Football Focus BBC Sport

Mark Lawrenson and Stuart Pearce are with Dan Walker on BBC One at 12:10 GMT and here on the BBC Sport website to cast their eyes over all the latest footballing action and news.

Tottenham's Harry Kane discusses the secrets of his success with Jermaine Jenas, there's a chat with Swansea's Jonjo Shelvey and Arsene Wenger looks ahead to Arsenal's must-win encounter with Monaco this Tuesday.

Not long to the day's first game. It's at the Riverside where Middlesbrough will go three points clear at the top of the Championship table - if only for a few hours - should they see off Ipswich. 'Boro are one of four teams on 66 points at the top, while five points separate the top seven teams.

It promises to be a gripping end to the campaign but who is going to win the Championship title? You can vote on who you think will win the title, while a separate live text commentary of Middlesbrough against Ipswich is under way.

Make sure that you check out the voting terms and conditions., external

Glenn Murray returns to lead the line for Crystal Palace after serving a one-match man, with Dwight Gayle making way in manager Alan Pardew's only change to his starting line-up.

QPR manager Chris Ramsey hands a first Premier League start of the season to Shaun Wright-Phillips in one of three changes to the side beaten by Tottenham a week ago. Darnell Furlong and fit-again Adel Taarabt also come into the side, with Bobby Zamora, Rio Ferdinand and Mauricio Isla dropping out

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Ward, Delaney, Dann, Kelly; McArthur, Ledley, Puncheon, Zaha, Bolasie; Murray

QPR: Green; Furlong, Caulker, Onuoha, Suk-Young; Henry, Sandro, Wright-Phillips, Phillips; Taarabt; Austin.

Image source, Getty Images

Think London derbies and thoughts automatically drift to Arsenal v Spurs, Chelsea v Fulham...even Millwall v West Ham. Crystal Palace against QPR might not be the most mouth-watering, but the lunchtime dust-up at Selhurst Park is critical as far as the visitors are concerned.

When these two teams met at Loftus Road 11 weeks ago it was Palace who were in the relegation zone - not QPR. That's all changed.

Palace, under Alan Pardew, have hauled themselves into mid-table and it is QPR who are in big trouble. Time is running out for Chris Ramsey's side, three points adrift of safety with nine matches remaining after today. Three points are a must at Selhurst Park.

Thanks Mandeep. Six Premier League games coming up at the top and the bottom of the table. The first one is just 45 minutes away. Who else is excited?

On that note, it is time for me to hand over the reins - and not because I've picked up 10 yellows!! - to Neil Johnson, who will see you through the afternoon's football. Enjoy.

Image source, Getty Images

He might not have the same blonde locks as Robbie Savage but Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole does have the same penchant for picking up yellow cards as the former Leicester, Birmingham, Derby County and Blackburn player.

Cattermole will miss the game against Villa after becoming the second player to pick up 10 yellow cards in the Premier League this season after Newcastle's Jack Colback.

It was the fourth different season that Cattermole has reached double figures for bookings, with the only other player to do this in Premier League history being Robbie Savage.

We want to know about the times when you've ever stepped in to play or referee at the last minute? It seems that lots of you have - and in the most unlikely and bizarre of circumstances.

Al in Glasgow: Euro '92, Scotland supporters' campsite in Norkopping. Feared trouble when two vanloads of local police arrived. Turned out they just wanted a game. Cue 15-a-side and police guns for goalposts.

Jake in Luton: Got asked to play for a local pub team that needed two players. Played against the unbeaten top team in the league. I scored five, my brother got two, one from the halfway line. Won 8-2. Got invited back next week.

Josh, Lancs: We were walking through La Boca, in Argentina, during a rugby tour, when a couple of local kids challenged us to play on a run down street corner pitch. Before long , it seemed the rest of the neighbourhood and the rest of our tour party had all been roped in and a classic ensued on this tiny pitch. United by the mutual language of football... And a cry of Maradona whenever there was even a suspicion of handball!

Send us your stories via #bbcfootball,, external on the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or via text on 81111 (UK only), and tune in to the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live to hear more.

Football Focus BBC Sport

BBC TV is right across all today's action.

It all starts with Football Focus at 12:10 GMT on BBC One and here on the BBC Sport website, where Dan Walker is joined by Mark Lawrenson and Stuart Pearce. Tottenham's Harry Kane talks about the secrets of his success this season, Arsene Wenger looks ahead to Arsenal's must-win Champions League second leg against Monaco, and Swansea's Jonjo Shelvey is featured.

Final Score goes live at 14:30 until 18:00 both online and on the red button, with Garth Crooks and Chris Sutton joining Jason Mohammad to react to all today's action as it happens.

From 16:30 until 17:15 Final Score will also be on BBC Two, except in Scotland, where BBC Two has Sportscene at the same time.

To round the day off, Gary Lineker presents Match Of The Day at 22:30 on BBC One and online in the UK with highlights of all six Premier League games. Manish Bhasin and the Football League Show follow hot on the heels at 23:50, with today's crunch encounter in the Championship, Norwich City v Derby County, as the featured match.

There. You weren't thinking of doing anything else today were you?

BBC Radio 5 live

Mark Pougatch presents the build-up to a busy day of Premier League football on 5 live Sport from 12:00 GMT and that is followed by Crystal Palace v QPR from 12:45 to 14:40 GMT, with Ali Bruce-Ball and Steve Claridge at Selhurst Park.

Ian Dennis and Jimmy Armfield provide live coverage of Sunderland v Aston Villa over on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra from 14:55 to 17:00 GMT and then its back to BBC Radio 5 live for 606 with Darren Fletcher and Robbie Savage from 18:45 GMT.

Click on the Live Coverage tab at the top of this page to follow all the action.

Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray starts for the Eagles after coming back from suspension, while QPR give Shaun Wright-Phillips his first Premier League start of the season.

Your tales of the unexpected when stepping in to play or officiate keep coming.

Martin Woods: Got roped into playing 7 a side in Mexico. The taxi had two in the front 4 in the back and on arrival our 7th was in the boot!

Mr Hind: Few years ago Sunderland played York in pre-season. Sunderland only had 2 on bench so I was asked to sub. Hit bar within 2 mins.

Wez Blackett: NUFC academy tour in Middle East had an open day. Was roped in as 15 yr old to play for the parents team. 2 goals and MOTM!

Send us your stories via #bbcfootball,, external on the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or via text on 81111 (UK only).

It's as tight as two coats of paint in the Championship, with only goal difference separating the top four clubs, all level on 66 points.

And as pointed out below, we'll have a live text commentary on Middlesbrough v Ipswich, which kicks off at 12:15 GMT.

_Threadbare: I think that Norwich v Derby could well be the game of the day. Top of the Championship is more exciting than the Prem!

Image source, Getty Images

Stay right here for an overarching view of all of today's football but with a host of big games throughout the day you can also dip into our match-specific coverage, kicking off with the Championship promotion battle between Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town from 12:00 GMT.

Then, in the Premier League, Manchester City travel to Burnley looking to get their title challenge back on track and we have dedicated coverage of the match from Turf Moor from 17:00 GMT.

If European football is more your thing, coverage kicks off at 14:00 GMT with Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, followed by Eibar v Barcelona and Palermo v Juventus.

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton
BBC Radio 5 live

"As a player at Blackburn I roomed with Aston villa manager Tim Sherwood, I'm not so sure I would do that again, but that's another story.

"This Villa team, in the space of two games I've never seen fans turn so quickly. You have to fancy Villa. They are set up for the counter attack, and I think they will nick it. The key word is belief. But at Sunderland, it's all doom and gloom."

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton
BBC Radio 5 live

"Sunderland are worrying the life out of me at the minute. If they don't win I think they will be in real danger of going down. Gus Poyet seems agitated, and I don't think he will be the manager there next season.

"If I was a Sunderland fan, success every season would have to be staying in the Premier League, and yet the fans always seem to be disgruntled."

We want to know about the times when you've ever stepped in to play or referee at the last minute? It seems that lots of you have - and in the most unlikely and bizarre of circumstances.

Andrew, Richhill: My fiancee's cousin was playing his weekly game of five-a-side at a state of the art sports/gym facility in Dubai, but with just nine players. They were interrupted by a small man with a large entourage who asked, "Can I play?" It was Rory McIlroy! He's a decent footballer too I'm told!

Dom, Cardiff: I played as a part-time keeper for our student five-a-side team. Had a (unusually) good game and a team of 40 year olds asked me to play in goal for them afterwards. Had a shocker in goal and ended up playing outfield and scoring four!

Neil Coleman: We were on a lads holiday in Tenerife and drunkenly agreed to play a mixture of Spaniards and Argentinians the next day. Sure enough we turned up in the blazing heat not feeling in the best of shape and got trounced 13-1.

Send us your stories via #bbcfootball,, external on the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or via text on 81111 (UK only), and tune in to the Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 live to hear more.

Aston Villa moved out of the relegation zone with a win over West Brom and are now fourth from bottom ahead of a trip to fellow strugglers Sunderland today with the Black Cats a point and a place above the Midlands side.

Villa have some momentum behind them after also beating the Baggies to reach the FA Cup semi-final so can they stay on a roll?

Gavin - London: When travelling in Vietnam me and my friends got challenged to a game of 5 a side against some Buddhist monks. They had a pitch out the back of their temple! Some surprisingly meaty challenges from the monks. We won though.

Tom: Worked in a bar in Cardiff. group came in when I was about 5 pints into a relaxing afternoon, desperate for a person for a 5 a side tournament. Knowing I was slightly merry got put between the sticks. Cue the best GK display of my life. Invited back when sober- had a shocker- never asked again.

Matt - Solihull: I had to step in to referee a match for some former work mates...I sent my best mate off for diving...He was not happy.

Send us your stories via #bbcfootball,, external on the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or via text on 81111 (UK only).