Andy Townsend's Boot Room: It's time for guts, strong minds and character...

17 April 2009 22:45
While the big boys are fighting it out at Wembley for a place in the FA Cup final, the Barclays Premier League is all about the fight for survival this weekend. [LNB]There will be no sympathy for anybody and no old pals' acts. Managers across the country will be saying to their players: 'Put them down, get them out of this league.'[LNB]There are six-pointers as far as the eye can see, and for the three North-East teams the stakes could not be higher.[LNB]Middlesbrough are at home to Fulham, and after the vital win against Hull City last time out, the green shoots of recovery are just beginning to show for Gareth Southgate's side. [LNB] Green shoots of recovery: Southgate saw his Middlesbrough side's survival hopes boosted with a 3-1 win against Hull[LNB][LNB]A fortnight ago, ask anyone and they would have told you they fancied Boro to go down. If they get a win today they arestill very much in the thick of it, but all of a sudden they are finding some form. [LNB]If you can get a bit of momentum going, not only does it do wonders for your own confidence, it really frightens everyone else around you. [LNB]If they win today it will take them out of the bottom three, even if just for 24 hours. Applying more pressure to Newcastle is exactly what they must do and I have a feeling Boro might just do it again.[LNB] Enlarge  Up the road from Boro, Sunderland have a crunch game against fellow strugglers Hull. There has been talk about anemergency replacement for Ricky Sbragia but the important thing for Sunderland now is not to panic.[LNB]Knowing Niall Quinn as well as I do, I think the chairman will realise this is the time to stand strong behind someone you appointed. It is too late in the day to chop and change, I don't see the point. If you do that, players don't know where they are.[LNB]These past couple of months have probably been a bit of a wake-up call for Phil Brown. He has been very loyal to anumber of his players but, should Hull survive, Phil has got to review that loyalty a little and decide whether the time has come to move Hull on.[LNB]This game is purely a battle of strong minds and guts. The team that shows the most character will come through and I think Sunderland will take it.[LNB]With Stoke and Portsmouth also at home, Newcastle simply cannot afford to lose at White Hart Lane tomorrow. IfStoke beat Blackburn and Sunderland win, there is going to be some daylight between Alan Shearer's men and therest. Newcastle must go looking for a win, but I don't think they will.[LNB]They just don't seem to be able to defend well enough and I can't see them keeping too many clean sheets. It might be close for a while, but I think Tottenham will come through it by the odd goal. I'm going for 2-1 to the home side.[LNB] Enlarge Stoke are probably a win and a draw away from safety and, backed by their tremendous home supporters who are just happy their side are in with a chance of beating the drop, I expect them to get over the line 2-1 against Blackburn.[LNB]Bolton will be OK and after scoring three in eight minutes against Chelsea last week, they will feel they can score at Fratton Park. [LNB]Portsmouth will be keen to get a win in front of their own fans, but having got to where they are, they will not take too many risks. Even if they draw they are asking big questions of everybody below them. A point for both teams is a good result and I can see it ending up 1-1.[LNB]Coming off the back of a defeat to Fulham and the disappointment of going out of the UEFA Cup, a home game against West Bromwich Albion is probably all Manchester City could ask for and I expect them to win 2-0.[LNB]Aston Villa's match against Everton was a cracking watch and although West Ham have performed admirably underGianfranco Zola, despite all the goings on behind the scenes, I expect my old club to be boosted by their performance last time out and see them coming through 2-1.[LNB] [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail