P.J. Steps Up

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

A trade for Pau Gasol hasn’t developed beyond the discussion stage, but apparently Chicago power forward P.J.
Brown has been inspired.

After all, he would be the odd man out of the starting lineup if the Bulls did acquire Gasol.

Brown put in his two cents and then some Thursday night against the torrid Dallas Mavericks. He scored six points down the stretch and held Most Valuable Player candidate Dirk Nowitzki to just 7 of 22 shooting in a 96-85 victory in Chicago.

The Mavericks had entered on an eight-game winning streak and having won 21 of their last 22.

“Things were rolling and the ball felt good,” Brown told the Associated Press. “Sometimes you have to want to take the shot. I got in a nice rhythm and after that I just kept shooting. It was just one of those nights.

“I didn’t think we needed much from me on the offensive end. Most important was for me to stay with Dirk and not let him
have a monster night.”

The Bulls, who are second in the NBA at defensive field goal percentage, also held Josh Howard in check. Nowitzki’s frontcourt mate connected on just 4 of 20 shots. The Mavericks hit a season-worst 31.2 percent from the field.

Dallas (35-9) no longer boasts the best record in the league. That distinction belongs to Phoenix (34-8), which will shoot for its 16th consecutive win Friday night at battered Milwaukee. WagerWeb.com lists the Suns as rare (11 points) double-figure road favorites.

UNFAIR FOR TELFAIR? Boston guard and former highly coveted high school standout Sebastian Telfair has taken another step back in his NBA career.

Telfair lost his
starting job after Christmas and is now a third-string point guard with one of the worst teams in the league. He has averaged four minutes of playing time in the last three games and has dropped behind emerging Delonte West and Rajon Rondo in the rotation.

West is averaging 21.7 points and 6.3 assists in those three games while Rondo is contributing 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists off the bench.

The Telfair saga continues Friday night in Toronto, where the Celtics are 9-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.

DRIBBLES: Is it more frustrating to be blown out or to lose at the buzzer? The New Jersey Nets are finding out these days. They suffered their third consecutive one-point defeat, 102-101, at the Los Angeles Clippers
on a 3-point bomb by Cuttino Mobley with 0.6 seconds remaining. The Nets have fallen behind first-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division. … The top seven teams in the Eastern Conference sit within three games of each other. Current top seed Detroit hosts second-seeded Washington Friday night. WagerWeb.com lists the Pistons as 5.5-point favorites.

Hey, Brother

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

Eli Manning is a world away from where his brother, Peyton, is. Sure, they both made the playoffs, but Peyton won three games and advanced to Super Bowl XLI. Eli? He was gone, it seemed, before the tournament even started.

But in New York, a story’s a story. And this week — with not much going on except the dysfunctional Knicks losing games left and right in the Big Apple — Eli’s thoughts on his brother’s run became one of those stories.

So the Giants cooperated, and he graciously spoke with the media.

“I was excited for Peyton. I know everything he’s been through, being another player who is going through the same things and has been to the playoffs and been disappointed,” Eli said. “I’ve only been twice, and he’s been a number of times and has been through it. It’s tough. The road they took to get to the Super Bowl, having to beat Kansas City, Baltimore, who was
playing about as good as anybody, and New England, who is as good in the playoffs as anybody. To win those three games and to get to this position, it’s a tough deal, and I’m just excited for him. I know how hard he’s worked.”

Eli works just as hard, or so we think. It would help, of course, if his receivers — Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress — went through the same offseason program with him. Perhaps a better chemistry would evolve. But those two combustible parts choose to train at the University of Miami, while Manning, for the most part, works with backups in New Jersey.

“I still have a lot of time to try to get my opportunity to get down there,” Eli said of making the big game. “I want to be on the other side and not have to be down in Miami going to events and things like that.
I want to be in the hotel studying film and getting ready to play for a championship.”

He may get his chance. It may not be with Tom Coughlin at the helm, but he may get there nonetheless. But he won’t do it alone. The Giants need a clear-cut workhorse running back to replace Tiki Barber. They have Brandon Jacobs, but he’s more unproven than Eli is. They need a more reliable secondary. And they need a healthy group of linebackers.

Right now, they have none of that.

“That’s what you play for,” Eli said. “That’s the only thing that’s on players’ minds as they play through the season, is to try to win games, to try to get into the playoffs and then, from there, you try to get to the Super Bowl and win a championship.”

Peyton has his opportunity against the Bears and he’s a 6.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com to cash it in.

Eli, well, he has to wait.

MIKE’S MESSY MIX IN JACKSONVILLE: Mike Shula didn’t get the Dolphins’ head coaching job, but he made it to the NFL nonetheless. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio brought Shula in to be the quarterbacks coach this week, and immediately, he has his work cut out for him.

Shula, of course, is no stranger to messy situations considering the probation-laden program he assumed at Alabama. But what he’ll do with David Garrard, who started 10 games last season, and Byron Leftwich, who started
six? Who knows.

EXTRA POINTS: Safety Rodney Harrison may not fit in the Patriots’ plans next season. He is oft-injured, he is 34, and he stands to make $2.7 million next season. That’s a recipe for a release when Bill Belichick is your head coach. … Despite rumors to the contrary, disgruntled Raiders wide receiver Jerry Porter appears to be in the mix for next season as Coach Lane Kiffin reworks the offense. Porter demanded a trade during the brief Art Shell Era, Part 2.

FA Cup Fourth Round

By Tim Robertson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Birmingham City will take aim at another Premiership scalp in this weekend’s FA
Cup fourth round.

Having humiliated Newcastle in a 5-1 win at St James’ Park, the Blues host Reading on Saturday, and despite what the league table says Royals manager Steve Coppell believes his team should not travel to the midlands with the idea that they are facing a Championship side.

Birmingham, hit hard by injury, went down last season but look like coming straight back up as they sit second in the Championship with two games in hand on leaders Derby.

“If you look at the season they had last year injuries determined their season,” Coppell said. “If they had had all their personnel available they would still be a Premiership club.

“I would see them as a Premiership club even though, at the moment, they are outside it. And given their position in the league, they are rehearsing for the Premiership now.

“Just
look at the money they have spent since last summer. They have spent significant amounts of money mainly on strikers and they have serious intent. They want to play in the top flight and they have invested to do that.”

Indeed, Steve Bruce demonstrated his determination to push for the Premiership on Friday when he insisted that West Ham target Matthew Upson is not for sale.

Bruce has already rejected bids of £4 million and £6 million for the want-away defender, and told West Ham not to bother bidding again.

“He is not going, full stop,” Bruce said. “Whether it is £8million, £9million, £10million, it wouldn’t matter.”

With the new TV deals kicking in next season, Bruce knows that a return to the Premiership would be worth far more to Birmingham than any fee they could get for Upson now.

Birmingham won this fixture in the
Cup after a replay last season, but are well-fancied to do the job in one go this time at home.

Bruce will field the same team that embarrassed Newcastle, while Reading are without defender Ibrahima Sonko and striker Kevin Doyle.

WagerWeb cannot split them, offering both at +150, but it is tempting to back Birmingham to do the job at St Andrews.

Another Premiership club that has Championship opposition is Blackburn, who must travel south to face Luton Town, managed by former player Mike Newell.

Newell was a member for the Rovers team that won the Premiership title in 1995, but he does not intend to do his old employers any favours on Saturday afternoon.

“We had a great few years there and we had great spirit,” Newell said of his time in Lancashire. “A lot of the players were at the top of their game and a lot of them went
on to be even better than they were at Blackburn.

“That time is something to look back on when you finish playing, which I have done, but it won’t give us any advantage at all on Saturday.”
Luton are at the wrong end of the Championship, and unlike Birmingham, do not have the sort of winning form that might worry Blackburn.

But Newell’s teams are nothing if not battle-hardened, and with Blackburn now minus skipper Robbie Savage through injury, the +300 odds being offered in favour of Luton do seem a little generous.

Middlesbrough face a potential banana skin as they head to high-flying League One side Bristol City.

Gareth Southgate’s team are nothing if not unpredictable. Quite where last week’s 5-1 win over Bolton came from, no one quite knows, nor would anyone have been too surprised if that scoreline had been reversed.

Whichever version of Boro turns up at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon will face a man in form as City striker Enoch Showumni has scored in each of his last five games.

The 24-year-old came into the game late but is blossoming after three years as a professional.

“He is not the finished article yet but he has been performing very well recently,” manager Gary Johnson said. “He is on a good run of form and hopefully that will continue against Middlesbrough.”

City will have a sell-out crowd cheering them on in hope of a win that would be surely the biggest upset of the fourth round if they pull it off, but they must overcome a confident Boro team and odds of -110 in favour of the Premiership club.

In London, Tottenham will look to rebound from the disappointment of Wednesday’s 2-2 Carling Cup draw with Arsenal when they face
Southend at White Hart Lane.

Spurs had led 2-0 against what was effectively an Arsenal youth team, but they were lucky to hold on for a draw by the end.

Southend were one of their victims early in the Carling Cup, and the Shrimpers will return to London intent on revenge having only lost that last game to a late and distinctly offside Jermaine Defoe goal in extra time.

Southend are battling relegation from the Championship, but far from seeing this game as a distraction, manager Steve Tilson is happy to have a game where the pressure is all on the opposition.

“You can’t ask for anymore than to test yourself against Premiership opposition and we will travel down in high spirits looking to cause an upset,” he said.
“We played ever so well in our last meeting but I’m sure it will be even tougher for us on Saturday.”

Spurs are offered at -450 on WagerWeb.com with Southend at +900, but the last meeting suggested things might not be so straightforward.

There are also two all-Premiership meetings to consider as Portsmouth travel to Manchester United and West Ham host Watford.

It’s difficult to dispute United’s status as overwhelming favourites (they are offered at -350) to beat Pompey given their home form this season, but the other game is harder to call.

WagerWeb.com has West Ham as favourites at -125, but Watford will be buoyed by Tuesday’s win over Blackburn and – like Southend – will seek to enjoy a day away from the relegation scrap.

Mr. Hibachi

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Often when Washington Wizards scoring machine Gilbert Arenas hoists up a shot, he screams out, “Hibachi!”

Well, Mr. Hibachi is hoping to grill the Magic Friday night.

First place in the Southeast Division is at stake in Orlando. The Wizards (22-16) sit a half-game ahead, but healing Miami should prove a major threat the rest of the way.

WagerWeb.com lists Washington as a 4-point underdog, but much will depend on Arenas, who has been a bit schizophrenic recently. He erupted for 51 points Monday in a 114-111 defeat of Utah, then scored just 16 on 4-of-14 shooting in a 99-98 victory Wednesday against New York.

Winning despite an off-night by Arenas, who is averaging 29.9 points a game, should prove heartening. It marked the first time in six games that Washington won when Arenas failed to score 20 points.

Meanwhile, the return of Miami center Shaquille O’Neal from knee surgery has been delayed. He will not travel for a game Friday night in Philadelphia. His earliest comeback would be at home Sunday against Dallas in a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals.

The Heat are still 2.5-point favorites against the 76ers, according to WagerWeb.com.

“Shaq is working out, feeling good, getting better day to day,” Heat interim coach Ron Rothstein told the Associated Press on Thursday. “That’s it. Case closed.”

NO MATCH IN DALLAS: The Los Angeles Lakers have played well despite injuries to center Kwame Brown and forward Lamar Odom.

But defeating Dallas again? In Dallas?

Forget it.

The Lakers were outscored, 69-44, in the middle quarters Thursday night in a 114-95 loss that avenged the Mavericks’ defeat in Los Angeles. The Mavericks are 33-4 since opening the season 0-4 for the first time in franchise history.

The Lakers were buried at the starting forward spots, where starters Luke Walton and Brian Cook were outscored, 56-17, outrebounded, 21-3, and outassisted, 8-3, by the combination of Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. The Mavericks enjoyed a 53-28 rebounding advantage for the game.

And for the second game in a row, Kobe Bryant was the lone double-figure scorer among Laker starters with 26 points.

DRIBBLES: Suspended Denver superstar guard Carmelo Anthony has only two games left to serve on his 15-game suspension. He will miss both games this weekend before returning Monday night against visiting Memphis. WagerWeb.com lists the host Nuggets as 1.5-point favorites Friday night against suddenly struggling Cleveland. … How was Portland rewarded for its home victory Wednesday night over the Cavaliers, arguably its best performance of the season? With a game Friday night at Phoenix, winners of 11 in a row. The Blazers are 14.5-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com. … Chris Webber is expected to receive more extended minutes for Detroit Friday night in Minnesota. He played just 17 minutes in his Pistons debut. WagerWeb.com lists Webber’s team as a 1.5-point favorite against the Timberwolves.

Slumping Kirilenko

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Is Andrei Kirilenko lost in Utah or have his skills suddenly and inexplicably deteriorated?

That is the question being asked both inside and outside the organization. In fact, it’s a question he’s asking himself.

The heretofore productive forward is no longer, partly because he is not utilized extensively in the offense. He’s scoring just 9.1 points a game compared to an average of about 16 over the past three years.

Yet he’s shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field, indicating he’s either become gun-shy or the emergence of Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur as significant offensive threats has decreased his role in the offense.

Kirilenko, who missed five games with a sprained ankle early in the season, is pulling down just 5.2 rebounds a game compared to 8.1 a year ago. His blocked shots and assists have also markedly decreased.

Jazz owner Larry Miller told radio station 1280 AM that Kirilenko is “putting himself on thin ice” with his inconsistency and complaints about his role on the team.

“I’d almost like to call his bluff, say ‘OK, automatically we’re going to leave you out there. You’re going to take 20 shots a night five games in a row. And then we’ll see,’ ” Miller said. “That would resolve the issue. He’s either going to make them or he’s not.”

Kirilenko, who took just six shots in a 102-94 win Friday night at Toronto, expressed his frustrations on the court after meeting with coaches this week.

“I just go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth and I go to sleep,” he said.

The saga will continue for Kirilenko and the Jazz Saturday night in Chicago, where they are 6.5-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.

MAGIC MAGIC GONE: Remember when Orlando was 13-4? That has become a more distant memory by the day.

The Magic are 9-14 since despite a five-game winning streak during that stretch. They have dropped their last four, including an alarmingly lopsided 114-93 home defeat Friday night to Washington that shoved them 1 ½-games behind the first-place Wizards in the Southeast Division.

Orlando is fine in the backcourt with Jameer Nelson and Grant Hill, and Dwight Howard is established as one of the finest centers in the NBA. But one major reason for Orlando’s struggles is starting forwards Tony Battie and Hedo Turkoglu. The pair combine to average just 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. They were outscored, 52-14, and outrebounded, 23-9, by Washington starting forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison Friday night.

WagerWeb.com lists the Magic as 3.5-point underdogs Saturday night in New Jersey, which will attempt to become the first Atlantic Division team to reach .500 since it was 5-5 on Nov. 20.

DRIBBLES: Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace played his first game in nearly a month and erupted for 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 96-75 win Friday night in Atlanta. The surging Bobcats, who have won six of 10, are 2-point favorites at home Saturday night against the Hawks, whose three-game winning streak was snapped. … Chris Webber made his first start Friday night for Detroit, registering 18 points and seven rebounds in a 104-98 overtime victory at Minnesota. The Pistons could take over first place in the Central Division with a home victory Saturday night against Sacramento and a Cleveland loss in Golden State. WagerWeb.com lists Detroit as a 6-point favorite and the slumping Cavaliers as 3-point underdogs. Chicago can also forge a first-place tie by defeating the Jazz. … Boston forward Paul Pierce hopes to return from a left foot injury by the first week of February. The Celtics have collapsed without the all-star. They have lost six in a row and are likely to make it seven Saturday night in Washington, where they are 11-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.

SEC Basketball Notebook

By Randy Rosetta
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

South Carolina’s hopes of a third consecutive postseason bid of any kind are quickly unraveling, and things don’t get any easier as the Gamecocks hit the road for four of the next six games.

The Gamecocks (10-6, 0-3 SEC) have dropped by consecutive games to then-No. 2 Florida and Kentucky by a combined 82 points. In fact, over the last four games, USC has been outscored by 112 points. The losses to the Gators and Wildcats are the Gamecocks’ worst since 1915.

Tennessee is also struggling with three straight losses after stubbing a toe at Auburn Wednesday. The No. 22 Volunteers seemed to have the game with the Tigers in control before AU hit an 18-0 surge to turn the tide.

UT coach Bruce Pearl picked up a costly technical foul in the closing minute, in part due to a timeout granted Auburn. But Peal was also miffed by the fact that the Tigers shot 23 second-half free throws (making 18) to three for the Vols.

South Carolina’s struggles are across the board. The Gamecocks rank 12th in the SEC in scoring offense (62.6 points a game), field-goal shooting (41.7 percent), 3-point shooting (31.1 percent), rebounding margin (-1.7), assists (11.1 per game) and steals (4.4 per game).

Tennessee is in much better shape, topping the SEC in scoring offense at 84.2 points a game. Junior sharpshooter Chris Lofton leads the SEC with 22.5 points and 3.4 3-pointers a game with freshman JaJuan Smith also providing a boost with 14.2 points and 35.5 percent shooting (44 of 124) from outside the arc.

Tre’ Kelley has been the only consistent scoring threat for South Carolina, despite an ongoing battle with a knee injury. Kelley is the Gamecocks’ leader in scoring with 16.5 points a game (third in the SEC) and 4.5 assists a contest.

The Volunteers swept the season series with USC last year, but the Gamecocks knocked off UT in the SEC tournament quarterfinals. UT is a 15-point favorite tonight.

GEORGIA at No. 10 ALABAMA (1:30 p.m. EST): The Crimson Tide get back home where they should be safe from another blowout. Alabama has lost seven of its last eight SEC road games dating back to last season, including blowouts at Arkansas and Vanderbilt this year. At Coleman Coliseum, though, the Tide (14-3, 1-2) is 9-0 this season and has rattled off 16 wins in a row. Alabama coach will celebrate his 42nd birthday against the Bulldogs, who stunned Arkansas 67-64 on Wednesday. Georgia (11-5, 3-1) trailed the Razorbacks 62-55 and 64-58 in the closing moments but scored nine unanswered points on 3-pointers – the last on Steve Newman’s 26-footer as time expired. The Bulldogs knocked off ’Bama 88-79 last season despite Tide guard Ronald Steele’s career-high 26 points, but haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003. Alabama’s frontcourt of Jermareo Davidson (14.2 points, 9.3 rebounds per game) and Richard Hendrix (14.9, 8.8) should be too much for Georgia. The Tide are 5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

AUBURN at MISSISSIPPI STATE (3 p.m. EST): The Tigers broke through for an 83-80 triumph against 22nd-ranked Tennessee Wednesday, Auburn’s first victory against a ranked foe since 2004. Junior Frank Tolbert led AU (12-7, 2-2) with a career-best 24 points and provided the exclamation point with a fast-break slam dunk. Quan Prowell added 21 points for the Tigers, 21 in the second half when Auburn uncorked an 18-0 blitz to stagger the Volunteers. The Tigers are off to their best SEC start since 2003. Mississippi State (10-6, 1-2) is back in action after a week off following a tough-to-swallow 64-60 loss at Kentucky last weekend. The Bulldogs have been one of the tougher defenses to shoot against, limiting opponents to 37.3 percent overall shooting (second in SEC) and 27 percent from 3-point range (first in SEC). Freshman guard Barry Stewart is coming on for State with 21 points in the last two games and is shooting 40.4 percent (36 of 89) from 3-point land.

No. 16 LSU at ARKANSAS (3:45 p.m. EST): The Tigers struggled to get past Auburn and Ole Miss at home, but stand in first place in the SEC West as they enter the first of their two annual grudge matches with the Razorbacks. LSU (13-4, 2-1) is averaging only 62.7 points a game in league play, but has offset that by beating foes on the backboards by an average of 7 rebounds a game. Sophomore swingmen Tasmin Mitchell and Terry Martin have emerged as the Tigers’ secondary scoring options behind Glen Davis (18.7 ppg). Mitchell is producing 16.7 points a game in SEC play (14.6 overall), while Martin overcame a goose egg in his SEC debut vs. Alabama with a career-best 23 points against Auburn and 15 against Ole Miss. Martin has hit 9-of-18 3-pointers in SEC play. Arkansas is reeling with three losses in a row by a total of 12 points. The Hogs (12-6, 1-3) have led in the final 35 seconds in three their losses by four points or less. Junior center Steven Hill notched a career-high 15 points against Georgia and has connected on his last 12 field goals. LSU swept the Razorbacks last season and has won seven of the last eight games with Arkansas. The last four games of the series have been settled by a total of 12 points. The Hogs are 2.5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

No-Name Pats D

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

Every year, right around this time, stories start popping up about the anonymity of the New England Patriots.

The annual rite is easy to figure. First of all, the Patriots are usually still alive in late January. And, because of that, media types worldwide struggle to find story angles. Typically, they all come to this simple conclusion: There just aren’t any.

That’s the way New England likes it. Take away Tom Brady and this is a team without stars. They are a team in every sense of the word, mind you. And the Pats protect that identity better than any other team in NFL history. But, in the eyes of the media, for the most part, they are boring, nameless and faceless. And no unit personifies that more than this year’s defense.

“Sunday’s game is going to be about who executes the best, who plays the hardest and who makes the most plays.”

That was a generic quote from defensive back Artrell Hawkins, regarding the AFC title game against the Colts Sunday. Quick, how many of you know who Hawkins is? That’s the point.

This unit is filled with Hawkins-types. On the other side of the defensive backfield, there’s Asante Samuel. At linebacker, there’s Mike Vrabel. In the middle of the line, there’s Vince Wilfork.

Sure, there are die-hards out there who know who these guys are. But as the postseason wears on, and more and more casual fans start tuning in, these guys become more and more anonymous.

“We have to be clicking on all cylinders to have a chance.”

Another canned quote, this one from linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. Most people can’t even pronounce his name, much less know who he is.

“We’re not going in with the mentality that we can stop every play. However, when we do get our opportunities we need to make them worthwhile.”

That offering was from Ellis Hobbs. He plays cornerback, as well, by the way.

So you get the idea. The “Who Are These Guys” idea.

But the funny thing, is they don’t care. That’s the Bill Belichick way. Prepare the right way, work harder than anyone else and win at all costs. Style points mean nothing. Headlines mean nothing. Names mean nothing.

And you have to admit, it works. The Chargers and Jets sure were befuddled by the Patriots’ defensive schemes. And surely, Belichick will have another airtight plan for Peyton Manning and Co.

“Throwing the ball before they are even in their break, getting the ball out of his hands fast, changing and adapting to the routes, and knowing where the receivers are going if he has to scramble,” Hobbs said of the way Manning handles his offense. “All those little things are what makes them so good.”

We’ll find out just how good on Sunday. Indianapolis is -3 on WagerWeb.com.

FIRST-YEAR HONORS: The NFL 101, a national media committee which features 101 sportswriters and broadcasters, honored two rookie coaches this week. The group named the Jets’ Eric Mangini and the Saints’ Sean Payton the AFC and NFC Coach of the Year, respectively.

The Jets, under Mangini, went 10-6 and lost to the Patriots, 37-16, in the wild-card round. The Saints, under Payton, won the NFC South, defeated the Eagles, 27-24, in the divisional round, and will meet the Bears in the conference championship game Sunday. Chicago is -2.5 on WagerWeb.com.

EXTRA POINTS: The Giants officially promoted Kevin Gilbride to the offensive coordinator position vacated by John Hufnagel this week. … Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown has been battling the flu, but has returned to practice and will play against the Colts Sunday.

Man U-Arsenal

By Tim Robertson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

They are no longer head-to-head battles for the title, but there is still something special about meetings between Arsenal and Manchester United.

The Premiership’s relatively short history is dominated by these two clubs, and so many times in the past has this fixture determined whether the trophy went north or south.

Given Arsenal’s position, fourth in the table 15 points adrift of United, that will not be the case on Sunday, but there is no less anticipation.

This could be a decisive weekend in the Premiership. Twenty-seven hours before Arsenal and United kick off at the Emirates Stadium, Chelsea face a tough task at Liverpool .

Conceivably by Sunday evening, Chelsea could be nine points adrift of United in the title race. Just as likely, the gap could be down to three.

Like Chelsea’s opponents Liverpool, Arsenal knocked themselves out of the title race with poor results early in the season, but the points difference to the top hides the fact that they have closed the quality gap in recent weeks.

They are surely out of the title race, but Manager Arsene Wenger, never one to give up until the fat lady has sung, isn’t so sure.

“I can understand that even if we win people still think we have no chance, but we see things differently,” he said.
“I believe that for a team which is young like my team, it is important that they get the belief that they can win the big games — game after game. They win one, they win two, they win three and suddenly that can transform a team.

“Then you say: ‘nobody can stop us’ and they can strengthen that belief.

“They have done it already — but they can strengthen that belief by beating Manchester United on Sunday.

“We want to reduce the gap on Manchester United as quickly as possible and we want to continue our run because we are in good form.

“We are involved in nearly every competition, even the championship, and you never know.”

Arsenal inflicted United’s only home defeat of the season so far, winning 1-0 at Old Trafford in September through Emmanuel Adebayor’s late goal.

The Gunners remain unbeaten in the league at home in their new stadium, but have dropped too many points in drawing five of 11 at the Emirates while they settle in.

“It is a big frustration because we dropped points at the beginning of the season through lack of experience and lack of form,” Wenger added.

“When you play a young player at the start of the season you know you will pay for his education with points. That is what happened to us a little bit.”

There is every chance it will happen again this weekend. Although Thierry Henry is back, the loss of the suspended Gilberto Silva in midfield leaves Arsenal looking weak as a defensive unit, and United surely have too many weapons not to expose such a weakness.

That is despite the fact that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted they are not firing on all cylinders.

The form of Wayne Rooney is a concern, with the 20-year-old star having scored just once in the last 13 games as his teammates have run riot around him.

“Wayne just needs a break,” said Ferguson. “I am not concerned at all.

“It will come. What he needs to do is get into that one goal a game rhythm that strikers can do for you.

“If he does that it will make a big difference to our run-in.

“He is a big-game player.

“Wayne is a great example of a great player. He is prepared to work as hard as anyone.

“He is working his socks off and has a terrific attitude.”

Ferguson’s other strikers — Louis Saha, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Henrik Larsson — have more than covered for Rooney’s shortcomings of late, and with them in form, United pose Arsenal’s toughest test at the Emirates yet.
WagerWeb.com does not split the two teams, offering both at +150 with a draw at +200.

Given Arsenal’s problems at the back, it’s tough not to see yet another United win as they attempt to wrest the Premiership crown back from Chelsea .

But United-Arsenal games are never as straightforward as that.

NFC Championship Preview

By Chris Cluff
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Saints (11-6) at Bears (14-3), 3 p.m. ET Sunday (Fox)

WagerWeb.com line: Bears -2.5 (43)

The NFC is about to have a different Super Bowl representative for the seventh straight year.

Thanks to the Bears’ overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday and the Saints’ well-grounded win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFC held to regular-season form, and the top two seeds will play for the right to represent the conference in the Super Bowl in Miami on Feb. 4. The Bears will be trying to get back for the first time since winning the title in January 1986, while the Saints are seeking their first trip to the championship game.

One of those teams will become the latest champ in a revolving-door NFC that has seen six different teams go to the Super Bowl in the past six seasons: Seattle, Philadelphia, Carolina, Tampa Bay, St. Louis and the New York Giants.

This NFC title game pits two rising powers — Lovie Smith’s defense-driven Bears, who are 24-8 in Smith’s two seasons, and first-year coach Sean Payton’s upstart Saints, who have made it this far for the first time in the team’s 40 seasons of existence.

The Saints have become the feel-good fairy tale of the 2006 season, representing the rebirth of New Orleans a year after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Led by Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, Payton’s team won 10 games and then beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24 last weekend, making New Orleans the first team in NFL history to reach a conference championship game after losing 13 games the previous season.

The Saints had the league’s No. 1 offense this season, and McAllister showed against the Eagles that he is completely back from a torn ACL that cost him 10 games last season. He ran all over the Eagles, gaining 143 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

“Our No. 1 concern is stopping Deuce McAllister,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “We want to stop the run every week. So he is our main concern right now, especially after what he did last week. When they throw the ball, we’ll rally to it and hopefully make the tackles. We have got to stop the run. Reggie is an explosive guy. He catches the ball well, and he’s pretty good in the open field. So we’ve just got to try and get 11 guys to the football and make some plays.

“It’s a big challenge for us, the things they do on offense,” Urlacher said. “They move the ball around a lot. They have a great quarterback, pretty good running backs, good receivers and a good offensive line. It’s a huge challenge for us.”

The Bears survived their first challenge against the Seahawks, escaping with a 27-24 win when Robbie Gould nailed a 49-yard field goal in overtime. The win was Chicago’s first in its past three home playoff games, including a 29-21 loss to Carolina last postseason.

Embattled quarterback Rex Grossman played well enough against Seattle, hitting Bernard Berrian with a 68-yard touchdown pass and throwing for 282 yards on 21-of-38 passing.

Many Chicago fans had been concerned about his uneven performance during the season and were worried he might hurt the Bears in the postseason. He did turn the ball over twice against Seattle, throwing an interception and fumbling, but he made big throws when he had to, like the third-down, 31-yard strike to Rashied Davis in overtime that set up Gould’s field goal.

Smith has defended Grossman and stuck by him all season, and Urlacher did the same this week.

“Rex was 14-3 at the start of this year. I don’t know how many guys in the NFL can say that this season,” the All-Pro linebacker said. “I don’t care what his numbers are, what people write about him. He’s 14-3. That’s enough said for me. I’m just tired of people talking about him, especially our media around here. The dude has won 14 games at the start of this year. That’s pretty good if you ask me.”

So is Grossman’s supporting cast, which includes a strong running game. Thomas Jones ran for two touchdowns against the Seahawks, and he and Cedric Benson will need to play well against the Saints to take pressure off Grossman.

The Saints have played well on the road, going 6-2, but their defense has been prone to surrendering big plays; the Eagles struck with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia to Donte’ Stallworth and a 62-yard scoring run by Brian Westbrook. With that in mind, this shapes up as a similarly offensive game.

“This is the matchup we wanted,” Chicago cornerback Nathan Vasher said. “It’s great for us, great for TV, everything. We wanted to see the highest-seeded team and beat the best.”

SAINTS AT A GLANCE
Offense: 391.5 yards per game (first in NFL). Passing: 281.4 (first). Rushing: 110.1 (19th).
Defense: 307.3 (11th). Passing: 178.4 (third). Rushing: 128.9 (23rd).
Individual leaders
QB Drew Brees: 64.3 percent, 4,418 yards, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions.
RB Deuce McAllister: 1,057 yards, 4.3 average, 10 touchdowns.
RB Reggie Bush: 565 yards, 3.6 average, six TDs; 88 receptions, 742 yards, two TDs.
WR Marques Colston: 70 receptions, 1,038 yards, eight TDs.
WR Devery Henderson: 32 receptions, 745 yards, five TDs.
K John Carney: 115 points, 23 of 25 field goals.
KR Michael Lewis: 24.7 average.
PR Reggie Bush: 7.7 average, one touchdown.
LB Scott Shanle: 98 tackles, four sacks.
LB Scott Fujita: 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed.
DE Will Smith: 10.5 sacks.
DE Charles Grant: Six sacks.
CB Mike McKenzie: Two interceptions, 10 passes defensed.
Injury report: TE Mark Campbell (knee), WR Joe Horn (groin) and SS Omar Stoutmire (hip) are questionable.

BEARS AT A GLANCE
Offense: 325.0 (15th). Passing: 205.1 (14th). Rushing: 119.1 (15th).
Defense: 294.1 (fifth). Passing: 194.8 (11th). Rushing: 99.4 (sixth).
Individual leaders
QB Rex Grossman: 54.6 percent, 3,193 yards, 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions.
RB Thomas Jones: 1,210 yards, 4.1 average, six TDs.
RB Cedric Benson: 647 yards, 4.1 average, six TDs.
WR Muhsin Muhammad: 60 receptions, 863 yards, five TDs.
WR Bernard Berrian: 51 receptions, 775 yards, six TDs.
TE Desmond Clark: 45 receptions, 626 yards, six TDs.
K Robbie Gould: 143 points, 32 of 36 field goals.
RS Devin Hester: 26.4 on kickoffs with two TDs, 12.8 on punts with three TDs.
LB Brian Urlacher: 142 tackles, three interceptions.
LB Lance Briggs: 134 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions.
CB Charles Tillman: 81 tackles, five interceptions, 14 passes defensed.
CB Ricky Manning Jr.: 53 tackles, two sacks, five interceptions, 10 passes defensed.
DE Alex Brown: Seven sacks, two interceptions.
DE Mark Anderson: 12 sacks.
Injury report: WR Mark Bradley (ankle) is questionable and DE Adewale Ogunleye (quadricep) is probable.

Best bet: The Seahawks gashed the Bears on the ground, and the Saints will follow suit while also forcing Grossman into key errors. New Orleans, 31-24.