The final two unbeatens in the English Premier League square off today as Manchester City takes on Newcastle United on the marquee match-up of the day.
It shows you how much things have changed when those two teams are the ones battling for Premier League bragging rights, but City's dominance this year and Newcastle's surprising success have been two of the biggest storylines of the season.
In Germany, defending champion Borussia Dortmund will look to bump off first-place Bayern Munich in one of a trio of excellent European matches being played outside of Europe. In Italy, Napoli is taking on Lazio in a clash of high-powered attacks, while Valencia and Real Madrid do battle in Spain.
If you will be watching today's action, 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 SOCCER ON TV
10 a.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Manchester City vs. Newcastle United
10 a.m. - Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv - Everton vs. Wolverhampton
10 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Stoke City vs. Queens Park Rangers
10 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Sunderland vs. Fulham
10 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - West Brom vs. Bolton
10 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Wigan Athletic vs. Blackburn
10 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Southampton vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
12 p.m. - Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv - Inter Milan vs. Cagliari
12 p.m. - GOLTV - Villarreal vs. Real Betis
12:30 p.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Swansea City vs. Manchester United
12:30 p.m. - ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes - Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund
1 p.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Ajaccio vs. Caen
1 p.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Dijon vs. Bordeaux
1 p.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Evian Thonon Gaillard vs. Lorient
1 p.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Nice vs. St. Etienne
2 p.m. - GOLTV - Barcelona vs. Real Zaragoza
2:45 p.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Fiorentina vs. AC Milan
2:45 p.m. - ESPN3.com - Napoli vs. Lazio
4 p.m. - ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes - Valencia vs. Real Madrid
4 p.m. - GOLTV - Vasco de Gama vs. Avai
6 p.m. - Univision - Queretaro vs. Chivas de Guadalajara
6:20 p.m. - GOLTV - Millonarios vs. America de Cali
8 p.m. - GOLTV - Irapuato vs. Correcaminos UAT
8 p.m. - Azteca America - Morelia vs. Cruz Azul
Real steals 3 points with a hand ball block at the death.
goal chicharito
Just saw FIndley’s goal on Sky News. Nice. Strength and smart finish.
Dempsey now with a horror give-a-way. What is wrong with him?
Dempsey missed a sitter. GWG. Ugh.
I think Eren Derdiyok’s bicylce kick deserved a nomination as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ueRQMeFJs
Thanks Predicto. Good to see the praise for Boca at least. While of course I want the other two to do well, neither are part of my personal starting 11 for the nats (bedoya especially)
Fifa.com has the 10 nominees for the Goal of the Year. Nagbe’s and Hassli’s goals didn’t make it, but the USA isn’t completely shut out. Gio dos Santos is nominated for his goal against the USA in the Gold Cup final, and, amazingly, a woman — the USA’s Heather O’Reilly — is nominated for her long-strike goal in the WWC against Columbia.
A lot of amazing goals. The best one is probably one from someone I never heard of in the Belgian league, but I make Rooney the early favorite for his bicycle against City.
When does Dempsey look to make connections?
Ribery narrowly misses what might have been goal of hte year — in stoppage time, off a corner kick, loose ball bouncing around and Ribery tries a scissor volley over the packed defense, that drops down just above/beyond the crossbar into the top netting. Dortmund puts themselves into the title race, 2 points off Bayern.
Dortmund goes up on Bayern! The ball fell to Gotze like manna from heaven,
Bedoya is not getting many minutes with Rangers. He did start today, but that’s a first. Typically, if he does get to play, he’ll come on for last 10-15 minutes. Rangers seem to think he’s got potential, but he’s being tested and not yet first team caliber.
Also, Johnson looked great and is only going to get better as hr plays more w the nats. Lots of good options for the semi-wing attacker Klinsi favors
Has Shea supplanted Bedoya as the US’s attacking wing option? Not sure if I missed a knock/injury for Alejandro, but it can’t be good news for him that he’s playing consistent minutes for Rangers and hasn’t sniffed the field for the USA since Kilmsi took over.
Anyone know what the scoop is?
here’s today’s player ratings from ranger’s FC forum (only listed 3 USA’ers):
Bocanegra – 8 – again, another solid game. You cannot ask for any more from Boca & Goian, they were solid again.
Bedoya – 5 – lots of running and effort but his positioning sense today was really poor. Left Whittaker exposed a bit and his runs weren’t great at all. Needs to be more aggressive against shite like St. Johnstone.
Edu – 5 – poor today. He’s been much better than that recently. Everytime he got the ball, he got caught on it or made the wrong pass – wasn’t switched on to breaks of the ball etc, St. Johnstone were just first to everything when this man should be, otherwise whats the point to having him in the team against rubbish like SJ ?
Go for the dough Wondo – at 28, you’re at the end of primetime
right??? He was their leading assist man I believe and 2nd highest goal scorer before he left. Rightttt
I mean BMG is better because bradley is gone. He is terrible.
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=goal-castrolindexplayeroftheyear
Sounds like Wondolowski either wants to be made a DP or he is headed to Europe
0-0 for Rangers at home, but all 3 Yanks got the start. Bedoya off in the 73rd I believe? Anyone watch and know how those 3 did. Did Bedoya look poor or just gassed at the end?
Mark my words, Dempsey is leaving Fulham by the end of the season for a CL team
Robbie Findley is a flop for the NT. Never call him in again. That being said, glad he scored for his team.
Um dude a year ago they were clearly destined for relegation. Their manager was fired. Strikers were not scoring. Bradley didn’t want to deal with it and was benched. He hoped for a chance in England and it failed. BMG battled back and survived. it’s not his fault.
Players and clubs do it all the time. They bench a player to change results or a player wants to leave to escape relegation.
Dempsey did nt impress at the end. Looked pretty tired
Dempsey very poor at the end, kills two attacks.
Robbie Findley with a goal today. He’s not a youngster any more but with the lack of striking options for the US MNT, I think it’s too early to fully write him off.
Fulham is so frustrating. They got the players, but too conservative (inept?) in the final third. They’ve got a real problem with scoring. Even Dempsey can’t make connections on offense. Reminds me of USMNT
Borussia Mönchengladbach is an excellent team and Marco Reus is totally awesome, no doubt currently one of the top two or three attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga and will probably be heading for a top Premiere Leauge team next year. If Gladbach can keep this up, they will be playing in the Champions League next year. Michael Bradley last January should never have left what he thought at the time was a sinking Gladbach ship for Aston Villa. Too bad for MB.
Robin Van Persie. mmm girl.
#3 Moenchengladbach vs #4 Werder Bremen in Bundesliga action. MGB up 5-0 in the 60th. 3x Reus, 1x Herrmann, 1x Juan Arango. Bundesliga is by far the most exciting league in Europe.