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Manchester United v Chelsea casts shadow over Gareth Bale v Luis Suarez - Something for the weekend

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It is five years since Wrexham departed the Football League, after an 87-year stay, and the club has suffered other disappointments since, such as losing to Luton in last season’s play-offs despite having finished 18 points ahead of them in the table.

On Friday night Wrexham visit Dartford - and their brilliant wooden fan statue - seeking to create a six-point gap between themselves and Kidderminster and another up-and-coming Welsh club, Newport County.

Wrexham will have played three games more than Newport, Grimsby and Mansfield. There are just six weeks to go in the Conference.

On the up: Danny Wright (second left) and his Wrexham team-mates are flying high in the Conference

2 Chester isn’t quite in Wales but it’s close enough. Out of the ashes of Chester City - wound up this month three years ago - Chester FC are romping away with the Conference North.

On Saturday they will take a big following to Harrogate Town. It will be Harrogate’s fifth game in twelve days. It looks like Chester will be in the Conference next season.

Back from the dead: Chester are running away with the Conference North after going bust three years ago

3 Six of the bottom eight in the Premier League play each other on Saturday.

Reading v Aston Villa is a match to watch from behind the settee. At the end of November the pair were separated by a Christian Benteke goal at Villa Park; now they are separated by just one point. It’s second-bottom versus third-bottom.

Reading are favourites but they have just lost three in a row and, after Villa, travel to Manchester United and Arsenal.

A right Royal mess: Reading have lost their last three games in the Premier League and are in big trouble

In the mire: Aston Villa lost again at home to Manchester City on Monday night and are third bottom in the table

4 When Harry Redknapp sat in the dugout at the Stadium of Light in November for his first game as QPR manager, his new team were bottom of the Premier League, seven points off safety. A combination of QPR’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland and Villa’s win over Reading meant QPR ended that night eight points off.

By kick-off on Saturday, when QPR host Sunderland at Loftus Road, that gap is down to four points. A home win, following on from last Saturday’s victory at Southampton, would send jitters right up to Sunderland, in 14th place. 

5 Southampton, 16th, go to Norwich. Just how telling the home loss to QPR was last Saturday remains to be seen, but if it is followed by another in East Anglia, then Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment at Nigel Adkins’ expense will continue to seem curious.

Harry Houdini? Another win would put the jitters up Redknapp and QPR's relegation rivals

Saint or sinner? Mauricio Pochettino has yet to prove his is the right man to lead Southampton

6 Barnsley have beaten Burnley, Hull City and MK Dons to reach the last eight of the FA Cup. Still, to see them 20/1 to win at Manchester City is eye-catching. City have beaten Watford, Stoke and Leeds to get to this stage. An upset at Eastlands would take its place alongside the historic moments in the Cup.

You old Tyke: England U21 boss Stuart Pearce and former Barnsley defender Gerry Taggart with the FA Cup

7 Barnsley are one of 11 teams in the Championship bottom half separated by eight points with 10 games to go - 11 games in Barnsley’s case.

That it is competitive can be seen in bottom club Bristol City. They already have 36 points, as many as last season’s bottom club Doncaster Rovers, and since Sean O’Driscoll’s appointment have won four, drawn two and lost three. Today Bristol City are home to Middlesbrough. At almost 2/1, City look overpriced.

Going down fighting: Bristol City are bottom of the Championship table but already have 36 points

8 When Eddie Howe arrived back at Bournemouth in October, the club went on an 18-game unbeaten run. By February they were top of League One and favourites for promotion. Bournemouth have just lost their last four and are now seventh, two points off the play-offs. The fall is almost as dramatic as the rise. Today Bournemouth host leaders Doncaster Rovers, beaten 3-0 by MK Dons on Tuesday night. It’s a strange old division.

Mixed bag: Eddie Howe's Bournemouth are experiencing an up-and-down season

9 The FA Cup continues on Sunday. Millwall v Blackburn Rovers ensures there will be a Championship club in the semi-final. The Premier League’s representatives will be praying to get them as Millwall have lost six of their last eight, including Tuesday’s 2-0 home defeat to low-flying Wolves; Blackburn’s shock win at Arsenal has been followed by four defeats and a draw. Both clubs are closer to relegation than the play-offs.

Crunch time: Millwall and Blackburn will battle it out for a place in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday

10 On another day, when Manchester United aren’t playing Chelsea, Liverpool v Tottenham would command centre stage. After beating Arsenal last Sunday, Spurs are on a high. The only game (of 16) since early December that they have lost was that flat FA Cup-tie at Leeds. Liverpool have won their last three matches, and scored 12 goals, but Brendan Rodgers could do with a convincing win against a top four side.

But will anything this weekend equal the frisson that accompanies the Manchester United teamsheet on Sunday? Where will Wayne Rooney’s name feature on it?

Battle of the superstars: It'll be Luis Suarez (above) v Gareth Bale (below) at Anfield on Sunday

  More... JAMIE REDKNAPP: Rooney was in a daze at Old Trafford but he'll be ready to prove Fergie wrong... don't be surprised if he makes Chelsea suffer Sportsmail's Hooper crowned Sports Photographer of the Year! Check out the glorious pictures that won our man top gong REVEALED: The Premier League striker who's sold most shirts... and the Arsenal flop who hasn't shifted a SINGLE one! REVEALED: The Triple P Index (that's pie, pint and programme)... but who charges £4.20 for a beer or just £2.30 for a bite?

 













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