SPORT

FOOTBALL


CRUNCH GAME AT WHITE HART LANE

By Andy Nally

Tottenham return to Premier League action against title-chasing Arsenal in a North London derby of great significance at White Hart Lane tonight.

Dutch striker Robin van Persie is due to make his comeback tonight, starting from the bench, against Tottenham in the north London derby.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Robin van Persie will come back from the serious ankle injury which has sidelined him for five months stronger than ever.

A victory tonight would see Arsenal leapfrog Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League table into second and keep their title ambitions alive.

With Tottenham still recovering from their FA Cup semi-final defeat against Portsmouth but still chasing fourth place in the Premier
League, the derby is bound to be a tense and feisty affair.

Harry Redknapp's side had lost their previous Premier League games at Sunderland and are currently four points behind a rampant Manchester City in the race for fourth.

Both teams have plenty of injury problems. Arsenal will be without Cesc Fabregas, Andrey Arshavin and William Gallas who are all still sidelined, while Alex Song continues to struggle with a knee injury.

Tottenham will make a late decision on centre-back Ledley King, but Jermaine Jenas and Jonathan Woodgate are both out with groin trouble.

Arsene Wenger said that his Arsenal side can settle for nothing less than victory and that anything other than a victory is not good enough.”We will not go for a draw” Wenger added.

With both teams looking for the three valuable points it has all the ingredients for a real cracker.

Kick of is at 8.00pm (sky sports1)



RUGBY




By Andy Nally

Ireland will open the 2011 RBS 6 Nations with a trip to Italy on February 5th while the first Championship game in the Aviva Stadium will be a Sunday game against France on February 13th.

RBS 6 Nations 2011 Fixtures (Irish time)

Saturday, 5 February
Italy v Ireland, 14:30

Sunday, 13 February
Ireland v France, Aviva Stadium, 15:00

Sunday, 27 February
Scotland v Ireland, 15:00

Saturday, 12 March
Wales v Ireland, 17:00

Saturday, 19 March
Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium, 17:00




GOLF




WOODS TO PLAY THE US OPEN

By Andy Nally

Although it remains unclear as to when Tiger Woods will make his next competitive appearance, the world number one has submitted his entry for the US Open in June.

A spokesman for the tournament confirmed in an e-mail that Woods, who tied for fourth place at the US Masters on Sunday in his first event back after a five month break, had entered the Pebble Beach field for the tournament which runs from June 17 to 20.

Woods, 14-times major champion, outplayed his rivals at Pebble Beach during the 2000 US Open to win by 15 strokes; the largest margin of victory ever in a major championship.