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Bow to the rescue West Ham puts faith in midfielder in fight for survivalPosted: Friday January 10, 2003 12:13 PM
LONDON (AP) -- West Ham and West Brom: the names sound similar, and both sides are fighting to escape last place in England's Premier League. But there's at least one difference. While the cash-starved Baggies have failed to make any significant signings on the transfer market, the Hammers have landed talented but troubled Lee Bowyer in a bid to escape relegation. Bowyer moved from Leeds to West Ham on Wednesday, hoping to leave his troubles behind with a return to his boyhood neighborhood in east London. Saturday will begin to tell with the 26-year-old attacking midfielder expected to start at Upton Park against Newcastle. There are other key games in a full weekend schedule -- Birmingham vs. Arsenal, Liverpool vs. Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester United -- but Bowyer is sure to grab many of the headlines. If he saves West Ham from the drop, Bowyer could reshape a career plagued by repeated misconduct on and off the pitch. Bowyer began his Premier League career at Charlton in the mid 1990s. His former manager there, Alan Curbishley, summed up the problem. "The unfortunate thing for Lee at the moment is that people talk about the other things more than his football. That's something he has got to straighten out because he's a great player. "I just hope that coming back, living near his family and being close to everyone again -- he will have some people he can lean on, and that he can get his career back on track." West Ham manager Glenn Roeder has declined to talk about Bowyer's past. "I only want to talk about Lee Bowyer as a footballer," he said. "Things that have gone on are in the past. I only want to look to future." West Ham and West Brom have only 16 points -- and just 17 games remaining to make their move. Sunderland is just above with 18 points, and has only 16 to play. So who is going to catch Arsenal? The defending champions have a five-point lead on Man United and an eight-point bulge over Chelsea. All three leaders have 16 games left. Newcastle is also eight back, but has a game in hand. Arsenal plays Sunday at Birmingham, with Everton at Tottenham in the other Sunday match. It will be a French-connection day at Birmingham. French striker Christophe Dugarry has just completed his move from Bordeaux to Birmingham and will be up against Arsenal's French stars, including Robert Pires, Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord. Before making the move, Dugarry said he looked for advice from Pires and Patrick Vieira. Vieira will miss the Sunday game with a groin injury, joining Swedish striker Freddie Ljungberg on the injury list. "They said I must come here (England) for the atmosphere, for the fans; that it would be something I'd have never seen before I my career," Dugarry said. Manchester United seems almost assured of three points in its game Saturday at West Brom. "Whoever they field, we will be up against 11 full internationals, the best club manager in the world, the biggest club on the planet and the richest club in the world," said West Brom manager Gary Megson said. "It has been 18 years since Manchester United last came to the Hawthorns and I am sure a lot of our fans would have circled this fixture as our most glamorous home game this season." Man United captain Roy Keane has been named in the squad after nursing a hamstring injury and missing Tuesday's League Cup first-leg semifinal 1-1 draw with Blackburn. "We need a winning mentality," said Man United defender Rio Ferdinand. "The most important thing now is to keep progressing, put in decent performances and get results. It wouldn't matter who we were playing, West Brom or someone in the top five, we would still need to win." Liverpool is home to Aston Villa on Saturday and is desperate for a win. The Reds have won only one of their last 10 league games and were beaten 2-1 by first-division Sheffield United in Wedneday's League Cup first-leg semifinals. Liverpool has slipped to seventh place with only 34 points from 22 games. Villa, which is flirting with relegation, hasn't won an away game all season. Tottenham faces Everton on Sunday and is hoping to rebound from its embarrassing 4-0 loss last weekend to Southampton in the FA Cup. "We are bitterly disappointed, not only at going out of the FA Cup but at the way we played," manager Glenn Hoddle said. "Fortunately I believe it is a one-off, because we played very well in the previous two games, and we have got to bounce back now and focus on every game." Spurs also got bad news Friday when Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes again turned down a loan move to Tottenham. "A third party has contacted me to tell me there is an offer from Tottenham for Morientes to go on loan until the end of the season," said Morientes' agent Gines Carvajal. "But we are not interested in a loan deal." The top game in division one is leader Portsmouth against third-place and League Cup semifinalist Sheffield United. Second-place Leicester, five points behind Portsmouth and eight ahead of the Blades, hosts struggling Stoke. Match PreviewsSaturday:Bolton (17) vs. Fulham (16)Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce has rejected a transfer bid from Tottenham for striker Michael Ricketts. Bolton striker Youri Djorkaeff returns from a rib injury. Fulham is without forward Steve Marlet, who injured his hamstring in the club's 3-1 win over Birmingham in the FA Cup on Sunday. But winger Luis Boa Morte returns after three weeks off with a thigh injury. Chelsea (3) vs. Charlton (13)Gianfranco Zola was on the bench for last weekend's FA Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough following a minor injury but could be back in the lineup to face the Addicks. Croatian midfielder Mario Stanic is a major doubt after jarring his knee against Boro. A scan has shown no serious damage but the midfielder could still be ruled out of this weekend's game. Charlton, which recalled defender Mark Fish and Chris Powell, is bidding to extend its unbeaten run to 10 games. Liverpool (7) vs. Aston Villa (14)Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is confident of recovering from a knee injury resulting from a challenge from Sheffield United's Michael Brown in Wednesday's 2-1 League Cup semifinal loss. The Reds also welcome back striker Michael Owen, who missed two games with a hamstring problem. Villa strikers Peter Crouch and Stefan Moore return from lengthy layoffs with ankle and knee problems. Goalkeeper Peter Enckelman will have a late fitness test on his ankle. Manchester City (10) vs. Leeds (11)Manchester City is likely to name new signing Djamel Belmadi in the lineup after he scored in a midweek reserve game. Belmadi, on loan from Marseille, could be paired with French striker Nicolas Anelka, a former teammate at PSG. Leeds' midfield lost Lee Bowyer to West Ham and Olivier Dacourt to Roma this week Middlesbrough (12) vs. Southampton (6)Australian international Tony Vidmar, 33, could replace England star Ugo Ehiogu, who is nursing three fractured ribs and a punctured lung after last week's collision with Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel. New Southampton signing Federico Arias could make his midfield debut after midweek move from Argentina. Saints are unbeaten in eight matches. Sunderland (18) vs. Blackburn (8)Rovers' Ireland winger Damien Duff returns after missing two games with back and hamstring problems, but David Dunn is out. The England midfielder lasted just 20 minutes of his comeback game against Manchester United on Tuesday before limping off with a calf injury. Sunderland signed Estonia and Derby goalkeeper Mart Poom on a three-year contract. He joined the Black Cats on loan in November. West Bromwich Albion (19) vs. Manchester United (2)Baggies captain Derek McInnes, who was sent off against the Reds on the opening day of the season, is in contention for a recall after damaging his shoulder in training, while central defender Phil Gilchrist has recovered from an ankle injury having missed five games. Roy Keane is United's main doubt with a hamstring injury. West Ham (20) vs. Newcastle (4)Lee Bowyer, a West Ham fan when he was a teenager, makes his debut for the Hammers after his move from Leeds United on a six-month contract. The Hammers are still searching for their first home win of the league season. Newcastle captain Alan Shearer misses his first Premier League game for 16 months after being booked for the fifth time this season at Bolton Jan 26. Midfielder Kieron Dyer should return after missing two games with a calf problem. Sunday:Birmingham (15) vs. Arsenal (1)The arrivals of Christophe Dugarry, Ferdinand Coly, Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence should ease Birmingham's injury worries as the Blues take on the defending champion at St. Andrews. After cruising to a 2-0 FA Cup victory over division three Oxford with a below strength team, the Gunners will welcome back stars such as Thierry Henry, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole. But midfielder Freddie Ljungberg (flu) and Patrick Vieira (groin) will be missing. Tottenham (9) vs. Everton (5) Tottenham skipper Teddy Sheringham and defender Dean Richards are in doubt with knee injuries. Simon Davies has recovered from an ankle injury, but Les Ferdinand sits out the final game of his three-match suspension. New Everton loan signings Brian McBride and Ibrahim Said are likely to be named on the bench.
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