Weekend TV Preview: 6 - 8 August

Readers of Some People Are On The Pitch will be familiar with its ever popular TV Previews which we are happy to make available to readers of the Football Fairground. Every week, twice a week we look ahead to every competitive game screened live on UK TV including international friendlies and other matches of interest.

(All times UK)

Friday 6 August

20.00 Norwich City v Watford, Championship, Sky Sports 3/HD3
The classic "Yellow Jersey Derby" kicks of the domestic season in England. Norwich are back after being sent to League 1 for a season so they can think about what they've done. They return to the Championship full of confidence and renewed vigour. Watford, on the other hand, spent most of last season trying to avoid relegation. A packed house is on the cards for what promises to be a lively encounter under the floodlights.


Saturday 7 August

12.15 Southampton v Plymouth, League One, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Unhindered by a ten point deduction, moneybags Saints open their campaign against relegated Plymouth. And few will bet on anything other than a home win.

17.15 Leeds United v Derby County, Championship, BBC1/BBCHD
One for nostalgia freaks. There is a definite whiff of 1974 about this fixture. Especially since it's on the BBC. Back in the day these two were rivals for the old League Championship and I'm sure you'll see plenty of archive footage of Brian Clough and Don Revie giving each other the skunk-eye. Whether Clough Jnr and Simon Grayson will be able to rediscover that old magic is doubtful. Still, a full house at Elland Road. What's not to like?


Sunday 8 August

13.30 FC Groningen v Ajax, Eredivisie, ESPN
Luis Suárez misses the chance to score against his old club having picked up a two match suspension for being sent off in the Dutch Super Cup last week. He's already started off his goal tally for this season though having already netted twice in the Champions League

15.00 Chelsea v Manchester United, FA Community Shield, Sky Sports 1/HD1
And so to the traditional curtain raiser to the football season (except it's not any more) between the League and FA Cup winners. United gain as League runners up since the Champions also won the Cup. I mean we can't have 90 minutes of Chelsea playing with themselves can we?

18.20 Spartak Moscow v Zenit St Petersburg, Russian Premier League, ESPN
Remember Luciano Spalletti? The shiny-headed manager usually seen looking forlornly on as his AS Roma side got dumped out of the Champions League by Premier League opposition? Well he's in Russia now and doing great things at Zenit. It's the halfway point in the Russian League and it might already be done and dusted. Zenit are steam-rollering their way to the title having won their last nine and unbeaten all season. For Spartak it's been pretty ordinary up to now; having finished runner-up in four of the past five seasons they're currently languishing in a congested mid-table.

Terry