Something for the weekend: Southampton win would KO QPR, Sunderland MUST start scoring, and Wolves on brink of collapse

By Michael Walker for the Daily Mail

Published: 05:36 EST, 1 March 2013 | Updated: 08:58 EST, 1 March 2013

It's Friday and that means another fantastic weekend of football action is just hours away.

In our regular column looking ahead to it all, Michael Walker says a Southampton win over QPR would leave Harry Redknapp's side staring at relegation and goes over the goalscoring conundrum haunting Sunderland, as well as the woes facing troubled Wolves.

1. Whatever happened to Wolverhampton Wanderers? Alliteration is about the only comfort for Wolves fans as they survey a winless run that dates back to Boxing Day, which includes an FA Cup exit at non-League Luton Town and a change of manager from Stale Solbakken to Dean Saunders.

Since winning at Blackpool four days before Christmas, Wolves have played twelve games, lost eight and drawn four. The club appears to be in freefall and, having slid into the Championship relegation zone, must contemplate dropping into League One just twelve months after being in the Premier League. It is a mighty collapse.

Misery: Wolves haven't won a match since Boxing Day

The mood is such that owner Steve Morgan on Wednesday said that he would be prepared to walk away should results and fan abuse worsen, and while that may be an overly dramatic statement, it hardly helps stability.

Tonight Molineux hosts Watford - winners of seven of their last nine - before Wolves' away trips to Millwall and Nottingham Forest next week.

2. There is another striking match tonight - at Macclesfield. Grimsby Town are the visitors and will go top of the Blue Square Bet Premier with a 2-0 away win.

Just five points separate the top five in this ambitious division, with fifth-placed Newport County having games in hand. It would be a brave call to nominate winners.

Grimsby were relegated from the Football League three years ago. They are winning again but  according to joint manager Rob Scott, they are not playing well enough.

'We're sick to death of coming in the changing rooms after games and saying, "That was not quite good enough", so that needs to change and change quickly,' Scott said after Tuesday night's victory over Ebbsfleet.

Sounds like complacency should not be a Grimsby problem.

Motive: Grimsby face Macclesfield Town tonight in the knowledge that a win will see them move to the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier

3. Celtic fans clinging onto thin strands of optimism about progress in the Champions League will be dismayed that Juventus play tonight, whereas Celtic play on Saturday.

However, Juventus, top of Serie A, travel to second-place Napoli, which is probably a harder trip than Celtic's to St Mirren in the Scottish Cup.

Small hope: Celtic face Juventus in Turin on Wednesday with slim hope of progressing to the last eight

4. In his last five Premier League matches as Southampton manager, Nigel Adkins oversaw three draws away from home and an away win. There was also a home draw. Five games, seven points.

In his first five matches as Adkins' successor, Mauricio Pochettino has overseen one win, two draws and two defeats. Five games, five points.

Southampton's victory under Pochettino was against Manchester City - 3-1 - which should be recalled when they take to St Mary's for a potentially season-shaping game with QPR on Saturday.

Another home win would take the Saints to 30 points and all but knock out QPR. An away win would send a shiver through Southampton and, you imagine, Adkins' name would suddenly be on the agenda again. A draw suits Saints more.

Making his point: Mauricio Pochettino's Southampton side face fellow relegation fodder QPR this weekend

Misfiring: Steven Fletcher has scored only two goals this year

5. Only QPR and Aston Villa have scored fewer league goals at home this season than Sunderland, and that needs to change if Martin O'Neill's players are not to become embroiled in a relegation battle.

Fulham at the Stadium of Light, on paper, offers possibilities, but there will be a degree of nervousness on Wearside. Fulham at home is followed by a trip to QPR, then Norwich at home.

It is a sequence of fixtures Sunderland need to start with a win, because the four games after that - Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton - are tough. 

6. How will Swansea City react to their historic Wembley triumph? They host Newcastle at the Liberty Stadium with even Michael Laudrup unsure as to how his team will perform. They could be inspired, they could be tired. A win could take Swansea to seventh in the table.

7. If there is a more exciting race than the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier, it is in League One, where four points separate the top seven.

Teams keep slipping - high-flying Bournemouth have just lost three in a row, Swindon are in apparent post-Di Canio chaos and Tranmere have won one of their last six. On Saturday Tranmere go to Yeovil, who barged their way up the table only to stall on Tuesday with a 2-0 defeat at Colchester.

Struggle: Swindon are in the midst of post-Di Canio chaos following the Italian's well-documented departure

A team who may have recovered some momentum after their FA Cup run, are Brentford, who host Scunthorpe. Doncaster also won on Tuesday for the first time in six games and it was enough to take them top. That's because Sheffield United drew at home to Orient. The Blades are at Oldham, where Matt Smith may start and ask questions of Danny Wilson's defence.

8. There is summit fever at the top of League Two as well. Gillingham lost at home to Oxford in midweek, as Port Vale did at home to Exeter. With five wins in their last seven, Burton Albion are the coming team and are up to third. They face a tricky trip to revived Bristol Rovers but Burton have scored 13 in their last four games. Exeter v Northampton is sixth v fourth.

Defeat: Gillingham lost at home to Oxford in midweek

9. Bristol Rovers are one of 10 teams covered by nine points at the bottom of League Two. None of those clubs can be feeling cosy about being in the Football League in August. Particularly Torquay United, who have just lost seven in a row. Torquay are fifth-bottom and travel to third-bottom Accrington Stanley. Accrington won 3-0 at Rochdale on Tuesday and should be on a high.

But it's an unpredictable patch. With only two victories in their last 13, Plymouth are bottom. Three seasons ago they were in the Championship. They host Barnet, fourth-bottom. Edgar Davids scored for Barnet on Tuesday against Southend, the player-manager part of a run that has seen Barnet win four and draw two of their last eight.

Up for the battle: El-Hadji Diouf might fancy this weekend's clash with Millwall

10. And then there is Elland Road. Millwall are the visitors for an early Saturday kick-off. El-Hadji Diouf has sat on the bench for the last two Leeds games but if he plays some part, the reaction of Millwall fans will be monitored.

One Millwall supporter was this week given a five-year banning order from football grounds due to the racist abuse he aimed at Diouf at the Den in November. The club have also banned the man in question indefinitely from The Den.

It might just be the sort of occasion Diouf fancies.