Author: Paul Smith

West Ham will bid to grab their first home win of the Championship season against Leeds here, but the visitors are a side with promotion hopes of their own. We preview the match.

West Ham are under huge pressure to bounce back to the Premier League after relegation last season, but in Cardiff they have a tough introduction to life in the Championship. We preview it.

Aston Villa’s appointment of former Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has been controversial, but the Midlands giants are now bidding to look forward. McLeish will need a strong start to next season however.

Aston Villa’s decision to part company with Gerard Houllier has left the club at a crossroads. There is every indication that owner Randy Lerner’s next appointment will have to be an inspired one if Villa are to once again challenge in top half of the Premier League.

Reading and Swansea will do battle for a place in the Premier League in what is one of the most lucrative games in football for the winners. Who will come out on top? We preview it.

Birmingham City need to grab a win here against Tottenham Hotspur as they fight relegation, but the hosts want to make sure of a spot in the Europa League. We preview the match.

Wigan and West Ham has all the makings of a final within a league game. Both sides are battling to stay in the Premier League – and West Ham especially must win here. We preview the match.

Wolves need to take three points from rivals West Brom in this Black Country’s derby to boost their survival bid. The visitors though are solid under Roy Hodgson. We preview the match.

The Premier League are keen to clamp down on the intimidation of referees. To tackle the problem though the authorities must take a radical approach argues Paul Smith.

Darren Bent’s big-money move from Sunderland to Aston Villa is a show of support for manager Gerard Houllier. And the club’s owner Randy Lerner seems determined to arrest their slump.