Sunderland, Derby in exit scrap

LONDON – Sunderland and Derby County, who were celebrating promotion six months ago, meet on Saturday with an immediate return to the Championship staring both teams in the face after awful starts in the Premier League.

Although they were well aware of how difficult it was to stay up, they would have hoped for a better return with more than a third of the season already gone. Derby are bottom with six points after just one win, scoring only five goals, none away from home, and conceding 33.Those results led to the replacement of manager Billy Davies with former Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell this week.Sunderland are two places above them on 10 points but they have not won since September and suffered a humiliating 7-1 thrashing at Everton last week.Jewell, who kept Wigan up on the last day of the season in May, faces an even bigger job this time.Another defeat at the Stadium of Light would underline the challenge he faces to prevent Derby’s first taste of the Premier League for five years proving short-lived.On paper, the trip to Sunderland looks an ideal first game for Jewell but the home side are unlikely to repeat the appalling defending that helped Everton to their thumping win not if manager Roy Keane has anything to do with it.Sunderland fans, who saw their side romp to the Championship (second division) title in 2005 only to fall straight back down with a measly 15 points the following year, will be desperately hoping Keane can prevent a repeat.Two other new managers will be on duty this weekend when former Scotland boss Alex McLeish takes charge of Birmingham City for the first time at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.Birmingham’s former manger Steve Bruce has a tough task in his first game in charge of second-from-bottom Wigan on Saturday at third-placed Manchester City, who have won all eight home games.Leaders Arsenal, whose 28-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Sevilla, visit in-form Aston Villa on Saturday.Manchester United, three points behind, host Fulham on Monday while fourth-placed Chelsea are at home to West Ham United in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off.Liverpool, who are fifth, host Bolton Wanderers on Sunday with Rafa Benitez’s side buoyed by their 4-1 Champions League thrashing of Porto on Wednesday and Gary Megson’s team on a high after beating Manchester United last weekend.Nampa-ReutersDerby are bottom with six points after just one win, scoring only five goals, none away from home, and conceding 33.Those results led to the replacement of manager Billy Davies with former Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell this week.Sunderland are two places above them on 10 points but they have not won since September and suffered a humiliating 7-1 thrashing at Everton last week.Jewell, who kept Wigan up on the last day of the season in May, faces an even bigger job this time.Another defeat at the Stadium of Light would underline the challenge he faces to prevent Derby’s first taste of the Premier League for five years proving short-lived.On paper, the trip to Sunderland looks an ideal first game for Jewell but the home side are unlikely to repeat the appalling defending that helped Everton to their thumping win not if manager Roy Keane has anything to do with it.Sunderland fans, who saw their side romp to the Championship (second division) title in 2005 only to fall straight back down with a measly 15 points the following year, will be desperately hoping Keane can prevent a repeat.Two other new managers will be on duty this weekend when former Scotland boss Alex McLeish takes charge of Birmingham City for the first time at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.Birmingham’s former manger Steve Bruce has a tough task in his first game in charge of second-from-bottom Wigan on Saturday at third-placed Manchester City, who have won all eight home games.Leaders Arsenal, whose 28-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Sevilla, visit in-form Aston Villa on Saturday.Manchester United, three points behind, host Fulham on Monday while fourth-placed Chelsea are at home to West Ham United in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off.Liverpool, who are fifth, host Bolton Wanderers on Sunday with Rafa Benitez’s side buoyed by their 4-1 Champions League thrashing of Porto on Wednesday and Gary Megson’s team on a high after beating Manchester United last weekend.Nampa-Reuters