By Shaun Orange

Things appear to be evening themselves out at Liverpool, where Rick Parry is due to quit as chief executive officer at the end of the season.

No doubt, this move has come across as being good news for those who wanted to see semblance of stability return to the English giants.

Well, now there appears to be hope that the same will unfold at Chelsea, who themselves were besieged by problems ever since Jose Mourinho fell out with Russian owner, Roman Abramovich, and was sacked in September 2007.

The latest to filter through from Stamford Bridge is that Guss Hiddink, who replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari last month, is likely to be offered the job on a permanent basis.

Presently the Dutchman is on a contract to work with the Blues until the end of the season, while still maintaining his position as coach of the Russian national team.

This agreement has been largely orchestrated by Abramovich, who has close links with the Russian Football Federation.

But just as Hiddink chose neither to confirm nor deny that he would be staying on at the London club beyond the end of this season, the rumour mill hit high-gear with some suggesting that the plot had already been worked out.

The issue of how Hiddink would get around ducking his role as Russian coach appeared to spawn the most concern. But that now looks like being resolved with news that the Dutchman’s compatriot Dick Advocaat would assume the job in Moscow.

Probed on the matter, Hiddink said that “there is nothing new. It is not an everyday issue and we stick to what we have said recently”.

He added that he had “settled in quickly (at Chelsea); knew a bit of the Premier League, English football and this club” and was “the kind of person who tries to adapt as soon as possible”.

Indeed, Hiddink has got off to a good start at Stamford Bridge. They beat Aston Villa in his first game in the Premiership, and with that climbed into third on the standings.

In midweek they saw off Juventus in the first leg of their tie in the first round of 16 in the European Champions League.

This will all have come as encouraging stuff for the Chelsea fans, and management, and maybe had no small part to play in the club trying to work something out to keep Hiddink at the club.

Such a move would have obvious benefits for Chelsea, but perhaps none so more than the fact that this is one of the world’s most respected coaches, and one who has an impressive track record to back-up the claim.

The players too have responded positively to Hiddink’s methods.

England defender Ashley Cole said that “there is a difference in the players (since Hiddink joined the team”.

Cole’s England team-mate Frank Lampard expressed a similar view when he said that Chelsea were looking to build their two victories under Hiddink.

He noted that “Villa was a good result” for them and that they got a “good result against Juventus”.

Ivorian striker Didier Drogba said he was coming back to his best, and this was credit to Hiddink who has helped him turn his game around. He added that “the coach relies on” him, and that this is “a massive psychological boost for a striker”.

If things work out, as they look like doing at Anfield as well, then Chelsea and Liverpool should pose a much tougher test to the competition, both in England and in Europe.

By Shaun Orange

Rafael Benitez was lambasted left, right and centre for his outburst aimed at Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. And in part, it was deserved; the Liverpool chief should have kept some of his inner feelings to himself.

Of course, that he chose to bring out into the open a series of issues which he felt were unjust, so far as Ferguson’s treatment by the Football Association was concerned, and the Old Trafford boss’ run-ins with referees, were right on cue.

And whichever way you look at it, we have got to give the Spaniard his due. He is a hard man to please. But all the same, he has a proven track record that not more than a handful can say they have done better.

Arsene Wenger, who last week went groveling about how “untouchable” Manchester United are, got a earful from Benitez and rightly so.

The Gunners French coach, who for some time was the only threat to Old Trafford on the domestic front, should have known better. Of course, Manchester United are a class above the rest and possess a squad of players who make that difference, and who will probably win two or more trophies before this season’s end.

But how could he go around blowing the trumpet of the opposition when the Premiership race is not yet done. The obvious answer to that is: Arsenal are fairly and squarely out of the championship race, and indeed, face an uphill struggle just to get themselves into the European Champions League next term.

Aston Villa, despite their narrow loss to Chelsea in the league clash on Saturday, have played consistently well enough since the start of the campaign to make for a genuine claim to finish in the top-four and earn themselves a berth in the continental showpiece – at the expense of Arsenal, of course.

That Liverpool were five points behind Manchester United (with 13 games still to go) when he gutlessly called Manchester United “untouchable” is best taken as being shortsightedness on the part of Wenger.

There is no doubt if it were Arsenal in Liverpool’s position right now, or Chelsea, who trail by a further five points, Wenger would not have conceded the title to Manchester United at this time. There is no way he would have!

And that is why when Benitez took exception to his remarks, the Anfield boss was merely stating the obvious: “I can only talk of my team but, I don't think they (Manchester United) are untouchable.”

Benitez, and even Guus Hiddink who took over at Chelsea last week and faces a tougher task of trying to get past the Red Devils, continues to believe in his own abilities and those of his players.

Benitez was right, yet also diplomatic, to point out that when he speaks of facts, “one (such fact) is that United are a very good team and they will win more than a lot of the other teams, but to say we can't beat them? I don't think so”.

Liverpool’s chances of actually winning the title, which would be a first since 1990, remain slim at best. But in Benitez, who also has a string of other pressing issues to deal with simultaneously, they have their best chance yet of a Premiership title.

And as long as the Anfield manager and squad continue to believe that Manchester United are “touchable” then they have an outside chance of pulling it off, no matter how remote that might look today, or how quick others might be at throwing in the towel.

By Shaun Orange

As Manchester United prepare to take on Blackburn over the weekend, with a view to extending their lead to seven points at the top of the Premier League standings, manager Alex Ferguson will surely have one eye cast in the direction of next week’s European Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

The continental giants tangle in the first leg of the round of 16 in midweek, and both camps will be wary of the other, yet both are also rather optimistic about their chances; at least in public.

Jose Mourinho, coach of Inter Milan and formerly with Chelsea, is on course to win the Serie A at his first attempt, something he did so eloquently in the Premiership with the Blues in the 2004/05 season.

And now, as he plots his strategy of how to outwit Ferguson in a mouthwatering fixture of the European Cup, he spoke up their bid, although he did also acknowledge that it will not be easy getting past the defending champions – and Manchester United at that.

Speaking to MUTV he said he was happy with the fact that it should prove a tough task as his “team plays better under pressure against the best teams".

He noted that he had “always done well against Milan or Roma or Juventus”. Well, Manchester United are of that level, so he will obviously be thinking of doing the same against Ferguson’s side.

More so, he struck a psychological blow when he added that he “used to say the Premier League was more about heart and emotion, while the Serie A is more about brains and tactics”.

Mourinho is not far off the mark there, but when it comes down to the real big games in Europe – and this is one of those games – the form is usually tossed aside and only the best teams are left standing.

There is no doubt that Mourinho and Inter Milan have the capacity to go through to the next round at the expense of the English and European champions, but with the second leg scheduled for Old Trafford and the Red Devils in the sort of form that they are in now, they will taking some beating.

Notwithstanding this, Inter Milan do have a competent squad that includes the likes of Adriano, who appears to be nearing his best form again. Also, Manchester United might do well to keep tabs on the movement of the Brazilian’s strike partner and Scandinavian star Ibrahimovic.

Manchester United, for their part, have a sturdy and well-organised defence; the fortitude that has served them so well. And if Inter Milan are going to get the result they so crave, then they will have to find a way of breaking down the Old Trafford rearguard.

But even then, Mourinho had something positive to say about his team. He pointed out that in Italy the game was “mentality and culture” and he added that still, this “was a really big challenge, the biggest of his career”.

And this weekend as Inter Milan visit Bologna and Manchester United host Blackburn, rest assured that both managers will also be thinking of Tuesday’s showdown at the San Siro in Milan.

By Shaun Orange

The Premier League resumes on Saturday after a two-week break, due to the FA Cup fifth round last weekend. And when it does, Chelsea will feel they have a lot more to prove than just win a game when they take on Aston Villa in an away game.

They will be playing their first league match under the guidance of Guus Hiddink; the Dutchman having taken over from Luiz Felipe Scolari who was sacked by the London club last week.

But more importantly for the Blues, they will want to show Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson that they are not a spent force, while at the same time stifle the progress of third-placed Aston Villa, who are a rung above them on the ladder.

There are just two points that separate the third and fourth-placed sides in the Premiership and a win for the Stamford Bridge side would catapult them ahead of the Midlands team.

Of course a victory for the side would lift them five clear of Chelsea and leave Hiddink and squad with a great deal more to ponder than just worrying about Arsenal who are fifth, and five points further adrift.

But it is Ferguson's assertion that Chelsea are out of the league championship race that will be ringing in the ears of the Blues. The Old Trafford boss is never one to hold back on saying what he thinks, regardless of whether his opinion is sought or not, ridiculed Chelsea by suggesting that they have no chance of making a comeback in the chase for a third league title in five years.

More tellingly though, Ferguson's comment come in direct contradiction to those of Hiddink, who after he arrived at Stamford Bridge last week, boldly predicted that despite them trailing Manchester United by ten points, could still go on and win the Premier League.

Ferguson, though, does have an ally who also thinks that the title race is only between themselves and second-placed Liverpool.

Reds' defender Jamie Carragher said he too thought that the run-in to the end of the season would pitch the Anfield side against the league leaders, forgoing the aspirations of Villa and Chelsea.

The former England centre-half said "everyone at the (Anfield) club understands that it's not over yet by a long way, but at the moment it looks like it is going to be us and Manchester United for the title".

It certainly looks that way, with Liverpool five points behind Manchester United, and Villa another three back.

But as the battle for supremacy at the top intensifies, a few surprise results could be thrown up which could really hot things up.

Nonetheless, Manchester United are in the driving seat right now, and unless a few results do go against them, they will win a third straight league title and hand Ferguson his 11th since he took charge at Old Trafford.

That would hurt Chelsea deeply, and perhaps for that reason, they could see a rejuvenated side play Villa tomorrow.

By Shaun Orange

As Manchester United intensify their bid for a unique quadruple, they have been rocked somewhat by news that they would have hoped not to hear about until the season is done.

Reports emanating from Spain have suggested that Real Madrid’s desire to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu are all in place now and all that remains is for the Portuguese winger to cross the English Channel for the Iberian peninsular.

Not only that, the radio station, Cadena Ser, have gone as far as to say that the Spanish giants have already got a £64 million loan all sewn up and just waiting to be handed over for the FIFA World Player of the Year.

There is no doubt at all that this news will have been viewed disgustingly by Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson. Following a protracted bid in the summer to sign Ronaldo, Real Madrid were left red-faced in resignation. And Ferguson took the liberty to not only report the nine-time European Cup winners to FIFA, but also let his feeling be known about what he thought of the Bernabeu club. Needless to say, his thoughts were far from flattering.

FIFA, meanwhile, threw Manchester United’s complaint out of the window, ruling that the Madrid team had not breached any of their bylaws.

For their part, Real Madrid played down the issue, saying that their interest in the player had ceased. But this, of course, has not been the case. Not now, after interim president Vicente Boluda has come out to declare that he is “convinced we will see him (Ronaldo) at the Bernabeu”.

The Spanish media have played their part to hype up the saga by insisting that not only is the funding to lure Ronaldo to Spain’s capital in place, but also that a “pre-contract has been done”.

If this is the case, and it could well be given that Real Madrid do not give up easily when they set their minds to bringing star players to their ranks, then Ferguson and his Old Trafford associates will be breathing fire.

Boluda also has plans to retain caretaker manager Juande Ramos on a permanent basis. And if he manages to convince those who will take over the running of the Bernabeu in the summer to do that, and also capture the signature of Ronaldo, he may yet be looked upon as a “saint” in the capital.

But much of this is still in the air – all conjecture. Still, having said that, we can only wonder just how concerned Manchester United are by these latest developments. Ferguson will know better than most that it could cause a distraction for his squad as they knuckle down for the run-in to the end of the season – one that could yield a further four trophies: the English Premier League title, the European Champions League, the FA Cup and the English League Cup.

Add to that the FIFA Club World Cup that they won in Japan last September and they could have five trophies to show for their efforts this term. That would be remarkable stuff.

By Shaun Orange

Anfield manager Rafael Benitez has called for a swift conclusion to the protracted negotiations over an extension to his contract at the Merseyside club. And the Liverpool boss is right.

Indeed, there is no need for the haggling. If anything, the hierarchy at the club should have jumped at the opportunity to retain the services of one of the leading tacticians in world football.

Instead, the internal squabbles, heightened by the fallout between American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have merely worked to bring a premature end to their bid for a first league title since 1990.

And if these two Yankees, along with chief executive Rick Parry, really had the interests of the cub at heart, they would have by now resolved an issue that has constantly been a thorn in the side of a club that trails champions Manchester United by two points; albeit with a game in hand for the leaders.

Benitez for his part did a wonderful job by coming out into the open and shedding light on his stand in the matter. It was suggested in many quarters that the Spaniard was holding out on signing a new deal until he got “full control” of the buying and selling of players, and the running of the youth academy.

Making his point in The Guardian, he said that he “would like to clear one thing up” and that was that he “never asked for complete control".

“I did, however, ask for the power to be able to make my own decisions and run the team the way I see fit. That is not the same thing,” he explained.

Benitez’s wanting to do things his way at the club, is similar to the manner in which things are done at Old Trafford. There Alex Ferguson has the last say on how the team operates and who operates in it. And given that it has brought them such great success, then one cannot fault it.

Liverpool would do well to follow suit.

As if hinting at a possible rejection of his calls to have his contract extended – and under his terms, Benitez also said that he would like one day to coach Real Madrid, although he hastened to declare that that “time was not now”.

He said that he was “not thinking about leaving and hoped to be here for a long time but of course Real Madrid would be the perfect ending to anyone's career”.

That passing shot alone should at least nudge the owners into action. And with their best chance of winning the league in such a long time, one would think that the Americans would seize the opportunity with both hands and sort out the issue.

My hope is that they do, and then at least they may give Manchester United a real run for their money in the championship race and make for a gripping finale.

By Shaun Orange

Manchester United won the English Premier League title and European Champions League trophy last year, and they did it in style. This season they are heavily tipped to win both again, although Barcelona are marginally ahead in the tipsters’ columns.

They are still in the FA Cup and through to the final of the English League Cup. Here they appear to have even lesser competition in scooping both, in a bid for a unique quadruple.

And as difficult as it might seem, the Red Devils perhaps have their best chance of landing all four trophies than at any other time in the club’s history. Further still, if there is any one team in England who can go on and take all four, then it has got to be Manchester United. Indeed, no other team looks capable, or is capable of pulling off such a feat.

Thus, when Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson said that his was the “best” squad in the Premiership, he was merely stating the obvious. There is no team as good, or as efficient, as Manchester United right now. They are a class above the rest, and I have a feeling that they will sweep all three pieces of silverware in England this term – the Premier League that would be a third successive success, the FA Cup and the League Cup, in which they face Tottenham in the final in a fortnight’s time.

Probed on which might be his best First XI, Ferguson said: “I can give you my best 14 or 15, but better than that, all I can say is that this is a squad game and that we have a damn fine squad. In fact it is the best.”

Saying it as it is, Ferguson might come across to some as being rather cocky, yet all the Scot is doing is being quite honest.

The squad that Ferguson has at his disposal is as potent a force as any that played in England over the last decade and a half. Add to that the fact that Manchester United’s fiercest at the moment – Liverpool and Chelsea, have been beset by problems of their own, it just makes the Old Trafford squad even more solid.

The omission of Aston Villa from that equation was deliberate because I do not believe that they are as solid throughout the pitch as they seem to be. In Martin O’Neill, Villa have an excellent manager, but I reckon they are quite in the make-up of the squad, and if they get a few injuries and a few suspensions, then they could be badly exposed as being nothing more than pretenders, which is what I believe they are.

The Champions League is the competition which I think Manchester United struggle with the most. Of course, they are well equipped to go on and win it in May, but Barcelona and Liverpool, for me, look a great threat to be just written off like that.

The Spaniards look the strongest side outside of Manchester, and Liverpool, who probably will not win the Premiership (because Manchester United look like doing that) have some unexplained way for always fumbling on the domestic front yet playing above themselves in the European Cup. History has showed us this time and again, and this season could well be another example.

Still, having said that, Manchester United look primed to win all four – the English Premier League, European Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup; how about that!

By Shaun Orange

In a tumultuous week for managers in English football, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has added his voice to the concerns raised by those who do not subscribe to the thinking that if the results are not good enough, then the man behind leading the club should be shown the door.

Tony Adams and Luiz Felipe Scolari were unceremoniously kicked out of the managerial posts at Portsmouth and Chelsea, and it left many to wonder just where the game is heading.

In the case of Adams, a former captain of the Gunners in the days under Wenger, one could say that we saw it coming. Pompey managed a meager two victories in 16 league matches with Adams at the helm. And by all accounts, that is just not acceptable.

Still, while the Portsmouth lot might say that they had no alternative but give Adams the boot, the gaffer’s exit remains  one that caught more than just a few off guard.

Similarly surprisingly, David James, Portsmouth’s England international goalkeeper, has come out in public to slate Adams, saying that he was never any good for Pompey.

A senior member at the club and their star player over the last couple of seasons, James reckons that Adams got his tactics and team selections all mixed up, and that he did not cultivate a mutual understanding with the players. 

That may be the case, but Scolari’s exit was certainly more alarming. The Blues are still in the FA Cup and European Champions League, and although they slipped to fourth in the Premiership standings last weekend, Scolari hadn’t done too badly.

Perhaps their poor home record this term, which came with their first league defeat there in some four-and-a-half years, really tilted the scales against the Brazilian coach; and maybe the fact that a few seniors also questioned his methods of training.

Somehow, the London club expertly managed to deflect the attention from the Scolari issue. And the way they did it was to appoint Guus Hiddink, the much-travelled Dutch manager, as boss until the end of the season.

And not leaving it there, Chelsea were then told by the man that he will retain his job as manager of the Russian national team as well, that they can still win the Premier League title.

Well, as I indicated in an earlier posting, I know it is possible mathematically, but I do not see Hiddink winning the championship crown this season. The seven points between them and Manchester United and the game in hand that the Old Trafford side have is just too much of a gap to make between now and the end of the campaign.

And while many have turned their attention to closely watching the developments at Stamford Bridge, the plight of managers was not lost on Wenger, who called on “chairman and owners” of clubs to be more patient before yielding the axe.

Indeed, Wenger does have a point. But in these days, where only instant success is tolerate, Adams and Scolari had little chance of hanging around; just the same as Paul Ince, who was shafted earlier in the season after only 17 matches at Blackburn. Roy Keane would almost surely have met with the same fate, had he not walked away from Sunderland.

It is sad situation for managers of struggling clubs, and Wenger is right, but that now is the way of the (football) world.

By Shaun Orange

Chelsea begin life under Guus Hiddink this weekend when they play Watford in a FA Cup fifth round match at Stamford Bridge, even if the Dutchman will not be on the touchline.

Reports had it that Hiddink, who met the Blues players on Thursday, following their return from international duty, was expected to watch Chelsea’s Cup clash from the stands, given that he has had only a couple of days to work with the team after taking over from Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The Brazilian was sacked by the London club after they slipped to fourth in the Premier League standings last weekend.

And despite assuming control of the Blues in midstream, Hiddink spoke optimistically about their chances of reaping silverware this season.

There are still four months to go before the end of the campaign, one in which they trail leaders and champions Manchester United by seven points in the league, and the Dutchman is confident they can still come good and land the coveted title.

Speaking to Chelsea TV, he pointed out that they are “still in the FA Cup, European Champions League and English Premiership, and that anything could happen”.

With reference to the Premier League he added that “there might be a 10-point difference (between them and Manchester United, should the champions win their game in hand) but if you look at the past of this league and other leagues as well, some things can happen during the final stages of the championship”.

Up against Juventus in the round of 16 in the Champions League, Hiddink said that “is so attractive” and hastily added that Chelsea have “the experience to go to the final”.

This sort of optimism was something that was sorely lacking since the departure of Jose Mourinho who was given the boot by the Blues in September 2007.

But even for a coach as experienced and motivated as Hiddink, the league title – the most desired of the three competitions – looks beyond them.

The FA Cup and European Cup might be within their grasp under Hiddink, who will continue as coach of the Russian team. However, the Premier League crown, with all its intensity and hype just seems too far for the Blues to win.

Not only are they seven points adrift of Manchester United, and have Liverpool and Aston Villa ahead of them in the standings, but there are also a mere 13 games to go. That deficit at the top of table is a huge ask by any standards, never mind such a minimal distance in which to overhaul it.

Nonetheless, if you are a Chelsea fan, you will be hoping that just like Hiddink worked wonders by taking unfashionable Korean and Dutch teams to the World Cup semi-finals, he can do the same at Stamford Bridge.

For the good of the sport and what it would mean to the Premiership, I hope he can pull it off. But I am not convinced he will.   

By Shaun Orange

The news that Tony Adams had been given the boot by Portsmouth had hardly gone cold when the world of soccer was jolted by Luiz Felipe Scolari’s sacking as manager of Chelsea.

Pompey had done terribly under the guidance of the former Arsenal captain, and his exit was largely expected. If anything, Adams’ ouster was only about the timing – when Portsmouth would bring an end to his reign as Pompey boss.

However, Scolari’s ejection as the main man at Stamford Bridge came “out of the blue”, one could say. He only took over as manager at the start of this season, and even if they did slide to fourth in the standings over the weekend – Aston Villa climbing into third after the London team could do no better than draw with Hull City, Chelsea’s heavy-handedness did catch quite a few of us off-guard.

The recriminations that have come within Stamford Bridge have escalated in recent weeks, and perhaps the suggestion that Scolari had lost control of his superstar players is really what brought about his downfall.

He was glaringly unable to get his squad to toe the line; play the way he wanted them to or play with the conviction that they were supposed to. In this game, there is no room for a manager who cannot control his players, and Scolari fell painfully short of being able to do just that.

His own fallout with Didier Drogba – for me still the best centre-forward in England alongside Fernando Torres – was a classic example of the Brazilian being incapable of asserting his authority on the players.

And like we all know, when the results are not up to the liking of those who pull the (purse) strings at the club, the manager almost always gets the chop first. There is no denying that this is part and parcel of today’s world of football.

On hearing the news that his Chelsea counterpart had been shown the exit door, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said that “it is a sign of the times… there is absolutely no patience in the world now”.

Well he is right and he will probably be well aware of the fact that Scolari will not be the last to be treated so harshly by his club.

Ferguson told MUTV that he was “really surprised and shocked”, coming as it did just seven months into the job at Stamford Bridge. The champions’ boss noted that Scolari, who won the World Cup for Brazil in 2002, was “a man of great experience and was the obvious choice to replace Avram Grant”.

For his part, Scolari said the failure to lure his Brazilian compatriot Robinho from Real Madrid in the summer proved costly. Speaking through his agent, Acaz Fellegger, Scolari said he had tried to bring in new blood, but was thwarted by the hierarchy of the club. He added that he believed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was the man behind the sacking.

True or not, Scolari’s axing has indeed come as a surprise. And now, we can only wonder what sort of impact it will have on the London team. My guess is it will get worse before it gets better, regardless of who they bring in to replace Scolari.

By Shaun Orange

The inevitable unfolded at Portsmouth this weekend when Tony Adams was relieved of his post as manager of Pompey, while elsewhere, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was full of praise of his players as they tightened their grip on the Premier League championship race.

Adams, the former Arsenal skipper, got the sack along with first team coach John Metgod, and Paul Hart, their director of youth operations, was put in charge until a boss was named.

With just two league victories to show from his 16 matches in charge at Fratton Park, Adams knew better than most what was coming. And it made sense from the club’s point of view to let him go.

Having taken over after Harry Redknapp quit the south England team in October, Adams witnessed Portsmouth’s rapid slide towards the relegation zone. And the man who will replace him will be charged with trying to lift them from their 16^th spot in the 20-team league and to relative safety.

It was plain sailing for Adams, and perhaps the final straw for the hierarchy at Fratton Park came when the senior players were reported to be holding their own “team talks”. But the underlining issue was that these players did not give Adams the support he needed to keep his job and keep Portsmouth from falling further into the drop zone.

A club spokesman told their website that “this was a very difficult decision and Tony has worked tirelessly to arrest the slump in form”. But for all the rhetoric, Adams really had no chance of staying, not with their sort of form.

In contrast, Ferguson kept his Old Trafford side two points ahead of Liverpool at the summit of the Premiership, with a game in hand. And instead of bragging about their brilliant form, he offered a word of caution.

Making his point, the champions’ boss said that “for Manchester United, over 20 hours without conceding a goal is extraordinary” because normally they get “scorelines like 4-3”.

He added that it was “great credit to the players” and that he was “very proud of them”.

Indeed Ferguson should be proud, but he also noted that “mistakes can be made” and gave the example of when they “had an 11-point lead over Arsenal in 1998 and lost the league”.

Manchester United will get the chance to extend their lead to five points over Liverpool when they play host to Fulham next week Tuesday (Feb 17).

Liverpool carved out an extraordinary 3-2 win at Portsmouth after they trailed 2-1 with five minutes to go. Pompey saw this as the last act of Adams, yet credit should also be given to Liverpool for their tenacity.

However, even their staunchest supporters will admit that to live that close to edge will almost certainly have them concede more ground to Manchester United.

Nonetheless, they did it and now all they can do is look forward to continuing to keep up the pressure and make this a really interesting run-in for us. It looks like it is going that way, we hope it does!

By Shaun Orange

On a weekend when Aston Villa moved into third place in the Premier League standings, Arsenal were rocked by reports that they could see an exodus of their star talents if they do not qualify for Europe.

The UK paper, News Of The World, reported in its main sports story that all of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott could quit the Emirates should the Gunners fail in their bid to make the top-four and earn qualification into next season’s European Champions League tournament. Noting that van Persie had yet to sign an extension on his contract, the paper also pointed out that the Dutch striker had “made it clear it is not just about money but the direction the club is going”.

It’s been known for a little while now that Barcelona have an eye on Fabregas, who himself has intimated more than once that he would “one day” like to play for the Catalan giants. Favourites for this season’s Champions League honours and runaway leaders of the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona is from where Arsenal signed the midfielder.

Adebayor, meanwhile, is a target of Real Madrid. Following his flirting with a possible move to AC Milan last summer, the Togo international could well transfer to Spanish capital sooner rather than later. A switch to Madrid would be seen as good for the player.

Walcott, by far England’s most promising youngster and a lad who has rapidly grown in stature and will do a lot better as he gains even more experience, could also elbow his way out of the Emirates, and as long as he continues to stall on signing a  new contract, the likelihood of that happening grows by the day.

Given the Gunners’ predicament, no one would really blame any of them for moving on.

Arsene Wenger’s team are fifth on the Premiership table, six points adrift of Chelsea in fourth spot, although the Gunners do have a game in hand over their city rivals.

The comments attributed to an Arsenal source by the paper, bring with them much despair for the Arsenal faithful. The weekly paper quoted the source as saying that “If Arsenal finish outside the top four, there’s no way the likes of van Persie, Adebayor and Fabregas will hang around. They love playing for Arsene Wenger but they also want to win things”.

Indeed, that is Wenger’s problem, and in many respects it is one of his own making.

The Frenchman, who only on deadline day of the January transfer window, signed ace striker Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St Petersburg. But the Russian’s arrival has been the only real telling admission to a squad that is just too young and inexperienced to challenge for the title; never mind issues like injuries and suspensions being brought into the equation.

The suggestion that Wenger might have done well to buy a combative midfielder and central defender makes a lot of sense. That he chose not to, might yet cause the likes of van Persie and company to leave the Emirates.

If that ever happens, then it is very likely that Wenger himself would hit the highway. With Real Madrid among a clutch of clubs who have already expressed their interest in acquiring the services of the French coach, he would not have too much bother in taking over at one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Of course, if they qualify for the Champions League and he strengthens his squad appreciably there might not be a need for the stars to be wondering where they could be tomorrow.

By Shaun Orange

Xabi Alonso of all people spoke openly about the internal strife at Anfield, and went as far as to say that the manager, Rafael Benitez and the owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are involved in a wicked “tug of war”.

Right or wrong, the fact that Alonso chose to share his opinion with the world, is what surprises me. But then again, coming as it does, in the wake of Benitez himself having a real go at Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson with an unusual verbal assault not so long ago, it maybe should not be deemed out of order after all.

But these things cannot be good for Liverpool. Not good for any team for that matter, which is in a decent position of challenging for the title.

Benitez, we know, has his problems with trying win over more control of how the club is run. But for one of the team’s senior players to bare his soul in public, like Alonso did, can only be seen as a desperate attempt to try on his own to bring an end, even if only temporarily, to it all.

Liverpool’s win over Chelsea last week reignited their campaign for a first league championship crown since 1990, yet Alonso’s revelations will surely do nothing more than just hurt their bid.

What this club needs to do now; and that is without delay, is sort out the mess. And here much of it will depend on the two American owners to sit down with each other and resolve their differences. And even after that they will need to turn their focus to supporting the manager and team as they prepare their final push for the Premiership title.

That aside, Alonso also made mention of something that could really give their title rivals some food for thought. The Spaniard said that “right now they probably are not playing as well as they were a month ago when they were a bit fresher and their level of play was much more fluid”.

He also chose to make the point that “ups and downs in a season” are normal. He went to say that Liverpool in “no way are in bad shape” and that what concerned them “a bit is when teams just line up in massed defence” against them.

It is fact that the Reds have not been firing at full throttle in recent weeks, and the results are proof of that. But what it also means is that if the Anfield team really do get their act together, from owners down to the boot cleaners, then this squad could have a huge say in who will win the tile this season.

Liverpool have not been in such a good position to challenge for the championship crown and if only Benitez could concentrate on football matters, rather than worrying about having meetings with the hierarchy, then they might have it in them to go all the way to land the English title.

For all those on the Kop and around the world who support this great club, it must be awfully frustrating to know that much of their hindrances are coming from within, instead of the opposition. And maybe that is what Alonso was trying to tell us. Maybe!

By Shaun Orange

Liverpool’s win over Chelsea last week was viewed almost across the spectrum of world football as having gotten the Merseyside club firmly back into the Premiership championship race.

Indeed, that victory lifted Rafael Benitez’s side above the Blues into second place, and just two points behind leaders and champions Manchester United, who also have a game in hand.

But even Chelsea’s visit to Anfield, where the London team were left to lick their wounds after a 2-0 defeat, Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson boldly pointed out that his team would drop points before the destiny of the Premier League was decided this term.

Now, in the wake of the Reds posting the double over Chelsea – they ended the Blues' dominance in the league at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season - and putting their own campaign back on track after a series of worrying draws, Ferguson has again chosen to publicly declare that they will not have it their own way.

But if one takes stock of just what the Old Trafford manager is trying to say, then it makes sense to conclude that this team is worried about the threat that Liverpool and Chelsea pose in the bids to wrest the crown from Manchester United -  and gravely so.

In the build up to their visit to Upton Park this week, Ferguson was again at pains to voice his opinion that this campaign could be a lot tougher than people think.

“You have to put your mind to the possibility that the title could go down to the last few games, and I expect the worst and hope for the best." Ferguson said.

Manchester United, with their game in hand over their two chief rivals and two points clear of their nearest challengers, have been installed as heavy favourites to win third successive league title on the trot.

But because there is such a little to separate the leading sides from each other, never mind the lower ranked teams playing over and above themselves when they come up against the big guns, a couple of slip-ups by any of the top-three and valuable ground will be lost.

Thus, Ferguson is well and truly into his mind games and will no doubt fully understand that if he mentions at this stage that his squad could drop points, the impact of them really doing so will hurt less, if and when it does occur.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s World Footballer of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo, has stuck his neck out to predict that the English and European champions would see off the challenge of Inter Milan in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

Ferguson’s charges take on Jose Mourinho’s Italian champions in the first leg of the tie in Milan on February 24, while the return is set for March 11 at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo’s comments could be said to be in sharp contrast with the unusually cautious approach that Ferguson is adopting. And if the young Portuguese lad could be told, he should know that to go around big-mouthing just how well they will do, before they have even done it, often comes back to haunt you.

Ronaldo is obviously buoyed by their recent form and the fact they are second favourites behind Barcelona to win the coveted club title. But to have him boasting about it prods me to believe that he may yet come to regret this. And more so, as his boss has come out to admit that things will not be easy in the run-in to the end of the season.

By Shaun Orange

Bundled out of England’s tow domestic cup competitions by teams from lower divisions, and now an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Stoke, Manchester City’s manager Mark Hughes is in grave danger of getting the boot.

If anything, Hughes looks ripe to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Sven-Goran Eriksson, whom he replaced in the off-season. The Swede did not do too bad a job, guiding the team to ninth in last season’s standings.

On the way there, they rolled over bitter cross-town rivals Manchester United twice in the league, pulling off an unlikely double as the Red Devils still went on to win the championship title.

With just under two-thirds of the campaign completed, Man City find themselves in tenth place. Also they are through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup, where they will clash with FC Copenhagen, home and away, this month. 

On face value, this does not look that poor, compared with Eriksson’s efforts. However, the difference is the money that has been pumped into the side since, and what ambitions the new owners of the club have. In both cases, the “big” is the operative word.

Troubled Brazilian ace Robinho cost a cool ₤32.5 million in August. And Hughes has also overseen the arrival in the January transfer window of Shay Given from Newcastle (for a reported ₤6 million), Nigel De Jong from German club SV Hamburg (estimated ₤17 million) and Craig Bellamy (reported ₤5 million).

That is more than ₤60 million spent on players since the beginning of the season. And for them to have nothing to show for it, surely the manager will pay the price - and get the sack.

The directors of Manchester City have openly backed the former Manchester United striker, saying that Hughes was part of their long term plans to turn the Citizens into a club that would take on the might of the Red Devils, as well as imposing themselves on the continent.

If the truth were told, Hughes has failed to keep up his end of the bargain, and looks set to go, maybe even before the end of the season.

The talk of Fabio Capello, the England manager taking over at the Eastlands, makes a lot of sense and it certainly hypes things up.

Hughes does not have the experience, nor the charisma, to threaten the dominance of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan or Juventus at home or abroad.

But Capello does. One would have to say that he was born for a job like this. It would be a major coup if the Middle East backers of City could lure him to lead the blue half of Manchester.

If that were indeed to develop, then Manchester City could be counted in as a factor for the title as early as next season, and on to watch for the Champions League the following year.

It is sad to say, Hughes, with all his great will and good nurturedness, just does not fit the bill - not like Capello would. But would the English Football Association allow the Italian to cut short his contract - more so with the marvellous impact he has made.

My guess is he could go, if the right money was offered to him, and the FA compensated generously.

By Shaun Orange

Seven draws in an unbeaten run of ten league games knocked Liverpool off the top of the Premier League standings and spawned widespread speculation that the Reds’ challenge for the title was about to implode.

Almost everything about the team and those associated with it appeared to be helping unsettle Rafael Benitez’s squad in recent weeks. The manager himself drew sharp criticism for an outburst directed at Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and the hierarchy of the Football Association.

In most respects, Benitez was within his own rights to speak his mind. After all, that is the norm with those who manage top-flight clubs in the English game. Ferguson, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Chelsea’s Luiz Felipe Scolari are good examples of this. The only difference with Benitez’s interview was that he chose to take on Ferguson - and the might of Manchester United Football Club; something all the other clubs are too afraid to do.

And just when it looked like Benitez’s “rant” was working against him and his team, and that things were going to blow-up in his face, the Reds pulled off a heroic victory over Chelsea in a crucial clash at Anfield on Sunday.

Frank Lampard’s sending off, as soft as it might seem, is just part and parcel of the game, and Chelsea will know this well. They had a dubious penalty awarded to them at the start of last season in a match between these sides, and will perhaps now understand how Liverpool might have felt about that. That spot-kick had the Stamford Bridge side draw a game that the Merseysiders looked like winning.

Some have suggested that Liverpool have been extremely lucky this season, but in truth, they have also shown great character, and the performance at Anfield on Sunday was a classical illustration.

That Scolari admitted after the game that “Liverpool were better” than them, underscored this. Of course, the Brazilian coach also called for the Lampard red card to be reviewed.

But beyond this, Liverpool really did themselves a huge favour with the victory. The 2-0 triumph lifted the Reds back into second, ahead of Chelsea (by three) points and just two behind Manchester United, who have a game in hand.

The Blues are by no means out of the championship race, but as things stand, Manchester United, by virtue of their cushion at the top of the table, and Liverpool look like they could be in for a tantalizing showdown.

When these two giants of world football lock horns at Old Trafford on March 14, they could both be playing for the title outright. Of course, it might not necessarily pan out that way, but while the possibility does exist, this campaign continues to hot up just nice for a mighty climax.

I would say that it could well go down to being decided on the last day of the season. However, any or all of Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Manchester City, Arsenal and Hull City could have a say in that, as they meet Manchester United in their run-in to the end of the campaigns – in that order. Liverpool, after their win over Chelsea, will not be bothered about who Manchester United face, as long they (the Reds) keep themselves in the charge to the end of the season; something similar to what they did against Chelsea at Anfield.

By Shaun Orange

Arsenal were held to a goalless draw by West Ham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, and it only served to impede in their bid of closing the gap on Aston Villa in fourth place.

These are distinctly worrying times for the Gunners, who as long as they remain outside the top-four, stand to miss out on a place in the European Champions League.

And while that thought might have looked improbable five months ago, there is a real possibility that Arsene Wenger’s side could be usurped in their efforts to feature in the continent’s premier club cup competition next term.

Failure to finish in the top-four would almost certainly bring with a berth in the UEFA Cup, but more importantly for the Gunners, it would mean a huge financial loss, estimated to be around £15 million at least, if you qualify for the group stages of the tournament.

However, notwithstanding their inability to close in on Villa, who themselves were held to a goalless draw by Wigan on Saturday, Wenger said they were focused only on their own results, rather than worrying about what Martin O’Neill’s side were doing.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the stalemate at the Emirates, Wenger said, “We have our ambition. We want to win all our games, but we do not look at the results of Aston Villa.”

One gets the feeling that Arsenal, and Wenger in particular, will always be keeping an eye on how Villa fare and perhaps the draw at Villa Park prompted the Frenchman to say that they were not bothered by the result.

Nearly as troublingly for Arsenal, who were also held to a (1-1) draw by Everton in the midweek, has been a great show of character by Villa.

The Midlands team are unbeaten in their last 12 league games. And of those fixtures, they have won eight and drawn four, including Wigan’s visit on Saturday.

Equally impressive in this run was their win over Arsenal at the Emirates, the draw with the Gunners in the return leg and the holding of champions Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at Villa Park.

While, Wenger looks on with increasingly apprehension of their position in the standings and the likelihood of missing out on the Champions League, he might draw some heart from their forthcoming schedule.

Following the FA Cup action next weekend, Arsenal will clash with Tottenham (Feb 8) in what should be another tense London derby, but after that they could capitalise on a fixture list that has them tale on Sunderland (Feb 21), Fulham (Feb 28), West Bromwich Albion (March 3), Blackburn Rovers (March 14) and Newcastle (March 21).

A couple of games later and Arsenal enter a four-week stretch that will have them clash with Liverpool (April 18), Chelsea (May 9) and Manchester United (May 16).

It is this taxing period that could well salvage Arsenal’s season. Decent results against the top-three might just prove the pivotal point in their campaign and rescue something from it for the Gunners. Failing that could spell disaster for the Emirates side.