NEU » at first pitch. Brandon McCarthy (2-0

MANCHESTER, England -- David Moyes called it just nine days into the season.Asked after consecutive losses whether it will be another relegation battle for Sunderland in the Premier League, the teams recently hired manager said, I think it will be. I dont think you can hide the facts. That will be the case, yes.Admirable honesty, sure, but exactly the kind of pessimism Sunderland fans didnt want to hear so early in the season. It has set the tone for another woeful start to a league campaign by the northeast club.Sunderland is in last place in the Premier League, with just two points from nine games, and is the only side in Englands four professional leagues without a league victory this season. Its the second consecutive season in which Sunderland has failed to win any of its first eight league games, which hasnt happened since Bury did so in 1905 and 1906.With Arsenal heading to the Stadium of Light on Saturday on an unbeaten run of 13 matches in all competitions, the likelihood is Sunderlands misery will be prolonged another week.Even for the greatest escapologists of the Premier League, staying up this season will be some feat. The Black Cats may have run out of lives.Sunderland has narrowly avoided relegation for the past four years via the same means: A mid-season managerial change followed by a drastic upturn in late-season results. Steve Bruce was the last manager to complete a full season at Sunderland -- and that was in 2009-10.Since then, Martin ONeill (16 months across two seasons), Paolo Di Canio (six months), Gus Poyet (18 months across two seasons), Dick Advocaat (seven months), and Sam Allardyce (nine months) have come and gone through the Stadium of Lights revolving door.Moyes is the latest in the sorry cycle, and recent history suggests he will not last the season before the clubs American owner, Ellis Short, reaches for another savior to keep Sunderland in the worlds most lucrative domestic league.You can change one guy, Moyes said, but it has been proved in the past here, that is not the answer.Moyes was in charge of Everton for 11 years before being hired by Manchester United in 2013 as Alex Fergusons hand-picked replacement with the aim of creating another dynasty at Englands biggest club. He lasted 10 months at Old Trafford, the job proving far too big for him.Moyes attempted to rebuild his reputation at Real Socieded in Spain, but was fired a day before completing a year in charge. Now its all going wrong at Sunderland.The squad lacks depth, although long-term injuries have robbed Moyes of key players such as goalkeeper Vito Mannone, midfielder Sebastien Larsson and forwards Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini. His policy of signing former players from Manchester United and Everton -- injury-prone pair Steven Pienaar and Victor Anichebe among them -- had an air of desperation about it. Worryingly, Jermain Defoe, the 34-year-old former England striker, appears the only reliable source of goals.Moyes latest disappointment occurred on Wednesday, when Sunderland lost 1-0 at Southampton in the fourth round of the English League Cup. Near the end of the match, Moyes was dismissed from the dugout for swearing at an official when a penalty was not awarded for his side.Has the 53-year-old Scot simply lost his touch?Our lucks out at the moment, but it will change, Moyes said.It hadnt by Thursday. The plane flying Sunderlands players home from the Southampton match reportedly failed to take off in thick fog late Wednesday, meaning they were left stranded on the south coast.Thats hardly the best preparation for Arsenals visit.Heres what else to look out for in the Premier League this weekend:---TOTTENHAM VS. LEICESTERLeicester has lost by a three-goal margin in each of its last three Premier League away games: 4-1 at Liverpool and Manchester United, and 3-0 at Chelsea.It doesnt get any easier for the champions, who must visit unbeaten Tottenham on Saturday, four days before playing in the Champions League against FC Copenhagen.---WEST BROMWICH ALBION VS. MANCHESTER CITYPep Guardiola is in the worst run of his managerial career after Citys winless streak extended to six games with a loss to Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday.While City remains top of the league, Guardiola will avoid the kind of criticism that has been aimed at coaching rival Jose Mourinho at United this season.West Brom is possibly the most dangerous team in the league from set pieces, and that is an area its manager, Tony Pulis, will surely target at The Hawthorns on Saturday.Cheap Authentic Jerseys .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Stitched Jerseys .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. http://www.nflchinacheapjerseysstore.us.com/ . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Football Jerseys Wholesale .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo.ST. LOUIS -- On one hand, sweeping the San Diego Padres at home doesnt sound like a big deal when youre the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been to the National League playoffs five straight years and 12 of the last 16.On the other hand, when you entered the four-game series with a rotten 20-28 home record and hadnt won four straight home games all year, sweeping San Diego is a big deal.We havent played well at home, St. Louis starting pitcher Adam Wainwright said. Were ready for a big (winning) streak here. Were ready to run off about a 12-spot.The Cardinals can add to this success and make up ground on two fronts in the playoff chase Friday night when they welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to Busch Stadium for a three-game weekend series.Thursday nights 6-5 win over the Padres, which led 5-1 after 7 1/2 innings, boosted St. Louis to 51-44 for the year, tying its high water mark of seven games over .500. It also kept it within a game of Miami for the NLs second wild-card spot.Whats more, the Cardinals also pulled within 6 1/2 games of the idle Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central, the closest theyve been since beating them 4-3 on May 23 to move within six games of first.So in a season largely bereft of team accomplishments, forgive St. Louis for feeling good about itself for a moment or two.Who said I was joking? kidded Wainwright when asked about joking about a 12-spot. You never know whats going to be your catapult. I just know that we havent had a good long winning streak in a while, and its time for it.LLos Angeles (54-43) owns the NLs first wild-card spot by a game over Miami and comes to town fresh off winning two of three at NL East leader Washington, besting previously unbeaten Stephen Strasburg 6-3 Thursday.ddddddddddddThe Dodgers will have a hot pitcher taking the mound on a hot night, as temperatures might be close to 100 degrees at first pitch. Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.69) is coming off six shutout innings Saturday at Arizona, allowing just three hits and fanning eight as he was no-decisioned in a 2-1, 12-inning loss.Hell be opposed by Michael Wacha (5-7, 4.55), who lasted just four-plus innings and 101 pitches Sunday in a no-decision outing against Miami. Wacha, who had his pitch count jacked up by 25 foul balls, gave up seven hits and three runs, walking two and fanning four.Wacha is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles, absorbing an 8-4 loss on May 13. Hell have to be careful against Justin Turner, who homered twice and drove in five runs against Strasburg Thursday, giving him six homers and 16 RBI in 16 games this month.Im definitely feeling comfortable again, Turner said. I feel good and am obviously getting better results.The Cardinals will send Mike Leake (7-7, 4.00) to the mound Saturday night opposite Kenta Maeda (8-7, 3.25). In Sunday nights matchup, the Dodgers will pitch Scott Kazmir (8-3, 4.30) against a St. Louis pitcher to be determined. ' ' '