Harlequins v Scarlets Sunday November 8, live from 1.30pm

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Nigel Davies has named a youthful 22 for his team's LV= Cup opener against Harlequins at The Stoop on Sunday with a new captaincy role for Welsh centre Rob Higgitt.

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Davies has chosen to rest player coach Simon Easterby and Scarlets stalwart David Lyons and who remarkably has played every competitive game for the Scarlets since he joined last season.

New faces on the starting team sheet include 24-year-old North Wales born winger Andy Fenby, signed this season from Newcastle Falcons as well as back rowers Josh Turnbull and North Walian Rob McCusker.

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Ruthin-born centre Higgitt, 28 is handed the captaincy for the game. Alongside the new faces, plenty of talent and experience comes in the form of Deacon Manu, Vernon Cooper, Ken Owens, Richie Pugh, Morgan Stoddart and Phil John.

Davies said: "There are only limited opportunities for many of our younger players to get a start with the first team and so a tournament like the LV= Cup will give many of these squad players their first opportunities. And I think people will be pleasantly surprised by what they see.

"It is a test of our strength and depth as a squad and we invested in a lot of youngsters last year.

"A lot of those have come up to the mark already this season and this game we will be about giving opportunities to a number of new Scarlets faces that I am very excited about.

"We'll get to see some of the new wave of young Scarlets that are coming through. There will be one or two new faces in our line-up on Sunday that I think will raise a few eyebrows - for all the right reasons.

"The players are all clearly aware that if they play well at this level, they will be pushing for a place in our first team - this is their chance to put their hands up ahead of our next big game in the Heineken Cup against Leinster at Parc y Scarlets in December.

"And I am expecting a lot from them. Many of the players have been going very well for the premiership clubs and are really itching to have the opportunity to prove themselves on the bigger stage."

West Ham v Everton Live Here Today

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Upton Park hosts a match between two sides who have failed to live up to expectations this season when West Ham take on Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.


Following impressive campaigns in 2008/09, the Hammers finishing ninth and the Toffees concluding in fifth position, high targets were predicted for Gianfranco Zola and David Moyes' respected men in the current campaign.

West Ham were labelled as potential candidates to compete for the European places, while Everton were thought to be well equipped to repeat their 2004/05 feat of breaking into the top four.


However, at this still early stage of the season, neither Zola or Moyes will be particularly pleased with the performance of their squads as the former sits in 16th position and the latter occupies 13th spot.

West Ham only climbed out of the relegation zone on Wednesday with a late victory over Aston Villa in East London, which was only a second league win of the season following the opening day success at Wolves.
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Everton have fared little better and are without a league success in four games, while Thursday's Europa League defeat on home soil to a classy Benfica side only increased the football misery engulfing the whole of Merseyside.

Watch Chelsea v Man Utd Live Today

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Chelsea go into their clash with title rivals Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in arguably their finest form of the season. 



While the winner of the match will not determine the identity of the champions the result could go a long way to confirming that Carlo Ancelotti's men are the team to beat this term.

Chelsea have had to watch on as United have regained their strangle-hold on the Premier League over the last three years but under Ancelotti the Blues seem to have rediscovered their togetherness that was so evident under Jose Mourinho and revived under the short tenure of Guus Hiddink last season



The former AC Milan boss has also got, to owner Roman Abrahovich's delight, the team playing attractive free flowing football with the defence, apart from occasional slip-ups at Wigan and Aston Villa, remaining as miserly as ever.


Chelsea have scored 15 goals from their five games at the Bridge, ten in their last three, and conceded just once, to Hull City's Stephen Hunt way back on the opening day of the season.

In contrast United have seemingly stuttered their way to second spot in the league standings and face the prospect of going five points behind their hosts at the weekend.



While Chelsea have brushed aside the likes of Blackburn, Bolton and Burnley this term United have struggled, finding it difficult to break down the so called lesser teams.


They will not have to worry about that on Sunday with Chelsea expected to come out and attack the champions and there lies another problem for the Red Devils.


With Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic struggling with knocks manager Sir Alex Ferguson may have to keep his faith in Wes Brown and Jonny Evans despite the duo looking shaky as United conceded three goals at home to CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.


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Even with the first-choice pairing of Ferdinand and Vidic the champions have still only kept one clean-sheet in their past four league games, while the team's recent record against fellow top four sides will also give fans cause for concern.


Ferguson's men have only won two of their last eight games against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, losing four, but before people start believing that Chelsea will run away with it this weekend it is worth remembering that United have a habit of delivering when their backs are against the wall. 


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Watch Hull City v Stoke On Your Pc Today

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Hull City must put recent turmoil behind hen they face Stoke at the KC Stadium this weekend.




The Tigers continue to languish inside the Premier League relegation zone, with only two victories to their name so far this season.


Five defeats in seven outings has piled the pressure on boss Phil Brown, leading to sustained reports that he could be the next top flight manager for the chop.

Brown remains upbeat, though, and will have his troops ready for action on Sunday lunchtime.

Hull have, however, failed to overcome the Potters in their last six meetings and failed to win any of their five games in November 12 months ago.






At that time they sat sixth in the table, with 20 points, seven points clear of Stoke.

How times change, with Tony Pulis' side now boasting an eight-point advantage over their weekend opponents.

They have suffered only one defeat in six outings and have come unstuck away from home just once this term - at Anfield.


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Things could be so much better though, with the Potters having thrown away nine points from leading positions this season.

Had they been able to hang on in those fixtures they would currently be joint-second alongside Manchester United.