EPL: Villa Looking to Continue Revival Against Stoke

Liverpool vs Birmingham

Liverpool's hopes of getting into the Champions League were dealt a huge blow following the draw with Arsenal, which leaves them struggling to make up the seven point gap between them and Man City.

Also, Man City have a game in hand, which almost rules Liverpool out of the running for the fourth position. Now, it is all about salvaging pride from the rest of the matches and Kenny Dalglish will be keen to hold off Everton, who are just two points behind their local rivals.

Birmingham looked to have turned the corner with two victories in three matches, but their inability to score goals was once again portrayed in the match against Chelsea. Even though they were defensively solid, they were exploited heavily by the in-form Didier Drogba.

Even though Liverpool do not have their strikers in the top form at the moment, they are expected to complete what could be an easy home victory against Birmingham. Alex McLeish will be looking to take some form into the upcoming relegation matches by at least securing a point at Anfield. Liverpool's youth were given a special mention against Arsenal and they are expected to play a part in the match against Birmingham as well.

Aston Villa vs Stoke

Aston Villa seem to have turned the corner around with two consecutive victories, which has put a hold to their relegation fears. However, they will be missing the guidance of Gerrard Houllier this weekend, who has been admitted to the hospital after suffering heart problems in the last few days.

It is news that comes at an unfortunate time for Aston Villa, given that they will be facing a Stoke side that will be in party mode after they made it to the FA Cup final, beating Bolton by five goals.

Many sides, aside from the top four, have struggled to maintain their league position after making it into the FA Cup final in previous years. This could also come about to bite Stoke. They are in the 13th position in the league and enjoy a five-point cushion from the relegation zone.

However, Tony Pulis will be looking to avoid the same fate of Portsmouth, who struggled in the league after their entry into the FA Cup final a few years ago. Sidibé and Higginbotham are the players expected to be missing for Stoke, while Aston Villa do not have any great injury worries.

Blackpool vs Newcastle

Blackpool's slide down the table made them enter into the relegation zone last weekend and the situation could worsen if they crumble to another defeat against Newcastle this weekend. The 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wigan was one of the worst points of the season for Ian Holloway and any repeat of that result will be absolutely disastrous for the Seasiders.

Given that this match is at home, it represents one of the final opportunities to get out of the relegation zone for Blackpool. Only two more home games remain for the Seasiders following this match.

Newcastle, on the other hand, would have been extremely pleased to reach the 40 point mark, which usually guarantees safety. It means that the team will probably look forward to the holiday, which could be exploited by Blackpool.

The return of Charlie Adam will be a major boost for Ian Holloway, who desperately missed the influential midfielder against Wigan. Newcastle have no new injury worries. Blackpool will be looking to take advantage of Newcastle's 'nothing-to-play-for' situation by improving their goal difference as well, which could play a crucial role in their fight for survival.

Sunderland vs Wigan

Sunderland have been dropping like stones in the last few months and they have just recorded four consecutive defeats, which makes things look very bleak for Steve Bruce. There have already been calls for his head after he has been unable to turn the situation, despite the return of a number of key players.

Relegation, which seemed to be out of the possibility a few weeks ago, is a real menace for Sunderland now, with only five points separating them from the drop zone. With most of the remaining five matches against relegation strugglers, the situation will become even more desperate with another loss against Wigan.

They will be facing a Wigan side that has been on the up in the last few weeks, with inspired victories over Blackpool and Birmingham. They have resulted in Wigan moving up from the rock bottom position of the table to 17th position.

Even though relegation still remains a real possibility, they could put some distance between them and the relegation zone with a victory over Sunderland. Steve Bruce has been dealt a major blow this week, with the news that Fraizer Campbell could miss most of the season, while Titus Bramble will also be unavailable.

Wolverhampton vs Fulham

Mick McCarthy's attempt to avoid relegation with Wolverhampton looks to be extremely tough at the moment given that his side are struggling at the foot of the table. However, they will have an extremely good opportunity against Fulham to improve their chances of survival. Fulham are just two points away from the 40 point mark, which is definitely going to provide the feeling of safety for at least one more season.

Hence, Fulham will not be exactly on the boil for this match, which is something that could be exploited by Mick McCarthy's side. Also, Fulham's away form is exactly not the greatest and anything less than a victory would be disappointing for Wolverhampton, given Fulham's away record.

Fulham have yet to win away from home this year, which could give Wolverhampton all the confidence that they need to secure that elusive victory, which will bump them straight out of the relegation zone. They need only four points to do so, but the absence of Kevin Doyle has been a huge problem for Mick McCarthy in recent weeks. He is expected to be without Zubar and Guedioura for this match.

Jan