"But this is a great football club and we will come back."
Rovers boss Mark Hughes reckons being the star turn at Ewood Park has helped Craig Bellamy rediscover his goalscoring touch.
“Craig enjoys being the focal point of our attack,” Hughes said of the Wales international, who has bagged six goals in his last five Barclays Premiership appearances - including two against the Black Cats last month.
“He gets more of the ball, and that’s what he demands. He always wants to be on the ball and affecting the game in that way.
“He is at the right club. He is enjoying his football, his day-to-day work and he is scoring goals, so it’s a good situation for us all at the moment.”
MANCHESTER UNITED v BIRMINGHAM CITY: PREVIEW
Captain Gary Neville is confident the new-look Manchester United are capable of landing a Barclays Premiership title.
NEVILLE READY TO JOIN UNITED'S 500 CLUB
United lie 12 points behind Chelsea despite the champions' shock defeat at Fulham last weekend, but Neville believes there are enough positive signs to feel confident about future prospects.
“I am convinced we can keep winning trophies,” said Neville, who will join a select band of Red Devils to make 500 appearances for the club when he leads them out against struggling Birmingham City on Sunday.
“Obviously, we have had a difficult two or three years in terms of the Premiership and European Cup - which have to be our priority.
“But some of our performances this season have been superb, and I am sure we will get stronger again next year.”
Stan Lazaridis claims Birmingham will need to pick up 14 points from their final nine matches to survive.
It is a tall order given that City’s trip to Old Trafford is followed by a visit from Chelsea next week, but Lazaridis said: “We know we’ve got to get four wins and perhaps a couple of draws and that’s our target.
“It is tough. It is hard on the fans and hard on anyone. You’ve just got to keep believing and try to nick a result and build on that."
CHARLTON ATHLETIC v NEWCASTLE UNITED: PREVIEW
Charlton Athletic host Newcastle United on Sunday and manager Alan Curbishley knows victory is vital if they are to fulfil their aim of breaking back into the top half.
“For us to finish in the top 10, on the budget we have got, is not such a bad situation, but obviously people want more,” the Addicks boss said.
“We have created a lot of new fans and the reality is if you finish mid-table, you only win a third of your games.”
Magpies caretaker manager Glenn Roeder is concerned the flak currently aimed at Jean-Alain Boumsong is starting to affect him - but has backed the defender to “come out swinging” after completing a one-match ban.
Roeder said: “When things go wrong you are criticised, and you have to accept it, just as when things go well you’re praised.
“But I had a good chat with him after the game and he has to pick himself up, and he has two options.
“You can either lay down in a corner until it all goes away, or you can get up and come out swinging, which I’m sure he will do.”
PORTSMOUTH v ARSENAL: PREVIEW
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is backing striker Benjani Mwaruwari to pay back a large slice of his £4.1million club record transfer fee in the side’s fight for Barclays Premiership survival - despite eight games without a goal.
And the manager is pleading with the Fratton Park crowd not to turn on the Zimbabwe international if Arsenal’s improving defence shut him out in Saturday's tea-time encounter.
“This kid has talent,” said Redknapp, “All he needs is a goal and the crowd getting behind him to spark him off - just like our last-minute win over Manchester City has sparked off the whole team.”
Pompey remain in deep trouble at the foot of the table despite their convincing win over West Ham United last week while Arsenal are chasing a top-four spot.
In their midfield will be summer signing Alexander Hleb, who believes he is slowly getting used to life at Highbury.
“Personally speaking, I feel that I am coming into form,” said the Belarus international. “The speed of the English game takes some getting used to.
“It has taken me time to adapt, to a new country, a new league - especially with the injury - but I have felt plenty of good support from the manager, from the other players and those around me.”
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v WEST BROMWICH ALBION: PREVIEW
Arsenal are chasing a fourth straight victory to keep the pressure up on fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who do not play until Monday.
Spurs assistant coach Chris Hughton insists they will thrive on the pressure of trying to clinch fourth spot in the Barclays Premiership.
They had to rise to the challenge last Saturday when their rivals all won their games before Tottenham's early evening kick-off at St Andrews.
Goals from Aaron Lennon and Robbie Keane kept Spurs two points clear of Arsenal, but the heat will be on them again on Monday when West Bromwich Albion arrive at White Hart Lane.
“There was pressure at Birmingham, but that’s what you want,” said Hughton.
“We certainly prefer the pressure of being where we are rather than the pressure of being one of the sides at the other end of the table."
Baggies defender Steve Watson is expecting the north London team to be out for revenge after Albion's 2-0 win at The Hawthorns in December.
Watson told official club website www.wba.co.uk: "I think they'll remember the result at our place.
"We won that game well and they'll have been disappointed by the way they played.
"We've produced results against sides higher up in the league already this season. And although they'll be looking for three points to stay in fourth spot we have to believe we can win."
WIGAN ATHLETIC v WEST HAM UNITED: PREVIEW
Wigan Athletic boss Paul Jewell believes he and West Ham United counterpart Alan Pardew prove patience can be a virtue.
Both managers received the backing of their chairmen in tricky times are now repaying the faith after winning promotion to the top flight.
“When I came to Wigan, people wanted me out after the first three or four months,” Jewell said. “People want instant success, but that does not tend to happen.
“Everyone needs time to get things right. Alan has had to win the West Ham fans over and has done wonderfully well.
“At first they wanted him out, but having been at Monday’s game they love him now.”
Pardew has challenged James Collins to keep England hopeful Anton Ferdinand on the sidelines.
The centre-back missed the Hammers’ FA Cup quarter-final success at Manchester City on Monday with a thigh strain.
Pardew said: “One thing we have to improve on is when we have a run of games and squad players come in.
“We have struggled with results and we can’t afford that at the level we are at.
“Fortunately, when the squad was called upon on Monday night James Collins and Christian Dailly showed the rest of the squad that you can come in cold and put a performance in.
“They have set the standard now and James Collins will stay in the team if he keeps up the level of display he showed on Monday night.”
