By JUSTIN FERGUSON
While catching red-hot Bayern Munich is definitely Borussia Dortmund’s ultimate goal, they will face a different kind of tough challenge Saturday in their drive back to the top of the Bundesliga table.
Third-place Dortmund sit three points behind second-place Bayer Leverkusen, their opponents for Saturday’s clash at Signal-Iduna Park. Both clubs have bounced back from humiliating shutout losses and will enter the six-pointer with some momentum in their race to catch the defending league and European champions.
The day’s action will start in England, where defending English Premier League champions Manchester United look to rebound from their midweek home loss to Everton in their trip to face Newcastle United. Man United’s local rivals, Manchester City, will visit a Southampton side that has come crashing back down to earth after a hot start to their second EPL campaign.
In the final EPL match of the day, USMNT striker Jozy Altidore will try to build off his midweek goal against Chelsea when his Sunderland squad hosts Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are hoping their midweek victory against Fulham can end their slide down the league table and give them an extra boost in their quest to return to the Top 4.
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):
7:45am – Manchester United vs. Newcastle United – NBC Sports Network
9:30am – Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich – GolTV USA
10am – Southampton vs. Manchester City – NBC Sports Network
10am – Stoke City vs. Chelsea – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Liverpool vs. West Ham United – Premier League Extra Time
10am – West Bromwich Albion vs. Norwich City – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Crystal Palace vs. Cardiff City – Premier League Extra Time
10am – Leyton Orient vs. Walsall – Fox Soccer Plus
10am – Sant Andreu vs. Atletico Madrid – beIN Sport en Español
10am – Brighton and Hove Albion vs. Leicester City – beIN Sport USA
12pm – Livorno vs. AC Milan – beIN Sport USA/beIN Sport en Español
12:30pm – Sunderland vs. Tottenham – NBC Sports Network
12:30pm – Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen – GolTV USA
2pm – Celta de Vigo vs. Athletic Bilbao – beIN Sport en Español
2:45pm – Napoli vs. Udinese – beIN Sport USA
4pm – Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake – ESPN/UniMas
4pm – Xativa vs. Real Madrid – beIN Sport en Español
Rimando makes a move to Sunderland in january haha?
Another own goal. Wow. What a shocker.
Sunderland gives up an own goal. 2-1.
But that play started when Johnson won the ball in the attacking third, played it back to the CM, and the CM plays an absolutely terrible ball straight to the defender to give up possession. These guys are absolutely clueless in the final third. Passes like that is the reason why Sunderland loses games.
Now THAT ONE was an own goal.
Good one there. Sunderland, you suck.
1-1 at halftime.
Armchair analysis time. Having watched Sunderland all year, I don’t see why everyone speaks so highly of Fletcher. Other than winning balls in the air, he doesn’t offer much. He seems more often than not out of ideas in the final third.
I’d like to see a Jozy/Borini partnership in the future. Borini has a bit more flair and creativity too him. I think he and Jozy would really play off each other well. Let’s see what happens.
Borini did pretty well with Jozy against Chelsea and I’d like to see him replace Fletcher soon. Fletcher hasn’t really been in the game.
THANK YOU!!
I have been saying that Fletcher isn’t much of a striker as well for months. If you go to Sunderland boards, they act like he is the Scottish Messi while TRASHING Jozy.
Jozy is clearly the better player. It’s not even close.
Jozy offers so many more dimensions with his combination play and speed/power.
The commentators were saying something dumb at the beginning about how Fletcher was their “leading scorer” and they needed to keep him fit. Don’t get me wrong – he’s a good player too, but I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.
English fans and commentators have a massive bias against Yanks. It’s just an ugly reality for our players.
You are dead on with Jozy having more dimensions. Fletcher is great in the air, whereas Jozy is not. The rest is ALL Jozy. I don’t think much of Fletcher based on this season’s performance. He is simply not good.
Fletcher is better in the Air. A lot better really but thats about it.
Fletcher just has a knack for scoring against the run of play. Jozy actually contributes to the run of play.
+1
Just don’t tell Sunderland supporters…they’ll want to lynch you.
this. often it’s not about who is the objectively better player (not that i’m claiming either is), but about who fits the game plan. if your plan is to lob balls forward on the counter and see if you can nick a goal on a set piece, jozy’s not really your guy. fletcher is.
You make a great point.
Given their current game play, Fletcher is better suited for it.
Why are English announcers afraid to call a dive a dive? … Call them out, make people accountable for this terrible habit it will only improve the quality and fairness of the game.
Same reason people claim Dempsey and Altidore are not divers. Afraid of the reaction they’ll get.
I’m not afraid to say Dempsey and Jozy dive occasionally. That said, Jozy also takes more hard fouls than Deuce because he’s stronger and opponents know they can get away with it.
You’d dive occasionally, too, if you had to deal with that.
This is the line we need to draw. Going down if a foul is legitmate is acceptable. No contact = dive. This is no easy feat for a ref to get right 100% of the time, especially given the speed of the game. This is why I advocate for fines/punishment after the fact if a dive is missed.
Doesn’t matter who they are, few things are black and white to me, we live in a complex world. This however is. Who cares what reaction you get if your advocating for something that is absolutely right.
ANOTHER own goal. 🙁
Great, just great.
Sunderland is just too much to take. How bad can they get?
I don’t think it was an own goal looking at the replay
Wasn’t Paulino banged that in with the bottom of his foot.
How ya like me now?
pass more
You’re still bad. Nice finish, though.
Back in the doghouse now thanks to that free kick you just wasted.
Jozy combines with Larson in the middle, sends a beautiful outlet pass to the RB. Cross comes in, goalie miss plays it. Johnson finishes. 1-0 Sunderland.
Jozy spraying the ball all over pitch today.
+10000
boom sunderland.
Wonder how Friedel would’ve done on that cross… Nice diagonal ball by Jozy to spark the sequence and well taken shot by Johnson.
Friedel no longer moves off his line, so, probably not too well.
Jozy did a nice job in the run up to that goal.
Agree
+1
Haha Hugo Lloris is soooooo bad. I can’t believe he starts over Brad Friedel, even with his age. AVB strikes again!
Dunno about that but ya sloppy from Lloris.
Gooooooaaaaaaallllllllll
Altidore and Walker. Good theater.
+1
One and only negative of Jozy’s play today: he needs to improve his movement, and workrate offensively. Working harder to get into scoring positions will help his goalscoring record.
Jozy just got frustrated with Larson for not playing the ball to his feet when he was at the top of the box with his back to goal.
He’s playing w/ a lot of emotion right now.
I also saw exactly that.
Very selfish play on Larson’s part, especially considering he blew a chance after getting the ball from Jozy.
Is there a play where Altidoe doesn’t complain about something?
You’re not that good, dude. Just shut up and play.
Complaining about someone else complaining makes you a hypocrite.
Just saying…
PREACH
+1
Brian > AL
So far Jozy looks to be the only creative spark Sunderland has out there. Taking on a bit of the playmaker roll.
I too am seeing that.
He is very much the “connecting” player (for lack of a better term).
Not to mention that run through the center of the pitch. He is a beast.
He’s all but demanding the ball out there. Don’t know if we’ve seen that from him before. So far I’m liking what I’m seeing from the Jozy/Fletcher partnership
Why do you like the partnership? I don’t see any reason to think much of it.
Given that Jozy does play better with a partner, what about this partnership makes you feel that way?
Jozy is good. If he played for Everton or even Tottenham he would score many goals.
His passes are a bit off sometimes but he is so much faster at moving the ball and wants to keep the ball moving. AZ did that but it was Maher playing this role.(Maher was really good at it.) But almost everyone on AZ was expected to make opportunities for others.
Joey is a fairly decent midfielder, who knew? He controls the ball, makes smart passes, breaks up plays and is good for the occasional run into the box. So calm on the ball.
+1
His passing as has always been one of his strongest points. He is in fact a great midfielder. He is sharp, calm, passes well and is great at finding space.
Nice layoff by Jozy in the box to setup Colback,, who should’ve done better there.
Jozy puts Colback through, but he spurns the chance.
Jozy looks good, as usual. Hopefully he bags another goal today.
Not really into the hospital scrub-blue kits
Nice run by Jozy through the midfield.
He recovered the ball about 8ish yards from the top of Sunderland’s box, bossed his way through three of Tottenham’s players in the middle of the pitch and was only stopped after he was swarmed by the entire defense.
Yeah, Jozy sucks…..
Sunderland has issues with having runners go up the flanks. They are getting better at it though. People just don’t make runs on that team.
Too many players playing for Man United based on what they could be instead of what they are.
+1
why play adam johnson!
To score a goal, duh.
But ugh, Adam Johnson – he had a poor substitute appearance the other day so why give him the start?
Poyet sure likes to mess with his lineups…
Have to give him some credit today, that’s for sure!
Altidore and Fletcher both in for Sunderland. Should be interesting.
I finally gave up on the Sunderland move last weekend and now Jozy’s started two in a row. I’m back to giving it a proper chance.
whoop whoop. let’s do this. merica!
Let’s see these two actually work together for a change.
I have this sneaking suspicion that Fletcher doesn’t care for Jozy.
GET SOME JOZY!!!!!!
Fletcher said some really nice things about Jozy in an article that came out about 2 weeks ago. Praised his effort and attitude.
I read that too.
However, I got this feeling it was more of a backhanded compliment than a genuine compliment. I could just be reading into things that aren’t even there.
Let’s say Flethcer hates Jozy’s guts.
So what?
Stoke City beats Chelsea 3-2!
Do we know how Cameron was? Stoke just beat Chelsea.
Cameron was a beast defensively for 95 minutes against several world-class attackers, was not at fault on Schurrle’s two goals. Offensively he was generally good, some excellent passes that his teammates failed to take advantage of, but, alas, a a couple of off-target crosses. I think when Hughes upgrades his team in January and/or next summer, he will be keeping Cameron, who might end up being a transfer target in January for some mid-level teams.
He did a great job vs Hazard. He wasn’t really near Schurrle either time. One was on the right side. One was rebound off a corner left middle. Neither really where he should be.
i’ll have to temper biff and increase’s comments above. i thought cameron did some things very well, but he gave the ball away a bit too much (very dangerous for a defender up the field), and provided hardly any service from the flank.
he wasn’t at fault for either of the goals, and i still think he was good overall, esp. considering he was defending against hazard mostly; just not that good.
I do remember two give-aways around midfield which I think over 95 minutes is reasonable playing against a quick and excellent team like Chelsea. But Cameron also won the ball several teams and he was a Rock of Gibralter on the right wing. An excellent defensive game under huge pressure the whole game.
Give-aways now and then are a fact of soccer, Nate Dollars. I remember one time, even Michael Bradley playing for Roma gave the ball away 🙂
‘I remember one time, even Michael Bradley playing for Roma gave the ball away’
YOU WATCH YOUR MOUTH
Jozy in starting XI today.
Bayern lost Robben, a starter. Musta been a hard game right? Right?
This Stoke v Chelsea game is quite lively.
2-2 at the beginning of the second half. Stoke just blew their 2-1 after going down by 1 in the beginning of the first half.
Stoke WINS!! 3-2
Mourinho looks PISSED leaving the pitch. He didn’t even give Hughes a proper congratulations.
I’m shocked he gave one. I think he doesn’t like his team. Defensively they aren’t his style at all.
Nasty strike by Oswaldo!
Anyone have a link to Bedoya’s goal yesterday v. Marseille? The one in Ives’ posting didn’t work or was removed, and surprisingly NSC does not have it up.
Just found this one: http://www.soccerhighlightstoday.com/2013/12/video-marseille-0-1-nantes-ligue-1.html
What a strange goal.
Thanks Joe C,
Looks like the shot just trickles into the net with the goalie taking a breather. Maybe the goalie assumed the shot was blocked?
Anyways, great to see Ale contributing to Nantes success in Ligue 1.
He just started going one way and couldn’t recover he balance enough to get to it.
That’s on a fine line between a deflection and an own goal…
Either way, not sure it’s worthy of pointing to your name/# on the back of the jersey. Still happy to see him get two in two games!
I am so hoping that Bedoya manages to click with the Nats. I know he’s probably safely in the picture, and he’s been decent in the last few matches, but he hasn’t made the same kind of contributions that he’s been consistently making for Helsingborg & Nantes for the last calendar year.
Big Ups to Nelson Mandela a true visionary, great leader and by many accounts a beautiful human being. Freeeeeeeedom!!!!!!!!!
Seems like every lineup Moyes puts out there has got square pegs in round holes every week. And his subs rarely improve things.
Yea they miss Scholes big time, but with the talent they have, they look like crap.
Meanwhile, Martinez has Everton flying high…..
Carrick is injured and he is their only proper midfielder as far as I am concerned. All the others are not that great Dmids and crappy wingers.
Anyone know what’s up with Fabian? He wasn’t in the 18 for their last one and now he’s on the bench. Lingering injury?
I seem to remember seeing something about multiple injuries: first and abductor muscle strain, and then a calf? Not surprised he’s not playing.
thanks. I hope he takes the time to fully recover. And Jones really should, too.
Doesn’t Jones have a lingering knee injury? Can you just keep off it, or does it need surgery?
cameron starting, no shea.
jones, fabian, dolo on the bench.
ream and danny williams starting, lichaj on the bench.
+1
Jones is suspended I believe.
So Stoke didn’t like what they saw from Shea last week? I didn’t see the cameo. Time for a move.
i don’t really follow stoke, but i heard he didn’t look very good.
Admittedly,I don’t see too much of Shea. When I do, he doesn’t look elegant, or for that matter all that talented.
What he does seem to do, is come off the bench and clumsy his way into a good moment for his team-particularly for the USMNT. That is not enough to keep a place on an EPL team, even Stoke, particularly under Hughes.
He may be a championship player, who gets a bit part on the USMNT due to his size, speed and athleticism.
One of the biggest problems with him going to the EPL was the timing of his move. Taking that large a jump up in competition after a run of poor form, falling out with his manager and then a prolonged injury is hardly the way you’d want it to go. And Shea seems streaky and on the side of a bit of frail confidence. Would have liked to have seem him get a good running start heading there.
As has been often repeated…. he needs some time playing meaning a loan very badly.
I don’t recall that Shea had a falling out with either of his managers. Pulis was up front that Shea was not in his immediate plans and wanted to give him time to acclimate to the EPL. Pulis threw Shea on as a forward in a couple early games, because he didn’t have any other options. She then got hurt and has been in purgatory ever since. I don’t think that he is Hughes type of guy, so Hughes wont use him.
I think he was referring to his falling out with Shellas Hyndman, manager at FC Dallas prior to making the move to Stoke City.
It was foolish of Stoke to deny Shea an emergency loan. Now their player is going to finish out the winter on the bench. Whether he’s in their plans or not, his value to the team or on loan has dropped.
Admittedly, the preseason injury couldn’t have been timed any worse. Shea visibly improved in form throughout the Gold Cup (with the Cuba match being a rock bottom low) and was doing extremely well for Stoke in the next few preseason matches before getting injured in a friendly against the Philly Union.
Shea has the ability to contribute to a low-tier EPL side like Stoke, but he needs to be healthy, get his head right, and be given an opportunity (probably on loan at a Championship side first).
Being thrown into the fire in an EPL match after a long injury layoff is almost a setup for failure. It didn’t help that the whole team was playing sh*tty.
I think Marko Arnautovic was injured being the reason he made the bench, now he is back
Moyes has now dropped as many points in his last 8 matches as SIr Alex dropped in his last 31 matches.
And boom.
Newcastle have won at Old Trafford for the first time in 41 years.
The scans to the crowd are enjoyable
Said it last week, shall say it again.
Moyes should be sacked soon before United fall too far. If they miss a European spot of any kind, it could be devastating for the club financially.
hahahahha…..couldn’t happen to a better or more deserving team. All the years of BS calls and stuff they got away with during the ferguson years are coming back to them in one season………love it.
Silly I think for supporters to blame Moyes, though I’ll give them that he doesn’t seem to be coping well with the mounting pressure. It’s a team full of issues and in desperate need of refreshing. The gamble on Van Persie staying healthy worked out last season, and they got performances from Giggs and Scholes that belied their ages, but it was all destined to come crashing down whether Fergie stayed or left. They might’ve had more confidence in the manager, but they were always doomed this season.
I’m wondering where all the Man U bandwagoneers are going to jump to..
And it’s crazy.. they been talking about Moyes for years as replacement but he may be gone in half a season..
nyrb, obviously 🙂
Did anyone really think Moyes was the ideal replacement for Sir Alex? Not that. I’m complaining. Not a Man Utd fan
* looked good….Agger are ^^
I can’t wait to see Liverpool and Luisito Suarez!!! I love Coutinos form. Sterling looker food last week. Skyrtel and After and the rawest duo in the Premier. The whole team looks great. I never liked Liverpool before this year but now I Am cheering for them. Altidore plays until 10 I hope I can stay awake for that one. I am excited for my first piano lesson today! ! Yeah!!
wow. i feel like 5 people just decided to combine their comments.
lol I have an eclectic style my man. 🙂
I’m loving the rugby lines at Old Trafford!
Any complaints about the rugby lines on the field at Old Trafford?
And, yes, I do realize they are nowhere nearly as obnoxious as NFL gridiron lines
Funny…. I had the very same thought looking at those last week. American soccer fans are very much into self flagellation.
It also occurs to me that the linesman has to secretly love having them there. Like training wheels.
I am tired for this early start, I turned on my tv and thought it was Man United vs Brazil.
My mistake. I should just call them United, because there’s only one of those in the country. Not like there’s any other United playing in this game.
Are you taking shots at Newcastle United? NU is now 7 points up on MU. MU won’t be in the top four this year.
I believe he was being sarcastic.
Joes helping Joes!
I was being sarcastic, very pleased with the win for Newcastle.