Photo by ISIphotos.com
A hugely important London Derby headlines a full slate of matches on Saturday as English Premier League leaders Chelsea take on fierce rivals Arsenal in an early-morning showdown.
The Blues enter Saturday atop the EPL table with four wins and a draw in their first five games, but they face a massive test in the Gunners, who despite sitting in fifth place are also unbeaten themselves. Chelsea have been helped out by the news that captain John Terry's four-match ban will not take effect quite yet, meaning he is available for this morning's clash with Arsenal.
Another big match in England sees second-place Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney could feature in the starting lineup for the Red Devils, although they will be without Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia. Meanwhile, Clint Dempsey could get his first crack at a top EPL team since joining Tottenham earlier this season.
In Spain, Barcelona put their perfect record through five games on the line as they travel to take on Sevilla. Barcelona haven't dropped any points this season, but Sevilla are also yet to drop any points at home. Something has to give on Saturday in this massive late-afternoon match.
If you will be watching any of today's games, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today's TV schedule is after the jump):
TODAY'S TV SCHEDULE
7:45am – ESPN2 - Arsenal vs. Chelsea
9:30am – GolTV - Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich
10am – FoxSoccer2go - Everton vs. Southampton
10am – Fox Soccer Channel - Fulham vs. Manchester City
10am – Fox Soccer Plus - Norwich City vs. Liverpool
10am – FoxSoccer2go - Reading vs. Newcastle United
10am - FoxSoccer2go - Stoke City vs. Swansea City
10am - FoxSoccer2go - Sunderland vs. Wigan Athletic
10am - FoxSoccer2go - Motherwell vs. Celtic
10am - beIN Sport en Espanol - Valencia vs. Real Zaragoza
11:30am – Univision Deportes - Paris St. Germain vs. Sochaux
Noon – beIN Sport en Espanol - Parma vs. AC Milan
12:30pm - Fox Soccer Channel - Manchester United vs. Tottenham
12:30pm – GolTV - Borussia Dortmund vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach
2pm – beIN Sport - Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Bilbao
2pm – Univision Deportes - Ajaccio vs. Brest
2pm – beIN Sport 2 - Nancy vs. Montpellier
2:45pm – RAI - Juventus vs. Roma
2:45pm - ESPN3.com - Ajax vs. Twente
3:30pm- ESPN3.com - Rio Ave vs. Porto
4pm – beIN Sport - Sevilla vs. Barcelona
5:30pm – Univision - Club America vs. Morelia
7pm – MLS Direct Kick/MSG - New York Red Bulls vs. Toronto FC
7:30pm – MLS Direct Kick - Columbus Crew vs. Philadelphia Union
8pm – Telefutura - Tigres UANL vs. San Luis
8:30pm – MLS Direct Kick - Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution
9pm - NBC Sports Network - Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders
10:30pm - MLS Direct Kick – Portland Timbers vs. D.C. United
10:30pm - MLS Direct Kick – Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake
10:30pm - MLS Direct Kick – San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas
Dempsey to score his 1st goal for Spurs today
link to soccernet.espn.go.com
Francois Hollande, the president of France, has said there will be no exceptions to his 75% tax on those earning more than €1 million a year – meaning a host of footballers will have to conform to the new rule.
PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates one of his two goals against Lille
GettyImagesZlatan Ibrahimovic: PSG’s star signing
After reports had suggested that high-earning athletes and artists could be exempted from the tax, Hollande told French television channel TF1 it would be applied to everyone of a certain level of wealth.
He said: “It’s very important that those who are paid more than €1 million are also aware that it should be an example to be a patriot. We have to call on patriotism at this time.”
It is believed that around 25 people at Paris St Germain – whose star summer signing, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is reported to be on around €14 million a year – would be affected.
Others in French football reported to be liable for the new tax include Thiago Silva, Yoann Gourcuff, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Michel Bastos, Lisandro Lopez, Diego Lugano, Thiago Motta and Joey Barton.
reason why Edu may have not gone to France? This may actually open up spots for cheaper players, perhaps MLS types?
Torres lovely goal. Volley off a free kick. 20th min
Falcao who? Guess Torres wants to keep his job.
Hoffenheim’s 22-year-old right winger Boris Vukcevic was involved in a horrific car crash yesterday when the car he was driving crashed into a truck. He is today still in critical condition and in an artificial coma. The German football association gave a green light for Hoffenheim to cancel the game, but the team voted to play the game in his honor, with the blessing of Vukcevic’s parents. Picture 4 in the story below shows the truck he hit.
link to welt.de
i got that feeling two–as in 2 goals.
Poor Giroud. another miss.
Arsenal should have bought Dempsey. I mean come on 17 league goals last season. 12 goals the season before. He’s 2 inches shorter than Giroud, 3 years older but loads more experience.
Walcott? when is he going to be as good as he thinks he is? i say let him go.
That’s terrible. From the looks of his car, it’s amazing he’s still alive – hope he pulls through.
Been thinking the exact same thing, Giroud has been very unimpressive thus far. Arsenal needs a ruthless finisher and deuce is just that in front of goal.
Geoff Cameron is really fitting in nicely with The Potters. I’m pleasantly surprised that he is making a quick impact for Stoke. He moves about the field with ease, like he is back at Robertson Stadium instead of the toughest league in the world.
According to ESPN, he seems to be playing as a CB. Is that the case?
He is playing as a D-Mid on the left today it seems, or he might be playing left back. He has had been involved in quite a bit of flank play around the center and attacking third of the field.
Im sorry, I meant Right D-Mid or RB.
Man that card for Danny Williamson was one of the weakest I have ever seen,
Cameron is a first rate player. A good passer and very good defender, no surprise he’s fitting in.
Luis Suarez with the hat trick.
Now 5 league goals for the season. Thank you Jesus
RB I believe..
The announcers seem to think he’s at D-mid, but I have to admit that the shape of the team is hard to see at times.
Dzeko with the soul crushing goal against Fulham.
Liverpool is in the relegation zone–and just dropped 5 on Norwich City. Can we just relegate Norwich now and not go through the charade of playing out an actual season? I think we know the ending.
Dempsey starting for Tottenham…
This is Deuce’s chance to prove he deserves that spot in the starting lineup. Make or break right now.
Jump to conclusions much? Do you honestly think that just because Liverpool are in the bottom half of the table six weeks into the season, that means their soundly beating another team effectively condemns that team to relegation? Your logic is stultifying.
Pack wood (right back) and Specs in mid. Both starting for Birmingham as their back line has been decimated by injury.
Zlatan practically owns Ligue One
so is like Edu just on vacation at STOKE?
Much better than the logic that a team which was winless in 5 games scoring only 4 goals and conceding 10 is secretly a great team and that them scoring more than their entire season total in a single game against another awful team is not significant and relative to how bad that losing team is.
Go ahead and play in whatever fantasy you want. But the reality is that Norwich City is -9 in goal differential through 6 games while conceding on average more than 2 goals a game and scoring only .66 goals a game. Pathetic.
WOW. Another early goal, but it’s Tottenham with Verthongen on a barnstorming run through several United players, who didn’t defend well to be honest. 1-0 to Spurs!
lol so true.
and he acts like it too. such a beast.
Wow. Ducee, WTF?
A little late on this but, United’s defending on the Vertonghen goal was probably the worst I have ever seen from them. He was able to stroll to the goal.
Deuce…
So I am doubling down on what I said last week about Deuce not being called into camp because HE’S IN AWFUL FORM.
WTF WAS THAT DEUCE?!
Dempsey can’t keep up with Spurs’ vertical tempo and has been dispossessed literally almost every time he has had the ball…..sometimes by Scholes.
Did Friedel and Dempsey ever play together for the Nats?
he hasn’t seen much of the ball in his defense
In AVB’s system he is a better on the wing.
Terrible defending again from United.
bale with the quickness!
Dempsey looks soooo slow…
Terrible defending again from United.
There really isn’t much room for Dempsey to be working in. As evidenced by the goals, the space seems to be down the flanks right now. Dempsey is having to do the dirty work tracking Scholes or Carrick and closing passing lanes. Meanwhile, Scholes and Carrick are guarding the space in front of he backline and giving Deuce no space.
One bad header. Calm your clit.
The story isn’t Dempsey but Manu can’t keep up with spurs tempo
Dempsey does need to step it up. I don’t think he gets yanked at the half since Spurs are up, but I’d say he has 20 minutes to look better.
Dempsey did not do too much the first half. I think he has twenty minutes to turn it around.
DEMPSEYYYYYYYY DEMPSSSSSSSSEEEYYYYY
Yesssssssssssss Dempseeeyyyyyyy
DEMPPPPSSSSSEEEYYYY
DEMPSEY SCORES!!!
DEMPSEY GOAL – 3 Spur – 1 MU
Not a fair race, but Bale dusted Ferdinand on that goal. Spurs midfield was way better than United in the first half. Have a feeling that Rooney just changed that.
yessssssssssssssssssss!!!! screaming for joy for Clint!!!!!!!!!!!
Dempseyyyyyyy!!!!
Dempsey goal off a rebound!!!
Deuce is Mr. Right Place Right Time!
GOAL DEMPSEY!!!
Three goals in three minutes.
Dempsey goal for Spurs!!!!!!! Just seconds after manu’s first goal and before another 3-2 Spurs crazy game
yesssssssssss! Clint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow what a game. 3 goals in 3 minutes!
DEUCE!!!! Goal! Rebound from Bale shot! Great positioning. Bale shoulda ppassed in the first place. And while I’m writing this, Park scores on the other end. 3-2 Spurs.
Game on! Go Deuce! This is one just jumped a serious notch.
you just say that fot the shock value. thats not the case in the least. And he just scored as well. I bet your a jozy critic as well.
This game is getting awesome.
Yesssss! Clint!!!!
u r full of it
His debut goal is against MAN U. The team he has never scored against. Okay well them and Arsenal
There’s only one Clint Dempsey!
As it stands Dempsey has the game winner. But United really pressing. They might tie it up soon. And Rooney hits the post as I type that!
Wow, Tottenham D is abysmal right now.
I knew Dempsey would be coming off. He can consider himself very lucky if he doesn’t start on the bench for the next game. His garbage goal did nothing to change the fact that he was easily the worst player on the pitch. Hopefully he will get one more start and the goal will have boosted his confidence enough for him to play better.
I knew Dempsey would be coming off. He can consider himself very lucky if he doesn’t start on the bench for the next game. His garbage goal did nothing to change the fact that he was easily the worst player on the pitch. Hopefully he will get one more start and the goal will have boosted his confidence enough for him to play better.
I wish Gareth bale was american…
tough to watch the last 15 minutes – hope they can hang on
Kyle Walker has a lot of upside, but he looks clueless on defense today.
Chelsea wins, Fulham drop points, and Dempsey drops the game winner on Man U. Couldn’t have scripted today better myself.
Nostradamus right here.
Dempsey with the game winner over ManU!
AVB was losing it there at the end. Big win! COYS – congrats Dempsey and Friedel and the rest.
unbelievable…spurs got dominated in the 2nd half, dempsey looks terrible yet spurs win 3-2 and dempsey scores the winner.
Wow that’s terrible I hope he’ll manage to get through this. good luck to the team and him as well
Prophet!
DEMPSEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
I assume you are referring to the inept and naive header in his own box?
And the game gets so interesting that no one comments for an hour. Not bad. What’s up with Bradley and Roma?
We are six matches into the season. I repeat: we are six matches into the season.
Damn Roma … you know you’re in trouble when every one of your 4 defenders have a yellow card by halftime … and also you’re down by 3.
and, does he?
anyone see the barca game? The commentators would have you think that win was ‘heroic’–their words
when a hand ball is used to control and then the tying goal comes seconds later, that’s lucky or worse, not heroic
fun game to watch. the red card Cesc provoked changed everything
make it is
I saw the last 35 minutes of the game and just about puked on the two bad refereeing calls you mention. I have now lost all respect for Fabregas. Totally disgusting what he did. First he attacks Medel to get the ball and after knocking it loose verbally taunts him and they both are moving toward each other and collide ever so slightly and Fabregas fakes like he was hit with a Zidane head-putt. Should have been a no call, or yellow cards for both, because both were moving forward and equally guilty of the creating the little collision. And the hand ball that was used before the winning goal happened right in front of the ref, who also was letting Barca in the last half hour get away with a lot of fouls. Sevilla looked heartbroken after the loss.