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Bent targeting instant impact against City

Darren Bent joined Aston Villa for £24 million this week © PA Photos

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Darren Bent should make his Aston Villa debut in front of the ESPN cameras against Manchester City this weekend, while Manchester United and Arsenal will fancy their chances of three points against Birmingham and Wigan respectively. Read on for our preview of the Premier League fixtures…

Saturday

Aston Villa v Manchester City - LIVE ON ESPN
Form: City have discovered some consistency and find themselves level on points at the top with Manchester United, having gone unbeaten in their last six. Villa continue to underachieve - although they did at least climb out of the relegation zone after last week's draw at Birmingham.
Key battle: Villa centre back Richard Dunne will be desperate to raise his game against the club that jettisoned him in 2009, and there is no better way to prove a point than by silencing the prolific Carlos Tevez.
Player to watch: It has got to be Darren Bent, who joined Villa from Sunderland for £24 million this week. His brief is simple - score enough goals to keep us up - but it carres a lot of pressure.
Talking point: Just how big a risk have Villa taken with the signing of Bent? He has a fine goalscoring record, but is he that much better than Gabby Agbonlahor?
Bet of the day: Darren Bent to score at any time, 7/4 with bet365
Prediction: 1-1

Manchester United v Birmingham City
Form: They're regularly accused of playing some pretty ordinary stuff, yet United remain unbeaten this season - and their home form is phenomenal, with ten wins from 11 games. Birmingham have drawn far too many games - 11 in all - leaving them in 16th, one point ahead of Wigan Athletic in 18th.
Key battle: Scott Dann, the fearless warrior at the heart of the City defence, is out for the season, with Liam Ridgewell set to step into the breach. He faces a baptism of fire against Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, so needs to be on top of his game.
Player to watch: With Rafael suspended, Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to entrust Gary Neville with the right-back berth. His contract is up at the end of the season, and he needs to produce a performance sooner or later in order to secure a future at Old Trafford.
Talking point: If Rooney continues his barren streak in front of goal - he's netted just two in the league - is he in serious danger of losing his starting place to Javier Hernandez, who looks likely to find the back of the net every time he steps onto the pitch?
Bet of the day: United to win 2-1, 9/1 with bet365
Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic
Form: Arsenal have been terrific in their last couple of games, slotting three past Leeds and West Ham, but they're a volatile bunch who have lost three times at home already. Eighteenth-placed Wigan have quietly put together a decent run, taking nine points from the last 18 on offer.
Key battle: Accusations of Arsenal's soft centre are well founded, with Laurent Koscielny still to convince in defence - although he has made a significant improvement in recent weeks. Hugo Rodallega, always the most likely scorer for Wigan, is tough enough to cause him a few problems physically.
Player to watch: Wojciech Szczesny, who is set to deputise for the injured Lukasz Fabianski, has a serious chance to nail down the No. 1 jersey. Another clean sheet and he could find himself the man tasked with patrolling the goalmouth during Arsenal's run-in.
Talking point: Did Denilson's swipe at Cesc Fabregas this week betray a growing sense of unrest behind the scenes at Arsenal? They'll be keen to show a united front.
Bet of the day: Hugo Rodallega to score the first goal, 14/1 with bet365
Prediction: 3-1

Raul Meireles needs to step up in the absence of Steven Gerrard © PA Photos

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Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool
Form: Liverpool are still searching for a first win under Kenny Dalglish, while their home form is, by the club's standards, atrocious - eight losses from 11 games. Wolves won this fixture at Anfield, setting on course a fine run that included a triumph over Chelsea, but they are 19th and in grave danger.
Key battle: In the absence of the suspended Steven Gerrard, somebody has got to take responsibility and grasp control of the midfield for Liverpool. Raul Meireles has shown glimpses of what he can do - could this be his time to convince the Reds' fans of his worth?
Player to watch: Joe Cole suffered an ignominious relegation to the Lancashire Senior Cup squad this week as he continues to scramble around for form, so he'll be eager to make a mark if handed a chance.
Talking point: What has made Liverpool such easy prey away from home? Can Dalglish diagnose and remedy the problem before they find themselves embroiled in a relegation scrap?
Bet of the day: The draw, 11/5 with bet365
Prediction: 1-1

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Form: Alan Pardew's appointment at Newcastle was met with hoots of derision, but he has led them to three creditable wins since taking over, most notably the 5-0 hammering of West Ham. Spurs have found some resilience now that Michael Dawson is fit and firing, and they enter the clash with one loss in the last 11.
Key battle: Harry Redknapp has got to resist the temptation to rotate too much, particularly in away games, with the return of Champions League action just around the corner. It's a far weaker team without the likes of Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart dictating matters.
Player to watch: Steven Pienaar joined Spurs from Everton this week, and it's intriguing to see where he fits in. It's unlikely he'll displace Gareth Bale or Aaron Lennon, while it's highly questionable whether he's a better option than Niko Kranjcar. Is this really a smart move?
Talking point: Andy Carroll, reportedly a target for Spurs, is likely to miss this one. If his injury-enforced absence continues, do Newcastle have enough potency upfront? Are they going to have to enter the transfer market?
Bet of the day: Gareth Bale to score at any time, 5/2 with bet365
Prediction: 1-2

Blackpool v Sunderland
Form: Blackpool are fighting off relegation with aplomb, winning three of their last five home games, while they beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last month. The Black Cats are struggling for goals - only six scored in the last six games - but they're a mere four points from a Champions League place.
Key battle: The duel between Lee Cattermole and Charlie Adam, Blackpool's talisman, is a mouthwatering one due to the clash of styles. Cattermole is a tenacious presence, while Adam relies more on guile to launch attacks from the base of midfield. Who will win out?
Player to watch: Asamoah Gyan must now shoulder the goalscoring burden that was previously shared with Bent. Sunderland have had a good season, but things could go awry very quickly if the Ghanaian begins to dry up - only one other player, Danny Welbeck, has netted more than once in the league.
Talking point: Bent has gone, Welbeck is injured and out for the best part of two months. What will Sunderland do if Gyan can't get on the pitch? A signing, rumoured to be Ricardo Fuller from Stoke, can't come soon enough.
Bet of the day: Home win, 3/2 with bet365
Prediction: 2-1

Everton v West Ham
Form: West Ham's recent form is a lot better than the speculation over Avram Grant's future - now apparently resolved - has suggested. They've won three of the last five, while Everton just can't get anything going and are foundering down in 12th.
Key battle: The game will probably hinge on whether Everton's strikers can overcome their lack of confidence in front of goal. The signs are encouraging - five plundered against Scunthorpe, then two more at Anfield - but they've hit the back of the net a paltry 12 times at Goodison Park.
Player to watch: While most will feel nothing but dismay over the loss of Pienaar, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is set to profit. The Russian, poised to slot in at left wing, will be fresh having not started a Premier League match since November 10.
Talking point: West Ham's owners have made a big call in giving their support to Grant. Has the speculation about his future been distracting the players? The Goodison Park clash will be instructive.
Bet of the day: 1-1 draw, 13/2 with bet365
Prediction: 1-1

Matthew Etherington, who has scored four times in the league this season, will fancy his chances against John Pantsil © PA Photos

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Fulham v Stoke City
Form: Fulham are going OK, with three wins in the last five, while Stoke have snuck into eighth off the back of three triumphs in their most recent six.
Key battle: Matthew Etherington, one of the league's most under-rated players, has contributed six goals and four assists this term. He will fancy his chances against John Pantsil, a man who can look vulnerable when attacked with pace.
Player to watch: Andy Johnson finally ended a long, long scoring drought at Wigan last week - is that going to set him off on a run of goals?
Talking point: Stoke had a draining FA Cup third-round replay at Cardiff in midweek, eventually winning 2-0 after extra time. How much will those exertions have sapped from the players' legs?
Bet of the day: 1-0 Stoke 15/2 with bet365
Prediction: 0-1

Sunday

Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion
Form: West Brom looked to be in freefall, losing six on the spin, before recovering their composure with a vital win over Blackpool. Blackburn can boast back-to-back wins, and have lost just once in their last seven at Ewood Park.
Key battle: Peter Odemwingie is, more often than not, the only man on the scoresheet for West Brom - so if you can keep him quiet, you'll usually keep the Baggies quiet. Ryan Nelsen will be relishing the challenge of quelling the Nigerian striker's goal threat.
Player to watch: Roque Santa Cruz is slowly working his way back into the groove, having been denied first-team action for so long during an unhappy spell at Manchester City. Will be interesting to see whether he can return to his lethal best - and stay off the treatment table.
Talking point: Steve Kean's signed a contract until 2013 to remain as Blackburn boss. He doesn't have much experience of top-level management - how big a gamble is that show of faith?
Bet of the day: Ryan Nelsen to score at any time, 10/1 with bet365
Prediction: 2-1

Monday

Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea
Form: Chelsea's woes are well documented, but the extent of their decline bears repeating - wins in two of their last ten league games have seen them plummet to fourth. Bolton are running out of steam a bit, losing three of the last four, but they'd have taken seventh-place in January if offered to them at the start of the season.
Key battle: Kevin Davies' aerial prowess is sure to test Chelsea's centre backs, who have appeared uncharacteristically fragile during a period that has veered into crisis territory.
Player to watch: Chelsea's unsuccessful pursuit of Pienaar indicates that they're far from happy with the form of Florent Malouda, who has come off the rails after a flying start to the season. Can he recover his form, or has too much damage been done to his morale?
Talking point: Frank Lampard is an injury doubt for this one after picking up a calf problem. If he's suffered another significant setback, can Chelsea avoid another wobble?
Bet of the day: 2-0 Chelsea, 6/1 with bet365
Prediction: 0-2

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