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Steve McMahon

A few weeks ago, I mentioned how Blues owner Roman Abramovich should keep his faith in Villas-Boas and allow him to work his magic at Chelsea.

Following last Saturday's 1-0 loss to West Brom, Abramovich finally had enough and ended the Portuguese's reign the following day, a decision which raises more questions than it answers.

Why appoint a young manager who has a vision of rebuilding the club and not give him sufficient time to have a real go at things? Even the most-experienced manager would have taken longer than eight months to impose his ideas on his players, let alone Villas-Boas who, for all he's achieved with Porto, is still at the infancy stages at what could still prove to be a long career in management.

Many applauded when Abramovich decided to give a young, highly-rated tactician a shot at the big time, taking charge of one of the Barclays Premier League's biggest clubs. Now, they just appear undecided on whether they want to focus on immediate results or long-term success.

Villas-Boas' inability to get many of his senior players on his side ultimately proved to be his downfall. Now that he's gone, the likes of Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard should follow him out.

During my playing days, never once did a manager arrive at a new club and have to win his players over. The manager is the boss - simple as that!

There is no point bringing in a new manager if his reign is still going to be undermined by Drogba, Lampard and Terry. The only way to end this problem that is plaguing Stamford Bridge is to boot all three of them out.

On the flipside, the one manager who would have no problem keeping them in check is Jose Mourinho, and at the moment, I feel he is the only person that should be considered for the vacant seat at Chelsea.

Still, Chelsea should take a good, hard look at Manchester City, who have set a brilliant example in showing how the manager should always be the boss.

Carlos Tevez captained City for much of last season, and had it not been for his goalscoring exploits, one could argue they wouldn't have qualified for this year's Champions League, and attracted the likes of Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri to the club.

Yet, the moment he took one step out of line, Roberto Mancini refused to let him anywhere near his first-team, and the City board fully backed their manager.

Tevez has since returned to Manchester after a long 'vacation' in Argentina, apologised to Mancini with his tail between his legs, and is desperately trying to force his way back into his manager's plans.

Even Mario Balotelli, for all his impressive performances this season, has not been spared some hefty fines for his frequent misbehavior.

Unfortunately for Villas-Boas, he did not enjoy the same kind of support from his superiors, and is now browsing the newspapers for job vacancies.

While Mourinho appears to be the best choice to take over at Chelsea, one wonders if it would be ideal for the club in the long run.

The race for Champions League qualification is starting to heat up with just seven points separating fourth-placed Arsenal and 7th-placed Liverpool, and both sides head into this weekend's eagerly-anticipated clash on a high.

Arsenal, who looked dead and buried 35 minutes into last Sunday's north-London derby against Tottenham, pulled off a remarkable comeback to beat their arch-rivals 5-2, wresting fourth spot back from Chelsea in the process.

Liverpool, on the other hand, won their first trophy in six years, although they struggled against a stubborn Cardiff outfit, before seeing off their Welsh opponents in a penalty shootout in a memorable Carling Cup final.

While Sunday's triumph means the Reds are guaranteed European football next season, you can be sure Kenny Dalglish will still be going all out to qualify for the Champions League, and they get take a significant step towards that goal by beating the Gunners on Saturday.

Liverpool will be buoyed by their impressive record against the Premier League's big guns this season, having recorded excellent wins over Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as creditable draws against Manchester City and Manchester United.

However, Dalglish would do well to be cautious in his approach when the Gunners visit on Saturday, for they are capable of beating any team on their day, as they showed last Sunday.

As things stand, a draw for Arsenal at Anfield would not exactly be the worst result, considering Liverpool are unbeaten at home this season. On the other hand, victory for the Reds would mean their quest for Champions League qualification would well and truly be back on, especially with a game in hand on their rivals.

Despite being hammered by their arch-rivals on Sunday, Tottenham still look certain to hold on to third place and qualify for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.

I've said all season that Spurs were never in contention to challenge City and United for the title, but they will still pose a stern test to the latter when both sides meet at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Like Arsenal, Tottenham have the ability to beat any time in the country on their day, and they will surely give United a good run for their money, considering the Red Devils have been far from convincing in their recent performances against Ajax and Norwich.

I expect Sir Alex Ferguson to be slightly worried ahead of this weekend's trip to north London, especially with his side lacking a cutting edge at the moment. However, they will be buoyed by their recent record at White Hart Lane, where they have not lost in their last ten visits.

Last week, I mentioned how both Arsene Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas were under severe pressure, and while both Arsenal and Chelsea got back to winning ways over the weekend, I stand by what I said.

One swallow doesn't make a summer, and while I agree Arsenal's victory over Spurs was a fantastic result, Wenger has to start getting results on a consistent basis. Anything less than Champions League qualification will still be regarded as a failure this season.

For Villas-Boas, their 3-0 win over Bolton was a welcome boost but far from inspiring. They will have sterner tests in the coming weeks, and like Wenger, the pass mark remains a spot in next season's Champions League.

Long regarded as London's two biggest sides, Arsenal and Chelsea have so far had less-than-satisfactory campaigns, and with the season fast approaching the business end, Arsene Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas could be forgiven for quietly sweating over their futures.

Following last weekend's FA Cup exit, and with a mountain to climb in their Champions League round-of-16 tie with AC Milan, it looks likely to be another season without silverware for the Gunners. The only way Arsenal's campaign will be regarded as acceptable is if they manage to qualify for the Champions League, a competition they have not missed out on since 1998.

For now, the Gunners are barely holding on the fourth spot, where they lead Chelsea only on goal difference, but that could all change when Tottenham visit the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

With games against Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester City and Chelsea still to come, Arsenal desperately need to pick up all three points against Spurs. And if they don't, it is time to say au revoir to Wenger in my opinion.

If Tottenham record a win at the Emirates, and Chelsea and Newcastle both win their matches on Saturday, Arsenal would drop to sixth in the table. And doing so at the hands of the Gunners' bitter rivals will be viewed as a cardinal sin by the Arsenal faithful, even for a manager as revered as Wenger.

Whatever it is, Tottenham have no better chance to stick the knife into the heart of Arsenal's season.

Wenger isn't the only manager with a huge question mark over his future, with Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas under immense pressure after an uninspiring start to life at Stamford Bridge.

I have been extremely disappointed with what I've seen from the Portuguese so far, especially considering he arrived in the Premier League heralded as the next big thing in football management.

Even after eight months in charge of the Blues, Villas-Boas still doesn't appear to be sure what he wants to do with his side. He regularly changes his tactics, and often deploys his players in different roles, causing plenty of confusion and instability.

He also appears over-reliant on the Chelsea old guard who are unsupportive of him, and Villas-Boas has to either get them on his side, or drop them completely from the squad, as he did with Nicolas Anelka and Alex.

Still, while many believe he will get the sack by the end of the season, I am confident Roman Abramovich will give him another 12 months at least. He was hired to usher in a new generation at Stamford Bridge, and there have been some fairly promising signs, especially from Daniel Sturridge, Juan Mata and David Luiz, who all look like they could play integral roles for the club over the next decade.

What he now has to do is impose himself on his charges and make sure they know he's the boss. Once he achieves that, the rest will come naturally.

Finally, the first trophy of the season (apart from the Charity Shield) is up for grabs this weekend when Liverpool take on Cardiff in the Carling Cup final at Wembley, and with all due respect to the Bluebirds, this should be a mere formality for the Reds.

Yes, we all saw Birmingham upset Arsenal in last season's final, but that will not happen this Sunday, simply because Liverpool will be too strong for their opponents.

It has been almost six years since the Reds last brought silverware back to Anfield, but imagine what it would mean for the fans if Kenny Dalglish was to win a trophy in his first full season back at the club?

And with Liverpool still challenging for the FA Cup as well, a domestic cup double could just be what is needed to kick start the Reds resurgence under one of its favourite sons.

All eyes will be at Old Trafford this weekend as Manchester United prepare to host Liverpool for the first time since Luis Suarez returned from his ban.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I regard this as the fiercest fixture in Premier League and with Liverpool eliminating United from the FA Cup recently, more fuel has been added to the fiery clash.

For Liverpool, I think Suarez might just start on the bench, given the sheer tension that arose from the racial abuse debate.  The FA isn’t helping by calling for a handshake between him and Evra, given how it ended up between Anton Ferdinand and John Terry.

You won’t want to get Suarez involved in all these kind of things, given that he’s not in the right frame of mind. In the match against Tottenham, he kicked Scott Parker in the stomach. You don’t do that. Footballers don’t just kick people in the stomach.

The jeers he expects may just spur him to do something unexpected that won’t help his team, so Dalglish should go with a similar lineup like in the FA Cup with Carroll leading the line up front.

While the ponytailed striker has been criticized for his lack of goals, he will be useful against a goalkeeper short on confidence like De Gea. Everyone saw what happened in the FA Cup match, where De Gea was unnerved by Carroll’s aerial prowess in the box.

Also, Bellamy and Kuyt should play out wide in the flanks. Bellamy has been in excellent form for Liverpool and I can see both of them trying to exploit the space behind United’s attacking full backs.

Speaking of full-backs, Suarez’s antagonist in the reverse fixture will have a tough game coming for him.

Patrice Evra will surely start for Manchester United – only because he is the sole recognised left back in the team.

He has been very poor recently, being involved in almost all the mistakes that contributed to goals conceded for Manchester United. Just last weekend, he was involved in all three goals that Chelsea scored. Liverpool will surely be looking to exploit his weakness down the flank.

Despite that, I feel that United will have the advantage playing at home. They will have all the momentum going for them and I expect them to go all-out on the attack, while Liverpool will be more cautious.

Sir Alex Ferguson prefers to start Welbeck and I think he’ll get the nod this time as well, ahead of Hernandez to partner Rooney up front. Welbeck has the pace and instinct which I feel may just trouble Liverpool too much.

And as I said before, Manchester United’s midfield system is their strength, and I feel that it will help them control the game.

For this one, I’m going for Manchester United to win by a couple of goals, simply because the match is being played at Old Trafford and they will go all out to win at home.

Ultimately, this is a game of two brilliant managers trying to outguess each other – there’s no definite answer to who will start or how the team will play.

One thing is for sure though, there is going to be a lot of tension and flashpoints in this match. All we can do is sit back and enjoy the sparks.

Steve McMahon's Predictions

Man United vs Liverpool

The standout clash of the weekend, and for good reason too. Liverpool will head to Old Trafford buoyed by last month’s FA Cup win over United, and once again, the midfield battle is likely to prove decisive.

While both sides are fairly even in the centre, it is on the wings where United look too powerful for the Reds, especially with Antonio Valencia on form, and Nani and Ashley Young both back fit. With home advantage, United will exact revenge on their bitter rivals.

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Sunderland vs Arsenal

A tricky one to call considering both teams have enjoyed a good run of form in recent weeks. Arsenal will be flying high after last weekend’s 7-1 thumping of Blackburn, while Sunderland have won seven of their ten league games under Martin O’Neill.

It’s not going to be easy, but with Arsenal’s inconsistent away form, with the Gunners having lost six of their twelve games on the road, this could just be another excellent result for O’Neill’s resurgent side.

Prediction:  1-1 (HT: 0-0)

Everton vs Chelsea

Prediction: 0-1 (HT: 0-0)

Swansea vs Norwich

Prediction: 1-1 (HT: 1-0)

Blackburn vs QPR

Prediction: 1-2 (HT: 0-1)

Bolton vs Wigan

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Fulham vs Stoke

Prediction: 2-1 (HT: 1-0)

Tottenham vs Newcastle

Prediction: 3-0 (HT: 1-0)

Wolves vs West Brom

Prediction: 1-2 (HT: 0-1)

Aston Villa vs Man City

Prediction: 0-1 (HT: 0-2)

This weekend has all the ingredients for an enthralling feast of football - with all eyes fixed on both the Emirates and Etihad Stadiums.

The title race is beginning to heat up, with Manchester United closing the gap at the top to just three points and Tottenham Hotspur continuing to defy all odds by keeping themselves within touching distance of leaders Manchester City.

And on Sunday, United's title credentials will be put to a stringent test on Sunday, when their returning legend Paul Scholes could face a familiar foe in the form of Thierry Henry.

While Scholes did well to make a scoring return to the United starting line-up with a goal against Bolton on Saturday, one should not read too much into it. It was against a side second bottom in the Barclays Premier League table.

I really don't expect Arsenal to give the former England international the space and time to make the Emirates Stadium his playground.

Henry and company though, have a point to prove after the Frenchman was involved in an angry exchange of words following their 3-2 defeat to Swansea, when one of the visiting Gunners fans accused the team of lacking 'the heart and the character and the fight'.

Those are the three traits Arsene Wenger would be hoping his side displays against an in-form United outfit still fresh from their impressive 3-0 win over Bolton.

But I have said it before and I will say it again - the Gunners will never end their trophy drought should Wenger religiously stick to his inflexible attacking game plan. And if Arsenal fans are pinning their hopes on Henry delivering a winner against United, they could be in for a major disappointment.

The 34-year-old is merely called in as an emergency cover for Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh - both missing due to African Cup of Nations commitments, and not as a messiah for the club.

On a positive note, Wenger's side have been strong at home this season, losing just once so far at the Emirates. Thus I am expecting nothing less than a good old battle between the Gunners and the Red Devils, who should be content leaving with a point.

Hoping for a United slip-up would be none other than Roberto Mancini. His side's title credentials will be put to a tougher test when Tottenham travel to the Etihad Stadium hoping to further cut the gap at the top.

Spurs' bid to rub shoulders with the top two has been relentless this season. And just five points off the top of the Barclays Premier League table after 21 games, Harry Redknapp's men are now being seen as title contenders by many.

Not me. Take nothing away from Spurs, who have been fantastic this season.  But if they were to land only their third league title, they would need both City and United to make an incredible slip-up in the second-half of the season. I simply cannot see that happening.

Nevertheless, with two sides oozing attacking flair, we could be in for a scintillating encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. That was serve as a tasty appetizer for the main course that is the clash at the Emirates.

Steve McMahon was speaking to ESPNSTAR.com's Daniel Teo.

Steve McMahon's Predictions

Thankfully for them, United are far from convincing at the moment, and with plenty at stake, I foresee both sides playing slightly cautious football, which could lead to a draw.

So our TV sets weren't playing tricks on us when Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes came back on the pitch again.

What a fairytale return it was for Henry, who proved he still has the same magic that once lit up the Premier League and gave Arsenal fans plenty of cheer.

And it was back to the good old days for the Emirates faithful when the Frenchman came on in the 68th minute to score the winner in trademark fashion against Leeds United in the FA Cup third round match on Monday.

It felt as if Henry had never been away. And his fairytale comeback has only made his romance with Arsenal a whole lot sweeter and his recently erected statue a tad bigger.

One can understand Wenger's decision to hand his protégé a return to the club. The Gunners' coach has lost the likes of Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh to the African Cup of Nations and Wenger knows it would be a big ask to find any world class player during the winter transfer window.

The arrival of Henry will not only give him, an extra option up front with Robin van Persie, but perhaps some selection headaches as well. Don't be surprised if Henry makes another appearance off the Arsenal bench against Swansea this weekend - and even scores another winning goal!

However, Scholes' shocking return cannot be viewed in the same light. His return just six months after retirement is nothing short of an embarrassment - both for the player and Manchester United.

While Henry has maintained his fitness and match sharpness by playing in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls, the same could not be said of his United counterpart, who has been spending his time coaching the reserves.

It was a pathetic decision by Sir Alex Ferguson to recall his old servant in a desperate move to help his ailing and struggling midfield. And the 37-year-old's sloppy cameo against Manchester City in the FA Cup third round on Sunday may well become his final ‘testimonial' match for United!

It has become a trend for Barclays Premier League clubs to take advantage of short-term services of former Premier League players, with Aston Villa set to follow suit with the loan signing of Robbie Keane.

One championship contender that seem unlikely to bring in any players on loan, Manchester City, can take heart from their 3-2 defeat to United in the FA Cup as they resume their title charge away to Wigan on Monday.

Roberto Mancini's men were in danger of tasting their own medicine (City's 6-1 win at Old Trafford) but did well to battle from 3-0 down at half-time and come away with a respectable narrow defeat against their bitter rivals.

The Citizens can take positives from their valiant comeback and another silver lining is that they have one less distraction in their quest for the Barclays Premier League title. But trust me, Mancini will be disappointed to have one less trophy to fight for this season.

Over at Anfield, the limelight is unfortunately on the ongoing racism row engulfing Liverpool, with the latest one coming from their FA Cup tie against Oldham where visiting defender Tom Adeyemi was allegedly abused by the home crowd.

But Kenny Dalglish's men cannot afford to let the off-field saga distract them from the task at hand as they face a tough visit from Stoke City. If the ‘home sick' Reds are to keep their top-four hopes alive on Saturday, they need to improve on their home form - especially against a mid-table side like Stoke.

In that context, the return of Steven Gerrard could not have come at a better time for them. The 31-year-old made a scoring return to the starting line-up against in the 5-1 thumping of Oldham and could be the difference between a Champions League or a Europa League spot next season.

Steve McMahon's Predictions

Saturday's Fixtures

Liverpool vs Stoke

HT: 1-0, FT: 2-0

Although Stoke recorded a 1-0 win over Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium last time both sides met in the league back in September, Kenny Dalglish's men absolutely dominated that game and were left to lament their profligacy in front of goal.

While the Potters will always be a threat from set pieces, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel can been impressive in the air all season, and with the Reds boosted by the return of talismanic captain Steven Gerrard, a comfortable victory is on the cards for Liverpool.

Chelsea vs Sunderland

HT: 1-0, FT: 2-1

Man United vs Bolton

HT: 1-0, FT: 3-0

West Brom vs Norwich

HT: 1-0, FT: 2-1

Aston Villa vs Everton

HT: 0-0, FT: 1-0

Blackburn vs Fulham

HT: 1-0, FT: 1-1

Tottenham vs Wolves

HT: 2-0, FT: 3-0

Sunday's Fixtures

Newcastle vs QPR

HT: 1-1, FT: 1-1

Swansea vs Arsenal

HT: 0-1, FT: 0-2

Monday's Fixtures

Wigan vs Man City

HT: 0-1, FT: 0-3

Following two straight defeats at home in the FA Cup and Carling Cup, Roberto Mancini will be eager for his side to get back to winning ways on Monday, and he will be delighted to be up against Roberto Martinez's Wigan.

After an impressive run which saw them lose just one in six league matches, the Latics are back in trouble after losing two of their last three, conceding eleven goals in those games and scoring just three. Perhaps more importantly for Mancini, Martinez's penchant for free-flowing football will leave plenty of gaps all over the park, which will present the Citizens with plenty of opportunities to hurt their hosts on the scoreboard.

There can only be one winner in the upcoming FA Cup Manchester derby and that's the blue half.

This latest clash between the two rivals will have a sharper edge to it than usual, given that it will be the first time they will meet since City thrashed United 6-1 at Old Trafford.

In my opinion, the Citizens will come out on top yet again. With the incredible depth and talent they have on the bench, even their second XI is better than United's starting line-up. That being said, United's pedigree means Roberto Mancini is unlikely to go all out and start with two strikers up front.

I've constantly praised the Italian for setting his team out to play positive football and no one should criticise him for being negative if he starts Sergio Aguero in the hole behind the striker - be it Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko - instead of two out and out marksmen.

Every single United player will have to be at his absolute best if the Premier League champions have to have any chance whatsoever. The one area that they could look to exploit is down the flanks. Gael Clichy and Micah Richards look more comfortable going forward than defending, which means United could get some joy if Nani and Antonio Valencia have a good game.

Of course, United themselves are beset by defensive problems of their own, especially with the number of injuries they have. They don't know who to play or who is fit! That's not a good sign against a side as strong as City are in the attack.

This month was always going to be one of high-profile encounters for Mancini's men - one in which they were scheduled to meet Liverpool thrice (once in the Premier League, twice in the Carling Cup) and United (in the FA Cup) once.

The first of their three encounters with Liverpool was played out on Tuesday and City were clearly the stronger side at Eastlands. It was undoubtedly a drubbing and one that throws up many questions from the Reds' perspective.

I'm not sure what Kenny Dalglish was thinking, playing Andy Carroll up front, instead of Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt, who played on the wing.

Bellamy especially was a baffling omission. He has the pace to trouble defences and would have been on a high after his brace against Newcastle. By leaving him out, Dalglish is not giving him a chance to get any sort of consistent goal-scoring form going.

It wouldn't have been a bad idea to give Steven Gerrard a full hour of playing time either. By the time he came on, Liverpool were already two down and it was too late. Of course, had Luis Suarez been present, things might have panned out differently.

Overall, Liverpool are struggling to keep pace with the top-four and would be lucky to land a Champions League place at the end of the season, unless some major personnel changes are made this month.

More immediately though, they need to think of ways to overcome City in the Carling Cup. For starters, they can drop Carroll and start with Bellamy or Kuyt up front!

For their part, City will miss Yaya Toure when he leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations. He, along with David Silva, was immense on Tuesday night, and the duo is more than a match of anyone in the league at the moment. But as I said before, Mancini has enough men at his disposal to cope with Toure's departure.

If I were to sum up Liverpool's first half to the 2011/12 season it would still be called a work in progress.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is getting the team closer to where it should be - especially when compared to last season - which is to be challenging for titles and trophies.

The frustrating thing is the Reds have failed to beat the likes of Sunderland, Swansea, Norwich and Blackburn at Anfield this season despite creating more than enough chances to win every game. It is no wonder they have one of the lowest goals-to-shots ratios in the Barclays Premier League this season.

It is just an excuse to say they've been unlucky. The reality is: The Reds are relying too much on Luis Suarez to score the goals.

The Uruguayan has already fired in an incredible 86 shots at goal this season (prior to the Newcastle match) which is one of the highest for a single player in Barclays Premier League at the moment.

Liverpool needs another striker to step up and take some of the scoring load off from Suarez's shoulder.

Andy Carroll is not the answer.

It has been almost a year since Liverpool paid Newcastle £35million for the 6ft 3in Englishman and he has returned the favour with a measly five goals. In stark contrast, Newcastle went out in the summer to find a replacement for Carroll when they signed Demba Ba on a free transfer - after West Ham's relegation triggered a release clause in his contract -and he's already scored 14 goals this season.

Carroll has to be top of the tree at the moment for biggest flops of the season so far.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish will definitely need to search for quality buys in the winter transfer window - especially when you consider that Manchester United can put out a weakened team and beat Wigan 5-0 while the Reds could only draw against Roberto Martinez's side.

By the way, Manchester United have been the most clinical team in the Barclays Premier League so far by converting 21% of their chances into goals while Liverpool lag behind with an 8% conversion rate.

Chelsea are another team which are struggling at the moment for consistency. I have to say I have been very disappointed with their new manager Andre Villas-Boas. He doesn't seem to know what his best formation is or even what his best team is.

In the Boxing Day clash with Fulham he took off Daniel Sturridge when Chelsea were still chasing a winning goal - the game ended 1-1.

Sturridge had either scored (5) or assisted (1) a goal in each of Chelsea's last six Barclays Premier League games prior to playing Fulham.

I expected better from the Portuguese tactician than what he's shown so far.

Steve McMahon's Predictions

Liverpool vs Newcastle

Kenny Dalglish's men have been really disappointing at home and they will no doubt be given a stiff test by Newcastle at Anfield. With Luis Suarez banned for the match, I expect the likes of Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt to step up and provide the much-needed goals for Liverpool.

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Man United vs Blackburn

The Red Devils are on fire at the moment. What's so good about them is it doesn't matter what team Sir Alex Ferguson puts out, as they will tend to go on and finish the job. It will be no different against Blackburn this time.

Prediction: 3-0 (HT: 2-0)

Arsenal vs QPR

Prediction: 3-0 (HT: 2-0)

Bolton vs Wolves

Prediction: 2-1 (HT: 1-0)

Chelsea vs Aston Villa

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Norwich vs Fulham

Prediction: 1-1 (HT: 0-0)

Stoke vs Wigan

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Swansea vs Tottenham

Prediction: 0-2 (HT: 0-1)

West Brom vs Everton

Prediction: 1-1 (HT: 0-0)

Sunderland vs Man City

Prediction: 0-2 (HT: 0-1)

After an unconvincing start to the season, Chelsea have found some form in recent weeks winning five of their last seven games, with their only loss coming in the 2-0 Carling Cup defeat to Liverpool.

And perhaps key to this strong run is the fact that Villas-Boas has finally settled on his ideal starting eleven.

Barring the Carling Cup loss to Liverpool, where the Chelsea manager choose to hand some much-needed minutes to the likes of Ross Turnbull, Ryan Bertrand, Josh McEachran and Romelu Lukaku, Villas-Boas has pretty much fielded the same lineup over the past month. And the benefits have been clear for all to see.

At the back, Villas-Boas seems to have settled on John Terry, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic, with the latter switching between right-back and centre-back depending on whether David Luiz or Jose Bosingwa gets the nod on the day.

Young Spaniard Oriol Romeu has featured in Chelsea's last seven matches and has impressed in every single outing, a sign he could soon make the defensive midfield position his own. With a wide range of passing and the discipline to shield his backline when necessary, the energetic 20-year-old has justified his manager's preference of him over the one-dimensional John Obi Mikel.

Ramires and Raul Meireles have also featured frequently in recent weeks, a move that has seen the once-indispensable Frank Lampard being relegated to the bench, along with Fernando Torres, who also has to bide his time now considering the impressive understanding Daniel Sturridge, Didier Drogba and Juan Mata have struck up forward.

With Villas-Boas now more or less settled on his starting eleven, the players will gradually understand the roles they have to play better, and with that, we will soon see the Portuguese manager's tactics come to fruition, as his charges become accustomed to what he demands of them.

Despite being at the opposite end of the table, Wigan are currently enjoying a good run of form too, having lost just one of their last six matches, a 4-0 loss at the hands of Arsenal. They have recorded impressive away victories over Sunderland and West Brom, and also held both Chelsea and Liverpool to consecutive draws.

However, that is almost certain to end on Boxing Day when they travel to Old Trafford to play a rejuvenated Manchester United. Not only is Sir Alex Ferguson an expert at managing his players when the fixtures pile up during this busy festive period, but United have a knack of emerging victorious in games they are expected to win.

Moreover, Wigan have had a shocking record against United in recent seasons, with the Red Devils winning all thirteen of their previous encounters, scoring 41 goals in the process and conceding just four!

And Wigan will have to be wary they don't let all their recent good form go to waste and finish 2011 bottom of the table, as that will deal a huge psychological blow for the remainder of the season.

As previous seasons have shown, the club rooted to the basement at the turn of the year almost always faces a monumental task in surviving the drop, and at the moment, Wigan, Blackburn and Bolton are prime candidates for relegation.

 The one thing going for the Latics is the fact they have managed to string a series of good results recently, something they can hope to repeat in the second half of the season. For now, the same cannot be said for Blackburn and Bolton.

Steve McMahon's Predictions

Chelsea vs Fulham

Fulham's spirits are obviously in tatters after being hammered 5-0 at home by Manchester United. On the other hand, there is no better chance for Chelsea to state their title intentions and close the gap at the top with a convincing win at Stamford Bridge. And I don't see them having any problems doing that.

Prediction: 3-0 (HT: 2-0)

Man United vs Wigan

Sir Alex Ferguson's side are in a good run of form, having just hammered Fulham 5-0. And with the game being held at Old Trafford, I don't see Wigan stopping United in their tracks.

Prediction: 4-0 (HT: 2-0)

Arsenal vs Wolves

Prediction: 4-0 (HT: 2-0)

Bolton vs Newcastle

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Liverpool vs Blackburn

Prediction: 4-0 (HT: 2-0)

Sunderland vs Everton

Prediction: 1-1 (HT: 1-0)

West Brom vs Man City

Prediction: 0-2 (HT: 0-1)

Stoke vs Aston Villa

Prediction: 2-1 (HT: 1-0)

Swansea vs QPR

Prediction: 2-0 (HT: 1-0)

Norwich vs Tottenham

Prediction: 1-3 (HT: 0-1)

Manchester City will try to prove against Arsenal on Sunday that their defeat at Chelsea was a mere blip in their bid for the Barclays Premier League title.

What a difference a week has made for Roberto Mancini's side - out of the Champions League and having their lead at the top of the league reduced to just two points. One thing's for sure, it has brought smiles to Manchester United fans who would have feared the worst for their season after crashing out of Europe themselves.

Having been handed a huge favour by Chelsea on Monday, the Red Devils will now look to the Gunners to do the same and send City crashing down to reality. What's amazing is that should Arsene Wenger's side inflict upon the Citizens' their second league defeat in as many weeks, we could see United at the top of the standings come Sunday.

But as much as I would like to see the title race blown wide open, Mancini's side will be too strong for the Gunners at home. Arsenal, however, would be hoping for history to repeat itself after beating City 3-0 at Eastlands last season.

Having said that, City have transformed from a top four side to strong title favourites in less than a year thanks to a massive summer spending spree which saw the arrivals of Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli to add to the galaxy of stars already present at the club. Arsenal fans should be concerned about a possible City backlash.

Nevertheless, we are promised a fascinating encounter at the Etihad Stadium. The Gunners are probably the only top team in the Barclays Premier League that stay loyal to their attacking policy away from home. And given City's array of attacking talent and free-flowing football, we could be in for a cracking showdown on Sunday.

Whatever the outcome, one thing's for sure - Robin van Persie will be at the centre of Mancini's team-talk before the match. The Dutch international is the Gunners' main artillery in their quest for a top-four finish and even an unlikely title challenge. And the order of the day for the Citizens would be to gun down Van Persie. If they can accomplish that, you can be promised a frustrated Wenger at the sidelines.

I'm sure Sir Alex Ferguson will be keeping a close eye at the Etihad Stadium after his side's visit to Queens Park Rangers in the early kick-off on Sunday. But what he should be really concerned about is his United squad. Their performance against Basel in the Champions League further proves that the current squad is not strong enough.

Come January, if United do possess a genuine desire to retain their Barclays Premier League crown, it's imperative that they invest in at least two world class players. With Wayne Rooney's form inconsistent this season and Javier Hernandez hit by injuries, you have to wonder where the goals will come from for United. It's not like the midfield is plundering them in either.

 The likes of Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher have never been known for their goalscoring exploits, while Ashley Young is struggling to rediscover his early season form. And that leaves Nani the best outlet for goals.

I would like to see Ferguson go for Wesley Sneijder again in the January transfer window. The Inter Milan midfielder will provide vision, creativity and most importantly, goals - all the ingredients needed for United to push City in the title race.

Defensively, Ferguson needs to settle on his first choice centre-back pairing. With Nemanja Vidic out for the rest of the season, the United boss has to decide between Phil Jones and Johny Evans as partner for Rio Ferdinand. Jones has been played out of position in central midfield far too often this season and that is not a good sign for a team trying to win the title.

However, these problems will mean little for the Red Devils if they somehow find themselves top of the Barclays Premier League come Sunday.

Chelsea got their Barclays Premier League title race back on track with a 3-0 win over Wolves and now there's even better news for the fans - Didier Drogba looks set to leave.

The Ivory Coast striker has snubbed the Blues' offer of a one-year contract extension and vowed to "go where he is offered the most money" after turning down a loan move to AC Milan.

Good for him. And even better for Chelsea!

The 33-year-old is past his best and has been under-performing at Stamford Bridge for the past two seasons and has lost his place in the Blues starting line-up.

More importantly, his departure is just what Andre Villas-Boas' side need if they truly intend to rejuvenate their squad and get rid of the ageing players who are preventing the club from becoming true title contenders.

There have been reports of dressing room cliques engulfing the Villas-Boas' reign at Stamford Bridge and it wouldn't surprise me that the disruptive ones are formed by the more senior players at the club.

So who better to start the regeneration process at the Bridge than Drogba himself? This could well be the start of a new era for Chelsea as they look to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Manchester City for the Barclays Premier title in years to come.

Speaking of the title race, David Beckham appears to be donning red-tinted glasses when he claimed City can't Barclays Premier League this season.

The former United winger said: "I don't think Manchester City have a chance.

"This season they have got a good team and have some good players, but Manchester United have more experience and know how to win a championship."

I'm sorry Beckham, but if Roberto Mancini's men do not have a chance of winning the title, I really don't know who does. While it's true they have hardly any experience of being in a title race less, much less winning it, I really do believe City have everything they need this time.

If there were any lingering doubts over their unity and fighting spirit as a team, they were dispelled at Anfield last Sunday. Mancini's men (with the exception of Mario Balotelli) showed they are more than capable of toughing it out in adversity when they were reduced to 10-men after Balotelli's needless dismissal.

So saying that City have no chance of winning the title is as ludicrous as saying Blackburn have no chance of being relegated.

Over at Ewood Park, things are getting from bad to worse for Steve Kean and Blackburn, who are currently rooted to the bottom of the Barclays Premier League table.

Forget about the pay rise he received just days before their 3-1 defeat to Stoke last week. It was simply an amendment of a clause in his contract that allows Rovers to part company with him for lesser compensation - a clear indication that his days are numbered.

If Blackburn remain stuck in the relegation zone at the end of the year, it wouldn't surprise me if Kean gets shown the Ewood Park door.

One club that are definitely on the up and have a strong chance of making it into the top four is Liverpool. Kenny Dalglish's side were unlucky not to have ended City's unbeaten run at Anfield after dominating the league leaders throughout the match last Sunday - a feat that is simply unheard of this season.

What the Reds need to do is to convert some of the chances they create. If so, they are certainly my favourites to secure the final berth for Champions League football ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal.

Lastly, the world of football including myself was stunned by the sudden death of Gary Speed.

I had the privilege to have played against him during my days at Liverpool when he first broke into the top-flight scene at Leeds United.

He was a fantastic footballer and his dedication to the game is something all young players today should emulate.

It was a sad day for football as we have lost a great role model and ambassador for the sport.

Last Saturday, Manchester City welcomed Newcastle to the Etihad Stadium in a battle between the two remaining unbeaten sides in the Barclays Premier League. 90 minutes later, Roberto Mancini and his charges once again established themselves as this season's dominant force, cruising to a 3-1 victory.

Slightly over 24 hours later, Liverpool travelled to Stamford Bridge in the weekend's standout encounter against Chelsea and more than held their own against the hosts, eventually claiming all three points thanks to Glen Johnson's brilliant 89th minute effort.

This Sunday, both sides meet at Anfield, yet for arguably the first team this season, City could just be the underdogs heading into this one.

Following back-to-back defeats to Stoke and Tottenham, Liverpool have gone unbeaten in their last seven league matches, and with no continental distractions, can fully focus on reclaiming their place amongst England's elite.

On the other hand, City, despite their domestic supremacy, are staring at an early exit in their maiden UEFA Champions League campaign, following Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Napoli. However, it would be foolish to suggest that the Citizens are dead and buried just because of their midweek defeat.

The last time Mancini's men suffered a loss - at the hands of Bayern Munich in September - they hit back immediately by thumping Blackburn 4-0 at Ewood Park. However, one thing is for certain - Liverpool will definitely give City a run for their money this week.

And Charlie Adam could just be the player to guide the Reds to victory on Saturday. The ex-Blackpool playmaker was extremely impressive against Chelsea, not just for his passing ability, but also the work he did when Liverpool were not in possession of the ball. Time and time again, Adam kept the pressure on Chelsea's high defensive line, and his hard work paid off when he won the ball off Jon Obi Mikel and initiated Liverpool's opener.

Against the City's plethora of creative players, Adam will once again have his work cut out for him on Sunday. But a repeat of last weekend's display will give Liverpool an excellent chance of inflicting a first league defeat of the season on the league leaders.

Another team who's Champions League dreams are in serious jeopardy are Chelsea, who were stunned by a last-gasp winner in their 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

Already, many feel Blues manager Andre-Villas Boas is living on borrowed time, especially considering Roman Abramovich's notorious impatience when it comes to delivering success. Add in the fact that his recent predecessors have all tasted success in some form of silverware, the pressure and demands at Stamford Bridge must surely be taking its toll on the rookie Portuguese tactician.

One Premier League side that have booked their spot in the next stage of the Champions League are Arsenal, who recorded an impressive 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Yet, once again, there are suspicions the Gunners are dangerously over-reliant on Robin van Persie, who scored a brace against the Bundesliga side in midweek.

Yes, the Dutchman is arguably the hottest striker in England at the moment, but he has been enjoying a charmed life on the injury front this season so far. Given Van Persie's history with injuries, one minor knock could be all it takes to rule him out for a fair while. And while Arsenal have been doing well in recent weeks, there is simply no one in their squad at present who has the ability to fill Van Persie's very big boots.

Finally, Manchester United are another side looking to forget their midweek woes, where they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Benfica, when they take on Newcastle at Old Trafford, a potentially tricky encounter for the reigning Premier League champions.

Despite Newcastle's 3-1 loss to City last week, it is important to remember that the Magpies have exceeded all expectations this season for good reason. Alan Pardew has found a way to get the best out of his players, and with United far from convincing in recent weeks, Saturday's game could be the perfect opportunity for Newcastle to claim their first major scalp of the season.

All in all, this weekend's matches provide City, Chelsea and United the perfect chance to put their European troubles behind them, and get back to winning ways. Seven days is a long time in football - for all you know, we'll be once again singing the praises of Mancini, Villas-Boas and Sir Alex Ferguson this time next week.

After a hectic round of international matches, it's back to the Barclays Premier League. And what better way to resume than with a mouth watering clash between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Both sides have been far from convincing in recent weeks. The Blues, still licking their wounds following the 5-3 humiliation by Arsenal, stumbled to a 1-1 Champions League draw against unfancied Genk before squeezing out an unimpressive 1-0 win over struggling Blackburn Rovers. The Reds, despite enjoying a four-game unbeaten run, have drawn three consecutive home games - two against new-boys Norwich City and Swansea City.

Title hopefuls Chelsea currently find themselves a massive nine points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, while Liverpool have allowed the once beleaguered Arsenal to draw level on points, as their hopes for a return to the Champions League suffered a minor setback.

Both Andre Villas-Boas and Kenny Dalglish know only a victory will do at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and trust me - a share of the spoils will be the last thing they want.

The hosts will be banking on Frank Lampard to continue his recent rich vein of form. The England midfielder has scored in the last three games he has started for both club and country, for whom he netted the winner in their unexpected 1-0 friendly win over Spain at Wembley.

Forget about Fernando Torres, Lampard could be the secret weapon to the Blues' title bid this season if his goals continue to flow from midfield. Having said that, I wouldn't bet against Torres scoring his fourth league goal for Chelsea against his former club. The Spaniard has been looking sharp in recent games. All he needs to do is to convert some of the chances that come his way. The goals will then flow and we will see the El Nino we used to know.

Over at Eastlands, it's the battle of the unbeaten. On paper, Newcastle's incredible run in the Barclays Premier League should come to an abrupt end against the high-flying City on Saturday. Then again, given what Newcastle have done already this campaign, who knows what further surprises Alan Pardew and the Toon army may spring this time around.

Nevertheless, I stand by my belief that it is only be a matter of time before the Magpies tumble from the unfamiliar heights they are enjoying right now. The Magpies are simply not good enough to be up there. And if there is a team that can send them crashing back to reality, it has got to be Roberto Mancini's side.

Meanwhile, Newcastle will, on Saturday, find their biggest fan in the shape of Sir Alex Ferguson, who will be hoping his Manchester United side capitalize on any shocks at the Eithad Stadium and close the five-point gap at the top when they face new-boys Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium in a late Saturday kick-off. Brendan Rodgers' side are still unbeaten at home this season. But few would dare betting against United putting an end to that.

The Old Trafford faithful are hoping for a cheerful festive period as their side have a great chance of catching City and even overtaking them by Christmas. Mancini's men face a true litmus test on their title credentials as they face Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool in the run-in towards the New Year while the Red Devils enjoy a reasonably comfortable year-end fixture list.

Having said that, I remain convinced that the Citizens are strong enough to withstand the challenge from United and retain their top spot come at the start of 2012 - and most certainly in May.

To all the Newcastle fans out there, enjoy the view from the ivory heights of the Barclays Premier League while you can.

I find it ludicrous when I hear people talking about the Magpies challenging for a top-four spot. It has undoubtedly been a magnificent run of form so far this season for Alan Pardew's men - one which sees them rubbing shoulders with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And so will Newcastle's impressive adventure at the top of the standings.

Newcastle remain the only club besides City to be unbeaten in the league so far. But mark my words - south is the way to go for the Magpies when their bubble finally bursts with a defeat.

However, few will bet against them collecting their seventh win of the season at St James' Park this Saturday when they host an Everton side who would be disappointed not to have taken something out of their game against United last weekend at Goodison Park.

But a home win is not a given for Newcastle. Let's not forget how they struggled and rode their luck in the 1-0 win over Wigan at St James Park a fortnight ago. So it would be foolish to think that David Moyes' men will lie low and let the hosts have their own way.

Arsenal meanwhile, are on an absolute high - a statement I could not have imagined myself making just a month ago when they were languishing just above the relegation zone.

But kudos to the Gunners and more so to Robin van Persie, who in my opinion is up there among the best in the world right now. What's more impressive is that the Dutch international is playing in an Arsenal side that is nowhere near top class at the moment.

Take him out of Arsene Wenger's squad, and the Gunners are nothing more than average. So I'm afraid to cast a wet blanket on the Emirates faithful's new-found title hope.

Having said that, I expect them to continue their impressive run of form with a win at the Emirates Stadium against West Bromwich Albion who are coming off a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend.

Chelsea, still reeling from the demoralizing 5-3 defeat to Arsenal, will be desperate to get their title challenge back on track when they visit relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers. While the Blues should have no problem getting all three points at Ewood Park, Andre Villas-Boas has a huge task in his hands to challenge City and United for the title.

The young Portuguese coach's honeymoon period is all but over and while the jury is still out on him, a revamp of his ageing squad is necessary if they are serious about bringing the title to the Bridge.

Over at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish will be expecting nothing less than three points when Liverpool welcome Swansea after drawing their last two home games against United and Norwich.

All eyes will again be on Luis Suarez. Unfortunately they will not be just on his skills on the ball - but off it as well. Besides attracting praise for his great performances for the Reds, the Uruguayan striker has been under some unwanted spotlight.

First he was accused by United left-back Patrice Evra for hurling racist remarks at him and now his reputation as a diver has been further aggravated by the penalty he earned during his side's 2-0 win over West Brom last weekend.

The truth is great players are usually subjected to strong physical treatment by defenders and it would be unfair to expect them to be able to stay on their feet. Regardless, the Swansea defence will be given a hell of a time by Suarez.

All in all, it promises to be another weekend full of fireworks in a Premier League season that has already seen some spectacular matches.

Steve McMahon was speaking to ESPNSTAR.com's Daniel Teo.

The big guns - besides Manchester City of course - will look to get their respective Barclays Premier League campaigns back on track after a disappointing - and for United, traumatising round of games last weekend.

But all face tricky matches, with Chelsea versus Arsenal the pick of the lot.

The Blues missed the chance to capitalize on Manchester United's 6-1 mauling by Manchester City at Old Trafford last Sunday, losing 1-0 to city rivals Queens Park Rangers after seeing Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba sent-off.

They have another chance to do so on Saturday, but Andre Villas-Boas' side can hardly ask for a trickier game when they host in-form Arsenal - although the Gunners have yet to win away this season.

Just three weeks ago, Arsene Wenger's side found themselves dangerously hovering outside the relegation zone. But the North London club - with the help of a certain goal-machine called Robin van Persie - now find themselves in seventh-place after winning their last two games against Sunderland and Stoke City.

Chelsea have tasted victory in their past two meetings with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge and will have every reason and motivation to make it three on Saturday as they look to keep pace with leaders City at the top.

The return of Fernando Torres from his three-match ban after his dismissal against Swansea City will be a timely boost for Villas-Boas, especially after Drogba's straight-red against QPR last Sunday. And the Spaniard will be desperate to continue his goal-scoring form, which will be crucial to the Blues' title chase this season.

But Torres and company will be up against a Gunners side who are slowly but surely improving and progressing following their horrid start to the season. And a victory at the Bridge will more than confirm their turning of the corner - and perhaps even revive their slim hopes for the title.

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson will expect nothing less than a victory against Everton in the early kick-off on Saturday as they look to get their hurt title hopes back on track.

While City have confirmed my opinion that they are the title favourites after their demolition act last Sunday, the game at Old Trafford was by no means a title decider. There is still a long way to go in the season, and as Mancini would be the first to admit, the win is not worth anything more than just three points.

Confidence is undoubtedly rock bottom at Old Trafford. And if United are to stand a chance of preventing the title and the balance of power from heading to Eastlands, they need to find their feet and confidence - fast. Not forgetting the need for Ferguson to find his regular back-four and avoid tinkering with the line-ups as he has done.

Having said that, a tricky game awaits United at Goodison Park, which hasn't been a happy hunting ground for them in recent times.

The Red Devils have failed to win at Everton in the past three meetings but David Moyes' men must brace themselves for a backlash from the reigning champions. The blue-half of Merseyside have not enjoyed the best of starts to their season but will take great confidence from their 3-1 win at Fulham last Sunday.

Over at the Hawthorns, Liverpool will be desperate to bag all three points after drawing their last two home games against United and Norwich - both of which they would have won if not for their failure to convert the many chances they created.

And that is the problem Kenny Dalglish needs to solve if the Reds were to secure Champions League football next season. But they face an in-form West Brom side who have won their last two games including an impressive away victory at Aston Villa last Saturday.

Another weekend of breathtaking Barclays Premier League action awaits us.

Steve McMahon was speaking to ESPNSTAR.com's Daniel Teo.

Manchester City's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in the Community Shield back in August seems like a distant memory now.

The men from Eastlands are currently sitting two points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League - ahead of Sunday's opponents and title rivals United.

Roberto Mancini's men have every reason to feel confident making the short trip to Old Trafford, having won an impressive seven out of their opening eight games.

More importantly, the Citizens have gone about their title charge with such ruthlessness and swagger that have made all their detractors sit up and take notice.

Since their disappointing defeat at Wembley barely two months ago, City have picked themselves up and evolved into a more positive and effective side. The signings of the likes of Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero have further strengthened an already fearsome side that is more equipped than ever to challenge for the title.

And while City will take the confidence of being table-toppers into their clash against the Red Devils, the last thing they need is for that confidence to burgeon into complacency.

Make no mistake. Sir Alex Ferguson's men are still the favourites to retain their crown and to claim all three points at Old Trafford on Sunday - albeit only just.

The fact that City were expected to beat Aston Villa (which they did 4-1) and United were faced with a tough trip Anfield, where they came away with a 1-1 draw means we should not read too much into the table position

But Mancini will be well aware that if there is a time to confirm his side's title credentials and earn some overdue respect from their rivals, it is now.

The City boss said: "Sir Alex has more experience than me and has a fantastic team and always respects every other side.

"That's why they have won the Champions League and so many other trophies, but I hope we are earning extra respect now.

"We should be happy to go to Old Trafford at the top, but understand the championship will be long and can change every week.

"We have played only eight games - there are another 30 to go. It is a very long way."

While the Italian tactician remains grounded and respectful towards United, he must be quietly confident about his side chances of enjoying a positive result at Old Trafford, where teams such as Chelsea, Norwich and even Basel in the Champions League have given United a run for their money this season.

I do not see any reason why City, with all their firepower and confidence, cannot produce a strong fight against the reigning English champions and even stretch their lead at the top with a win on Sunday.

The key battle for supremacy - and perhaps all three points - lies in midfield, where Owen Hargreaves could well face his former club for the first time since his surprise free transfer move to Eastlands this summer.

The injury plagued midfielder managed just 39 games in all competition for United during his four seasons at Old Trafford will be out to prove a point to his former employers - if he is given a chance to do so by Mancini.

Else, the likes of Darren Fletcher and Anderson are set to face a physical and fiery battle in the centre of the park against City's combative trio of Yaya Toure, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry.

And whoever triumphs in midfield will win the battle of Manchester, which could prove crucial in their bids to win the war come May next year.

After enduring a weekend of cold turkey as a result of international fixtures, Barclays Premier League fans will be delighted to reacquaint themselves with arguably the fiercest clash in England- Liverpool vs Manchester United.

Both sides will be keen to snap up all three points- not just for points' sake, but for all that this fixture means to both sets of fans.

As a player I recall how fiery these games often were. In fact, in my opinion, the importance of this game has outweighed even the Merseyside derby for quite some time, especially in light of the Red Devils' surpassing Liverpool's tally of 19 Premier League titles.

Anfield will be a cauldron. It's difficult to describe in words- it's heated, different, more volatile, with barely disguised hatred, and the noise levels are simply amazing! Footballers during my day would have been made even more aware of the importance of the clash - given that we interacted a lot more with fans during training and on the streets. Players today miss out on that.

While some may question the match-fitness of players involved at Anfield, given they've been travelling around the globe for their respective countries, I don't honestly think they should be lacking sharpness in any way, given how luxurious their travel arrangements are.

The adrenaline rush should provide enough for both sets of players to bring their best at Anfield, especially Wayne Rooney, who will be expecting a hot reception in light of his recent red card in England's 2-2 draw with Montenegro, as well as reports linking his father to a football betting scandal.

One thing I've noticed about the United striker is that he just can't seem to keep out of the news, and interestingly enough, seems to thrive on it! Football is his release; the pitch is where he can show how he really feels, and what he can do with the football.

The battle in midfield will decide this match, with Lucas Leiva, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, and Steven Gerrard, bound to be up for a ruck against Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Nani, and Antonio Valencia.

What could also prove crucial is who Sir Alex Ferguson picks to try to put pressure on Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher. The Scot could choose to play Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney, who could make life for the Englishman very difficult with their combined pace and trickery.

Manchester City will be looking at match with interest, as they look to keep pace with United atop the Premier League table.

The Citizens will face an Aston Villa side that have yet to be beaten under Alex McLeish. What strikes me about the Villians is how organized they look under the former Birmingham gaffer.

While McLeish will certainly try to keep their unbeaten record going, Manchester City may just be too much for them to handle.

Elsewhere, Chelsea's clash against Everton also looks interesting. Fernando Torres is still under a three-match suspension and with his preference for a 4-3-3 system, Andre Villas-Boas could play Didier Drogba in the middle, with Nicolas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge charging down on the Ivorian's left and right.

I must admit to being particularly taken with the young Englishman's performances of late. The 22-year-old has blossomed in recent games, and showed the full range of his ability in Chelsea's 5-0 thumping of Bolton a fortnight ago.

While it should be all smiles at Stamford Bridge for the home side, there will be more wrinkles on David Moyes' brow should his side crash to a third defeat in a row. If it's any consolation, I don't think Everton will find themselves in relegation trouble this season, especially given how hapless Blackburn, West Bromwich Albion and Wigan have looked in comparison!

Speaking of being in trouble - two clubs finding themselves at the wrong end of the Premier League table will be clashing at the Emirates, with Arsenal taking on Sunderland.

The Gunners would have welcomed the international break after crashing to a 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane and it's obvious that Arsene Wenger just doesn't have enough experienced men in the right positions.

What must be frustrating for Arsenal fans is that he must have known that it was impossible to keep Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri at North London earlier in the summer. Yet the Frenchman failed to bring in quality recruits for this season.

While I do think Mikel Arteta is a decent footballer, he is no Cesc Fabregas and the Gunners are suffering in 15th spot as a result.

Sunderland, on the other hand, aren't doing better themselves, given they're languishing in 16th spot, despite bringing in John O'Shea, Wes Brown, Connor Wickham, Nicklas Bendter and Craig Gardner over the summer. Looking at the Black Cats, one wonders- is it the personnel or Steve Bruce's tactics that is hurting them?

It has to be the players, as the ex-Manchester United star has brought in reserve squad players from Old Trafford, as well as a second-rate striker in the form of Bendtner, who thinks he is up there with the best, but frankly isn't as good as he thinks.

Bruce has made the mistake of confusing quantity with quality, I'm afraid, and this could come back to hurt him at the Emirates once again, as Wenger's men will clearly be looking to make home advantage count. 

Steve McMahon was speaking to ESPNSTAR.com's Kelvin Tan

Buckle up your seatbelts as we gear up for a derby weekend that promises blood, sweat and tears.

In October last year, Liverpool sunk to one of the lowest points in their recent history after losing 2-0 at Everton which condemned them to the relegation zone and their worst start to a season since 1953-5.

Barely 12 months on, with the return of Kenny Dalglish to the Anfield, the belief is once again back at the club which prides itself as the best team in Merseyside.

And pride is exactly what is at stake at Goodison Park on Saturday as the big spending Reds take on a stoic Everton side.

David Moyes' men, despite another summer of fiscal austerity, have engineered a decent start.

Their cause has certainly not been aided by the departure of former midfield lynchpin Mikel Arteta to Arsenal - although they did manage to salvage the situation somewhat with the loan signing of Real Madrid midfielder Royston Drenthe.

If the Reds are looking for an easy revenge against their bitter neighbours, they may be in for a rude awakening.

Despite not being the most attractive footballing side in the Barclays Premier League, there is no denying the success the blue half of Merseyside have grinded for themselves through pure resilience and hard work on the pitch.

And those were precisely the qualities that helped them to an impressive seventh-place finish in the league last season, thus making them the best after the bigwigs in the league.

Their rivals in red meanwhile can hardly be blamed for feeling confident of victory at Goodison Park as they seek to continue their return to form - although the latest narrow wins over Brighton in the Carling Cup and Wolves in the league were far from convincing.

As in any debry, form will be thrown out of the window on Saturday as pride - along with three points - is what both Moyes' and Dalglish's men will be battling for on Saturday.

Another highly anticipated derby sees Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal on Sunday.

The two North London rivals have treated us to a staggering 16 goals in their three encounters last season (Carling Cup: Tottenham 1-4 Arsenal; BPL: Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham; BPL: Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal). And I wouldn't bet against another goal fest this time around.

Both sides are enjoying a winning run, with Spurs on the back of three consecutive victories and the Gunners regaining confidence after their 3-0 win over Bolton last weekend.
Harry Redknapp's men have finally cast behind their horrendous start to the season after being thumped by the two Manchester clubs in their opening games.

Since then, back-to-back wins over Wolves, Liverpool and Wigan have propelled Spurs up to sixth in the Barclays Premier League table with a game in hand.

Furthermore, the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor has injected more venom into their attack while the Luka Modric saga has finally drawn to a close for now - bringing much needed stability to the club.

Meanwhile, a win against their bitter London rivals at White Hart Lane will all but confirm the Gunners' turning of the corner in what has been a roller-coaster season so far.

But firstly the Gunners must sort out their well documented problems at the back which were embarrassingly exposed in their 4-3 defeat at Blackburn Rovers two weeks ago. If not, I fear the worst for Wenger's men against a rampant Spurs side who are capable of ripping them apart.

Having said that, I am refusing to rule out Arsenal for the title race despite predictions that it will be a fight between the two Manchester clubs.

The Gunners can only improve as the season progresses - and it's hard not to see that happening given the undeniable quality that Wenger possesses in his squad.

And there is no better place to get their title bid back on track with a victory over Spurs this Sunday.

By Steve McMahon

Few have given the Barclays Premier League new boys a chance for survival this season, but all three made their mark with wins last weekend.

There is hardly any time to rest on their laurels however, as it's all coming thick and fast for Swansea, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City. The Swans, who finally got their first points of the season with a 2-1 away win at Bolton, face a potential backlash from Chelsea when they travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Blues are obviously still licking the wounds from their 3-1 defeat against Manchester United. And Andre Villas-Boas' side, who were excellent at Old Trafford, would be eager to get their title bid back on track with a demolition job against the Swans.

It is also the perfect opportunity for Fernando Torres to mend his hurt after his unbelievable miss at Old Trafford and hopefully build upon his expertly taken goal against David de Gea at the weekend.

So I'm afraid to say the Swans could find themselves drowning under the Bridge as all signs are pointing towards a comfortable Chelsea win.

Nevertheless, Brenden Rodgers and his side, despite conceding just once in four games after their opening 4-0 defeat at Manchester City, cannot afford to sit back and allow the Blues to trample over them. Neither should they follow in the footsteps of Blackpool, who suffered the consequences of their over ambitious and mindless attacking play.

Therefore, Swansea, Norwich and QPR need to play smart and be tactically astute throughout the season if they are to stand any chance of survival come 13 May next year.

The Hoops welcome an unbeaten Villa side on Sunday and will be brimming with confidence after their 3-0 win at Wolves last weekend.

The best performing side out of the promoted ones so far, Neil Warnock's men find themselves in the top half of the table after five games and have every reason to believe they are more than capable of holding their own in the Premier League.

Moreover, with the financial boost from new owner Tony Fernandez and a strong squad thanks to the arrivals of Joey Barton, Shaun Wright-Phillips, DJ Campbell, Armand Traore and Anton Ferdinand, QPR are undoubtedly the team to look out for this season.

But let's hope they make the headlines for the right reasons, although Barton could have a big say in that.

The temperamental midfielder, who recently joined from Newcastle, continued to display his unerring ability to generate controversy after being embroiled in a skirmish with Wolves midfielder Karl Henry.

While Barton will always have his fair share of criticism over his disciplinary problems, I see the 29-year-old playing a key role in QPR's bid for survival.

Meanwhile, Norwich welcome a Sunderland side flying high after their 4-0 thumping of Stoke City and Paul Lambert's men must brace themselves for a tough Monday afternoon at Carrow Road.

The Canaries have yet to keep a clean-sheet, nor have they won at home so far this season but will take much encouragement from their 2-1 win at Bolton last weekend - their first top-flight away win in 17 years.

While picking up away points is crucial for survival, it is equally important for the three trams to do well at home - especially against bottom-half teams like Sunderland, who have every chance of being pulled into the relegation battle.

All the signs point to yet another enthralling battle for survival.

This is probably the worst time to face Manchester United. And unfortunately for Chelsea, that is what they will do on Sunday as their title credentials face the toughest possible test yet.

The Blues' task is made all the more daunting as they travel to Old Trafford, where United have already hit the net 11 times in just two home games (3-0 against Tottenham and 8-2 against Arsenal) so far this season.

While the defending champions' start to their Barclays Premier League campaign has been nothing short of spectacular, you can't really say that of the Blues - although they have managed to stay just two points behind joint-leaders United and Manchester City in third place after four games.

Andres Villas-Boas' ageing squad has been boosted by the signings of Juan Mata from Valencia and Raul Meireles from Liverpool. But there remains an air of anxiety over the club's title hopes this season.

For the first time in recent years, they have had to settle as outside favourites for the Premier League crown with the red and blue halves of Manchester tipped to duke it out at the top.

Past clashes between Chelsea and United have always been looked upon as potential title deciders. But the meteoric rise of Roberto Mancini's men coinciding with the Blues' faltering fortunes last season have many that this season's league clashes between the Red Devils and the Blues may not hold as much significance as in the past.

But Sir Alex Ferguson knows he would be a fool to write Chelsea off.

Even though Old Trafford is the last place the Blues would want to visit at this point of time, I do not expect them to sit back and play for a draw - not when they have the likes of Mata, Meireles and dare I say Fernando Torres, in their attacking armoury.

Meanwhile, another mouth-watering clash will take place at White Hart Lane on Sunday, where a troubled but strengthened Tottenham welcome Liverpool.

Both teams are under equal pressure to prove their credentials as a top four candidate, with Harry Redknapp's men moving in the right direction, following their disastrous start to the season with a 2-0 win over Wolves last weekend and Kenny Dalglish's Reds hoping to put their disappointing defeat at Stoke City behind them.

Spurs may have secured the loan signing of Emmanuel Adebayor from City to boost their firepower up front, but I see the Togolese striker as more of a troublemaker than a valuable addition for the North London club.

Liverpool on the other hand could finally welcome the return of captain Steven Gerrard. While there have been talks that the midfielder's place in the starting line-up is under threat from the likes of Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson, there's no doubt that he remains the Reds' key player for this season.

Another team desperate to kick-start their Barclays Premier League season are none other than Arsenal. The Gunners may have beaten Swansea at the Emirates last week and earned a credible draw against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, but I can't foresee their troubles going away in a snap.

The signing of Mikel Arteta from Everton may have appeased the fans and silenced Arsene Wenger's critics for now, but the Spanish midfielder is nothing more than a cheap replacement for Cesc Fabregas.

I do however expect the Gunners to take all three points from Ewood Park - not because of their form, but because of Blackburn's. The Rovers are already looking strong candidates for the drop this season, having lost three of their four opening league games and are now rooted at the bottom of the table.

But there is no doubt all eyes will be fixed at Old Trafford this Sunday.

Just when you thought the season couldn't get any worse for Arsenal fans, the Gunners served up an even bigger portion of humble pie for their supporters, crashing to a 2-1 defeat to Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on Easter Sunday.

Watching the match, I had a strong sense of déjà vu, as it was really same old Arsenal failing to show character when it mattered!

It's clear to me that this Arsenal squad lacks the individuals with the mental fortitude to win titles, and those who reminisce about the days of Highbury will certainly miss having players like Tony Adams and Martin Keown around to add some backbone to this fragile squad that Arsene Wenger has assembled.

Of course, the Gunners deserve all the kudos they get for the attractive brand of football under the Frenchman, but what is damming is the fact that they always fall short during the business end of the season!

That is certainly where sides like Manchester United stand head and shoulders above them, as Sir Alex Ferguson has trained his players to be able to grind out results even whilst playing terribly.

While some may point to the sheer number of trophies that the Scot has won as the reason why he is the better manager compared to Wenger, the truth is that the Frenchman is his own worst enemy.

Wenger has just been too stubborn in his belief that he can grow a trophy-winning side, which simply doesn't work when his bargain buys fail to sparkle.

Players like Andriy Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh certainly didn't come cheap to the Emirates, and it's an indictment of Wenger's inability to bring out the best in them that the duo have looked a pale shadow of themselves this whole season.

To make things worse, Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie, Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen have spent almost as much time in the treatment room as they have on the pitch for the Gunners.

While supporters of the Frenchman may point to that being the reason for Arsenal's inability to convert flowing football into points, the fact is that injuries to marquee players like Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba this season have failed to halt Manchester United and Chelsea in comparison, and if Wenger had better planned his January spending, the Gunners could have still been in contention for silverware.

With Ashburton Grove akin to a private kingdom, the buck certainly stops with Wenger himself. Stanley Kroenke, who has recently become the major shareholder of the club, needs to give the manager a shake-up, least the Frenchman start to think himself invincible.

As it is, the fans are getting restless, with some calling for the manager's sacking, and if Wenger fails to ring in the changes before it's too late, it could be off to the guillotine for the once-great manager.

There was plenty of drama at the Emirates Stadium when Liverpool snatched a 1-1 draw from the jaws of defeat against Arsenal, and while fans of the Gunners will be cursing their luck at conceding the equalizer late in extra-time, Reds fans will certainly have been overjoyed, not only at the scoreline, but also with the coming-of-age of youngsters John Flanagan and Jack Robinson, who proved both their quality and mettle in the heat of battle.

What was even more impressive was how confident manager Kenny Dalglish was at throwing them against the Barclays Premier League title challengers in an away game, and the reason was simple- the Scot was clearly aware of how good these two youngsters really were!

If you're old enough, you're good enough, it's said, and Dalglish, having spent two years working with the youth squad at Melwood prior to taking over from Roy Hodgson this season, is benefitting from inside knowledge of this young crop of Academy graduates at Anfield.

However, there's still much more work to do in order to ensure that Liverpool can maintain their competitiveness in the Premier League next season, while simultaneously developing the potential of young starlets like Jesus Fernandez, Raheem Sterling, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing.

There are always high expectations whenever a group of talented individuals emerge from a club's academy all at once, especially in light of what Sir Alex Ferguson managed to achieve with his crop of "Fergie's Fledgelings" in the 90's.

What will be crucial for these emerging stars at Anfield is time and guidance in order to fulfill their full potential, which is why Dalglish and owner John Henry must work hand-in-hand to bring in experienced first team players to bolster the first-team the next transfer window!

In my opinion, the Reds need another two or three top quality professionals that the youngsters can learn from, so that Dalglish has time to blood them slowly to the rough and tumble of the Premier League, without having to rush to integrate them into the first team.

With new strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez looking more and more comfortable with each game, coupled with the energy and impetus that young players bring to the squad, Liverpool will certainly face the next season with far more optimism than in recent times!

It was a magical weekend for Manchester United fans, who enjoyed both a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Manchester City, as well as the pleasure of a goal of exquisite quality from Wayne Rooney.

Surely by now, the United fans must have gotten used to witnessing wonder goals. After all, they have been treated to two sublime pieces of skill by Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov this season.

The Bulgarian hitman scored a fabulous over-head kick against Liverpool, whom in my opinion are a bigger club than the Citizens, and Rooney matched that feat on Saturday with a similar looking, if not more spectacular effort that left Joe Hart gasping for air as the ball flew past him.

To be honest, it wasn't the most brilliant of games, with both sides looking to stifle rather than create. Sir Alex Ferguson certainly paid Roberto Mancini a compliment by setting out his side in exactly the same defensive 4-5-1 formation as the Citizens despite playing at home, dropping Berbatov in favour of an extra man in midfield, in order to deal with the threat that David Villa possessed in the middle of the park.

What games like these need is a moment of genius, and Rooney certainly stepped forward and delivered the goods with his mind-boggling overhead kick that won the game for the Red Devils.

Although his recent goal tally has been respectable, it's clear from the striker's body language that Rooney doesn't carry the same confidence he had in the previous season. The England star has endured brickbats and criticism over his form, but what fans don't realize is how Rooney has been struggling with injuries as well.

The lad's only human, and what he's had to deal with both personally and professionally has certainly taken its toll on him, but what is remarkable is, in spite of a lack of goals, Rooney has actually been fairly consistent in his team-play for United, and creating chances for Berbatov instead.

The England striker will certainly be pleased at the goal though, and what a boost it will be for Rooney's self confidence!

It's not every day when you score a goal that pushes you into the pantheon of football greats, but his goal will certainly rank up there with the ones from the Marco Van Basten notched against the USSR in the Euro 88 final, as well as Diego Maradona's individual goal against England at the 1986 World Cup!

But it's not just Rooney who deserves all the plaudits. Little mention has been made of Ferguson, and the way the wily Scot has stuck by his star striker throughout this season, believing that he would come good sooner rather than later.

What the Manchester United manager understood about his England star is the fact that although all goal scorers get frustrated when the net stops bulging, Rooney is genuinely a real team player, and the way that he plugs away, even when the chips are down, is a clear reflection of his selfless attitude on the pitch.
With the Red Devils looking like runaway favorites to win the Barclays Premier League title now, Ferguson has certainly been rewarded with his faith in Rooney!

Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was certainly a fantastic advertisement for the Barclays Premier League, with drama both on and off the pitch. However, the two biggest results of the weekend were actually Arsenal's ridiculous 4-4 draw with Newcastle, and bottom-dweller Wolves 2-1 shock victory over Manchester United to break their unbeaten streak this season.

I have to admit I wasn't really shocked at the Red Devil's defeat, or the fact that they have been finally beaten, because they haven't been firing on all cylinders this entire campaign. While Sir Alex Ferguson will certainly be displeased at the loss of three crucial points, what will trouble the Scot far more is the timing of the defeat, given the looming derby fixture against arch-rivals Manchester City.

The Citizens, on the other hand, will be flush with confidence, especially with their 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Carlos Tevez, in particular, is having a fantastic season so far, hitting a hat-trick, and clearly the side is just not the same proposition without him playing.

Tevez will certainly be licking his lips at taking on Man United in his current form, especially with question marks raised over Rio Ferdinand's fitness after the England star had to sit out their loss to Wolves with a calf strain sustained during their warm-up.

What puzzles me is why Ferguson failed to bolster his defence during the January transfer window! It's clear that none of the other central defenders he has are good enough, with Chris Smalling looking the worst of the lot! The ex-Fulham player has not looked up to the mark whenever he's come on, and certainly looks overpriced, given his £10 million transfer fee.

But it's not all bad news for United fans, with Park Ji-Sung returning to the squad after his Asian Cup sojourn. There's a very good chance that the South Korean will play against the Citizens, given his ability to perform when it matters, and Ferguson will look to seize the advantage with Park's industry and energy.

Frankly, this game will hinge on the strike partnerships both managers choose, and the question is- will Citizen boss Roberto Mancini stick to playing two central midfielders and leave Tevez upfront alone, or will the Italian throw caution to the wind, given the importance of this fixture, and play with both the Argentine and his January window signing Edin Dzeko? In my opinion, a win could very well tilt the title race Man City's way, especially with Arsenal's inconsistent form, and if Mancini can shed his Italian defensive tendencies and play a 4-4-2 with the two, they could really pose the Red Devil's defence some tough questions!

Ferguson, on the other hand, will have less of a selection headache, with the manager aware that his best strike pairing is Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. While the England star has had his share for detractors because of the lack of goals this season, the fact is that the two strikers compliment each other very well! Even when Rooney doesn't get on the score sheet, he contributes, and that's backed up the number of assists he has contributed for the Bulgarian's goal tally.

What gives United the advantage in this department is the fact that the wily Scot also has a hidden trump card up his sleeve- Javier Hernandez. The Mexican youngster's ability to come on and change the complexion of any game is reminiscent of another Old Trafford legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Hernandez has been used as an impact substitute this season, and don't put it past Ferguson to send the lad on when the going gets tough for the Red Devils!

One thing that most fans don't realize is how hard it is to go to Old Trafford and win, which is the challenge that Mancini's men will have to face if they want to revive their title challenge. The fact is that the Theatre of Dreams will have 78,000 fans, and more pertinently, the majority of 75,000 fervent fans cheering on the Red Devils and drowning out the away supporters! The psychological advantage is enormous, and in my experience, visiting players will end up more intimidated by the crowd than by their illustrious opponents!

The winner of this fixture could very well go on to win the title!

While the action in the Barclays Premier League has been heating up, it has surprised me how flat the January transfer window has been in comparison to the action on the pitch.

Apart from Manchester City's £27 million swoop for Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko, none of the other challengers for the title have added significantly to their squads!

What is interesting is that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has announced that the Red Devils will not be buying any players during the January window, simply because he thinks there is little value to be found.

It is a point which has also been reiterated by Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, and the fact is that if two of the best managers can come to the same conclusion, not something that happens between the two regularly, perhaps there really needs to be a re-examination of whether the January transfer window is effective for clubs or not!

Personally, I am not an advocate of it, simply because one transfer window in between seasons should really be enough! With the financial resources available to top clubs today, there is really no reason why they can't amass squads that are capable of lasting the season.

The benefits of having just one window are manifold. For a start, it'll stop the ridiculously inflated prices that players are going for, like Darren Bent's £24 million move from Sunderland to Aston Villa.

In a reasonably priced transfer, he'd be worth no more than £18 million, but a combination of Villa's desire to stave off relegation, as well as the January transfer window coming to a close soon, is the only reason why the England striker went for such an inflated price-tag.

Another advantage of one window would be the curbing of player-power that is threatening to spoil the game we all love.

Look back to the Carlos Tevez saga earlier in the season, the Argentine would have certainly thought twice about agitating a move from Manchester City so early in the season without a transfer window, especially with the deep-pocketed club perfectly capable of simply leaving him on the bench for an entire season.

I also had much sympathy recently for Everton boss David Moyes, who had to drop Steven Pienaar from his playing squad against Liverpool, simply because the player had his head turned by reports of interest from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur!

Scrapping the January transfer window would certainly go far in reducing the restlessness that players seem to have in the middle of the season, which would help managers with their squad plans for the whole season, rather than having to suddenly face losing key players, like what Steve Bruce had to endure with the sudden departure of Bent!

It's certainly no coincidence that wages of players have also sky-rocketed since the introduction of only two transfer windows each year in 2002, as clubs have had to persuade their targets with larger and larger sums of money!

With the game's administrators looking at curbing the excessive spending habits of clubs, perhaps it's time for a rethink, FIFA?

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

What must mark this 2010-11 Barclays Premier League season apart from previous years is the fact that none of the traditional big clubs have really dominated so far, even though kudos must certainly should be given to Manchester United for keeping their unbeaten streak till now.

I must admit enjoying such competition in the League, where teams like Blackpool can do the double over Liverpool, and the fact is that there are simply no easy games for the bigger clubs anymore!

Teams like Bolton, Stoke and Newcastle have shown ambition this season, and with quality players on their books, their managers know that they can put up a fight with the big boys any day!

Compounding matters, managers of the top sides have also been shooting themselves in the foot by not playing their best side as consistently as possible!

I certainly don't believe in the concept of squad rotation, for the simple fact that it's hard to get momentum going when your key players aren't able to get crucial playing time and partnerships going because the starting eleven is always a different juxtaposition.

This has also made it difficult for star players like United's Dimitar Berbatov and Liverpool's Joe Cole to really shine, as their styles of individual play are dependent on familiarity with their teammates!

The Premier League has always had a history of the Eric Cantona's, Dennis Bergkamp's and Gianfranco Zola's providing flair and thrills for the fans in the stands, but as I've mentioned before, the established stars of the Premier League like Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas have found it hard to really get going this season.

A combination of off-the-field matters and World Cup fatigue could have robbed the competition of its spark this year, but fortunately for football fans, this has not been the case, with Nani and Samir Nasri igniting the league with their brilliant play, and Tottenham Hotspur also proving a hotbed of talent in the form of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart.

As the Premier League comes towards "squeaky-bum" time, as Sir Alex Ferguson likes to put it, Manchester City could very well surprise us all with sparking football to win the big prize!

Under Roberto Mancini's Italian sensibilities, the Citizens have been a prime example of a team that emphasizes collective organization over individual flair thus far.

This could all change with his recent acquisition of Bosnian hitman Edin Dzeko proving the last piece of the puzzle at Eastlands!

The former Wolfsburg man, should prove to be the perfect foil for a roaming Carlos Tevez, and if Mancini can let go of his penchant of playing two defensive midfielders, an attack including the guile of David Silva should prove too much for most defenses in the Premier League!

After all the flak that the Italian has suffered since taking over from Mark Hughes, Mancini could very well have the last laugh!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

After a long-drawn and painful saga, Liverpool fans heaved a sigh of relief as Roy Hodgson was finally replaced by Kenny Dalglish.

I must admit being one of them, because frankly, appointing the ex-Fulham manager for the Anfield hotseat was a mistake from the start!

The chemistry was all wrong between manager and club, and it felt like a bad marriage towards the end, especially when Hodgson just couldn't get supporters to get behind the team! What made things worse was when he criticised the Anfield faithful, which would have been the straw that broke the camel's back!

Looking at how supporters have responded since Dalglish's appointment, it is clear he's the right man to boss the club, even as detractors have questioned if this was a case of heart ruling over head.

Personally, I think it was the right choice by the American owners, because the fact is, the Scot certainly knows his football, and he has the experience and the portfolio to maneuver the club out of the mire they're stuck in.

Of course, it will certainly take some time before the title-winning manager can work his magic on a clearly demoralised and unmotivated squad inherited from Hodgson. One of the first orders of business for Dalglish will be to get Fernando Torres firing again, and if anyone can do it, it is the Anfield legend!

Torres will be aware that he's under a manager of a different class, and one of Dalglish's great strengths is his man-management skills, which he will put to work from the get go. In my opinion, Liverpool's lowly position in the Barclays Premier League is not simply because of poor tactics or ill-timed injuries to key players, but really, a consequence of the lack of commitment and motivation displayed throughout the squad. I certainly think that players like Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky and Milan Jovanovic will be chomping at the bit to try to impress their new manager, because they'll be aware that it's either they shape up or ship out!

Dalglish will also be on the lookout for some new blood to reinvigorate his side, and looking at this Liverpool squad, it's clear he will need to bring in a central defender, midfielder, and a striker who can work alongside Torres to bang in 20 goals a season.

This is where we'll see the Scot shine, I suspect, because he's always had a good eye for a player as he showed when he signed Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, who went on to form one of the most fearsome strike forces ever seen in the English top flight.

Even though he's been out of management for over a decade, the shrewd operator has been travelling and keeping his contacts in world football, and with his legendary standing in the game, it won't be hard to persuade players to join his Red revolution.

Many questions have been asked about the length of his tenure at Anfield, and in my opinion, Dalglish is certainly keen on making the position permanent! It'll all depend on how successful he can be the rest of this season, but I must admit to being impressed at the decision to rope in Steve Clarke as assistant manager. It's no coincidence that the trophies were coming in while Clarke was at Chelsea, as well as their slide in form after his departure, and the Englishman will be a great asset at Anfield.

The signs are certainly looking good for an Anfield revival!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

This Barclay Premier League season has been marked by inconsistency, and it's certainly no coincidence that the top sides have had trouble getting their big guns to fire!

Players like Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have been ineffective for their clubs this season! It hasn't helped that these stars are clearly still hung over from the lack of a proper post-season break and pre-season conditioning as a result of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

In their absence, several other players have stepped up to fill the gap in quality, much to the delight of their clubs!

I must put my hand up and give Andy Carroll his due praise- the Newcastle striker has been a revelation this season! The Tyneside wonder played well in the Championship last season, but has clearly made the step up to show his class in the Premier League.

What impressed me most about the lad is the fact that he's more than just an out-and-out forward, because his close control, allied with a sense of natural aggressiveness, makes him a danger anywhere on the pitch!

Fans of Blackpool- and count me as one- have also been surprised by the quality of their attacking play, and a lot of it can be attributed to their midfield maestro, Charlie Adams. A record signing for Blackpool then at £500,000, Adam's is certainly worth every pound!

What I enjoy most about watching the Tangerines is the fact that there's such a positive attitude throughout the club that transmits on to the pitch. Ian Holloway is certainly aware that his club can't compete with their peers for wages, but has assembled a hardworking core of players who play the game the right way!

We certainly can't leave out the two wing wonders in London- Gareth Bale and Samir Nasri! Both players have certainly taken their time to bloom, but are such a pleasure to watch! Nasri, in particular, has impressed me with his consistency with Arsenal this season, bringing his best week-in and week-out for his side! That's exactly the step up that Gareth Bale will need to make in order to be considered a top player, and if both of them can continue to do that, it won't be long before their names will be whispered in the same breath as Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry and Gianfranco Zola!

Looking at some of the debutants in the Premier League this season, it's clear that Harry Redknapp has gotten the pick of the litter with his £8 million capture of Rafael Van der Vaart from Real Madrid last summer! The Englishman may dislike being called a wheeler-dealer, but it's clear that he knows exactly what he is doing in the transfer market!

While the Dutchman didn't have the best of times in Spain, Van der Vaart's certainly found his spiritual home at White Hart Lane, playing with a spring in his step and a smile on his face, and he certainly adds a touch of class to an already impressive Tottenham Hotspur attack!

While Van der Vaart may have been a bargain buy, much has been made about the £28 million transfer fee and £185,000 a week wage that brought Yaya Toure from Barcelona to Manchester City. There have been many a player that have struggled to match up to high expectations because of their price-tag, but to be fair, Toure has clearly added another dimension to the Citizen's midfield.

The Ivorian has been good without being spectacular, but with half a season under his belt now, Toure could very well raise his game to help City keep pace with arch-rivals Manchester United for a shot at the big prize!

Another club with title aspirations will also be hoping that their signing comes to life in the second half of the season. Marouane Chamakh has hit the back of the net seven times for the Gunners in the Premier League, but frankly, has looked more like a squad player than a 30-goal a season hitman. To be fair to the Moroccan, even club legend Thierry Henry had a quiet start to his career, and if Chamakh can find his groove in the last 15 games of the Premier League, Arsenal could also be there challenging at the end!

Looking away from the top sides, I must admit to being impressed with Newcastle's Cheick Tiote and West Bromwich Albion's Somen Tchoyi.

Tiote has been a revelation in England this season! A tough tackling midfielder in the mould of Michael Essien, the Ivorian is clearly suited for the physicality of the Premier League. Tchoyi has also been raising eyebrows in the centre of the park at West Brom, especially with his four goals so far- most notably against Manchester United- and what marks his arrival is that he's come on the scene with an unfashionable team, and made his mark.

I wouldn't put it past either player to make a big-money move to a bigger club next summer, but they'll certainly have to maintain their consistency in order to prove they're worth splashing the cash on.

If the top players in the Barclays Premier League don't start to fire in the new year, their tags as superstars of the game could very well be surpassed by a new wave of players who are waiting for their chance in the limelight.

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

This season seems to stagger from one crisis to another at Stamford Bridge, and it's no coincidence that the Blues' two-year unbeaten streak against Arsenal was blown away after a crushing 3-1 defeat at the Emirates.

Of course, credit is due to Arsene Wenger's side - the Gunners were certainly well worth the win as they closed down Carlo Ancelotti's side with conviction and vigour galore to restrict Chelsea to a handful of half chances.

Rather tellingly though, the match provided yet further proof that this current Chelsea squad is lacking in both quality and numbers, two major issues proved by the fact that Chelsea's bench included unproven youngsters Gael Kakuta and Josh McEachran!

In my opinion, the blame rests with the Chelsea hierarchy, movers and shakers who allowed experienced old hands like Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti and Deco to leave during the summer, without ensuring that quality replacements, apart from Ramires, were brought in to fill the void.

It's no coincidence that Chelsea's recent fall from grace was also marked by an injury crisis that left Ancelotti without the services of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Jose Bosingwa and Yuri Zhirkov.

One can only wonder how much of this self-inflicted crisis could have been averted if Ballack, Belletti and Deco were still on the books at Stamford Bridge.

But it's not just the lack of numbers that is the reason why Chelsea find themselves stretched to breaking point.

While some have raised the fact that Chelsea have not won since the sacking of assistant manager Ray Wilkins, and blamed his departure, and the manner of it, on owner Roman Abramovich, I think that the Russian tycoon is more culpable for their recent malaise than we realise!

Abramovich has openly declared that his plan is to ensure that Chelsea's academy is similar to Barcelona's La Masia. Yet the fact is players like Kakuta and McEachran - both graduates from the club's academy system - are the exceptions rather than the rule, and for me at least that's evidence enough that the Russian's policy is simply not working at Stamford Bridge!

He's certainly put the cart before the horse on this one, because what matters is the present, not the future, and his sudden frugality has unbalanced what was a trophy-laden Chelsea project!

What compounds matters is the fact that Chelsea clearly need reinforcements in several departments.

However, Abramovich has already said that he does not intend to go on a spending spree, but new faces are surely vital to ensure that this season does not go to waste.

Frankly, I think it's no coincidence that his recent reticence and lack of involvement at Stamford Bridge is marked by Abramovich's involvement in Russia's bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

I can imagine how difficult it must be right now for Ancelotti, especially since it's become clear how little authority he does have at the club. Of course, it's not impossible for Chelsea to climb out of the hole they've dug themselves into, and the wily tactician will be aware that he still has an ace up his sleeve in the form of a returning Lampard. The England midfielder's twenty-odd goals from midfield have been sorely missed this season.

Football is a funny old game, and if Chelsea can settle down and grab a string of wins again, they could very well find the momentum to surge right back up the Barclays Premier League table!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

Most of the Barclays Premier League games this weekend were snowed out due to freezing weather conditions across England - with only the Sunderland vs Bolton, Blackburn vs West Ham and Manchester City vs Everton going through.

There was a similar disruption last season as well and predictably, this has led to renewed calls for the Premier League to consider a winter break. The Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 take a sabbatical during this time and even the Scottish Premier League officials are supposed to meet in January to discuss proposed changes to the calendar.

But I don't buy the argument that the English game and players need time-off during the festive period.

For one, that would extend the domestic season. International tournaments are usually held during the summer and you don't want a situation where the domestic season ends and the players have to head straight off on national duty. This season is fine - since we don't have a major football competition in the summer. But if, for example, we had had a break last season then the World Cup would have been a major headache for most players.

And if the Premier League does go ahead with a winter break, say next season - then how are we going to deal with Euro 2012? As of now, only one weekend's worth of games have been cancelled out and there is more than enough space in the calendar to make up for lost time.

The Premier League is confident it can fit in the outstanding games. The Manchester United-Blackpool game has already been rescheduled for end January and lost time can be made up as the bigger teams start getting knocked out of the FA Cup. In fact, one of United and Liverpool is certain to be knocked out in the FA Cup third round on January 9, which would free up the losing side to meet its Premier League commitments.

The argument that players in other leagues and other national teams have an advantage over their English counterparts is a false one too. Firstly, this kind of thing has been happening for decades and we haven't heard too many complaints prior to the last few years. And now the Premier League is truly international and that means there are players from all major European countries involved in plying their wares in England.

You have French, Spanish, German internationals who will be involved with their respective clubs during the hectic Christmas and New Year period. How do these players and by extension, their countries, get an advantage over the English? They don't.

From a player's perspective too - it is great to be involved in so many games during this period. I used to love playing these fixtures! The fans are excited and passionate, the players are pumped up and it's a great atmosphere to be playing football in.

So keep the action on the pitch going and let the Premier League continue to bedazzle the fans during this festive period.

While the past few fixtures in the Barclays Premier League have proved to be exhilarating stuff, I must admit that I'm disappointed to learn about developments off the pitch that are threatening to overshadow what could be one of most competitive seasons in the league's history.

It was painful to see headlines splashed and branded around Carlos Tevez's recent spat with the Manchester City management, and frankly, I think what he's doing is ridiculous and an absolute disgrace to the sport as a professional footballer!

Some quarters have tried to justify his agitation, because the Argentinean has stated he wants to move closer to his family, but I think that there's just no justification there. If Tevez didn't want to be in Manchester in the first place, he shouldn't have transferred from United to City!

To sign a contract that rewards him well financially, and to make waves with two and a half years left on his contract, right in the midst of City's efforts to wrest the Premier League crown, is simply one of the greatest imbalances in the game right now- the power that players wield over clubs!

I think the powers-that-be need to start protecting the interests of the clubs! In my opinion, clubs should be allowed to suspend the wages of players who submit transfer requests, as well as put their contracts in limbo until either the player or another club trumps up a transfer fee or compensation worth the value of the player.

This will be a good deterrent in stopping all this nonsense and re-establishing the fact that no player is bigger than the club! It simply doesn't make sense that Manchester City have to continue paying Tevez's wages when the player is the one demanding for a move.

On the other hand, it's certainly not coincidence that this marks the second City marquee player, after Robinho to seek a move elsewhere after failing to adapt to life in England.

One suggestion that has been made, with some validity, is the fact that historically, South Americans have never had the most pleasant transitions when making the move to the English top flight.

Manchester United had their own troubles with players like Juan-Sebastian Veron and Kleberson, who simply couldn't adapt to the rain and rigors of the English game, no matter how much Sir Alex Ferguson tried to accommodate them at Old Trafford!

It's a lesson that the Citizens are starting to learn, and frankly, if the club's ownership continue their policy of reckless spending, they'll be suffering in the same vein season after season, as unhappy players agitate for moves elsewhere.

The truth is you can never keep everyone happy, and that's the real trouble at Eastlands. What they need to do is get the right players in for the right price tag, rather than just buying marquee names in order to get their club's profile raised.

It's certainly no accident that Ferguson didn't keep Tevez when he had the chance to splash the cash on the Argentinian, and after the trouble caused by Manchester City's ill-advised marketing campaign that was centered around Tevez's move, you can expect a lot of red faces in the Blue half of Manchester!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

The fixture list promises action galore for the football fans this weekend, with Tottenham Hotspur taking on Chelsea, looking for another London derby scalp after their 3-2 win over Arsenal in November, and Manchester United looking to seize back their Barclays Premier League top spot when they take on Arsenal at Old Trafford.

What is striking is the number of London sides with great ambitions in the Premier League this season, and it certainly shows that the city have come a long way from the times when the North-Western clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United reigned supreme in England!

Although London clubs have not accumulated as many trophies, compared to the glittering cabinets at Anfield and Old Trafford, things have certainly changed in recent years, with Arsenal and Chelsea now regarded as two of the Premier League's "big four" alongside United and Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur waiting eagerly to gatecrash the elite pack with their recent entry into the UEFA Champions League.

Harry Redknapp will certainly be aware that Spurs are at the cusp of something special since he took over at the helm of the club. I've found them to be a delight to watch, and the Englishman has certainly brought out the best with the players he has to work with, as well as making astute signings like Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric, marrying the best of their Continental skills with Welsh power in the form of Gareth Bale!

Carlo Ancelotti will certainly be unhappy with the timing of this fixture, especially given how badly his side have stuttered in recent weeks. It's clear to me that Didier Drogba's been in one of his sulky moods of late, and no coincidence that that's when Chelsea's goal output starts to dry up! What compounds matters for the Italian is the fact that his Frenchmen seem a pale shadow of themselves. Nicolas Anelka seems to have lost his penetrative touch towards goal, and Florent Malouda just doesn't seem to be putting in the same effort he did earlier in the season.

However, even with Chelsea seemingly all at sea, it won't be an easy fixture for Spurs! They are clearly having problems with consistency, and and frankly, I think it's simply due to the chopping and changing that Redknapp has been making with the squad as a result of their Champions League schedule!

But it's not just Redknapp that has trouble getting his squad to stay consistent this season. Sir Alex Ferguson may be showing placid calm in public, but the Scot will certainly not be pleased with how his Manchester United charges keep giving away cheap goals this season.

Arsenal will certainly be up for this fixture, and Arsene Wenger will have it drummed into his charges that this is a match that they can win! The Gunners have been far more consistent away than at the Emirates this season, and for one simple reason- they're finding a lot more freedom and space to play their passing game, especially with the onus on the home team to attack and to score.

With players like Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri in fine fettle, this could prove to be a torrid time for the Red Devils. What could swing this fixture in Ferguson's favour though, is United's famous "never-say-die" spirit- Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Nani will have to help out the defence and defend as a unit from the front, and every player on the pitch has to put in a full shift of hard work on the day!

This could be the week that a London side begins the foundations for a dynasty in the Barclays Premier League, and the capital is the place to be at the moment!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

Even for the neutral, Manchester United's seven-star performance against Blackburn Rovers would have been a delight to watch. I must admit being mightily impressed with their recent form - aside from that Carling Cup defeat to West Ham United of course.

Let's be honest, the Red Devils haven't been fantastic this season, but recent performances show that Sir Alex Ferguson has fired up his men, and they could be ready for a real tilt at the Barclays Premier League title, despite United's earlier defensive woes.

What got my attention is the fact that with the Barclays Premier League nearing it's halfway mark, Ferguson's men remain the only unbeaten team in the competition!

After enduring some brickbats about his team selections, the Scot must be feeling vindicated with United's recent results in the league.

It's clear that players like Nani and Park Ji-Sung have justified his emphasis on the collective squad over the form of individuals. The Portuguese winger has been a revelation this season, with his consistency down the flanks, as well as the improved quality of his crossing.

Ferguson will also be pleased that his faith in players like Park and Darren Fletcher is being rewarded. They are not spectacular, but they always give their all. Knowing the United manager, these are the sort of lads he loves and relies on.

While the manager certainly wouldn't have been pleased with the whole Wayne Rooney media furore, I must tip my hat in his direction for the way it was handled.

Both Rooney and the squad have had their eyes opened by the saga, and would have been made aware that no player is bigger than Manchester United. Frankly, I won't be surprised if that has had some influence towards their committed performances recently.

What augers well for United's title push is the homecoming of Rooney. He's returned from Niketown in the USA, looking trimmer and with a fire in his eyes once again. I must admit to not being too surprised by that though - the boy's got a strong character, and with his appetite for the game, you can never write him off.

It is crucial for Ferguson though, that he gets his first-choice striking partnership of Dimitar Berbatov and Rooney playing together again.

The trouble for United is that neither have ever been in form at the same time, but if Ferguson gives them both playing time consistently, they'll be a match for any attack on the continent! I've always felt that the two just needed time to gel, in the same way Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka took several months before working out their formidable partnership.

To be honest though, the fact that United are top of the Premier League with a mere 31 points for a possible 45 is a damning indictment of the failings of their challengers.

Roman Abramovich has not helped Chelsea's cause at all with his recent meddling, and clearly it's not a happy camp at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are missing John Terry and Frank Lampard, and it's such a waste of the fantastic start that Carlo Ancelotti's side had made earlier this season.

But it's not just Chelsea who have failed to produce the goods when it matters most, with Arsenal seeming to take one step forward and two steps back with their inconsistency.

It's even harder to take Manchester City as genuine title challengers, especially given how stifling Roberto Mancini seems to be with his tactics, even with the wealth of talent at Eastlands. I wouldn't count on the Italian making it past the January transfer window himself, and if he leaves, so will all credibility for the club.

The only breath of fresh air recently, to be honest, is Tottenham Hotspur. Their emphasis on attack has been a pleasure to watch, but one suspects that manager Harry Redknapp has an eye on the Champions League, which could very well hamper any title ambitions.

At this rate, Ferguson will be laughing his way to the title.

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

I'm back in England for the week, and it's been grim reading with headlines splashed about Carlo Ancelotti, and the pressure the Italian's under since their recent run of poor results in the Barclays Premier League.

Frankly, I think the timing's awful for Roman Abramovich to start meddling with what has been a very successful Chelsea set-up! It's no coincidence that the Premier League title returned with Ancelotti's calm and experienced hand guiding the Blues, and with the side still at the top of the league, and strong contenders to win the UEFA Champions League, why rock the boat?

What's obvious is that the sacking of Ray Wilkins, as well as what's being said at board level, has sent shockwaves to the club, and even though in my opinion such matters should never affect performances on the pitch, they clearly have!

It was fascinating to hear the Italian complain that he did not have the same authority as Sir Alex Ferguson wields at Manchester United, but let's be honest, the Scot's been there for 25 years, and to expect similar power at Chelsea, you'd have to earn that respect like Ferguson did! What makes the wily tactician stand out even more is the fact that he's done very little wrong at Old Trafford, which is the reason for his long tenure.

Comparing United and Chelsea is a little like comparing apples and oranges, because it's clear that both clubs have owners with completely opposite temperaments. Abramovich doesn't suffer fools lightly, and his hands-on mentality to the club has frightened off even the best of them, as Jose Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge shows! On the other hand, Ferguson has had free-rein over most decisions since the takeover of Manchester United by the Glazers, and he has used that wisely.

But the fact is, owner interference in matters on and off the pitch is hardly new. One only needs to look back to the days of Brian Clough at Derby County in the 1970's to realize that managers have had to deal with pressures like these for a long time.

What's changed though, is the balance of power in the clubs. In my opinion, the Bosman ruling in 1995 was a real game-changer, as player's salaries and transfer fees sky-rocketed. The sheer amount of money riding of players now makes it hard for managers to call the shots like they did before!

It's no coincidence that the average tenure of league managers is only two measly years, based on recent reports from the League Managers' Association, and another factor will be the fact that the pressures and responsibilities are ever-changing for the modern manager.

In this day and age, where fitness and strength have equal priority over skill and fitness in the modern game, every club has a team of doctors, physiotherapists, fitness coaches, and what this means is a lot of control has been taken from the manager. Of course, it can be useful to take the workload off the manager, like Ferguson has admitted to doing, but it's a real double-edged sword as the delegation also supplants authority from the manager in the player's eyes.

Roberto Mancini's predicament at Manchester City is a great example of this, as players at Eastlands have complained about the double training sessions the Italian has initiated since his arrival at the club.

Frankly, there would barely be a peep from any players in my day, much less the open resentment that some players seem to feel fit to display when they disagree with their managers! What's worse is when players realize that their jobs aren't on the line as much as the manager, and this is when you can tell their commitment levels drop and they don't put in as much effort as before.

To be fair, the 24/7 coverage by the media doesn't help the modern manager either. It's not hard to remember the long list of managers who have suffered under the slings and arrows of being less than a saint, like Avram Grant most recently when he was caught for misdemeanors in his personal life while trying to keep Portsmouth from a total meltdown!

What club chairmen and owners need to remember is that they're only cutting their noses to spite their faces when they pressure their managers. The key advantage that clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton have is the consistency produced when they keep faith with their key men!

It certainly helps for both the fan and boardroom when you know what you're going to get, and it's hardly cheap for a club to keep their management turnstile spinning. Every different manager means a change in players, which ultimately leads to inflated wages bills, given the club will have to keep buying and selling players to meet a new playing style!

In that context, I must tip my hat to managers like David Moyes, who has been fantastic at Everton, as well as Roberto Di Matteo, who seems to be running a tight ship at West Bromwich Albion. What strikes me about these two bosses is the fact that they seem to be perfectly fine working within a tight budget, which contrasts sharply with the problems Mancini has at Eastland, with his abundance of riches and resources.

At the end of the day, all managers will live and die by their results, but the fact is, if chairmen and owners don't come to their senses soon and stop the managerial merry-go-round, it'll be clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United who reap the benefits of their trigger-happy tendencies!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

If I were a Tottenham Hotspur fan, it wouldn't surprise me if I was feeling a bit nauseous from the roller-coaster form that the side have displayed this season.

In a single week, they rode from the dizzy heights of victory over Inter to the despair of defeat to lowly Bolton Wanderers!

I must admit being impressed with Harry Redknapp's men for nabbing that all-important Champions League qualifying spot from Manchester City last season with their brand of positive attacking football, but the England manager-wannabe will certainly be aware that this season will represent a drastic difference, especially if he intends for his squad to challenge both domestically and in Europe.

I worry for Spurs, honestly, because even the best of sides across the continent often find that the going gets tough, especially when injuries and suspensions begin to take their toll.

Realistically, the Lilywhites are definitely not in the same class as the Real Madrids and Manchester Uniteds, and there'll be broken hearts at White Hart Lane should they be swiftly trounced out of the Champions League knock-out stages.

The Barclays Premier League, on it's own, is already a challenge, and it would be a crying shame if this squad went the way of Leeds United to simply be a one-season wonder.

Roberto Mancini's men, amongst others, will be eyeing that fourth spot ravenously, and we may very well see two Manchester sides in the Champions League next season, should the ex-Portsmouth boss take his eye off the ball.

There's nothing more sobering than a North London derby to remind Spurs fans where their true priorities lie, and therefore, timely for Redknapp to visit the old enemy- Arsenal.

The fixture at the Emirates promises so much, and in my opinion, could very well end up a boring 0-0 or a heart-racing 5-4.

As with all derbies, this one will come down to desire on the day itself, but certainly with their previous records of victory, Arsene Wenger's men will be confident of a good result at home.

The only dark cloud on the horizon at the Emirates for the home support will be the fact that the stadium has hardly been a fortress for the Gunners, and Redknapp will be aware that his men need to impose their game on Arsenal, as Newcastle did recently, in order to get something from this fixture.

What intrigues me, though, are the individual match-ups happening all over the pitch between the two sides.

There won't be too many protestations if I said that these two sides could possibly boast the two most creative central midfield partnerships in England, and this match could very well be won or lost in the middle of the park.

There's very little difference in class between the Luka Modric/ Rafael Van de Vaart and Cesc Fabregas/ Jack Wilshere pairings, and both sets of midfield maestros will be looking to get a passing game going as quickly as possible.

The neutrals will be salivating at the prospect of Samir Nasri and Gareth Bale storming down the flanks. Of course, the Welshman has been in fantastic form for Spurs, but with his youth and relative inexperience, this match could prove to be a lesson for the youngster. I feel he needs to learn to how play both on and off the ball, and the fact is when he's marked out, Bale must learn how to create space for his team-mates instead.

On the other hand, Nasri has impressed me with the consistency of the quality of his play, and this could tilt the balance in Arsenal's favour.

Wenger will certainly not be complacent though, especially if he's aware that he has the lesser of the goalkeepers.

Both Lukas Fabianski and Heurelho Gomes have been accused of being soft touches when it comes to challenging for crosses, and this will be crucial for both sides, especially with the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Peter Crouch prepared to swoop on any mistakes in the air.

In my opinion, Gomez is far better than Fabianski, and Crouch is likely to expose the Polish youngster's weaknesses that were cruelly exposed by Andy Carroll during their 1-0 loss to the Magpies.

Adding some spice to the derby will be the presence of William Gallas.

The Frenchman will certainly get stick from the Emirates crowd after his move across the Seven Sisters during the summer, but I'm confident that the outspoken defender will be relishing the fixture- these games are what players live for- and he's got enough miles under his belt to know how to deal with the heckling that will come his way.

Supporters for both clubs will certainly be clamouring for the bragging rights to be labeled the top club in North London but with the style of play from both teams, this is not the easiest game to call.

The Gunners have been consistently at the top end of the Premier League, and this could be a game where they simply blow Redknapp's pretensions of glory away!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

With recent reports that owner Roman Abramovich is considering moving the club to a spanking new 60,000-seater stadium, as well as their team sitting pretty atop the Barclay Premier League standings, it certainly a good time to be a Chelsea fan.

What is certainly more intimidating about their title challenge this year is the quality of the men under Carlo Ancelotti's charge this year- with a strong, experienced core, the Blues could very well challenge on all fronts this year.

The only dark cloud on the horizon, frankly, is their away form this season.

It certainly isn't a coincidence that both losses that Chelsea have suffered this season have come from sides that have chosen to take the game to the reigning champions- Liverpool and Manchester City- and if other Premier League sides decide to follow their lead, it could certainly prove less easy for Ancelotti's men to steamroll past opponents like they did early in the season!

I must admit being impressed with how well Chelsea's midfield have stepped up in the absence of Frank Lampard, with Yuri Zhirkov standing tall when it counted. 

The Russian looks like a player transformed! He was doing poorly at Stamford Bridge last season, looking more like a fringe player than an £18m signing.

However, with Lampard out with injury, Zhirkov has certainly been showing his quality with his flashes of brilliance.

Frankly, his recent upswing in form reminds me of Florent Malouda just a few seasons ago- the Frenchman looked like a misfit in his first season, then found his groove and never looked back. Zhirkov could very well do the same at Chelsea!

But it's not just Zhirkov who has taken his chance at Chelsea- Branislav Ivanovic has certainly done fantastically well in the absence of Jose Bosingwa, and is certainly giving Ancelotti a selection headache on the right side of defence.

The Serbian has been effective at both ends of the pitch for Chelsea, defending well as well as knocking in the goals, and I won't be surprised if Bosingwa has problems regaining his starting place as a result!

To be fair to the Portuguese though, he is a different style of right-back as Ivanovic- Bosingwa certainly is an attacking fullback of the Ashley Cole mold- and it just goes to show the quality of resources at Ancelotti's disposal that he has an embarrassment of riches between the two to choose from.

While the Italian may have selection trouble in defence, he certainly won't have the same issues penning down the two men to lead his attack: Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

The Ivorian has certainly come a long way, from the sulking, quiet and somewhat ungainly player that first joined from Marseille! He is certainly one of the best players in the world now, and on his day, Drogba is unplayable! You only have to speak to defenders in the Premier League to hear how unanimous they all hate playing him!

Whatever his detractors may say, it is clear that he has joined the ranks of players like Eric Cantona, Gianfranco Zola and Thierry Henry, foreign players who have made the Premier League their own personal stomping ground.

Unfortunately for Chelsea though, Drogba has been out of the line-up as he struggles with malaria, and Nicolas Anelka has been leading the line for the Blues.

I think the Frenchman has never quite got the plaudits his play deserves! Yes, it's true, he isn't as prolific as Drogba in terms of goal tally, but that doesn't mean that Anelka doesn't contribute to the side. Since his time at Arsenal, Anelka has had a frightful pace coupled with fantastic technical skill, and with age and experience on his side now, he is certainly even more threatening than ever.

With him and Drogba knocking in the goals for Chelsea, and Lampard close to a return to chip in with his usual twenty goal tally, don't be too surprised if they cross the hundred goal mark en-route to another Premier League title!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

Such a disappointing result for Manchester City fans as their side crashed to yet another defeat in the Barclays Premier League, losing 2-1 to Wolves last weekend.

With Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany's embarrassing shouting match on the sidelines, it was apparent that the media reports of unrest at the training ground spilt over to the pitch!

It has been ten games into the season, and still Roberto Mancini looks like a man who doesn't know his best team nor formation.

What compounds matters for the Italian is that he seems to be losing control of his dressing room! It's widely known that he has had his disagreements with players like Craig Bellamy, Carlos Tevez, Robinho and Adebayor, but the mark of a good manager is the ability to deal with players of different temperaments, and I must say, there's a real question mark about Mancini's ability to motivate the Citizens on and off the pitch!

The Italian is clearly unhappy with some of his players, especially with the boozing culture in some circles, but what he needs to do is get players to work with him, not against him. The fact that he's spoken out and that player's names have come out in the open must be a nightmare for the City PR team, and he really shouldn't wash dirty linen in public.

To be fair to Mancini, he does have a very difficult job. Managing a squad like City means you do have a luxury of talent, but it only takes one bad game for a manager to start second-guessing himself and wonder if he did indeed pick his best squad available.

I must say I'm not particularly impressed with his penchant for playing two defensive midfielders. With a squad containing quality wingers like Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips, Mancini's stubborn refusal to attack is certainly hurting City's title hopes!

The Italian doesn't seem to have the nous that all top managers need to have today- the ability to turn a match around with his substitutions. It's all about horses for courses, and in their losses against Sunderland, Arsenal and Wolves, as well as West Bromwich Albion in the Carling Cup, it was shocking to see how ineffective Mancini's substitutions were in terms of affecting the game!

It was remarkable to see the difference in intensity when his side took the game to Chelsea and won 1-0 at Eastlands, so the manager clearly needs to ensure his players maintain their high tempo and deny opposition space to play.

A lot will be made about City's spending over the summer, and I must admit, with an outlay of over 250 million pounds, fans would have expected more bang for their buck. The Citizens have only notched a paltry 13 Premier League goals, a record bettered by more than half the Premier League so far.

Chelsea did show the way for clubs to buy quick success when they won the league twice in 2005 and 2006 under Roman Abramovich's ownership, and Sheik Mansour would do well to open his cheque-book as wisely! It's no good splashing the cash and buying Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Yaya Toure during the summer, only to find them competing with existing players for a squad-place.

It won't have gone unnoticed at Eastlands that Mark Hughes had more points at this stage of the season than Mancini- the current Fulham boss had notched up five wins, four draws and one loss, while the Italian has five wins, two draws and three losses. Don't be too surprised that if things don't improve for the Citizens by the turn of the year, Sheik Mansour may very well be manager-hunting again!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

It must have been a huge sigh of relief for Arsenal fans as their team got a 3-0 victory against fellow title-challengers Manchester City! 

The Citizens will point to Derdryck Boyata's early sending off as a crucial factor for their loss, but take nothing away from Arsenal, who played intelligently and taking every possible chance created as they battered City's stubborn defence into submission.

It was interesting to note the confidence coursing in this Arsenal side in the post-match comments, with Cesc Fabregas boasting that his team could have beaten them even if City had 15 players on the pitch. That's certainly big talk from a player who's at the top of his game, and it's clear to see that the Spaniard is confident that this may be the year Arsenal break their title drought.

The fact is that the London side have under-performed the past few seasons, but manager Arsene Wenger's astute buys in the form of Marouane Chamakh, Sebastian Squillaci and Laurent Koscienly have strengthened the backbone of his side and made them genuine title contenders this season.

Since the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor, the Gunners have lacked a main striker who can get them 20 to 30 goals a season, but Chamakh certainly looks like a player who can fill that role for them. He's already scored six for Arsenal this season, and is well on target for more! One thing though- the lad's got to cut down on the diving. It's clear from the way he falls that he's looking for something from the referee, and this has to be eradicated from his game.

The Gunners have been accused of having a soft underbelly in recent years, but I think they've solved the issue with the additions of Squillaci and Koscielny at the heart of their defence. Koscielny, in particular, has impressed me with his reading of the game. Yes, he does look slight-of-frame compared to Premier League stalwarts like John Terry and Nemanja Vidic, but the fact is, you don't have to be physical all the time to be a good defender! The way Koscielny looks to pass the ball out, as well as the way he attacks the ball before it reaches the danger-zone in the box, is a delight to watch, and with the experience of Squillaci alongside him, Arsenal look a different proposition defensively.

One thing Wenger will have to look at though, is their lack of a quality goalkeeper. It's no coincidence that both Chelsea and Manchester United have top class shot-stoppers in the form of Petr Cech and Edwin van der Sar respectively, and frankly, there's no one of that quality in the Arsenal squad at the moment! I've never been convinced by Manuel Almunia and Lukas Fabianski, and Wenger will certainly have to dip into his transfer funds again during the January window to make sure that this department doesn't drag his whole team down!

The question is- will Wenger buy? I can understand the perspective of fans who have been angered by the Frenchman's refusal to splash the cash, and the fact is that with profits soaring at the Emirates, he has no reason not to bolster his squad! After years of watching the club selling stars like Thierry Henry and Kolo Toure, I think the days of Arsenal as a selling club are over, and the fact is they had the financial muscle to hang on to Fabregas, despite the siren calls of Barcelona ringing over their head.

Wenger is certainly well aware of Fabregas' importance to the team, and frankly, I think he's irreplaceable! The midfield maestro is really the heartbeat of this Arsenal side, and without him, the Gunners look far less threatening. It certainly won't have escaped the wily tactician's notice that the World Cup winner is also important to developing players like Jack Wilshere, who must be overjoyed to be playing alongside Fabregas. Wilshere does look like the real deal, but the young England midfielder will certainly benefit from the guidance of his club captain. All he needs now is just another year of physical development, and the boy is definitely going to be Arsenal's next star!

Arsenal fans will certainly have their fingers crossed that the injury jinx doesn't strike their club again though, and to be honest, that's one thing I don't understand about modern footballers. In the past, players used to have far greater pain thresholds, and would never sit out matches because of small niggles or strains! The London side have had their problems in that department, but with Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner looking to return to the squad in their next fixture against West Ham United, Arsenal may just have too much firepower for the rest of the Premier League this season.

Watch out!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

It was hard not to wince as I watched Manchester United stumble to a 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion last weekend, and frankly, watching Ryan Giggs limp off and Paul Scholes come on to little effect, the question rings out loud at Old Trafford- is this the end of an era?

There were so many deficiencies in the United performance against the Hawthorns I reckon Sir Alex Ferguson will have a headache deciding which damaged hole to plug first!

Even with their first choice centre-half pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the Red Devils simply couldn't keep a clean sheet. Frankly, it's not necessarily down to just the centre-halves; the team as a whole is simply not defending as they should!

The whole United team were not focused on winning the ball back and cutting out crosses, and one trait stood out like a sore thumb - the complacency they showed!

It was simply galling to watch Rafael Pereira da Silva - the boy's a talent for sure, but his physique is simply too light and he seems to have trouble with his defensive duties, which is what he was brought in for in the first place!

There is an air of predictability in the current United side, and shocking as it is, this is probably the most workmanlike a squad Ferguson has ever cobbled together.

Fergie simply does not have enough dynamic players in his side, the fact that Wayne Rooney was left on the bench felt like the manager was cutting his nose to spite his face.

It was certainly obvious that Ferguson was trying to teach the lad a lesson, but the fact is this edition of United cannot afford to leave out its best players!

The England star is the most valuable asset off and on the field for them, and to drop him was certainly a terrible choice by the wily tactician.

To be fair to Ferguson, the whole Rooney saga going on now must be a new experience to him- this is certainly the first time a player, and not the manager, is dictating terms at Old Trafford!

I didn't quite understand his intentions when he declared Rooney was struggling with an ankle injury when the boy wasn't- when I was a player, being on the pitch and playing was always what got my head on right.

I would have done what Rooney did. I'll never lie about an injury.

Of course, it's tough being in Rooney's shoes now, and what Ferguson needs to do is play him, not drop him. For us footballers, the routine of our lives are what keeps us fit and ready, physically and psychologically, to be at the top of our games.

We would make sure we slept, ate, and drank football, and for the United boss to drop Rooney as he did, would have left the player feeling like the rug had been pulled out from under his feet!

There's certainly some damage to their relationship, and one that Ferguson will have to repair quickly. Although I don't agree with reports that say Rooney will leave for Manchester City, it certainly wouldn't be surprising if he had his head turned towards a move to Spain! He will certainly have had enough of the English press, and a move abroad would be ideal.

Just that thought alone should be enough for Ferguson to put down his pride, but the other worrying fact for United fans is that there aren't any players who can pick up Rooney's mantle if he leaves.

Although I think Javier Hernandez seems to be the real deal, he is still young and will need more time to hit his full potential.

It is a worrying sign for the Red Devils when you realize that the crop coming through right now- Darron Gibson, Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and the lot- are simply not good enough for the top echelons of the Premiership, and Ferguson has been in the business long enough to realize that.

The Scot has never shied away from blooding young players as long as they were good enough, and the fact that these youngsters are light-years away from a first team place clearly shows his true assessment of their quality!

The facts are staring Ferguson in the face- with his old stalwarts clearly in the twilight of their careers, and no new emerging talent awaiting, he cannot afford to lose Rooney! If he does, we could very well see the end of his dynasty at Old Trafford!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

The Liverpool drama has now moved from the boardroom to the courtroom.

However, just because current owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have behaved as they have, doesn't mean we should paint all American businessmen with the same brush. John W Henry, the principal owner has done a superb job with the Boston Red Sox and shown that it is possible to turn around a sports outfit's fortunes - if only the owners have the know-how and the right intentions.

Henry and his company rejuvenated the American baseball franchise - one with almost as long and storied history as Liverpool's. If you think the Reds' title drought is long, the baseball side endured 86 years without winning the World Series! It was only two years after New England Sports Ventures (NESV) took over the reins in 2002, made management and player changes that the Red Sox won the title. That tells you something about the pedigree of the owners.

Some people may have been surprised that there were no bids from an English party, but it must be understood that we are not aware of what went on behind-the-scenes. Some bids may have been received but the point is that it has to be the right bid. It's not just about the money - it's about the club being confident that any perspective owner knows the business and has the record to prove it.

There has also been speculation that the players have been affected by what's been happening off the pitch. While Gillett and Hicks have not done anyone connected to the club any favours by dragging this story, it certainly cannot be used as an excuse for poor performances. The game against Blackpool, for example, when Liverpool went 2-1 down at Anfield was just a case of shambolic play.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Roy Hodgson now. NESV fired the then Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan soon after taking over - so they clearly are not averse to taking tough decisions. And Hodgson would certainly have been aware when signing on the dotted line that his role would be reconsidered should a takeover situation surface.

And what of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres? Well, no one can be sure - but it would all depend on the situation the club is in come January and the transfer window. The future is shrouded in mystery but a very interesting couple of months beckon for the club and its supporters.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one wincing at Liverpool's horrendous showing over the weekend. They looked all over the shop as league newcomers Blackpool took them to the cleaners for a 2-1 shock victory. At Anfield! Simply not good enough.

We all know the club is in disarray over ownership issues but the players cannot blame their awful performance on that alone. There are paid good money to deliver on the pitch and Roy Hodgson will certainly be disappointed with the lackluster display from his players.

Fortunately for him, with the international break looming, the former Fulham boss will get some needed time to set things right and work on his tactics before Liverpool's crunch match against Merseyside rivals Everton, which is certainly a must-win  so as to win over the disgruntled fans.

Elsewhere, it was a smelly affair at the Stadium of Light as Manchester United could only manage a scoreless draw with Sunderland. A sewage pipe leak and a bazooka-sized hairdryer in Sir Alex Ferguson's hands. A deadly combo indeed.

I honestly think that Ferguson thought this game was going to be an easy victory for his men. His team selection was not as much baffling as insipid- leaving Patrice Evra on the bench and playing Rafael was clearly an act of complacency, and Ferguson will be ruing his failed gamble as the Red Devils drop another two points yet again.

Fringe players like John O'Shea, Wes Brown and Anderson have certainly not impressed me before, and they certainly haven't changed my mind yet. United simply don't have the squad depth that Chelsea has, and if Ferguson is really intent on winning back the Premiership crown, he'll have to stop mucking around and play his strongest XI every game! Otherwise, this season could simply be a procession for Chelsea on their way to retaining the league title.

But I doubt Carlo Ancelotti's side will be counting their chickens before they hatch, as the Blues were given a mighty scare by Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. It was the same old Arsenal with all the possession play and done of the end-product, but Chelsea certainly needed to be at their clinical best with Didier Drogba continuing to be the Gunners' scourge in recent times.

While one Italian celebrated yet another victory in the league, his compatriot Fabio Capello was all smiles as he witnessed the emergence of Jack Wilshere as a serious contender for Frank Lampard's starting berth in the Three Lions squad for their upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers.

The boy played like a seasoned pro, and what I love about him is the fact that what you see is what you get with Wilshere. He's no Michael Essien, nor does he try to do so. What he does is keep things simple, and for a footballer, that's the most important thing. 

This could very well be the season that he makes the push to cement a first team place! It's interesting, the similarities he has with Cesc Fabregas in terms of their development, and like the Arsenal captain, once Wilshere starts bulking up, you'll see what the boy can really do!

It would have been a welcome sight for Capello to see Wilshere's quality emerge, especially given that Frank Lampard will still be out against their upcoming 2012 European Championship qualifier against Montenegro.

The England manager certainly has a few holes to plug in his squad, with Lampard and Jermain Defoe both out with injuries, but frankly, the player that will trouble him most will be Wayne Rooney.

The lad has admitted that he's been affected by the turmoil in his personal life, and it has clearly affected his play on the pitch for both club and country!

Even the astute footballing brain of Ferguson has seen him limit Rooney's appearances in recent weeks and I am a firm believer that if you are not starting for your club, you shouldn't be in the national team.

It might be time for the Italian tactician to give players like Darren Bent a serious thought with his star striker misfiring. Bent is a big and strong lad, and more importantly, been knocking in the goals for Sunderland, so why not give him a run-out and see if he can hack it on the big stage?

I must admit to being very confused with what's going on in Capello's mind, though. I was just as surprised as anyone else when I found out that Kevin Davis had been given a call-up to the England side. What's the point of that?

It's bad enough that Capello tried to lure, first Paul Scholes, and then Emile Heskey into pulling on the Three Lions jersey one last time, and certainly a damming indictment of the lack of confidence the Italian has in the quality and talent at his disposal. 

We've all heard Capello's proclamations about letting young English talent have their chance in the squad, as well as move England forward from their traditional long-ball style of play, but frankly, if he's looking to bring in veterans like Heskey and Davis into the set-up, he's failed on both counts.

Still, it should be an interesting week of international fixtures coming up for the fans, and as a player, I remember the honour of playing for my country. The timings weren't always brilliant, to be honest, but on the other hand, we quite enjoyed a mental break from the pressures of the club season.

I can imagine how the last round of fixtures would have been vexing for some managers in the Premier League, so this international break will certainly present a chance for managers like Hodgson, Ferguson and Wenger to lick their wounds and rethink their strategies for the rest of the season.

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

There was a general air of disappointment for supporters of the so called "Big Four" as their sides yielded a combined total of two points and a paltry seven goals.

The worse of the lot had to be Arsenal, who produced the most shocking performance seen at the Emirates ever. They just couldn't get their heads on the entire match, apart from Samir Nasri, and thoroughly deserved their 3-2 loss to unheralded West Bromwich Albion.

On the other hand, it wasn't much better for Manchester United either, with their 2-2 draw against Bolton Wanderers. Sir Alex Ferguson will be well aware that with rivals slipping on banana peels left, right and centre, this weekend was a missed opportunity to seize momentum- the hairdryer will certainly have been out with both barrels blasting in United's dressing room after the game.

Merseyside is a sea of pain, and it seems to be getting from bad to worse for Liverpool fans as the team continue to slip and slide in a mangled mess.

Their only consolation in the 2-2 stalemate against Sunderland will be that Liverpool certainly have the moral high-ground with regards to Dirk Kuyt's fifth minute opener- Steve Bruce can complain all he wants, but Michael Turner could have certainly thrown the ball back to his goalkeeper instead of using his foot!

It was a legitimate goal, and frankly, Bruce should really take a cold hard look at the replay and not berate the referee instead.

I have to be honest- the one match I did savor was Manchester City's clash against Chelsea- it was like watching two boxers going toe-to-toe slugging it out! Granted, there weren't many open chances in the Citizen's 1-0 victory, but the game was such a good, physical contest between the two sides it was a thrill to watch.

In my opinion, one of the main reasons why this fixture was certainly the game of the weekend will have to do with the quality of the defending from both sides- there was no mucking around, and both Roberto Mancini and Carlos Ancelotti's commitment to organisation and good defensive play was exemplary.

Not to blow my own trumpet, but having been a defender at the top-level myself, I can't help but wince when I watch the standard of defending these days. From the start of this season, no one side has impressed me with the quality of their defensive play yet, and for good reason- far too few managers have focused on the defensive aspects of their sides!

Even when I'm watching the Red Devils, I'm left scratching my head at the antics of supposedly top-drawer defenders, like John O'Shea and Jonathan Evans, diving and sliding into impossible tackles, and as a result giving away free-kicks in terrible positions, or worse, penalties!

To be fair to the lads, a lot of that has to do with football's so-called evolution to zonal marking as opposed to good old-fashioned man-to-man marking.

The football theorists can yap on all day about how the speed of the game is different, which is why players need to focus more on marking space on the pitch, but here's the truth- space has never scored a goal yet, has it?

Good solid man-to-man marking always trumps zonal defending, and it's a mystery to me why not enough managers at the top-level seem to have realized this!

Another gripe I have about the modern day defender is their lack of fundamentals- one of the hallmarks of a quality stopper is knowing when to attack the ball. In my book, only John Terry, Alex, and Nemanja Vidic are pro-active when it comes to forcing the ball back out of their penalty box, and it's a needle in a haystack to find any other defenders who share their ability in the Barclays Premier League.

The life of a defender, from my experience, is certainly a hard one- the brickbats come flying when you concede a goal, and rarely do kudos come when you're playing well.

How many Ballon d'Ors have gone to a defender? Just a paltry one (Mattias Sammer doesn't count- he was a midfielder when he won the prize) in the 54-year history of the prestigious award!

If the game as a whole doesn't appreciate this integral part of the sport, we may soon find that defending will become a lost art!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

Manchester United's 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford last weekend was certainly a thriller for both fans and neutrals alike!

Even the most biased of Liverpool's fans would have to admit that the Red Devils were clearly the superior side of the two, and the score-line certainly flattered the visitors, who were outclassed for most of the match.

For me, a key aspect of this match-up was the contrasting forms and tactics of these two historic rivals, as well as their chief strikers- Dimitar Berbatov and Fernando Torres.

Given all the expectations on his shoulders after his £30 million pound move from Tottenham Hotspur, it has taken three long seasons for Berbatov to begin showing why he is rated so highly by Sir Alex Ferguson.

I'm a believer that one swallow doesn't make a summer, and Berbatov was fortunate that everything that he tried seemed to come off for him against the Liverpool. The Bulgarian is certainly a talented footballer, but more often than not, his body language just seems so disinterested!

A lot has been made about the price tag of his move as opposed to his contribution to United's cause so far, but let's be frank, if £30 million is what it takes for Ferguson to get his man, that's what he'll pay. The wily Scot has always had an eye for top footballers, especially the ones with that touch of flair and class.

The only trouble for Berbatov is, with Wayne Rooney still finding his form and not as effective goal-wise for United this season so far, can he match up to the lofty expectations that his master-class against Liverpool will certainly create?

Let's be honest, he's still a long way from joining the ranks of luminaries such as Eric Cantona and George Best, and until he starts producing the goods on a regular basis, the jury will still be out about Berbatov at Old Trafford!

Ferguson will certainly hope he will, given the least the United manager wants to do is worry about his strike-force, especially when it seems to be in defence that his troubles lie.

After their horror-show against Everton where United let in two late goals to let a 3-1 advantage slip to end up with a draw, there seemed to be no improvement as sloppy defending gifted Liverpool with their two goals.

If the Red Devils are to win anything at all this season, these slip-ups have got to be cut out, and Ferguson will be well aware of that!

Roy Hodgson, on the other hand, has his problems at the other end of the pitch, and with Fernando Torres still misfiring, where is he going to get his goals from?

As I've mentioned before, the Spaniard is wasted when played upfront as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. I was stunned by Hodgson's decision to play that very formation against United!

In my opinion, Hodgson has been very negative with his tactics so far, and frankly, it feels like nothing has changed since Rafa Benitez left.

I do understand that with the transfer window closed, his hands are tied in terms of bringing in fresh blood, but why not give Ryan Babel and David Ngog a run of games to partner Torres from the start? It's a mark of a top manager to make the best of his circumstances, but I just don't see Hodgson doing that. The Liverpool boss seems to just set his team out not to lose, rather than go for a win!

On a more positive note, I was pleasantly surprised by Raul Meireles' performance- he clearly quite enjoys moving forward and joining the attack, and seems to be quite useful in the danger zone right between the midfielders and strikers.

If Hodgson plays his cards right, the Portuguese could be a useful asset to pull Liverpool out of the deep hole they're in now. With their ownership problems and debt, the last thing the club needs is to fall into an on-field malaise and be left out of the running this early in the season.

The question is- can Hodgson find the right formula before it's too late?

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

It may have been thrilling for the neutral, but I must admit being terribly disappointed by Manchester United's unprofessional performance against Everton this weekend. What else can you say when a top side blows a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 in the dying moments of the match?

United blew it, absolutely blew it, and you can rest assured that some of the players would have gotten an earful from Sir Alex Ferguson in the dressing room.

At that stage of the game, it was always going to be an aerial battle, and crosses have always been Everton's bread and butter.

What was Gary Neville doing? He really should have done better in stopping the crosses that contributed to Everton's two late goals, a fact that wouldn't have gone unnoticed by Ferguson.

It may not be coincidence that in the aftermath this week the Old Trafford stalwart was stripped of his captaincy, and don't be too surprised if Neville fails to feature much this season after that poor performance!

Losing two points in such fashion will have hurt United fans, but at least they won't be alone, with Liverpool fans also down in the dumps after their side only managed a lacklustre draw against Birmingham City.

Roy Hodgson can say all he wants about not being disappointed with the result, but the fact is that his tactic of playing only one striker upfront is the real reason for Fernando Torres's malaise.

Let's face it, the Spaniard is not a long ball player; he does his best work in the box, and to bring out the best in him, Hodgson needs to be playing two upfront.

To be fair to the Liverpool boss, his problems lie with his resources- there simply isn't enough quality in the ranks fit enough to play alongside Torres.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, Dirk Kuyt is out with a shoulder injury, leaving Ryan Babel and David Ngog, who simply don't have enough quality for Hodgson to risk throwing the dice on them.

While there'll be frustrated red faces in Manchester and Anfield, both Arsenal and Chelsea will be pleased with their excellent starts to the season.

Arsenal, in particular, have impressed me with the strength of their squad this season. Arsene Wenger has strengthened the mentality of the squad with his three new additions of Laurent Koscienly, Sebastien Squillaci and Marouane Chamakh, and this bodes well for their title ambitions.

Both London sides have made easy work of their fixtures so far, but frankly, apart from Arsenal's clash with Liverpool on opening day, none of their opposition have been top-notch.

Whether or not they can maintain their current perch at the top of the table is still a question mark, and with so many games left this season, it looks to be early days yet.

One last thought- what's going on with the referees in the Premiership? The weekend was full of error-strewn performances from the men in black!

Both Martin Atkinson and Stuart Attwell have been demoted for this coming weekend's fixtures after making strange decisions- Atkinson for blowing the whistle even while Everton were through on goal against United, and Attwell for his dismissal of Bolton's Gary Cahill for a clumsy, not malicious tackle on Arsenal's Chamakh.

Where's the common sense, ref?

The truth is this- the standard of refereeing in the Premier League has been declining steadily these past few seasons. If the FA doesn't step in soon, and fast, what quality in playing standards will be ruined by abysmal decisions such as the ones made last weekend.

It's time that the authorities take a cold hard look and ring the changes, before fans become disillusioned, or worse, turn off their televisions!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan.

Whatever detractors of international football say, it's undeniable that competitions like the 2012 European Championships give football fans a chance to take a break from their partisan loyalties and join as one to support their respective nations.

England fans would have been hoping that the Three Lions could pull up their socks after a disappointing World Cup campaign in South Africa, and in that respect, they would have been pleased to see that Fabio Capello has certainly given some thought to rectify the mistakes previously made.

Of course, it's still too early to tell if England have really recovered from their South African debacle, but the growing partnership between Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney is looking very promising for England.

Playing Rooney behind the strikers was a master-stroke from the Italian tactician, and gave him far greater influence for England.

To be frank, I've always thought that he normally ended up drifting into that position anyway.

You see, it's part of his natural game, wanting to be involved with or without the ball, so Capello might as well leave an out-and-out goal-poacher like Defoe playing off him for maximum effect.

If Defoe can find some measure of consistency and work out quickly how Rooney needs him to play, England could have a potent strike partnership that will be invaluable in 2012.

One thing that Capello will have to get the knack of, and quickly, is the subtle differences in managing a national side during qualifying compared to when his side plays in the competition proper.

Qualifying stages are always a different kettle of fish when compared to the competition itself, but all the top footballing nations do well in both all the time!

There's a lot less pressure in qualifying, and teams are a lot weaker as a result of the competition's regional draws, and the problem for England is that playing sides like these don't reflect accurately the ability of the squad when it comes against the big boys.

Another furrow on Capello's brow will be from the revelations about Rooney's personal life that erupted during the course of week.

I don't want to go too much into a player's personal life, but obviously it's a very silly thing he's done! To be fair to the lad, he does live a very high-profile lifestyle, and it's a lot harder than it looks for both players and their family members.

Fortunately for him, he's at the right club where he'll have his mind put back on track quickly. Sir Alex Ferguson is as experienced as any manager can get, and he won't be surprised one bit with the latest turn of events, given this whole saga has been playing on for quite a bit under the radar.

You can certainly expect the Scot to ensure that there'll be no let up in Rooney's performances, so Manchester United fans should rest easy!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan

The top of the Premier League table took on some semblence of familiarity after last weekend's fixtures, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal occupying the top three spots.

Of course, it's still early in the season, but in a league like the Premiership - where every match is a battle royale - these three clubs are certainly where they are on virtue of their superiority.

Liverpool fans can at least heave a huge sigh of relief, as both the club and Fernando Torres seem to have gotten back on track with their 1-0 victory against West Bromwich Albion.

With a draw and a loss prior to the fixture, the Reds' season could have turned ugly with a poor result, and you can see why Torres is so highly valued at Anfield as his classy finish was the difference between the two sides.

He looked lively and very sharp against the Baggies, and even though El Nino clearly wasn't at 100%, he's the sort of player that can do damage with even the half-chances that come his way.

Roy Hodgson will be thankful he's managed to keep the Spanish World Cup winner at Anfield, and it won't be the last time that Torres ends up becoming his "get-out-of-jail-free" card this season, thats for sure.

That won't be the only thing the Liverpool boss will be thankful about though. Javier Mascherano has finally left Anfield, and not a moment too soon! The Argentine certainly didn't cover himself in glory with the way he left the club, and his attitude these past few weeks was disgraceful!

I wonder how long it'll be before he's homesick in Barcelona, and frankly, if it was up to me I would have frozen him out for two seasons!

Of course, Hodgson will be familiar with the adage of cutting your nose to spite your face, and the swiftness of Raul Meireles' move to Anfield should quell any worries at Anfield regarding the loss of Mascherano.

Arsene Wenger seems to have learnt his lessons from last season. His decision to drop the slight-of-frame Jack Wilshere in favour of a central midfield pairing of Abou Diaby and Alexander Song was the right choice, as the Gunners escaped Ewood Park with a win against Blackburn Rovers.

Theo Walcott is also getting attention because of his performances of late, and if he keeps improving he'll certainly put his critics back in their place! Wenger will be watching to see if the young England star can maintain his form, or if this streak of goals is merely another flash-in-the-pan moment for Walcott.

What's most interesting about last weekend, however, is the fact that the two challengers to the established "Big Four", Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, slipped up big time when they should have been pushing for points at the start of the season.

After Spurs' sorry performance against Wigan, Harry Redknapp needs to be very careful. Based on their poor showing against the Latics, his side clearly lacks the collective quality nor resources to challenge in the UEFA Champions League as well as perform well in the Premier League.

Let's be honest- Spurs aren't going to win the Champions League, and what good will it do them to fall off the pace in the Premiership simply to chase a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?

It's not much better at Eastlands, unfortunately. I simply cannot understand why Roberto Mancini persists in playing with three holding midfielders in the centre of the park.

The Citizens were playing Sunderland, not Real Madrid, and the three points were there for the taking, if the Italian only found the courage for a little more adventure in his tactics.

To make matters worse, even with such an abundance of riches in his squad, the Italian still cannot seem to find his chosen eleven. It is simply amazing that players like Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor have to settle for a place on the fringes of this Manchester City side.

Mancini will do well to remember that the clock is ticking, and loudly at Eastlands, and if results don't go his way soon, Sheik Mansour will send him packing faster than you can say Arrivederci!

Former Liverpool and England International Steve McMahon is a football expert with ESPN's Monday Night Verdict at 8pm

What an incredibly high-scoring weekend in the Premier League!

With three sides notching up 6-0 victories in the second weekend of the new season, the goals were flying in from all angles, and it must have been great viewing for football fans.

For those more interested in the defensive side of the game, there must have been cause for concern. The quality of defending in those games was absolutely shocking!

Wigan simply rolled over for Chelsea, and while that's still understandable, given the gulf in form and class between the two sides, I'm absolutely flabbergasted at how Aston Villa were savagely trounced by Newcastle!

You'd certainly not expect newly-promoted Newcastle to hit Villa for six, especially based on the Villains strong defensive record under Martin O'Neill the past few seasons. Even with O'Neill gone, you'd expect the defensive organisation to remain, which makes the Magpies' victory all the more amazing.

But it won't just be the Villa dressing room that will be filled with hung heads- Anfield hearts will certainly be just as down-trodden after Manchester City's 3-0 demolition of Liverpool.

As I take it, City will certainly be Liverpool's main rival for that all-important fourth spot, and this match was a six-pointer in that regard.

The Reds simply had no zest in their play and couldn't match up to the sharpness and quality of City's finishing.

Fernando Torres may not have had the best of games, but he certainly tried his best and ran his socks off for his team. I'm sure it'll be sooner rather than later that he finds his form again.

On the other hand David Ngog, once again, wasn't very good. I've said it before and I'll say it again- he can't cut the mustard at this level. How long more will it take before Hodgson loses his patience with the French striker and his inability to position himself properly?

In my opinion, Liverpool will need to sign a top-quality striker to play along Torres to dig themselves out of the hole they're in before the transfer window closes, otherwise, the club could easily slip back into the malaise of last season.

Hodgson will also need to sort out Javier Mascherano's head, and fast! He's not been allowed to leave Liverpool, and rightly so!

The Argentinean's decision to sit out the City game was certainly daft, and he's made things very difficult for both himself and the club. He needs to get it into his head- he'll leave on Liverpool's terms, not his, nor any club casting covetous eyes on him.

Stormy times look ahead for Hodgson after the poor results the past two games against Arsenal and City, and it's clear- his Liverpool honeymoon is over!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan

Blackpool's 4-0 win over Wigan must have had most viewers rubbing their eyes and wondering if they were still watching Holland at the World Cup, such was the quality of their play.

Yes, they're a decent attacking team, but certainly no one expected them to thrash Wigan on the opening day of the season.

If they keep up this style and quality of football there'll be plenty of egg on the face for those who predicted a quick return to the Championship for Ian Holloway's side.

Much less of a surprise was Chelsea's 6-0 win against West Bromwich Albion.

Regardless of their pre-season results, you'll always expect the Blues to go up a gear when needed, and given how feeble the opposition were, Carlo Ancelotti's side was always going to score plenty against them.

After his groin surgery, Didier Drogba looks significantly more mobile than last season, dropping deep and calling for the ball, which can only be ominous for the hopes of the other challengers for the Premier League crown.

Roy Hodgson has clearly revitalised Anfield spirits- it must have been quite a shock for Arsenal's debutants Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh when they realised that they had been thrown into a cauldron of noise!

That said, the quality of the football during the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal was superb, even if there wasn't that much end product in terms of goal-scoring chances.

New boy Joe Cole was certainly unlucky with his sending off, but based on his overall play against Arsenal, it's clear that he has found his spiritual home at Anfield.

Milan Jovanovic also impressed with his willingness to push forward, and under Hodgson it's clear that Liverpool will be hard to beat this season.

However, a question mark against the Liverpool side has to be David Ngog. Yes, he scored a cracker against a poorly-positioned Manual Almunia, and yes, he did score against decidedly weak opposition in the Champions League.

It was disappointing to see he spent most of the first half being caught offside by Arsenal, and his overall contribution, goal notwithstanding, was poor.

The 21-year-old had a whole season last year to impress, and it could be much of the same disappointment this year if he continues in the same vein this season.

On the other hand, Jack Wilshere was impressive against Liverpool. He certainly didn't have a perfect game, but kept the ball fantastically well and distributed it with great maturity. The lad's certainly a rough diamond that will be well polished by Arsene Wenger.

Over at Old Trafford, Manchester United's 3-0 win over Newcastle was really a microcosm of the reasons for their success - just look at their scorers!

Dimitar Berbatov is certainly hitting form now, and his touch and decision making is reminiscent of a certain Eric Cantona.

Darren Fletcher got his name on the scoresheet as well, just reward for his graft in the middle of the park, and I'm sure Sir Alex Ferguson takes special pride in his side's third goal- made by veteran Paul Scholes and finished off in style by the evergreen Ryan Giggs.

It's these aspects of the United squad, this combination of class, graft and experience, that make them so irresistible.

While Wayne Rooney didn't get on the score sheet, his overall play was excellent, and at heart he's a team player. It won't be long before he starts banging in the goals again, that's for sure.

Just one weekend of games and it's enough to whet any soccer fan's appetite - this season looks set to be a cracker!

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Tan

The Barclays Premier League has always been a tough league to play in, let alone win.

This season, things will get even tighter with potentially six or seven teams all challenging for the top four places.

The usual suspects - Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal - are still the leading contenders but I can also see Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and even Aston Villa, giving them a run for their money.

With so much talent on show in the Premier League, the traditional giants of the domestic game will drop points throughout the season, leading to a more open challenge for the title.

For away games, there are teams that big sides loathe to play at. We saw Everton getting the better of Sir Alex Ferguson's side 3-1 at Goodison Park last season, and Wigan had the same result against Chelsea at home.

 At the end of the day, you've got to beat the teams around you, especially in away games, for a shot at the title. But there are certain teams that can cause problems for the top four and we could be in for more surprising results again.

 The blue half of Manchester is buzzing with excitement after seeing the likes of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolorav arrive and join forces with Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Can the team gel and make it work? Will there be a power struggle amongst the superstars? How long will City boss Roberto Mancini be given before the fatal gold-plated axe falls on his head? Tons of questions have already been asked.

Champions League football will be the minimum requirement for Mancini's men, while the league title will be a distant but realistic prospect if the Italian tactician can find a way to keep his players happy with their roles be it from the get go or off the bench.

Over on Merseyside, Roy Hodgson's appointment has been a ray of hope for a faltering Liverpool side, with the former Fulham manager coming in at just the right time.

Having had a dismal season last time out, Hodgson's arrival, coupled with the pledge by Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to stay Red, means that the club are off to a positive start.

When you are on a downward slide, the only way is up!

As for Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Redknapp will definitely make one or two signings before the transfer window closes as the North London side attempt to wrestle an overflowing fixture list thanks to their Champions League commitments.

Don't write off Aston Villa either. Despite Martin O'Neill's exit, Villa have enough in their locker to continue their European assault.

Down at the bottom of the table, the newly promoted trio of Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Blackpool will have their hands full trying to cope with a significant jump in terms of the quality of football.

The Baggies are the most likely to make an impact on their return to the top flight with Roberto Di Matteo at the helm and a good squad of players for the long arduous battle ahead.

Chris Hughton's Newcastle United side may have taken the Championship last season, but the lack of quality signings makes them vulnerable to failure.

After all, the current batch of Newcastle players were the ones who got them relegated in the first place!

 Last but not least, Blackpool will not cut it in the vast ocean of the top flight. They don't have the experience nor the players to keep them shining amongst the bright lights of the Premier League.

As a bonus, I'll throw in four stars to look out for this coming season, and I mean English stars, not foreign ones.

This could be Adam Johnson's season if he can find some much needed consistency, while Arsenal's young duo of Jack Wilshere and Kieron Gibbs are two players to look out for.

For the sake of the Three Lions, I sure hope Joe Hart wins his mammoth fight with Shay Given for the coveted number one spot at Eastlands.

So all said and done, another exciting season beckons! Are you ready for it?

Steve McMahon was speaking to espnstar.com's Kelvin Leong

The title race was decided last week. With Chelsea beating Liverpool at Anfield, there is now no way Manchester United can claw their way back.

Chelsea play Wigan at home in the final game of the season on Sunday and I cannot see a side that lost 9-1 to Tottenham beating the Blues on their home turf. And Carlo Ancelotti's men deserve the trophy.

They have been the best team in England over the past year - and any doubts as to their quality were removed by their 2-1 win over United at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men can blame Liverpool all they like for rolling over at Anfield last weekend, but the fact is that the champions had a golden opportunity to put themselves in the driving seat for the title race on April 3. They failed to grab it and that is when the tide turned.

There have been hiccups like that for United throughout the season - their defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor early on is one example of the inconsistency they have shown - and in my opinion Fergie's squad is just not strong enough at the moment.

Ideally, they will sign a defender, a midfielder and a 20-goal-a-season striker in the summer. Failing that - they need a striker without a shadow of a doubt. Berbatov is a hit and miss kind of player - not ideal for a team with title ambitions.

It's difficult to predict who they will sign though. Maybe Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero or Real's Gonzalo Higuain - but one thing's for sure; Sir Alex will have to be prepared to spend. Quality strikers don't come cheap.

Another manager who needs to loosen the purse-strings is Arsene Wenger. At this moment, Arsenal are just not good enough. They get bullied by stronger teams and then moan about it off the pitch. Wenger needs players who will ensure his side does not get kicked off the park, like they did against Blackburn.

This inability to compete physically is what is costing Arsenal trophies. There is a desperate requirement for a major defensive revamp. They need two goalkeepers. Yes you read that right. Neither Lukasz Fabianski nor Manuel Almunia is good enough to play for the side.

Then they need a central defender who is younger than 35. At the moment, they have a quality centre-back in Thomas Vermaelen but the Belgian needs a competent partner.

Shielding these guys at the back must be a battling midfielder. He does not have to be the most skillful player in the world but he should have character and strength. Someone who works hard and sticks the boot in.

It is only after these reinforcements that Arsenal can become serious contenders for the Premier League trophy.

One team that should be really worried about challenging for the Premier League title is Liverpool. No one knows where the club is headed and things will continue to be murky until the ownership issue is sorted out.

As for Rafael Benitez - I'm not sure whether he'll be at Anfield next season. But he certainly has nothing to shout about right now. He's giving Liverpool ultimatums after having signed a five year contract deal with them!

Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal are all going to get stronger in the coming season and Rafa has only one quality signing to his name so far - Fernando Torres.

If some serious transfer business does not take place then I see tough times ahead for Liverpool and their supporters.

Liverpool versus Chelsea has all the hallmarks of being the game of the season and Liverpool have a chance of playing the title spoiler.

When the fixtures list was announced at the start of the season, football fans would have picked this as a game that could decide the destiny of the title. Well, this is still a title-deciding game but Chelsea are the ones who are within touching distance of the trophy.

Chelsea will have their work cut out against Liverpool as the Reds have what it takes to beat any team on their day. And with Manchester United playing at Sunderland just after Chelsea meet Liverpool, Carlo Ancelotti's men know they have to go for all three points.

It will affect their strategy as to how to approach this game. If Manchester United had played before Chelsea and drew or lost against Sunderland, Chelsea could have afforded to drop points for this game.

I think Chelsea have everything to lose but they will win this game. The magnitude of this game will spur their big players to step up the plate and go for all three points. They proved it against Stoke.

For a start, Stoke are no pushovers in the league and they proved that against every other team this season. They are a tough team to beat even when they are away from home. Prior to this game at Chelsea, Tony Pulis' men had only conceded 16 goals on their travels.

Everyone was saying Stoke are a potential slip-up for Chelsea but just like Aston Villa before them, Chelsea murdered Stoke. It could have been 12 or 14 goals. As I mentioned on Football Focus, this was perhaps the best performance by a team in the Premier League.

For Liverpool, this will be a strange league game at Anfield. The Liverpool faithful wouldn't mind getting beat. The players will mind but the supporters won't. They want Chelsea to win because they want them to win the league instead of United.

If United win the league this season, they will hold the record of the most number of league titles in England. And the Liverpool supporters wouldn't want that. They don't want United getting that all-important 19th title.

If Liverpool had anything to play for, the crowd will definitely want their team to beat Chelsea. But in reality, they don't.

I reckon it will be a subdued atmosphere and that could affect the players' attitude on the pitch. It's almost like the time when in the last fixture of the season when Blackburn beat Manchester United to the league title.

Blackburn won the title at Anfield despite losing to Liverpool because Manchester United drew at West Ham. This weekend's fixtures will be almost the same, I guess.

There may be an outside chance for Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League but they will know their fate when the Saturday fixtures are completed. If Tottenham or Manchester City both win their games, Liverpool will run out of games to chase them.
And for Liverpool to take three points from Chelsea, they will obviously have to stop Didier Drogba.

He may not have scored for Chelsea in the Stoke game but his all round game is still lethal. Drogba has always been a scourge to the Reds' defence. Liverpool's Jamie Carragher has found it difficult in the past against the Ivory Coast striker and he is one of Liverpool's best defenders.

Frank Lampard is another key player for Chelsea. It's just amazing how consistent he has been especially as a goal-scoring midfielder. He has now got 20 league goals and this is his best tally ever in the Premier League. He's just phenomenal.

I also think Florent Malouda is in top form at the right time for Chelsea. They have just too much quality for Liverpool.
Chelsea just have too many ways to hurt Liverpool. They can go through the centre, bomb forward from midfield or attack down the flanks.

I think there could be at least three goals in this game and I back Chelsea to beat Liverpool. The championship could be decided at Anfield and at the very least, Liverpool can claim to have had a say in the title race this season.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Liverpool are in for a very busy summer as they look set to be sold to new owners before the start of next season.

It's going to be very, very interesting. I mean it looks highly unlikely that Liverpool are going to qualify for the Champions League next season. Their win over West Ham on Monday actually boosted their chances of qualifying for the Europa League next season, and with just three more games to go in the Barclays Premier League, that's the best they can hope for.

Steven Gerrard might want Liverpool to buy three or four quality players next season but I doubt they can do so. Their failure to qualify for Europe's elite competition looks like it will have a profound impact on the quality of players that Liverpool can attract to the club in the summer.

Why is that so? Well, that's because the best players in the world want to play in the Champions League. At the moment, the only attraction here is solely Liverpool Football Club. And if Liverpool continue to be out of the Champions League the season after next, what's going to happen then?

There are two reasons why a player would choose to play in the Premier League. One is because of tradition and history in the club. Although Liverpool one of the biggest names in world football, will this be enough to convince players to move to Liverpool? I don't think so.

And two, it's the money. To attract top talent, Liverpool will have to pay massive wages to attract players to the club. And I think they‘re not going to do that. But Manchester City can do that. Chelsea's Joe Cole has been mentioned that he will be given a four-year £40million deal by City if he joins them. It's simply outrageous money! No club can compete with that. And I don't think any footballer is worth to be paid that amount of money.

The appointment of this new chairman Martin Broughton from Barclays Airways, I feel, has probably given Rafael Benitez a stay of execution. I think so because if they don't qualify for the Champions League, the new owners, whoever they might be, might just settle for Benitez. The possibility of a new takeover and a new chairman has probably given Benitez and Liverpool a new lease of life.

The owners have slapped a valuation of about £500 million on Liverpool. Some sources claim even more. But really, the real value of the club is only in the eyes of the buyer isn't it? It's like buying a house you pay only what you think is fair. If the price market and housing market says that is the amount that you have to pay a house and that's what you have to pay. So you only pay what is the value of the football club.

People think football is a game that's losing money but Tom Hicks and George Gillett certainly are not going to lose money. When the Glazers decide to sell United, they are not going to lose money.

Hicks may have overdone it when he told the press that Liverpool ‘Liverpool will be the most profitable investment I have ever made' - it's a little bit like putting salt on the wounds of the Liverpool supporters. But the owners were just being realistic. Football is an industry and they are not stupid. They didn't know much about football when they first bought the club. They bought it as a business.

Don't think for a moment that the Red Knights involved in the United takeover are solely doing it just because they are supporters. They are business people and they know United are a viable business. The bottom-line is what they will care about above all else. But sometimes it's better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.

Whoever the new owners at Liverpool, it doesn't matter who they are and where they are from. As long as they can improve the current situation that's all that matters. The only thing the current owners have not done is to produce a new stadium. That's what the Liverpool fans do not like - empty promises. You are better off not promising.

Whatever happens to the future ownership of Liverpool, I think the maximum amount of time Liverpool can afford to live without Champions League football is 12 months. It's just like being relegated. You have got to hit back straight away - like Newcastle did - the longer you leave it the worse it goes, the harder it becomes.

This will feel almost like a semi-rebuilding job. I really think it's a massive blow for Liverpool that they're set to miss out on Champions League football next season. This summer will be more crucial than ever before for Liverpool. But if they can get their act together during this crisis, then, only then, will there be light at the end of the tunnel.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

The pressure is now on Manchester United especially after Chelsea expectedly pulled away with victory over Bolton in midweek.

With Manchester City also pushing for fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League this season, this is a must-win game for both sides. Although derby games usually don't go to form, at the moment, City have the edge over Manchester United.

And if you look at the last few games, Carlos Tevez has been in top form at the moment. He's simply unstoppable. Together with the similarly in-form Emmanuel Adebayor, Tevez will be a serious threat to United's goal. Both of them have combined to score 10 out of 14 goals in City's last three league games.

I also think Adam Johnson will be crucial for City on the right-hand side, if he gets the nod ahead of Shaun Wright-Phillips. Johnson is starting to play really, really well for Roberto Mancini's side down on the wings and he also gives that little extra when it comes to set-pieces as well.

And whoever Mancini picks in the middle of the park will have a huge impact on the result of this game. Nigel de Jong has been doing well sitting in the middle of the park for City and helping to nullify the opposition.

Gareth Barry for me is another important player in the centre. In terms of performance as well as commitment, Barry always gives seven out of ten week-in, week-out. He is someone whom other players can rely on for consistency. You could say he is City's equivalent of United's Darren Fletcher. I just think the Manchester City team, especially their midfielders, have to be at the top of their game if they are to stand a chance of beating United.

And it seems strange to say Fletcher is one of Manchester United's key players, but he is and always has been. Fletcher exemplifies the United way - giving his 110% in every game and leading by example - almost like a Roy Keane if you like. What United need in midfield is energy as well as pace.

I don't think Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs should be playing together for United's midfield again. With the greatest respect to the both of them, they will not be able to keep up with the pace of the game. What United need are players like Park Ji-Sung, Antonio Valencia, Fletcher and Nani.

Another player who will be crucial to United is none other than Wayne Rooney. It's doubtful whether Rooney will play in the Manchester derby. But I think he will play. Even if he is 80% or 90% fit. I mean he has to.

United will need him if they are to win the game. Even if Sir Alex Ferguson has any doubts about his fitness, if Rooney thinks he is fit, then he's fit. Players themselves know if they are fit or not. Managers, coaches nor physios have a say over the player's fitness. The player himself will know.

This is the crucial period, or the business end of the season if you like, where trophies and titles are won or lost, I honestly don't think Rooney will sit this game out. With Chelsea ahead in the title race, United just cannot afford to lose this one. If it was down to me, I'll stick Rooney up-front together with Dimitar Berbatov.

In the race for fourth place, I think it's Manchester City's to lose, I really do. They are in pole position to grab that final Champions League spot going by their current form. Liverpool have maintained their inconsistent form and dropped points yet again while Tottenham and Aston Villa have done the same. The run-in may not look good on paper for Man City but I think they are most likely to take fourth place.

I also think Roberto Mancini has got what it takes to be manager at City. I certainly do like his style of management. Yes, it may seem like he wasn't the first choice to be the City manager. But if he completes his brief to help City qualify for the Champions League then I think he has succeeded and should be given the chance to manage the team for one full season.

Overall, I think this will be a closely-fought game. There will be goals. And I pick Man City to beat Man United 2-1.

The Barclays Premier League title race is now firmly in Chelsea's favour after they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Clash of the Titans last weekend.

Although I predicted correctly the result, I was still puzzled by certain decisions made by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. And now that United are out of Europe, the league title is all they can aim for this season (other than the Carling Cup).

How can Manchester United play Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville against Chelsea who are very fit and physical and expect to get away with it? United just got overrun. Ferguson blew it by making this team selection. You need legs against Chelsea. You need people who can compete against the athleticism of Chelsea's players.

I'm sorry but you cannot put Scholes, Neville and Giggs in the team at the same time. Experience has nothing to do with it. If you cannot run, what's experience going to do with it?

I also don't think the fans should blame the defeat on Dimitar Berbatov. You cannot play Berbatov on his own up-front. United for me have to play with two strikers. I think Berbatov plays very well with another striker especially if his partner is a target man.

Berbatov can't play as a lone striker. He's not energetic enough and he doesn't run the channels. And the problem with Berbatov is when things don't go well with United, the fans will say he's not trying or he's not interested. He's a very intelligent footballer and needs someone to play alongside with to bring the best out of him.

As for Chelsea, I have to say I was surprised Didier Drogba didn't play from the start for Chelsea but having said that, bringing him on as an impact substitute worked well in the end for the Blues. Compared to United, Chelsea have more about them and their all-round play has been excellent.

Florent Malouda has been one of Chelsea's best players this season. People might have criticised Malouda when he failed to shine for Chelsea when he came over from Lyon but I always felt that foreign players need more time to adapt to English football. Everyone knows that. Didier Drogba needed time, Thierry Henry also needed some time. Everybody needs some time to settle in to their new surroundings.

And as I have mentioned in my previous columns, I still back Chelsea for the title. People might say Chelsea have a more difficult run-in than their rivals but I think Manchester United's remaining matches are just as tough. Don't forget Chelsea managed to demolish Aston Villa not too long ago in a game which many expected them to slip up.

To me, Manchester United have a really, really average team. In the Premier League, United have been scrapping results and they have not been playing like how the United of old did. But I disagreed with the notion that Manchester United are a one-man team just because Wayne Rooney is out injured.

I think United's ‘average' is much better than most teams in the Premier League. They just have that spark when Rooney plays. But I think Chelsea's ‘average' is just that much better than United's and that showed in last Saturday's game.

Liverpool: Something seriously wrong

It's so frustrating to watch Liverpool play at the moment. Because everybody knows what's needed. You don't take one of the best strikers in the world off with 25 minutes to go when you need to win the game against Birmingham. It was a game Liverpool had to win to maintain their chase of the fourth place. But they blew it.

If the fans were shaking their heads in disbelief then so was Steven Gerrard when Fernando Torres was substituted in that game against Birmingham. You can see the body language. Gerrard was asking Torres if he was injured and Torres said no. Later Rafael Benitez said Torres was exhausted.

I think it's absolutely nonsense. Birmingham must have thought, "Fantastic, one of the best strikers in the world has been taken off, it's brilliant". If Torres being taken off sends a negative signal, Birmingham would have been delighted that they no longer have to look after Torres.

I just think there's something serious wrong with what's going on at Liverpool. People are baffled with his formation and team selections. The body language from the players suggested that maybe, just maybe Rafael Benitez has lost the dressing room.
At the moment, it is extremely difficult for Liverpool to make fourth.

If they do make it, it'll be by default and not because they were the best team. This season has been a strange one as that no team seem to want that fourth spot badly enough. The teams vying for fourth spot have been all been quite below par. If I was asked what advice I would give to Benitez - I think it's too late for that. It would be amazing if Liverpool do get that last Champions League spot.

* Steve McMahon was talking to Eugene YS Han.

The game betweenManchester United and Chelsea is going to be massive, and I believe that the winner of this game, if there is a winner, will go on and win the Premier League title.

Chelsea are in great shape heading into the game, having thrashed Aston Villa 7-1 last weekend. The win erases the memory of their defeat to Inter Milan and the draw against Blackburn.

The dismantling of Villa also managed to silence their critics, as there were rumblings of Carlo Ancelotti being under pressure at Stamford Bridge and some claims of him getting the sack. Some rumours even had it that Roman Abramovich was unhappy.

But all of the sudden, they go and thump Villa at home; a Martin O'Neill side with one of the best defensive records in the league!
Make no mistake, this will not be an underdog visiting Old Trafford this weekend, where United will just have their way.

These are two evenly matched teams, with Chelsea boasting a world class striker in Didier Drogba, a game-changer in Frank Lampard and a rock-solid backline marshaled by John Terry, not forgetting that the side is managed by one of the best in the world: Carlo Ancelotti.

Chelsea will more than hold their own against the Red Devils at Old Trafford, and they might even depart from the Theatre of Dreams with all three points!

Manchester United, on the other hand, will certainly miss the presence of Wayne Rooney, who will be out for up to four weeks. Chelsea would have had their hands full against the in-form striker; his mere appearance on the field galvanising the United attack, despite what Dimitar Berbatov did over last weekend against Bolton Wanderers.

Sir Alex Ferguson will certainly have something to say about United's defeat in Munich being a factor entering this game. The Red Devils will have to play Chelsea having played Bayern and there will be some fatigue on the part of his players.

Chelsea would have had their rest and recuperation over the week, and United will be at a disadvantage after an intense showdown in Munich, Germany. Moreover, it's going to be an early kickoff on Saturday, which will not make matters any easier for United.

Sizing up both teams, I believe that Chelsea have more quality players and more match-winners even without factoring in Rooney's absence, and should have the upper hand this Saturday.
Arsenal getting back in the mix and the race to fourth place

Everyone expected Arsenal to beat Birmingham, and the Gunners, once again, let everybody down. They will beat Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend, that's for sure.

Wolves are not in the same class in every position when sized up against Arsenal, so it's safe to say that the Gunners will win; and win comfortably this Saturday.

Liverpool's got a decent run of games from here on, with will only need to face Chelsea out of the top seven teams. They have got a chance to catch up with the rest in the chase for fourth spot, starting with a trip to Birmingham this weekend.

Liverpool battered Sunderland in the first half of their match last weekend, as it was over before the second half. I think they are in excellent form heading into the final stretch, led by the free-scoring Fernando Torres.

Man City are up there as well, and they have a role to play in the chase for the fourth spot in the league standings. They and Tottenham are going to be big, big contenders for that coveted spot.

City are in the driving seat at the moment as they have a game in hand on Liverpool and they are not playing in any other competition. In contrast, Tottenham have to play in the FA Cup semi-final against Portsmouth and Liverpool are involved in the Europa League.

Speaking of Tottenham, they have to take it a game at a time and hope to win as many as possible as they play games on a back-to-back-to-back stretch.

Besides the Cup games, they've got games against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. These are all massive, massive games and it will define their season; whether it's progress under Harry Redknapp, or another false dawn the club's endured on numerous occasions.

As far as the race for the final Champions League spot in the Premier League table goes, it's advantage Manchester City.
A little Zola and Sullivan

Gianfranco Zola's got to stay with West Ham, what else can the Hammers do? It's stupid to sack the manager at this stage of the season. It'll be one of the worst moves they can make if they remove Zola.

For Zola, he will go if they want to pay him off. I feel that he's one of the best football men in the game, and he's doing his best under difficult circumstances. He will not resign from the position and lose his compensation. Decisions on his future will be made after the season and he should not be bothered about whatever's going on in the papers.

As for their run-in against Everton this weekend, the Hammers have got no chance. Not all all. West Ham are going through a very difficult period, and their only saving grace is that there are teams as bad as them, if not worse.

* Steve McMahon was talking to Vincent Lai. Catch McMahon on Football Focus every Tuesday on ESPN STAR Sports.

There will be more twists and turns to one of the most exciting Barclays Premier League title races in recent memory.

Going by recent events, I think the title initiative is back in Manchester United's hands.

They were certainly the big winners last weekend and the Premier League title now looks to be on its way back to Old Trafford.

But I can still see Chelsea coming back from their setback. And they did precisely that. Chelsea beat a poor Portsmouth side in a midweek fixture to edge closer to United in the league table.

I have said all season that Chelsea have a strong squad and they were not going to let that minor setback against Blackburn to get in their way.

To be fair, Arsenal got a magnificent result against West Ham - and with ten men. The Gunners are certainly the dark horses in this title race. I think Arsenal may have a chance at pipping United and Chelsea at the end of the season.

Liverpool have got a very difficult task to get fourth place now. Even fifth and sixth positions are not guaranteed. After defeats to Wigan last week and now to Manchester United - they are unable to string together a series of good results and that is going to hurt in the long run.

Their big match against Manchester United did not pan out as exciting as I had expected.

It wasn't a brilliant game. I thought the first 10 to 20 minutes the game was end-to-end stuff, and then Manchester United just shaded it slightly in the second half.

They played alright without being too brilliant. I didn't see either goalkeeper having many saves to make. United simply did what they were good at and scrapped a win.

And was it a penalty? I thought the foul was outside the box and the momentum took Antonio Valencia into the box. So I just thought it was awful defending by Liverpool. I think Daniel Agger's school-boy defending was especially ridiculous.

And was it gamesmanship from Fernando Torres in the run-up to the penalty? I think it was only borne out of frustration that he kicked the turf near the penalty spot. In the end Rooney scored so they can make all they like out of it. It's just that in a fit of anger, Torres kicked the penalty spot.

Gamesmanship from Fergie

If you talked about gamesmanship - there was plenty of that in supply from Sir Alex Ferguson. He was jumping up and down on the sidelines and wanting the player to get sent off. He was waving his hands at the referee to get the red card out for the penalty incident. That's not right.

Players doing that on the pitch - waving an imaginary card at the ref to get another player booked - could get a caution for it. Now Ferguson, the manager of the English champions, is waving his arms at the referee. That's gamesmanship isn't it? It's bad for the game.

I don't think the Old Trafford crowd was an influencing factor in the award of the penalty - referee Howard Webb thought the offence was made inside the box.

To be honest, I didn't think the referee had that much to do. It was not a physical game at all. So he didn't have a great deal to do in actual fact.

I was surprised Wayne Rooney was average - he didn't have one of his better games as a lone striker. Yes, he scored from a penalty but it was a rebound off Pepe Reina's magnificent save.

Rooney was a bit fortunate that everything that he is trying at the moment is going right for him.

And talking about chances, Torres had two chances which he could have put away. Again he was isolated for much of the game and he needs decent service in order to score goals.

He may have fluffed two chances but there wasn't a lot of service from midfield. Did Torres try too hard? Well, I think you can never try too hard. But he has got to control his aggression. And I think he was very frustrated in the way things are going.

Compared to the red-hot form that is Rooney, I think Torres would have beaten him by a million miles if he had the same service from midfield as Rooney.

Rooney being the in-form striker was too quiet by his standards. Again I don't like Rooney playing up-front on his own I think he plays better with another striker.

Overall, I was disappointed with the quality of the game - I just think it was not the best of games. Liverpool did show against United that they can compete they are a decent team.

But we all know quite well that United have a decent team that gets results without ever playing brilliant football. And this ‘strength' will prove crucial in their quest for title number 19 come end of the season.

Football matches between Manchester United and Liverpool have always been one of the biggest games of the season.

When the two teams walk out at Old Trafford this weekend, the stakes will be even bigger than before.

United are gunning for league glory and have set their sights on ousting the visitors who are currently co-holders of the most league titles won while Liverpool are grinding it out to secure fourth spot and a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.

So the game on Sunday will be massive.

And are Liverpool improving? Maybe it's not that obvious after one win against Portsmouth, who are bottom of the league and everybody else in the league have beaten Portsmouth. But I think this might suit Liverpool - this type of game - they have to go to Old Trafford and try to save their season. People might say Liverpool have to go for three points but I think a draw will be great for Liverpool. I think I'll settle for a draw. I think they'll be happy with a draw. I mean they might try to win it but a point will do just fine for Rafa Benitez's men. They will go there and set up shop.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is the obvious danger man for Liverpool. I just think Rooney's in magnificent form at the moment so it's going to be difficult for anybody to play against him. And I don't think Liverpool will man-mark Rooney. You can't go man-on-man against Rooney because he doesn't play as an out-and-out striker, you just can't. Rooney loves to roam around the pitch and sometimes he will withdraw into the ‘hole'. And if he does, it'll be down to Javier Mascherano to follow him.

At the same time, I don't think Rooney is the best player in the world. Not now anyway. He's still got a lot to do to catch up with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi just scored a hat-trick last week and Ronaldo has been scoring goals regularly for Real Madrid. I think there's a long way to go for Rooney but he's getting there. He's certainly improving every season. And I would be surprised if he's not among the shortlist for the top three contenders for the World Player of the Year title come end of the year.

And I can understand why almost everyone is thinking how Liverpool can stop Rooney. Well, I honestly think it's the other way round. How can United stop Fernando Torres from scoring?

Torres did not suffer a loss of form as some might claim. He's just been injured. And you can now see that once he's match fit and raring to go, Torres is proving to be just as lethal as last season. He didn't lose his form; injury just robbed him of playing time, that's all.

This match could come down to how both Rooney and Torres perform for their teams. You have to remember the last couple of matches between the two teams where Torres ‘tortured' Nemanja Vidic so United will have to make sure their defence is as strong as they can be.
Liverpool's defence have been improving steadily this season. I don't think it's a cause for worry as they have kept seven clean sheets in their last 12 league games. So I think it's not as bad as what people make them out to be, I really do.

For me the other key area is of course the midfield. So the other question they have got to ask is, can United keep Steven Gerrard at bay? Gerrard, as well as Torres, will have to be on form for Liverpool if they are to do well against the Red Devils.

For United, it's going to be difficult to pick out a potential key player for United other than Rooney. I think Dimitar Berbatov played well against Fulham last week but so did a few other players. So it's a difficult one. As a team, I think United are looking strong. Perhaps Vidic and Rio Ferdinand will have to be at their best to keep a tight rein on Torres. This particular sub-plot could be the deciding factor to the final outcome of this match.

So to those who think this contest is not as big as before - think again. Everything is at stake here - International and local pride, history, glory, result - you name it, you got it.

I think it's archaic and pathetic that football authorities can just disregard goal-line technology in this modern day and age.

I mean it doesn't make any sense at all and I'm baffled over the International Football Association Board's decision not to consider goal-line technology. People are already walking on the moon! Life has evolved, life has moved on and businesses have moved on. Everyone has to stay with the times. Unfortunately football has not.

I honestly think football has stood still and has not gone forward. I think this was a wonderful opportunity to move forward, improve and innovate with goal-line technology.

We must look at goal-line technology to improve the game because there're millions and millions of dollars riding on this. If a club's fighting relegation and they lose their last game of the season because the referee or the assistant referees did not see the ball cross the line, then that's wrong. That club could lose millions because of relegation. All it takes is just one bad decision.

I think there's got to be an ulterior motive in FIFA. There's got to be something up their sleeves but whatever that is, we don't really know. I guess it could be because of issues with the sponsors or because of issues with the equipment. I do think somebody has got to be benefiting from this for not having this technology.

Technology must surely be able to improve the game. Goal-line technology is simple - it's straight-forward. If the technology is not conclusive, then it's no goal, simple as that. If the referee makes a square sign like how they do it in cricket and rugby, then let's go to the fourth official to assess the situation.

I don't think we should introduce technology wholesale - just goal-line technology will do. I do draw the line at using technology for other areas of the game. If we do that, everyone is going to want to stop the game. Everyone will be going: "I want to look at this situation; I want to look at that one."  You can't stop games for incidents like handballs because it's going to be difficult to implement this. We've got to define what's more important. If we go down that road, there're going to be time-outs and it's going to be like American football. We don't want to be like the NFL. You definitely do not want it to be a two-and-a-half hour football match with stoppages all the time. We've got to have continuity and keep the game going.

Where should it start? I think if this ever gets considered again, goal-line technology should start domestically like in the Premier League or the lower leagues. I don't think it should start in big tournament like the World Cup.

I also do not think this would not reduce the power of the referee. The good thing about this is that this type of incident does not happen in every game. It's only on rare occasions that you see this happening in a football match. For fouls, free-kicks or whatever, I think referees should continue to take charge of these.

Goal-line technology will end up helping referees by reducing the abuse or media glare. It probably will not stop referees from making other wrong decisions. But then again this is what makes the game fun.

What's not fun is when football officials miss a straightforward goal because they missed it going over the line. It was a chance to make a statement and to bring the game forward. But rejecting goal-line technology - football has scored yet another massive own goal.

* Steve McMahon was taking to Eugene YS Han. Catch McMahon on Football Focus every Tuesday on ESPN STAR Sports.

I do not have any doubt that there was any malice in Ryan Shawcross's tackle on Aaron Ramsey.

I believe so because that's the way he plays. He's an aggressive player but he's not a dirty player, to say the least. He likes to put himself about and there's nothing wrong with that. It was a late challenge but you can tell by his reactions that it was serious.

To be honest, you don't like to see that happening to a fellow professional. But I think he's gone for the ball - hard but fair.  He was fully committed to the challenge. It's borne out of the way Stoke play and the way they are set up.

Did he deserve a red card? I think what happened was the referee got emotionally involved and saw the damage that was caused. It's not exactly like he's gone down and went rolling all over the place and then you find out the seriousness of the injury later. This time you could see it straight away that it was a bad injury.

Arsenal might have felt hard done by after one of their players suffered another leg-break. But every club has had their share of bad injuries - it really doesn't have to b ea leg break. You could have ligament damage and tear your cruciate ligaments.  

The Arsenal of old whom I have faced many times in my footballing career had players who could mix it. Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown were players who were born out of the manager.

In the past, I also had great battles with Graeme Souness, Peter Reid, Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside there were also had fantastic battles whenever we played against each other. You always know you are in a game and you just get on with it. If two players are committed to a challenge, you very rarely get injured. Just play your game.

I think you get more injures in football than any other sport - and that's including rugby. Rugby's a lot of superficial injuries - cuts or bangs or what have you. There're a lot of nasty injuries in rugby but there's even more in football. Football is contact with legs; rugby's with arms.

For football, you've got like a weapon on your feet - you've got your boots with studs and that's potentially a weapon. You can't really kick someone in rugby but you can in football.

And yes, I've 'kicked' loads of people - I never meant to injure anybody, I have always tried to put in fair tackles.

I've had come out worse on many occasions. I've had bad injuries myself. I had one really bad one against Everton in a FA Cup tie at Anfield and I was stretchered off. It was my fault and I went for a 40/60 challenge which I couldn't win. I shouldn't have gone for that challenge, I had no right to get to the ball but I went for it anyway and got injured. It was a natural reaction for me to go for the ball. And I got a really bad injury.

For Ramsey, he has got to take it as part and parcel of football. You are always going to suffer a bad injury once in your career so maybe it's better sooner rather than later. It's definitely better when you are younger rather than older because you can recover faster when you are in your early 20s.

Sometimes these types of injuries are horrific and tend to stay longer on people's minds. I still remember games which I played in where players have broken their legs. I played in games where Jim Beglin broke his leg. I was with Aston Villa when Gordon Cowans broke his leg - he suffered a compound fracture - a type of fracture where the bone is sticking through the skin.

But nowadays with medical advancements, players do recover from these types of injuries. And they said Ramsey's break is not as bad as Eduardo's as first feared and he could be back early next season. If this had happened in the late seventies or early eighties, you will probably say it was a career-threatening injury. In the past, cruciate ligament damage was also deemed a career-threatening injury. Now it's not so - thanks to the advancement of medical science.

But no advance in medical science can help fix an injured player's mental state. It's the long recovery period that people tend to have much more difficulty adjusting to. It's the long days in the gym and the training on your own - that's the hardest part. I've been there and done it and know how it felt when you are not in the same environment with your players. You feel left out.  There's nothing like being with your teammates.

As a manager, you just have to be there and support them more so when they are coming back from injury. There's not much you can say or do other than by keeping in touch with them on a daily basis. Asking how they are and encouraging them by saying 'it wouldn't be long, you are doing well' that kind of things. You've got to give them something to cling to all of the time. And when they get back to some sort of training - you get them involved with the team. Not full sessions - invite them to games and remind them they are still part of the team.

I think the hardest part for a player suffering from a long-term injury is the rehabilitation. It's the getting back to fitness again. The lonely days, the running and training in the gyms on your own and how to keep the motivation. Sometimes it is easy to heal physical wounds but the mental scars are much harder to heal.

* Steve McMahon was talking to Eugene YS Han.

We are reaching the business end of the season and the race for fourth place in the Premier League is still wide, wide open. Four clubs have a genuine chance to grab that final Champions League qualification spot and I do think Liverpool need it much more than the rest.

Liverpool could have staked a firm claim for fourth place by winning the game against Manchester City. If they had a bit more about them and had gone for it, then they might have won the game. I was disappointed with both teams as to how they approached the game. In the end, I don't think either side showed any ambition to win the game.

You could probably say being at home, Man City should have forced the issue more. But they inexplicably left Roque Santa Cruz and Craig Bellamy on the bench. They are two attacking players but City kept them on the bench. Liverpool was equally cautious as well by employing two defensive-minded midfielders in the centre of midfield.

Both teams should take Everton as an example. Everton were positive against Manchester United and deserved to beat the champions. Everton got into their faces and pressed them everywhere on the pitch. Man United didn't know what day it was. David Moyes has done very well to get the best out of his players.

Up to now I don't think Liverpool players have showed their best form this season. Perhaps Fernando Torres' return from injury will help boost Liverpool. It will certainly make Liverpool much better in attack. I mean they have been toying with Ryan Babel, David Ngog up-front or Dirk Kuyt. But now they have Torres.  Yossi Benayoun's return has been a big bonus as well.

There has been talk about Torres and Steven Gerrard not firing all cylinders for Liverpool because they are saving themselves for the World Cup in South Africa in the summer. But I do not believe a word of it. What about Wayne Rooney then? I don't see him keeping himself fresh for England. He is well on-course for his best scoring run for Manchester United this season. He's having a fantastic season. On the other hand, Rooney's manager is Scottish - so he's probably not too bothered about 'resting' Rooney.

For me, I wasn't too bothered about pacing myself when I played for Liverpool during a World Cup year. Because if you do that, one, you wouldn't get a game for Liverpool because your mind is not focused and two, you will get injured anyway because when you are worried about getting injured during a game, you will end up getting injured.  You've got to play your normal game.

The midfield and the striking department of Liverpool need urgent improvement. In midfield there is no creativity at all at the moment. Javier Mascherano is Javier Mascherano. We need creativity, somebody who can create stuff. Lucas - I don't really know what he does in a game to be honest. It's quite obvious that Rafael Benitez likes Lucas. And there's also no reason now for Benitez not to play Alberto Aquilani. As I mentioned before in my previous columns, we need to give him an extended run in the team to see what he's capable of. If you pay £20million for a player you've got to give him a chance to show what he's made of.

It's no secret that Liverpool need new players and they seem to be only able to sign players on the free instead of paying top dollar for the best players. Liverpool cannot break the bank anymore because they don't have any more money in the bank. That's the way to go now for Liverpool.

In the end, Liverpool may have to sell players if they don't qualify for the Champions League next season. So it's absolutely paramount for Liverpool and their players that they finish in the top four.

I really do believe Liverpool can achieve this target. Liverpool have been there before and they know what it's all about. They have the experience and the know-how to last the pace. It also helped that teams around them have dropped points all season long. And when they get all their injured players back into the team, then they could go on a decent run. There are still a lot of points to be won yet.

The Europa League pales into comparison if they do not qualify for the Champions League. If they go on to win the Europa League but fail to get fourth spot in the Premier League, it'll be a disaster for the club. Having said that I would like to see Liverpool compete in both competitions and try to achieve both targets. Liverpool are and will always be a big club. It's expected of them to do well in the competitions they participate in.

In the end, we can't keep blaming the owners. Okay there are money problems, we know that. It would be nice to have somebody who can put in £100m into Liverpool to buy a player or two. But that's not a case. I don't think a quick fix involved changing the manager. I just think making funds available to buy players but then even if you have £50m who do you spend it on?

So I think the whole issue has to be resolved. There's going to be more problems if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League. That's when things will be serious and that's when things will start turning.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

Portsmouth won't go bust this season because the Premier League won't allow it - the Barclays Premier League would be made to look like a laughing stock if it finished the season with 19 teams.

If something needs to be done about Portsmouth, it should be done at the end of the season. You simply can't make wholesale changes which would, as a result, jeopardise the integrity of one of the world's finest and most widely watched leagues.

If Portsmouth can't abide by the rules I agree that they should be punished like anybody else. They can't be treated differently just because they are from the Premier League.

Portsmouth are, and let's not pull any punches here, a farce at the moment - everything from the ownership issues to their repeated failures to pay players on time. Should the Premier League be blamed?

Well, I think the due diligence checks should be done properly and they should deal with all potential owners and chairman of football clubs. They should be doing their due diligence properly. In Portsmouth's case, it clearly wasn't done well enough and those in charge have now to be reprimanded. It's not just the Premier League - everyone has a role to play.

In the end, it's the fans who suffer the most. It's the fans who turn up week-in, week-out to support their favourite club - rain or shine. Portsmouth have some of the most fanatical fans I have ever seen, they are the ones who care most for the club but they have little idea of what is going on behind the scenes.

Everything should be as transparent as possible - that's the way football clubs should be run.

In the end, the clubs have to be responsible for their own plights. You can't tell people how to run their house. Everybody's different. There has to be stricter rules and regulations that's for sure.

It's not just the Premier League which has to get its house in order, the chairmen and owners also have to get their own acts together.

A well-run club should be run with no debt, end of story. Spend within your means and don't overspend on players and wages. That's the only way to run a club properly.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

I don't know why John Terry cannot remain as England's captain.

There's talk that Fabio Capello stripped him of the captaincy to shield the Chelsea star from the media scrutiny surrounding his private life, but I think Terry can handle the media pressure. All he needs to do is to say 'No comment' to all the questions and that's it.

I also think the FA's movers and shakers have to take a good look at themselves. Wasn't Rio Ferdinand the one who was banned from football a while back for missing a drugs test? That was a football issue - Terry's offence was not. And yet Ferdinand is now the England captain, someone who had 'forgotten' to take a drugs test. The FA has been hypocritical because they have stopped one player being captain and replaced him with another player who has also messed up.

As I mentioned in my column last week, if the FA makes decisions based on people's private lives we probably wouldn't have an English team.

Yes, I do agree that captains have heavier responsibilities than others, simply because you represent your country or club both on and off the pitch. You have to be good both on and off the pitch in lots of areas.

Which brings us to the question of what makes a captain? There are different types of leaders. There are leaders that lead by example on the pitch - like a Tony Adams - and who have superb organisational skills.

Others, Steven Gerrard for example, lead by inspiration. He is a match-winner and he is arguably Liverpool's best player. Jamie Carragher is perhaps more like John Terry - someone who organises and talks. He's also someone who pulls people apart at the first sign of trouble.

When I was manager, I would select my captain based on both attributes. Your captain does not necessarily have to be your best player. People have the impression that the captain is their team's best player, but he's not.

Any captain I chose had to be able to organise and had to be a great talker and a good communicator. I don't agree with the European mentality that says it is okay to have a goalkeeper as the captain of the team. A captain should also not be a striker. I think a captain should come from either the midfield or the defence. How can you communicate to your players during a game when you are the goalkeeper? You can only communicate during set-pieces or when the ball goes dead - apart from those moments, the rest of your team is too far away..

For me, any captain should come from the engine-room - the midfield. And I am not saying that just because I'm a midfielder.

When I pick a captain, I will already know why I want that particular person to be captain.

I will have a separate chat with him - it's not an interview or a brain-storming exercise. You see what his thoughts are about the idea of him being captain. I would say I want you to be captain and share my reasons for the decision. It's really simple, and if you are not interested then I will look elsewhere.

Some players can't handle the pressure. Some other players don't need to be captain. Wayne Rooney is in this category. It does not matter if he's captain or not, he leads by example - he doesn't need the captain's armband. He has proved himself to be a leader on the pitch.

In the end, football is a game that's played on the field. So it's what you do on the pitch rather than off it that ultimately matters.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

The title race has always been about two teams - Chelsea and Manchester United. Arsenal were never in it.  

Not so long ago, Arsenal hit a purple patch and found some form, they even looked like they might have a reasonable chance of challenging Chelsea and Manchester United. But not now.

It's a case of same old, same old for Arsenal. People are no longer surprised when Arsenal get turned over by United and Chelsea at home. These games were like accidents waiting to happen.

It's okay being a lovely team playing lovely football. But that's what the Gunners have been for the past four to five years.  They have won nothing.

What Arsenal need in order to be genuine title contenders - is an open secret - they need steel, they need experienced players and, most of all, they need leaders.

No doubt they have the talent but when they come up against the big, big players of the game, they got found out all the time.

They may have bought Andrey Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen, who are experienced players in their own right,  but Arsenal need more than that.

They need players who can become the spine of the team. Leaders like Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira - but Sol Campbell is already 35. Do yourself a favour, Arsenal have gone from playing the Under-15s to getting 35-year-olds.

Campbell did play okay against Stoke in the FA Cup. And I could understand why Arsenal did not play Campbell against Man United - United would have gave him the runaround.

Anyway, back to the title race, I still think Chelsea have the edge over United. When I was back in England recently, the press were not surprised by how well Chelsea coped without their African stars because they had a relatively easy run of games.

With the squad Chelsea have, they can afford to have some of their players out. Even at an intimidating arena such as Burnley's Turf Moor - where Manchester United and Arsenal stumbled - Chelsea did not trip up.

There's really no easy place to go to in the Premier League these days. But Chelsea have the habit of digging in when it matters. It's not always pretty and they get the ability to get results. They always do what they have to do to get over the line.

The John Terry saga

I don't think the Chelsea players will be affected by the saga. Instead, the players will rally around him. He's going through  a difficult stage because he has to cope with it domestically. The best solution for a player in a situation like this is to train and play football.

Yes the whole saga doesn't send a good message out at all, as a role model Terry has let himself down, but he hasn't done anything wrong in a footballing sense has he? The only player who will be affected in the England team is Wayne Bridge - if the two were to meet up on international duty for England it could be very, very difficult.

The Merseyside Derby

This weekend, Liverpool have another massive match when they face Everton in the Merseyside derby. I have been very impressed with how Everton have come back after their dismal start to the season.

They are a totally different team now. Mikael Arteta may have returned from injury but I think Everton's resurgence has been down to their three midfielders: Tim Cahill, Maroune Felliani and Steven Pienaar.  They have been outstanding. Landon Donovan has also been excellent because he has added a balance to the side. I think Everton are very well-organised.

But I pick Liverpool to win because it's at Anfield - there's no other reason. I can see a ray of hope for Liverpool in their chase for a Champions League spot because they are now only a point off fourth place. Just a couple of months ago, they were a long way away from fourth. Manchester City may have two games in hand but they still have to win those two games. I'd rather have the points in the bag any time.

For what I've seen so far, Alberto Aquilani is a good player - he has a lovely touch about him. He says he was fit weeks and weeks ago, so I am surprised that Liverpool have not played him as regularly as they could have done.

For me, the Stoke game was an ideal game for him to play in. He was made to play in that game because once you win your little aerial battles, you can get it down and play.

And you need a player who can keep the ball and Aquilani can do just that. The sentiment back home in Liverpool about Aquilani is that he has to be given a chance - Liverpool fans want to see him play more. You can't judge anybody when he plays ten minutes here or half an hour there and then comes off . Give him a proper run and then let's see where we are at.

* Steve McMahon was talking to ESPNSTAR.com's Eugene YS Han

Football's only a game, it's not life and death.

With this in mind, Hannover 96 goalkeeper Robert Enke's passing was not really a footballing issue, it was a life issue. He had a young daughter who died in 2006 due to a rare heart disease. It's absolutely soul-destroying for anybody to lose a child.

Everything else could be a contributing factor but that's life. I think it's a tragedy this has happened and I also think he may have found it hard to come to terms with it. Some have said his mixed footballing career contributed to this tragedy. I don't think this was solely caused by pressure from football, but I do think it puts the spotlight on the pitfalls of being a professional footballer.

When you talk about pressure in the game, I actually get a kick out of every minute of it. That's part and parcel of being a professional footballer. Whether there are good results, bad results or playing in Cup finals - that's what it's all about. What I mean is good pressure, not bad  - pressure. I looked forward to the big games and the electrifying atmosphere that comes along with it.

But there are some players who do not handle it as well. I saw some of them during my playing career and it's probably caused by their lifestyle.  Paul Gascoigne got depressed because of various reasons. He's like a circus at times and people like to put him down. He didn't have much privacy. But when you look at your world famous footballers now like David Beckham especially, I think in contrast he handled all of it fantastically well.

I also think Wayne Rooney has matured really well - he used to portray himself in quite an awful way in the past. Now I see he is controlled and is thinking about how he deals with the press and what he says. I think he has enough knowledge now to conduct himself.

And one way to do it is to have a good management team where you can learn from. I don't like the word 'agents' - it's a management team that should be advising you on the do's and don'ts. The players do know the pitfalls and they have got to know the right people. The players have to be aware that it's a media circus out there and you have to be careful when you are in the spotlight.

When I was a player, I wasn't taught how to handle the media, and was no course in my time that teaches you how to deal with the media or any other distractions. I actually thrive on that really, to be honest.

Even when you are out and about in the streets and getting recognised by fans, you have to keep your cool. That's part of being a footballer. I will comply with a request for an autograph. You've got to accept that. It's all about people being polite.

But when it comes to abuse, you just turn away and walk away from them. You cannot react to these types of taunts - it'll look bad no matter what happens, no matter who's right or wrong. These incidents will happen as Steven Gerrard found out not too long ago. That's not his nature, you know, but there's only so much you can tolerate and put up with.

You've got to make sure you are with the right people. Make sure you go out at the right times. Don't go out before games and don't go to the wrong places with the wrong company.

I'm not an advocate of telling someone to do whatever he likes but make sure you don't get caught. More than often, you will get caught and you will be in deep trouble. So you shouldn't be putting yourself in that situation in the first place. If you are told not to go out and you are told not to do this, well, the rules are the rules. Abide by the rules. If you get caught you get into trouble, you deserve what you get.

With all the footballers in the world, you will get two or three where the paparrazzi is out to catch players letting their hair or their pants down - that's stupidity from the players. You are encouraging people to take pictures of you.

You have to be responsible for yourself. The only way to do that is to be with the right people who are good friends who will make sure you don't get into any trouble.

Chelsea's win over Manchester United has added more spice to the title race.

According to the press in England, the whole thing is becoming rather difficult for Manchester United, Chelsea have looked strong this season and now lead the Premier League by five points.

Whilst there is a degree of truth in that, United are still in a decent position - they have still got to play Chelsea at home and there's still a long, long way to go.

United have bags of experience in their side and they will continue to put pressure on Chelsea, but I really do think that it's Chelsea's title to lose now.

In Asia, the media are saying that the African Cup of Nations in January might be a period when Chelsea might slip up. Maybe, but when you look at the fixtures, Chelsea have got reasonably comfortable matches during that period. I don't think they will be affected - their squad, as I have always believed, is one of the strongest in the league.

And for another weekend, referees have dominated the headlines again. Every time you pick up a paper - it's about referees. And there were more controversies after Liverpool's game against Birmingham. But more on that later.

But I think it's just one of those things. There was no controversy at Stamford Bridge. I don't think there were any hints of offsides or fouls in Chelsea's build-up to their goal. Didier Drogba was certainly not offside, that's for sure. There was a little bit of tussling between Drogba and Wes Brown and that was it. This happens all the time. In the end, I just thought Chelsea deserved to win. They just looked stronger and more threatening.

I really think United are going to splash the cash in January. United also need another striker, I also think they are missing a couple of midfielders. Cristiano Ronaldo's absence is causing more problems than previously thought. In this sort of tight game, a world-class player like Ronaldo would have made a difference. Antonio Valencia is a good player but is he world-class? They need quality players - somebody who can create and somebody who can be a match-winner for them. But players like that will be hard to come by during the January transfer window. Everybody will want to have that kind of player.

Whereas for Chelsea, the suspension of their transfer ban was not a shock to me. We all knew that was going to happen. Why was everyone shocked? At the end of the day, the player has every right to decide which club he wants to go to.

In January, Chelsea will buy as well. Although I think Chelsea are strong in every area, they will be looking for players who can help cover for those who are leaving for the African Cup of Nations. Somebody who can fit into Carlo Ancelotti's system.

Joe Cole is back in action, which is a bonus for Chelsea. There has been speculation over Chelsea buying Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero. He should have no problem fitting into the system. When you are a world-class player, you can fit into any system.

Liverpool's dive in form

Liverpool need new players, but they will need to sell first before buying.

Against Birmingham, they should have won the game based on shots on goal. They had lots of possession but it didn't matter as they were not really hurting the Birmingham defence. Birmingham only had two shots on goal and they scored both of them.

The penalty shouldn't have been a penalty. I have to admit it was a clear dive by David Ngog. Although some might say they were lucky to draw, I think Liverpool were unlucky not to win. But things are not going well for them. They do miss Fernando Torres. Liverpool are also finding it hard to stop conceding goals. If they continue to do that, it's going to be a problem.

And the last word on Arsenal. The question is not whether Arsenal are good enough, rather whether they can last the distance. Arsenal are playing fantastic football, they always have done and they always will do under Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal are the best footballing side in the league without a shadow of a doubt. But again questions will be asked when they reach the latter stages of the season and their strength in depth will be tested. Will they be strong enough to compete with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea? In terms of quality, they have a fantastic team. I don't think they have that strength in depth at the moment. If they have Cesc Fabregas, Andrei Arshavin or Robin van Persie injury - I don't see anyone good enough to step into their shoes.

Chelsea, so far, do not have this problem. To me, they have the strongest squad in the league. Even their back-up players are full-fledged internationals who can step into the first-team seamlessly. After their win over Manchester United, not only do they have a five point lead, they also have a psychological advantage over their closest rivals. It would be interesting to see how United and Sir Alex Ferguson will respond.

The massive games are coming in thick and fast now. Chelsea versus Manchester United is as big a football match as you can get - not just in England or Europe, but across the world.

Both teams have picked themselves up after defeats in the league and this should be a cracker of a game.

After Chelsea's recent run of form, I'm impressed with them. I think they have got everything a squad needs to go on and win the Barclays Premier League title. And how can anyone question their formation when they go to Bolton and thrash them 4-0?

I think it's just a case of which personnel they put in there. Deco is a little hit-and-miss at the moment but he did fantastically well against Bolton. Joe Cole has still to get back to his best and needs to be in the team on a permanent basis to have any kind of impact. These two players will come to the fore when the Africa Cup of Nations come into play next January when Chelsea will miss players like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien. This is when Ancelotti will have to make full use of his squad.

United will always be always solid in these high profile games but they are not the same strong team they used to be. They have lost Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and are now relying more and more on Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. It's a little like Liverpool, if you take both of them out of the United you start wondering where the team's goals will come from.

There are also doubts in defence. If Wes Brown and Jonny Evans start for United against Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, there is only going to be one team winning this game. We can't really guess how United's defence is going to lineup  - but even if Rio Ferdinand returns, he's been far from brilliant and he's been making too many mistakes. We know Drogba and Anelka can cause any team problems, but in the wide positions, if Chelsea can get Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa bombing forward it might cause United even more strife.

The key man for United will be Rooney. I honestly think parenthood will be great for Rooney. Being a first-time father will put him in a fantastic state of mind. He's become a dad and it's a big part of his life now. It changes everybody's life when you have a child. I think it's the best time for him to play. Even before he became a parent, you could see how Rooney has matured as a person in the last year.

In this type of game, I always think the midfield area will be key. In the games against Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, Darren Fletcher must play. He is a very important player for United. You can see how the team misses him when he is not playing.

However, with Chelsea enjoying home advantage, I can see the London side collecting all three points.

* Steve McMahon was talking to Eugene YS Han

Chelsea were not the biggest winners last weekend, it was Liverpool.

Carlo Ancelotti's side may have reclaimed top spot in the league but Liverpool grabbed a morale-boosting win over arch-rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool really needed to win that game. If they hadn't, they would have been out of the title race. I think the season starts here for the Anfield side.

Everything went right for Liverpool. They pressured, they worked hard and they deserved to win. It's not just about Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun or Jamie Carragher, everyone played well for Liverpool.

They played five across the field with Benayoun in the Steven Gerrard role. Although I can see Benayoun moving to the left-hand side once Gerrard returns from injury, that's not a slight on Benayoun. He deserves to be in the first-team on merit and be a key player for Liverpool.

United, as a whole, were very poor at Anfield. There was a number of reasons why United struggled.

Firstly, Ryan Giggs has not played on the left-hand side for a long, long time and I think he can't play there any more.

Secondly, They have lost that little bit of spark even though Wayne Rooney came back into the first team. Rooney just couldn't do anything about it. Liverpool were too dominant and they isolated Rooney well. United didn't play well but it was down to Liverpool who didn't allow them to play at all.

Thirdly, they missed Darren Fletcher and I think he is an important component in United's first eleven. Park Ji-Sung also did not play. I think they are important players for United in the big games. With all the flair players in the United team, you really need hard-working footballers in there to help balance the team.

And lastly, I'm never convinced by a midfield consisting of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. They never looked comfortable together. I think they are too similar in the way that they sit in front of the back four and dictate play from there.

I also think referee Andre Marriner did fairly well in this game. He was right in not sending off Jamie Carragher. The ball was going away from the penalty area and Michael Owen was also going away from goal. It was never a red card offence. I also think the ref did well to reject Manchester United's claim for a penalty when Carragher clearly got the ball first. I don't think it was a penalty at all. It was a fantastic tackle on Carrick. It doesn't matter if another player was in the way. If you have got the ball, it's a good tackle.

I don't think it was right for Sir Alex Ferguson to blame the referee. As I often mentioned in my columns, Ferguson tend to blame everybody except himself and his team. There was nothing wrong with the referee's decisions. They were again excuses.

United can't complain about the referee because he should have given Nemanja Vidic a straight red card rather than a second yellow card. He's lucky he's just got a one match ban instead of three. Ferguson wasn't complaining about that, was he? And looking at how Rio Ferdinand is struggling defensively, they need Vidic even more to help shore up the defence.

Torres' opening goal was crucial for Liverpool as it gave them a lead to defend and forced United to come out more. People say Torres' goal is perhaps the most important goal scored for Liverpool this season. I don't think so. It will only be crucial if Liverpool build on this victory. This is only three points. If you beat Stoke it's only three points. It's the same with United or any other club.

The thing about Liverpool is they have got to keep it going, what's the point of beating Manchester United if you then go to Fulham next week and lose?

It will be a tough, tough game at Craven Cottage. Hand on heart, I believe Liverpool can build on this if, and only if, they play with the same kind of commitment and intensity defending and going forward as they did against United.

I also think Manchester United will bounce back certainly against Blackburn at home. If it was a tougher game, then they might have a problem, but Blackburn are decimated by injuries and illnesses, so I don't think United will have any problems getting back to winning ways.

* Steve McMahon was talking to ESPNSTAR.com's Eugene YS Han

Don't let Liverpool's form fool you.

I think Liverpool have got a chance to get a result against Manchester United this weekend. You know what Liverpool and Liverpool fans are like at Anfield. They will be up for this game. It will be war.

Win their next game against the league leaders and Liverpool will be back in the title race. It's madness. Liverpool are not a two-man team. What's worrying for me is that they are a three-man team.

Against Sunderland, Liverpool didn't have Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. They also didn't have Javier Mascherano in their starting line-up. People tend to forget about Mascherano.

That midfield was very light weight. Liverpool fielded a second-rate team and they simply couldn't cope against Sunderland. The defeats show how weak their strength-in-depth.

I can only be confident of Liverpool winning games when Gerrard and Torres are fit. Without both of them, it will always be difficult for Liverpool to win games.

However, I still feel that if Liverpool play their first team, they are stronger than even Arsenal. The problem comes when you have a great first-eleven and then you are worried about the fitness of the players. When injuries or suspensions come around, you find out your second string players are just not good enough to replace the first-teamers.

That's the problem that's facing Liverpool at the moment.

Manchester United also played poorly against Bolton. Although they got all three points against the Trotters, United were not firing all cylinders.

Bolton deserved to grab at least a draw at Old Trafford. United also struggled in the match against Sunderland as well. Sunderland gave Manchester United a good game and they should have gotten more than a point against United. Steve Bruce has done well at the Stadium of Light and he has spent wisely in the transfer market.

I think it's a much more open Premier League this season. We have been saying this a few times but this season has been more open than it has ever been.

What Mark Hughes said was partly right.  The top half of the table is getting ever more competitive and the Top Four are expected to drop more points from now till the end of the season. Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United will not have easy games anymore.

I dare say that since Manchester City can afford to compete with the big boys in the transfer market, they can also compete in the league.

City for their part did well to collect a draw at Wigan. And we all know how Wigan ended Chelsea's 100% start to the league. So it proves these games are now not easy. There are no easy three points in the Premier League any more.

Aston Villa have been impressive in their win over Chelsea. Not only did they beat Liverpool at Anfield they have now beaten Chelsea.

Chelsea's defence have not been at their best and they have been switching off at crucial times and losing concentration.

It's not just down to John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho; it's just awful defending from everyone.

It's quite a shock to see Chelsea defend so sloppily against corners and if it had been Liverpool, they would have been hammered by Aston Villa.

I don't think you should be looking for excuses whenever teams lose after international breaks or European games.

You have a squad to choose your players from and you have to change things around to use the players efficiently - that's the art of good management.

The reason why Alex Ferguson came out to lecture Alan Wiley was simply because he didn't win.

Manchester United failed to pick up three points against Sunderland at Old Trafford and Wiley was unfortunate enough to be the referee in that game.

Ferguson should be punished because he should know better. With the profile and experience that he had, there should be no excuses. He has been managing at this level for a long time. He should have kept the words to himself and he shouldn't have made the outburst.

Whenever there is an adverse result, he seems to blame everyone else apart from his own team. It's a widely used tactic to get the press off your team I suppose. It's a given that managers always try to find excuses.

Ferguson has no point to prove. Premier League referees and even those in Singapore's S.League are tested rigorously. There is no hiding for these guys. They are FIFA-approved referees who face strict tests. How can they be unfit?

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is also in trouble with the FA after he suggested the referee during the Spurs game need to wear glasses. Again, it was an insinuation about a referee's fitness.

These managers are upset with referee's decisions. Not their fitness. It's never about their fitness.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not standing by the referees. Generally the standard of the refereeing has been poor. They are making too many mistakes on big decisions.

These referees are under tremendous pressure game after game. They have a difficult job. But in general, they have been making many glaring mistakes.

Readers of my column will know that I have always supported having ex-players as professional referees. It would be nice to have people who have the knowledge of the game and played the game at the highest level to come in to become referees. They will understand what is malicious and what is not. What's intent and what's not intent.

That would be the ideal world. But alas we don't live in an ideal world.

If Alex Ferguson has been found guilty then he got to be punished. Everybody else gets punished. Players are getting suspended for reactions and incidents almost immediately.

Managers have always been taken to task whenever they said something untoward about match officials after the game.

At the same time, you can't blame the media for the publicity. You can't make up the stories nor can you make up the quotes. The media is just the vessel for the news.

The game has changed for referees. The difference between the referees of my time and those of today are that they being judged more than ever in today's game. In every game, there is an assessor in the stands who gives marks to referees.

Points are given to what they done right and marks taken off for what they done right. They got to go by the law, by the book and that I think is too narrow a thinking to be used in the modern game.  As a result, there's no actual common sense anymore and they can't use their own initiative.

In an ideal world, referees have got to know the game, the atmosphere, the history of the game and react according to it. Certain games need a certain kind of refereeing. And games involving big clubs will always need brave referees who are not afraid to make the big decisions.

Only then can they earn some much needed respect.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

It's easier to predict the weather in Singapore than to anticipate England's best eleven to take on the best at the World Cup next year.

Players who did well during the qualification campaign may not automatically be first-choice under England coach Fabio Capello. There are still areas in the team which are up for grabs for any player.

Since England have already qualified, I'm sure Capello and his staff will take the upcoming games against the Ukraine and Belarus to try out new options. I do, however, think Capello virtually knows which players he wants to field.

Having said that, the goalkeeper's jersey could be anyone's. The other day, Capello was watching Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster and he had a nightmare. Robert Green's doing very well for West Ham so he might have a look-in. The turmoil at Portsmouth may or may not have affected David James but it terms of experience he may well have a slight edge. Nevertheless, I think he still has a lot to prove to in order to be England's number one goalkeeper.

I would think the back-four is pretty settled: Liverpool's Glen Johnson, Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand as well as Chelsea duo John Terry and Ashley Cole. And provided they stay fit, this is probably England's strongest defence.

In midfield, England should feature the same triumvirate of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry. These three can interchange positions at will and this is another area in which England are strong. What's left is the fourth spot in midfield. I reckon Capello will have to decide which wide player he needs. It's one area which I think he will need to have a serious think about.

Joe Cole may be the automatic choice here but the Chelsea player will have to fight with Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips. You can't discount Theo Walcott either. Joe Cole and Walcott may have missed the latest call-ups, they will be waiting for a chance to sneak back into contention should Lennon and Wright-Phillips fluff their lines.

The main problem that England have, as I have mentioned before in my column, is that they lack a world-class centre-forward to partner Wayne Rooney.

England do not have an out-and-out striker who can help the Manchester United striker. Someone who is in the mould of Didier Drogba: A big man with pace and skill. Emile Heskey is the closest we have got to this type of striker but he's not getting any games at Villa.

Considering what he has at his disposal, it will have an impact on what England's formation will be. Be it 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. Capello could play two up-front or two wide. No matter what, Rooney will be the key man for England.

Players like Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner may not be considered to be first-choice picks, but it's essential that they earn some experience by just being around the England squad and learning new habits. I think they deserve this type of chance.

I will always remember getting my senior call-up for England. That's one of the best things you can really do and be proud of. I do remember contacting my parents first when I heard about the news.

Even now, I can still feel the pride and excitement of wearing your country's jersey and representing you country. It was a magnificent achievement to be able to play for England.

And it was the late Sir Bobby Robson who decided to call me up. He was a true gentleman and also someone who liked a banter or two. I just spoke to him last season during a game at St James' Park. He always got my name mixed up and called me 'Steve McManaman'. He will be sorely missed.

Matches between Chelsea and Liverpool have usually ranged from being ordinary to being the most extraordinary.

Who can forget the topsy-turvy 4-4 draw at Anfield in the Champions League quarter-finals? And who expected Liverpool to end Chelsea's long unbeaten home record in the league?

But is this a new rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool? Well, matches between the two sides have always grabbed the headlines, but I think any clash between the Top Four sides will cause fireworks.

To be honest, it will be a difficult game for Chelsea because Liverpool, despite their blip in Europe, are flying and playing very well in the league. They are also scoring lots of goals.

So I just think Chelsea have got to play their natural game and put the Wigan defeat down to being a one-off, poor performance.

Chelsea can't think too much about the opposition. They have got to play their own game, they have got to go back to what they do so well and play their best team.

So what makes this clash fascinating is the big question - how Chelsea will react. You could say this is the perfect game for Chelsea as it's the kind of big game that gives them a chance to bounce back. Players will be on their toes.

And I always believe winning is the best way to get over a defeat.

I think Chelsea and Carlo Ancelotti were caught off-guard by Wigan who had done their homework and pressed well to put Chelsea off their game. True, Chelsea may have made it slightly easier for Wigan after Petr Cech got sent off, but Wigan still had to play the full 90 minutes against a team of Chelsea's class. As they say, it's never easy to play against ten men but Wigan came through in the end.

The loss to Wigan must have hurt Chelsea. But just as Liverpool bounced back to winning ways after their two defeats, and just as Manchester United bounced back after their defeat to Burnley, I would not be surprised if Chelsea bounce back with all guns blazing.

For me, the main area they have to address is their defence. You don't have to do your homework to know  Chelsea's defence - as well as Liverpool's - has not been at their best - they have been leaking too many goals. Defence will be key in this game.

When you're facing  quality strikers like Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka for Chelsea and Fernando Torres with Steven Gerrard bombing forward for Liverpool, you've got to be on your toes.

Chelsea's cause will not be helped by the loss of the suspended Petr Cech and I am sure Liverpool will try to exploit that. I'm not too convinced with Chelsea's back-up goalkeepers. I'm also not convinced about John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho because in recent games they have been giving too many chances away.

The same goes for Liverpool's defence.

Most of the goals Liverpool have conceded have been down to individual mistakes made when they were using zonal marking. It's also down to the full-backs stopping crosses and they are not doing that.

But I must stress defending isn't just about the goalkeeper or the defenders. It's about the team as a whole.

So Liverpool's midfield must chip in as well. They will have to be at their best to try to stifle Chelsea's formidable midfield. Liverpool will play another midfielder to partner Javier Mascherano. Only Mascherano's industry can match that of Michael Essien. I don't think Mascherano's injury is too serious and I think he was rested for the Fiorentina game so that they can keep him fresh for the Chelsea game.

In contrast, there's nothing fresh about Frank Lampard's form at the moment. He has gone slightly stale for Chelsea and he has got to step up. Lampard hasn't scored a goal from open play. I would be quite concerned if I were Chelsea. Lampard has been quite prolific with goals from midfield during his career at Stamford Bridge, but now his goals from midfield are drying up.

Lampard may have a good understanding with Drogba but his partnership with the rest of the team is crucial as well. It's doesn't matter if he plays just behind the strikers or a little bit deeper.

The key Liverpool players for me will have to be Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard as well as Yossi Benayoun.

Chelsea know about the threat posed by Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Gerrard. And if the home side don't keep this trio quiet, Chelsea will be in trouble.

And that's what you do when you face world-class players. You've got to stop them playing and, as a result, I can see both sides cancelling each other out.

At the end of 90 minutes, I think it will be a 1-1 draw between the two sides.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

I have played in both the Manchester and Merseyside derbies and I have to say that the Manchester derby is far more hostile.

There's so much ill-feeling between these two sides that, to be honest, it makes the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton pale in comparison.

Manchester City used to be a couple of levels below United, and City, as a result, were never backed to beat their near neighbours. Ahead of last Sunday's clash, City's spending and their recent good results, including that win over Arsenal, meant that they had a great chance of getting a result at United. It also made the duo's rivalry even more intense.

City's Javier Garrido has subsequently come out to accuse United of creating this hostile environment. I say: welcome to the real world. When you play at the highest level, that's what you have got to face. He should get over it - and quickly..

I also think the game got to Craig Bellamy. He should not have got involved with the supporter on the field. Having said that, I think the supporter should be banned for life, he shouldn't be allowed to do that and at Old Trafford of all places.

So, although Bellamy was wrong for doing what he did, that supporter should never see the inside of Old Trafford again. The FA has rightly chosen not to punish Bellamy. It was right of them to give him just a warning, a slap on the wrist if you like.

It's only Bellamy's temperament that people have doubts about. There's no question about his natural ability. When you have such genuine pace, people will always be frightened of you. It's the Welshman's temperament that causes problems for both him and whichever club he happens to be at.

Gary Neville also got carried away with the emotions of the game. He's just a lunatic. He did the same thing some years back in front of Liverpool's supporters and got fined for it. It was just bonkers considering how Emmanuel Adebayor was punished the weekend before doing the exact same.

In the end, United just about deserved to win the derby based on their second-half performance during which they totally dominated City.

Throughout the first-half, United were disappointing and I thought City were in control and excellent during the same period. United allowed City to get into the game.

And then United's players got the hair-dryer treatment during half-time. Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn't have been too happy with his players and in the second-half, United were much better.

Were City too timid in the second-half against United or did United raise their game? Well, it was a bit of both as United went for it and kept possession better. City helped them by frequently giving the ball back to United.

Dimitar Bebartov should have scored to make the game safe for United but it's all hypothetical.

Shay Given, as we all already know, is one of the best in the business. He's there to make saves. That's what the goalkeeper is there for. I don't know why everybody's surprised. That's what he's supposed to do and that's what he's paid to do. When you get one of the best goalkeepers in the game, you expect him to make saves. You'd have been disappointed if he had let anyone of them in.

I also thought City were let down by the very poor defending of Micah Richards. He stepped out and left Michael Owen free in the 18-yard box - it was very poor defending. Mark Hughes won't have been happy about that.

Amidst all the furore about the amount of time added on, you have to admit City's defending was atrocious.

Owen's goal wasn't a surprise. You live and die by your substitutions and Owen has always been capable of finding the back of the net. He was sent on to score goals and that's just what he did.

However, defensively United were not great. I think Ben Foster didn't have a great game after he made those mistakes. Carlos Tevez was quite right when he pointed him out as the weak link before the game.

I wouldn't rule out Ferguson going after a goalkeeper at the end of the season.

And what was Rio Ferdinand thinking of? It wasn't a lack of concentration - that was just madness. There was no one near him and he was trying to be too clever. He was messing around. That was simply not acceptable from an international defender.

So in fairness, City did very well to give United a good game. They may have lost but fair play to them, they made United work for their victory and City will take a lot of positives from this particular game.

* ESPN STAR Sport's chief football pundit Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has shot himself in the foot, in more ways than one.

What Adebayor did when he celebrated his goal in front of the Arsenal supporters was absolutely disgraceful.No doubt about it.

It took all the gloss away from City's victory over Arsenal and now he faces a ban from the FA for his antics.

You cannot incite the crowd. It was all premeditated. He must have thought: If I score a goal in this game, first thing I will do is to run towards the Arsenal supporters.

Adebayor has no excuses. He's not a youngster who has just broken into the first-team. He's a 25-year-old professional footballer who has collected more than 30 caps for his country. Adebayor simply lost his head in the Arsenal game.

So what if the Arsenal fans were abusing him before and during the match. Fans are always going to chant and mock.

Let me ask you then about the other players who regularly get stick. Players like Wayne Rooney, Robbie Savage, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell to name but a few. Even Eduardo has started to get stick whenever he gets on the field.

Every player will get stick. Across all the grounds, all over the country - the supporters want to mock and that's just the way the game is. You just got to have a thick skin and do your job on the pitch for your team and get on with it.

As I mentioned before, when the oppositions' supporters single you out and abuse you, you are doing a good job. Adebayor just had to sit back. He has won the game, scored a goal against his old club. He could say job well-done, I've made the right move, have some champagne and give himself a toast.

As a professional, he shouldn't have done it. There's no two sides to this. He has apologised and he knew he has done wrong.

I also think Adebayor deliberately stamped on his former Arsenal teammate Robin van Persie. He should be punished for this too. He meant to do it. No two ways about it. Adebayor's guilty and now it's up to the people with the powers that be to decide on the punishment accordingly.

And whatever the punishment that is meted out on him, it will indirectly affect Manchester City.

While Adebayor is left kicking his heels in the stands, Manchester City will be struggling up-front.

To start with, they don't have Roque Santa Cruz for selection. Carlos Tevez and Robinho are also out injured. With the Manchester derby coming, they are going to struggle a little in attack. To me, Craig Bellamy is not a striker. He's not playing as a striker at the moment at Man City.

But I will still back Manchester City to have a chance of getting a result against Manchester United. Even without Adebayor, they are still a decent team. City's confidence is sky-high after their current run and, with a week's rest, they could give Manchester United problems.

Liverpool's record shirt sponsorship agreement is a fantastic deal for the club. It's now up to the owners to decide what to do with the money. At least, there's money there and it's guaranteed for five years.

In my opinion, there's only one place where you can spend that money and that is on players. Liverpool have to strengthen the squad and I don't think they have spent much in the summer. Rafael Benitez will have enough time to assess his targets. He can work his budget now that he knows there's money coming in and identify areas for improvement.

The other good thing is how well the new managing director Christian Purslow seems to be doing. He seems like a man who knows how to do his job and I've been impressed with him. Rafa has already come out in support of Purslow and that bodes well for Liverpool. At the end of the day, the manager and the managing director has to work with and not against each other. And that is the way forward for the club.

* Steve McMahon is ESPN STAR Sports' chief football pundit and he was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

Chelsea's transfer ban is all nonsense to me.

Snapping up promising young players from smaller clubs has always been part of the game. We know this goes on in the game. It's like telling all the kids that there's no Father Christmas. We know there's no Father Christmas but we don't tell the kids that!

I honestly think Chelsea have been made scapegoats out of this whole mess.

What's there to stop Chelsea from loaning players for the next 12 months before buying them over permanently? What's to stop Chelsea from going to the EU to protest restraint of trade if they can't even loan players?  Where do you start? And where do you stop?

Chelsea will definitely be responding in the strongest possible manner. If they are to compete for top honours and trophies, they will have to compete in the transfer window as well.

And there's no doubt another can of worms has been opened and as we all know, on Football Focus, we do that a lot.

After Lens, Le Havre, Rennes and Crewe have also spoken out against the big clubs. They are all coming out of the woodwork and they are making a beeline for the big clubs. But these clubs must realise, it's their lifeblood to get much-needed funds this way to stay alive.

If they want to cut them out, they will be cutting off that monetary supply and then they will definitely lose out.

If I have a youngster whom the big clubs want and the player wants a move, I will not stand in his way. But I would say how much are the clubs willing to compensate me? You have to be clever enough to ensure you do not get short-changed.

What the clubs usually can and should do is to get add-ons.

As I mentioned on Football Focus, the clubs will get an initial fee of £250,000 and then when the player  makes it into the first team, you get another £250,000. And when he clocks a number of games, the club gets another £250,000 as now he is worth a bit more. And when he makes the international team, his value goes up again and the club will get another amount of money. And if he is subsequently sold to another club, his original club could get a cut of the transfer fee.

By this time, you could have made millions if the player grows through the ranks. That's all to it.

Ultimately, I honestly think it's up to the player and his parents. If a player wants to go to a club like Chelsea, he has to make the decision.

How it has affected the clubs is that now they have to be more alert when dealing with young players from other clubs. They will have to do everything the proper way.

For me, the only problem is that, could prove too early for these young players to make the leap. Will they be lost in the system?

There is only so many players one club can take on in their squad, let alone the first team. They should do their apprenticeships properly and when they are old enough decide, then they and their parents can choose where they want to play.

I think it all boils down to compensation. And when people try to bend the rules, all hell breaks loose.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Despite what Arsene Wenger said about Manchester United, the Red Devils did play some very good football at Old Trafford last weekend.

I honestly think managers have a habit of making excuses.

Although Arsenal, as a team, looked the better side throughout that high profile game, they were rattled by United for ten crucial minutes. United upset them, Arsenal lost their way and United took control.

United seemed to be hungrier and had more fire in their belly than Arsenal. The Gunners played really well but they came out with nothing.

In the end, it was a case of 'same old, same old' for Arsenal. They have done it many times - performed well but failed to get a result. We have been saying how wonderful Arsenal play for four years now, but how much longer do we have to wait for the Arsenal players to mature?

As far as United are concerned, I don't like Sir Alex Ferguson's men playing a defensive style with one only up-front, especially at home. They have tried it on a couple of occasions, particularly against Barcelona in the Champions League final and it doesn't work. They also tried it in European games away from home and, again, it didn't work.

United should play with a 4-4-2 formation more often and I think Fergie was far too cautious against Arsenal.

England for South Africa
England will qualify for the World Cup finals. The least they can get Croatia is a draw - they are confident enough, so I say why not?
They have a genuine chance to reach the Finals in South Africa next year.

The tops teams - Argentina, Brazil, Italy and Germany - always come to the party when the time is right. But I wouldn't go against England. I think they have got as good a chance as anybody.

Lately, Fabio Capello has praised Wayne Rooney, saying he has the potential to be one of the world's top players. Well, it's not a big shock to me.

I have always said Rooney is a world-class player. Perhaps Capello wanted people to know England have got potential. That's his job. At the same time, he also wants to give Rooney more confidence. But then again, does Rooney need to be given that confidence boost? He's a confident guy to start with, isn't he? Every time you asks questions of him, he stands up to be counted. Every time.

Capello also compared Rooney with Raul, but as far as I am concerned he's more of a Mark Hughes type of player. He puts himself out and about like Hughes, leads the line well and score great goals.

But Rooney is the only world-class player England have up-front. Even if Michael Owen earns a recall, he's past it, finished. What England have in the striking department are decent options.

I reckon Jermain Defoe is one of most in-form strikers in the Premier League right now. While people might question going small with small up-front, I say why now? Tottenham play small-and-small in their final third, and they are playing pretty well right now aren't they?

England have also got Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole and that gives Capello the choice of different pairings.

It's all about options, something this England side has in abundance.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

It's not exactly good times on Merseyside at the moment.

The departures of key players has clearly had an impact on Merseyside neighbours Liverpool and Everton. Poor results and disruptions have followed, as have cracks in the team.

For Liverpool, it has been a very, very difficult start. They have already lost two games - they only lost two the whole of last season!

They might have missed an opportunity to collect three points against Aston Villa but you might as well lose two or three games at home and then win the rest instead of drawing seven games.

So in the bigger scheme of things, their results could have been even worse, they could have drawn with both Stoke and Aston Villa and only have two points instead of three. Well, that's my positive take on it anyway. No matter what people say, the fact is - it's still early on in the season.

One good thing for Liverpool now is they have to be positive in every game. They will have to win every game.

To do that, I think they need a new striker. Liverpool need someone to take the pressure off Fernando Torres and, in some way, Steven Gerrard. Yes, Liverpool tried to remedy that by buying Robbie Keane, but to be honest I don't think Keane is a big player.

Liverpool need a big name like a Didier Drogba, like a Nicolas Anelka, like a David Villa, somebody who can take the pressure off these two players.

With another striker, Liverpool could change back to a 4-4-2. I don't think the current three in midfield is working anyway. And if I'm the opposition manager playing against Liverpool, I would just man-mark Torres and Gerrard and it would nullify half of Liverpool's attacking strengths.

Okay, Liverpool may not be the strongest financially. Carlos Tevez might have been a good signing but you can't compete with Manchester City and their money. The same goes for Roque Santa Cruz; you can't compete with City's money. Liverpool may have used most of the cash from the sale of Xabi Alonso to buy Alberto Aquilani but it's up to Liverpool to work that one out.

I don't like to dwell on individual players. During pre-season, Lucas was doing okay. He has had a very good pre-season. Okay, in the game against Villa, he's scored an own goal and people will be thinking it's his fault but it's unfair to lambast individuals so early in the season. He's trying to fill the shoes of Alonso but he's a different type of player from the Spaniard - give him a bit of time. He's got to get used to playing regular football.

As for Everton, it has been a disastrous start for them as well. I think the transfer saga over Joleon Lescott is the main cause of their poor start. Everton depend a lot on teamwork . They rely a lot more on team spirit. Everton do not have the strength in depth like most their Premier League rivals. But once you get one weak link, or someone who is unhappy and doesn't want to be there, then it's bound to affect the team.

People have been talking about loyalty and how Lescott should show some to Everton. I thnk you should take the word 'loyalty' out from the football dictionary. There's no such thing as loyalty in football.

It could happen to anybody. As soon as someone gets an offer, be it players or managers, they move on. You see it happen very often in the lower leagues. Nothing surprises me in football.

There will come a time when even David Moyes, Rafael Benitz and Martin O'Neill will move on. When it happens, it will be a surprise to some people, it wouldn't be a shock to me.

That's the way it has been and will always be. It's the nature of the game.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Much has been said about the new diamond formation at Chelsea and how the players have been struggling to adapt to Carlo Ancelotti's preferred formation.

But in the end, it's all about the players and not about formations - to be honest, it's all that matters.

I can tell you players are the ones who win games, not formations. It's the players who make the formations work.

Ancelotti hasn't really changed the formation. He's just put in different players and at times changed it round when needed.

What I like about the Italian is that when the team is struggling or whenever tactics do not work out, Ancelotti is not afraid to change things.

Ancelotti also brings confidence and experience to the bench. He's been around the block and he can change formations during games which he has done already this season. He is not afraid to think out of the box.

Chelsea have come from behind twice now to win and that shows the confidence in the squad when they go behind. They have shown they are mentally strong.

But if I was to pick out their one key weakness it would be their defence.

Their main problem, which has been carried over from last season is that they are conceding too many goals.

Back in the Jose Mourinho era, Chelsea were hard to beat and they often won matches 1-0.

From the first two games of the season, Chelsea have shown their defensive frailties, conceding early on in their two league games.

That's probably their main weakness. Going forward they are fantastic. But there's an uncertainty in their  defence.

I think it is the lack of communication. Communication is a big part of defending and we can see how the lack of it affected Liverpool's central defenders in the game against Tottenham.

Chelsea have been struggling in this area since last season. If they can get their defence sorted out then I think they have got a great chance.

I have heard Chelsea being linked with another attacking player in Sergio Aguero but I think they need another world-class defender instead. Considering Chelsea's defensive problems, this should take priority over an attacker.

But whoever they sign, Chelsea already have a strong squad - if not the strongest in the league.

Steve McMahon, former Liverpool midfielder and England International, is a resident football analyst on ESPN's Football Focus and Football Forecast. He was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.
Read his predictions on www.espnstar.com

I will stick my neck out again and say Chelsea are my choice to win the Barclays Premier League title.

And I believe second place will be a straight fight between United and Liverpool.
Unlike their closest rivals, Chelsea are largely unchanged as far as personnel goes. They may have changed their manager again but I believe Carlo Ancelotti can deliver the goods. He knows what it's like to win trophies. He knows what it's like to deal with the egos in the dressing room. He's the real deal.

Chelsea still have a world-class spine - from Petr Cech to John Terry to Frank Lampard to Didier Drogba. Regular readers will remember I've always advocated Chelsea should play both Drogba and Nicolas Anelka together up-front. And that's exactly what Ancelotti did in the Community Shield against Manchester United.

In order to compete and win, you've got to play your best players.

Last season, we talked about how important it was for Chelsea to ensure Frank Lampard stays at the club.

Surprisingly, this season the talk was all about Terry and Drogba looking to leave the club. They eventually chose to stay on at Stamford Bridge - and it's again a huge boost to Chelsea.

Unlike Chelsea, Manchester United lost two of their key players during the summer.

Just as I predicted last season, Cristiano Ronaldo gave one more season of service to Manchester United and left for the lure of Real Madrid.

But it wasn't just a normal season. Ronaldo gave another phenomenal display which helped United win another league title and reach the Champions League final.

Mark my words, United will miss Ronaldo greatly. This player is worth at least 20 goals per season. He doesn't just score goals, he helps to create a lot of them as well.

Carlos Tevez is also a huge loss for United because of his work-rate and how he contributes from the bench.

It still remains to be seen if Michael Owen can make an impact at this moment in time. For now, I shall reserve my judgment on that one.

Liverpool had the best chance to win the league last term when United faltered early on and Chelsea stumbled badly mid-season. But the draws at home eventually cost Liverpool the title. This season, I don't think United and Chelsea will mess up as badly as they did last time around. That is why I think Liverpool will only be good enough for second or third place.

They may have lost a quality player like Xabi Alonso, but I don't think that will impact on Liverpool too much.

Alonso's departure certainly means Liverpool now lack depth in midfield - a weakness that may come back to haunt them later in the season.

And I don't think Lucas is good nor strong enough to be a regular replacement for Alonso. He's also a different type of player to Alonso.

For me, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are still the key players for Liverpool. I can still see Rafael Benitez sticking to the old formula of playing Gerrard behind Torres as his best attacking options.

As for Arsenal, I believe they will take fourth place again. But the pressure is on them and manager Arsene Wenger to deliver a trophy this season. You cannot claim to play beautiful football and have nothing to show for it. In the end, no one will remember who finishes second, third or fourth. Perhaps Wenger should concentrate on the Cup competitions as there are far less difficult matches to be won in order to reach the final.

There has been much talk about Manchester City and how they splashed the cash. But I think City are too top heavy at the moment. They have too many attacking players and not enough quality defenders.

Kolo Toure may be a good addition but much of the fragile City defence still remains. I still have my doubts about Richard Dunne and Micah Richards. They are not just not consistent enough for City.

Having said that City will provide an unknown quality in the league and that will only make for another exciting football season ahead. Bring it on!

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

The title may have been decided a couple of weeks ago, but Manchester United were pushed all the way by an improving Liverpool side. Chelsea, who were my pick for the title this season, finished only third.

At the other end, the final two relegation places were decided on the last day with Newcastle and Middlesbrough joining West Brom in the English Championship.

Just as we did during the halfway stage of the season, I'll analyse the performances of the teams - and whilst we're at it - pick out a star player or two. Let's start with the first ten clubs alphabetically.

Arsenal
They were disappointing and they were not good enough again. The persistent use of youngsters when it's clearly not working has gone against Arsene Wenger's side. The appointment of a new CEO in Ivan Gazidis probably wouldn't change Wenger's thinking. A new boss will not change a manager's thinking and his plans. So unless Wenger is willing to change his policy on his own, it could be a yet another blank season next term. Their key player has been Cesc Fabregas. Arsenal missed him and lost their momentum when he was injured. So when he came back, Arsenal looked a different team.

Aston Villa
It has been a very good season for Aston Villa despite them missing out on a top five finish. I like the way Martin O'Neill works and the way his teams play. I think there has been a marked improvement there at Villa Park. Gareth Barry has been their key player. With all the speculation again linking Barry with a move to another club, I think the time is ripe for him to move on for Champions League football. He needs this challenge to better himself.

Blackburn
Blackburn have achieved what they wanted to achieve. And that's survival. They looked like they were being sucked into the relegation zone at one stage but they have got out of trouble. Sam Allardyce have done a good job at Rovers but on reflection he should have stayed at Newcastle. You could argue that Christopher Samba has been one of their key players with the way he has played as a striker and made opposing defenders uncomfortable. I also think Stephen Warnock has had a more than decent season for Rovers.

Bolton
Everyone had thought Bolton will be struggling at the wrong end of the table, but as it turns out, they have had a decent season. They were never in danger of relegation. What Gary Megson has done is he brought back the old Bolton mentality - Sammy Lee had tried unsuccessfully to change the style to a footballing side. But Megson has once again made Bolton a difficult side to beat. Kevin Davies would be my pick for their key player. He is crucial to the way they set up and play.

Chelsea
In the league, Chelsea have not achieved what they were expected. I think the reasons for Chelsea's performance was because of a change of managers as well as key players not performing to their high standards. It's been a difficult season for Chelsea. Frank Lampard has been the key player for Chelsea because he has been their most consistent player and his goal tally has always been in double digits since 2003/04 season. His goalscoring rate has been phenomenal. Let's not forgot he makes goals as well as scoring them.

Everton
Everton have had a magnificent season. David Moyes has got them playing as a team and they are certainly not like Manchester City whose players play as individuals. Moyes has gotten Everton to play as a proper team and working hard for one another. Moyes has made them very difficult to break down. I would rate Mikael Arteta as their key player earlier in the season.
Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill are the other key Toffees for me.

Fulham
Fulham's qualification for the Europa League means they have had a fantastic season. What more could you have asked for. Everyone was tipping Fulham to be involved in the relegation dogfight at the start of the season. But Roy Hodgson has got Fulham very organised and that has been one of the key success of their season. I would say Brede Hangeland has been their key player. He has been solid and good at the back. You could say he is the kind of player Arsenal have been missing in the centre of their defence.

Hull
You have got to say Hull have done what they have set out to do. It doesn't matter whether Hull were lucky or not. Their aim was to stay up and it's not their fault that the other three teams around them didn't win enough games. I would pick Andy Dawson as Hull's key player.

Liverpool
It has been an indifferent season for Liverpool. They threatened to have a fantastic one but it turned a little sour at the end. I have to stress runners-up in the league is no mean feat. It's an improvement from last season but still they fell short when they look to have cleared the obstacles. I think it was over the Christmas period that Liverpool began to wobble and also the seven draws at home has killed any title dreams that they had. As usual, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have been the main players for Liverpool.

Manchester City
Manchester City have been very inconsistent especially away from home. As I mentioned earlier, City have not played as a team and that has been their downfall. I think Mark Hughes is on borrowed time. He might not last long if City do not get off to a good start next season. I would say Stephen Ireland as he has been brilliant player and he makes City tick.

Do keep a lookout for my next column when I will be talking about the next ten teams.

* Steve McMahon has been talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Some players might cheat and some managers may like a bit of deceit but a league table never lies.

Whoever finishes among the bottom three, deserves to go down and be relegated. Whoever finishes at the top of the league deserves to win the league and be crowned champions.

Liverpool's form made sure we had a fantastic end to the season, but this doesn't distract from the fact that Manchester United have won the league. Overall, United were the best team.

Manchester United have been able to win games after games even though Sir Alex Ferguson were chopping and changing his team. Why? The reason is simple. They have a very, very good squad. And that's what Liverpool and the other teams who have title aspirations have to do: match United's strength in depth and make their squad even better.

They will also have to match United's team spirit. Great teams always have great team spirit. I mean, it goes hand in hand. Winning games creates team spirit.

The contributions of old guards like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville are just as crucial. Neville hardly played at all for United but he and the other veterans have been around the block and they have seen it and done it.

But if I had to single out United's unsung hero, it has to be Michael Carrick. You've got your super stars in your Ronaldos, Berbatovs and Rooneys but he has proved he's a wonderful player in his own right among this array of star players.

Carrick could even force his way into England's first eleven and play with, and not replace, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. I can also see Gareth Barry featuring in a diamond midfield.

The turning point in Manchester United's title win this season has to be when they went away for the World Club Cup in December and no team ever got away from them.

Liverpool were certainly guilty of not seizing their advantage and pull away from United. United came back and subsequently won 1-0 at Stoke on Boxing Day. It triggered a title-winning run in which United never looked back.

People will always say ‘only if, only if' but I have to stress, Liverpool cannot afford to draw seven games at home and expect to get away with it. You can't win the league title when you draw this many games at home.

Liverpool lost two games all season and still did not win the championship so this says it all for me. I think they will become the first team in Premier League history to lose just two league games all season and not win the league title. For Liverpool to be genuine title contenders, all they need to do is to convert all their league draws into victories.

As for United, they have proved yet again that they are the best team in the whole of England to go with their World Club Cup crown. History beckons when they take on Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final at the Eternal City of Rome.

* Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

One player showed his displeasure to his manager in broad daylight while the other showed disrespect to everyone involved in the game - including himself.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba are players everyone loves to hate - well, that is unless you are a Manchester United or Chelsea fan.

As for Ronaldo's antics, I think he was just showing his frustration at being substituted by Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo wanted to play the full game in the Manchester derby against City.

To be honest, he has got to take this as a compliment and not as a slight on him.

If he had been playing awfully against City, then he would have been taken off for tactical reasons.

But he wasn't taken off for tactical reasons. He's been subbed by his manager to preserve and protect him for future games.

I don't know why there's all this tension. Maybe all Ronaldo wanted to do was to score more goals and get another Golden Boot award. But all Ferguson did was to protect him. There's only one winner here.

What Ferguson's trying to tell him is: You are my star player and I don't want you to get injured. It's as simple as that.

By way of contrast, there's nothing to explain Drogba's reactions at the end of Chelsea's Champions League game against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge. UEFA should punish Drogba for what he did.

You can't behave on the pitch the way that he did after the game against Barcelona. You cannot do that. Not as a professional that he is.

I think he overreacted because of the importance of the game and because of the way Chelsea had conceded in the very last minute of the game. Drogba's reaction happened because of the dramatic circumstances.

Had Barca scored earlier in the game, the Chelsea striker might have been a bit calmer. But the crushing blow came so late in the game and the players knew it was over.

And Drogba did what he did because he is Drogba - he does that. He has let the club down, he has let lots of people down and he has let himself down. What he did was to antagonise the Chelsea supporters and get them all wound up.

When the supporters see their player getting wound up, they also get wound up.

I was not surprised by reports that said the Champions League referee was ‘secretly smuggled' out of the country for his own protection. This referee did not exactly cover himself with glory but then that is another story.

Like Fergie, what Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink was trying to do is protect his player. He said the club will not punish him. Of course he doesn't want Drogba to be banned. But UEFA have got to do what they have got to do.

Docking wages won't hurt these players. The law won't allow clubs to fine their players for more than a few week's wages anyway, but these are millionaire players that we are talking about, professionals who won't bat an eyelid when they get fined.

So fines don't work and they never will. I have to stress, you've got to ban them by games. And this is up to UEFA to teach him a lesson and ban him.

These two players have shown that emotions can sometimes run high in games at the business end of the season.

While Ronaldo might yet go on to play another key role for United's chase for more titles this season, Drogba's future in the English game is a murky one.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

The relegation battle this season has been one of the most fascinating in recent times and I think it will go right down to the wire.

West Bromwich Albion are certainly going back to the English Championship next season. They are finished.

The other team to join them will be Middlesbrough. And it wouldn't surprise me if Newcastle also get relegated along with their North East neighbours.

That's because Newcastle's performances in the last two to three weeks have been basically awful.

Middlesbrough are not much better - they are just rubbish. They can't score a goal to save their lives. In the game against Manchester United, they were playing with no passion or commitment.

For a team that's down at the bottom, I'm just amazed at the lack of fighting spirit for a team that is striving to stay in the Premier League. I'm really baffled by that.

Middlesbrough have been brave enough to blood their youngsters in the last two seasons. But look where it has got them. You can't have youth alone; you've got to have experience as well to stay in this cutthroat league. You've got to have a happy mixture of players to succeed.

To be fair, Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson has been supportive to every manager he has had and you can't hold that against him. I admire him for that. I really do.

And I think Gibson is probably the best club chairman in the world - if not in European football.

No one can predict how it may pan out if Gibson was to part ways with Southgate.

In any case, he could have spent millions of dollars to compensate Southgate and even more to get a new manager but Middlesbrough could still get relegated.  It's all hypothetical.

For Newcastle, it's just not working at St James' Park. Alan Shearer's appointment as the new manager hasn't brought out the desired effect.

Two points out of their last four games is a poor return of investment. They have not played well at all. I have been very disappointed with Newcastle. And Joey Barton's misdemeanors have not helped one bit.

But I won't dismiss their chances of staying up as I think Newcastle will fight it out with Hull for that last survival spot.

Right now, Newcastle can't buy a win and Hull can't either.  I think it may even go down to goal difference and that will see Hull get relegated.

To be honest, Hull have definitely over-achieved. They have surprised a few teams in the first half of the season relying purely on adrenaline and team spirit.

Expectations were too high and they were talking about European football at one time which was all nonsense really.

But now their spirit has waned a bit and they are struggling to match the quality of the other teams.

Newly-promoted clubs always find it difficult to keep up with the rest in the Premier League. That's because quality players do not want to join them.

And the best players in Europe want to go to better teams in the Premier League.  They won't be interested in the likes of Wolves, Birmingham or Stoke.

These teams are then forced to go for second or third-rate players but they are not good enough to sustain their clubs' quest to stay up.

Nonetheless, I won't discount Wolves and Birmingham. Not only do they have a fantastic fan-base, they also have experienced players who have played in the Premier League before.

Having said that, Newcastle are also one of best-supported clubs in the country but here they are, stuck firmly in the relegation quagmire.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Players have got to get used to abuse from fans. They have to because it's part and parcel of the game.

The abuse we witnessed being hurled at Frank Lampard last weekend was because he is, of course, a former West Ham player.

I would have thought that by now, he would be used to that kind of treatment whenever he plays the Hammers.

To be honest, it's no big deal as far as I am concerned, and I don't know why everybody's making such a big fuss about it. That type of thing didn't bother me when I was a player.

It's just something the fans want to do when they go to a football game. If they give abuse to the opposition players, then so be it.

I mean if Frank Lampard one day decides to re-join West Ham, the fans will applauding him. It's the same thing for Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane.

Keane was booed non-stop when he was playing for Liverpool against Tottenham. And now he's back there, he has become the hero again.

When the abuse gets too animated or downright obscene, it's then down to the match-day stewards to sort it out.

The only way a player can respond to these type of abuse and taunting is to perform to his best on the pitch. That's the only thing he can do.

Sometimes all the abuse is merely a sign of respect. That may sound a little daft but I think it's because the fans know you are a decent player and they are trying, in their own way, to put you off.

All the world's best players have been abused and taunted in one way or another

If you don't get abuse, they don't know you are on the pitch. You've got to accept it and go along with whatever comes your way.

As long as it's not physical abuse. I draw the line at that.

When John Barnes was playing for Liverpool, he got abused racially everywhere he went. But he is a strong enough man and he was a good enough player to take it all in his stride and he always performed to the maximum

It's a collective thing. The supporters can alert the stewards and get the errant guy thrown out of the ground.

It's also a social problem - as I mentioned before in my column. The new all-seater stadiums have definitely helped in a way.

Football is a family game now and a day out. It's more of an event - the stadiums are state of the art and there are refreshments, eateries and everything else you need to have a fun time at the football.

Mark my words, football is much more than just a game.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Kenny Dalglish has been linked with a move back to Liverpool in a youth development role, a development that couldn't have come at a better time.

Although there has been no official confirmation at the time of writing, I believe there's no smoke without fire. I don't know why Liverpool didn't think of it sooner.

Maybe it didn't suit Kenny before, and maybe there were too many things going on behind the scenes that scuppered any plans. Well, any plan that happens has to suit both parties.

To be honest, I believe Kenny the right man for the job.

I remember how Kenny persuaded me to sign for Liverpool.

He told me about Liverpool's history and Kenny being Kenny he was always going about it in an humble manner. You really can talk to him, which is contrary to public belief that he's unapproachable.

As a player, he was very intelligent, had great vision and could always see things happening around him. The same was true when he became a manager.

He can watch players and realise which ones are great and those who are not that good. Kenny is also a great man-manager.

This new role could be a tailor-made one for him. He will be looking for players who can fit into the system and are big enough to play for Liverpool.

More importantly, Kenny can become the perfect go-between between the parents and the players - very much like Sir Alex Ferguson does for Manchester United. I believe he can get the best out of the youngsters.

What Kenny can help do is solve what I believe is a long-standing problem at the club, namely that Liverpool do not have enough youngsters coming through. It's a problem that needs addressing urgently.

Since the introduction of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, there have been far too few young players making it into the first team.

True, there were the likes of Stephen Warnock and Neil Mellor but they're no longer at the club.

Compare that to Manchester United where there is a steady conveyer belt of youngsters coming through year-after-year.

As for Everton, they can guarantee first-team football to their youngsters far quicker than Liverpool so that's why their talent always comes through. Of course financial constraints play a small part.

For me, as long as some of the young players don't make it into the first team, there's something not right with the youth system.

What this appointment does is maybe help enhance the system at Liverpool and make it better.

Kenny will be a popular choice I have to say - especially where players and fans are concerned.

He was not voted first in Liverpool's list of 100 Players Who Shook The Kop for nothing.

Rafael Benitez seems to have his plans put into practice at this moment in time.

It's far too early to say how this will impact the club and the Liverpool manager, but at least there are signs that the club is moving forward.

FA Cup semi-final Aftermath

Sir Alex Ferguson's plan to field a weakened side in the semi-finals of the FA Cup has backfired on him. I don't think he played a weaker side expecting to lose. He picked a side which he thought was strong enough for him. But it didn't go according to plan.

On the other hand, I thought Everton deserved to go though.

Looking ahead to the final, I still think Chelsea are the better side and possess more quality players. But by the same token, you can't discount Everton.

They have beaten two of the Top Four sides to reach the FA Cup final. So why can't they beat another one to lift the trophy?

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

I don't think Liverpool Football Club has ever fully recovered from the disaster at Hillsborough 20 years ago.

I honestly don't think that enough time has passed for the people connected to the club to be able to forget about it.

That could well be because every year people get reminded of that fateful day. - it will never go away completely. I'm not saying that it should, but it's a constant reminder and people will never forget what happened on April 15, 1989.

It affected Liverpool so much because 96 of their supporters perished, a tragic waster of life that served, and still does serve, as a reminder that football is just a game. Life is far more important, it's as simple as that.

Not only did I play in that game against Nottingham Forest, I knew some of the fans who died personally.

As a team, we made sure at least one of the Liverpool players all the subsequent funerals. It was no more and no less than we felt we should do.

I have been in Singapore for some three years now, so I haven't had the chance to attend all the yearly services in person. But I will remember - I always will.

Six minutes past three was when it all happened and when that game was stopped. Once the clock ticks around, I will be reflecting on what took place in Yorkshire two decades ago.

The Hillsborough tragedy changed lives, perspectives and outlooks on life. I know because that is how I am today.

What happened that day has helped me re-evaluate my career as a footballer and appreciate it even more.

Sometimes you will get worried or upset about football and your performances, but after experiencing all that, you realise life is more important.

There will be a special game at the end of May to be played at Hillsborough to mark the 20^th anniversary.

I have been given an invite and will play for the Liverpool All-Stars against the present Liverpool team.

In a broader sense however, I suppose the disaster helped to change not just the stadiums around England but also around the world.

This has forced everybody to take a good look at themselves and actually spend money to make sure people's lives are safeguarded. Safety before profit if you like.

Safety has been given top priority and all-seater stadiums are - in the world's leading leagues at least - quite the norm..

The sad thing is that it took something like Hillsborough to make all the people concerned realise it. I think it's one of the few positives we can take.

And this, in turn, has helped to eradicate hooliganism and fan violence in England.

If you look around Europe, there are more instances of this happening than in England right now. Premier League games are possibly the safest games to go to. One can watch the game in both comfort and style.

It's a far cry from what we had in the eighties and seventies.

It is however, a very high price we have had to pay to make the change for the better.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Watch the Hillsborough Aftermath here

Ex-players should not be given the managerial reigns if they do not have the right qualifications.

You need the right qualifications before taking on a job of such magnitude.

To be honest, I always thought that was the case. Obviously though, there are some rules for some and another set for others.

Some teams now get around the problem by saying this guy is not the actual coach - he's the manager. So there are ways to get around the system now.

It has come to a point now that the teams can decide who they want to be in charge. But as far as bringing non-qualified people in as coaches - I don't stand for it.

It's just like when you learn to drive a car and you can't drive a car until you have passed the driving test.

I know how difficult it is to get the required badges. I have worked hard for my badges and they are expensive as well.

You have to attend courses on a monthly basis and then you are on the training grounds all day. It was a very intense experience. I remember it took a solid two weeks of my spare time during the summer while I was still a player.

The FA makes sure any player who wants to go into management studies for these coaching courses.

Every club should be made to follow the rules the FA set down. But it appears that they can't as some of these teams have become too influential.

When they want a manager, they go out and get whoever they want.

I think some of these clubs have become more powerful than the FA.

I don't agree with Alan Shearer's appointment but you can't stop him now. If Shearer keeps them up then it's a job well done.

It's still too early to predict how Shearer will fare as a manager or whether he will actually keep them up.

But he has certainly made an impact on Newcastle's players and their fans - that's for sure. More than 7,000 fans turned up to watch a training session during a working week. That shows how much faith the fans have in Newcastle under Shearer.

Mike Ashley may have found a stop-gap solution but I think he has made an absolute pig's ear out of all this. I mean he was desperate from the start and it sort of spiraled downwards from there.

It's the fear of failure that is the problem lots of chairmen have and that's why this job is not an easy one to keep.

I still think managers shouldn't be able to be sacked during the course of the season.

You can review a contract at the start of the season or you can do it at the end of the season. You shouldn't be allowed to do it during the season. It's unfair and counter-productive for managers to be given the boot midway through the season.

These days, managers are sacked for fun. Why is it that it is always the manager who gets the sack?

The managers are the ones who turn up for every training session. Why can't players be sacked? A club shares its success as well as its failures.

I say equal rights for all - players should be made just as responsible as their managers when results go awry.

That's common sense. And you don't need qualifications to know that.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

The PFA Player's Player of the Year award is a misnomer.

I think "The PFA Player's Player of Five Months" should be a more accurate title.

During my time as a professional footballer, you get a letter and then you can vote for anybody you want - but not yourself of course.

You have to pick the player and also the Young Player of the Year.

The only problem is that it's only December and you have to submit the letter back in January.

So I don't really know how accurate that can be because the last time I checked the league season only ends in May.

It's just nonsensical that the players are asked to vote for the best player in the league when it's only half-finished.

I don't think that's fair as the players are competing for nine months of the season and not from August to December. The voting system should be changed to reflect the whole season or most of it.

But what's done has been done. If you ask me now as to who will be the PFA Player's Player of the Year, there is only one winner for me.

Apart from that disastrous game against Liverpool, which you could argue was down to Nemanja Vidic's errors, this defender has been very, very consistent.

Manchester United missed Vidic immensely in the Fulham game and I always think you're going to miss your best players when they are out of the team - whoever it is.

He is a no-nonsense defender and he does his job properly. The difference between him and Rio Ferdinand is Ferdinand thinks he's a real footballer whereas Vidic is a proper defender. But Vidic would be a close second for me.

Of course the clean sheets Edwin van der Sar kept were more down to the team rather than Van der Sar. It's a team game, is it not?

So I think Van der Sar has been good only because of the way United play and how well their defenders have been which meant he had very little to do during games.

As for Ryan Giggs, I can understand the clamour for one of the most successful and experienced players in the Barclays Premier League to win this award.

But honestly, has Giggs been as fantastic as say Vidic, week-in week-out? I don't think a sympathy vote should count as a vote. I certainly won't push for him.

The same goes for Cristiano Ronaldo. I don't think he has done much this year. He hasn't done very well with all the hype and concerns surrounding him at the start of the season. I don't think he has performed to his high standards which we all know he's capable of.

To be honest, the criteria for the Player of the Year is not just about the talent or reputation that the players have, it's about somebody who has had a fantastic season.

Steven Gerrard should be considered because he is such an important player who scores great goals and most importantly, he makes Liverpool tick.

For me, Gerrard is the most complete midfielder in the world, no two ways about it.

People say he excels as a second striker but I disagree - I think he's a player who likes, and is at his best, when he bombs on from midfield.

I would give the award to Steven Gerrard as he has ticked all the right boxes this season.

It doesn't matter if Liverpool do not win the league title. Winning this award has never got anything to do with it.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

Sir Alex Ferguson's United can now regroup, re-organise and think about their next game in the first weekend of April.

As for Liverpool, they would have wanted a game as soon as possible to maintain their momentum and continue to crank up the pressure on the league leaders.

In the course of a title race, or any other race for that matter, keeping your composure and temper in check is very important. That's without a shadow of a doubt.

What Wayne Rooney got in the Fulham game was deserved because his actions were petulant. And of course he meant to do it. Let's not forget, he did what he did despite the fact that he had already been booked.

You can't throw the ball back in an aggressive manner. You just can't. The key for every player is controlled aggression.

You can argue all day long that the United players were feeling aggrieved at the prospect of losing their second straight game and having to defend for long periods with just ten men.

But that's not the ref's fault is it? You have to be able to control your anger. Rooney clearly didn't do that.
I think Phil Dowd got the big decisions right. Rooney was rightly given his marching orders, and Scholes should have been sent off for his handball offence. What he did was against the rules of the game.

On the other hand - if you'll excuse the pun - Liverpool's players have been one of the most disciplined bunch of professionals this season. They have yet to have a player sent off.

They are very, very disciplined and well organised. Credit to Rafa Benitez and his backroom staff for that.

I also think that amongst the top three, United are second to Liverpool in terms of discipline. Yes, they have been hampered by a rash of red cards this past two weeks, with Nemanja Vidic, Scholes and Rooney being dismissed. But apart from that, United have a good record.

So what happened? Well, I think there are certainly a few cracks appearing. United have to got to be careful.

All Liverpool can do is put pressure on them, which is what they have done. What Liverpool and Fulham have done is to show other sides that United can be beaten.

So are Liverpool back in the title race? I would love to say so but it's too premature at this moment in time - it's still United's to lose.

What Liverpool did was to give the fans some hope and that's why the Barclays Premier League is such an amazing league to watch, week-in-week out. Who would have thought it? United could have gone ten points clear two weeks ago but now Liverpool have closed to within one point. It's been an incredible ten days since the Old Trafford game.

And the other positive for Liverpool is that they have wiped out their inferior goal-difference against both United and Chelsea. Goal-difference could be crucial come the end of the season.

It's funny that both teams will now contest reverse fixtures with United hosting Aston Villa and Liverpool visiting Fulham. I believe Liverpool have enough quality to win at Craven Cottage.
Game on indeed!

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han.

The world game is again a-changing with FIFA president Sepp Blatter shifting through the gears as regards his plans to limit foreign players in clubs.

And he has - yet again - pinpointed the Barclays Premier League as one of the leagues that goes against his mantra.

For one,  I honesty do not agree with Blatter's proposal to ensure six players in the first team are local players.

Under FIFA's proposed 6+5 proposals, each club must field at least six players eligible for the national team in their first eleven.

What's the point in that?  The Barclays Premier League has been the best football league on the world because of the diversity of the players. I really can't see that working.

For one, if the plan is implemented, Arsenal will be in deep trouble. They have already invested heavily in foreign players, so I do not think Arsene Wenger will agree to go along with this proposal.

On the other hand, I think Aston Villa and Martin O'Neill will be absolutely delighted.

But when you have got the money to spend like Manchester United or Chelsea do, why not make sure you buy the best? And if you think there are no homegrown players who are better than other European players, why do you then stop the clubs going out and buying better players?

It doesn't matter to me that Blatter is concerned and wants to raise the standard of national teams. To me, if the English players are good enough for England, they will break through anyway.

Let's be honest, if the league ain't broke, why fix it?

I do not know what the motivations of Blatter or the powers that be are. If this plan goes through, it is going to bring the Premier League down to an average one instead of a fantastic one.

Just because you have got five or six English players in your team doesn't necessarily mean they are going to play in the national team. Nothing is certain in football.

If you are good enough, you will be good enough.

Without a shadow of doubt, the Premier League in England is the best league in the world.

Everybody wants to play in England; Nobody wants to play in the other leagues.

When I was manager at Swindon, I had no hesitation in looking outside of England for talent. When you know the other leagues have better players than you have got, then you have got to go out and get them.

That's what's it's all about. When you see fit to go and get an overseas player who is much better than what you've got - then so be it.

What I would do is, at the very least, ensure that youth players get a good chance of being picked by the manager. I would suggest that clubs name at least three Under-21 players on their bench in every match.

That, to me, makes much more sense than 6+5.

Steve McMahon was talking to espnstar.com's Eugene YS Han

We might just as well end the season now and hand the Barclays Premier League trophy and medals to Manchester United.

To be honest, United have been playing fantastically well and I really think they will walk the league.

With a seven-point lead and 12 games to go, United will have to suffer a huge wobble to lose if anyone is to overtake them.

One of those 12 games will be against Liverpool at Old Trafford - but I can't see Liverpool getting anything out of that match.

United have proved to be too strong this season. And I feel that their squad depth has been the key factor in them edging ever nearer to the finishing line.

In amongst five or six average players, they have four or five fantastic players. It's what makes a great team.

I really thought Cristiano Ronaldo did not have it in him to play well this season. After all, those pre-season speculations certainly turned the boy's head.

But Ronaldo, to his credit, has knuckled down and played his heart out for United. And I can only put it down to the management skills of Sir Alex Ferguson..

Even Dimitar Berbatov, a striker who is known for being temperamental, has come good at United. No one is allowed to be moody or sulky at Old Trafford. This is Manchester United we are talking about.

As for United winning all five, I don't think they will. As I mentioned on Football Focus, United will win two trophies at the end of the season. Maybe three, but certainly not five.

And to be brutally honest, I don't see Liverpool or Chelsea overtaking United for the title. I really don't.

Chelsea are still in the Champions League and the FA Cup so I do not feel the season is over for them.

They still have a great squad, so the Blues just have to perform week-in, week-out.

I can though see them overtaking Liverpool for second place, why not?

And I dare say Liverpool have only the Champions League to aim for. I can say with hand on heart that it's the only competition Liverpool can win.

Rafael Benitez will have to put all his eggs in one basket and concentrate on Europe for he knows it's curtains in the league. He's clever enough to know that.

Let's face it, Liverpool certainly did not do themselves any favours when they were leading the table for the first half of the season.

Far too many draws have cost Liverpool dearly. They threw their title chance away.

It's a chance that United have gleefully taken and it will be a lead they will not relinquish.

Rafael Benitez is right to let everyone know about the contractual issues facing both himself and Liverpool.

Firstly, it was his unsigned contract that attracted a fair bit amount of publicity, and now it's his staff.

Reading between the lines, it's clear that Rafa wants his staff to get a fair deal as well.

It's down to the manager. He has got to look after his coaches - he wants them to be paid and to be rewarded for their good work.

Rafa will be on a good contract true enough, but he also wants his staff to be happy.

To be brutally frank, I don't think Rafa went overboard by telling the media about it. I mean he was only answering questions as truthfully as he could. He's just answered someone's question at a press conference. Rafa was only saying it the way it is.

If I had been asked the questions, I wouldn't have avoided telling the answers. As a manager, you don't shirk your responsibility.

Some Liverpool fans might say it is not the ‘Liverpool way' of dealing with problems, but a lot of things have happened in the last 12 months, many of which have been played out in public.

That's never been the Liverpool way, but that's how it is now. If Rafa feels strongly about something, he is expected to have an opinion.

He just wants a bit more control and he wants to know what he can and cannot do. I don't think it was ever about the money.

However, for everyone's sake, Rafa's and his staff's contracts have to be sorted as soon as possible.

People have to realise, it's not just about the contracts or anything else - it's all about Liverpool. We should be talking about football and how Liverpool are doing on the field. Period.

To be honest, I don't believe what happens behind the scenes at a football club always have an impact on the field.

The players have to get on with it - they are professionals - whatever happens.

Some players do make it an excuse. But when you are a professional you do not use off-field problems as an excuse whenever you don't perform. I don't buy it. It's as simple as that.

Fratton Park shocker

Liverpool ‘s victory over Portsmouth was a much needed tonic after their FA Cup defeat by Everton. But I have to admit I was shocked, not surprised, with Rafa's team selection and formation at the start of the game.

I think he got away with it because he won the three points. Rafa would have had heaps of criticism if Liverpool had lost.

I do, however, feel that Liverpool sometimes don't get enough credit whenever they succeed by using different systems.

When Liverpool play well under a new system, people say the other team were under-strength or off-form. But when they don't, people all too often slam Liverpool's tactics.

And whenever Rafa rotates his players, someone somewhere will be unhappy about it. To be fair, Liverpool have only used 23 players so far this Premier League season. Manchester United have used six more.

Whatever Rafa and Liverpool do, people just want to criticise. Rafa, so it would seem, can't please everybody.

Having said that, everything that has happened on or off the field will be forgotten if Liverpool win trophies and medals this campaign.

What a week for football. Chelsea incredibly giving Luiz Felipe Scolari the boot with three months of football still to play.

Scolari certainly did not deserved to be sacked. It was, quite simply, a knee-jerk reaction, a reaction borne out of pressure and results.

They say it was the Hull City game that did Scolari in. Well, I don't think so.

To be very honest, I reckon that it was the Liverpool game at Anfield which was the turning point.

That defeat was perhaps the final nail in Scolari's coffin. Chelsea have been struggling all season long to beat any of their 'Big Four' rivals and that loss on Merseyside had a profound effect on their title challenge.

Despite their promising early start to the season, the Blues have deflated alarmingly since.

But is it solely the fault of the manager? Why is it that the manager always gets the blame when results go awry?

I dare say Chelsea need a major reality check. They, especially the players, should take a good look at themselves.

Chelsea are a quality side packed with internationals - so it's got to be more of a motivational rather than an ability problem.

For one, I am not too happy with Didier Drogba who seems to be sulking both on and off the field. He seems disinterested every time he plays for Chelsea - and he's not the only one. Is that how professional players should behave?

Chelsea still have a great chance in the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League. And they are still in the FA Cup.

So really, there is a lot of football to be played and silverware galore to be challenged for. I really think Chelsea made a big mistake in sacking Big Phil.

What's next for Chelsea? It's simple - they will have to get positive results, improve their performances and the players will have to regain their focus.

First and foremost, the new manager will have to control the dressing room..

He will have to understand that Chelsea demand instant success, something that is really hard to get in the Premier League right now.

I do hope that they don't make another mistake by re-installing Avram Grant as Chelsea gaffer. He has no chance, no chance as all.

Why would Chelsea go back to a manager who they sacked for the same reasons as Scolari? It's ludicrous.

Guus Hiddink seems to be the best choice out of all the names mentioned. He looks like a proper disciplinarian and can speak many languages.

Perhaps he can help get players back on-side - even if it's for the short-term.

Sir Alex Ferguson came out the other day and said the media was to be blamed for this fiasco at the Bridge.

I dare say the media is not as influential as the fans at the club. When you have your fans in your own stadium baying for your blood, sometimes the chairman, or the powers that be, listen to the dissenting voices from the terraces and they act upon them.

There is, therefore, no doubt that the Chelsea fans played some part in the departure of Scolari.

The new manager will also have to win the fans over - no easy task. Some of the fans are still hoping for the return of Jose Mourinho..

Well, these fans should be more realistic and hope their club turns the corner.

If Chelsea's season turn out to be like the last one, then the fans should be credited for one heck of an own goal.

The January transfer window is closed. Thank goodness!!!

Because of the short window in the middle of the season, some clubs tend to make rash signings during the January transfer window, and the deals end up doing more harm than good.

Very seldom do we see signings who make an impact with the season half-gone. Having said that, there were some signings which definitely caught my eye.

Andrei Arshavin signing for Arsenal will help their cause. Actually, it doesn't matter who Arsenal sign. Their fans will be delighted with any signing. They will be happy that Arsene Wenger has finally bought in an experienced player such as Arshavin. The Russian playmaker may not offer any defensive help for the team but Arsenal do miss someone who can run the midfield. I think they have been struggling big time ever since Cesc Fabregas' injury.

And Ricardo Quaresma, who was linked to Liverpool before, is not a bad signing for Chelsea. He is a tricky player and although he did not impress at Barcelona and Inter Milan, he still has bags of talent. It is an added bonus that Luis Felipe Scolari, who was the Portuguese national coach, knows Quaresma very well.

I do also have to mention Aston Villa who probably did the best bit of business among the top clubs by signing Emile Heskey from Wigan for just £3.5million. If Villa do make it into the Champions League next season, I would say it is money very well-spent for Martin O'Neill's side.

My pick for the most astute piece of business comes, however, from the other end of the league. Stoke's signing of James Beattie may not be a blockbuster kind of deal, but if the striker keeps Stoke in the Premier League, it will be the best signing any club could have made. Beattie has already repaid some of his fee by scoring the winner against Manchester City. I expect more to come from him.

And talking about City, one has to wonder if their wealth is having an adverse effect on their young players? City were the biggest spenders in the January transfer window with Shay Given heading the new arrivals to the City of Manchester.

To be honest, I do think Joe Hart is potentially as good as Given. City are overlooking their crop of excellent young players in exchange for waving wads of cash at players from the outside. It is the problem with having too much money and when you attempt to buy success with it.

I feel for Hart and the other young players at City. As Jason McAteer said correctly on Football Focus, they will have to eventually move away from Man City to get first-team football.

A player who is moving because of the need for first-team football is Robbie Keane. Keane's return to Tottenham will leave Liverpool with just two established strikers - Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt. There are fears that Liverpool could struggle for goals. But I don't think so. Keane's departure is hardly going to affect Liverpool's ability to score goals because he hardly plays anyway.

And Tottenham's transfer business this January has been bizarre. The return of Pascal Chimbonda, Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane to White Hart Lane is nothing short of ludicrous. The board of directors at Spurs need to take a good look at themselves - these three players wore the Spurs jersey just six months ago! I have to say I don't believe players should be going back to their former clubs. With the kind of money being flashed about at the Lane, we have to wonder if the agents have made more money out of this.

With the transfer window finally closed amid all the fuss caused by the snow and whatnot, we can, at last, concentrate on the football.

No football club can go through an entire season without injuries to their players - and that's an accepted fact in the game.

It's how clubs handle injuries that sets them apart from the rest.

Most managers have about two months before the season starts to assess their squad and to ensure there is adequate cover in all positions.

This is what managers are paid to do. This is part and parcel in the game.

Honestly, I don't understand all the fuss over Manchester United's injury crisis. What crisis I might ask?
It is absolutely rubbish that Man United are in an injury crisis. It's nonsense.

United showed us their strength in depth in the thrashing of West Bromwich Albion.

It is no great hardship for United. What with Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra and Owen Hargreaves out injured. No Rooney? No problem. United still have Argentina international Carlos Tevez to call upon.

United are a big club and they have to cope with these sort of injuries.

If Man United have had it bad, what about West Bromwich Albion who are fighting for their BPL lives?

They have at least nine players unavailable for selection because of injuries - with two, Ishmael Miller and Neil Clement, out for the rest of the season.

I reckon WBA's manager Tony Mowbray has more to complain about than Sir Alex Ferguson.
To Ferguson's credit, he has not moaned about his situation - yet. Well, he probably will when he gets beaten.
But out of the four big clubs, I dare say United are the most equipped to handle this situations.

They have perhaps the most complete squad in the Barclays Premier League. Injuries, and suspensions as well, will play a part in the title race but that's how it is.

Back in my day, Liverpool handled injury problems just like any other club. They make sure the club has a decent enough squad of players. You can't do anything about it because injuries are part of football and you just have got to get on with it.

It was the same as when I was manager. You just have to make sure you have enough people to cover. You have got to accept the situation. A lot of times it works in your favour and sometimes it works against you.

There is no magic formula. You just have to preempt these situations and ensure you have a big enough squad.

It also helps that the players concerned are honest with you. Players will always be players and if they tell you they are injured then you take it as it is. There's nothing you can do about it.

I trust my players to be honest with me and I trust them 100%.

You've also got to trust your backroom staff - physio included. Everybody has got to be honest with one another and I think that is really important.

It's your club, you are the manager and you are responsible for everything.

Injuries can decimate a squad - but only if you allow it to do so.

In all honesty though, I don't think anybody is worth that kind of money. Nobody at all.

City's offer for the Brazilian was double the fee Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane. It really is debatable whether Kaka is double the talent Zidane was.

In the end, Kaka opted to stay at AC Milan. I think, because of his cleaner than clean morals. Kaka did fantastically well to reach his decision.

It is far too easy for players to be tempted to line their pockets with bags of money and move clubs - for the wrong reasons. I honestly think he has rejected City for the right ones.

Players may say their careers are short and they may never get another chance to get a better contract and more money. But I don't think it mattered much to Kaka.

The Milan playmaker stayed in Italy for the right reasons and based his decision on footballing sense. Fair play to you, Kaka.

I don't think City fans will be happy that a brilliant player like Kaka is not coming to their club after all the fuss the on-off transfer created.. They know Kaka would have been fantastic for the club. I think the Brazilian would also have been a shining light in the Barclays Premier League.

Mind you, City have got to get their league form right first. They have brought in Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy to bloster their squad. Is that a statement of intent from City? I don't think so.

Why? No one is going to put Bridge on the world-class stage. No one is going to put Bellamy on the world-class stage either. To be successful and to be called a big team, clubs got to have marquee players in their ranks. Bridge and Bellamy are certainly not your marquee players. I don't think Robinho is one too. To make things worse, City have, it seems, fallen out with him.

I did mention in one of my earlier columns that whatever happens at City, Mark Hughes will be his own man. Week-in, week-out, he alone will make the decisions about the buying of players. Whether it is right or wrong, he will be judged on that. A superstar player could well force Hughes out of the club - who knows? Getting in players with big names can sometimes work against the manager.

But I do think Hughes' job is safe - for the time being. In the long run, both he and City will be judged on results - like every other club. City are not playing too convincingly at the moment and are struggling to string together results to pull themselves away from the relegation battle.

If Hughes can get in a few more players in before the transfer deadline to help improve City' league position, then so be it. The challenge comes when he has to gel the players together and achieve results immediately. Football is, after all, a results business.

Chelsea are still in the title race. Of course they are. One defeat to Manchester United does not make them less capable of winning the league.

It doesn't matter about the manner of the 3-0 defeat to United. Every team is entitled to lose once in a while.

It's utter nonsense that people have started to write them off after last weekend's defeat to United. Chelsea are a great side on their day - I just think the players are underperforming at the moment.

And it is not just a mere three-horse race for the Premier League title. Besides Arsenal, you have also got to consider Aston Villa. The reason? Well, I just think that Villa have not been playing all that well, and yet they are still getting results.

If anybody slips up in the coming weeks, these are the two teams who will be waiting in the wings to take advantage. The duo can certainly make the push if any of the top three drop points. Aston Villa, especially, will keep the leading clubs under pressure throughout the season.

Villa could end up playing the spoiler in the title race and, therefore, have a bearing on who will win the title and who won't. Remember the top three sides still have to play Martin O'Neill's side.

Coming back to Chelsea though, the Blues have quality throughout the squad, and there is one question that keeps popping into my mind: Why can't Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka play together?

Although Chelsea paired them together in the second half at Old Trafford, I think it was too late. Both of them have the potential to scare defenders to death and Chelsea should have started them from the first whistle.

Luiz Felipe Scolari may have said that he was only willing to play the duo together when he had signed a left winger, but there was - until recently - a ready-made solution under the Brazilian's nose.

Chelsea could have played Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge together on the left-hand side. So why did they sell Bridge in the first place? I don't think Chelsea needed the money. This was a perfect solution for Scolari and he let it slip. I also reckon, Steve Clarke's departure has hit Chelsea more than we had expected it to.

Readers of my column on espnstar.com will know that I don't usually blame managers' mistakes after they have lost their assistants. The relationship between Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz comes to mind.

But I honestly believe Clarke's absence has hurt Chelsea very badly. We all know how good their squad is. But it is no good if there are squabbles in that squad. Drogba does not seemed interested and sulky Anelka is starting to live up to his reputation. Chelsea could have solved these problems if Clarke, who is now at West Ham, had been there to act as a buffer between the players and the manager.

As I have mentioned on Football Focus, every team needs a intermediary to iron out problems that can't be solved on the pitch. Clarke is Chelsea through and through and knows the club inside out.

Another person who needs to be sorted out is Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez, especially after his comments about Sir Alex Ferguson.

Everybody feels the same way as Benitez does. Everybody knows Manchester United and Ferguson get away with lots of matters that other managers don't. But I honestly believe the timing of Rafa's comments was utterly.wrong.

It has actually have had an adverse effect on Liverpool. Benitez has been trying to unsettle Man United and it is something Ferguson has done, to good effect, to rival managers for years.

Benitez certainly should not have come out with his comments, after all Liverpool have been enjoying top spot in the league. If Benitez's side had been struggling, then maybe I could understand why he wanted to unsettle United. I honestly believe that Liverpool should just concentrate on their own game and keep winning games to stay top of the pile.

I don't think Benitez will come out and say sorry. I know he is his own man and that he will not bow to anyone. All he has to do now is get his team sorted and win the next few games especially with two Merseyside derbies coming up.

How Liverpool handle any future pressure will be crucial. Every game that Liverpool play, the whole world will be focused on them. Having said that, I think it's good to be under this type of pressure. Believe you me, the pressure is far worse when clubs are struggling at the wrong end of the league.

So, in a way, Liverpool have had it far easier with regards to pressure. The type of pressure they are under can make top players thrive.

All they need to do is to keep their heads down and work towards their goal.

Meeting one of your main rivals in the FA Cup is always special, and there is no doubt that this is the tie of the round.

Liverpool versus Everton is one of the biggest fixtures in England, if not the world. To me anyway.

It has been called the friendly derby, but I can assure you that it will be anything but that.

FA Cup ties are always ferocious affairs - no matter who you play. When you are paired with your local rivals, all that drama and tension is sure to be ratcheted up yet another notch.

To be brutally honest, I expect Liverpool to beat Everton nine times out of ten.

Having said that, Everton are far from being a weak team.

They have shown, on many occasions, to be a very, very tough side to break down. They have a great record away from Goodison Park in the league this season.

However - and rather crucially - Everton are missing some firepower in the final third, as well as the little bit of quality that is always needed to overcome Liverpool. Where, I ask you, are they going to find goals?

Even though Liverpool are not going great guns at Anfield, I don't expect them to stumble against the Toffees. Why will they? Liverpool are on a roll themselves.

Interestingly, both sides will face each other twice in week, thanks to the league game which precedes this FA Cup tie. As a result, it will be fascinating to see how Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez juggles his own priorities.

I would like to think he will not rotate his side too much, and that he will play his best side for both the league and Cup games.

If Liverpool had drawn a non-Premier League side, then I would not have been too surprised to see him tinkering with the team.

Mind you, Liverpool fielded their strongest possible side against Preston North End in the third round. Benitez even gave Fernando Torres a 17-minute workout. Torres' return from injury is akin to Liverpool signing a new player, and it is good to see the Spaniard back in action.

After the draw, Benitez was wise enough to warn his team not to become too preoccupied with the FA Cup clash with Everton.

I suppose he has talked at length with local boys Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, and asked them not to get too carried away with the hype preceding the game. Such is the magnitude of the match.

I have played for both sides in Merseyside league and Cup derbies and experienced the same hypes. And one of my proudest moments was perhaps the 1989 FA Cup final when Liverpool overcame Everton at the old Wembley.

I have to say playing at the majestic stadium in the FA Cup was a dream come true. Playing at Wembley and lifting the FA Cup was a dream of any young lad growing up in England. It always made it that bit better when it was against your local rivals.

As a local boy, I have experienced my fair share of support and abuse from both sides.

Not that I bothered anyway. I treated the derby just like any other game, and that's how the Liverpool and Everton players should prepare for this FA Cup highlight.

Here is the second part of my Barclays Premier League half-term report card, featuring the likes of defending champions Manchester United and an unpredictable Tottenham.

Man United
Manchester United have been average so far this season and they know they can do better. They have dropped points when they should have won games. As they usually do, I think Sir Alex Ferguson's side will pick up their pace after Christmas. I don't think they will be too distracted after returning from their FIFA Club World Cup win. Wayne Rooney is a player who makes things happen for United. He has become ever more influential for United with each passing season. I would also put his name in my BPL starting eleven.

Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough have had a funny season and their indifferent form has seen them become involved in an unlikely relegation dogfight. For Boro's top player, I would probably pick out Tuncay Sanli. The Turkish striker has certainly settled in very well this season.

Newcastle United
Newcastle United have done pretty well under Joe Kinnear. He has bought fire and commitment back to the Magpies. Michael Owen, when he is fit, is a top quality striker for any team. But the question I want to ask is: Can they keep him fit? Can they also keep him interested enough to stay at the club?

Portsmouth
Portsmouth have been extremely disappointing since Harry Redknapp left the club. To be honest, I don't know if Tony Adams is the right man for the job. Before Paul Ince's departure from Blackburn, I would have thought Adams had less chance of getting the sack than Ince, but the pressure is now building at Portsmouth. Niko Kranjcar is the star player for Pompey, but his body language suggests he is not happy playing in the team. We are also seeing the team Harry built slowly being dismantled. Lassana Diarra has already made a big-money move to Spain. If Portsmouth's topsy-turvy season goes on, who knows what will happen.

Stoke City
As one of the three promoted clubs this season, Stoke's campaign thus far has been very good. The Potters have done better than everyone expected. I would like to think Rory Delap is their key-player for obvious reasons.

Sunderland
Sunderland have not lived up to expectations and they are hovering just above the relegation zone. Roy Keane's departure will have taken a big toll on the players. But I do believe they are better than four or five teams in the league and, as such, they are good enough to stay up. I have to pick Kenwyne Jones as the Sunderland player that stood out. I would say that his return from injury is a major plus for Sunderland. He is a big, strong striker who will help their revival. Sunderland probably suffered a dip in form when Jones was injured and not playing in the first eleven.

Tottenham
If you'd asked me about Tottenham's mid-season position at the start of the campaign, I would never have predicted that they would be struggling as they are. On reflection, Spurs have been disappointing. I think breaking into the top four is far too much of an ask for them. Keeping afloat in the league should be their number one priority. And that's where Harry Redknapp comes in. It's not so much about the players at White Hart Lane, it's about Redknapp. It's the Harry factor. He took over virtually the same team from Juande Ramos and did a major transformation job. He has moulded them into a team. To be honest, Harry has done a remarkable job so far.

West Bromwich Albion
I think West Bromwich Albion probably play the best football out of the three clubs that were promoted last season. However, they have not got the rewards in terms of points. The crucial home wins against Manchester City and Tottenham in December showed what they are capable of on their day. They have to learn how to balance playing good football and getting results. They are a lovely footballing side but somewhere along the line they have got to get results. Jonathan Greening is not their most skillful player but he stands out because of his consistency. If I were to give him ratings, it would be seven out of ten every week.

West Ham United
You have got to say West Ham are going through a slump at the moment. West Ham also play good football but they can't finish their chances. I have to say though that I like Gianfranco Zola's style of management. He sets his team up well and even when the results go against him, Zola always wants his team to play the same way. He is a man who sticks to his principles. On this note, I would say Dean Ashton is the key man for West Ham because of his conspicuous absence up-front for the Hammers. They have been toothless in attack without the former Crewe man. Losing Ashton to injury is a big blow to them. He is sorely missed.

Wigan Athletic
Emile Heskey looks like a different player and I think he has been rejuvenated at Wigan. Whenever Heskey is in the mood, he is a handful for anyone. For Steve Bruce, therefore, the January transfer window could not have come at a worse time. With clubs circling around Wigan's star players, Bruce will have to fight hard to keep Heskey and Wigan's best players at the club. He will have to splash the cash. I say give them more money to entice them to stay.

As I have mentioned before, this season's Barclays Premier League has been one of the most evenly contested I have ever witnessed. I would be very surprised if there are no more twists and turns along the way. No one knows absolutely where the title is going to land and that can only be good for the game. On this note, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

It has been the most unusual - yet memorable - start to a Barclays Premier League season in years.

I cannot recall any campaign that has been as even as the one currently under way. As we stand at the moment, I feel that any of the top four teams, if they string together a run of good results, have a chance of lifting the title. So far, however, the title contenders have been frustratingly inconsistent.

It is even tighter at the opposite end of the table. Just a couple of wins will propel a club out of the relegation zone and into the top ten. That's how close it is.

This season has already given us plenty of talking points especially on Football Focus.

Starting with the first ten alphabetically, let's dissect each of the clubs' first-half of the season display and, whilst we're at it - pick out a star player or two.

Arsenal

Very, very frustrating is how I would describe Arsenal's start to the season. They win one game and then lose the next. You just don't know what you are going to get each time they take to the pitch. It's the same old Arsenal. For me, no one has been excellent for Arsenal and therein lies the problem at the Emirates.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa have been remarkable and they play their own system so well. Villa are one of the few clubs in the BPL to play a proper 4-4-2 - and it works. It's the exact system I would play if I had a choice. It is difficult to single out one Villa player for the praise as so many have performed well. Both Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor have caught my eye so far. Agbonlahor has been scoring lots of goals in John Carew's absence, while Young has scored and created goals. You've got to give Gareth Barry a pat on the back as well after he came back from a difficult pre-season. We have to remember he was once banned from training while he was linked with a move to Anfield. It ended up turning into a big ‘will he or won't he' saga and in the end the big move to Liverpool didn't come about. Having said all that though, he is still playing on like a great pro.

Blackburn Rovers

There is no question in my mind that Paul Ince was a disaster, and that was even before he was given the boot. Everyone was surprised he got the job at Rovers, but it was no surprise to anyone that he has been given the sack six months later. Sam Allardyce has been brought in to steady the ship and his track record at Bolton will come in handy. Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz has been a shining light at Ewood Park, although I seriously doubt Blackburn can hold on to him. Even with Allardyce in charge.

Bolton Wanderers

Bolton's season has been pretty good and they have picked up vital wins away from the Reebok. Wanderers have been a little inconsistent but that has been the story of everybody's season so far. Johan Elmander has adapted and done pretty well. The 27-year-old striker is big and strong - the typical English centre-forward if you like.

Chelsea

Chelsea could have been miles ahead in the title race if not for their poor home form. Just like the rest of the top four, the Blues have had baffling results - losing or drawing when they should be winning - all at Stamford Bridge. For me, Jose Bosingwa has been a fantastic signing for Chelsea. And that is why this attacking full-back is in my BPL first eleven.

Everton

Everton have been hanging on the coattails of the leaders and this time they look like they can maintain their challenge. The Toffees have had problems winning games at Goodison Park but away from home they are great. So I dare say there's a strange theme going on around the BPL isn't it? Tim Cahill is a match-winner and he is just as vital to Everton as he has been for the past few seasons. When he doesn't play, Everton really miss him. The Toffees have been able to hold on to their prized asset and he looks like he is very happy at Goodison Park. He certainly fits their combative style.

Fulham

They have had a decent season so far and Roy Hodgson has done a great job. Jimmy Bullard has been the main man for the Cottagers. He shows commitment, charisma and displays boundless energy. When Bullard plays well, Fulham play well.

Hull

You have got to single out Phil Brown as the main force at Hull. With less money than the rest of the other BPL teams, he has done well in Hull's first-half of the season It would also be unfair to single anybody out as I think Hull have done it all as a team. Credit to Brown for forging such magnificent teamwork down at the KC stadium.

Liverpool

This season has been a strange one for the Reds as well. They are not picking up results, yet they are top of the league. They should really be ahead by five or six points. The Reds would have picked up even more points if they had won games instead of drawing them at Anfield. I would also point out that Liverpool won at Chelsea as well as breaking their winless streak over Manchester United. Given those great results, you'd think Liverpool should be winning their home games but they haven't been. That has been their story so far. Steven Gerrard is the only one player who I would say is firing on all cylinders for the Anfield club. There is no one that comes close to Gerrard. He has been their driving force in the past and he is desperate to win the title for Liverpool.

Man City

Manchester City, with their over-reliance on one superstar, have been very disappointing in the league. I mean one player doesn't make the team. You look at Hull and then you look at Man City. You look at Everton and then you look at City again. Hull are a team and Everton organize themselves well as a team. But City are full of individuals. I would say Robinho has been their best player - but for all the wrong reasons.

Do keep a lookout for my next column when I will be talking about the next ten teams. Till then, happy holidays everyone.

I thought Capello was the right choice to be England manager from the start. I mean it's not in hindsight but I thought he was perfect for the job. He has got the right attitude and he can deal with people. Honestly, he has got the right talents. He speaks very good English now and has got into the language which is great. And he deals with the press well. What I also like about the Italian is he is forward thinking.

For example, Capello has come out and say he wants an early end to the 2009/10 league season in order to get more time for England to prepare for the 2010 World Cup.

If I was in his shoes, I would definitely do it as well. I would want the league to stop as soon as I could. I wouldn't be interested in what's going on in the league - why would I?

Previous England managers have found this to be a difficult topic because of the unique schedule that we have. It's about the games - the congestion it is going to cause if this happens.

But from a selfish point of view, it has to be done for the national team. The FA has to consider all the options.

If the start of the league is moved a couple of weeks earlier - I don't see why it shouldn't work. As long as everybody is happy with it and it suits everybody, I don't see a great wrong with it. If the preparation is done properly, then I'm all for it.

Capello wants to do it right. As I say, you can't blame him. He is only thinking about the team and not himself. He's concentrating on the preparations. That's what managers do.

I mean he has got to go ask the questions. He's got to do what's best for him and the team.

To me, the surprising thing about Capello is his decision-making. He is not frightened to make decisions. That's what you are there for - you are the England manager and you have got difficult decisions to make. He has certainly not shirked any responsibilities. When he has to make decisions he has to make it.

For example, he has dealt with David Beckham in the right way. I mean when Beckham is not playing enough, Capello has not picked him. The Italian has handled this the right way. He wasn't frightened to take him out and he wasn't frightened to bring him back.

I think Beckham is someone who can always be counted on to add something to the squad. Even his presence in training and having him around in the squad will have an effect on the other players. He doesn't have to play to influence you. When he is in and around the dressing room, he is still a good player to have around.

But you are not picked on your past or what you have done in your previous games. It's what you are doing now. You pick the right team at the right time. Capello has given people who deserve the opportunity the chance to prove themselves.

I also think Capello has got the respect of the players - and that's what England really need the manager to do. Earn that respect.

He has turned things around with the similar base of players Steve McClaren has used and turned things around. It's like the Harry Redknapp effect at Tottenham. It's a mental problem. It is all in the mind. I think it has a lot to do with management. It's not just about coaching. It's about your one-on-ones and how you deal and handle the players.

Certainly Redknapp has got more time to manage his players as he gets to interact with his players day-in day-out, but this shouldn't hinder Capello in any way. You still have to deal with them the best way that you can when you get the chance to meet with them.

I think you can still try to run it as a club. It doesn't mean that since it's the national team, you can't run it as a club. England can be the 21st league team, if you like. That's what I will do if I'm in the hotseat. Run the team like a club.

So in a long, long while, there are reasons to be optimistic about the England team. We won't be pulling up trees or something to that effect. But we no longer look forward to matches with dread but with renewed hope.

With Capello at the helm, England is definitely a team that's going places.

Football managers tend to come and go with embarrassing ease these days in the result-orientated business of football.

But there is one man who has stood the test of time. He is none other than Sir Alex Ferguson who has virtually won everything there is to be won as a manager.

When I was first starting out in the dug-out, I always sought his advice. And whenever I have spoken to him, he has given me very good advice.

To be honest, it's always about players and loaning players. At the level I was managing, I was never in the position to buy players for millions with my budget. I just wanted to loan players. He would then tell me about which player is ready to come over on-loan or which player is mature enough to handle the pressure. He would tell you straight up and let me know who else was available. 

The best thing about Sir Alex is he always returns your call. If he was not available at that moment in time, he would always return your call.

He wouldn't tell me how to do my job because everybody's different. But you just get a good vibe with his honesty - he tells it like it is. Probably the best compliment to me is that Ferguson is willing to loan players out to me because our teams played with the same style which suited their learning process.

So Manchester United were more willing to loan out their youngsters to us to gain the right experience and play the right way as well.

Ferguson is also someone who knows his game inside out. He's learned over the years how to deal with players and their egos. It's also an open secret that he's a fantastic motivator.

The Scot portrays a far more relaxed demeanor nowadays. I try to have a word with him whenever the ESPN STAR Sports team goes to England to do a live shoot. He looks so calm and you can tell he has mellowed a little. That's understandable because you have to stay mellow in this day and age. He's dealing with players from around the world - for instance the treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo. He treats players differently. He doesn't treat everyone the same. He has his own discipline for different players and that's what you must do.

For his part, there have been lots of great signings and there have been some less so. But what was Ferguson's best signing? It's a difficult one but I have got to go for the Frenchman Eric Cantona. He was a different player and boy was he a controversial character. You've got to give Ferguson credit for taking a chance on such a notorious player and he handled him very well.

What's more, the striker cost pittance.

Just look at the titles United won when he came on board. I mean, he was a bad boy if you like, and Ferguson took a chance and crafted a fine player out of him.

I don't know if Ferguson's experience as a professional footballer helped him. He was a decent player I have to admit. But I have to say it definitely benefited me by playing it week-in, week-out and training under great managers like Kenny Dalglish - it does help in one way or another. I always like to say there is no substitute for experience.

It also helps to have a bit of luck as well. I am sure everyone - including United fans - remembers the early years of Ferguson's reign. He was under tremendous pressure to find success after the first three barren years. He didn't have that long left and suddenly results came and he turned it around. After surviving a potential FA Cup third round upset by Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in 1989, United went on to win the FA Cup that season. Ferguson has not gotten that close to the sack ever since. That's an amazing story because he has now been around for twenty odd years with 500 top-flight wins in England under his belt. Fair play to Manchester United. They have stuck by him and now he's repaid them.

So, I salute Sir Alex Ferguson, who has consistently stood at the summit of his profession, as one of the true champions of the game.

The biggest winner was Manchester United last weekend. Sir Alex Ferguson, a contender for Champion of Champions, may have some point there when he said the title race could go down to the wire between the 'Big Four' clubs. It could be that close.

Although I still believe Arsenal do not have the right credentials to win the title, we have to give credit where credit is due. Arsenal played really well and showed a lot of spirit given the circumstances they were in. But then again, the Gunners may have beaten Chelsea and Manchester United but they are likely to show the same frailties we have come to associate with them whenever they come up against the so-called lesser clubs.

Manchester United, on the other hand, have been regaining their usual swagger if you like. They were never in any danger against Manchester City at Eastlands. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, who to me is a hot favourite to win our Champion of Champions competition, United looked totally in control. They even had the luxury of players like Carlos Tevez, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs - three players who could have walked into any team in the world - on the bench. Wayne Rooney was busy as usual while Darren Fletcher is really one of the unsung heroes in the side. Fletcher has always delivered in the big games when local pride is at stake.

Which the same can't be said of the European Player of the Year winner Ronaldo. What was he thinking when he handled the ball? I honestly believe the sending-off is correct although I thought the first yellow card was a tad harsh. But for the second one, Ronaldo did not have any excuse whatsoever.

The first thing I thought was he must have heard something. Because he wasn't defending or anything, he was in a attacking situation. But I just can't see why he would handle it.

The referee had no other option because it was a deliberate handball. And when it comes to that, it is a bookable offence - there's no two ways about it. So in the eyes of the law, the referee was right to sent him off.

As readers of this column would remember I think referees should be more open-minded when it come to derbies. In the heat of the moment mistimed challenges can be made worse than it looks. Just like in Ronaldo's challenge on Shaun Wright-Phillips which earned him the first yellow card. People also talked about Ronaldo sarcastically clapping the referee for that booking - it was a little bit of arrogance on his part.

During my time as a footballer, there were many daft things other people do on the pitch. The incident which still sticks to me till this day was Paul Gascoigne being booked for playing a fool with the referee's yellow card. This was 1995 when the midfielder was playing for Rangers in Scotland. He picked up the card that the ref dropped and promptly ‘booked' him. Such audacity!

To make this clear, you will never find me get caught in such situations. I was a sensible player.

Perhaps Ronaldo will now have time to recuperate on the sidelines and regain his thirst for success. One can't always sit still in football and hope that success comes his way. You can be sure Ronaldo will come back with all guns blazing and that can only be beneficial for Ferguson and Manchester United in the long run.

Despite traveling halfway around the world to South Africa, the latest football news from England is always within reach. Such is the global power of the Barclays Premier League.

English football is pretty much a staple diet for the people here. And I have got to say the appointment of Cesc Fabregas as Arsenal's new captain has got everyone buzzing.  Honestly, it is one move I have seen coming for a while.

Arsenal had endured a number of poor results, and together with William Gallas' bad press, Arsene Wenger was left with no choice but to cast him aside. Having said that, I don't think Wenger will sell Gallas during the January transfer window. Arsenal still need an experienced defender in their ranks. In any case, would any club want to buy him after all the troubles Chelsea and Arsenal went through?

With Gallas stepping down and Fabregas stepping up, it will ignite a new dynasty at Arsenal . Fabregas was the popular choice to be captain. Remember, no progress is ever made without change, and I reckon a huge wave of change will soon engulf the Emirates.

Wenger has given Fabregas so much responsibility anyway - so why not the armband as well? In football, you can never be too young for anything. You can never be too young to make your debut. Never too young to score your first goal and never too young to be captain of a team. When you are good enough, you are definitely old enough for anything.

Followers of this column on espnstar.com will remember that I said some time ago that Fabregas should be given the armband. Even at 21, Fabregas is already the second-longest serving player in the club - after defender Kolo Toure.

Soon, it will be inevitable that Fabregas will be compared to Arsenal's past captains. Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira were two of Arsenal's most celebrated and successful skippers. Adams is someone I knew well and played against during my club career. He too was appointed captain at the age of 21 and led Arsenal for a good 14 years.

Like Vieira, Adams is a leader with a massive physical presence and is vocal both on and off the pitch. He is one of the reasons why Arsenal had such a formidable backline. But Fabregas will be a different beast altogether. The Spaniard makes up for his lack of size with his big heart. I can see him leading the Gunners, not by shouting and ranting, but by example.

One can now sense an overwhelming mood of optimism running through the Arsenal faithful.

With Fabregas heralding a new era with the Gunners, perhaps talk of Arsenal's demise as a ‘Big Four' club is way too premature

While the Liverpool sides of old would have gone on to lose more games after tasting defeat for the first time, there seems to be a new-found confidence in this current side, something that bodes well for the Liverpool sides of the future.

They were very good against Bolton and, before that, they also played well against Tottenham in that first league defeat. Right now Chelsea may have a superior goal-difference, but if you had offered Liverpool fans their team's current lofty position at the start of the season, they would have bitten your hand off. Just take a look at the misfortunes of Arsenal who are already nine points behind Chelsea and Liverpool.

You simply cannot predict what Arsenal will produce in their next game - they have a habit of letting people down when you expect them to go on and win a game. There is a lack of consistency that used to be a hall-mark of Liverpool. Whereas for Liverpool, they have been showing consistency from the very start of the season.

Rafael Benitez must have been thinking about that when he decided to drop Fernando Torres and warn him that he would have to fight for his first-team place. In Torres' absence, Liverpool have been winning games, and kept their position at the top of the heap.

To be honest, it's all mind games really. Benitez has to do what he has to do, and make sure Torres doesn't take his place for granted. Dirk Kuyt and Robbie Keane have stepped up to the plate in the Spaniard's absence.

But I have always believed that you should play your best team. Torres is one of the best strikers in Europe, if not, the world. So how can Benitez leave him out, especially when he seems to be taking the task of winning the BPL so seriously this time.

Liverpool might, just might, look to buy players when the transfer window re-opens in January. As I have mentioned before in this column, the Reds need cover in the wide areas and maybe another defender. Then again, I would be quite happy if Liverpool didn't open the cheque book.

Why? Well firstly, the ‘F' word that is so prevalent at the moment. The worldwide financial turmoil is making football clubs think twice before splashing the cash on new players. They just can't afford to spend money willy-nilly anymore.

Secondly, I think Liverpool already have a good enough squad to be title contenders.

True, there is still a long way to go, but if Liverpool are to stay in contention until next May, they will have to show enough consistency, get a little bit of luck, and play their best team week-in, week-out. And finally, they have to believe in themselves.

Whoever can string together a sequence of good results will probably go on to win the league, and the team that shows the most consistency will be crowned champions come May. We have seen Manchester United lose two games before Christmas. That record looks a little worse when you consider they lost to fellow title contenders Liverpool and Arsenal.

Chelsea suffered a blip at home to Liverpool, while the Reds themselves drew with newly promoted Stoke at Anfield of all places, and then lost to Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

When we look at Arsenal - it is the same story as in recent seasons - they play fantastically well in the big, big games - against Manchester United last weekend for example - but stumble against the likes of Fulham, Stoke and Hull City. No disrespect to those teams, but to be a real title contender, Arsenal have got to win games against the Premier League's lesser lights. Sad to say, the new Arsenal do not look as if they have the same mettle as the Arsenal of old.

Of course, on any given day Arsenal, under Arsene Wenger, have the potential to beat anyone. But they have proved to be inconsistent with their results in the league. So I think Arsenal have to look at cup competitions seriously. The Gunners must win something to validate the football they have been playing - Arsenal have not won anything since the 2004/05 FA Cup success. So why not take the Cups more seriously? Wenger must know that it takes just six games to win the FA Cup.

In all fairness, the FA Cup is not an easy tournament to win. It's a case of having the luck of the draw. To be honest, in order to progress in any cup competition, you also have to avoid the big guns along the way and hope for more home ties.

As I have mentioned time and time again, you can play all the pretty football you want, but what matters is winning titles. In time, nobody will be talking about the great footballing show Arsenal put on. I think people will talk more about the fact that Arsenal failed to win anything despite playing fancy football.

There are some who believe that Arsenal's failures are because Wenger does not have a strong number two, or assistant manager if you like, alongside him.

Well, Wenger's his own man in more ways than one. Does he need a strong number two? It is probably the same situation that faced Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Ferguson lost Carlos Queiroz - twice - and all of a sudden people were saying that the loss of Queiroz would have a deep impact on United's fortunes. It doesn't work this way.

In the end, the manager has the last say. Wenger has had Pat Rice as his number two since the Frenchman joined Arsenal in 1996. Rice has helped Arsenal to double wins in 1997/98 and 2001/02. So to say Arsenal have a weak number two is utter rubbish.

However, I do think that every manager who wants success, needs a number two. Everyone needs a second opinion. It's like having someone from the outside looking in. Someone who can perhaps take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Rice has been at Arsenal longer than Wenger and has experienced many ups and downs.

But that's not all a manager needs to be successful. You also need to be strong enough to make decisions and even stronger to stand by your decisions if they go wrong. You also need to have good players to begin with.

Ultimately, when you win important honours by doing it your way, the success that follows will taste so much sweeter.

This is perhaps one of the best signing by Tottenham. He always seems to get the best of his players at whichever team he's managing. His significant presence will be a huge lift to the sorry state that Tottenham have been in since the start of the season.

With Redknapp at the helm, and without the meddling of a sporting director, I honestly think he will just about haul Spurs out of trouble. He got off to a perfect start by beating Bolton Wanderers over the weekend.

I don't agree, however, with him being called ‘Harry Houdini' because he once got West Ham and Portsmouth out of relegation trouble. We have to remember that he got Southampton relegated. That is not just a blip in his resume, it's a big one. So he's not that perfect.

But Redknapp already has one huge advantage over Juande Ramos - he speaks English. Redknapp can communicate better with the players. He is a good man-manager with very good motivational skills and he can get the best out of his players.

And it is very likely that Redknapp will return to Pompey and bid for their players. It is often the case that managers invariably go back to their old clubs and buy the players he forged an understanding with. Some of them signed for the club because of him and might be tempted to move during the transfer window in January. So we might just see the return of Jermaine Defoe to Spurs under Harry.

Having said all that, one has to feel sorry for Portsmouth - last season's FA Cup winners. Compared to the wave of optimism at White Hart Lane, Pompey look like a side in crisis after the shocking departure of Redknapp.

And talking about shocking news, Liverpool's win over Chelsea did not come as a major shock to me. I do think Liverpool can beat anybody and in a football game, anything can happen. Liverpool did everything right. They have beaten Manchester United and Manchester City, and now they have beaten Chelsea. Liverpool have to be considered serious title contenders now.

When Fernando Torres comes back, Liverpool will become so much stronger. Torres is one of the best strikers in the world. There are some who believe that the Reds do not need Torres and they play better without him. Well, I don't agree a single bit with that notion. The young lad will take Liverpool to another level when he's back from injury, trust me.

To me, Daniel Agger has done really well to make up for the absence of Martin Skrtel. Readers of my column on espnstar.com, will know that I rate Skrtel very highly. He is that old-fashioned defender that Liverpool need at the back to provide steel and determination. But Agger has more than held his own - I wonder who will be given a starting place alongside Jamie Carragher when Skrtel recovers from injury. Benitez has a huge selection headache, albeit a good one, coming up soon.

All this just shows Liverpool's strength in depth. This shows that when the chips are down, when you are called up to perform, you just do it. Whether you are first-choice, second-choice or even third, you have to deliver when you are on the pitch.

Finally, there is serious competition in the Liverpool squad. Everyone is being kept on their toes because one game you are in and the next you may be out.

I do wonder what Benitez will be saying to the lads in the dressing room now that Liverpool are leading the pack. Back during my Liverpool days, when the team was leading the table at the early stages of the season, our gaffer just got on with his task. He ensured that no one got carried away. We would just concentrate on the next game. And the next game. And the next, and the next game after that.

I mean it's only early days. Let's take in one game at a time.

I honestly think that this weekend's Chelsea-Liverpool game is going to be a cracker!

The top-two teams in the Barclays Premier League battling it out for three points and bragging rights. It's just wonderful.

Talking about the teams, I believe that Chelsea are a better team. And as much as I like Liverpool, the Blues boast a better squad all-round, with world class players in almost every position. Their defence is still as solid as ever with John Terry and Petr Cech manning the fort. The middle of the park is marshaled by the dynamic Deco and Frank Lampard. And though they are lacking upfront at the moment, Nicolas Anelka should suffice.

Liverpool have been great at scraping results for the past few week. And they have one world class player in Steven Gerrard (Fernando Torres is out injured for the moment, so we'll leave him out of the discussion). Stevie-G is a great player who can rival the likes of Lampard and Deco, but he is just one player. No offence to the rest of the squad, they are decent, but not the same class as the opponents they face this weekend.

Man-for-man, Chelsea are the superior side.

Rafael Benitez, to his credit, has been getting the team to play some positive football. Team morale is extremely high after those comeback wins, and they have Gerrard.

Luiz Felipe Scolari is going make his team play positively as well, and I have no doubt in my mind that they will play the same kind of football that saw them thrash Boro 5-0.

For me, it's always going to be a rivalry when teams in the top four meet, and this one is going to be one of the better ones. Mark my words.

Sorry Spurs

I feel it's sad to see a big club swimming at the bottom of the league.

Tottenham are a big club, so it's shocking to see them in the relegation battle.

Do teams become bad overnight after selling two of their best players? I do not have the answer, but I do know that Spurs really miss those 40 goals.

Nonetheless, it's not as if they have bad players and a bad manager! These are good players - Jonathan Woodgate, Aaron Lennon and David Bentley. They are just under-performing real badly at the moment and really have to look at themselves long and hard in the mirror for the plight Spurs are in at the moment.

It does not help that Juande Ramos is picking some weird line-ups. Ramos is a good manager in my mind, but his tactics and substitutions recently have been mind-boggling to say the least.

Which is why Spurs have been playing disjointed and disoriented football.

By the way, any team that depends on Darren Bent alone for goals is going to find it hard to beat the drop.

Tottenham might be struggling now without Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov, but that's no excuse for playing lousy football week in, week out.

Despite all the turmoil at White Hart Lane, I feel that they should not sack Ramos.

Look at it this way, they sack the manager, bring in the new guy, the new guy wants to bring in his own staff and players, and there is going to be another big turnover this time next year. When does it stop?

I say we give the manager a bit of time to turn it around, say Christmas, and if Spurs are still bottom of the league, then it's time to say ‘adios' to Juande.

England's performance in the first half against Kazakhstan in their Group 6 World Cup qualifier was far from decent.

Capello started with a 4-3-3 formation that did not work at all with Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard all going for the same ball.

Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott played just behind Emile Heskey as support strikers in a very attack-minded setup. Nevertheless, the balance was all wrong.

A formation has to be decided by the players that are available. Playing them out of position means that the players have to adapt quickly and not all of them can.

A good example of throwing a player into a new position that went awfully wrong is David Bentley at Spurs.

Tottenham bought him for a big sum of money but then decided to play him on the left. The boy is all right foot and has always played on the right.

It is all about choosing and sacrificing certain players to get the balance spot on.

What was encouraging though, was how swiftly Fabio Capello rung the changes at half-time by bringing on Shaun Wright-Phillips in place of Gareth Barry knowing that his first half formation and tactics were not working.

If it was Steve McClaren, he would have waited 15 minutes into the second half before making the changes which would have been way too late.

This bodes well for England as Capello seems to have the bravery and courage needed to handle the Three Lions.

One thing that did stand out glaringly from this emphatic win was Joe Cole's absence.

If Cole had been available for this game, Capello would have had a tough decision to make. Drop Gerrard or Lampard to bring Cole in on the left? Or play both in the middle and sacrifice Barry?

He must be glad, he did not have to make that decision but it would have been interesting to see how he would have worked that out.

Changing the formation and tactics as the game progresses and picking the right players for different games is what managers are paid for.

It is all about decisions. And the ones who make the right ones will emerge victorious.

It was an unbelievable decision made by the referee in the Manchester United vs Bolton game. That mistake was beyond belief.

Styles was not blocked nor was he running blind-side of the incident. Either way, he had no excuse. It was plain for everyone who played in the game to see that it wasn't a foul. I‘m sure espnstar.com's football followers out there would recongnise this as well.

And for that Styles should be taken off the roster or at least be demoted. But instead he has apologised for his mistake and he will be back to referee in the Tottenham vs Hull City game. What on earth is going on? Let's hope Bolton do not get relegated or else we will have another court case all over again.

Well, to avoid all this shenanigans, it is important for referees to do their homework. Managers do their homework before every game and so should the referees. This way, the referees will know how to handle each match on its own merit. They will know what type of players they are coming up against.

For example, Tim Cahill's foul on Xabi Alonso should have never be a straight red card. It was a rash tackle and it was a nailed-on foul. But it was only worthy of a yellow card. Mike Riley should know it was the Merseyside derby where there's local pride at stake. The players are running on pride and passion instead of rhyme and reason. Even if Riley had decided that Cahill should be sent off when he turned his back on him, fine, Riley should then give him two yellows - not a red.

Perhaps Riley was trying to make up for what happened last season with Chelsea's Ashley Cole. Riley was blasted for showing leniency to the left-back when Cole, after his foul on Alan Hutton, showed a lack of respect to Riley by turning his back on the referee.

It is unfortunate that we are again talking about the referees' mistakes rather than the great football on show. I do believe the Premiership's new boys are making themselves known that they would not be push-overs - no siree.

Hull City's great victory over Arsenal bought the Gunners back to earth. It was another telling lesson to Arsene Wenger that a great team has to learn to defend as well as they attack. To me, William Gallas' defending and leadership qualities are still a joke.

Tottenham and Newcastle are also not doing themselves any favours at the moment. But I still feel they are too good to go down. Hull may be setting the Premiership alight with their results but over the course of the season, the likes of Spurs will become stronger and their quality will shine through.

Like I said, it is only six games into the season. Nothing will be won nor decided in October. But my word, what a start!

Chelsea's match against Manchester United produced eight yellow cards, seven of which went to United. It resulted in a very disgruntled Sir Alex Ferguson and an FA fine.

Frankly, Manchester United are never happy with referees. I mean, United are never happy with anything when things don't go their way.

When Mike Riley booked seven United players he's got to be in the spotlight. It's difficult not to get attention when you book that many players.

Certainly two or three of them shouldn't have been yellow cards, so in lots of ways you can see where United are coming from.

Having said that, a referee must take the high profile nature of the match and what's at stake into account.

To be honest, with such a big game as Manchester United and Chelsea - and it is a huge fixture - there has got to be some leeway. When the tackles are flying in left, right and centre, the referee has to step in the right way.

I do however disagree with Ferguson's comment that there weren't any bad tackles in the game, there was definitely intent in a couple of challenges. You've got to define what a bad tackle is.

During my time as a professional player, I hardly ever get into trouble with referees.

You've got to control your aggression. It is part of playing football. You just can't keep ranting and raving. You got to have controlled aggression.

I do talk to referees before a game. You try to do all you can. You talk to them in a respectful way and if the ref says there's no more talking from you, then there's no talk.

If referees like to have some banter with you, then fair enough. But if referees say no, there should be no banter, no talking to them, then I don't and neither should today's footballers.

Too many eyes on the pitch

Nowadays, referees' mistakes are magnified ten times because there are so many cameras around. A multitude of prying lenses that ensure that nobody can get away with anything.

And, as I have always said, everyone makes mistakes. Players make mistakes. Referees make mistakes. So I think it would be a great idea if there is a panel that seeks to review the yellow and red cards dished out during the latest round of matches.

It should be headed by an ex-player, an ex-manager and an ex-referee. They will review contentious decisions with hindsight as their ally.

This way, players who have been wrongly punished will avoid picking up suspensions and thus avoid missing important games later on in the season.

Suspensions do hurt. Not only will the team be affected, the fans will also be deprived of watching their favourite players.

This panel will seek to right the wrongs caused. I think it is the way forward.

Liverpool worked hard and the players did the jobs they were supposed to do. The best thing the Reds did was they took the game to United.

They were positive and did not just sit back and let United dictate play. They made sure they were first to every ball. The team also defended from the front and forced the United players to make mistakes. Liverpool's winning goal came from a great hustle by Javier Mascherano in the United box.

To be honest, Liverpool finally look balanced in their play. On the other hand, Manchester United did not. The Reds played to their strengths whereas United had players playing out of position.

Let me get this straight. Wayne Rooney is not a winger and never will be. You can't get the best from Rooney when you play him in the Cristiano Ronaldo position on the right flank. Rooney is at his best when he is a striker. You can't just accommodate players just for the sake of it.

And I think United miss Carlos Queiroz. He is a world-class coach. Queiroz could have told Ferguson to leave Dimitar Berbatov on the bench and leave Carlos Tevez and Rooney up-front.

Queiroz would have told Ferguson to use his home-grown players in this game because they know what it means to play against their most bitter rivals.

Ferguson himself once said local players understand the local rivalry between the two clubs and will give their all for the cause.  Then why wasn't Gary Neville even in the squad? And I did not understand why John O'Shea and Darren Fletcher did not start this game as well.

For Liverpool, I like the look of Albert Riera who gave the home side the stability they have been craving on the left flank. They now have a naturally left-footed attacking player who will give balance in attack.

But after saying all that, we must also take care not to get too carried away with this win. Beating United for the first time in ages have sent expectations at Anfield sky-high. Fans are now thinking of the Reds can go on and win the league. Slow down, I say.

One swallow does not make a summer. It's only four games into the season. Let's see how they fare for the next twenty games or so and then we'll see how it goes.

I do not like to slag Liverpool for nothing. I only do so because we are frustrated by Liverpool. We are frustrated when they are not performing to the best of their capabilities.

But for once at Anfield last weekend, Liverpool were positive and played to the best of their abilities. Long may that continue.

It's not difficult to understand the decisions made by Alan Curbishley and Kevin Keegan to walk away from their respective jobs at West Ham and Newcastle United.

They had no choice. Their authority as managers was undermined by the clubs' owners. Their pride as managers was being trampled on in public. So, in principle, I think they were right to resign from their jobs.

Curbishley had players sold behind his back and it nearly happened to Keegan.

When the decision to choose and get new players is taken out of the manager's hands, what will he become?

He'll become obsolete. It's as simple as that.

To be fair, managers should know what they are in for before they join a club. It is down to them to figure out who the owners are and find out what kind of set-ups the owners have at the club.

But if there is ever a need of a director of football, it should be down to the manager to select him, not the other way round. That way the authority of the manager will not be undermined and the harmony at the club will be preserved.

There are of course some exceptions in the Premier League, some instances where the manager still calls the shots. Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are in control of their own teams. So is Rafael Benitez at Liverpool - to a certain extent.

At Aston Villa, Martin O'Neill has been able to be his own man and it's one of the perfect examples of a manager who has complete control over his team. O'Neill always has had a say in who to bring in and who to ship out. And more importantly who to keep at Villa.

The Gareth Barry saga showed his determination to manage the situation on his own terms and not on anyone else's. O'Neill did practically everything in his power to keep Barry at the club. And even if Barry was to leave, the Villa gaffer made sure he will only be sold at the right price for the club.

Lower leagues

The situation for lower league managers is a little different from their top-flight counterparts. Most of the lower league clubs operate on a very tight budget and the clubs will have to sell first before they can get a new player or two.

When I first started out as a manager, I had to learn those things on my own. Thankfully, I had lots of support from the League Managers Association. They were not as powerful as the Professional Footballers' Association, but the LMA was nevertheless just as helpful.

From past experience, I have come to like the idea of having an economics fellow to assist the manager whenever there are dollars and cents involved.  He will be someone who specialises in controlling the finances concerning the team and only that.

In the end, for football managers to move forward, they will need to be more open-minded. They have to accept the changes in the landscape of football. They will have to be forward-thinking to stay ahead in the game.

And more importantly, to stay in their jobs.

Robinho's record transfer to Manchester City on transfer deadline day just stinks.

Deadline day has always bought about surprises but this was the one that did not sit well with me. Not one bit.

It's ridiculous enough for a player to hold his own press conference to announce his desire to join real Madrid.  Then, he changed his mind at the drop of a hat when Manchester City came along.

There is one reason behind this. Money!

I would say Chelsea will be grateful for not getting Robinho. The player turned his back on Luiz Felipe Scolari and did not prove to be the model professional a successful team needs.

Furthermore, the Brazilian whined and cried when Real refused to entertain his transfer request. His emotional outbursts were disgraceful. To be honest, football is game for strong men. They have to be strong physically as well as mentally - for crying out loud!

And all this happened because Manchester City was taken over by a Arab-based group richer than Roman Abramovich. Nobody saw it coming. Was Thaksin Shinawatra pushed? Or did he jump? The situation looks a little political to me. Under normal circumstances, I don't think Thaksin would have sold out.

This takeover is something that isn't my cup of tea either. It remains to be seen whether the whole investment will turn out to be a successful one. For me, I don't think City are Top Four material - yet. Let alone league title material. You need a little more than that.

By contrast, Manchester United have the class, the talent and the players to win the title. They have bought one player on deadline day - Dimitar Berbatov - who is a fantastic talent. The Bulgarian is a quality player who can hold up the ball and bring others into play. He also has that goal-scoring instinct.

You could say he is in the mould of Ruud van Nistelrooy - Manchester United's last great target man.  They also say he is sulky and he will be a handful with that ego of his. But hand on heart, I know that when you play for the likes of Manchester United or Liverpool, your ego goes out the window. You will be treated just like everyone else in the team. Buckle down and work. Or else you will get kicked out.

I am sure Berbatov has the necessary mental strength and ability to shine at United. After all, he already has Premier League experience.

As for Robinho and Manchester City, it might well all end in tears.

There is no job security for these men who take on immense pressure from the board, the fans and the media.

When players underperform, it is usually the manager who takes the blame. And then when things get out of hand in terms of results, the axe falls on the manager.

Sir Alex Ferguson was close to being sacked in 1989 when results went against him and his team. But they stuck by him. Look at them now!

The same goes for West Ham's Alan Curbishley. Just a few games into the new season and rumours are rife over his impending sacking. Where is this world going to?

So, there should be a law in football forbidding a club to sack the manager during the season. If there is a transfer window for players, there should be one for the managers.

Over the weekend Arsenal's loss to Fulham demonstrated again that the Gunners do not have enough strength in midfield.

Maybe I am biased but I feel that any midfield is the engine room and it is the most important area in the team. Once you cede that territory to the opposition, you cede the game.

Arsenal are especially physically weak in that area. They do not know how to mix the play. To be honest, they have been too nice on the field.

The other problem is William Gallas. I don't think he's a good leader for Arsenal. He doesn't set a good example for the Arsenal players as senior players should do.

Gallas lacks the leadership and authority once shown by Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira. Gallas does not even match up to Dennis Bergkamp.

You don't have to talk about it, you just do it.

Arsenal needs reinforcement in midfield but I don't think Xabi Alonso is what the Gunners need right now. I mean he is the Arsenal-type of player - a classy player who is a great passer of the ball.

But Arsene Wenger's team does not need a player of the Arsenal-mould. What Arsenal need is a midfielder with authority. A Gennaro Gattuso or a Roy Keane type of player if you like.

Someone who can mix it up. Someone who can get stuck-in where it matters, when it matters.

As I mentioned in my earlier columns, Chelsea have the kind of midfield which can mix-it up. Players who can dictate play, score or defend. Arsenal should take a leaf out of Chelsea's book on how to win by grinding out results.

I think Liverpool have learnt to grind out results even when they are playing poorly. The two games against Sunderland and Middlesbrough were below-par and on both occasions they were fortunate to win.

But sometimes you make your own luck. How many times have we seen Manchester United snatch late, late winners as well? They just keep going at the end. For Liverpool, six points from two games is a fantastic return.

Winning games only helps to ease the pressure off the players especially on new signings like Robbie Keane. As long as the Reds keep winning, the confidence and morale of the team will grow.

The great thing about this is that Liverpool know they can play better. Rafael Benitez will be telling the players to build on this.

Torres brilliance not rewarded

After seeing Manchester United crowned Premier League champions, we can finally take stock of what has undoubtedly been a truly enthralling season.

As the dust settles on Fergie's final day success, I have to say that, like many others, I have been thoroughly impressed with United's flying winger Cristiano Ronaldo this campaign, a player who has really caught the eye - for obvious reasons. Hats off to the lad.

The Portugal international has illuminated almost every game he's played in. Then again, the same can be said of Liverpool's Fernando Torres. Well, whenever he's been allowed to play that is.

Since there has been so much praise lavished on Ronaldo, let's talk more about Torres.

For me, he has been nothing but fantastic this season, no doubt about it. This 24-year-old striker is a newcomer to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League and he has shown that he is a cool customer when coming to terms with the physical side of the English game. Not every foreign player can do that, often failing to make as big an impact as Torres has.

The fact that the Spaniard did so well in his debut season is very encouraging and I think he can only get better. The only criticism is maybe that he doesn't score enough goals away from home. A sign of a true quality striker is the ability to score both home and away. But, so far at least, he's still worth all the money Liverpool spent on him..

To be honest though, it's a shame that despite all the effort shown by Torres, Liverpool have finished the season with nothing to show. They may have won a lot of accolades, but there are no trophies to show for their efforts. No hardware. Praise can only take you so far.

On the flip side, this will just make the team hungrier for success and, with that desire for glory, comes titles. Hopefully, Liverpool will shed the tag of ‘nearly-men' soon.

I expect a clear out at Liverpool come summertime when the league goes into hibernation. Xabi Alonso, John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant could all be saying their goodbyes. I actually wouldn't miss most of them, especially Pennant whose place on the right wing was taken by Dirk Kuyt. Need I say more?

If you were to ask me who I would like to see arriving at Anfield, then Gareth Barry is one of them. It is getting a little ugly between Martin O'Neill and Rafael Benitez, but this shows how important and talented Barry is.

There can be little doubt that Barry will be the perfect foil for Steven Gerrard in the centre of midfield. We have seen it before when the duo played for England. It will be a good combination for Liverpool and one that will persuade Rafa to stick Stevie G in midfield because that is his best position. Period.

Liverpool also need an out-and-out winger and Blackburn's David Bentley is one of those who has impressed me. This former Arsenal apprentice will be a perfect replacement for the other former Arsenal apprentice at Anfield. Bentley is one of those wingers who can do everything - deliver accurate crosses from deep, take on players with pace and is deadly from free-kicks. But Blackburn have been steadily improving every season and don't need to sell their players. It would take a massive amount of effort and money to even open discussions with Rovers gaffer Mark Hughes.

Apart from Liverpool, there were a few key moments - or should I say controversial moments - that marked this BPL season. I was particularly surprised by the sackings of Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce at Chelsea and Newcastle respectively. They were perhaps a victim of their own club's misguided ambitions. But the most talked about BPL moment has to be the reinstatement of Kevin Keegan at Newcastle. It was an appointment that shook the English game.

Who knows what kind of twists and turns we will have in the coming 2008/09 season? After the exciting cliff-hanger we had on the final day of the season, I for one will be looking forward to next season with even more anticipation than before. Will you?

We have a climatic end to the season on our hands. One of two teams have the chance to be crowned kings of England on May 11. It is sure to be a nervy finish that will have all English football fans on the edge of their seats.

In all honesty, a lot of us thought the title would have been done and dusted last weekend. Manchester United were very much the favourites against a feeble West Ham side. Not surprisingly, the Hammers were hammered 4-1 at Old Trafford.

Then Chelsea faced a difficult trip to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park on Monday night. On paper, Newcastle were the in-form side and had every chance of tripping up Chelsea and handing the league title to United.

But the Blues showed the same title winning form they displayed in their first two league title wins under Jose Mourinho and came away from Tyneside with a 2-0 result. Game on.

On the final day of the 2007-08 season, I believe the matches featuring both United and Chelsea will be fascinating to say the least.

We have United making the short trip to Wigan Athletic to face a side safe from relegation on a pitch that must rate as one of the worst in the Premier League.

Wigan share the JJB stadium with rugby league side Wigan Warriors and sometimes the pitch can trip up away teams. Chelsea can attest to that. And now the Blues are the ones looking for Wigan to lend them a hand. If the Latics can keep a clean sheet, Chelsea might just sneak it.

Even though they cancelled the rugby game scheduled for Friday at the JJB, the pitch will still be wobbly and could cause some problems for United. True, the pitch won’t be quite as bad as it usually is, but nevertheless it remains a true footballing leveler.

I also feel the impetus is now with Chelsea. I think the Red Devils are not in top form at the moment, whereas Chelsea are in great form. I have a feeling that Wigan might make United stumble at the JJB and sneak a draw.

Logic decrees that Wigan have a better chance of getting a result against United than Bolton, Chelsea’s final day opponents, do at Stamford Bridge. I still think United are going to win the title, I still do. But if there’s going to be an upset it will come from the JJB stadium.

I also believe there’s no such thing as ‘bogey’ teams. Newcastle were supposed to be Chelsea’s ‘bogey’ team and look what happened there. West Ham were also supposed to be Sir Alex’s ‘bogey’ team and United cruised through that game.

What I look at is real-time form and how the teams fared in the past few months. I don’t care about silly historical records.

Battle for Survival

As the fight for survival rages on to the last day of the season, only one of three teams will stay in the Premiership and I believe it will be Reading, a team who are up against the worst side in the league – Derby. Steve Coppell’s men will have it too easy. It’s up to them to lose it.

Fulham will be up against it at Portsmouth. Pompey’s players will be fighting for a place in the FA Cup final so they won’t want to rest on their laurels. Birmingham City may also not have much joy against Blackburn. All season long, City have lacked the quality needed to be a Premiership club.

Choosing between Rooney and Ronaldo

As I mentioned on Football Focus, if you asked me to choose between Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, I would back Rooney.

Ronaldo is a match-winner and he always will be. But in a big game when the team needs a spark or a player to add fuel to the fire, Rooney’s your man. He will go around the pitch chasing a paper for the team. He will spur on his players when the chips are down; he will spur on the fans.

Let’s see if he can turn it on for United as they look to finish ahead of Chelsea on May 11.

People are frightened of change – they always have been. Okay, maybe a little less than they are of death and taxes, but change is still right up there at the top of most people’s hate list.

Some time ago, Everton contemplated moving to a new stadium which would better serve their needs. Goodison Park had grown too small. To be honest, it’s not exactly the best stadium around.

Nevertheless, when the plans emerged, there was one heck of a backlash from disgruntled fans. Since then however, several polls have been conducted, and more than half of the Evertonians asked are now positive about the proposed stadium move.

Initially, the main problem seemed to be that Everton fans just did not want to move out of Liverpool and cede the territory to their fierce Red rivals. If you ask me though, I think they are just resistant to change.

It’s something that doesn’t only happen in football. When you move house, you are nervous. Everybody’s nervous when it comes to change. But eventually, when change has been and gone, you realise that it can, in fact, be good.

The Goodison Park faithful really have to see the bigger picture. After all, it makes sound business sense. If they want to remain in the past, get stuck in the good old days, if they do not want to have that extra revenue that will bring in better players and make a better team, then I say Everton should stay at Goodison Park.

However, if they want to try to compete with the best and if they want to be as big as they think they are, then they must move. It’s not as if they are moving to another country. I will say this again, people are just afraid of change.

Here’s a perfect example to prove my point: Liverpool’s Kop. It used to be an all-standing arena, a cauldron of noise and power that was, many said, able to suck the ball into the goal.

When the Kop moved with the times and changed to an all-seater stand, many fans were up-in-arms. Everybody was against it. Eventually though Liverpool supporters accepted the change.

That said, not all club moves have turned out to be great. Both Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic regularly struggle to fill their grounds. In all honesty, what was the point of them moving in the first place? Why build a new stadium when you haven’t got the support?

Clubs should only move to a newer (and bigger) stadium if there’s some sort of supply and demand going on. There’s got to be a huge fan base that is willing to fill up your stadium even if it’s in the dead of winter, or even when Derby come a-visiting. Whatever happens, the clubs have to have more than enough bums to put on the seats.

It boils down to having to do what is right, what makes the most sense. People will, eventually, accept change as long as it is for the good of all. To keep everyone happy and to keep up with the current financial climate, Everton have got to move out to move up.

The Champions League is getting far too predictable for my liking, and it’s a sentiment that many European football fans may well agree with.

Every season, once the draw for the group stages is made, it is pretty clear to all and sundry which two teams in each group will qualify for the next round. There’s a degree of inevitability attached to it all - and we know how exciting that is.

The early stages are too long and way too boring. That’s a fact. It’s too easy for the top clubs to qualify. The group stages though are a boon for smaller clubs because of the money. But it’s still too predictable. But, then again, ask yourself this: who is going to fork out money to watch the games if there are too many matches and too insipid football on show?

It’s also true that some group games become classics – the two 3-3 draws between Manchester United and Barcelona in the 1998/99 season come to mind. It is also true that a team can afford to lose two times in the group games and still end up as Kings of Europe. Where’s the logic in that?

Okay maybe logic doesn’t apply to football. But for god’s sake give us some excitement at the very least. Give us something to become obsessed with, something to discuss in detail.

I also don’t think there should be four teams from any one league participating in the Champions League. They’re not, after all, necessarily the best teams in Europe for that matter. I’m not a fan of the fact that a team can finish fourth in their league and still qualify for the Champions League.

I would narrow down the competition a bit. At least two teams per league should suffice. I mean there should be a compromise somewhere. Four teams each from England, Italy and Spain is a little too much. A little too saturated.

This is a point which Michel Platini, the UEFA president, has been probing at the start of his reign. So far, he has been making the right noises. But at the same time, we have yet to see the result of his plans.

To his credit, the Frenchman is proving that he is his own man and an individual who is different from FIFA’s Sepp Blatter and everyone else.

He seems to know what’s best for the game. I think he wants change and that’s a good thing as long as he’s got his own opinion. The way I look at it – he’s not bad. He has been successful in getting the G14 disbanded, so let’s wait and see how Platini can change the world next.

So while Platini plots to make sweeping changes in the Champions League – we could well be seeing the last time three English clubs make it to the semi-finals. I for one believe that it’s good for the Premier League even if an English club doesn’t win - it’s magnificent anyway that three English clubs have made it so far.

If you were to ask me what my dream final would be for this season’s Champions League, I would have to pick Manchester United versus Liverpool. The match-up between two auld enemies would be my dream final, no question.

I don’t think it will be great for the organisers but I think it will be a grand occasion for the fans.

It’s not the ideal scenario for Liverpool but it is something that they have to take or leave.

For what seems like the umpteenth season, the Anfield giants are scrapping to land the coveted Champions League place that is fourth in the Barclays Premier League.

I don’t think Liverpool can rely on winning the Champions League again this season to qualify for next. This is even after they have qualified for the semi-finals, hence the need to finish fourth.

Make no mistake, their aggregate win over Arsenal and subsequent qualification was no mean feat, but I can assure you that finishing fourth in the league is a much safer bet.

And it is their Merseyside neighbours Everton who are vying for that fourth place with them, a league position that is the difference between happily earning millions of euros or suffering a potential financial nightmare.

In all honesty, it’s sad to see these two established clubs fighting tooth and nail for just fourth place. Once upon a time, in the Eighties, Everton and Liverpool ruled the roost in England – it was a proud era on Merseyside.

Now the duo are left scrapping for what is nothing more than a consolation prize. Even so, as I said, this prize is worth millions and so is definitely worth its weight in gold. So who will triumph in the end?

You can rest assured that it won’t be pretty, but amid the doom and gloom, it will be Liverpool who will pip Everton to the post.

It does look like Everton have a tougher run-in – on paper at least. But at this stage of the season, I suppose there are no easy games anyway. Take Everton’s game against Derby County.

The Rams had already been relegated but the Toffees struggled as they huffed and puffed to a 1-0 win. Everton’s squad looks thin and they can’t seem to recover from the loss of some of their key players. David Moyes’ side will only have a slight chance if Liverpool and Rafael Benitez get too distracted by the Champions League which I am sure they won’t.

That doesn’t mean Liverpool are better off. Take away Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres and the Reds only look okay. But I ask you - is ‘okay’ good enough for the Anfield faithful? Certainly not. The Kop doesn’t want an ‘okay’ team. This type of team goes nowhere. Thanks to Everton being a little weaker than they are, Liverpool though will have the advantage.

At a time like this, we should look on the bright side, and the performances of centre-half Martin Skrtel have been very encouraging so far. He reminds me of a certain Nemanja Vidic – an imposing, no-nonsense defender who gives nothing away. Or tries to.

It wasn’t at all plain sailing for the Slovak international at the start. He made his debut in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Havant & Waterlooville and looked all at sea. He was given a rude awakening by the part-timers and even scored an own goal.

Skrtel looks much improved after that game. It will really be interesting to see how Daniel Agger, the 2007 Danish Player of the Year, squares off with Skrtel, the 2007 Slovak Player of the Year – for that central defensive spot alongside Jamie Carragher.

Next season, Liverpool will have an unprecedented strength in depth in the defensive department. And success, as we all know, starts from the back.