Live Sport on TV this weekend – October 28th & 29th
Saturday
Football
Premier League
Chelsea v Brentford – TNT Sports 1 – 12.30
Chelsea are beginning to fulfil the promise that their highly priced squad should have shown from the start as Mauricio Pochettino works out his best team. They should have beaten Arsenal last week, only to concede a second half draw. Brentford are finding it harder this season, missing the free scoring Ivan Toney until the New Year. There is no guarantee that he will stay as he is much coveted by wealthier Premier League clubs. So Chelsea to get one over one of their nearer London neighbours in one of the 42 London Premiership derbies.
Wolves v Newcastle – Sky Sports Premier League – 17.30
So Newcastle will be without their expensive summer signing, Italian Sandro Tonali, banned for 10 months for gambling offences. They were bought back down to earth earlier this week when they lost at home in the Champions League to Dortmund, having previously beaten PSG. So they need a win to restore confidence, but Wolves at home will be a difficult opponent. Wolves, despite changing managers as the season started, have done well under former Bournemouth boss, Gary O’Neil. Expect them to confound Newcastle and win.
La Liga
Barcelona v Real Madrid – LaLigaTV – 15.15
The first Classico of the season with Real topping the table and Barcelona a point behind. Jude Bellingham who has had the most perfect start to his career at Real Madrid picked up an injury in the European midweek match, but is expected to play. Such is his influence that his absence would be a major blow to Real’s chances of winning. With their young French stars, Camavinga and Tchouameni, backing up Bellingham, Real now have a new midfield to replace aging stars Kroos and Modric. Barcelona are playing their home games this season at Olympic Stadium while the Nou Camp is being renovated and with capacity halved no longer have the full raucous home support. Real to win,
Cricket
World Cup
Australia v New Zealand – Dharamsala – Sky Sports Cricket – 06.00
The Tasman Sea derby played in India. Australia are now finding some form after their Glemm Maxwell’s record-breaking century against the Netherlands this week. New Zealand lost their 100% record against India and with Australia on a roll expect them to prevail.
Rugby Union
World Cup – Final – Paris – New Zealand v South Africa – ITV1 – 20.00
Both sides reached the final having lost a game in the group stages, New Zealand to hosts France and South Africa to Ireland, The Springboks squeaked past England, while the All Blacks trounced Argentina in the semi-finals. New Zealand beat South Africa at home in this year’s Rugby Championship, but lost by a record amount in a World cup warm-up game at Twickenham, So 1-1 this year and this is the 2023 decider and the one that really matters. After a slow start the All Blacks are looking like the in-form side and with Boks only just winning two close matches against France and England, they are probably favourites. However the South Africans are banking on their forward power by selecting seven forwards on the bench with Willie Le Roux the only back. Willemse can play fly-half if Handre Pollard can’t last the whole match, bearing in mind he’s only just back from injury and has yet to play even a full half a match, but having no back up scrum half to Faf de Klerk is a major risk. Forwards won South Africa the game against England. Can they do the same in the final?
Despite being able to bring on virtually a whole new pack during the second half, South Africa won’t be able to dominate the All Blacks the way they dominated England’s forwards last week. New Zealand have a more hardened pack and will be able withstand the second half onslaught. I think the All Blacks have a better balanced side with Jordie Barrett’s long range place kicking more than a match for Pollard ‘s and with Will Jordan they have the tournament’s top try scorer. South Africa have two elusive wings with Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse as well, so the contest out wide should be exhilarating. So who will win the William Webb Ellis trophy for the fourth time? My pick is the All Blacks in what should be an absorbing and close final.
Sunday
Cricket
World Cup
India v England – Lucknow – Sky Sports Cricket – 08.30
England might as well pack up and come home now. It’s been a dismal defence of the ODI World Cup and sit bottom of the World Cup table, beneath Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the Netherlands. They are up against the best team in tournament and perversely will probably pull off the biggest surprise of the tournament. Apart from Dawid Malan, their batting has been lacklustre, they don’t know what their best bowling attack is and have managed to make the wrong decision every time they’ve won the toss. India. on the other hand, have played brilliantly and are favourites to win their home World Cup. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have all been batting superbly, backing up the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ravi Jadeja. India to win easily and cement their position in the knockout stages.
Football
Premier League
Man Utd v Man City – Sky Sports Premier League – 15.30
The first Manchester derby at Old Trafford since the death of Sir Bobby Charlton. Both teams had midweek victories in the Champions League against the weakest teams in their respective groups. Erling Haaland was back to his best scoring a couple of goals, but Man Utd had to rely on Harry Maguire who couldn’t even make the team earlier in the season. Erik ten Hag still doesn’t know his best team, chopping and changing every match and it shows in their erratic and unconvincing results. Man City, despite missing their most influential player Kevin De Bruyne, have maintained their challenge at the top, though they did miss Rodri when he was suspended and they lost to Wolves and Arsenal. Pep Guardiola does change his team, but his system ensures that it still functions as an ultra efficient unit. City to win the first derby of the year.
Formula 1
Mexican Grand Prix – Mexico City – Sky Sports F1 – 20.00
Can Max Verstappen get past the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz who taken the front row of the grid with Leclerc on pole. The answer is probably less as he continues his relentless way to amass the most victories on one season.
