By Shaun Orange

Arsenal carved out a gutsy victory over a tough-to-beat Blackburn Rovers outfit on Monday and opened up a five-point lead at the top of the table; making things real interesting in the process.

Manchester United, comprehensively beaten by arch-rivals City (despite how narrow the scoreline might look), must be worried a little, in the least. This is the time of the season when the focus shifts to the run-in and those with the edge are the ones who should be the most confident.

Arsenal certainly are, and manager Arsene Wenger rubbed it in when he suggested after the game that they have been “confident” since day one of this campaign and that they can go on a land the Premiership title.

Given the circumstances, it is difficult to argue with, but it could also prove foolhardy to start the celebrations with twelve games still to go.

Of course, Wenger and his squad are too professional to fall into that sort of trap, and instead the wily Frenchman noted in his post-match remarks that “there's still a long way to go”. Indeed, there is a handful of tricky fixtures still to come that will help shape the league table, come May.

But the position Wenger finds himself in is a pleasant one; yet this is down to not all of his own making. Man United’s capitulation in the face of a determined performance by their city neighbors definitely handed the Gunners the initiative as they prepare for the run-in to the end of the season.

The Red Devils, using the international break as an excuse after they succumbed to the Blues, have only themselves to blame for the London side nosing ahead at this crucial stage in the campaign. However, the Old Trafford club could draw inspiration from the fact that not too many weeks ago it was Arsenal who slipped up and fell behind; however marginal it might seem now.

Chelsea, with their goalless draw with beleaguered Liverpool, did nothing to help their cause. If anything, they saw the chance of a third league crown in four seasons wane somewhat.

With Man United five points behind the league leaders and Chelsea a further three adrift, Avram Grant will know fully well that if they are to continue to harbour aspirations of another Premier League title they cannot afford any more slip-ups; and even then it may well be too late.

Nonetheless, they could and will certainly hope to impact the destiny of the championship crown when they are at home to the Gunners next month (March 23) and Man United visit Stamford Bridge on April 26.

Those two games could prove pivotal to the outcome of the title and might yet make Arsenal’s formidable-looking five-point lead flimsy. 

But the Gunners will not be complaining with the way things went this past weekend and their advantage tucked safely under the arm. Then again, who could blame them; what with all the intensity of this most intriguing league championship on the planet?

By Shaun Orange

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson applauded the bahaviour of the Man City fans in the minute’s silence, observed as a mark of respect for the 23 who died in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958 – ten of them United players and management staff.

It was complimentary of the Old Trafford boss, just as it was a gentlemanly thing to do. More so, after it was anticipated that some unruly fans in the City half would demean the occasion. And with a global television audience watching it would have been a bitter pill to swallow.

No doubt, Sven-Goran Eriksson will also be proud of the mannerism of their supporters and expect more of the same from them as they continue to perform better on the pitch than they have for a few decades now.

But the Swede will be equally chuffed with the result that knocked the wind out of Man United, left the Red Devils on the ropes and installed Arsenal as the favourites to go on and win their first league championship title since the 2003/04 campaign.

The 2-1 victory over the old enemy on Sunday was nothing less than the Blues deserved. It clearly gave notice that this team has not just made an impressive start to the tenure of Eriksson at the City of Manchester Stadium, but are good enough to hold their own at the top end of the table.

City’s performance was such that they led the home team at the Theatre of Dreams 2-0 at half-time. And maybe with a shade more luck and a couple of better bounces they might well have been four-nil in front.

Nonetheless, they duly wrapped up an improbable “double” this season over their arch-rivals. For the Swedish coach, it was a case of three-out-of-three wins over Ferguson; taking into account Eriksson’s triumph over Man United with Lazio in the 1999 European Super Cup.

Zimbabwean striker, Benjani Mwaruwari, had a dream debut for his new club, scoring what turned out to be the winner, and at Old Trafford of all places. Darius Vassell opened the scoring, while Michael Carrick got one back for United, but by then it was much too late.

If there was one thing that stood in this encounter for Man United, then it must be that the cracks in the supposedly impenetrable defence were exposed.

Benjani, the live-wire that he is and the reason why Eriksson coughed up some £4 million (with another £4 million to follow, depending on a number of issue) on the last day of the January transfer window, embarrassed Rio Ferdinand on more than a couple of occasions, badgering him with the guile of an old pro.

Fernandes Gelson, too, took the fight to Man United, and was simply superb in midfield, making a mockery of the illustrious reputations of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

For all their wanting, Man United on this day had no reply. The highly-acclaimed (perhaps over-rated) Cristiano Ronaldo was nowhere to be seen, similar to the weekend before when they were stunned by Tottenham, only in that fixture the score was 1-0 for most of the game before they were handed a draw in injury time by an own-goal.

There was no such thing this Sunday and Man United were left to pay for their sloppiness. It was, one could say, just as well that the City fans behaved themselves like they did before the start of the match; because this one, they will enjoy for some time to come.

By Shaun Orange

When Kevin Keegan arrived at St James’ Park in the middle of last month for his second spell as manager of Newcastle United Football Club, the supporters on Tyneside went delirious.

They dubbed it the return of the “Messiah”. He was roundly seen as the man who would turn around the Magpies’ flagging fortunes, following in the wake of Sam Allardyce.

But things have not gone as smoothly as many had anticipated. If anything, they have gone from bad to worse. When “King Kev” took over last month they were 11^th in the Premiership standings. Now, after the 4-1 thrashing on Saturday at the hands of a ruthlessly efficient Aston Villa, they are 13^th on the log.

And sadly for Tyneside, there appears no end in sight for the turmoil at St James’ Park.

Forced to make comment on the situation in the build-up to the visit to Villa Park, Keegan conceded that their results were not what he hoped they would be. Far from it; they look a lame duck right now and unless something extraordinary happens, their slide towards to the relegation zone looks to continue.

The make-up of Keegan’s squad is a useful one. They got of a few players, who are quite handy, but they desperately lack confidence. And one would have to guess that there are some undercurrents within the team that are not helping, perhaps some disgruntlement.

Whatever it is, Keegan needs to sort it out, and quickly at that.

In mitigation, one would have to acknowledge that his takeover has not been as sound as maybe it should have been.

His issues with Michael Owen were dealt with speedily and put to bed immediately – the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker was made captain.

But the tall shadow of Alan Shearer continues to cast a worrying figure over St James' Park, and his (Shearer’s) take that the club can only have “one man in charge” at a time, is correct, but wholly unwarranted. Needless to say, he turned down a coaching role under Keegan, and will almost certainly feel no sympathy for a manager whom he fell out with sometime ago.

The appointment a couple of weeks or so ago of Denis Wise as Director of Football at St James' Park was another matter that merely added to their plight. His posting is widely seen as flimsy and one that has only brought with in more confusion to a squad already blinded by frustration.

So can Keegan rescue Newcastle and eventually start to turn things around at St James’ Park. My answer would be an emphatic: “No”.

They are too deep in trouble to get anything out of this season, perhaps, only to stave off relegation. And as tough as that may sound, that is the reality of things at St James’ Park.

They are a big club by all standards, but the mess they are in needs someone bigger than Keegan to sort it out.

And go the loyal supporters on Tyneside, they should not forgot that when Keegan left them left them in a lurch the first time, and when he parted company with the England national team and Manchester City, they did not sack him; they never got the chance. He simply walked out each time things got too hot to handle.

Take note, things are getting hot at St James’ Park right now.

By Shaun Orange

There have been two significant issues that took place this week. And, although on a considerably lesser scale, there might yet be another two in store this weekend.

The first was the tribute paid to those who perished in the 1958 Munich Air Disaster that claimed 23 lives – ten of them Manchester United players and management staff.   

The other event of note was the Premiership handing down notice that they intend to take the league overseas and play a 39^th match in a season (from 2010/11) at venues spread across the globe, embracing Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

In the first instance, this was soberly adhered to and the correct thing to do. The demise of the likes of Duncan Edwards, who was rapidly developing into one of the games’ most articulate players before his young life was snatched from him, will always be remembered by those with a genuine passion for English league.

When Man United face cross-town rivals Man City in a potentially fiery encounter at Old Trafford on Sunday, the fans who will come out to root for their teams must follow the cue taken by those on Wednesday, and show respect for those who remember from the Munich tragedy.

Calls have been specifically made by both managers, Alex Ferguson and Sven-Goran Eriksson, for the fans to observe a minute’s silence before the game as a show of respect.

However, it is quite likely that some unruly City supporters might take the opportunity to again raise the ugly head of English soccer, in which the (association and club) authorities should identify the culprits and banish them from the game.

The Premier League could themselves find it hard to convince all and sundry that their plan mooted this week to play one extra game in a foreign city is the right thing.

Wholesale accusations of financial greed have been levelled against the Premier League, following them making public their plan to take league games aboard.

While not all are against the idea, many have called for an in-depth investigation into the matter before ratifying it, managers, players, the media and fans, have vilified the league.

The issue of logistics has also profoundly been raised and makes a lot of sense; on face value at least.

No doubt, this matter is far from finished.

The two fixtures on Sunday will close out the weekend’s programme and could cap an absorbing line-up.

In the Manchester derby, the home team will be keen on exacting a measure of revenge after being floored 1-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium in August. And after being held by Tottenham last weekend, which led to Arsenal opening up a two-point gap at the top, things could get quite heated at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will also be hoping to get their championship bid back on track with a win over visiting Liverpool. These two have built up a healthy dislike of each in recent seasons and after Liverpool came so close to chalking up their first league win over the Blues since Rafael Benitez took over at Anfield in 2004, it should again prove a close call.

By Shaun Orange

The Premier League’s announcement that they intend to have each club play an extra match a season at an overseas venue has met with mixed reactions, while others are undecided on whether or not it’s a good idea.

The proposal put before a meeting of the 20 Premiership clubs was that each team, with effect from the 2010/11 season, would figure in 10 matches played in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas over one weekend in January. And that the results would count towards the league standings.

The league itself, said they saw the move as a positive one and that the “international round is an exciting and innovative proposal”. However, there was caution expressed in that it “needs careful consideration before being introduced”.

But the crux of the matter is that this is just another avenue being explored by the marketing mongers to further bolster their coffers as they look beyond their borders to vend their product.

No grudge held against the Premiership, it is indeed the best league in the world, in terms of excitement and accessibility. It is also the most lucrative and one with the longest history.

But will it be doing the right thing to take their games outside of England.

The answer from most of those within the local game is: No. For many of those outside the UK, this would be a great opportunity to see first-hand the players and a game that they follow week-in and week-out. Thus, it would be most welcome, even if for just one match a season.

There is no denying that this latest development is merely a marketing ploy to make the Premier League richer. And from a monetary standpoint there would be absolutely nothing wrong with it.

However, with the likes of Manchester manager Alex Ferguson, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, Anfield boss Rafael Benitez and Everton’s David Moyes, amongst others, all deriding the “exorbitant” number of internationals that the clubs have to put up with each season, this idea could face some strong opposition.

Most of the clubs feel that their players are overloaded with fixtures as it is. So for them to agree with this new idea will only be seen as a contradiction to what they say they stand for.

If they do say it’s good and go with it merely to make more money, then they – starting Ferguson, Wenger, Benitez and Moyes, should remember to keep quiet on the matter of internationals in the future.

The suggestion that the players will be playing for their clubs and not their national teams does not count here, because more often than not, watching an international game such as a World Cup qualifier or friendly between Brazil and England is a welcome break from the Premiership lot serve up (almost) each weekend.

And regardless of what spin the Premier League have put out on their fanciful idea, they can rest assured that they will face some tough opposition, even from within their own ranks. Already one supporters’ organisation has labelled the plan “ludicrous and disrespectful to the traditions of the English”.

There is no doubt in my mind that UEFA and FIFA will also take some convincing; even if this is about making money.

By Shaun Orange

There appears to be something seriously wrong with the mind of Didier Drogba. It is either that or he only plays his best football when engrossed by controversy.

But it can’t be that, because normal human beings are not known to function efficiently - mentally or physically, when they are preoccupied with other things.

Simply said, this centre forward of note cannot be in terrific form while embroiled in matters that would floor lesser players; the kind that he finds himself in right now.

When one considers that he is at the African Nations Cup and captain of the Ivory Coast, joint favourites to win the biennial trophy, it makes for boggling stuff.

Yet despite this, the 29-year-old - one of the best strikers in world football, seems find to no problem with blending his moaning and groaning with displays of highest calibre, whether it be in England or on the African continent.

Going into the Nations he had just come off an injury layoff. And then last weekend, he and his agent found it an opportune time to tell Spain's biggest selling sports newspaper, Marca, that next season he wants out at Stamford Bridge and is desperate to switch to the Bernabeu Stadium of Real Madrid.

And for those who thought that this was unbecoming of a player who was held in such high regard by Chelsea, whether or not Jose Mourinho is there, there is still more to digest.

A couple of days ago, when the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) handed Mali's Seville forward Frederic Kanoute the continent's Player of the Year award, Drogs threw his toys out of the cot again, and cried foul.

The West Africa ace told the BBC: "I was told if I didn't appear (at the awards ceremony in Togo) the rules would change and the prize would go to the runner-up. If I refused to go to Lome it was first for my teammates, as you don't organise such an event just two days before a quarterfinal (of a Nations Cup clash with Guinea). This attitude doesn't honour Africa so I've pulled out of future elections."

That's right. Drogba now insists he will not be party to any future African Football of the Year awards. How long he will hold out on that is another matter of conjecture. The other thing, of course, we are all not sure if he would be short-listed anyway.

Nonetheless, his public outbursts is nothing short of yet another show of disrespect for those who helped him to get where he is today - the top of the game and living like a king.

As smart as he is, the Chelsea striker said: "We're all working for the African continent (trying to improve things and make it better)."

But if he really believes what he says, then surely Mr. Drogba will know than to start shouting his mouth off again. If he wants to make things good for African football, he could quite easily (formally or informally) approach the hierarchy of continental soccer and present his case, maybe through his agent, whom we all know has no problem getting his voice heard.

The boy has got to start changing his ways; if not, many will continue to believe that he is mentally not all there.

By Shaun Orange

Not often do teams come face to face with champions Manchester United and leave Alex Ferguson’s side wounded like Tottenham did on Saturday night.

The result was a 1-1 draw, and Spurs, who were at home, played with such verve that it will have left no-one in doubt they are slowly transforming themselves into a squad that is going to take some beating.

In contrast, Man United’s campaign to retain the Premiership title stuttered with two points dropped and had Arsenal go two points clear at the top of the standings.

Venting his fury, Ferguson said “for Manchester United it's not right. There is something wrong when Manchester United get seven bookings.”

Well, there was a lot truth in his statement, but while he pointed out that referee Mark Clattenburg was to blame for their well-below-par showing, it was in fact a case of gross indiscipline on the part of his players that had them on the ropes for almost the entire game.

Man United’s star-studded line-up – Ronaldo included, could not match the determination and excellent organisation of Spurs, and only a time-added-on goal, claimed by Carlos Tevez (although Michael Dawson later also said it came off him), saved the Premier League champions from defeat.

Given the scenario at the top-end of the league, this result will have felt like defeat for Man United. For Spurs, they will also mourn it as a great chance to have beaten the Old Trafford side but they too consolidated their growing reputation under Spaniard Juande Ramos, who took over in October. They will surely look to their performance with immense pride and build on it in the run-in to the end of the season.

Man United are no doubt good enough to come back after this and immediately get their bid for a 10^th Premiership crown back on track next weekend, but the White Hart Lane showdown will have harmed their cause considerably.

They picked up seven yellow cards, something which automatically brings with it censorship from the Football Association.

Ferguson, we suspect will by now have left his players in doubt about what he thought of them and how they played.

Nonetheless, Man United must come to the realisation that some teams, or most teams, like Tottenham play above themselves when they clash with the most celebrated football club in England.

The tempo in the Spurs game was raised to such an extent that Ronaldo, the most influential player in the league at the moment, looked very ordinary with the way Tom Huddlestone ran him into the ground.

The Portuguese star was nowhere near as threatening as we know he can be, but only because Huddlestone and company did not give him the opportunity to roam as freely as he likes.

That inevitably led to frustrations boiling over in Man United’s ranks, and Ronaldo was booked. So too was Wayne Rooney and five other teammates.

In particular, Rooney’s yellow card for diving – something akin to cheating - underscored why Man United were such a sorry sight at White Hart Lane.

Man United were bamboozled by a confident Spurs outfit and must now put this encounter behind them without delay and get on with the task at hand; if only because Arsenal are showing no signs of letting up on their own superb form.

By Shaun Orange

 

Much to the annoyance of the millions of fans who adore David Beckham, he was left out of England’s squad for the friendly international against Switzerland on Wednesday.

 

And while this has been a bitter pill to swallow for all those who backed him to make his 100th appearance for the Three Lions in Fabio Capello’s first game in charge of England, they will quietly be hoping that the Italian has a change of heart and recalls the former skipper to his side; if not against the Swiss then at least for the World Cup qualifiers.

 

Beckham, who trained with Arsenal in his American off-season, with a view to keeping fit and stay in the reckoning to join an elite club of players that have represented England 100 times or more, remains confident that if he maintains fitness and an insatiable hunger to excel with his national team, then there would be no reason to call time on his international career just yet.

 

But even for the optimists, they will be forced to acknowledge that time is not on Beckham’s side and that if he misses his chance with a sustained absence this year, it might well be all over for him in the England set-up.

 

There are others who subscribe to the notion that Capello is merely flexing his muscles and making Beckham pay for a purported fallout between the two while at Real Madrid last season.

 

At the time, with Capello as head coach at the Bernabeu Stadium, he once vowed that the England midfielder would never play again for him. However, subsequent to this, Capello recalled the world’s most celebrated footballer, who then went onto play a crucial role in them winning La Liga and ending a trophy drought for the Spanish giants that stretched back to 2003.

 

Capello never spoke too much about his U-turn, although he never does anyway.

 

Still, the Italian’s handling of Beckham, who signed a five-year US$250 million deal with LA Galaxy of the MSL (Major Soccer League) that sparked the rift, remains a sticky issue with many of England’s supporters.

 

And his omission of the Englishman now has merely raised the tempo somewhat over his tactics in running the Three Lions.

 

But not withstanding this, Beckham, deliberately or otherwise, touched on an issue that could yet come back to make Capello eat humble pie. Beckham drew the attention of the media, while on a visit to Brazil this week, that Steve McClaren also dropped him after assuming the stewardship of the national team, only for the star player to fight his way back into the side, and accomplished it with much acclaim.

 

Capello has brought in a couple of new faces, which some see as a positive thing and say that it warrants the sidelining of Beckham. But if things go wrong, as they so often do for this team that was not even good enough to qualify for this year’s European Championships in Austria and Switzerland, then Beckham might yet find himself back in the frame.

 

Further still, Capello’s affirmation that he will keep tabs on Beckham’s fitness, or lack of it - the reason why he was overlooked in the first place, is just insurance; it is something to fall back on if things do indeed go awry.

 

Even then, it is almost a certainty that when they do, the Italian will be forced to play his hand and bring back Beckham, which would then mean that the irritation Beckham’s fans are going through will just be temporary.

 

I, for one, hope so.

By Shaun Orange

The Premiership is by far the most visible soccer league in the world, and not surprisingly there has been a steady influx of financial investment over the past few years from the outside.  

And this weekend Derby County became the latest club to announce that they were on the verge of receiving a huge capital boost, although details are expected to be released at a Press conference called for Monday.

The optimism was carried in chairman Adam Pearson’s remarks that “this new investment will establish the Derby County brand worldwide through successful alliances with sporting teams in the USA, the Far East and Africa”.

He added that the “key aim is to continue to build the infrastructure of the club at Pride Park and obviously develop a squad which is renowned as a Premier League force”.

However, unlike those American investors who pumped mega bucks into Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa, Derby are looking at building their stake over a longer period, and only because they will, in all probability, be relegated to the Coca-Cola Championship Division at the end of the season.

They are no fewer than 15 points from safety in the drop zone and have managed just one win in their 23 games so far – all of which amounts to a measly seven points, with 15 matches to go to the end of the season.

Paul Jewell, who took over from Billy Davies in November has dabbled in the player market during this January’s transfer window, but his acquisition will almost surly not be enough to see them to safety.

He’s brought in Robbie Savage, a £1.5million buy from Blackburn, and Argentinean striker Emanuel Villa (£2 million) from Mexican side UGA Tecos. And even with the flair of Frenchman Laurent Robert, signed on until the end of the season, it will be hard for Derby to escape the drop.

But even if they do go down, Derby’s supporters can look forward to a brighter future, if the deal with the American consortium is indeed announced on Monday.

For one, they will have their £25 million debt taken care of and Jewell is expected to be presented with a healthy cheque in the off-season, to pursue players of note, as they rebuild for the future.

Some estimates have been put at £50 million. Either way, it looks promising for the Rams, and is no wonder why such big bucks are being funneled into the Premier League.

By Shaun Orange

Staring relegation full in the face, Fulham are going to great lengths to try and salvage their season. First off, they sacked Lawrie Sanchez last month and replaced him with the widely-travelled Roy Hodgson.

Unable to turn things around with the first crack of the whip, Hodgson is now desperately trying to bring in a clutch of new players before the transfer window slams shut on January 31.

So far he has managed to swell the ranks in all three departments of the outfield, but is still keen on a couple more.

Hodgson, who formerly managed Inter Milan, Blackburn, Switzerland and Finland, has signed Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland from Copenhagen FC, Danish midfielder Leon Andreasen from Werder Bremen, and strikers Eddie Johnson of Kansas City Wizards in the American MSL and Gabon international Daniel Cousin from Glasgow Rangers.

And while not know much in the English they could add a bit steel to Fulham’s, something that is sorely lacking.

The Fulham coach also has plans to have front-runners Jari Litmanen and South Korean Cho Jae Jin set-up base at Craven Cottage.

Hodgson will do well to get a couple of good results that would surely bring him some relief, even if only in the interim. His first three league matches all ended in defeat.

And following the FA Cup embarrassment that saw them ejected by Coca-Cola Championship Division side Bristol Rovers in the third round last week, Fulham are frantic to get among the points in the league.

In a move designed to deflect the attention from that Cup defeat, the Cottagers’ boss said that their season (proper) begins “on Tuesday” with the fixture at Bolton Wanderers. Another away game, to Middlesbrough, followed by a home tie against Aston Villa are next up for Fulham.

"Our battle against relegation starts next Tuesday and there are 15 games left,” pointed out Hodgson. “We've had difficult ones against Chelsea, West Ham and Arsenal but I'm not saying the players have let me down - far from it. I think they've shown a good attitude, but obviously results mean that confidence is lacking."

But if the forthcoming games look decent matches to get something from, Hodgson knows well enough that they will not be easy.

The Thamesside club boss is perhaps also aware that his neck is on the block, given the poor start he has had and that Croatia manager Slaven Bilic was in the director’s box and seated within arm’s length of Mohamed Al Fayed, the Fulham chairman.

With the speculation going through the roof, Bilic sought to distance himself from the Cottagers’ job, and added that he had merely been on a private visit to London.

Some might buy what he said, but not all believe. There are those who say that Bilic, assuming Hodgson does not make the grade, will take over after the Euro 2008 Championships in June/July (or even before).

But by then it might be too late to save Fulham from relegation, because at the moment they are above only Derby County in the Premiership standings, and with a few more results like those over the last couple of weeks, they might soon be right at the foot of the table. Who knows?

By Shaun Orange

If ever Liverpool were in a shambles, then it’s now. Not for as long as I can remember has this club been in such poor shape.

And to a large extent this has got nothing to do with the way the team is playing, although one should hasten to add that their league title challenge has been upended and to some degree this has been the result of the dark grey clouds that are hanging over Anfield.

It also vividly illustrates to us just how things can change in a year. This is so because twelve months ago when American magnates Tom Hicks and George Gillett purchased Liverpool FC they were welcomed with open arms by the hordes who throng the Kop and those who parade around Merseyside expressing a genuine affection for the team and so proudly recite its glorious history.

Today, with the club seemingly in freefall and almost everyday tossing up something new in the saga that has stunned English soccer; things look like they are only going to get worse.

Even Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has seen it fit to weigh-in with a slating of the proprietors and question their handling of Anfield boss Rafael Benitez, whom he feels has been shabbily treated, to say the least.

Ferguson’s assertion that “at big clubs, it's absolutely paramount that the board show their class”, is of making no bones of the situation, as he sees it.

He cited Arsene Wenger’s role at Arsenal, where the hierarchy at the Emirates treat the Frenchman as they should a manager of one of Europe’s elite clubs. He also made mention of his own position at Old Trafford, and in both instances he was right.

But for the Reds, the situation might deteriorate further. They could, and may well, lose the services a few key players, and Benitez might not be able to do anything about it.

Word has it that Argentine midfield strongman Mascerano could soon be on his way to AC Milan; that Riise and his trusty left-foot might join Aston Villa; that Sissoko is close to signing for Juventus; and that Harry Redknapp has not given up on his bold bid to lure Crouch to Portsmouth.

The departure of a quartet like this would hurt Liverpool badly, and it could get worse if a few others also decide to move on – if (or when) Benitez exits Anfield, on his own accord or otherwise.

Notwithstanding this, the predicament that Liverpool find themselves in now, is a far cry from just a few months ago when the Reds put together a sequence of more than 10 unbeaten matches at the start of the new season and their loyal supporters were speaking confidently (and rightly so) of a sustained challenge for a first league title since 1990.

So, if ever, Hicks and Gillett wanted to right the wrongs of the last couple of months, they need not only announce a refinancing deal for the club and the unveiling of plans for a new state-of-the-art stadium.

They need to pull Benitez (and the players) aside and give them an honest assurance that things will change for the better, that they will allow the manager to bring in the players he wants to and let him do his job the way he should – under no duress from the top.

More importantly, they should do things like Liverpool used to; keep it all in-house and fix it there, and there alone. That used to be the Liverpool way. And now is the time to return to that way of doing things.

 

By Shaun Orange

 

The homecoming of King Kev has lit up Tyneside unlike any other event in more than a decade. Kevin Keegan is seen as the “Messiah” by the Toon Army, the “Saviour” of Newcastle United Football Club and all that it stands for.

 

Following the snub by Pompey’s Harry Redknapp, Newcastle’s billionaire owner Mike Ashley pulled off a masterstroke of sorts for the fans by luring Keegan back to St James’ Park for a second stint as boss of the Magpies.

 

But that is all that it is, a gambit to appease the growing discontent and frustrations of their fans. It is nothing more than that and should not be seen as anything but that.

 

Former manager Ruud Gullit was perhaps speaking with certain bitterness when he said that Newcastle are a “small club” but he was spot-on when he added that even with Keegan at the helm they will struggle to break into the top six.

 

His assertion that Newcastle do not have quality players like the other leading clubs have and for that reason they will struggle, is maybe the most prudent point of his assessment.

 

And while Keegan did not let the opportunity pass him by to boldly state that he will instill a sense of pride in the team, get them to play attractive attacking soccer, win games and bring silverware to St James’ Park, he will know deep down in his heart that the task that awaits him is a mammoth one.

 

The former England and Manchester City boss got his latest stint at the club off to a lackluster start on Saturday. They were held to a goalless draw by Bolton and as fate would have it, King Kev saw his team drop a place in the standings, to 12th spot.

 

As would be expected in cases like this in the Premier League, Keegan put on a brave face while conceding that he was disappointed and then hastened to give “credit to the players”.

 

He also used a bit of tactic by appointing the popular Michael Owen as his captain, and this after Owen had lambasted Keegan in the striker’s autobiography, following their fallout when he was England manager.

 

The wily Keegan said: “Not only will he play (against Bolton), I will make him captain. He is the right guy to lead us - and that tells you what I think of him.”

 

Keegan pulled off another PR stunt when he said he was willing to restore his “fantastic relationship” with Alan Shearer after they too had their differences. Shearer, who was signed by Keegan for £15 million from Blackburn Rovers in 1996, was said to be terribly upset that the Magpies boss skipped his testimonial (against Celtic).

 

Winning over the support of the populists at St James Park is not a bad idea, but in a sport where results count, even those who hero-worship King Kev will turn against him if he does not deliver – and deliver quickly.

 

This is a club in crisis, and even with the arrival of their “saviour” they will find it tough to crawl out of the hole they are in. The question that remains though, is for how long the Toon Army will side with the “Messiah”.

 

My guess is that it won’t be that long. Ask Big Sam Allardyce.

 

By Shaun Orange

 

Manchester United lead the Premiership jointly with Arsenal, and the standings are about as fair as they should be. These two quality sides have performed well enough this season to top the table and realistically target more glory, come May.

 

But Chelsea are just as much in the frame. And don’t be fooled, they are keen as ever on stitching up a third league championship title in four seasons.

 

And while they are not enjoying nearly as much mileage in the media as they should (for whatever reason), they remain a distinct threat to both the Red Devils and the Gunners.

 

They chalked up “another narrow” victory, this time a 1-0 win at Birmingham City on Saturday, courtesy of substitute Claudio Pizarro’s only goal of the St Andrews fixture, and that result ensured that they have now won seven of their last eight Premier League matches – the other was the quite outstanding football spectacle that had them draw 4-4 with Aston Villa.

 

The Blues consistency is what has kept them within touching distance of the top two, but of equal importance is that, as it has been clearly illustrated, under Avram Grant (and to some extent Steve Clarke) they did not stumble into the wilderness in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s departure.

 

There were hordes of doom-mongers preaching the demise of Chelsea after the Portuguese coach unceremoniously left Stamford Bridge in September – Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon really getting the boot stuck in.

 

But Israeli boss Grant has silenced their critics with a sustained challenge on all four fronts – at least for the foreseeable future.

 

They are not only a mere four points behind Man United and Arsenal in the league, but are also into the League Cup semi-finals and the fourth round of the FA Cup; in both instances, silverware they are parading as defending champions.

 

In the European Champions League they will be quietly confident of sweeping past Olympiakos in the round of the last 16 and go on to land the one trophy that Russian billionaire Abramovich craves the most. It is certainly within the capacity of Grant and his gutsy Chelsea side to pull off a Champions League triumph.

 

This sentiment is supported by the realisation of several of their key personnel returning just when things start getting real hot in the run-in to the end of the season.

 

At the moment inspirational linkman Frank Lampard, who is carrying a thigh injury, and defence stalwart John Terry (broken bone in the foot), as well as striker Andriy Shevchenko (ankle) are all on the treatment table.

 

And missing because of their participation in the African Nations Cup are midfield kingpins Michael Essien and Mikel John Obi, and front-runners Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba.

 

The omission of players of this caliber, never mind the numbers spoken of, would fatally wound another side; but Chelsea have great resolve and are banking on the depth in their squad to see them through it.

 

That is part of their basic make-up and there is no reason why they cannot finish the season with a trophy or two; or maybe even more than that. They don’t have the media circus on their back this time around and it’s working just nicely for them. So watch out Man United and Arsenal!