Our resident North-East football expert has cast his opinion on the games around the region this weekend.
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Everton v Sunderland
FA Cup Quarter Final, Saturday (12.45pm)
Wembley beckons for the victors in the form of a semi-final but we’re opposing Sunderland as we think Martin O’Neill’s charges will count the cost of an accumulation of injuries and suspensions and succumb to Everton, for whom David Moyes’ begins his second decade in charge. It’s been 11 years since the last Sunderland victory in this fixture – some 15 games – and the Toffees will be buoyed by the return of star turns Royston Drenthe, Leon Osman and Nikica Jelavic, who were all rested for the midweek reversal at rivals Liverpool. The Black Cats are without skipper Lee Cattermole and top scorer Sebastian Sessegnon, while last week’s match-winner Nicklas Bendtner is a major doubt after picking up an injury late on in the victory over Kenny Dalglish’s Reds’.
No Mersey double for the Mackems, with Everton to nick it 1-0.
Birmingham versus Middlesbrough
Championship, Saturday (3pm)
Middlesbrough lost vital ground on the top-three with last week’s dismal home loss to Leeds and are now looking over their shoulder as the chasing pack look to overhaul them in the play-off beckoning. One of those sides is Chris Hughton’s Birmingham, who will leapfrog the Boro with victory, and should results go against them elsewhere, Tony Mowbray’s men could be as low as eighth come 5pm! Barry Robson misses out with suspension while Kevin Thomson remains a major doubt, leaving the Boro light on options in the middle. The corresponding fixture in August ended 3-1 to Mogga’s men, but St. Andrews remains a fortress for the Blues against the Teessiders, with just one defeat in the last 11 match-ups.
It gets no better for Boro as we opt for a 2-0 home victory.
Hartlepool v Stevenage
League One, Saturday (3pm)
Pools’ slim play-off hopes will be tested tomorrow with the visit of eighth-place Stevenage, who will be looking to break into the top-six with victory at Victoria Park. Neale Cooper’s men’s form at home has been indifferent since the turn of the year, with just three wins from six games, while one goal and one point in their last three has seen them all but fall away from the promotion juggle. A 2-2 draw back in August was the result when a Stevenage side still on a high from their promotion stunned Pools’ after coming back from a two-goal half-time deficit. Boro have won just once in six in the league as they got distracted by a thrilling FA Cup run, which saw them fall in a replay to mighty Spurs in the last-16.
Quite a few draws for both lately, and another one tomorrow I’m afraid. 0-0.
Newcastle v Norwich
Premier League, Sunday (4pm)
Sixth take on twelfth as both teams look to reignite their agendas after results of late have seen both alter their expectations for the campaign. Norwich, with just one win in six are still looking for four points to reach the ‘magic-40’ despite looking as safe as houses at the turn of the year. Newcastle by contrast are punching above their weight, and until recently were outside shouts for a top-four berth. Defeats to Arsenal and Spurs coupled with two home draws against Sunderland and Wolves have seen Alan Pardew’s men slip eight points from the Champions League slots, and now they find themselves having to gather another collection of points to ensure that the Europa League is the minimum they muster from what has been an otherwise fantastic campaign on Tyneside.
The Magpies to avenge the 4-2 Carrow Road defeat with a heavy 3-0 win of their own.
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