City must get it right with whole world watching.BLACKBURN v MAN CITY TODAY, 3PM MARK HUGHES This article is about the Welsh footballer. For other people with the same name, see Mark Hughes (disambiguation). Leslie Mark Hughes OBE (born November 1, 1963 in Ruabon, Wrexham, Wales), nicknamed Sparky knows the eyes of the football world will be on Manchester City today. By the time Hughes (right) has made the defensive purchases he feels are required before the end of the month, he will have spent in excess of pounds 100million on new players. Hughes said: "There are a lot of people who want us to succeed and just as many who want us to fail. "We have to live with that and deal with that. It is about making sure we are the best prepared team in the Premier League. That is what we are striving to do." Roque Santa Cruz Roque Luis Santa Cruz (born 16 August 1981 in Asunción) is a Paraguayan football striker, who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers. Career Club Olimpia Asunción(knee) will miss the chance to make his City debut at former club Blackburn today, while Emmanuel Adebayor Emmanuel Adebayor (born February 26, 1984 in Lomé, Togo) is a Togolese football player who currently plays for Arsenal. He had previously played for FC Metz and AS Monaco. He is of Nigerian descent via his parents who were born in the Osun State in south-west Nigeria. will be assessed after returning from international duty this week with a slight groin injury.Former Manchester United star Carlos Tevez could make his debut after a heel problem while Craig Bellamy For the rugby league football coach and former player, see . Craig Douglas Bellamy (born July 13 1979 in Canton, Cardiff) is a Welsh international footballer. He currently plays for West Ham United in the Premier League. (knee) should also be fit. Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen Ryan William Nelsen (born October 18, 1977 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is a professional football (soccer) player from New Zealand, who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League. (knee) will have a late fitness check. Christopher Samba Christopher Samba (born March 28, 1984 in Créteil, Paris, France) is a football player. Despite being French by birth, Samba represents the Congo national football team at international level. has made a full recovery from his hamstring strain, but Paul Gallagher is likely to miss out due to a similar problem. ASTON VILLA v WIGAN Wigan (wĭg`ən), city (1991 pop. 88,725) and metropolitan district, N England, located in the Manchester metropolitan area on the Douglas River. TODAY, 3PM ASTON Villa manager Martin O'Neill has challenged John Carew to terrorise Verb 1. terrorise - coerce by violence or with threats terrorize coerce, force, hale, pressure, squeeze - to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"; "He squeezed her for the Premier League this season. Carew will spearhead the Villa attack against Wigan today with O'Neill banking on the Norway striker setting down an early marker for his form this season. O'Neill said: "He was unfit for three months last season but still finished high up among the goals. At the end of the season his goals helped him. "It gave him an insight into what he is capable of doing in the Premiership." O'Neill is set to hand Premier League debuts to Habib Beye and Fabian Delph against Wigan, for whom midfielder Olivier Kapo is the only injury absentee as they launch a new era under Roberto Martinez. STOKE v BURNLEY TODAY, 3PM OWEN COYLE is happy for Burnley to be written off as relegation certainties as the Lancashire outfit prepare to embark on their first top-flight campaign in 33 years. The Clarets begin life in the Premier League with a tough trip to Stoke and bookmakers rate them as favourites to finish bottom next May. But Coyle said: "We know we have ability and we have to show it on a game-to-game basis both individually and collectively." Clarets captain Steven Caldwell (groin) looks certain to miss out, while Glenn Whelan could be left out of Stoke's starting line-up with Dean Whitehead starting instead. CHELSEA v HULL TODAY, 12.45PM CARLO ANCELOTTI insists the Premier League title will be tougher to win than Serie A. The Italian coach guided AC Milan to Serie A success in 2004 but the quality of the opposition in the English top flight promises to provide him with a lot more obstacles. He said: "In England the championship is more competitive because, in Italy, three or four teams can win. Here I think that more teams can win the league." New signing Yuri Zhirkov (knee) is out of today's clash against Hull with a knee injury, while Juliano Belletti (Achilles) and defender Alex (groin) are also set to miss out. Hull manager Phil Brown could hand debuts to all four summer signings - Stephen Hunt, Kamel Ghilas, Seyi Olofinjana and Jozy Altidore. PORTSMOUTH v FULHAM TODAY, 3PM ROY HODGSON has confirmed Fulham are closing in on Damien Duff but denied Brede Hangeland will be moving to Arsenal. Fulham have offered Newcastle pounds 4m for Republic of Ireland winger Duff. Hodgson said: "The clubs are talking and I hope the deal will go through. He's a player that interests us." Hangeland's future at Craven Cottage has been an ongoing source of speculation, but Hodgson said: "There has been no approach from any club for Hangeland and as a result we're expecting him to play for us this season." Wales midfielder Simon Davies (foot) will miss today's Premier League opener at Portsmouth, for whom David James will start. BOLTON v SUNDERLAND TODAY, 3PM BOLTON'S new signings Sean Davis, Paul Robinson, Sam Ricketts and Zat Knight could all make their debuts against Sunderland today. Lee Cattermole will be joined by Lorik Cana and strikers Darren Bent and Fraizer Campbell in Sunderland's new-look team. WOLVES v WEST HAM TODAY, 3PM WOLVES are without Scottish defender Christophe Berra for their Premier League return against West Ham today. Carlton Cole is West Ham's only fit senior striker, so Luis Jimenez and Kieron Dyer will provide support from out wide. |
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