Weather permitting it’s Gameweek 18, this roller coaster Premier League season is about to enter its crucial Christmas period. Three points going into the festivities will be a priority for all managers this weekend.

Sam Allardyce can put is feet up on Saturday and watch the club that unceremoniously sacked him take on his potential new employers. Rovers Phil Jones(4.5) is an apparent January transfer target for several clubs, the defender has picked up 48 points so far this season and could be a shrewd acquisition if the rumours bear fruit. Blackburn’s performer of the season so far is the ever consistent Morten Gamst Pedersen(5.9), a 75 point haul this season puts him 12^th overall in the midfield rankings.

Avram Grants tenure at Upton Park is hanging by a thread. He could be trading places with Big Sam come the New Year unless the Hammers can perform a dramatic turnaround. Were it not for the Influence of Scott Parker(5.4) you feel that Grant’s and quite possibly West Ham’s fate would already have been sealed. With Parker again the centre of transfer speculation it could be wise to add the playmaker to your ranks. Goals win Football matches, Frederic Piquionne(4.9) and Victor Obinna(5.5) have excited occasionally and Allardyce could be warming himself by the fire for a bit longer if the pair hit form over the festivities.

It’s time for another West Midlands derby on Sunday as West Brom entertain Wolves. The key to the Baggies success so far this season has been in the engine room. Chris Brunt(5.7) is a massive player for Roberto Di Matteo, if he’s not scoring goals he is creating them. Wide man Jerome Thomas(4.6) is performing well and steady as a rock Paul Scharner(4.5) is a reliable performer who chips in with the odd goal too. Mick McCarthy’s men deserve to be a wee bit higher up the table, if Stephen Hunt(5.3) can recapture the form of his Reading and Hull City days he will play a vital part in Wolves’ survival campaign. Wanderers will also be buoyed by the return of key men Matthew Jarvis(5.3) and Kevin Doyle(5.1).

Gameweek 18 concludes with Everton paying a visit to official title contenders Man City. Reports indicate that Carols Tevez(11.1) will be stripped of his captaincy but will play. There is a bargain to be had at multi-billion pound City, midfielder Yaya Toure is available for a mere 5.3 million. The Ivorian notched 13 points last time out, that’s value for Fantasy League money. Keep an eye on the happenings at Eastlands, a clear out is on the cards. The Fantasy League January sales will start here.

The next round of Premier League fixtures kick off on Boxing Day. I therefore wish you all a very merry and points laden Christmas. May your stocking be overflowing and your Turkey be moist and delicious. Thank you for reading every week and many apologies if you’ve followed any(and there have been plenty!) of my, shall we say, less rewarding suggestions.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleaguem.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Four of the top five battle it out with each other this week while Man City travel to bottom of the table West Ham. Arsenal could end gameweek 17 in fourth position, having started it Top of the table. Chances are it will be as you were. It has been such an unpredictable season that this has to be the weekend where the top five match each other and pick up a point a piece.

Having written off the Premier Leagues big hitters I’m looking further down the table for points this week. Fulham need to take three points off an in form Sunderland on Saturday. Midfielder Clint Dempsey(6.8) leads the way with 69 points this season. Man mountain Brede Hangeland(5.6) has also performed well picking up 53 points.

Sunderland are flying at the moment, due to the form of Ghanaian goal machine Asamoah Gyan(7.1), Jordan Henderson(5.5) and Nedum Onuoha(5.3). The Black Cats good run can also be attributed to the return of stopper Craig Gordon(4.5), the Scot has amassed 21 points in five games keeping two clean sheets along the way.

In gameweek 14 I said that Stoke’s Matthew Etherington(5.8) was worth a gamble. The winger has notched 27 points in his last three games, his good run is sure to continue against a Blackpool side that has conceded 29 goals in 16 games.

Alan Pardew’s first task as Newcastle boss is to address their inconsistent home form. Next up at St James Park is Liverpool in Saturday’s late game. Steven Gerrard(11.2) could feature, Fernando Torres(11.9) finally looks interested, Joe Cole(8.3) is nearing full fitness and most surprising of all Ryan Babel(6.7) played 90 minutes and scored a goal. The Magpies will be hoping that Kevin Nolan(6.1) will return from injury and that Andy Carroll(6.2) can add to his fantastic tally of 94 points.

Everton find themselves stuck in no man’s land. Right now their season could go one of two ways – An assault on the top eight, or a scrap in the bottom six. David Moyes men need to follow on from their point at Stamford Bridge with victory at home to Wigan. Centre Back Phil Jagielka(5.8) has reached a half century of points for the season, Tim Cahill(9.1) is doing for the Toffees what Steven Gerrard so often does for rivals Liverpool and Jermaine Beckford(5.1) may just be getting the knack of top flight Football. The Latics welcome back Hugo Rodallega from suspension, but I feel Roberto Martinez men will leave Goodison Park empty handed.

Last mention goes to Blackburn’s Chris Samba(5.1), one of those defenders who is imposing at the back and a genuine goal threat from set plays. Rovers have responded well after having their bottoms well and truly spanked by Man Utd and big Chris is an integral part of a normally(Old Trafford annihilation apart) tight defence.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Jermaine Beckford equalised late on for Everton

The increasing pressure on Carlo Ancelotti has reached new heights after Chelsea dropped two more points against a stubborn Everton side. It was the fourth Premier League game without a win for the reigning champions, and just their fifth point from a possible 18 in recent weeks,  but with Ancelotti’s side stuttering, could the Italian find himself out of a job in the not so distant future?

If Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has any sense, then the answer is no. While Ancelotti is having a tough time of things at the moment, his previous success should have plenty of weight and it would be ludicrous for Chelsea to sack him.

But football is a sport where bizarre decisions are made on a frequent basis, and we shouldn’t be surprised if Ancelotti finds himself on the way out of Stamford Bridge. The departure of Ray Wilkins has revealed some real internal problems at Chelsea and Ancelotti appears to have been disturbed by these issues.

 This is having an impact on Chelsea’s performances, and with the Premier League ultra competitive this year, they really can’t afford to keep dropping points. Anybody from five teams could theoretically challenge for the title this season, and the successful side will be one that is most consistent, so Chelsea need to solve their problems.

If Ancelotti can’t do this in the next couple of the weeks, he will be gone, because as we have seen in the past, Abramovich isn’t afraid to make bold decisions. After spending vast sums of money to lure Luiz Felipe Scolari to Stamford Bridge, the Russian was quick to send him packing when results tailed off, and Ancelotti isn’t immune from similar treatment.

Things don’t get any easier for Ancelotti when you look at Chelsea’s fixtures in the next few weeks. Next weekend’s trip to Tottenham is followed by games against Manchester United and Arsenal. If there isn’t a drastic improvement in results in those three games then in my opinion Chelsea will be looking for a new manager in the New Year.

That might sound drastic, but given the demands for success, Ancelotti can’t afford to fall off the pace in the title race. Last season he set the standard high, and unfortunately he might now be suffering because of last terms achievements.

It’s the North London derby this weekend. Arsenal, who are fast becoming serious title contenders play Host to Tottenham. The Gunners sit second, 2 points behind Chelsea. Tottenham find themselves seventh after a much needed win against Blackburn last weekend. Three points for either side would see them make significant strides up the Premier league table, so a point a piece it will be at the Emirates.

With the calibre of attacking players available to both sides you get the feeling it won’t be a goalless encounter. Make sure you have North London’s big hitters in your starting line up by Saturday lunchtime. Arsenal have no fresh injury worries as yet, but Tottenham have lost the services of string-puller Tom Huddlestone for a few months.

Elsewhere in the Premier League it’s the battle of the big number nine’s at the Reebok stadium, well it’s technically three number nine’s. Newcastle’s Andy Carroll acquitted himself well on Wednesday night, considering he was half way back to Newcastle by the time England forged any meaningful attack and will be looking to add to the 77 points he’s already picked up this season. Bolton’s Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies continue their fine form, add midfielder Chung-Yong Lee to the mix and you could find yourself in the points. However, the way this season is going a match featuring a trio of the League’s top strikers is bound to finish in a stalemate.

On paper Stokes trip to West Brom doesn’t look the most exciting match up, but this could be the dark horse of the weekend. Stokes flying winger Matthew Etherington and yo-yo midfielder Dean Whitehead are a risky gamble worth taking. Similarly the home side have mister consistent in Chris Brunt (58) and their very own goal machine in Peter Odemwingie (47), both could reward you with a healthy points haul this game week.

Premier League matches have been so hard to predict this season, so I’m not even going to mention Chelsea’s trip to St Andrews or Man Utd taking on Wigan, and as for Liverpool Vs West Ham, well I’m saying nothing. Sunderland’s fantastic performance at the bridge last Sunday summed up the Premier League perfectly, anything can and will happen in a game week. It’s a pundit’s nightmare.

I am however prepared to stick my neck out in regards to Sunday’s matches – Blackburn Vs Aston Villa and Fulham Vs Man City have got 1-1 written all over them. It will be a day where defences will triumph. Fulham’s Brede Hangeland and Villa’s James Collins will sure up any defence and both have weighed in with a few goals this season.

Game week 14 concludes with Everton’s trip to surprise package of game week 13, Sunderland. It goes without saying that Asamoah Gyan is the star man at the stadium of light right now, but his strike partner Darren Bent could return from injury in time for Monday nights clash. Everton themselves have a few potential bargains available, defensive rocks Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin are good value at 5.8 and 5.5 million respectively and young full back Seamus Coleman (4.9 million) is improving every week.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

By all accounts Stoke have been one of the sides underachieving so far in the Premier League. One of the more active teams in the transfer market over the summer, many expected the Potters to push for a top-half finish this term, but as of yet they have shown little to suggest they are capable of this. Next up for Stoke is a tricky trip to Everton which might be crucial in ensuring that Tony Pulis’ side aren’t dragged in to a relegation scrap this term.

Now in their third season back in the big time, Stoke are gradually going about changing their reputation as the brutes of the league. While there is still no doubting the Potters commitment and general work ethic, what has been noticeable is their subtle movement away from their notorious long-ball game.

Unfortunately though this hasn’t always brought results and after nine games Stoke are sitting in the precarious position of 13^th place. While the league is tight at the moment, and there is a whole host of teams separated by a few points, defeat tomorrow could see Stoke fall in to the bottom three.

Speak to Stoke fans and they will tell you that avoiding defeat tomorrow is vital, because they realise that results haven’t come as easy this season.  If the Potters were to fall in to the drop-zone at this early stage, their inconsistency might make it difficult for them to claw themselves to safety.

Unlike other years, there isn’t a team which is going to be a certainty for the drop and the league is very even. But somebody has got to go down, and despite their investment in the likes of Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jermaine Pennant over the summer there is no reason at all why the Potters aren’t as vulnerable as everybody else.

Personally I feel that in order to guarantee safety Pulis might have to resort back to his old ways, which is grinding out results and been very difficult to play against, in my opinion this needs to start by returning from Merseyside with at least a point.

It might have been a good week for Liverpool off the field, but their on pitch woes continued with a woefully disappointing defeat at the hands of Merseyside rivals Everton. New owner John W Henry, who was in attendance at Goodison Park, might have been thinking what he had parted £300 million for as goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta sealed a valuable win for the blue half of Liverpool.

When Henry took over he insisted the project was a long term plan, but the ambitions of the Anfield faithful were always going to be high. Today’s result and more importantly performance shows that it may take even longer than previously thought.

Liverpool were desperately lacking in ideas and creativity. While they did create some chances in the later stages of the game, for the majority of the game Everton looked completely in control. It begs the question how many of the Liverpool side would have managed to earn a place in the Everton team today.

Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina aside, there is not many that Liverpool stars that you can say would categorically walk in to the Everton team. Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole might, but other than you have to say most of David Moyes’ side would keep their place.

I think that demonstrates the task that not only Roy Hodgson has, but that the new owners have too. For Liverpool to really challenge at the top end of the Premier League, it will take Hodgson finding the right players, but also real backing from the NESV group.

We all know that they aren’t in the same mould as Manchester City’s super rich backers, which means that this investment won’t come in one big block, and Liverpool fans really need to understand that this won’t be a quick fix to their on the issues on the pitch.

Given time I have no doubt that NESV can do a much better job than the infamous duo of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but I just hope that Liverpool’s need for immediate success doesn’t hamper their vision and long term strategy, because if it does, you can’t see them lasting much longer than the clubs previous owners.

Manchester United and Everton contested one of the most entertaining games of the Premier League season so far at Goodison Park this weekend.

After taking the lead only to let it slip to a two goal deficit, Everton launched a late rally to score two injury time goals and earn a 3-3 draw in a game that encapsulated all the qualities that make the Premier League one of the most entertaining leagues in the world.

David Moyes Was Livid at the End of the game despite heroic comeback

 The game in which both sides had periods of dominance and created chances was clouded by some confusion at the end of the game, which I think reignites a minor issue the governing bodies should amend to make the rules clearer and less subjective.

Despite all the action and goals it was the final acts of the game and the referees decision to end the game just as Everton broke and Phil Jagielka had a real goal scoring opportunity.

The incident in question occurred in the dying moments of injury time as both sides went in search of a late winner, a Manchester United chance was snuffed out and Everton raced forward on the counter attack. Quick passing put Phil Jagielka through around 20 yards out and although it was not noticed by the fans or the majority of the players, the referee blew the whistle just as the through ball that released him was kicked.

Thankfully for the referee and the game Everton wasted this chance as Edwin Van De Saar made a comfortable save from what in the end was a tame effort, yet this did not stop David Moyes being livid with the referee and his decision to end the game where he did. When in reality he should have been celebrating a fantastic result for his Everton side.

This raises the question of when should a referee blow the whistle for full time? I do not think it is right to blow the whistle exactly when the referee thinks the time has been played regardless to the position of play, due to the subjective nature of injury time allocation. I think that the rules regarding extra time should be changed regarding extra time to eliminate issues such as the one today and the confusion as to when the whistle should be blown.

I propose that the rules be changed so that injury time is decided as it is currently a minute before the end of the game and is stuck to the letter, however once the time has elapsed the game will end once the ball has gone out of play.

This is the system that is adopted in Rugby Union and is very effective whilst injuries and time wasting in injury time would not be added on it would make it clear when the game will end whilst accounting for the injuries and substitutions that slow down the game.

Ending the controversy of goals scored after the allotted injury time had elapsed and prevent incidences where the referee stops the game as a team in on the attack.

The downside to this change would be that there would be no additional time added for goals, injuries or substitutions in injury time, however this is additional time anyway and I think that clearer rules and less ambiguity would be better than the current system that breeds controversy and inconsistency.

Despite being in the last year of his contract and being the only Everton player not to sign a long-term deal in recent weeks, Steven Pienaar will apparently remain at Goodison Park for at least one more season. The club can continue contract talks with Pienaar until January, at which time he will be free to negotiate deals with any club and leave Everton on a free transfer in July.

Everton boss David Moyes appears to be taking a huge gamble by not selling Pienaar. The South African midfielder has attracted interest from multiple clubs this summer, and now would be the cash-strapped club’s last chance to make any money from his sale.

However, Moyes has plenty of reasons to let that transfer cash sit on the table — the biggest being Pienaar’s own words. When Bayern Munich came calling last February, Pienaar told the press he wasn’t really so keen on moving.

“I feel this is my home. The supporters have always been good to me and I always give 100%. I definitely aim to play here for a lot longer – why not? Talk of moving is only rumours and I am definitely enjoying my football here.”

Granted, Pienaar might have changed his mind about the Toffees since then, but with so many of the winger’s teammates — most notably Mikel Arteta and Jack Rodwell — committing to Everton for the long term and trying to convince him to do the same, it’s possible that Moyes is banking on Pienaar remaining loyal to the club and signing a long term deal.

Moyes, however, also has a very pragmatic reason for keeping Pienaar on the books for one more season — he can’t sign his natural replacement until January.

The Toffees and their supporters might have held out hope that Landon Donovan, who had an eye-opening loan stint with Everton last winter, might return to Goodison Park in the summer. A wildly successful World Cup run, however, raised his asking price to more than £10 million, which Everton wasn’t ready to pay.

Even if Everton could have paid that fee, however, Major League Soccer wasn’t ready to let its marquee star go just yet — not before the Los Angeles Galaxy had one more playoff run with its roster intact. The prospect of a star-studded L.A v. New York championship game, which would feature Donovan and league-leading scorer Edson Buddle on one side and Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel and Rafa Marquez on the other, is simply too tantalizing to the marketing staff at MLS for them to allow Donovan to leave before season’s end.

As a result, selling Pienaar now would leave Everton with only Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Leon Osman available as pure wing players for up to four months. If you squint just enough, you could see Arteta or Victor Anichebe playing on the wing, but Arteta is far more effective in a central role, while Anichebe is more striker than winger. That lack of depth is something a club with European aspirations — not to mention that has experience with injury-thinned squads — can’t afford to risk.

This brings up another important reason for Everton to keep Pienaar around — his versatility. Pienaar can play virtually any role in midfield. Last season at home against Manchester City, with Arteta and Tim Cahill unavailable, Moyes plugged Pienaar in central midfield with Marouane Fellaini, and he not only proved extremely effective in possession, but he scored the goal that put Everton ahead. Should injuries impact Everton’s midfield again this autumn, the club would be much better off with Pienaar than without him.

Perhaps the ideal situation for Everton is for them to sell some other squad players before the transfer window closes (both Yakubu and Joseph Yobo are tipped to be sold), use that money to bring Donovan back to Goodison Park, then hope that loyalty wins out and Pienaar will stay. It’s a calculated gamble on Moyes’ part, but it could pay off huge dividends for the club in the long run. Plus, in the short term, it keeps Pienaar away from a club like Tottenham Hotspur, who might be competing with Everton for that all-important 4th-place spot this season. That battle might be worth more to the club and its supporters than any transfer fee.

My first professional game I ever attended was a mid-week night game on a cold night in Wales. The floodlights could be seen from miles away and they seemed to light up the pitch and turn the color of the grass into a different shade of green.

Throughout the years, I’ve seen plenty of professional games in person whether they’ve been late at night, early afternoon or a late afternoon kick-off. Each has its pluses and minuses. A match that kicks off at 7:30pm on a summer’s night is perfect to see the sun setting in the distance. A lunchtime kick-off has the advantage of seeming like the whole day is still ahead of you even after the final whistle blows. A late evening kick-off in the autumn or winter can make the atmosphere feel electric as the dark sky helps divert the attention to everything that’s lit up by the floodlights, from the wet ball reflecting from the electric lights to the flares and smoke that light up the night.

On television, it’s a completely different experience. If I calculated at what times I’ve seen games on the box, it would probably be kickoffs at any hour of the day from the World Cup games in the middle of the night during the summer of 2002 to the early morning kick-offs we’re accustomed to watching the Premier League and then throughout the entire day.

Having said that, there are definitely times when I’m not a big fan of watching soccer either in person or on television. I’ve experienced far too many mid-day games in-person in South Florida where the heat has killed the game both on and off the field. On television, depending on the time of the year and the weather, I’ve watched plenty of 3pm GMT kick-offs that have been ruined by the massive shadow that is cast across the pitch by the roof of the stadium. It can often be a frustrating experience trying to watch those games and it really ruins the match at times.

I also remember once watching a game on television where the match came to a halt because the floodlights failed. Luckily, the organizers were able to get the floodlights working except for one, and the game itself then carried on but it looked pretty surreal watching it because there were parts of the pitch that weren’t very visible as usual. I also remember watching the Cuba against United States game a couple of years ago when the floodlights were so poor that it made the experience pretty tough trying to watch the game. Thankfully, these are the exceptions rather than the rule

For me, I much prefer watching night games with a local kick-off time of 7:30pm. Watching games at night, there’s usually a much better atmosphere than a day game. Plus a day game can feel like it takes an eternity for it to start. You wake up and then there’s the long insufferable wait for the game to arrive. So it’s sometimes difficult to find time to go to work or do whatever you need to do during the day time because you know that the game cuts into your day somehow. With a 7:30pm kick-off time, you can get so much accomplished well ahead of the game.

As for television, my favorite time is watching a 7:45am ET game. This way, it’s the first thing I do after I get up and it starts the day on a good note. Then, after it’s done, there’s the whole day ahead of me in case I need to run errands or spend time with the family.

One of the surreal experiences for me was almost four years ago when I went to England to watch Everton play Bolton at Goodison Park. It was a 3pm GMT kick-off time. If I was home, the game would have been shown on television at 10am ET. So my experience of watching that game in England felt so different than what I would have experienced in the States. Not because one was on television and one was in person. More so because the day seemed to drag on for so long as time crept by in anticipation of the 3pm kickoff. And to make matters worse, it was late autumn in England so by the time the game was ready to kick off, it was already beginning to get dark. And when the game ended, the sky was in complete darkness.

But if you had a choice, what for you are the best kick-off times to experience the beautiful game – for both television and in-person? Share your opinions in the comment section below.

After every World Cup, clubs from around the world are always trying to capture the latest talent who have shined on the world’s stage. And a player that a lot of clubs, including Manchester City, are keeping a close eye on is Landon Donovan who showed a lot of skill and composure under pressure to lead his US team to a successful World Cup campaign.

When players talk in the press about transfer speculation, there are definitely coded words they use to send messages to other clubs and agents. In a recent interview that appeared in the British media today, Donovan dropped some major hints regarding his intentions to play abroad again. Everton is reportedly interested in signing him on a permanent deal, but it sounds like Donovan is telling the other interested clubs to “come and get me” in hopes of starting up a bidding war to land Donovan a lucrative contract. Here are his quotes today along with my interpretation of what I believe he means:

“Right now I want to be in America, I absolutely love being here and I love getting back to my team-mates.” Translation: Landon Donovan is under contract to LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer, but that’s only “right now.” If the right offer came along, he and his agent would seriously consider it.

“As you know I never say never to anything and right now rumors are rumors.” Translation: Come and get me. Right now, there are no firm offers on the table and it’s all transfer speculation in the newspapers, but that’s just right now.

“And if there is something serious to look at then I will, but for now I am very excited to be home.” Translation: I’m under contract to LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer, but I’m very interested in reviewing any serious offers from clubs worldwide.

What do you think? Which European club should he join where it would be a good fit for him and his club? Share your opinion in the comments section below.