All posts by h79snht.top

It must have been presumed when both Kyle’s, Walker and Naughton, were shipped out of Tottenham on loan to the championship that at least one of them wouldn’t make it back. That probably both would follow in the footsteps of fellow young right back Chris Gunter, who was never able to shine at White Hart Lane. But both have been firs team regulars at their loan clubs, QPR and Leicester respectively, and have been integral parts of those teams. Their form suggesting there may be some sort of future for either of them at Tottenham.

Kyle Naughton at Leicester has been a defensive revelation for Sven Goran Eriksson’s team, aiding the team as it climbs the table away from relegation. Leicester City fans are clearly pleased with his addition to the team. It’s a testament to the player how well he has been received considering the rather leaky defence he is a part of. But he has added a capable attacking threat to Leicester right hand side as well as defensive shrewdness. His form has led to Sven preparing a £1.5million offer to make his stay at the midlands club permanent. This may push Naughton’s position to the front of Harry Redknapp’s mind as his from for the Foxes has suggested he should not be disregarded so easily. Certainly his passing ability, attacking impetus and pace suggest he would be able to hold his own in the Premier League.

Kyle Walker, who was bought in with Naughton from Sheffield United at the same time in summer 2009, has been on loan at Championship leaders QPR since September. Originally the loan agreement was only for a month but after impressing in west London manager Neil Warnock decided to extend it to January. Called in by Warnock to cover for the injured Bradley Orr, it is a sign of how well he has done that despite Orr returning to full fitness Warnock is again keen to extend Walker’s loan deal beyond its current date of 3rd January, this time to the end of the current season. His experience in the championship has been very different from Naughton’s fitting in to a tight defence that doesn’t concede many and is chasing promotion at the top of the table. With the return of Orr Walker has been asked to test his versatility by switching to left back, although it was not overly successful as Rangers went 2-0 down to promotion rivals Leeds.

This versatility could hold Walker in good stead at Tottenham though, as there is a high number of right backs. In contrast, Benoit Assou-Ekotto is the only specialist left back at the club. Certainly having Hutton, Corluka the option of putting Kaboul at right back along with the two Kyle’s would be too much to have within the squad. And if Walker was given time to see if he could develop as a capable left back in the championship, perhaps he could return to Spurs next season to push Ekotto for a first team place. As of the two of them Naughton seems the more likely to succeed as a right back as Spurs with his natural attacking instincts causing havoc in the championship. Either way it’s a great dilemma for Harry Redknapp to have and could well spell the end of Corluka’s time in north London if they were both to return in January.

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Spurs bid for the use of the 2012 Olympic games stadium in Stratford has caused quite the stir since they announced that they were entering the race alongside West Ham. The latest controversy is that Spurs apparently plan to strip the stadium down and simply use the site to rebuild one of its own to fit their needs. This move is obviously a reaction to the numerous battles with their local council in their attempts to expand White Hart Lane in the past.

This honest and slightly tactless approach may be their undoing. LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) stated that after the completion of the Olympic Games that they wanted the stadium to remain one which practiced athletics. Jacques Rogge, the Chairman of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) stated this week that “we would favour a solution with a track legacy – that goes without saying” although he later added that “If a solution could be found for the track we would be happy, but don’t expect the IOC to intervene in an issue where we are not responsible.”

While Rogge acknowledges his preference and the IOC’s limitations in discussing the bids and the stadium‘s eventual new owners, the fact that his outburst came only a day or so after Spurs stated that they’d rip up and start again with the site cannot be underestimated and it therefore must represent a wider held belief within the worldwide athletics committee, LOCOG included.

West Ham have in principle agreed to keeping the track, and after all the cost and the distinct lack of opportunities around Upton Park to build a stadia of this magnitude, their stance is hardly surprising.

Spurs, however, have rather correctly estimated that the athletics track around the outside of the pitch will be an eyesore and that it will only decrease the spectacle for the 50,000 or so punters who have paid top crust for their seats. The current plan for the Olympic stadium means the site can house upto 80,000 fans, but 25,000 of these are temporary seating, so the actual site boasts a healthy capacity of 55,000. Spurs plan to increase this to 60,000 by taking out the running track.

However, this all brings us to the subject of the Olympic legacy. For anyone with even an inkling of knowledge about British athletics will testify to, its current home Crystal Palace has seen better days. I went there to watch an athletics meet about five years ago and while the atmosphere was great, it’s in no fit state to carry on being the home of British athletics.

To their credit, the Spurs bid does include a promise to redevelop Crystal Palace to make up for the lack of a running track at the Olympic Stadium and if they follow through on their promise, their bid, while controversial, isn’t as weak as first perceived by many. Without the legacy of redeveloping Crystal Palace, their latest moves what be tantamount to bid suicide, if such a term exits yet in the English language.

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On the other hand though, do the organisers in charge of the handover honestly think that having a 60,000 seated stadium for athletics is a viable financial option going beyond 2012?

The legacy issue is of paramount importance for both bidders, after all, the organisation that decides the eventual winner is called the Olympic Park Legacy Committee. The announcement is expected in March and both the bids have to be ready by the 20th this month.

The argument that a lot of people are now conscribing to is that a lot of taxpayers’ money has been spent on the stadium and therefore Spurs have no right to knock it down.

If MP for Tottenham David Lammy is to be believed however, the Spurs board’s current position masks their true intentions to ’repackage’ the Olympic stadium in a move that will grant them a significant cash inflow as they seek to sell the naming rights to their new home in a move very similar to that of current neighbours Arsenal and their current stadium, the Emirates. That particular deal struck up with the Emirates airline company in 2004 fetched a hugely profitable £100m over 15 years and its thought that Spurs could now command a similar deal with their stock rising by the year both on and off the pitch.

To my mind, if Spurs’ bid wins then they are well within their rights to do with the stadium as they wish. They haven’t been dishonest or played their cards too close to their chest. They’ve been a bit presumptuously arrogant perhaps, but after all is said and done, to most people, the Olympics is simply a circus that will roll through town, an enjoyable one, sure, but little more than that. The only way to maintain a stadium of that magnitude is as a football stadium. Of course, West Ham’s at present offers the best of both worlds.

West Ham’s bid looks to be the favourite now, and in my opinion, they’re the ones who should get it. This has nothing to do with the planned re-build that Spurs are proposing, but simply because West Ham have closer proximity to the site and therefore first option as it were.

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The winner of the Olympic stadium will boast some of the finest facilities in London coupled with a fantastic transport system. This will in itself be the true legacy, not the running track inside, despite any fantastic memories some may come to hold of it. Bricks and mortar do not make an atmosphere, the people do, and if there’s a running track between the pitch and the fans, the atmosphere will be as flat as a pancake.

It is an extremely difficult decision to face and to be honest I’m shocked that dispensing with the running track is even an option on the table in the first place. Surely for all the money spent on the stadium, the minimum requirement for any proposed bid should be to maintain the stadium, as it was built, running track included.

The blame in this instance does not lay at the feet of Spurs for daring to have the temerity to say what many football fans are thinking, but LOCOG for giving parameters too wide from which the bid can be decided, negotiated and built upon.

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Sir Alex Ferguson has been in this position before: How do you replace one of the best goalkeepers in the world? If we’re honest, the last time the Manchester United manager embarked on such a search, we ended up with the likes of Massimo Taibi in the Premier League. But as current keeper Edwin van der Sar is preparing to hang up his gloves, a whole host of world-class keepers are now being linked with a move to Old Trafford. But is it all unnecessary? Have they already got their next number one in place?

Tomasz Kuszczak certainly thinks so. The Polish shot-stopper has waiting patiently for his chance and is now making all the noises possible to ensure he does not go unnoticed. But is he really worthy of a stab at being Edwin van der Sar’s successor? He doesn’t fill fans with the greatest of confidence whenever he deputises, but in the little run of games he has had since van der Sar’s illness, he has performed without fault and does deserve to be considered at least.

The problem Kuszczak faces though is that he doesn’t seem typical of the type of goalkeeper Ferguson is used to having. Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar both have an aura of calmness about them which in turn offers great amounts of reassurance to their defence. Both also could distribute a ball better than some Premier League outfield players. The success of Manchester United over the past decade has been based on a strong back-line who has the ability to turn defence into attack in seconds. Kuszczak doesn’t have any of these attributes.

The Pole is a fantastic shot-stopper, as proved against Liverpool in the FA cup where he acrobatically kept out Fabio Aurelio’s free kick. But at Old Trafford, that alone just isn’t enough. Just ask Ben Foster. You have to have a certain temperament to be a success in the sticks at United. Many top quality keepers have failed to hold down the number one jersey because of the pressure that comes along with it and you have to question whether Kuszczak has the capabilities to handle the job.

If you believe what you read in the tabloids, Ferguson is still very much in the hunt for a new number one, despite recently signing the Dane, Anders Lindergaard. This obviously doesn’t bode well for Poland’s number one who has said he is prepared to look elsewhere for first team football should he get over-looked.

His threat to leave however should be a concern to Alex Ferguson. Even if he doesn’t consider him good enough to become United’s first choice goalkeeper, he is an excellent deputy to have, which all top clubs need. Many of Europe’s top clubs will already be alerted to the fact that he may soon be looking for a move out of Old Trafford.

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It’s certainly a dilemma for the 69-year-old manager. How do you keep your reserve goalkeeper happy when he wants to play first team football? You have to trust him. You trust him to back up his claims he can be everything United need and more. The question is can he really do it? It doesn’t looks as though Ferguson believes he can so we may well be seeing another new shot-stopper at Old Trafford this summer, unless Kuszczak can change people’s minds. His time is ticking…

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Samir Nasri is in major doubt for Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Barcelona after picking up what appears to be a serious hamstring injury.

Nasri could be sidelined for three weeks after pulling up lame in the Gunners’ 2-1 FA Cup win over Huddersfield Town on Sunday.

The injury is a cruel blow to the France international, who has been enjoying a breakout season for both club and country and leads Arsenal’s scoring with nine goals.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger made sweeping changes to the starting XI for the fourth round tie, but elected to keep Nasri in the line-up with Tomas Rosicky ill with a virus.

The despondent Gunners boss conceded his decision to play Nasri had backfired.

“Nasri looks to have a serious hamstring injury,” Wenger told reporters following the match.

“Usually it is three weeks, but we will have to see first. If it is a grade one (tear), then it will be two weeks.”

“I now have regrets because the plan was to play Rosicky, but he was still too weak because he was sick, so I took the gamble on Nasri.”

“It backfired, but he could have come on and that happened as well. It is very difficult to predict.”

“We are at the stage of the season where we play so many games that to lose bodies is very difficult for us. But Samir is a big blow.”

“Add three weeks on to now and it means he is a doubt for the Barcelona game.”

Huddersfield manager Lee Clark believed his side performed admirably against their more-fancied opponents, and said each of his players could be proud of their displays.

“We put in an excellent performance,” Clark said.

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“We passed the ball well and created chances. We limited them to few opportunities which is not easy coming here.”

“The lads have worked extremely hard so if you put all that into context we are disappointed we didn’t get something from the game.”

“But we have to look to our league programme now which is really important for us.”

“I’m hoping for the level of performance we showed today to come out in our league campaign. If we can play at that level, it will get us the wins we need.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has defended Fernando Torres’ decision to join English Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Torres moved from Anfield to Stamford Bridge for a British-transfer record 50 million pounds on January 31, sparking anger among Liverpool supporters.

But Spain keeper Reina maintains his fellow World Cup winner did enough during his time at the club to earn the respect of the fans, regardless of the timing of his departure.

“He decided to leave because he thought it was an opportunity to keep growing as a player and we have to respect that,” Reina told the Liverpool Echo.

“Some of the people are saying he’s being disrespectful with Liverpool, but all that Fernando gave to Liverpool was huge.”

“He grew up as a Liverpool player and Liverpool has also grown as he’s been a player on the team.”

“At the end of the day, it’s daily business, players come and go. It’s the club and supporters who are the most important thing for the club.”

“Fernando was great for us for three-and-a-half seasons, and we wish him all the best.”

“I think he did everything for this club.”

“He maybe didn’t leave at the right time, but it was an opportunity for him and he left ?50m in the bank which was double the price that he was.”

Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher also paid tribute to the contribution of Torres, but believes the transfer – coming after months of speculation and mixed performances – may ultimately have been for the best.

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“I think it was probably better that Fernando moved on if he didn’t 100 percent want to be here or it was going to happen in the summer,” Carragher told Talksport.

“It’s probably better for everyone all round. I think it’s been in the offing since the summer. We always felt that at some stage this season, or maybe the end of the season, this may happen.”

“Whether people agree with how he’s gone, supporters can’t deny he was an absolutely fantastic player for Liverpool.”

Juventus veteran Alessandro Del Piero has dismissed reports he is stalling on a new contract in the hope of securing a pay rise.The Juve captain is out of contract in June and yet to agree a new deal with the Turin giants.The 36-year-old forward has been with Juve since 1993 and scored 280 goals in 667 appearances.He insists it would be out of character for him to hold the club ransom and would in fact be willing to agree a new deal for any amount they nominate. “I’ve signed my first blank contract with Juventus,” Del Piero said.”I’ll sign my last one to wear this jersey blank too.””It’s not about money. I’ve earned a lot in my life, though I could have earned more if I’d accepted certain offers.””I spoke with the president (Andrea Agnelli) not about financial matters but my willingness to make myself available for next season,” he added.Del Piero believes he has demonstrated his commitment to the club repeatedly over the past 18 seasons, particularly the year spent in the second division following Juve’s demotion as punishment for a match-fixing scandal. “My passion and my will to win that has been with me from the Viareggio (youth) tournament to the World Cup, not to mention Serie B,” he said.”My ties to the colours and the fans cannot be measured in numbers.”

Tottenham Hotspur have already managed to surpass all expectation this season. Many of us predicted they wouldn’t even make it into the group stages of the Champions League, let alone make it through to the quarter-finals. Amazingly, even with this most unlikely assault on European glory, Harry Redknapp’s side are still a force to be reckoned with on the domestic front. Okay, so maybe they haven’t really gone on to compete for Premier League glory like their manager so boldly predicted, but many teams who are faced with the unfamiliarity of European football as well as the league and cups, normally struggle. So what’s next for Redknapp’s men? How can they improve on an already incredible season?

Spurs need to strengthen, because the next step up is going to be the hardest of them all – more of a leap, in fact. Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart, amongst others, are players worthy of winning the Premier League, so now it’s all about building around them. Players like Sandro can make that happen. But the problem ’Arry has, is that to make this next big step, he may have to get rid of a few who have served the club well, but are no longer good enough.

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I’m talking about the likes of Jermaine Jenas and Wilson Palacios. These players, however good they may have been, are only now serving to eat into a wage bill which could be better spent elsewhere. Redknapp has the eye for a star buy, and has proved his ruthlessness in the transfer market with van der Vaart and Steven Pienaar. Now he has to be ruthless towards his own squad. I mean, how long can they continue to pay Ledley King to not train and give 60 minutes every couple of weeks? Spurs need a new Ledley; a consistent leader who will be available more often than not. Just think how valuable Nemanja Vidic is to Manchester United – that is now the target for Spurs.

Redknapp has one of the biggest squads in the Premier League but it may time to trim it down. Have you ever heard the expression ‘less is sometimes more’? Every manager has to compensate for a rigorous season, so obviously getting rid of too many would be suicidal, but it’s time White Hart Lane had more quality over quantity.

It’s going to be harsh on the ones that go, but I’m sure Tottenham fans would rather see success down at the Lane rather than Harry stick by some of his players. He did his level best to keep Niko Kranjcar in the January transfer window, but realistically, how often is he going to play? I think the Croat is a fantastic player for Tottenham now, but should they make it into a permanent fixture of the top four, he’s likely to be even more frozen out than he has already been experiencing – and he’s pretty cold as it is at the moment.

It seems harsh to now ask the players who have got Spurs so far to step aside, but football is very rarely a game of loyalties these days. Redknapp may soon have to recognise that some must go, otherwise they cannot carry on moving forward in the way they are. Football’s a cruel game, Tottenham may have to find that out first hand.

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If you want to join me in telling Harry who he should get rid of in the summer than join me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@joino

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There was a time when Rohan Ricketts was being mentioned as a possible inclusion in the England side. A pacy winger who was not afraid to take on players, seemed a perfect fit for Sven’s England squad. However, a change in fortunes soon saw Rohan having to look far and wide just to find first team football.

A youngster at Arsenal, Ricketts spent his football youth with the likes of Jay Bothroyd, Jermaine Pennant and Steve Sidwell. He even managed to pick up two FA Youth Cups during his time at Highbury, in 2000 and 2001.

Despite early promise, Ricketts was allowed to leave Arsenal at the end of the 2001/02 season. But, it was just a short move for Ricketts, who joined North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur – becoming only the fourth player in history to move between the two clubs.

The Spurs days

A quiet first season at White Hart Lane saw Ricketts restricted to reserve team action. However, he managed to impress manager Glenn Hoddle enough to persuade him to give him a chance in the first team. Ricketts impressed immediately and soon became a favourite with the Spurs fans, and was even linked with an England call-up.

However, Hoddle was sacked as manager in September 2003 and Ricketts started to find his first team opportunities limited. He did manage to score his first league goal for the club, during a 2-1 win against Aston Villa in November 2003. Ricketts continued to find himself in and out of the side until the end of the season.

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French manager Jacques Santini took charge at the beginning of the 2004/05 season and, again, Ricketts struggled to make an impact. Even a quick change in manager, when Santini was quickly replaced by Martin Jol, didn’t prove successful for the winger.

He was sent out on loan to Coventry in late 2004. He returned to Spurs, but was sent out on loan again in March 2005, this time to join up with Hoddle, who was now in charge at Wolves. A loan spell saw play seven times and score once, a late winner against Reading.

Move to the Black Country

Ricketts was allowed to leave Spurs in the summer of 2005 and joined Wolves permanently for the 2005/06 season, a time when many were backing Wolves for promotion. However, a difficult season saw Ricketts in and out of the team again and Wolves missed out on promotion – which inevitably spelt the end for Hoddle, who left the club before the 2006/07 season.

Mick McCarthy took charge and initially kept faith with Ricketts, giving him the chance to prove himself in the first team. But, following the arrival of Michael Kightly, Ricketts found himself in the reserves and was sent out on loan to QPR in March 2007. He returned to Wolves briefly before being released at the end of the season.

He joined Barnsley in the summer of 2007, but again struggled to hold down a first team place and left the Yorkshire club in April 2008, a few weeks short of the end of the season. However Ricketts did manage to agree a new deal quickly, this time with Toronto FC in Canada.

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Oh Canada…

All looked well for Ricketts now, who quickly settled in and established himself in the first team. His performances quickly made him a fan’s favourite at Toronto and it looked like he had finally found somewhere he could settle. However, more disappointment lay ahead.

Following the arrival of several international players, Ricketts once again found himself out of the side. He left the club in the summer of 2009 and moved back to England to find a new club.

He had a trial at Aberdeen and impressed during his time there. However, financial constraints at the Scottish club prevented him from signing and he had to look elsewhere – which happened to be Eastern Europe.

Eurotrip

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In early 2010, Ricketts joined Hungarian side Diosgyori VTK. The move quickly tuned sour though as Ricketts was not selected for first team action, leading to him leaving the club in the summer.

His next move in August 2010 saw him become a record-holder. He joined Moldovan side FC Dacia Chisinau – becoming the first English player to play professionally in Moldova. Again, the move did not work out as expected and he decided to leave.

After doing some TV work for the 2010 World Cup , Ricketts decided to look for a new club and headed to Germany in 2010 in search of trials. Recently, he signed for SV Wilhelmshoren, who play in the fourth tier of German football.

I think it’s fair to say that Ricketts has taken one of the most unusual paths in football. However, it is refreshing to see someone who has had to go through a lot remain so upbeat, and I highly recommend following Ricketts on Twitter. He is never short of an opinion and provides a lot of entrainment to football fans worldwide. Here’s hoping that his German move proves a successful one!

If you enjoy my blogs, please follow me on Twitter robertmfletcher.

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Charlie Adam has goals, countless assists and numerous man of the match performances to his name, so it’s unsurprising that his performances have turned the heads of the Premier League’s ‘big boys.’ Throughout the January transfer window Adam was linked with Liverpool, who had a bid in the region of £4 million rejected, with Aston Villa and Tottenham also showing interest. As the season draws to a close and the window opens again, there’s no doubt that Adam will be linked with a move away, especially if reports are to be believed that Manchester United now want the Scot. With so many mouth watering propositions for Adam, it’s hard to decide where the Scottish international should ply his trade next season.

Liverpool, the first team to signify major intent on signing Adam have turned the corner since the arrival of Kenny Dalglish, but there is still room for Charlie Adam in their midfield, perhaps replacing Lucas (despite his improved performances this season) with Maxi Rodriguez and Kuyt on the flanks. Gerrard and Adam would be a dynamic duo to provide fantastic support and assists for the likes of Suarez or Carroll respectively; however such is the versatility of Adam that Liverpool could adopt a more attacking 4-3-3 formation with Kuyt, Carroll and Suarez used as out and out forwards, Adam adding a new dynamic to the Liverpool squad and without a shadow of a doubt being readily called upon as a match winner when Steven Gerrard is unavailable.

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Tottenham Hotspur failed in their signing of Charlie Adam due to certain paperwork not being completed on time and that proved very costly when Adam scored in Blackpool’s 3-1 win over Spurs in February. Tottenham have an abundance of talent in the middle of the park with Sandro, Jenas, Palacios and Huddlestone all competing for that starting berth alongside the ever impressive Luka Modric. In this writer’s opinion, Adam is a more gifted and influential player than Sandro, Jenas or Palacios however these players all offer a protective cover for Modric to get forward and thread the ball through to the likes of Bale and Defoe. If Spurs were to sign Charlie Adam it would be a bold yet risky move playing Adam and Modric in their current formation, as neither are the most defensively minded players. Spurs perhaps could adopt a different formation with three in the middle, which makes them narrow yet plays to Modric and Adam’s strengths; but how do you sacrifice a formation that has achieved a Champions League Quarter Final and has put them on the cusp of repeating a top four finish?

Manchester United being one of the world’s biggest teams renders a transition from Bloomfield Road to Old Trafford supremely difficult; the gulf in class in every element is astronomical. Sir Alex Ferguson has been impressed with Adam’s goalscoring feats and with many believing that Paul Scholes will not take up the option of an extra year with United to call time on his glittering career, Adam appears the obvious choice for an adept replacement; a simple like-for-like swap. Adam is of the Scholes mould, scoring crucial goals and generally working hard for the team, thus no formation or tactic changes would be needed, as Fletcher would provide the cover for Adam to roam; picking out passes and loitering around the 18 yard box.

White Hart Lane, Anfield and Old Trafford are some of the biggest footballing venues in the world; Bloomfield Road, however, may yet be the best venue for Charlie Adam to continue playing. With all due respect to Blackpool, Adam may just be ‘a big fish in a small pond’, as at Glasgow Rangers (which is a distinctively larger ‘pond’), Adam didn’t set the world alight and didn’t look half the player. Think back to Matt Le Tissier, a loyal servant to Southampton, who regularly pops up in the top 20 Premier League players ever. However, Le Tissier never tested himself outside of The Dell; perhaps if he had moved onto Tottenham in 1990 or Chelsea in 1996 when they both showed interest he would have faltered and not gone down in Premier League history with the nickname ‘Le God.’

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It would be a compliment to Adam to go down as Blackpool’s Le Tissier, and why not? It was Ian Holloway who managed Adam into the player he is today and it’s hard to argue that Sir Alex, Harry Redknapp or Kenny Dalglish would have or will do a better job for the Scottish international. If Adam does stay, it will be a breath of fresh air for the Premier League to have a team outside the top five or six that has a little something about them.

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Ligue 1 leaders Lille will be wary of the threat posed by a Monaco side battling to avoid relegation for the first time since the 1970s.Monaco were French champions in 1999-2000, and progressed to the Champions League final in 2004, where they were beaten 3-0 by Porto, but since then have dropped off the pace considerably.

After claiming third-place in 2004-05, Monaco have finished 10th, ninth, 12th, 11th and eighth, and Laurent Banide’s men are sitting in the drop zone – one point behind 17th-placed Auxerre.

Lille will also have history on their mind heading into Saturday’s clash, and after setting the pace for much of the Ligue 1 season, their chief objective is to break a 57-year championship drought.

Rudi Garcia’s men are four points clear of Marseille on top of the table with nine games to go this season, and make the trip to the Stade Louis II on the back of a four-game winning streak.

Also on Saturday, third-placed Rennes – who are seven points behind Lille – visit a Brest side keen to put some more breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone.

Paris Saint-Germain, who are fifth, will look to close the gap on fourth-placed Lyon and keep their hopes of European football alive when they visit a Caen side just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Bottom side Arles can keep their slim hopes of survival afloat when they visit Jean Tigana’s Bordeaux side, seventh-placed St Etienne take on Auxerre at the Stade Abbe-Deschamps and Lorient welcome Sochaux.

Nancy make the trip to Valenciennes in a battle of two sides in the bottom half of the table, and on Sunday second-placed Marseille will look to keep the pressure on Lille when they host Toulouse, who are in 11th place.

Elsewhere on Sunday, fourth-placed Lyon welcome second-from-bottom Lens, and sixth-placed Montpellier will look to keep their chance of European football alive when they host Nice.