Clint Dempsey will try to keep his torrid hot streak in the English Premier League going against a Manchester City side looking to hold on to first place in one of today's best matches.

The Cottagers are in need of points to move further away from the relegation zone, but earning any in Manchester against a City side coming off a loss to Everton won't be easy.

A pair of heated English derby match-ups headline today's action, and both will have added subplots that will only make things more intense.

Manchester United and Liverpool clash in their first meeting since the controversial match where Luis Suarez allegedly used racial slurs against Patrice Evra; while London rivals Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers meet for the first time since John Terry allegedly used a racial slur against Anton Ferdinand.

Landon Donovan is coming off an outstanding match in Everton's 1-1 draw vs. Aston Villa last week, and he will look to post an even better performance against struggling Blackburn today.

Donovan will look to jump-start an offense that has has its share of struggles, but an offense that could have a field day against struggling Rovers.

Less than two months ago Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane were combining on a game-winning goal that helped lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to an MLS Cup title. Today, the two will square off on the other side of the planet as Donovan's Everton and Keane's Aston Villa do battle.

Manchester United will look to keep the heat on Manchester City by knocking off Bolton, which is awaiting a work permit for newly-acquired defender Tim Ream.

With leagues coming off their winter breaks, and England diving into FA Cup action, today's slate of matches will give us the first good schedule of activity of the new year.

The Mexican League gets its Clausura season underway this weekend, as Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna take on Jose Torres and Pachuca.

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates his 70th birthday today and his Manchester United will try to give him a present in the form of a victory and sole possession of first place when the Red Devils take on struggling Blackburn today.

Manchester United pulled even with Manchester City during the most recent set of Premier League matches, but can pull ahead with a victory against a Rovers side that has endured a nightmare season under manager Steve Kean.

With the word that Landon Donovan is heading to Everton in January, the Toffees are suddenly feeling confident about their chances of climbing back into the top half of the English Premier League standings. If they can make that move before the new year will depend largely on whether Tim Howard and Co.

The two best teams in the world prepare to square off today in the highly-anticipated match-up of Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The latest chapter of 'El Clasico' brings us Real Madrid in first place by three points, but knowing that Barcelona has gotten the better of them in recent match-ups.

Chelsea manager Andres Villas Boas is feeling the heat as his squad has delivered some disappointing results this season, and if the Blues are going to turn things around, they'll have to win in one of the tougher stadiums to visit in the English Premier League.

Newcastle has been one of the surprises of the season, and the Magpies won't be looking to do Villas Boas any favors as they try to stay in the Top Four mix.

If the long Thanksgiving weekend has left you with an empty Saturday you'd love to spend just watching great soccer, today's slate of soccer games offer just the type of day-long getaway soccer fans dream of.

You can start the day in Germany, where defending champions Borussia Dortmund take on neighboring rivals Schalke 04, then head on over to England, where Manchester United faces upstart Newcastle United.

The final two unbeatens in the English Premier League square off today as Manchester City takes on Newcastle United on the marquee match-up of the day.

It shows you how much things have changed when those two teams are the ones battling for Premier League bragging rights, but City's dominance this year and Newcastle's surprising success have been two of the biggest storylines of the season.

If you had asked people before the English Premier League season which teams would still be unbeaten at the start of November, not many would have said Newcastle, but there the Magpies are, sitting near the top of the table with a zero in the loss column.

Tim Howard and Everton will try to hand Alan Pardew's squad that first loss in the opening match of today's busy schedule of action.

The Manchester Derby stole all the headlines last week, but the focus in Europe returns to London this weekend as Arsenal and Chelsea renew their Derby.

Chelsea is coming off a disappointing derby loss to Queens Park Rangers, and will face an Arsenal side growing in confidence after a slow start to the season, thanks in large part to red-hot striker Robin Van Persie.

It may seem strange to see FC Barcelona tied atop the Spanish Premier League standings with Levante, but Lionel Messi and Co. will have their chance to start pulling away from the upstarts by beating fourth-place Sevilla in today's battle of La Liga unbeatens.

Barcelona is just one point ahead of familiar foe Real Madrid, but sitting two points back is Sevilla, which will have hopes of springing an upset today.

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One of the oldest and fiercest rivals in European soccer resumes today as Manchester United travels down the M6 to take on Liverpool (7:45am, ESPN2) in the latest installment of the North West Derby.

Manchester United is currently in first place in the English Premier League, tied with Manchester City, while Liverpool will try to crack the Top Four with a win.

Inter Milan is in rebuilding mode under a new manager after a brutal start to the season, and today will offer new manager Claudio Ranieri and his side a tough test to see just how far along the blue side of Milan has come.

Napoli will provide the challenge, as Edinson Cavani and the crew from Naples look to boost their own Serie A title hopes.

For the first time in a long time, neither FC Barcelona or Real Madrid is in first or second place in the Spanish First Division, something both Barca and Madrid will try to change with wins today.

Barcelona is currently sitting in fourth place after four matches, and faces a stiff test against Atletico Madrid today, while Real Madrid tries to climb out of seventh place after some recent disappointing results.

FC Barcelona is struggling.

Yes, I know that sounds crazy to even read, but by their standards, the reigning European and La Liga champions are struggling after giving up late leads in consecutive draws last week. We will find out how Pep Guardiola's side will respond to those disappointments today when Barca takes on Osasuna in what should be one of today's more entertaining games (if only for the potential for a Barcelona romp).

Arsenal has endured a rough start to the new Premier League season, but a busy transfer deadline day helped Arsene Wenger restock his roster, with the hope being the Gunners could re-load enough to stay a top four teams.

We will get our first chance to see whether the new Arsenal additions can help the Gunners get over the loss of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas when they take on Swansea City today (10am, Fox Soccer Channel).

There is plenty of European soccer on the menu today, but the best match-up for American soccer fans to watch today will feature a pair of American teams.

The Seattle Sounders and Columbus Crew square off in a battle of league powers at CenturyLink Field in Seattle this afternoon (4pm).

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The second week of the English Premier League kicks off this weekend, but it is MLS with the quality match-ups that headline today's soccer on TV.

First-place Columbus takes on second-place Philadelphia in a vital Eastern Conference clash, while FC Dallas battles Seattle in a match-up of top Western Conference foes.

It's the best day of the year (at least for some soccer fans).

Today marks the start of the English Premier League season, the first real sign that European soccer is back in full swing, and American soccer fans will have plenty of juicy match-ups to make this special day enjoyable.

This weekend marks the opening of the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 seasons overseas, with U.S. men's national team midfielder Jermaine Jones seeking a fresh start with Schalke and American goalkeeper Quentin Westberg getting a chance to start in Evian Thonon Gaillard's first match since being promoted to France's top flight.

The European club season is fast approaching and today will offer up the first samplings of what should be a great year.

Reigning German Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund open play in the German Super Cup against Schalke 04. U.S. national team midfielder Jermaine Jones isn't likely to play a part for Schalke since he's on the way out, but the match should still be a fun one to watch.

After unloading on Costa Rica in its final group stage match, Argentina heads into the knock-out rounds of Copa American looking like a team capable of winning the trophy.

The first step in the knockout rounds will pit the 'Albiceleste' against Uruguay, the fourth-place finishers in the 2010 World Cup.

The Women's World Cup and Copa America headline today's slate of soccer action as both tournaments grow more intense by the day.

Women's World Cup host Germany faces Japan while England takes on France in today's quarterfinal action, while Brazil looks to improve on its disappointing opening Copa America match with a win against a tough Paraguay side.

In a year when male U.S. national teams at all levels have disappointed, the U.S. women's World Cup team has become the last hope for international success this year for the U.S. soccer program.

The ladies will look to improve to 2-0 at the Women's World Cup today against Colombia, with a win securing passage to the knockout rounds.

For most American soccer fans there is only one game to focus on this Soccer Saturday, but there is actually a pretty full slate of matches to enjoy.

The first American team doing battle today will be the U.S. Under-17 national team, which will look to qualify for the knockout rounds with a win against New Zealand today in the Under-17 World Cup.

The two first places in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals will be filled tonight as Costa Rica takes on Honduras and unbeaten Mexico battles Guatemala.

The first pair of Gold Cup quarterfinals headline a busy night of soccer action, a night that includes the Los Angeles Galaxy's visit to the Colorado Rapids and D.

It's a busy day in MLS and the international soccer front as the Gold Cup and European Under-21 Championships headline the day's soccer viewing offerings.

The Philadelphia Union will be looking to re-take first place in the Eastern Conference with a win against suddenly struggling Real Salt Lake, while D.

French League leaders Lille will look to lock up the Ligue 1 title today in a home showdown against Paris St. German.

With the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and Serie A all having already decided their champions, Lille will look to be the next in line to lift a trophy (or drop one off a bus), but with PSG having its own European aspirations to fight for, it won't be a cakewalk for Eden Hazard and Co.

It could be a big day for the city of Manchester.

With a draw or victory at Ewood Park, Manchester United would clinch its 19th Premier League championship. United States midfielder Jermaine Jones and the rest of his Blackburn teammates will do what they can to prevent the title celebration from happening on their turf.

AC Milan has been riding high atop Serie A for most of the regular season, but can finally officially lift the Scudetto today with a win against AS Roma.

Milan is seven points clear of second-place Inter Milan, meaning a win or Inter Milan tie or loss will snap Inter's streak of five straight Serie A titles.

Four games remain in the English Premier League season and if Chelsea is going to have any chance of catching Manchester United atop the standings, the Blues will likely have to win every one of them.

The first of the four comes today in the form of a stiff test from London rival Tottenham, which is trying to do it's on catching up by closing the four-point gap behind Manchester City for fourth place.

Manchester United is marching toward an English Premier League title, but the Red Devils will have to beat a familiar face to take a step closer.

Former United goalkeeper Tim Howard and Everton will look to upset Manchester United in one of the day's marquee match-ups. Everton is chasing Liverpool for sixth place in the Premier League, while United has pulled away from Arsenal in the title race.

Manchester City spent millions and millions to build a team capable of winning trophies, but the boys in Blue are down to one last chance for silverware, with the FA Cup being the last trophy the Citizens are capable of winning.

The only problem is Manchester United stands in the way.

Whether you're a lover of Premier League soccer, or you prefer a more well-rounded mix of international soccer, today's schedule of matches is attractive enough to entice any soccer fan.

Consider this list of match-ups today:

Borussia Dortmund-Hannover 96, FC Twente-PSV Eindhoven, AC Milan-Inter Milan and Villarreal-Barcelona.

Manchester United takes on Arsenal today in FA Cup action, a match that is easily the best of a busy day of soccer action.

The Red Devils will be looking to keep Arsenal down after the Gunners' recent Champions League loss to Barcelona, but Arsenal will have a chance to knock off a United side with its own UEFA Champions League issues to deal with.

Tim Howard and Everton will give it another go against Chelsea in the FA Cup after the two sides played two a 1-1 draw in their fourth-round matchup three weeks ago.

With a spot in the fifth round against Reading on the line, Howard will need to be at his best to shut down Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where Didier Drobga is expected to rejoin the starting lineup after being benched in favor of the cup-tied Fernando Torres against Fulham.

Few league matches are anticipated as much as the Manchester derby, and even though the earlier meeting this season between Manchester City and Manchester United ended in a scoreless deadlock, there's reason to believe that Saturday's clash at Old Trafford will supply some drama and fireworks.