2014 Champions League Final Preview

The most prestigious club competition in the world will reach it's climax tonight as Simeone's Atletico prepare to take on their fierce rivals, Real Madrid. Having spent shedloads of money over the last decade, Real will be hoping to reach La Decima while Atletico have only ever reached the final once before, losing to Bayern Munich 4-0 in 1974.

Tonights final marks the first time that 2 teams from the same city have reached the final and we can certainly expect a mass exodus from the Spanish capital across to Lisbon. The Portuguese city will be Spanish for one night only as many of the unfortunate fans who were unable to get tickets will have to settle for a screen in the raucous atmosphere of one of the many Lisbon pubs.

Nobody expected Atletico Madrid to reach the final, so a victory would certainly announce themselves on the European scene. Fresh from clinching the La Liga title in the Nou Camp, confidence will be flowing through the veins of Atleti, as they hope to complete a memorable double. Few will have predicted at the start of the season, that Atleti would win the league and reach the Champions League Final, and possibly even win it. It shows that Diego Simeone has acquired a close-knit bunch with exceptional talent within the squad. 

Having suffered a hamstring injury against Barcelona at the weekend, Atleti hotshot, Diego Costa is trying every possible way to get on Simeone's team sheet for the final. His absence would be a mighty blow to the team and to neutral, who want to see all the best players fit and able to play. Whether, he is risking his World Cup and future career on this match is another question. The native Brazilian has been at the centre of Atletico Madrid's success this season having scored 27 goals in the league, more than 1/4 of Atleti's goals in the league this season.

There were doubts as to whether Real's explosive duo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale would start on the final, but earlier in the week, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that both would feature in the star-studded affair on Saturday. Like Costa, the final would lose some of its gloss if Bale and Ronaldo were to miss out. After signing for a world record fee from Tottenham, Bale has caught the eye of Ancelotti who has been impressed with his debut season in Spain. His compatriot and Ballon D'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo has been unstoppable this season, scoring 47 goals and also breaking a record for the most goals in a tournament after his brace against Bayern in the previous round.

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid both express similar philosophies when it comes to tactics. As seen against Bayern in the previous round, Real tore the reigning champions to shreds through the pace of Bale and Ronaldo, as well as the defensive discipline at the back with Sergio Ramos and Pepe. Bayern were unable to cope with Real's attacking trio and Guardiola opted to save his dignity by bringing on Javi Martinez at half-time to prevent any further damage being done. 

Similarly, Diego Simeone is a master tactician, out-witting the 'Special One' in the previous round. Atleti have a very solid defence, courtesy of their reliable centre-halves in Diego Godin and Miranda. During the knockout rounds, the team have only conceded 3 goals, meaning that Real will have to work hard in order to break down this defence. It is obvious that Atleti will pose a different kind of threat towards Real to the one that was delivered by Bayern in the last round. Atleti may surrender some of the possession to their rivals in the hope of getting a break and scoring on the counter attack.

Any tie where the finalists are local rivals, leads to wondrous occasion. We will most likely see a tentative start from both sides as no one will want to lose to their rivals. In terms of where my allegiance lies, I am torn. I would much like Real to achieve the long over due La Decima, while it would nice to see Atleti win their first ever trophy.

Where Now For Arsenal?

After almost 9 years without any silverware, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, finally ended their trophy drought with a 3-2 extra time win over Hull City. Welshman, Aaron Ramsey sealed the winner 11 minutes from the end of extra time after latching onto a backheel from Olivier Giroud, but the question now remains, where now for Arsenal? 

Up until early Saturday evening, Arsene Wenger's position as Arsenal manager seemed to be in an uneasy state. Wenger had a great start to the season with Arsenal finishing the calendar year at the top of the table, but this tailed off when he failed to strengthen in key positions in the January transfer window. Ultimately, I believe that if Wenger had acquired a quality striker, then I would have tipped Arsenal to finish in a better league position than they did.

On top of Wenger's shopping list should be a striker. For me, Giroud isn't up to scratch, and Bendtner is laughable. Although Giroud got 16 goals last season, with the quality of players behind him, I do feel he should be scoring a lot more. He can also be wasteful on some occasions. I do believe he has talent, but I don't think he can fit the standards at Arsenal, in my opinion he would make a decent back-up. Last summer, Wenger missed out on a chance to sign Gonzalo Higuain, someone who could have gave Arsenal the firepower to achieve greater things. They also embarrassed themselves with the business over the release clause of Luis Suarez and made themselves a laughing stock throughout England. 

An obvious downfall for the North London club was the vast amount of injuries suffered throughout the course of the campaign. The loss of Aaron Ramsey was a major blow, as he scored goals at crucial stages and always seemed to give a positive performance when in the red jersey of Arsenal. Wenger attempted to rectify this by signing Swede Kim Kallström, even though he was injured upon arrival and was out for the opening few weeks. The fault must lie with Wenger for this deal as it seemed to make no improvement to the situation. Another injury was to Theo Walcott. He constantly terrorised defences through his pace but his injury in the FA Cup tie against Tottenham ended his season. At times after the injury, Arsenal were lacking the cutting edge, something which Walcott could have supplied. The events of this season has shown that Arsenal lack squad depth, and it can be fixed if Wenger dips his hands into his pockets.

The marquee signing for the summer was Mesut Ozil. Arriving for a price of £42m, he was the most expensive export in German history. A lot was riding on the shoulders of the 25 year old, and it certainly did give his new team mates a lift going into the opening games of the season. However, several performances this year have made me question whether he is a big game player. Most notably, I was particularly disappointed in the last 16 home tie against Bayern Munich. Like several other games this season, I didn't feel that his attitude was commendable. He often left his opponent unmarked and showed a low work rate when defending, something that is suicidal when facing a team of the magnitude of Bayern, especially when they are a man up. On his day, Ozil is very talented footballer and is scintillating to watch. His varied range of passing is second to none, and he can unlock a defence with a moment of magic. He will need to be on top form if the Gunners are to challenge for the title again.

Wenger is known to keep his pockets zipped, but if Arsenal are serious about challenging for the title next season, then Arsene will need to be more adventurous in the transfer market than what he is known for. Wenger has come under a lot of criticism in the latter part of his career, so more silverware next season is crucial if he is to silence the doubters.

Another Season Draws to a Close!

It seems like it was only yesterday when we were gearing up for the start of the 2013/2014 Premier League campaign. Now, at the conclusion of the season, each team will be analysing the positives and negatives of the past season in an attempt to eradicate any faults in preparation for the next campaign.

The Champions

What better way to start a review than at the top? Manchester City finish the season at top of the pile for the second time in three seasons. Under new management, Manuel Pellegrini was able to clinch the title last Sunday along with the Capital One Cup. It can be argued that if City had surrendered the title to Liverpool, then their season could be labelled a failure, instantly putting pressure under the Chilean. There are fine lines in the world of football.

City's attacking threat was monstrous and they always had at least 2 world class strikers available, contributing to a staggering 156 goals in all competitions. At the back they had a rock solid defence, only conceding 37 goals in the league. What won Man City the league was that they had the right balance between defence and attack, something which Liverpool and Chelsea lacked.

Overachievers

As we move down the table, Liverpool were undoubtedly the overachievers of this season. I can honestly say that if anyone had told me Liverpool were going to challenge for the title and end up in 2nd position back in August, I would have laughed at you and told you to stop dreaming. Their Uruguayan centre forward has been instrumental in their success as he notched 31 goals as well as assisting 12 times. Whether Liverpool maintain the momentum of the success from this season into next, may be down to whether they can retain the services of Suarez for the foreseeable future. 

As for Chelsea, they had an indifferent season and Mourinho's return to English football was greeted with a trophy-less season. Throughout the last campaign, it was evident that the Blues lacked a clinical striker as Ba, Torres and Eto'o were inconsistent. The trio could only muster 17 league goals between them, in comparison to Suarez's 31 and Yaya Toure's 20 goals. This problem will need to be rectified for the beginning of next season, or else Mourinho could find himself looking for another job.

Similar to Chelsea, City and Liverpool, Arsenal had an spell on top of the table back in November, December, but failures in the Summer and January transfer markets meant that their challenge tailed off as the season progressed. While it can be deemed that they failed in the league, Wenger and the Arsenal have a chance to end their trophy drought on Sunday in the FA Cup Final against Hull City. Failure on Sunday could result in the imminent departure of Arsene Wenger. As with Chelsea, the piggy bank will need to be broken in order to strengthen for next year. Personally, I'm hoping Arsene has a world class striker on the shortlist as well as strength and depth in defence. A busy summer ahead for the Gunners as they aim to prolong their stay in the title challenge next year.

Relegation Contingent

Relegation is always a nasty experience to go through and this year, Fulham, Cardiff and Norwich were the victims. I believe that all 3 relegated teams could have escaped the drop if they had kept faith in each of their managers. Each team sacked their managers in a desperate attempt to improve their form, and not one decision was successful. On the other hand, this technique worked for Tony Pulis at Crystal Palace. Pulis was appointed manager back in November when Palace were languishing in 19th position and managed to raise them to an 11th place finish at the close of play on Sunday. 

Fulham were able to score goals, but a leaky back four sealed their fate to the Championship while Cardiff and Norwich found hitting the back of the net harder than it sounds. Norwich's offensive incapabilities was not helped by the lack of goals from club record signing, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, who only contributed a solitary goal all season.

Period of Transition

It was a season to forget for Manchester United as they watched their neighbours win the title and they slipped to 7th position after a dismal display in the league. Not much went right for the Red Devils as they broke many different records, all for the wrong reasons. The 12 games lost were more than the previous 2 seasons combined, highlighting an ageing defence and a team which was low in confidence for the majority of the season, even if they were the holders of the title. With a new man at the helm in David Moyes, United were in a period of transition after the end of the Ferguson reign. Moyes never had the support from the players and was sacked, rather controversially with only 3 games until the end of the season. 

Much like United, Liverpool's Merseyside rivals, Everton, were also in a season of change. However, this season proved to be more fruitful than the Red Devils, as they reached fifth, and were close to beating Arsenal to the last Champions League spot, when two losses to Southampton and Man City effectively ruled them out of Champions League football next season. An exciting football philosophy coupled with the promotion of some quality youth players, Roberto Martinez enabled Everton to finish in a respectable position as they will look to build for the future.

Another campaign has drawn to a close, and many teams will need to strengthen their squads if they are to maintain or better their position from this season. It has been yet another exhilarating term, with many highs and many lows for each team. Now, we must enjoy pre season and all of the transfer rumours that follow it, before turning our attention to the thrills and spills that come with next season.

The FA Cup Final

The FA Cup journey began on the 16 August with 370 clubs entering at this stage, and now with only 2 clubs remaining, a pulsating affair lies waiting for us on Saturday afternoon. Arsenal aim to halt their trophy drought just 4 days before the term reaches 9 years, while Hull aim to upset the odds and win the trophy for the first time in their history.

It will be 8 years and 361 days on Saturday since Arsene Wenger and his Gunners last tasted success in a major competition, and since then, it has been a bumpy ride for the Reds from North London. With less than 48 hours until the final, I'm sure nerves are jangling in the Arsenal camp as they know that a win is imperative, to keep their status as a top club alive.

This is a must win game for Arsenal, and one which could change the fortunes of the club. A win could spark a revival of the Gunners back to their dominance over the domestic league during the era of Bergkamp, Henry, Parlour and Viera. On the other hand, a loss could see Wenger's dynasty crumble before his eyes and it may be his last ever game managing Arsenal. I believe that a loss could see an end to Wenger's reign over Arsenal, even considering the former glories he has brought the club.

Hull go into the match as firm underdogs, particularly as they have only won 1 of the last 6 matches against Arsenal, the last one being back in September 2008. The Gooners have taken maximum points off Hull in the Premier League this season, scoring 5 goals in the process and conceding none. History seems to be on the side of Arsenal.

The Tigers have had a dismal season, in which they finished just 4 points above the drop zone. Having lost 7 out of the last 10 games games, form is definitely not on the Tigers' side and Steve Bruce will have his work cut out if he is to mastermind another shock in the FA Cup. However it can be argued that Bruce was resting his key players such as Jelavic and Huddlestone in the build up to the final. Players such as Nikica Jelavic, Shane Long and Tom Huddlestone will be pivotal in the deciding of the outcome of the match.

I am under no doubt that Arsenal will have flashbacks of the Capital One Cup final in 2011, when Birmingham substitute Obafemi Martins scored a winner in the last minute, and this could benefit Hull. If the Tigers could nick an early goal, then it will pile the pressure onto Arsenal. At the same time, if the score is level going into the last 15 minutes, then the players who were apart of that Final in 2011, may become anxious, and therefore sloppy. 

The onus is down to Arsene Wenger to use his experience of high pressure situations to reflect onto the players. It's definitely make or break for Wenger and Bruce will be doing his utmost to spoil the Gunners' party.  

Does Van Gaal Fit The Mould?

Yesterday we were informed of the sacking of David Moyes from Manchester United after just 10 months in the job. As well as leaving the board in a pickle over who to appoint, those pesky ITK accounts on Twitter had a field day, linking every manager from under the sun to the vacant post, one of which was Louis Van Gaal. Ladbrokes tip the Dutchman as the favourite to succeed Moyes at 8/11 but until the permanent manager is announced, United man Ryan Giggs remains as interim manager.

All these rumours whether Louis Van Gaal will be United manager or Spurs manager next season must not be aiding his preparations for the upcoming World Cup. Currently with the Dutch National side, it has been reported that he will be resigning at the end of the competition in June. Tutored under the philosophy of Total Football, surely the Dutchman will be able to restore flair and speed to United's game? 

Throughout his illustrious career, Van Gaal has remained devout to the idea of playing attractive attacking football, using a 4-3-3 formation. I am positive that his appointment will excite many of the United faithful, and it too gets me on the edge of my seat thinking about it. However, is playing 3 in the midfield a good idea? I would not want to risk playing 3 in midfield against the might of City or Chelsea, they would overpower us, particularly if the are unable to strengthen due to the Glazer's incompetence. However Liverpool showed us that beating City is possible with a 4-3-3 counter attack formation

If the Dutchman were to deploy this tactic, the 2 wide-men will need to track back and help the midfield out. Antonio Valencia would thrive under this formation due to his high defensive and offensive work rate. With this strategy, I am struggling to find out a position in the team for Rooney, Mata or Kagawa - neither of which are as effective out wide than through the middle. One of this trio could be leaving in the summer because of this. It is evident that there are both positives and negatives to this argument.

"If they're good enough, then they're old enough" is a cliché that Van Gaal places his faith in. On this sole reason alone, it gives Van Gaal a good chance of being awarded the post. At Ajax, Van Gaal was responsible for the rise of figures such as Edwin Van Der Sar, Edgar Davids and Patrick Kluivert. It is safe to say that the Dutchman has the evidence to suggest that the empty post at Old Trafford. Adnan Januzaj has proved that United do have fresh talent within their youth ranks, and with the correct treatment, they could be nurtured into future first team players. The U-18s sit 6th in their league while the the U-21s are 4th showing that there is potential among them.

As well as possessing some of the most prized traits in a football manager, he also has a glittering CV to add to it. Van Gaal has 7 league titles over 3 countries including Holland, Germany and Spain. He was a cog in the wheel behind a successful Ajax team of the 90s which won 2 European titles, showing that he is more than capable of competing among Europe's elite. While on paper it seems that he had an enjoyable time at the Blaugrana, the Spanish media and Barca fans never warmed to the Dutchman, and he left after just 2 seasons in charge. It was Jose Mourinho's Internazionale that prevented Van Gaal from completing a famous treble with Bayern Munich after they defeated the Germans in the Champions League Final. He can do it in 3 European countries, so why can't he do it in England?

The colourful Dutchman is known to lose his temper

While at Bayern, comparisons were made between Van Gaal and Felix Magath, who rules with an iron fist. This may be what is needed in the United dressing room as they fight to control the growing egos inside. Having read some crazy stories about the Dutch manager, it would be of no surprise to me if Louis Van Gaal is they type of person to stand in front of the mirror every morning with an approving look upon his face. Adjectives used to describe him can range from egotistical to narcissistic - two words in which I would associate with Mr. Mourinho. Van Gaal seems to be a character in the dressing room and will stand for no nonsense from the players.

Overall, Louis Van Gaal, appears to be a good shout for the next manager of Manchester United. However, the few character descriptions I have implied, could turn the tables against him, and a parallel situation as to what happened at Barcelona. At 63 years old, he will not have many more years left in him and this could be his final club, particularly if it goes well. While the board knuckle down to appoint a new manager, we have Ryan Giggs at the helm, and a solid conclusion to the season is imperative at Old Trafford.

Champions League Semi Final

UEFA have treated us to another spectacular Champions League Semi Final line-up. Two very different ties sees a tactical battle between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, while Real take on Bayern in a match that promises free flowing, end to end football.

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich

Gareth Bale v Arjen Robben. Cristiano Ronaldo v Franck Ribery. Real v Bayern. Surely there cannot be a more mouth-watering tie than this? Could Real Madrid reach the final for the first time since 2002? So many questions need answered, yet we need to wait until 29 April to find the answers for them. Both teams have impressive attacking options, but also may concede goals, as proved by Dortmund in Real's 2-0 defeat away leg and Bayern's 3-0 humiliation at home. 

At the start of the season, I tipped Bayern to be the first team to win the Champions League back to back, but now I'm not too sure. Even though I still think they will win, weaknesses were highlighted during the games against Manchester United, particularly when players like Danny Welbeck were running at the centre backs.  In addition to this, Real have scored 32 goals already in this competition, which included a 6-1 romp of Schalke, while Bayern have scored 8 less than the Madristas. There certainly will be plenty of goals. The wide men are the key opponents to look out for. If Bale, Ronaldo, Ribery or Robben are anonymous throughout the tie, then it could have a pivotal effect on the outcome of the game.

It promises to be an exhilarating tie and ever since it was announced, it had the world gripped with Champions League fever. Even though I am beginning to doubt myself with recent results, I still feel that Bayern Munich will be able to reach the final for the third time in a row.

Atletico Madrid v Chelsea 

Atletico Madrid and Chelsea make up the other semi final. A battle between 2 tacticians of the highest order in Mourinho and Simeone. On paper Atletico would have been the opposition Chelsea fans would have wanted, I'm not convinced that this is what Mourinho would have wanted. Unlike Real and Bayern, Atletico pose their threat through their very efficient counter attack, much like Chelsea. This means that Chelsea will be less able to rely on this tactic than if they had been drawn with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. On a more positive side for Jose, Chelsea have the second leg at home, enabling them to sit back in the first leg, hoping that they may nick a goal, and finish the job at Stamford Bridge. 

Chelsea do certainly have a chance in this tie, though their lack of a star striker could prove their downfall. This match sees Chelsea come up against one of their transfer targets, Diego Costa. It has been widely tipped that he will be a Chelsea player by the summer and that he will form the new Chelsea attack, as it has been rumoured that all four of Chelsea's strikers are heading out the door in the summer. 

Two very tactically driven teams could create a tentative tie, but will no doubt provide no less excitement than the other tie. This tie is very difficult to call, as either team has the ability to go through, but I have to predict that Mourinho will be able to out fox Simeone and get revenge from that Copa Del Rey defeat last year.

Only Chelsea are flying the flag for the English teams while the possibility of a Spanish final in Lisbon is not out of the question. The first legs are to be played on 22/23 April respectively while the second legs are on 29/30 April.

Clash of the Titans

It's a huge weekend in deciding the direction for the Premier League title this year. Super Sunday includes a clash of the titans match as Liverpool aim to beat Manchester City while Chelsea travel to South Wales to meet Swansea City.

This year will be another exciting run in, both at the top of the table and at the bottom. As it stands, Liverpool are on top of the pile with 74 points, closely tailed by Chelsea with 72 and City a further 2 behind, but with 2 games in hand on the other contenders.

The three teams that are challenging for the title are there by no fluke. Chelsea have the best defensive record in the league, only conceding 24 goals, and are unbeaten at home, while City have been ruthless at the Etihad, scoring at least 3 goals on 10 occasions. Much like the Sky Blues, Liverpool have shown no mercy throughout this season, scoring 90 goals and may be hoping to beat Chelsea's record of 103 goals in a season.

On the weekend of the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster, the match at Anfield will kick off at 13:37 in commemoration of the 96 that lost their lives on at tragic day. Even though The Hillsborough Independent Panel concluded in 2012 that no Liverpool fan was responsible for the tragedy, families of the 96 still feel no closer in the case. The memorial will provide an extra incentive for a Liverpool victory and a deafening atmosphere inside the ground as the Liverpool faithful aim to spur their team on to a vital victory.

The odds may be tipped in favour of the Merseyside club as they have won their last 5 home games and are unbeaten at Anfield since the 1-0 defeat to Southampton. For the neutral, this has the making of an exhilarating, end to end affair with plenty of goals due to the explosive attacking options for either side and the, at times, suspect defending.

While many fans view this as the match in which the destination of the 2013/2014 title goes to, I feel it is far from over. No matter what the 'Special One' says, Chelsea are still in with a shout of winning title, and it is appearing increasingly more likely that this is an attempt to cover himself if Chelsea finish the season trophy-less. 

Chelsea take on Swansea who have had an indifferent season at the Liberty Stadium. Although Chelsea have lost their last 2 away games, you have to fancy the Blues to take maximum points from this tie. With Mourinho at the helm, never write Chelsea off, particularly as 4 out of their remaining 5 games involve clubs in the bottom half of the table.

We are set up for a very interesting and touching weekend ahead. There will definitely be emotion, chances and goals at both the Liberty and Anfield. A Liverpool victory would be a perfect tribute to the 96 who lost their lives at Hillsborough back in 1989, while City aim to claw back the deficit.

Arsenal hold City, Chelsea slip up, and Liverpool batter Spurs

Here with the round up to the Premier League matches this game week. As per usual, there were its accustomed shocks...

Manchester United v Aston Villa

Both the Red Devils and the Villains were looking to bounce back after humbling defeats midweek to City and Stoke respectively. The match was marred by a plane flying over head trailing a distasteful banner saying "Wrong choice Moyes out." Ashley Westwood stunned the Old Trafford faithful after David de Gea was unable to keep his curling free kick from nestling in the back of the net. United's saviour, Wayne Rooney, equalised 7 minutes later after heading a Shinji Kagawa cross past the Villa keeper, Brad Guzan. A nice turn from Juan Mata invited Leandro Bacuna into a silly challenge which resulted in a penalty for Rooney to slot for his 17th goal of the season. Mata scored his first goal for the Red Devils and Javier Hernandez netted the fourth goal on 90 minutes to ruin my 3-1 prediction and send Villa back to Birmingham empty handed. A bigger task will be faced on Tuesday as United welcome treble winners Bayern Munich to the Theatre of Dreams.

Crystal Palace v Chelsea

A 1-0 result at home to Chelsea boosted Crystal Palace's chances of survival and hindered Chelsea's title aspirations. The first chance fell to Chelsea's Andre Schurrle who had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring but couldn't turn in a Eden Hazard cross. Yannick Bolasie couldn't control a powerful cross fired in from the left with a heavy touch and a rushed shot, he only managed to find the side netting. The goal came when John Terry turned a Joel Ward cross past his keeper in the second half to cap a miserable afternoon for the captain. Chelsea did have chances to get back into the game with chances from Hazard but each drew spectacular saves from Speroni. O'Keefe nearly gifted Chelsea an equaliser as a stray back pass was latched onto by Fernando Torres, but the Spaniard was unable to hit the target with an audacious lob. The jubilation around Selhurst Park was inevitable once the 4 minutes of injury time was up after a superb defensive effort and more will be required if they are to survive.

Southampton v Newcastle

A mid table derby took place at St. Mary's where Southampton gave the Toon Army a footballing lesson. This game saw equisite performances for The Saints' attacking trio and will give Hodgson a head ache for the World Cup. Southampton started brightly with excellent chances from Rodriguez, Lovren and English starlet Adam Lallana but failed to put the ball in the back of the net. The deadlock was finally broken in stoppage time of the first half when Rickie Lambert squared the ball for Jay Rodriguez to put the ball into the back of the net. The Saints deserved the 1-0 lead into the break. The Saints managed to pick up where they left off in the second half. Rickie Lambert managed to beat the offside trap and send an Adam Lallana cross into the roof of the net. Adam Lallana strengthened the his argument for going on the plane to Rio after a thunderous shot from outside the box to score the third.

Stoke City v Hull City

The victory for Stoke will only boost the confidence as they attempt to solidify a solid mid table finish, while Hull slip further down the table after 2 losses in since last weekend. The first chance of the game fell to Tom Huddlestone who unleashed a venomous shot but Asmir Begovic tipped it around the post. Hull appeared more threatening and this was confirmed with a shot that deflected off a Stoke defender which Asmir Begovic parried only for Nikica Jelavic to scuff wide. The deadlock was broken when Peter Odemwingie latched onto a poor pass from Elmohamedy before bearing down on goal and sliding it past Steve Harper. A nice flick by Odemwingie allowed Arnautovic to play through Stephen Ireland but he couldn't double the Potter's lead. Odemwingie has scored goals in his last 3 matches and Stoke are on course to achieve a top 10 finish. Hull are flirting with the drop zone, but couple of wins should see them stay in the Premier League for another season.

Swansea v Norwich

A comfortable 3-0 victory for the Swans appears to have secured Premier League football for next season. The game was a one sided affair in favour of Swansea while Norwich were extremely poor. The scoring opened when Jonathon de Guzmann fired a shot past John Ruddy after a knock down from Michu. The Dutchman netted his and Swansea's second after a perfect 1-2 with Wilfried Bony who poked it past the Norwich keeper. Once the Canaries managed to get possession off a dominant Swansea side, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel managed to fire a powerful shot past Michel Vorm only for Ashley Williams to block the shot. A disguised pass from Jonjo Shelvey allowed Wayne Routledge to drag the ball past a helpless John Ruddy completed the rout for the Swans in a superb performance. As for Norwich, Chris Hughton will go back to the drawing board to try and rectify what was a mistake ridden game if they want to stay up.

West Brom v Cardiff

What do you get when you add 2 world class goals, shoddy defending and last minute drama? A typical Barclays Premier League relegation dog fight of course! Goals came from the start as a moment of magic from Morgan Amalfitano managed to send the ball from 35 yards past Marshall in the Cardiff net, before Graham Dorrans doubled the league within 10 minutes. A beautiful pin point shot from Jordan Mutch managed to catch Ben Foster of his line to half the deficit going into half time. Captain, Steven Caulker, looped a header over the West Brom keeper after a teasing cross from Gary Medel to complete the comeback. West Brom thought they had won the match when Espanyol loanee Thievy scored on only his second appearance. A last gasp equaliser from Mats Daehli secured the point on 95 minutes. Solskjaer will be happy with the result after a poor start from the Welsh side while Pepe Mel will be most likely wondering how his side has not managed to win this match.

Arsenal v Manchester City

A game at the Emirates between 2 teams who are fighting for the title and hellbent on attacking football... Ended in a draw. Early action included a Tomas Rosicky penalty shout but was denied by Mike Dean. The scoring opened after a sparkling run from David Silva allowed Edin Dzeko to create space out on the left and his shot rattled the post but the little Spaniard was in the right place at the right time to nudge the ball in. Arsenal equalised after a Lukas Podolski cross allowed Mathieu Flamini to turn the ball past City keeper, Joe Hart. Arsenal dominated the majority of the second half through chances from Lukas Podolski but were unable to score the winner. While Arsenal may have dominated most of  the second half, Man City did get chances. Yaya Toure managed to round Szczesny, but couldn't fire his shot past the scrambling defence. This result will delight Liverpool with two of their title rivals dropping points.

Fulham v Everton

The 3-1 win for Everton enabled them to capitalise on the dropped points from Arsenal as they aim to steal that 4th spot from under the Gunners' noses. Fulham on the other hand, will be biting their nails, as it seems they need a minor miracle to evade the drop. At half-time, Fulham felt they were in with a shout in this game, however a Naismith shot ricocheted off David Stockdale and ended up in the back of the net. Hope for Fulham was renewed after a sublime solo effort from Ashdan Dejagah profited from a James McCartney slip to beat Tim Howard at his near post. The lead was restored for Everton 8 minutes later when a Aiden McGeady ball split the Cottagers' defence and Kevin Mirallas added the finishing touch. Steven Naismith hammered the final nail in the Cottagers' coffin after a rather fortuitous goal off a Leighton Baines cross. This result leaves Fulham rooted to the bottom and Everton 4 points off Arsenal.

Liverpool v Tottenham

The 4-0 drubbing over Spurs sends Steven Gerrard's Liverpool top of the Premier League the first time since Christmas. The rout started inside 2 minutes through an overlapping run from Glen Johnson for him to send a teasing ball into the box, which was met by the unfortunate Younas Kaboul. Top goal scorer Luis Suarez capitalised on a poor pass from Michael Dawson to slide it past Hugo Lloris. The third goal followed after a superb piece of skill allowed Jon Flanagan to beat Aaron Lennon before releasing Phillippe Coutinho who laced a shot into the bottom left corner. Jordan Henderson's free kick epitomised a shameful defensive effort when it managed to travel through a sea of players to find the net unscathed. In summary, 4-0 flattered Tottenham as they slip further from the prized 4th spot. As for Liverpool, they may be just believing that this could be the year.

Sunderland v West Ham

A pulsating match was on offer at the Stadium of Light tonight, with West Ham taking the spoils. The loss for Sunderland puts a massive splinter in their hopes to stay up. Andy Carroll has been putting his hand up for a plane ticket in the summer with another goal inside 10 minutes, through a close ranged header from a Mark Noble cross. Carroll turned provider as he rose highest to knock the ball down for Mohamed Diame to bury the ball in the left-hand corner from the centre of the spot. Adam Johnson gave Sunderland a life line after a through ball from Craig Gardner, in what proved to only be a consolation. Both teams gave 110% and provided excellent entertainment for the neutral, with exciting end to end football. With away trips to Chelsea and both Manchester clubs, as well as a game against Everton, not many people tip the Black Cats to be in the Premier League next year, while Big Sam silenced the grumblings from the home game against Hull City. 

Champions League Quarter Finals

We are now into the quarter-finals of the Champions League and yet again, the draw has thrown up some exciting spectacles. A difficult day in store for United, a pleased Mourinho and a crunch match at the Bernabeu sums up the draw.

Manchester United v Bayern Munich

Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Manchester United scraped through a tie against Olympiakos to face a mighty Bayern side, a side that won the treble last year. Bayern will be expected to comfortably dispatch this ageing, under-performing United side. However, this may work to the favour of the Red Devils. The label of underdogs enables them to play without pressure and freedom. With the inadequacies in the defence, United will not be able to sit back and absorb pressure, so risky football may be in store for the encounter. By doing this, anything can happen and they may sneak a result. After all, Man United are at their most dangerous when they are written off. On the contrary, Bayern Munich have been unstoppable this season. Unbeaten in the league, they possess a formidable defence and a potent attacking force. For me, Bayern to progress.

PSG v Chelsea

The other English team in the competition find themselves drawn against Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG. It is certainly not the hardest draw, and it gives them a chance of progressing to the next round. Especially playing away first, Mourinho will be hoping to come away with a draw, and then finish the tie off at Stamford Bridge. On his day, Ibrahimovic can be a handful for any defence so Chelsea will need to pay particular attention to him, which may leave spaces for the other attackers. Paris Saint Germain have lost just once this Champions League campaign this year against Benfica, but have recorded high scoring victories against Anderlecht, Leverkusen and Olympiakos. Mourinho has been in many quarter finals throughout his long prestigious career so he will have all the experience to pass to his players, unlike David Moyes. This is a tough one to call, but I believe Chelsea will narrowly defeat the Parisians. 

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid

Barcelona against Atletico Madrid will be a tight affair. Flying high at the top of La Liga, Atletico pose a threat to a side who will definitely be looking to rectify the abrupt exit in last year's competition. Barca wont breeze through this tie, particularly as Diego Simeone has constructed an onerous side and which has surprised many so far. In the last 16, Atleti brushed aside a poor AC Milan side, while Barca had the more difficult task of beating Manchester City. Los Colchoneros own a renowned striker in the form of Diego Costa who has 30 goals this season. While the tie will be competitive, I don't think the experience of Barcelona can be matched by Atletico. On the other hand, if Atletico can get a decent result in the first leg at the Nou Camp, then they stand a very good chance of qualifying in front of their own fans. Unfortunately for the Madrid side, I believe Barcelona have the experience and quality to defeat them.

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

The final tie of the round is Borussia Dortmund versus Real Madrid, a replay of the semi final from last year. The previous result will spur Real onto get a positive result in which they were embarrassed in the first leg. It hasn't been an great season for Dortmund even though they are lying in 2nd position. Having lost 7 games in the league and 2 in the Champions League, Dortmund must be underdogs for the tie. I think that Madrid will overpower them. The combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale down the flanks and Luka Modric through the middle, has the potential to wreak havoc among this injury-stricken Dortmund side. The attacking prowess of Madrid in the previous round against Schalke emphasises the lightning pace of their counter attack, something which Dortmund must be aware of. Much like United, Dortmund scraped through their last 16 tie against Zenit which should have been a more comfortable affair.

All first leg matches will be played on 1/2 April with the second leg ties being played on 8/9 April.

Arsenal win the bragging rights, City march on and The Theatre of Horrors for Manchester United

Here is the round-up to a fairly negative game-week for Manchester United and Chelsea fans, but a joyful game for Liverpool and Arsenal. Several monumental games took place over the weekend, most notably Manchester United at home to Liverpool, Tottenham against Arsenal and a vital relegation clash between Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Hull v City

The early game that featured on BT Sport took place between title contenders Manchester City and Hull City who are precariously close to the drop zone. An early professional foul from Vincent Kompany resulted in City going down to 10 men. This seemed to give the hosts a glimmer of hope, before this was dashed by a stunning strike from City's little maestro, David Silva. Edin Dzeko made the score look more comfortable with a goal in the dying minutes. If City can squeeze results such as these out, while others drop points, then they definitely will be up at the top come the end of the season. After all, the best teams grind out results even when they are a man down.

Everton v Cardiff

It took a late, late winner from Irishman, Seamus Coleman on this St Patricks Weekend to seal the points for the Toffees and heap more misery on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Cardiff manager. A skilful turn from Barcelona loanee, Gerard Deulofeu beat Gary Medel, before bearing down on goal and side footing it past the Cardiff keeper. Juan Cala equalised off a Peter Wittingham free kick to level the game once more. Cardiff thought they were leaving Merseyside with a point before Coleman scuffed a shot past Cardiff keeper, Marshall, from a cushioned header from Gareth Barry. Cardiff are lying perilously in 19th spot, 3 points of safety, while the win lifted Everton above United in the table.

Fulham v Newcastle

A win for Fulham ends a poor run of form for the Cottagers. Although they remain rooted to the bottom of the table, this victory against top half opposition will give them the confidence to escape the drop. A poor piece of goalkeeping from Tim Krul gifted Dejagah the winner for Fulham after superb build-up from Lewis Holtby. Fulham were pressured by an onslaught of attacks from the Toons and Howard Webb dismissed a penalty shout when the ball appeared to hit the hand of Johnny Heitinga. This loss will hinder Newcastle's attempts at securing a mid table finish after an indifferent season.

Southampton v Norwich

The Saints and The Canaries contested the highest scoring affair of the weekend. Morgan Schneiderlin scored the opener in the 5th minute before Ricky Lambert scored a very calm goal by slotting it passed John Ruddy. Lambert was also involved in their third goal as he assisted Jay Rodriguez for his 12th BPL goal of the season. Goals from Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass brought Norwich back into the game but a late Sam Gallagher winner eased the nerves for the fans and sealed the points for the Saints.

Stoke v West Ham

The tall figure of Andy Carroll rose highest to nod in Mark Noble's cross to give the Hammers the lead. 2 goals from Peter Odemwingie helped Stoke to overturn the deficit. Odemwingie found himself in the right place at the right time to deflect in an acrobatic shot from Peter Crouch for his first goal while a nutmeg from Arnautovic on Winston Reid allowed him to poke it passed Adrian. Referee, Craig Pawson, rebuked the protests of Andy Carroll over a suspected handball from Stoke centre-back Muniesa. Replays show that the Englishman may have had a case. Odemwingie netted his second and secured the points for the Potters after a swift counter attack to smash home in a better fashion than his first. Safety seems almost secure for both teams, but both will be aiming to make their finish a bit more respectable.

Sunderland v Crystal Palace

The Stadium of Light witnessed the only draw of the weekend between 2 teams were a victory would have gone a long way to secure their presence in the league next season. Liverpool loanee, Fabio Borini, rattled the Palace woodwork in the best opportunity to break the deadlock in the second half. A nudge from Cameron Jerome to Kagisho Dikgacoi opened up space for the Palace man to have a crack but sent the shot to the left of the upright. In a game that lacked any quality a dull nil-nil draw was probably deserved result for 2 teams battling relegation.

Swansea v West Brom

Pepe Mel was able to bring to an end a dismal opening record by recording his first victory as West Brom manager at the 8th time of asking. Roland Lamah put the Swans in front with a neat finish after latching onto a through ball from Wilfried Bony. Swansea will rue the chances they had to double the lead in the first half, before Mel regrouped a lacklustre West Brom side at the break. A higher pressure in the second half resulted a much better display from the Baggies. Stephane Sessegnon smashed West Brom an equaliser before Mulumbu sealed the points for the Baggies. Swansea are slowly slipping down the table while West Brom cannot risk being slow starters in the last 10 games. 

Aston Villa v Chelsea

A deft flick from Fabien Delph off a Marc Albrighton cross was enough to see off the might of Mourinho's Chelsea. Chelsea had an early Nemanja Matic goal disallowed for handball in the first half, before a risky challenge from Brazilian hotshot Willian resulted him in receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Things went from bad to worse for the Londoners when Ramires was shown a straight red from Chris Foy for a reckless challenge on El Ahmedi. Rightly deserved in my opinion. To add salt into the wounds, Mourinho was sent to the stands after an altercation on the sidelines prior to the Ramires red card. The result was a blow to Chelsea's title ambitions but a warmly welcomed one for Villa as they win successive home games for the first time since August 2010 and distance themselves from the drop zone.

Man United v Liverpool

Possibly the headline result of the weekend saw Manchester United get humiliated at home to their North-West rivals, Liverpool. A game which saw 3 penalties, 2 of which were converted by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, while Suarez added the third to inflict pain on the United faithful. In addition to this Nemanja Vidic was sent off for what seemed a innocuous challenge where there was non-existant contact on Daniel Sturridge. The debated penalty was probably justice for the blatant foul in the box by Carrick. Liverpool march on and seem to be the dark horses for this year's title, while Moyes and United have to pick themselves up after another poor result and performance.

Arsenal v Tottenham

The North London derby. A game in which the time stops for fans in the city. Arsenal were looking to keep in the running for the title chase, while a win would be necessary if Spurs were to keep their top 4 aspirations flowing. In contrast to previous clashes, a solitary goal was the difference between the teams in this episode. A terrific shot with impeccable technique from Tomas Rosicky after a fortuitous touch from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed the points. For the majority of the game, particularly the second half, Tottenham were on top with excellent chances from former Gunner, Emmanuel Adebayor and Nacer Chadli, but were unable to level the game.

Next week fixtures:

22 Mar 12:45 Chelsea v Arsenal

22 Mar 15:00 Cardiff City v Liverpool

22 Mar 15:00 Everton v Swansea

22 Mar 15:00 Hull City v West Brom

22 Mar 15:00 Man City v Fulham

22 Mar 15:00 Newcastle v Crystal Palace

22 Mar 15:00 Norwich v Sunderland

22 Mar 17:30 West Ham v Man Utd

23 Mar 13:30 Tottenham v Southampton

23 Mar 16:00 Aston Villa v Stoke City

Can the Black Cats Defy the Odds?

Sunday will witness the first piece of silverware up for grabs this calendar year. The Capital One Cup does not rate highly amongst most Premier League managers, or me, however the competing teams are situated in the top tier of English football.

The Capital One Cup will provide an escape for the Wearside club from the tense, energy-sapping relegation battle. Battling for their lives, a win in the Capital One Cup will bring a bit of elation to a very frustrating season for the Sunderland fans.

Route to the Final

A 2-0 victory over Peterborough kicked off the tournament, but harder tests were to come. The 1st of 4 Premier League battles commenced in the 4th round. Southampton lay await, but an 86th minute winner from Seb Larsson sent the Saints packing with their tails between their legs. Mourinho's Chelsea were the next opponents. A late 88th minute equaliser from Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini, secured extra time, before Ki popped up to provide the winner and evade the tense penalty shootout. The semi final saw The Black Cats heap more misery upon David Moyes and it took a penalty shootout to secure a trip to Wembley. The quarter, semi and possibly even the match against Southampton, will give Sunderland the confidence that they can compete with the 'giants'.

On paper, this seems a very one sided affair, but not many matches are won on paper. Sunderland are battling for their lives at the foot of the table while Manchester City are flying high in third place, challenging for the title with a game in hand on the others. I am under no doubt that the FA. Cup Final of last year will be in the back of the City minds and they will be out to rectify this, even if the Cup is not a main priority. As for Sunderland, they have never won the competition, but did reach the final in 1985. 

Can they Stun the Blue Side of Manchester?

Honestly, I think they have a chance. The motto of 'anything can happen in the cup' or 'form goes out the window' ring loud in my ears, particularly after the escapades of Bradford in the trophy last year.  However, the thought of a domestic treble for City - and possibly even a Champions League - will encourage them to try and win this trophy. In my opinion, it will not be a one sided affair, Sunderland will have more chances than most people think, but whether they convert them will be the difference between lifting the trophy and going home empty handed. In order to seize the victory, Gus Poyet will need to be tactically astute as well as disciplined. Sitting back and absorbing pressure will not work due to the attacking prowess of the Citizens. If the Black Cats have this as their gameplan, then the potent striking threat of City will eventually unlock their defence. An early goal would be ideal as it would rattle City and a high pressure game will put them on the back foot.

On the outside, both teams will pretend not to care about the competition, but deep down, they will be itching for that elusive victory and the trophy to add to the cabinet. This will make it twice as hard for a plucky Sunderland side, who will have to bring their A-game. If Sunderland do defy the odds, the triumph will give them much needed confidence and will bode well as we approach the climax of what has been an action-packed campaign.

All we can do now, is sit back, relax and watch another frantic Wembley episode unfold.

Can Fulham Survive the Drop?

Fulham are a team that has had their luck change in matter of years. Currently in their 13th consecutive year in the Barclays Premier League, the Hammersmith side have gone from competing in the Europa League Final in 2010, to fighting for survival in the Premier League.

The 12th May 2010 saw arguably Fulham's finest hour in when an extra time finish from Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan dashed the Lilywhites hopes at achieving European glory. It is safe to say that since then, the wheels have come off the Fulham wagon. As it stands, Fulham are propping up the bottom of the table with 20 points, 4 off safety.

January proved to be a productive month off the pitch. On the pitch, however, they only recorded 2 victories in 7 matches. Not the form needed if they aspiring to remain in the Premier League. Fulham manager, Rene Meulensteen was a busy man during the January transfer window. Konstatinos Mitroglou grabbed the Fulham headlines with his big money move from Olympiakos in Greece for a fee around £12m. 

The phrase "panic-buy" immediately rings around especially with the history of the January deadline day disasters. Yes, I hear you yelling "Fernando Torres" sitting at home, however, people are astonishly quick to forget about a certain Uruguayan named Luis Alberto Suarez. The rest is history. I'm not saying that Mitroglou will be as successful as Suarez, I'm saying that not all deadline day signings are flops.

In terms of their other signings, Lewis Holtby has the ability in his young legs to revive their season. The German never made the break through at Tottenham under Tim Sherwood, so agreed a loan deal to West London. Johnny Heitinga was also signed to replace Aaron Hughes who was loaned out to QPR and Clint Dempsey has an authentic track record in the Premier League, particularly with Spurs.

Having squeezed a valuable point out of a lackadaisical Manchester United side, they will take this new found confidence into a difficult match as they welcome Liverpool to Craven Cottage tomorrow. While I don't think they will claim any points from the match, another good performance from the Londoners, mixed with some favourable results, may give them the belief to move from the bottom of the table. As we get into the 'business' end of the season, Fulham versus West Brom will be a vital 6 pointer. While it will be played at The Hawthorns, I expect Fulham to have a solid back four, much like they had against Manchester United and a solitary goal will seal the 3 points for the Cottagers.

However, Fulham have been extremely poor this season and this was summed up with their FA Cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday. Their 6-0 capitulation against Hull was possibly the lowest point. What makes it even worse, Hull are in the thick of the relegation battle, and whether that match will prove crucial come the end of May is another question. Possibly playing in the favour of the Lilywhites is that 5 out of their last 6 games are winnable matches against clubs that could potentially be in the relegation mix towards the conclusion of the season.

Overall, Fulham the glory days of the Roy Hodgson era are long gone and they have a huge, but not impossible task of escaping the bottom 3 places. Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City await in the coming weeks mixed with a vital away game against Cardiff which could make or break the Cottagers season. 

At the start of the season I predicted Fulham to struggle, and they are. However I believed, and still do, that they have enough quality to overcome the relegation dog fight.

Are Arsenal Title Contenders?

This season has shocked many people for a considerable number of reasons, most notably, the ascent of Arsenal to the top of the table. On deadline day of the summer, Arsene Wenger smashed the piggy bank for £42.5m in order to bring Real Madrid playmaker, Mesut Ozil to North London for a club record fee.

The tricky German has galvanised the club 

I am amazed how one moment of absolute wizardry from Arsene Wenger could propel his club into a title winning position. For those who say that one player cannot win you trophies, Arsenal is a prime example on how that theory could be proved wrong. The tricky German has galvanised the club and also brought a degree of securance to Arsene Wenger's job at the Emirates. Having endured almost 9 years without a trophy, this season marks their best opportunity to date to win a major trophy.

Traditionally, this month is like Friday the 13th to Arsenal fans

However, it's the month of February. Traditionally, this month is like Friday the 13th to Arsenal fans. Last February saw Arsenal defeated in the FA Cup to Blackburn Rovers and effectively knocked out of the Champions League by the eventual winners, Bayern Munich. In previous years, Arsenal have suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to AC Milan and the memorable 4-4 draw at Newcastle. This is emphasised by dropping 21 points and officially being knocked out of 2 competitions in the last three years.

While February is usually an appalling month for Arsenal, the fixture list doesn't prove pleasant reading for the Gooners. They have made a flying start to their bogey month with already 3 points under their belt in a win against Crystal Palace. The task gets a bit harder on Saturday in a top 4 clash with Liverpool. Realistically, with the game at Anfield, it will be difficult for the North Londoners and a draw would be a pleasing result. A game then follows against the under achieving Manchester United. Having lost in the reverse fixture, Arsene has a score to settle, and a win for the Gunners seems most likely. Another home fixture against Liverpool in the FA Cup gives Arsenal the opportunity to progress in the cup - a 2nd leg victory for Arsenal would be my prediction. Then comes the big test against all-conquering Bayern Munich before a game against the struggling, Sunderland and will pick up 3 points from the latter.

They don't have a big enough squad to compete in all fronts

As for my original question, I don't feel they are title contenders, yet. In my opinion, they don't have a big enough squad to compete in all fronts. Wenger has a solid defence at his disposal in Szczesny, Koscielny, Mertesacker and Gibbs, however, a replacement for the ageing Bacary Sagna may be required. As for midfield, they have a multitude of talent, probably the best after Manchester City and Chelsea. While the signing of Kim Kallstrom is logical, an attacker to deputise for Giroud if he gets injured is needed. I share the same opinion with most people in believing that Bendtner isn't good enough for this Arsenal team and that Podolski is more of a wide player rather than an out-and-out striker.

The stats don't lie. February has traditionally been a month with no luck for the London based team. However, if the Gunners come out of it with a victory against Bayern, a double over Liverpool and free from any injuries, it could set them up for an interesting finish in the the title race. After all, every title winning team needs a bit of luck.

Is Mata the Chosen Juan?

With the arrival of Juan Mata to Manchester United looking ever so likely, I will take a look at whether he is the answer to all of David Moyes' problems.

This season has seen David Moyes jump from one disaster to another. Currently languishing in an embarrassing 7th position, Moyes has his work cut out to restore The Red Devils to their former illustrious self. 

The signing of Juan Mata has relieved many supporters, including myself, that Woodward is willing to allow Moyes a decent transfer budget. A reported £150m in the kitty has to be spent if United are to claim European football this season. 

Yes, I believe Juan Mata is a great signing, but I'm not convinced he will solve the problems at United. I watched the Chelsea match and United seemed to be on top until Chelsea scored. By the 80th minute and then into the Sunderland game, it was evident that the team was devoid of confidence.

The Spaniard will bring a cutting edge to United, but I feel that our defence needs to be strengthened also. Rumour has it that Moyes is in the market for Dante and he would bring treble-winning experience. He would also be a fitting replacement for the agageing Ferdinand and injury-prone Nemanja Vidic. Rio Ferdinand a has been a magnificent servant for United over the past years and a terrific centre back but I feel that he should move over to allow Dante, Jones or Evans to replace him. I would relish the prospect of having Dante in Manchester, however I find this transfer unlikely.

Left back is another concern of mine. As with Rio, Patrick Evra has enjoyed a bounty of success at the Manchester club. As for Alex Buttner, recent performances do not merit an inclusion in the United squad. Although a possible future star, I would sign Coentrao as the first team left back. While many people call for Leighton Barnes - and I agree on why you do - I prefer Coentrao due to being younger and cheaper.

Many will be doubting the eligibility of Coentrao and Mata, and I don't blame you for I was until I looked the rule up. My research on the UEFA official website has informed me that "a substitute player who has not been fielded is entitled to play for another club competing in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League in the course of the same season, provided that he is registered with the UEFA administration in accordance with the present regulations." In terms of United, it means that Mata will NOT be able to participate in the Champions League as he appeared against Basel and Steaua for the London side. It's not all bad news as Coentrao would be able to play as he has not made an appearance in it for Madrid.

I believe in David Moyes. I also believe that if he is prudent in the transfer market, he can resurrect United to a respectable position in the table. At Manchester United, several transfers could give them the lacking ingredient for an under performing side. Confidence.

The Pantomime Villain

Recent events at Cardiff City have sparked the BBC to label club owner, Vincent Tan as the 'Pantomime Villain.'

In the middle of December, Cardiff coach was shocked to find an email from Tan telling him to resign or else face getting the sack. The riff between Tan and Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay started after Tan publicly criticised the manager for announcing his intentions on buying 3 new players in the transfer window as he felt it was 'unfairly raising the expectations of the supporters.'

During the match against Liverpool on Saturday, Cardiff City supporters voiced their disgust at owner Vincent Tan, with chants of "Mackay in Tan out" ringing around Anfield. The Liverpool fans acknowledged the efforts of the Cardiff supporters with a round of applause. The support from the fans wasn't enough to save their beloved Cardiff City from a 3-1 defeat.

Mackay guided his Cardiff team to their first ever season in the premier league and has appealed for peace between the owner and himself, saying that this dispute could lead to his Cardiff side being relegated at the end of the season. There is sense in the Cardiff manager's words in that it couldn't of happened at a worse time with the January transfer window approaching. Having only scored 13 goals, it seems apparent that the club will need to recruit another striker, in order to bolster their attacking threat. Only Crystal Palace have scored less goals (12), while Sunderland have scored 13 too.

The Boxing Day results didn't do Cardiff any favours by losing 3-0 at home to Southampton as well as Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Fulham all winning. This leaves Cardiff lying precariously in 17th position, a single point clear of the relegation zone. As it stands, Tan has withdrawn his 'resign or be sacked' order against Mackay and he will remain in charge for the foreseeable future, but he himself is expecting to be given the boot before the New Year.

Before the season commenced, I predicted a 14-16th placed finish, but this is looking increasingly unlikely, especially with the recent events. With Mackay standing firm and refusing to walk, it is down to Vincent Tan to make ultimate decision regarding the future of their manager.

Winter Round-Up 2013

Winter Round-Up

Here is a round-up of the Italian, German and Spanish Leagues to date.

La Liga

It is probably not too surprising that Barcelona are leading the way in Spain with 46 points, but I don't think too many people predicted Atletico to be in second place. Although having not found first gear this season, Barca have picked up on where they left off last season, albeit only ahead on goal difference. As for the Madrid sides, the tide could be turning. Real find themselves 5 points adrift of the top 2 and are positioned in 3rd place while Atleti are level on points with Barca. 

In El Clasico this year, Barcelona took the spoils with a 2-1 victory over Madrid at the Nou Camp. Neymar offered a scintillating performance in the first battle between him and the other debutant, Gareth Bale by scoring the opening goal. Alexis Sanchez doubled their lead after a deft chip over Lopez before Jese grabbed a late consolation goal to half the deficit.

In terms of my prediction, Real Madrid have the talent to win the title this year, but in order to it, they will need to gel together. Barcelona have defensive worries, after conceding 2 against Getafe at the weekend, but as always, their attacking threat bailed them out. They will look to improve in that department over January. As for the other side of Madrid, they possess a lethal striker in Diego Costa. Already with 23 goals this season, Costa will be hoping to bag a few more in order to challenge the big guns in the Champions League and try to pip Barcelona and Real to the title.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Barcelona	17	15	1	1	49	12	37	46
2	Atlético Madrid	17	15	1	1	46	11	35	46
3	Real Madrid	17	13	2	2	49	21	28	41
4	Athletic	17	10	3	4	26	21	5	33
5	Real Sociedad	17	8	5	4	33	23	10	29

Serie A

Last year's champions Juventus head into the Winter Break in pole position with leading the undefeated Roma by 5 points. Roma began the campaign in terrific fashion by winning their first 10 games and only conceding 1 goal in the process, but drawing too many games has cost them their top spot. 3rd place and lying a further 5 points behind is Napoli. Unlike Tottenham, Benitez and Napoli have spent wisely and are ready to pounce on any rare occasions when the top 2 drop points. As for the Milan teams, Inter find themselves poised in 5th position while the return of Kaka has done nothing to aid AC Milan's title prospects as they have had a torrid time and find themselves languishing in 13th - only 5 points of the relegation zone.

On Sunday, Inter beat AC in the Milan derby at a somewhat flat atmosphere in Northern Italy. Rodrigo Palacio neatly flicked the ball past Abbiati late on in order to send the Rossoneri home empty handed. The first week back treats us to a top of the table clash between Juventus and Roma, and a victory for Juve would give the an 8 point buffer zone. Juventus are the favourites to complete the job that they have started, but Roma could give them a bit of bother and make it tougher than they expected, however I do expect them to prevail.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Juventus	17	15	1	1	39	11	28	46
2	Roma	17	12	5	0	35	7	28	41
3	Napoli	17	11	3	3	36	20	16	36
4	Fiorentina	17	10	3	4	33	20	13	33
5	Inter Milan	17	8	7	2	37	21	16	31

Bundesliga

As expected, Bayern top the Bundesliga table by a mile, with Leverkusen in 2nd and Monchengladbach in 3rd. Bayern Munich and AS Roma are the only sides out of Europe's top leagues to be unbeaten up until now. Having only dropped 4 points from 16 games, and with a game in hand, Bayern are expected to dominate the league with having it wrapped up long before the conclusion of the season. Last year's Champions League and Bundesliga runner-up Borussia Dortmund, find themselves in 4 position, 12 points off the leader. 

Dortmund versus Bayern was played on 23 November with Munich running out 3-0 winners. The West German side held the Bavarians out until the 66th minute when Mario Gotze scored against his old team. Arjen Robben executed a majestic lob over Weidenfeller in the 85th minute before Thomas Muller completed the rout. In a league that appears to be wrapped up already, Dortmund, Leverkusen and Monchengladbach will be hoping to hold off the victory for Bayern as long as possible.

#	Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bayern Munich	16	14	2	0	42	8	34	44
2	Bayer	17	12	1	4	32	16	16	37
3	Mönchengladbach	17	10	3	4	35	19	16	33
4	Dortmund	17	10	2	5	38	20	18	32
5	Wolfsburg	17	9	3	5	28	19	9	30

My prediction:

La Liga 

1. Real Madrid

2. Barcelona

3. Atletico Madrid

Serie A

1. Juventus

2. Roma

3. Napoli

Bundesliga

1. Bayern Munich

2. Borussia Monchengladbach

3. Borussia Dortmund