Everton and Liverpool currently stand closer to relegation than an English Premier League title, but the Merseyside Derby is always a can't-miss affair and never lacking for storylines.
The Liverpool-based rivals face off in this weekend's marquee match-up, with the clash coming just as Liverpool celebrates having gotten rid of nightmare owners Tom Hicks and George Gillet. Everton will look to get the John Henry era off to a losing start with a win at Goodison Park. You might remember that Liverpool won this clash at Goodison last year (when Landon Donovan was in the lineup for Everton).
The Merseyside Derby is one of several appealing clashes, and not the only rivalry on the slate. The Philadelphia Union plays host to the New York Red Bulls, who are making their first visit to PPL Park. London rivals Fulham and Tottenham will also do battle this weekend.
Here is a rundown of This Weekend's Soccer on TV, as well as our selections for the Top 10 Matches to Watch:
Top 10 Matches to Watch
1. Everton vs. Liverpool. Yes, both teams are struggling badly, but it's still the Merseyside Derby and, if anything, their struggles will make it a more intense and desperate encounter.
2. Barcelona vs. Valencia. One of these teams is in first place in La Liga and the other is in fourth place. Wouldn't have figured it would be Valencia in first.
3. Aston Villa vs. Chelsea. The Blues are rolling in first place, but a visit to Villa Park should provide a stiff test as Brad Friedel looks to shut down the vaunted Chelsea attack.
4. Mainz vs. Hamburg. First-place Mainz will get to show yet again why it's one of the most surprising teams in Europe, but Hamburg will be looking to spoil the part.
5. Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas. The hottest team in MLS takes on one of the best in what could be a Western Conference playoff preview.
6. Fulham vs. Tottenham. Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson are back from the United States and will look to knock off Tottenham, which could get caught looking ahead to Champions League play.
7. AC Milan vs. Chievo. Milan has built a star-studded squad, but must beware of a Chievo side that has been one of the revelations of the season in Serie A.
8. Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls. The I-95 rivalry makes its first trip to PPL Park, where the first-place Red Bulls take on a fiesty Union side that is tough to beat at home.
9. Pachuca vs. Morelia. The American contingent at Pachuca will look to move a step closer to first place in their group with a win against a tough Morelia squda.
10. Flamengo vs. Internacional. These Brazilians powers do battle in what should be an entertaining option for fans who want to see something other than European soccer and MLS this weekend.
This Weekend's Soccer on TV
FRIDAY
2:30pm– GolTV- Cologne vs. Borussia Dortmund
8pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Boston University vs. University of Maryland-Baltimore County
9pm– Galavision- Tecos vs. Atlas
11pm– ESPN2- Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas USA
11pm- Fox Soccer Channel– UCSB vs. Duke
SATURDAY
9:30am– GolTV- Bayern Munich vs. Hannover 96
9:30am– ESPN3.com- Mainz 05 vs. Hamburg
10am– Fox Soccer Channel/FSE- Arsenal vs. Birmingham City
10am– Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv- Fulham vs. Tottenham
10am– ESPN2- Manchester United vs. West Brom
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Bolton vs. Stoke City
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Wolverhampton vs. West Ham
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Queens Park Rangers vs. Norwich City
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Newcastle United vs. Wigan
Noon– GolTV- Atletico Madrid vs. Getafe
Noon– Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv- AC Milan vs. Chievo
12:20pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Middlesbrough vs. Leeds United
12:30pm– Fox Soccer Plus/FSE/FoxSoccer.tv- Aston Villa vs. Chelsea
12:30pm– ESPN3.com- Wolfsburg vs. Bayer Leverkusen
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- AJ Auxerre vs. Bordeaux
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Marseille vs. AS Nancy Lorraine
2pm– ESPN3.com- Barcelona vs. Valencia
2pm– Fox Soccer Plus- Middlesbrough vs. Leeds United (Delayed)
2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel/FSE- AS Roma vs. Genoa
3pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Toulous vs. Paris St. Germain
4pm– GolTV- Malaga vs. Real Madrid
4pm– Telefutura- Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United
4pm– Direct Kick- Toronto FC vs. Columbus Crew
4pm– Fox Soccer Plus- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. West Ham United (Delayed)
5:30pm– GolTV- Flamengo vs. Internacional
6pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls
6pm– Azteca America/ESPN Deportes- Cruz Azul vs. Santos Laguna
7:20pm– GolTV- America de Cali vs. Deportes Quindio
8pm– Direct Kick- New England Revolution vs. Kansas City Wizards
8pm– Telefutura- Pachuca vs. Morelia
8pm– Telemundo- Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Necaxa
8:30pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Newcastle vs. Wigan (Delayed)
9pm– Direct Kick- Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas
10pm– Direct Kick- San Jose Earthquakes vs. Houston Dynamo
10pm– Telemundo- Monterrey vs. Toluca
10:30pm– Direct Kick- Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids
SUNDAY
6:30am– Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv- Cagliari vs. Inter Milan
8:30am– Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv- Everton vs. Liverpool
8:30am– ESPN3.com- Willem II vs. PSV Eindhoven
9am– ESPN3.com- Catania vs. Napoli
9am– Fox Soccer Channel/FSE/ESPN3.com- Juventus vs. Lecce
9am– ESPN3.com- Sampdoria vs. Fiorentina
10:30am– Fox Soccer Plus- Bolton vs. Stoke City (Delayed)
11am– Fox Soccer Channel/FSE- Blackpool vs. Manchester City
11am– ESPN3.com- Deportivo La Coruna vs. Osasuna
11am– DirecTV- Levante Real Sociedad
11am– DirecTV- Mallorca vs. Espanyol
11am– FoxSoccer.tv- Lorient vs. Valenciennes
11am– FoxSoccer.tv- Lens vs. Stade Rennes
11:30am– GolTV- Hoffenheim vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach
1pm– Telemundo- UNAM Pumas vs. Jaguares
1pm- Azteca America- Puebla vs. Club America
1pm– ESPN3.com- Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Zaragoza
2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel- AS Bari vs. Lazio
3pm– GolTV- Sporting Gijon vs. Sevila
3pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Lyon vs. Lille
5pm– GolTV- Guarani de Campinas vs. Corinthians
6pm- Fox Soccer Channel- Juventus vs. Lecce (Delayed)
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What matches are you looking forward to the most?
Share your thoughts on this weekend's matches in the comments section below.
I understand the value of sub-plots (I am a Minnesota Vikings fan, and there were a few of those with the Jets last Monday), but I think the on-the-field quality of the game is more important than anything else.
David Villa playing his former team carries a little drama, no?
Everton v. Liverpool the number one game of the weekend? Hardly. Barca/Valencia is a far better match-up.
Anyone else extremely underwhelmed by the EPL this year? It’s lost some of its luster somehow.
(SBI-Depends on your criteria BCC. Purely from an on-the-field soccer standpoint, Barcelona-Valencia should be better, but given the storylines surrounding Liverpool, the fact that it’s one of the world’s best rivalries, the fact they both need a win badly AND perhaps most importantly, the fact that Tim Howard is starting in it makes it the top game on OUR Top 10.)
The game is being shown on ESPN3.com.
I don’t enjoy watching games on my computer but at least it’s available (if you have access to ESPN3).
You better be scared of NY’s B team Philly Union.
The Rangers finished the season 5 games behind the Yanks in an infinitely easier division and have home field advantage against them. Frustrating. I guess playoff setup woes aren’t singular to MLS. Go Yanks 😀
He spent the first five (?) years of his life in the US. Then his parents got divorced and he moved to Germany with his German mom. There, he only spoke German at home and with his friends. He didn`t talk to his American father and relatives for 20 years. In Germany, his mother lived on social welfare – he didn`t get a proper school education. Do you really think someone “must” speak English under these circumstances?
yeah, it’s a load of crap.
haha put the rangers in the sox division and lets see what happens.
considering he was interviewed on USSF’s website…and sounded fine…i’m sure his grasp is rather decent.
and i have to agree with dbex.
What a terrible lineup on FSC this weekend! Aside from the Chelsea-Villa game, the rest of the games are not interesting from a neutral’s p.o.v. It’s a shame that they put all the good games on Fox Soccer Plus now…
I don’t see the Chelsea/Villa game? Also, another big vs little on ESPN2. I wouldn’t care, but its my only chance to watch a game in HD.
So I am a Galaxy Fan, but, isn’t the Galaxy/Col. game going to be something to look forward to with anticipation? If the Galaxy win they take the supporter’s shield. Col. will be deserate for points as they face L.A. and R.S.L. in their final two games and can get edged by Kansas. Not to mention issues of M.L.S. golden boot and MVP.
Isn’t the Sounders v. Chivas USA game at 8pm tonight (11 Eastern)?
The Rangers made the playoffs b/c they play in a terrible 4-team division (why this still exists and the NL Central has 6 teams, I’ll never know, or I mean I do, it’s Bud Selig).
BTW, Sox had one less win on the season than Texas did.
Anyway, the Rangers are like the dumbest organization in baseball.
He was forced to auction them off a couple months ago. Chuck Greenburg and Nolan Ryan own the Rangers (and we don’t miss Hicks).
Yeah, but the Rangers are in chapter 11, while to Sox are rolling in cash and have recently won 2 titles.
hey genius, do you realize spanish language tv rights are sold separately from english language rights. i’m sure they’d show it on espn2 or classic or 6 if they could.
Mentioned this early, but Hicks’ ( did he sell them yet ? ) Texas Rangers are in the playoffs one step away from the Series.
Red Sox ? neither.
Germans can’t usually speak good english? What?
As an american who used to speak barely passable german, I’d say you have it backwards.
+1
I miss the 7:30am starts on espn2 on saturdays. 🙁
Also, can someone please enlighten me on why Liverpool fans feel they’re better off under the new american ownership than the old american ownership? (Not saying it’s not true; I just thought a big part of the hatred stemmed from Hicks and Gillette being yanks.)
for the love of god, why does ESPN buy the rights to Barca games and then not televise them. Someone should be televising this match, if you don’t have ESPN Deportes then you cant watch it.
Inexcusable.
O/T but can Jermaine Jones speak English? I’m sure he understands. His bio on wikipedia says he spent some of his childhood with relatives in the USA so i figure he must speak it. I mean Germans usually can’t speak good english but his team is multi-national and he has american relatives
I’m gonna pray that both Dempsey and EJ score this weeekend against the Spurs