The Race is On!

Title Up for Grabs

If you're a football fan, this is what you live for. With three weeks to go in the 2010/11 English Premier League season, the title is completely up for grabs.

Nearly a month ago, Chelsea's season looked done and dusted. Manchester United had sent them packing in the Champions League, and meanwhile, they sat eight points adrift of United atop the Premier League table. In fact, it looked that Arsenal was United's main challenger. But both teams in front of Chelsea faltered, and now the Blues trail Man U by just three points with three matches left, and a crucial matchup upcoming between Carlo Ancellotti's Blues and Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils this Sunday.

Although Chelsea were surely happy to see the Gunners falter down the stretch (allowing them to surpass their North London rivals for second), they were 100% behind Arsene Wenger and company during their Sunday matchup with United, as three dropped points for Fergie's boys meant they suddenly controlled their destiny in the title race. Thanks to a fantastic defensive performance from the Gunners, accompanied by some lovely spells of possession, and one clinical finish from Aaron Ramsey, the title race is officially on.

Ramsey's winner came in the 56th minute, as he raced onto a pass from Robin Van Persie and finished brilliantly with his right foot, sneaking the ball past Edwin van der Sar and into the left corner. In a match devoid of chances, Ramsey's well taken goal was an example of a side of Arsenal that we haven't seen in recent weeks, as they clamped down defensively (five goals given up in their last two matches), and were actually clinical in front of goal when their big chance came (most certainly not their forte), to gain the victory.

Maybe it was because United are tiring down the stretch, or perhaps Arsenal were able to flourish with their title chances all but gone and the pressure off of them. Either way, the Gunners have made a huge mark in this year's title race, even though they won't be winning a trophy for the sixth straight season.

As for United, they are beginning to look a weary bunch down the stretch. Look, this is far from Sir Alex Ferguson's best team (a legitimate case can be made that this would be his best managerial job ever should Man U win silverware), and while their toughness and swagger cannot be questioned, they do lack a bit of individual ability to get them over the top at times.

Aside from Wayne Rooney and Nani (and to some extent Antonio Valencia, but he is not quite back 100% yet), United lacks players with the creative qualities to make opportunities by their lonesome. And while their tactics, discipline, and defense are typically spot on, they still struggle to score at times when they are in need of a bit of inspiration.

The Case for Chelsea

Guus Hiddink, one of the games great current managers who had a brief and successful stint at Chelsea, always stresses that football is about "reacting" to the match being played, that the real mark of a world class side is that they can alter their style mid-game (reacting). And although only a win and nothing else will do for the Blues this Sunday, I would say that they are the more likely to nab the three points, as their propensity to "react" to the type of match they are faced with by successfully playing a variety of footballing styles, gives them a crucial advantage over Man U (but then again, I'm just another jaded Arsenal fan that might vomit at the mere idea of Fergie holding up the trophy when it was ours for the taking all year long).

It's rare that we get to see a match like this late in the season with everything on the line. But the result will indeed go to which ever team follows Hiddink's advice, and "reacts" most quickly to the type of match being played. In my opinion, that is something that best suits Chelsea, as their ability to play an ugly, prodding, grind-it-out style, or the aesthetically pleasing, pulsating and fast paced style that fans love, gives them the clear edge over United.

When evaluating Chelsea's versatility, we must first realize they are blessed with a host of players that can beat you with their physicality or creativity (while United's players tend to excel in one or the other). Chelsea, for my money, are actually the EPL's most complete team on personnel alone.

Like United, Chelsea have the big, physically gifted players in the center of the park with the likes of sizable center midfielders Michael Essien (although injuries have clearly altered his career, but that's a discussion for another day) John Obi Mikel and the firey and occasionally brilliant Ramires, plus one of the top center back pairings in the world in John Terry, David Luiz.

If we see that grind-it-out 90 minutes of football, United has no problem matching up with Chelsea (and they may be one of the few sides in the world that can do that). Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferndinand are right there with Luiz/Terry (although not the same offensive contribution, for what it's worth), and there's a wide selection of physical midfielders that don't make many mistakes with the likes of Gibson/Scholes/Carrick at Ferguson's disposal. Add in the fact that a point suits them just fine, and this is clearly the way they'll want the match to go.

However, while both teams have their fair share of physicality and discipline (two of the most important traits in winning a league like the EPL), Chelsea has a clear edge when it comes to creativity and skill (that is, the ability to create a goal out of nothing with a little bit of individual brilliance). When you stack up the two sides, this is where Chelsea has the advantage. Frank Lampard is getting back to his best as one of the world's most influential attacking midfielders, Didier Drogba is starting to pester defenders like last season and is finishing his chances, and wide midfielder Florent Malouda scored an absolute scorcher last weekend and can create problems for even the world's best right backs.

But don't forget, even the Blues' disciplined, hard nosed, defensive players are valuable on the attack, as Ramires can make defenders look stupid in one-on-one situation or play a fantastic ball to Drogba or Lampard, ditto for Essien, who can also hit an absolute screamer at any time, and even the aforementioned center back pairing of Terry/Luiz have scored some goals this season (that's even more impressive considering Luiz only arrived in January from Benfica). It's much the same story for the likes of Mikel, and center backs Terry and Luiz, who are two of the best passing center halves around.

Meanwhile, United haven't had the same type of attacking success in that area. They've gotten four goals from Vidic, one from Scholes early in the year, and have seen goalless seasons from the rest of their central players currently in the squad. The lack of creativity in the center has shown in their worst moments (to be fair, there haven't been many of those), as those who have successfully defended United will force them into less dangerous positions out wide and pour most of their resources into marking the likes of Rooney and Javier Hernandez up top (which of course is easier said than done with the way those two have been scoring goals of late).

That all said, United have always flourished in these situations under Ferguson. They are a team obsessed with getting a result no matter what type of football they have to play, so they will certainly test Chelsea from the outset, as they'll be just fine with a 0-0 draw (they played similarly at the Emirates last weekend), especially considering a trip to lowly Blackburn and visit from relegation battlers Blackpool are the only fixtures that remain in their season.

If United are successful in slowing the pace of the match down, turning it into the type of match that suits them, they could get what they want. But Chelsea won the title last year playing that type of football when necessary. Meanwhile, The Blues hold the clear edge if they are ensconced in a faster paced match. And it's their ability to "react" to those two fundamental types of football that could position them to win the league on Sunday.

At the Bottom

It's been a tumultuous two seasons at Upton Park. And relegation this season would only add to West Ham's woes. The Hammers have a shockingly high wage bill for a team propping up the table with three matches left. Relegation for a team of that expense, and one plans to move into the Olympic Stadium next season on top of that, would be simply catastrophic.

It's always an interesting case when you have a host of veteran Premiership-quality players making up a roster that's battling the drop. Sometimes, it's not quite the advantage one might think, as many of the keg cogs surely know that they will move on to another Premiership club should the side go down. We've seen this type of thing happen in the past with sides like Middlesbrough and Newcastle. Surely Carlton Cole realizes that he won't be a part of the team should they drop down the Championship, ditto for Scott Parker (the race for his services should be especially interesting, as he has been a truly influential player this season). I'm not sure if West Ham are ready to go down just yet, but it's a very conceivable scenario at this point despite them being the most talented team amongst the current relegation strugglers.

Meanwhile, Wigan, Blackpool, Wolves, and Blackburn join the Hammers in the unenviable position of battling against the drop.

Kudos to Blackpool for giving us some great football this season, and Ian Holloway must be admired for sticking to the aggressive, attacking approach that got them promoted. But if they go down this season, it's proof that you can't make that style work unless you have the players. The Tangerines don't have that, giving up goals left and right whilst having too many bodies committed forward. Their attitude must be commended, but in the end, I think we are seeing that a free-flowing style simply doesn't work for a team at their talent level. Ugly football may not be our favorite style to watch, but it's usually going to be your the best route in terms of staying in the EPL.

Wigan have been languishing towards the bottom of the table since day one, when Blackpool thrashed them 4-0. The Latics do have one thing working for them in that they can withstand a bit of pressure thanks to the fantastic goalkeeping of loanee Ali Al-Habsi, and that's certainly a plus for a team that figures to be up against it thanks to a questionable back four.

Mick McCarthy's Wolves have fought tooth and nail to stay up for a second straight season. But they've sorely lacked a finisher in front of goal, which was evidenced by a string of tough results in the first half of the season when they actually played some pretty decent football . Fortunately for them, they play two of their three remaining fixtures at Molineux this season, where they have always looked far more dangerous over their current stay in the Premiership.

When Blackburn experienced a brief revival under Steve Keen and quickly rewarded him with an extension, I was quick to credit the manager/players for their sudden fine form, but I also warned against a quick fall from grace, as we've seen many a team flourish only momentarily under new direction. Unfortunately for them, that has been the case. The Roque Santa Cruz move hasn't worked out, and it's shown as they have been firing blanks for some time now. Still, they sit three points above the drop zone, so they won't have to do quite as much work to stay up as some.

Weekend in Review

United One Step Closer, Arsenal Done

With a knack for scoring crucial goals late in matches, it's no wonder that Manchester United are in the drivers seat for the trophy. They added to that reputation on Saturday, beating Everton 1-0 on an 83rd minute goal from Javier Hernandez.

Coming off a dull 0-0 draw with Newcastle at midweek, United knew that it was time to get back on track and take full points against the visiting Toffees. But David Moyes' side made it tough on the Red Devils, keeping them out of dangerous positions for much of the match.

As always, United pressed on, staying confident and composed. And their persistence paid off, as the chances began to come in the second half. Tim Howard saved Hernandez's header brilliantly to keep hopes alive for his side. But he was powerless to stop Hernandez's header from the door step with seven minutes to go, as a gorgeous arching cross from Antonio Valencia found Chicharito's head at the back post, and the Mexican nodded home.

While Chicharito's winner was the story, Valencia's teasing cross was the key pass for the winner, and his return to the lineup after suffering a nasty leg injury earlier in the season has paid huge dividends. Looking sharp from the moment he returned to the pitch, Valencia has provided the Yen to Nani's Yang, giving Man U a threat up the right wing to go along with Nani on the left. With Valencia back, the Red Devils have most of their first choice players in attack to choose from, so they will hope that they aren't biting their nails waiting for another late goal over the rest of the season.

While it was more of the same from Manchester United, it was also the same old story for Arsenal. Unfortunately for the Gunners, that "story" has been a miserable one, as they once again failed to capitalize on a myriad of opportunities and then dropped points late in Sunday's 2-1 loss at Bolton.

Arsenal's much-maligned back four hadn't been the the problem over the last few months, but it certainly was the main weakness over the last week, as they yeilded five goals over their last two matches, including two from corner kicks in Sunday's loss at Bolton. Center-half Johan Djourou was dreadful. He lost a ball to Johan Elmander late in the match that could have cost Arsenal but was bailed out by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The Swiss didn't have the same luck in the 89th, when Tamir Cohen scored the winner from a corner, beating him to the ball and heading in the winner.

When looking at Arsenal's performance over recent weeks, it seemed only a matter of time until they fell out of the title picture. That assumption was a correct one, as the Gunners crashed out of the race with two more disappointing results against Tottenham (3-3) and Bolton last week.

In many ways, the title was there's for the taking this season. But the Gunners have lacked the consistency, luck, and mental fortitude to get the job done.

Chelsea Move to Second

Chelsea looked a beleaguered and disinterested bunch after falling to Manchester United in the Champions League days earlier, and you could't really blame them. But ten days later, the Blues can happily say that they are still thinking about winning a trophy after a fine win over strugglers West Ham on Saturday.

There were positives aplenty in Saturday's win. Carlo Ancellotti's boys looked like the Chelsea that were odds-on favorites to win the EPL in October, getting several goals of great quality from a trio stars who have only recently rediscovered their form. Tops on the list was a beautifully executed goal that brought out the best in Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard (something we've not seen nearly enough of this season).

Then, Fernando Torres finally got the monkey off of his back with his first goal for Chelsea, and then came a cracking strike from the back in-form Florent Malouda to put the icing on the cake.

The Blues surpassed Arsenal for second with the win, and now sit just six points adrift of Manchester United. It's not an unattainable gap either. Chelsea would surely have to win the rest of their matches, but they do face United next weekend, whilst United face a trip to The Emirates this upcoming Sunday. Someone will have to spur an upset for The Blues, but a late push for the title is within reach.

Well Done West Brom

I have to admit that West Brom's firing of Roberto Di Matteo caught me by surprise, as the Italian had done a decent enough job with the Baggies before being shown the door in February. After all, W.B.A. were out of the drop zone, had gotten some decent results (a draw with Man U and win over Arsenal amongst them), and were also playing relatively good football for a team expected to battle the drop. But a poor run of form saw the Baggies' owners scrambling to avoid the club's fourth relegation from the Premiership in the last eight years. And that spelled the end of the Di Matteo era at West Brom.

With Di Matteo out, the legendary Roy Hodgson was hired. And although Englishman's time at Anfield this season was a total disaster, his credentials as a manager say that he's one of the best around. The 63-year old's managerial skills are also best suited for a mid-table club, as he has never been the most adventurous manager when it comes to attacking, a concept that suits a club like W.B.A. far better than a Liverpool.

The Baggies have shown the commitment and attention to detail required from their manager, and they've also let their quality show in a fine run of form that should keep them in the top flight, and just might see them finish in the top half the table.

The Baggies have lost just one match under Hodgson (albeit at the expense of five draws), and have played some sparkling football in the process, including a well earned point at White Hart Lane on the weekend.

Whether West Brom can stay up next season is another story, as staying in the EPL for a second season is something so many other clubs have been unable to do. But the Baggies can take solace in the fact that they have a solid squad to draw from, including striker Peter Odemwingie (13 goals on the year), who has been one of the best buys in all of Europe this season. They also did well to pluck Jerome Thomas from Portsmouth, as the skillful winger has given them a sense of creativity and unpredictability in attack.

There's a nice midfield to draw from, too. Chris Brunt has made the jump to the EPL quite well, while the acquisition of Paul Scharner (previously with Wigan) has also paid dividends.

With the addition of players like Odemwingie, and the hiring of a top class manager in Hodgson, the Baggies surely have some hope to not just stay up this season, but become a fixture in the top flight. If they can make a few more clever moves a la Scharner and Thomas, they just might be looking at a long stay in the Premiership for the first time in the club's history.

Are Liverpool Back?

The Turnaround

It's been a tale of two halves for Liverpool this season.

Just two months ago, the side was an embarrassment to the kit, looking uninspired and suffering through a slew of terrible and often humiliating results (being swept by Wolves for the first time in 50 years comes to mind).

The EPL title was out of reach by mid-October, a top four spot looked unlikely at the New Year, and it was clear that this was a team in need of a major shakeup. They would get that shakeup. And now things are finally looking up for the proud club thanks to the coming of age from several players, and the purchase of a potential star.

In the mean time, they appear ready to make a late push at the top four, and could enter next season with legitimate aspirations of a title run should they make the right moves this summer.

What Changed?

Many point to the hiring of former Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish as the turning point for the Reds. To his credit, the interim man did take over under rough times before the team had a revival of sorts under his control. But for me, the real cause of 'Pool's resurgence was the arrival of Luis Suarez. The 24-year old striker/winger/center forward looks as if he's about to take the world by storm.

I've been a fan of his for some time, and I'll let you read about my man love for him here in a blog from last month. If you want to be inundated with a compilation of all things Suarez (for my fellow soccer junkies who may not have been reading back then), read that story (it will save us both some time). Otherwise, check out this play (start video at 2:45) from Suarez against Manchester United yesterday. Also realize that he would have scored on his own had Kuyt not been present, as the ball is clearly curling into the far corner.

The turn in form has also been aided by the emergence of summer signing Raul Miereles. Miereles got off to a slow start as 'Pool languished through their early season malaise. But then the goals started coming for the crafty center midfielder, as he scored five goals over six matches while the Reds came into their current form.

The play of Suarez and Miereles has paid great dividends for other players as well.

Against United, Suarez sat just behind Dirk Kuyt in a center forward role. After 90 minutes, two of the Dutchman's scores had come off of great plays from the Uruguayan. Kuyt is a workhorse that you can count on for effort, but he's a guy that needs service to be at his most effective and now he's getting it.

Before the emergence of Miereles, and the addition of Suarez, Steven Gerrard had to do it all. Among the copious list of things he had to do were to provide goal scoring from midfield, give service to Fernando Torres (who wasn't doing him any favors), and provide his often unnoticed defensive duties. Now he has Suarez to feed the strikers further up the pitch, and Miereles pairing with him effectively in the middle, and he's looked much more comfortable on the pitch. I'd still like to see a few more goals from the English Captain, but you've got to assume they'll come at some point.

The Future

Liverpool fans are thinking Champions League. And if they play as they did on Sunday it's a possibility. But they're still nine points adrift of fourth. I'd say they've already dug themselves too deep a hole to get back into the top four.

Should 'Pool find themselves in the Europe League for the second straight year, all is not lost as they have a chance to get even better this summer.

Look, I still feel the Andy Carroll buy was a mistake, as it took away the funds from the Torres sale. But the owners say there is more money to spend, so that's got to be good news. This team still needs some help on the back four, and I think they could make a pretty penny by selling Glen Johnson, who continues to give them very little defense at right back.

There are other issues that must be addressed. Keeping Pepe Reina is an absolute must for me, as he provides a vital lifeline defensively. The Reds could also do with a true striker to put in front of or pair with Suarez, among other things. But the retention of Reina, and two or three worthwhile additions could see them close to the top of the league a year from now.

What do you think? Are Liverpool Back?

Weekend in Review

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United

34'- Kuyt
39'- Kuyt
65'- Kuyt
90'- Hernandez

HIGHLIGHTS

It's been five days from hell in the red half of Manchester. In a week where they faced two difficult fixtures at Stamford Bridge and Anfield, the Red Devils were defeated twice and now look to be in a real battle for the title.

On Sunday, they ran into a Liverpool team that appear to be coming together and putting the dark days of the Roy Hodgson era behind them. The result was a thorough beating courtesy of Kenny Dalglish's resurgent Reds, who beat them 3-1 before a vociferous crowd of 44,753.

It should be noted that United were not at their best in the back. First choice center halves Rio Ferdinand (injury) and Nemanja Vidic (suspension) both missed out. Young Chris Smalling continued to deputize for Ferdinand, while Wes Brown got the start in place of the Serbian.

Liverpool new boy Luis Suarez faced his first real test in the EPL, and he would pass with flying colors. He had his first chance in the 2nd minute when Rau Miereles fired across the box to the off-balance Uruguayan, who one-touched right at Edwin van der Sar.

Dimitar Berbatov came close in the 16th when his lovely half-volley from distance curled around Pepe Reina but bounced off the far post and out.

Two minutes later, Suarez was again involved when he beat a defender down the left wing and found Miereles's head at the far post. He flicked back across goal and just past the outstretched Dirk Kuyt.

Suarez magnificently created the opening goal in the 34th, beating three United defenders in the box and then slotting between the legs of van der Sar to Kuyt, who only had to tap in for the lead.

The brilliance of Suarez set up Kuyt for his first goal. But it was a bizarre header from Nani five minutes later that lead to the second, as the winger flicked back into the box where the Dutchman awaited at the far post to pounce.

Things got ugly before the half. A terrible challenge from Jamie Carragher saw the veteran go studs up into Nani. The Portuguese at first got up to confront the guilty party, but then went down in pain and was later substituted as a mild fracas ensued. In the end, Carragher got off with just a yellow. Nani was substituted for Javier Hernandez after suffering a "deep gash" in his leg.

There was another altercation when a high boot from Maxi Rodriguez on Rafael angered the Brazilian, who then slid in late on Martin Skrtel, and the two went face-to-face near the center-circle as both sides exchanged pleasantries.

United came back into the match in the second half. Sir Alex Ferguson's side began to posses the ball in dangerous areas as the Reds started to scramble.

In the 48th, Berbatov crossed low and with pace for Javier Hernandez, but the normally reliable finisher scuffed his strike wide.

Rooney hit Giggs with a similar ball in the 55th, but the Welshman's left footed effort dipped moments late.

Four minutes later, Rooney's cross traveled across Reina and was headed back towards goal by Hernandez to the awaiting Berbatov. The Bulgarian's header had the goalkeeper beaten, but Miereles did fantastically well to chest off the line whilst avoiding a hand ball.

United were on the front foot. But it was the home side that would put the result on ice with the next goal. Suarez's well struck free kick was saved by van der Sar, but he had a tough time with the curling strike and fumbled it momentarily, and Kuyt was opportunistic once again to net his hat trick.

£35M man Andy Carroll made his debut for the Reds in the 74th. His first 25 minutes in the Liverpool kit were mainly uneventful, with his only contribution being a headed pass onto the foot of Kuyt, who sliced his effort over.

Kuyt may have bagged his first career hat trick, but it was Suarez who was really making his presence felt. He nearly scored a great goal in the 87th, as he nutmegged Patrice Evra at midfield, then poked the ball around Wes Brown and burst into the right half of the box before shanking his strike well wide.

Steven Gerrard was fairly quiet. But he had two long shots just miss, the second of curling inches wide from a short free kick.

Hernandez pulled back a late consolation, sneaking into the 6-yard box unmarked and nodding into the left corner.

A Tough Week for United

All in all, Manchester United have to consider themselves lucky to still be three points up on Arsenal (more on that later) after their worst week of the season.

They were unfortunate against Chelsea in many ways, but they looked rattled for much of the second half as the Blues stormed back to win.

While the performance at Stamford Bridge wasn't their worst, they came close to that level of ineptitude today. Of course we must credit Liverpool, who played United off the pitch in the first half and had enough left in the tank to get them to the finish.

The absence of Ferdinand and Vidic was certainly crucial. Suarez was giving the Man U back four complete fits. And to be quite honest, Brown and Smalling looked terrified whenever he put them under pressure. The Uruguayan also bested Evra on several occasions down the wing.

With Suarez and company having their way going forward, United's attacking quality was not good enough to keep 'Pool honest. After a decent start, Rooney completely disappeared from the match for nearly thirty minutes. That's inexcusable for a team trying to get a result in hostile territory. For a man that appears to be coming into form, Rooney must get the service necessary to operate.

There's a long way to go in the season. And United must turn their performances around as Arsenal is right on their heels, and Chelsea will be back in with a shout should they beat Blackpool on Monday.

Arsenal Frustrated

Manchester United's loss to Chelsea opened up the door for Arsene Wenger's Gunners, who would have moved to within one point of the leaders with a win against Sunderland on Saturday.

With a chance to put even more pressure on struggling United, Arsenal failed to get the job done, drawing 0-0 at The Emirates in a match where they were always on the front foot, and also massively unlucky to see a series of tough refereeing decisions go against them.

Injuries to midfielders Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas (both are expected back fit for Tuesday's Champions League matchup with Barcelona) forced the enigmatic and rusty Abou Diaby and rarely used Denilson into action. The lack of continuity between the two and Jack Wilshere showed in the first half, as the Gunners looked stretched and unable to possess.

Stephane Sessegnon managed to create a half-chance in the 18th for the visitors, doing well to create space and blasting towards goal where Wojciech Szczesny parried.

Despite the early flurry from the Black Cats, Arsenal defended well as Laurent Koscielny responded from his Carling Cup guffaw with a fine performance amongst the back four.

The Gunners did manage several chances. The two greatest fell to Nicklas Bendtner, who went close on a pair of occasions. First he burst through the defense to get to Wilshere's ball and rifled it upwards, only to see Simon Mignolet get a hand to the powerful strike and push it over. A corner saw him try a bicycle kick that he hit perfectly, but unfortunately for him the effort was right at the goalkeeper.

The second half saw the Gunners furiously pressing forward, creating countless chances.

Andrei Arshavin was at the center of attention for much of the half. Substitute Marouane Chamakh got out on the break and did well to find him alone in front of goal in the 63rd, but the little Russian rushed his shot and Mignolet made another stop.

The French goalkeeper did magnificently well in the 73rd, stopping a goal-bound free kick from Samir Nasri.

Chamakh hit the bar two minutes later as the onslaught continued. Wilshere crossed into the box and the Moroccan rose well, but his header was just inches too high.

A beautiful ball from Nasri within the Arsenal half saw Arshavin through in the 80th. The winger did well to settle himself, but a push from behind from Titus Bramble put him off and he missed the near post. Arsene Wenger and company protested to no avail.

With their opponents in disbelief, Sunderland thrust forward their only meaningful attack of the second 45. Man United loanee Danny Welbeck made his return from injury off the substitutes bench, and nearly made Steve Bruce look like a genius when he took the ball down out of the air in the box, then wheeled and fired to the far post to force a brilliant save from Szczesny.

Jordan Henderson had a chance from the ensuing corner. But his volley was placed right at the young Polish goalkeeper.

The Gunners were again furious with the officiating when Arshavin wrongly had a goal disalowed for offsides in the 86th.

Wenger was justifiably fuming post-match. He called the officiating performance "not acceptable" and it's hard to disagree. In this match, we've seen two decisions go against Arsenal, with one costing them a chance from the spot, while the other incorrectly prevented a go-ahead goal. The cross bar and some fine stops from Mignolet left the home side ruing yet another missed opportunity to make up substantial ground on United.

Despite the result, the Gunners can take solace in the rapidly decreasing form of Man U. In the end, it's another point picked up on the leaders, as Arsenal sit just three points from the summit with a match in hand.

They have one league match (at West Brom) left before the international break. After which, if nothing goes wrong, they should be at full strength for the stretch run with the return of Van Persie.

Still the Gunners have to be frustrated. They have dropped a ton of points in absolutely heartbreaking fashion, blowing leads for instance against the likes of Newcastle (4-0 to 4-4) and Tottenham (2-0 to 3-2). Had they shown a little more composure/poise and/or had a bit more luck they would likely be sitting pretty right now atop the table.

Fireworks at Molineux

I tried to convince my brother (a renowned soccer hater) to stick around and watch Tottenham-Wolves after he had reluctantly enjoyed the Man U-'Pool match. After all, this was a match where both teams would certainly go for the three points. He refused, and instead missed a great 90 minutes as both sides battled it out to a 3-3 draw that featured plenty of talking points to go with several goals of great quality.

Mired in the relegation battle, Wolves will attack whomever comes to Molineux, knowing that the vast majority of their wins down the stretch should come on their home pitch. Meanwhile, Tottenham also were looking to throw bodies forward, knowing that wins against lesser talented sides are an absolute must in their battle for a position in the top four.

Jermain Defoe somehow hadn't scored an EPL goal from the run of play in over a year. He re-opened his account with two absolutely breathtaking strikes that came just minutes apart.

As for Wolves, they showed their usual passion and commitment, fighting back from adversity (and an inexplicable officiating error that saw a late goal disallowed) to muster a draw.

Before I leave you to watch the highlights for yourself, I want to give a little love to George Elokobi. The left back won't get much fanfare, and may not have a major EPL career should he not help keep Wolves at the top level. However, with his tough demeanor, fearless defending, and his fine fitness and work ethic (I wouldn't want to run into that guy in a back alley), he's everything you want from a player when you're battling the drop. That's the kind of spirit that Wanderers need to duplicate if they want to avoid relegation this season.

Check out the highlights.

In Case you Missed It...

I sang the praises of Bundesliga leading Borussia Dortmund last week. But there's another young team taking their domestic league by storm in France. If you haven't been paying much attention to Lille, it might be time to take notice.

Like Dortmund, Les Dogues (The Mastiffs in our tongue) have defeated the notion that you can't win with youth. While their challengers have had their ups and downs in a Ligue 1 season lacking intrigue, Rudi Garcia's bunch have kept chugging along and getting results. They did so again on Sunday, notching a last second goal from substitute Pierre-Alain Frau (one of the few veterans of the squad) to beat preseason title favorites Marseille 2-1.

Lille began to assemble this young team in 2008-09 with current Lyon star Michel Bastos leading them, as they burst onto the scene to make a serious challenge for a Champions League spot and were outside title contenders all year. Les Dogues would lose the magical Brazilian left footer that summer, and it hurt them last season. But they still fought back to finish fourth place and garner a second straight Europa League bid. Meanwhile, without Bastos to bail them out, the likes of youngsters Eden Hazard (20 years old) and Gervinho (23) came of age.

Then Garcia made a brilliant move last summer when he signed little known 24-year old Moussa Sow after his contract expired with Rennes. He (18 goals) and Gervinho (11) lead the team with scoring, while Hazard has blossomed into one of the world's top prospects from the left wing.

In a season where Ligue 1 has been dull at best, the youthful upstarts from Lille have certainly provided a bright spot.

As for Dortmund, they now lead by 12 points in Die Bundesliga after a 1-0 win over Koln. But the story of the weekend in Germany was a major shake up in the race for the Champions League, as a pair of surprise teams upset two of the big boys to jockey for places in the top three.

Bayern Munich may be looking good in the Champions league, but life has been much rougher domestically. Bayern were all but eliminated from the title race in a 3-1 defeat to Dortmund last week, now they're all the way down to fifth in the table after a loss by the same score to high-flying Hannover. The win puts Steve Cherundolo's side (had to sneak that in there) into the third and final Champions League spot, five points ahead of Bayern.

Their closest challenger is Mainz. This is just their second season in the top flight, but they did well to finish in the top half of the table last season. Today they sit four points back of Hannover after beating favored Hamburg (now seventh place and ten points adrift of third) 4-2 on Sunday.

What are your thoughts from the weekend in footy? Feel free to leave comments below!

Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United

29'- Rooney
53'- Luiz
80'- Lampard

Chelsea think that they have reignited their title hopes with a fantastic 2-1 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. The hosts came out on top only after a controversial penalty gave them the win in a match where both teams went all out for the three points. But the victors performance certainly earned them the spoils in a match that could have ko'd their title hopes in' the English Premier League.

The game got off to a flying start with Chelsea on the attack.

David Luiz won the ball in the back and hit Florent Malouda on the wing, who had his legs taken out from under him while Nicolas Anelka jumped on the loose ball, cut into the box and missed his low strike wide right.

The back-and-forth affair was a pleasure to watch for fans.

In the 7th, Patrice Evra did well to get down the left wing and play a teasing ball across the face of goal but no one was home.

Anelka had another chance moments later when Torres switched the field of play to find him on the counter. He did well to get into shooting position, but again missed a low shot wide of the far post.

United were right in the match throughout the first half. Wayne Rooney should have done better in the 21st when he clumsily missed a free header and the ball slammed off of his shoulder.

Rooney made due on his second chance in the 29th minute. He took a short ball from Nani outside the box, then took two precise touches before blasting to the near post and past the outstretched Peter Cech.

Chelsea somehow didn't equalize in the 38th from a Frank Lampard free kick, which bounced off of van der Sar, and then off of Branislav Ivanovic. The right back went for the deflection with the goal at his mercy, but van der Sar heroically got his hand up and swatted the ball away just before the Chelsea man could pounce.

Three points was the only option to keep Chelsea's miniscule title hopes alive. And they came out in the second half throwing everything forward.

The aggressive strategy paid dividends immediately. In the 53rd, Ashley Cole threw a cross into the box which Ivanovic flicked across goal, the ball bounced twice before falling to the waiting Luiz, who unleashed a perfect volley to the near post for the equalizer.

Chelsea were flying afterwards while the visitors began to look rattled.

Didier Drogba entered for Anelka in the 61st as the Blues continued to attack.

The match was wide open and Chelsea were enjoying over 60% of the possession in the second half. But United did manage a solid counter when Rooney and Nani did well to combine again and the Englishman got behind Michael Essien before firing his shot embarrassingly wide.

The Blues kept coming forward. But their lack of quality combined with some fine last ditch defending from their opponents kept them at bay. Torres provided a good example of that when he launched a bending strike at least ten rows deep in minute 68.

Rooney got a glimmer of space in the box in the 75th, but shot right at Cech while under pressure from Luiz.

There was controversy aplenty in the 77th. Luiz clearly took away the legs of Rooney off the ball, which should have seen him sent off for a second yellow card. But referee Martin Atkinson missed the incident and the center-half escaped.

Just one minute later, it was Chelsea who emerged with the goal they desperately needed. Chris Smalling was adjudged to have fouled (highlight starts at 3:05) substitute Yuri Zhirkov in the box. At the very least, the center half was unfortunate, as a lucky bounce off of his leg saw the Russian regain possession just in time to make contact with Smalling.

Lampard stepped up to take the penalty. And he boldly finished top shelf to give his side the lead with ten minutes to go.

Chelsea looked the more likely to score after the goal. Zhirkov was desperately unlucky not to score after his long strike was headed goalwards but came off the leg of Nemanja Vidic and deflected off the post and out.

Vidic's second yellow card added insult to injury, as he lost his cool and yanked Ramires down as Chelsea ran the clock down.

Opinion

The "Battle at the Bridge" didn't disappoint.

There were so many great performances to choose from in a match played at an absolutely breathtaking pace. I loved that both teams attacked from the outset. You could tell that Sir Alex Ferguson and company came to London determined to deliver the knockout blow to Chelsea's title hopes. Meanwhile, the Blues could settle for nothing less than three points without ending all hopes of an already unlikely title push.

Both teams were flying from the opening whistle. The first half was fairly even, with both sides playing attacking football.

Rooney's goal was an absolute peach of a strike. He turns, picks his head up, makes up his mind quickly, and has a go for goal. He might have done a little better with a couple more chances in the match, but he is once again looking dangerous. If there's any positive that United can take form the loss, it's the return to form of Rooney, who has now scored in three consecutive appearances.

Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming at the referee post-match. Luiz was great, but he absolutely should have received a second yellow for clattering into Rooney. And the penalty kick that came immediately afterwards was also a controversial decision (start video at 3:05).

While Atkinson missed the call on Luiz, I can see where he's coming from when pointing to the spot later on, as their is clear contact in the area. But you've got to say that Smalling was unlucky to give it up, as he doesn't have time to get out of the way, and Zhirkov has certainly gone down easily.

I was a little surprised to see United show so little fight after the penalty. They hardly had a sniff of the ball in the second half before or after the goal. Once again, they showed that Chelsea is the one team in England that can rattle them.

United didn't look at all nervous in the first half. They held the ball well in the midfield while Rooney and Javier Hernandez were giving the defense problems. Plus got the goal they needed from Rooney in a relatively even 45 minutes. But it all went sour for in the second half.

It didn't help that Nani was uninvolved, and you have to give Ivanovic a bunch of credit for keeping him quiet. Without the most creative of center midfielders, United rely on the winger to make runs into the middle and make defenses scramble. But he was unable to do so today, and Chelsea made the adjustments neccessary at half to key in on Rooney and Chicharito.

As for Chelsea, they have played some fine halves of football this season. After all, they have scored seven goals in a match four times this year. That being said, they've never played a better half than the second 45 minutes against Man U. The stakes are rarely higher. The crowd was tense throughout, uneasy about being forced to stomach the image of Ferguson's side ending their season on their own pitch.

All in all, Chelsea were up against pressure that they hadn't yet faced this season. And they rose to the challenge sporting the combination of toughness, quality, and swagger that brought them silverware last year.

The Luiz goal was simply fantastic. I've got to say, he looks to be worth all of that money they spent.

I didn't know a ton about Luiz at Benfica. Plus you never know how a newly signed center half will adjust to the rigors of the EPL (we've seen much more well heralded ones fail before). But this guy has what it takes. He's got to learn to be a bit more disciplined as he gave up a poor penalty last week against Fulham and should have been sent off against Man U. But he's a fine defender with great lateral quickness and ball control.

It was a pleasure to watch Luiz and Rooney go against each other. Rooney's goal was fantastic, but to me it was Luiz who continually showed his quality. Several times, he would anticipate a pass to Rooney and step in front to intercept. On other occasions, he would get right behind the in-form striker and force him to quickly release the ball or take him one-on-one. Luiz got the better of him in those situations, and helped keep the United tally to one goal.

Furthermore, he is a fine player on the ball. His touch is fine, and he plays a great ball out of the back. The goal he scored was a great one. But it was no mistake. If you're thinking that was a once in a lifetime strike from a center half, you're dead wrong. Luiz has great technique on the ball and passes extremely well. At just 23, we might be witnessing the coming out party for the next great Brazilian center half.

Vidic and Rio Ferndinand have been the top center back pairing in England for some time now. But I think Luiz and John Terry could give them a real run for their money.

Now that I've revealed my man crush for Luiz in full, let's get back to the match itself.

The Plot Thickens...

We're in for a race to the finish regarding the title.

Arsenal can move to within one point of Manchester United with a win at home against Sunderland on Saturday. United could increase the lead back to four on Sunday against Liverpool, but the Gunners would have a match in hand.

That trip to Anfield looks a difficult one. Man U will play Sunday without vaunted center backs Vidic (suspension) and Ferdinand (injury). Smalling will continue to deputize for Ferdinand. But with Johnny Evans unavailable, Ferguson will turn to Wes Brown in the back. Luis Suarez must be licking his chops, but that's a thought for another time.

In closing, all I can say is that we are in for one hell of a title race. Chelsea claim they still have a hand in it, but it's Arsenal who will really be nipping at Man U's heels if they can beat Sunderland (a terrible road outfit) on Saturday. Remember, the Gunners host Man U at the Emirates later this season and don't have to play Chelsea or Manchester City again. The race is on, my friends. And it's going to be damn fun to watch.

The Weekend in Review

Leaders Hold Serve

Manchester United and Arsenal both stumbled two weeks ago. But both sides showed their absolute best in wins over the weekend.

United surely had the toughest fixture of the two sides. But they managed to come out victorious in a crucial Manchester Derby where they were certainly tested. Meanwhile, the Gunners cruised to a routine win over Wolves.

United made sure to put last week's disaster at Molineaux behind them, all but eliminating Manchester City from the title race with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. City asked questions of the leaders' defense after equalizing in the second half, but the Red Devils' back-line was up to the task, and then Wayne Rooney won it with one of the finest goals in EPL history.

Much of the first half belonged to United. But it was City who created the first chance in the early going. Carlos Tevez turned in the box and found David Silva streaking towards the goal, who set the ball up nicely on his left foot before rolling his shot wide of the far corner with the goal at his mercy.

The rest of the half was a hard fought affair with Man U looking to be on the ascendancy. And a sudden counter attack goal just before halftime gave them the lead.

Nani did brilliantly to handle an aerial ball from Ryan Giggs behind the defense, then quickly composed himself and slotted into the right corner.

City worked their way back into the match in the second half. But it took a serious slice of luck to pull them level. Edin Dzeko's shot caromed off the back of Silva and looped into the far corner past a wrong-footed Edwin van der Sar.

City pressed forward afterwards, knowing that only three points would do to keep their title hopes alive. But they were unable to create a serious chance while Nani came close for the Red Devils.

Then Rooney won it with what will surely be the goal of the season. A deflected cross from Nani in the 78th saw him momentarily backtrack before hammering an incredible bicycle kick into the upper corner. The goal was not only of absolutely sublime quality, but also came at a crucial juncture, as it handed Man U the full three points, knocked City out of the title race, and kept second place Arsenal at arms length for now.

I just can't say enough about the United defense. This is not exactly the best attacking side that Sir Alex Ferguson has ever had at his disposal, and they often find themselves under pressure as a result. But the back four were once again up to the task, even without Rio Ferdinand in the lineup.

Chris Smalling stepped in and did a fine job for them. He has looked shaky at times this season, but he's a youngster with a boatload of potential and ability. That showed on Saturday when he and Vidic continued to stifle attacks from City, especially after the road side had equalized and started to look lively and confident going forward.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils scored two gorgeous goals and deserved the three points. Nani's goal began with an absolutely perfect first touch, as he controlled the ball beautifully out of the air while under pressure from Pablo Zabaleta.

But that one will surely be forgotten after Rooney's wonder strike. If you somehow haven't seen it, I'm going to post the link again here. Even my roommate who spends half his time ignorantly exclaiming that "soccer is gay" whenever I turn on a match was impressed.

As for the Blues, their title hopes are almost assuredly finished. Now it's time to focus on nabbing a Champions League positon, which is absolutely essential with regards to them being able to consistently acquire the world's best players. We know they have the money to throw around, but it will be much easier to lure players to Eastlands if they can finish in the top four.

With no matches remaining against Arsenal or Man U, they're surely in good position to qualify. But Tottenham would leapfrog them into third position should they win their match in hand, while Chelsea aren't far behind either.

In recent years, Arsenal have had a tough time coming back from tough results. And the 4-4 draw to Newcastle (a match which they lead 4-0 at the break) raised such doubts again. But the initial returns regarding their response were positive, as they cruised to an easy 2-0 win over Wolves.

2-0 flattered Mick McCarthy's side, who were second best for the full 90 minutes, and had goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and some poor finishing to thank for the somewhat respectable scoreline.

Robin Van Persie continued to fire on all cylinders, scoring twice and giving the hosts the lead early. The Dutchman latched onto a pinpoint Cesc Fabregas cross with a beautiful right footed volley that bounced off the post and in with just five minutes gone.

The Gunners continued to press throughout the rest of the first 45. And they should have had more after a host of near-misses from Arshavin, Walcott, and Fabregas.

A lack of finishing prowess has hurt Arsenal in the past. But they looked comfortable in this one, and iced the match in the 56th on a vintage Arsenal attack that saw a nice bit of combination passing release Walcott down the right side, who did well to find Van Persie all alone in the box, and he made no mistake en route to his 10th goal of the year.

Last week's draw with Newcastle was more than a little unceasing for Arsenal. But they are far from being out of the race for the title. The fixture list is assuredly easier than United's. Visits from Stoke City and Sunderland represent their next two EPL matches, and you'd expect them to cruise against those two sides, who are far less dangerous away from their home turf.

The team appears to be hitting their stride on both sides of the ball as well. Van Persie is in absolutely devastating form right now, having scored nine goals in his last five matches. Is it possible he could end up with 20 on the year despite missing nearly the entire first half of the season?

The defense has also been quite good. Aside from last week's freak second half against Newcastle (discussed ad nauseam last week), they have only given up one league goal in 2011, and even that was a controversial score from Everton that was blatantly offside.

They'll have to stay healthy on defense, where depth is not exactly at a premium. But if they can, you'd have to think that the race for the title will go down to the wire.

Three Teams, Two Spots

Chelsea and Manchester City showed that they are pretenders over the weekend. City were humbled by United, who had a firm grip on the match for most of the 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Chelsea's downfall continued in a 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage, as they once again looked a completely different side from the one that was heavy favorites three months into the season.

City continued to show a lack of chemistry going forward at Old Trafford. Sure, the match could have been much different had Silva been more clinical early on. And they did show some fight in the second half after Nani's goal just before halftime could have buried them. But in the end, the goal they did score was a lucky one, and they didn't create many clear chances despite looking the more dangerous of the two sides at times.

The Blues only look dangerous when Silva and Tevez are combining in the final third. Yaya Toure has been the wild card, but he had a shockingly poor match against Man United, giving the ball away multiple times and looking inexplicably disinterested, even after the equalizer. Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko has been M.I.A. after a solid debut. His first touch has been off, and he hasn't been himself in the air (welcome to the EPL).

Asking two players to ignite the offense all by their lonesome is a hit or miss approach. Tevez and Silva were both sub-par against United, and City created virtually nothing because of it. That's been a theme for them all season. If those two aren't carrying them, it's meant problems for them on the attack.

Chelsea looked poised to run away with the league at one time. That seems so long ago now. The defending champs began the season with consecutive 6-0 wins, and they had only lost once by Halloween. But it all came crumbling down thereafter. And even after they showed signs of life behind a four match unbeaten run, I'd say their run for back-to-back trophies is over after a loss to Liverpool last week and draw against Fulham on Monday.

Carlo Ancelotti surprised me by benching Didier Drogba, and opting for Fernando Torres and Nicolas Anelka up front. Torres got into dangerous positions but was uncharacteristically poor in front of goal, while the veteran Frenchman was quiet. Drogba entered for Torres in the 65th minute.

Anelka is a nice player, and he started to find the net consistently in January. But he didn't work well with Torres in the Liverpool match. So why not play your two greatest talents up front? Anelka is not on good enough form to justify benching either or those two. Perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference, but you'd think Torres and Drogba would fit well together.

Then there's Tottenham. Spurs claimed they had title aspirations last month. But they dropped too many points after the New Year to really pose a threat.

Spurs have certainly spent a pretty penny over the last couple of seasons. But they wouldn't even dream of dropping some of the cash that City and Chelsea have. But while they weren't spending close to £50M in January like their competitors, Tottenham improved a fine squad by adding Steven Pienarr and appear to be coming together despite nicks to Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, and Luca Modric over the last two weeks.

At full strength, Spurs are as good an attacking as Chelsea, and probably a better one than City. But a lack of depth could prove their downfall as they must balance the Champions League and EPL over the coming weeks.

Clearly, Arsenal and United's battle will grab the headlines. But this fight is a crucial one as well. Man City would be furious should they once again fail to qualify for Europe's greatest club competition, and it would be a major shock to see Chelsea miss out after the way they started the season. But both scenarios are distinct possibilities with Tottenham looking a real threat for the second straight season.

Back to Champions League

The round of 16 starts today in the UEFA Champions League. And we can all look forward to a host of tasty matchups between some of Europe's best clubs.

It all starts today with AC Milan hosting Tottenham at the San Siro, while Valencia host Bundesliga strugglers Schalke.

The match in Milan is surely the more intriguing one. Both teams had to be unhappy with drawing each other in the first knockout phase. Tottenham won their group in spectacular fashion, and were aided by a dominant win over Inter Milan at White Hart Lane.

The Rossineri currently lead Serie A, but have to be taking frequent looks in the rear view mirror with Napoli and Inter Milan nipping at their heels.

Italian teams are known for defending in these situations, and you'd have to expect Massimilliano Allegri's bunch to be somewhat cautious. But they should commit plenty of bodies forward as they try to get a lead before heading back to London.

I'm looking forward to seeing the T'ham back four go up against an incredibly dangerous three-man attack for Milan, which features the likes of Alexandre Pato (9 goals in 11 matches), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (13 goals/10 assists in 23 appearances) and Robinho (9 goals in 17 appearances).

Spurs center half William Gallas has been here before. But he has shown a propensity to get beaten by quicker players like Pato and Robinho in his old age (still he provides a great source of confidence and experience in the back). Michael Dawson has been quite good playing alongside the former Arsenal player, but this is easily the biggest stage he's played on in his whole career.

But while the back may be vulnerable, Harry Redknapp vowed to attack at the San Siro. Okay, so all managers say that in these situations, but Redknapp isn't one to change up his tactics on a dime.

One thing is for sure, they may have a chance to control the midfield. Pirlo and Kevin Prince-Boateng are out for AC, while Mark van Bommel is cup tied and will also miss the fixture.

If Modric is out for Spurs, it will be a major test for replacement center mids Sandro and Wilson Palacios. But if they can find wingers Aaron Lennon and Niko Kranjcar (who has been on fine form in place of Bale) out in space, it will cause major problems for the home side, who won't want to get spread out in the midfield.

If Modric does play, and shows no signs of rust after having his appendix removed, Spurs could actually dominate the proceedings in the center of the park.

For me, the game will be decided by the quality of Spurs' defending against a host of world class talent, and the battle in the central midfield between several backups on both sides. But these fixtures are typically wildly unpredictable. So we'll just have to wait and see.

I've got little to say about the other matchup. It seems like we have several great ties and a few duds, and this is one of those duds.

It's been a massively dissapointing season for the German team, as they were expected to challenge for honors in Germany after signing Raul from Real Madrid. Instead they got off to an awful start and have struggled with consistency since in the league. But they did manage to come out of a group that included Lyon and Benfica.

One must be impressed with Valencia's performance this season. They are in third place in La Liga and have played well for most of the season despite the losses of David Villa and Silva last summer. They have a nicely balanced attack with former Mallorca hit man Artis Aduriz leading the way. But they are also very dangerous from the flanks with the likes of Joaquin and Pablo Hernandez always a threat.

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

A lot of football fans here in the U.S.A. only got into the game after the retirement of Ronaldo de Lima. And it always hurts me when many think I'm referring to Cristiano when I mention the name.

Recently, many of us have been using playful nicknames including Fat Ronaldo, Ronaldo McDonalds and the like to help differentiate the two. But trust me, we mean no disresepct whatsoever, as the Brazilian will go down as one of the greatest goalscorers in history.

He finished his career with an astonishing 352 goals in 515 appearances and scored 30 goals or more seven times in his club career. Okay, so he packed on the pounds in the latter half of his footballing days, but that didn't stop him from scoring goals at a fantastic rate when fit (just check out his career stats, dude was ALWAYS scoring as long as he could get on the pitch).

Now let's take a look at some goals. This was a player with the skill of a Messi, the finishing of a Villa or Eto'o, and the frame of a Drogba. He was absolutely unstoppable, and I wish we had FSC and/or GolTV here during his heyday, so I could have enjoyed his unbelievable play outside of World Cups and today's youtube compilations. I look at these scores and he is routinely netting goals that most players can only dream of scoring once or twice in an entire career!

Ronaldo will be remembered for a lot of things. He had a tumultuous career full of controversy on and off the field. But I hope we can all see him for what he really is: one of the best goal scorers of our time.

Here are his top ten goals ever.

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima will be missed. But he will NEVER be forgotten.

See you all tonight for some Champs League discussions...

Weekend in Review

Man U Taste Defeat

NOTE: FOR A FULL REVIEW ON ARSENAL AND NEWCASTLE'S INCREDIBLE 4-4 DRAW PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POST

At one point on Saturday afternoon, there was celebration across the red side of Manchester, as Arsenal dropped points in dramatic fashion against Newcastle. But A 2-1 loss at Wolves ended the Red Devils'29 match unbeaten streak and quickly hushed those cheers.

United could have taken a stranglehold on the title race with a win, as they would have gone seven points clear of the Gunners. Instead they could only rue their missed opportunity as the race for silverware remains wide open.

It all started so well for the visitors.

Just three minutes in, Nani did well to hold the ball in the box, before quickly taking a touch and blasting a left-footed shot past Wayne Hennessey.

However, George Elokobi erased the lead in the 10th. His header from a set piece was placed perfectly into the corner, and sent the crowd at Molineux into delirium.

Kevin Doyle netted the winner in minute 40. He didn't know much about it, but the striker was more than happy to claim the goal after Nenad Milijas's free kick slammed off of his head and past van der Sar.

United pressed for the equalizer in the second half. But Mick McCarthy's side defended valiantly, and kept the Man U attack at bay.

The Red Devils had plenty of the ball throughout the second 45. But they were unable to break down a stingy Wanderers defense that saw them play at least eight men behind the ball in the second half. That has been a problem with Man U for much of the season. They go through long periods where they will have possession, but rarely look dangerous. I'd say a big reason for that is the lack of a creative presence in center midfield. Michael Carrick/Darron Gibson isn't exactly a combination that scares any defenses going forward (with the exception of Evans' fantastic distance shooting).

It's no secret that Man U have had trouble creating many chances at times. Against Wolves, they had their work cut out for them after going down, as McCarthy had his team congest the middle of the pitch with his defense. That forced right and left midfielders Nani and Giggs to either beat two or even three defenders in order to get into dangerous positions, or send a cross into the box with Wolves defenders always outnumbering the Man U attackers inside the 18.

The loss comes at a bad time for Man U, as they are headed for one of their toughest stretches of the season over the next month. The fixture list will be plenty busy with FA Cup and Champions League ties both looming. And they also face Man City this weekend in the league, while difficult trips to Stamford Bridge (Mar. 1) and Anfield (Mar. 6) are still to come.

Torres Quiet, Chelsea Lose

Chelsea's three-game win streak came to an end in a disappointing 1-0 loss to surging Liverpool.

Rau Miereles won it for the visitors, taking advantage of a hesitant Peter Cech, and slamming a left-footed strike into the corner from close range.

The match was largely a disappointment. There weren't a ton of chances as both sides struggled to find their chemistry offensively. Maxi Rodriguez should have put the visitors up, but missed embarrassingly with the goal at his mercy from 3-yards.

Meanwhile, Torres was quiet for the duration. He had a chance blocked by a sprawling Jamie Carragher in the first half, but had little time on the ball otherwise. Someone will have to explain to me why Carlo Ancelotti found it neccessary to start Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, AND Torres in the first 11. Surely that's a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Meanwhile, Kenny Dalglish left Dirk Kuyt all on his own up front. Kuyt is much more of a workhorse than a scorer, and leaving him on an island was predictably a disaster. Fortunately, 'Pool defended fairly well and Miereles pounced on their biggest chance of the second half.

The loss was an absolutely crucial one for the Blues. They had a chance to close the gap on Man U and Arsenal with a win, but dropped the ball completely on Sunday.

Now they have to decide whether they are serious title contenders, or headed for a battle simply to retain their place in the top four as they are now even on points with Tottenham, and only six ahead of a Liverpool team that is hitting their stride.

A Wild Saturday

We had a historic comeback, a player score four goals in a match, a ton of late goals, and more than a hint of controversy in what was a fantastic weekend of premiership football.

One match to watch was a pulsating affair between Blackpool and Everton. I'm going to have to make a point to watch the Tangerines from now on. They are getting increasingly desperate as their tumble down the table continues, and that combined with Ian Holloway's gung ho style has been making for some crazy matches. They lost a wild one in a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United two weeks ago, and a 3-1 loss to West Ham earlier this week was also quite exciting. But they topped it all off with Saturday's spectacular 5-3 loss to Everton. Win or lose, Blackpool are a must-see for me every week.

Meanwhile, the Toffees were simply fantastic in the match. Louis Saha scored four, but check out the midfield play from Jack Rodwell, Maruoane Fellaini, and Mikael Arteta in the highlights, who pull the strings non-stop for 90-minutes. It's been a tough year for David Moyes' team, but they'll hope this one can spur them to a strong finish.

Man City had their way with faltering West Brom in a 3-0 rout. Carlos Tevez's scintillating play continued with a first half hat trick. This goal was the pick of the litter, and it's an absolutely beautiful piece of skill.

On the whole, Wigan's play has not been fun to watch this year. But they were fantastic in a 4-3 win over Blackburn at the DW Stadium.

And finally, Stoke City staged a late fight back to beat Sunderland 3-2 at the Brittania.

Shocker at St. James

Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal

Walcott- 1'
Djourou- 3'
Van Persie- 10'
Van Persie- 26'
Diaby- RED CARD 53'
Barton- 68' (PK)
Best- 75'
Barton- 83' (PK)
Tiote- 87'

What a weekend it was in the Barclay's English Premier League.

An astonishing 41 goals were scored on Saturday, which was good for a single-day record. Meanwhile, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea all slumped to disappointing results, adding yet another twist to the title race.

One would imagine that United's first loss of the season would be the top news. But Arsenal's incredible loss of composure at St. James' Park was the story. The Gunners scored a trio of goals in the first ten minutes en route to a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 halftime lead.

But a loss of composure, coupled with several terrible refereeing mistakes saw Newcastle get back into the game. In the end, the Gunners were left stunned, as they had somehow managed to only take a point after putting on a world class display in the first half.

Theo Walcott's pace helped him get behind the defense just moments into the match from an Andrei Arshavin through pass, and he finished well.

It was a rare set piece goal goal for Arsenal just minutes later. Johan Djourou's well-placed header looped into the upper-corner from Arshavin's cross.

The in-form Robin Van Persie appeared to have put the icing on the cake with the next two goals of the match. Walcott made a nice run up the right side in the 10th, crossing low across the box onto the right foot of Van Persie, who made no mistake from close range.

The fourth goal also came from the right side. A nice cross from Bacary Sagna met the head of a completely unmarked Van Persie for an easy goal.

The Gunners looked sluggish and disinterested to begin the second half. But no one could have predicted what was to come.

Newcastle didn't look especially dangerous until referee Phil Dowd justifiably sent off Abou Diaby in the 53rd, who overreacted to a dangerous challenge from Joey Barton by grabbing him by the back of his neck, and then made matters worse by shoving Kevin Nolan.

Denilson and Alex Song were both out with injuries, meaning there was no other true defensive midfield to play in Diaby's place. That was when the Gunners started to struggle.

With Arsenal suddenly reeling, Newcastle began to show some fight.

Phil Dowd pointed to the spot for their first goal when Laurent Koscielny made contact with Leon Best. Barton finished to make it 4-1.

There was more controversy after Wojciech Szczesny took the ball out of his net and initially refused to give the ball back to Barton. Kevin Nolan responded by throwing the 'keeper to the ground, but his deed went unpunished.

Newcastle began to create opportunities. Szczesny was tested on several occasions before Leon Best made it 4-2. He won the ball from Clichy off a cross and finished from close range.

Dowd was once again at the center of attention in the 83rd. He gave an unbelievably dubious penalty, whistling Koscielny for a foul once again after he and Best had made minimal contact at best as they went up for an aerial ball. Barton converted again.

The fourth goal came off of a piece of brilliance from Cheick Tiote. In the 87th, The Gunners appeared to have dealt with a Newcastle free kick, but the ball fell to the foot of an onrushing Tiote, who finished delightfully with a full volley from over 20-yards.

Both teams could have won it, too. Nolan came close on a low strike, and Van Persie had a goal controversially called back for offsides just moments from the final whistle.

Diabolical Dowd

Look, I know that Arsenal's second half performance left a lot to be desired. But without the performance of Phil Dowd, there is surely no way that Newcastle even puts much of a scare into the Gunners.

While they were certainly guilty of coming out flat in the second half, and panicking at 4-3, Arsenal clearly deserved all three points on the day. After all, it was Dowd who was easily the most influential figure in the fight back rather than Newcastle themselves.

Before you accost me for being an "Arsenal Homer," let's take a closer look at what went down last Saturday, and how it massively effected the flow of the match.

Interestingly, the first blow of the second 45 minutes was not off of a poor call. Arsenal fans are still holding their collective breaths after seeing center back Johan Djourou limp off with a knee injury. He was replaced by the struggling Sebastian Squillaci, who once again looked off the pace on multiple occasions.

Then came this sending off of Abou Diaby. The red card was surely justified. You simply can't do that type of thing. But let's keep in mind that his reaction stemmed from this reckless challenge from Joey Barton. Diaby, who broke his leg from a similar challenge several years ago, was understandably upset. Still you've got to keep your calm there, as it leaves the referee with no choice.

But despite the sending off, Arsenal's lead would have been safe. Dowd gave the home team a glimmer of hope in the 68th, calling an EXTREMELY soft penalty on Koscielny. Take a look, Koscielny is indeed clumsy with the challenge, but there is very little actual contact, clearly not enough to send Best to the ground.

If that was the whole story, I wouldn't be complaining. But it gets much, much worse, as the buildup of poor decisions becomes too much to ignore.

Let's start with the immediate aftermath from the first penalty kick goal (there's also a replay of the soft penalty decision). The problem starts when Szczesny refuses to give the ball back to Nolan, who throws him to the ground. How is that not a red card on any football pitch? Little less in a match where you've already sent off an Arsenal player for a virtually identical offense? It's simply inexplicable refereeing from Dowd and his assistant, who both witnessed the entire thing. To make things even more laughable, it was Szczesny who received a yellow for time wasting.

At 4-2, Arsenal dropped back to defend their lead. The Magpies were pouring on the pressure, but it was still hard to imagine they'd make it all the way back.

But then Dowd went to work again. His decision to award a penalty in the 83rd was simply absurd. It's a nothing challenge at best and I have no idea what he was looking at. This is a routine cross into the box and even the Newcastle players look somewhat shocked that the referee has given it. He's simply gotten gotten up in the moment, and made an inexplicably poor decision.

The equalizer was brilliant. But once again, Dowd's role was essential after a bizarre foul call on Tomas Rosicky lead to the free kick.

I'm not here to whine. And I'm the first to admit that my love for Arsenal may swing my opinions at times. But I try my best to be objective. And I simply don't see any way that the Gunners even gets a real test in the second half if not for the clueless decisions from Dowd.

I can't stand fans who constantly complain about refs. But there are rare times where you can legitimately say that referees have cost you points. This is one of those times.

A part of me thinks that Dowd had to be giving Arsenal a piece of his mind after Cesc Fabregas was accused of verbally assaulting officials at halftime during Wednesday's match against Everton. At least that's what it looked like. The calls weren't only bad, but they were consistently going against Arsenal.

It's a frustrating loss for the Gunners. And they have to be wondering what could have been after Manchester United lost. But despite the shocker over the weekend, they're still right in the race after picking up a point on the leaders.

While the result didn't kill Arsenal's long-term chances, the injury to Djourou has to have Wenger worried. The 24-year old has been a great surprise this season after returning from a knee injury. He and Koscielny have formed a decent partnership with Thomas Vermaelen still out. In fact, the Arsenal defense hadn't given up a goal in 2011 before Saturday's debacle.

The Swiss international limped off with an apparent knee injury moments into the second half. That's not good news, as he missed all of last season with ligament damage to his knee.

Wenger's team is deeper this season than they have been in the past, and it has helped them cope with several losses over the year. But the one position where they have little cover is at center-half. The team was linked with a plethora of defenders during the January transfer window, but Wenger decided to go ahead with Djourou/Koscielny/Squillaci while Thomas Vermaelen continued to rehab an Achilles injury.

Squillaci is now thrust into competition after looking dreadful this season. He has simply been off the pace, and this lack of speed has seen attackers get behind him on multiple occasions.

The loss of Djourou compounds Arsenal's problems up the middle of the pitch. Defensive midfielders Alex Song and Denilson are both hurt right now and there hasn't been news on how long they will be out. Now Diaby is suspended for three matches, leaving Wenger with very few options. If all three miss this weekend's match, I'm not sure who the man might be in that spot.

All of that has to be tough to swallow for a team that was on fire before the trip to Newcastle. But with plenty more points up for grabs this season, they are still very much in the race for the trophy.

Mid week review: Liverpool Splash Cash, Chelsea Back, City Finished?

Liverpool Spending Spree

I was singing the praises of Liverpool on Sunday. They had just signed a budding superstar in Luis Suarez and finally had the financial backing to continue improving in the summer. However, I only briefly mentioned the situation with Fernando Torres. And Chelsea threw the transfer market for a loop Monday when they bought "El Niño" for a cool £50M (more on that later).

'Pool's reaction to the Torres sale was immediate, as they grossly overreacted by purchasing Andy Carroll from Newcastle for a shocking amount of ₤35M, making the promising but unproven striker the seventh most expensive player in football history.

So let me get this straight, the Reds in 24 hours somehow decided they were going to throw the bulk of the money from the Torres deal on a player that is yet to complete a full EPL season? Why overspend in January on a player that would probably be far cheaper in the summer? And most importantly, why not wait until the offseason to find the perfect fit for the team? It's a mystery to me.

It's hard to believe, but this type of irresponsible spending has been commonplace at Anfield for some time now.

I just don't get it. Liverpool aren't getting back in the race for a top four spot this season and Carroll can't even play for a month with an ankle injury. Buying him at that kind of price was not only a huge risk, but also a mistimed maneuver considering he won't even star until well past the halfway point.

The Suarez buy was a good one. But the reaction to the Torres sale was unbelievably over the top. Methinks that the braintrust over here in the U.S. need to learn a thing or two about the transfer market before they get themselves into the same mess that the last ownership group did (who were also Americans, ironically).

On the bright side, the Reds are starting to round into form. They've won three straight and capped it off with a 2-0 win today over Stoke City at Anfield.

Rau Miereles' run of good form continued when he opened up the scoring with a ferocious right footed strike after the ball fell to him inside the box.

Suarez made his debut for the club in the 63rd. And he quickly impressed with a beautiful flick to Dirk Kuyt inside the box that forced Begovic off his line to make a play on the ball.

Then he finished off the Potters in minute 79. A nice through pass from Kuyt saw him in behind the defense, he calmly touched the ball around the goalkeeper, and a backtracking Andy Wilkinson couldn't keep the ball out of the net.

So despite the poor decision on Carroll, things do seem to be looking up for Liverpool. They've taken wins from their last three games, and Suarez looked like he may well be ready to contribute immediately. Meanwhile, Miereles is finally giving them a reliable attacking midfielder. Plus the defense looks better, too.

If they can add a few more pieces over the summer and the Carroll buy pays some dividends, they could be right back in the Champions League in 2012. But surely they have dug too deep of a hole to reach that level this year.

Are Manchester City Done?

With Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man U all winning on Tuesday, Manchester City went to Birmingham hoping to keep pace with the three title contenders. Instead they left with a disappointing 2-2 draw that saw them blow two leads, and potentially end their title chances in the process.

It was a gorgeous City opener. Tevez' one-touch out wide to Silva, who did well to streak into the box and play the ball right back to the Argentinean, who exhibited a great bit of ball control to create space before placing a slow roller between the legs of a defender and into the corner.

But while the brilliance of Tevez and Silva was showing the best of City, their defending of set pieces continued to show off their worst.

In the 23rd minute, the Blues won a free kick from the left side, and City failed to properly deal with it as it caroomed off the knee of Nikola Zigic and into the net.

Aleksandar Kolarov's sweet left foot helped the visitors to a halftime lead. His curling shot from a free kick wrong-footed Ben Foster and sailed into the left corner.

Birmingham were certainly the stronger of the two teams in the second half. Their pressure paid off in the 71st when Patrick Viera pulled down Kevin Phillips in the box, and Craig Gardner was up to the task from the spot.

Another tough result for Roberto Mancini and company, and this may have been the final blow for a team that continues to lag behind the rest of the contenders.

It all looked so promising initially. The goal was a brilliant piece of play from Tevez and Silva and you'd think that they would be better at defend their lead(s) against the lowest scoring team in the premiership. Even though they're a side that makes defense a huge priority, City have lacked discipline in that area over the last month.

The defending, especially on set pieces, has been diabolical. And it really came to bite them today on the first goal. The marking was poor, and they inexplicably allowed the ball to bounce once before it deflected off of an opportunistic Vidic.

When City played for a scoreless draw at the Emirates in early January, I found it hard to take them seriously as true title contenders. For a team needing to rattle off a perfect month or so just to get back in the race, the players' failure to completely gel coupled with Mancini's conservative style have made it difficult for them to really put a scare into Man U. If you ask me, they're done with regards to the title chase.

Chelsea Surge

The Blues unquestionably have a ways to go in terms of getting back into the the title race. But they can at least be proud of getting three straight wins after things appeared ready to burst apart at the seams.

They scored a big result on Tuesday, winning a wild match 4-2 at Sunderland.

Chelsea fell behind on goals from Phil Bardsley and then gave up a shock equalizer to Kieran Richardson in the first half, but responded well on both occasions.

The game featured a host of chances for both sides.

Steve Bruce's team gave it a good go. But Chelsea showed they may be turning a corner by snatching control of the match and showing great flair and creativity. They were rewarded for it with goals from John Terry and Nicolas Anelka in the second half to clinch the three points.

Now we wait for the Fernando Torres debut in the much-discussed match against Liverpool.

The Torres transaction actually lost some of its luster amidst all the drama on Monday's transfer deadline. But the mere thought of him playing next to Drogba has me salivating. Both of them appear to be heading into their best form after struggling with consistency and fitness for much of this season.

Trouble in Blackpool?

It's hard not to root for the Tangerines. They insist on playing an attractive style and have been relatively successful in doing so. Meantime, they have one of the world's best interviews managing them in Ian Holloway. But while they were flirting with the half top of the table close to a month ago, they have been rapidly falling down the standings since.

It might end up being a similar story to Burnley last year. They started off well before falling apart in the second half of the year. Even if Blackpool do stay up, they will surely be in a battle next year with Charlie Adam likely out the door.

As for West Ham, they showed again that they do have the attacking quality to make some noise. Victor Obinna has been fantastic of late, scoring five times in his last two games. He scored twice in what was a completely wide-open match at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday (including one stunning strike to put Blackpool away). Enjoy the highlights.

News and Notes

There could be another injury crisis at Arsenal. Defensinve midfielder Alex Song (a player that the team boasts no reliable replacement for) and leading scorer Samir Nasri all picked up knocks this week. The Gunners have been quite strong on the road this season, but a visit to St. James' Park to face Newcastle this weekend will be a dangerous one without several key cogs in the lineup.

We'll be treated to a bonus edition of the "Superclásico" in April. Real Madrid and Barcelona both advanced to the finals of the Copa del Rey. The match will come just days after their final regular season meeting, and it should be fun to watch as always.

Recaps

Recaps: Ipswich Shocks Arsenal, Liverpool Nightmare Continues

Carling Cup Semifinal First Leg: Ipswich 1-0 Arsenal

Ipswich Town pulled off one of the shocks of the season, as the club in crisis defeated the EPL big boys just days after receiving a 7-0 drubbing from Chelsea and firing their manager.

A well-taken goal on the break from Tamas Priskin won it for the hosts in the 78th minute, sending a capacity crowd at Portman Road into delirium. The result was well deserved for the underdogs, who outplayed a close to full strength Arsenal Squad and looked the more likely of the two sides to score throughout much of the match.

The Carling Cup was once a competition where Arsene Wenger has chosen to feature his young players. That has not been the case this year, as he and AFC are hungrier than ever to win their first trophy since '05. That showed with the starting lineup, which featured the top center back pairing of Djourou and Koscielny, Fabregas and Wilshere in the midfield, while Arshavin and Walcott got the starts on the wings and Bendtner remained in the lineup up front after starting on the weekend. Denilson slid into defensive midfield to replace Alex Song, while Kieran Gibbs subbed in for Gael Clichy at left back and Eboue started on the right to replace the suspended Bacary Sagna.

With a fine lineup at his disposal, the Gunners got off to a flying start before faltering progressively over the first 45 minutes. Some fine passing allowed them to penetrate the Ipswich box several times over the first few minutes, but they were unable to get on the end of anything.

Then the Blues fought back, keeping the visitors out of their final third and looking more and more dangerous on the attack. But they struggled to find the quality to create a real chance, and were forced to hold their collective breaths when Theo Walcott had two opportunities in the 33rd and 34th minutes. He opted to pass across the box to Fabgreas on the first chance, but the pass was just in front of the captain. Then he took one nicely out of the air before his left footed shot was easily stopped by Fulop.

Ipswich looked the more likely to score in the final ten minutes of the half, and the Gunners looked rattled. Connor Wickham's cross sailed just over the head of David Norris late on in the first half, and any contact from the skipper probably would have done the job.

Arsenal tried to restore their grip on the game to begin the second half. Fabregas opened up the second 45 minutes strongly after a dreadful first half. His ball over the top found Arshavin behind the defense. However, the Russian's shot from a few steps inside the box was at a tough angle, and his left-footed strike sailed well over.

But the night was to belong to Ipswich. And they quickly reasserted themselves. The Blues had two crosses cleared away in the 52nd minute, and Djourou managed to block a shot from Connor Wickham soon after.

Wickham nearly scored a surprising opener for the hosts, creating space for hhimself from 25 yards before curling his shot just wide of the far post.

Fabregas' nightmare evening continued, as an awful giveaway gave Mark Kennedy the ball at midfield, and his subsequent chip would have beaten Szczesny but it lacked enough power, as the 20-year old was able to backtrack and make a comfortable save.

The Spaniard was at fault once again in the 59th when a lovely chip from Bendtner found him alone inside the box, but he tried to volley the ball across the goal with defenders bearing down on him when he perhaps could have settled and shot.

Priskin had a golden opportunity in the 62nd. Jaime Peters' long ball out of the back split the Arsenal center backs. But Priskin failed to control the bouncing ball, and Djourou was able to recover and clear for a corner from just outside the 6-yard box.

A poor clearance left Wickham open from distance moments later, but he scuffed his shot wide.

Fulop would make two crucial saves on Walcott over the final 20 minutes. First a nice one-two between the winger and Fabregas put him in behind the defense on the right, but Fulop quickly cut off the angle and then saved after Walcott attempted to chip him.

Fabregas missed the Gunners' biggest chance of the match in the 77th. Substitute Alex Song played Gibbs down the left side, and the youngster's cross just missed the head of an onrushing Chamakh before falling right to Fabregas inside the 6-yard box with the goal at his mercy. But he reacted slowly, and the ball bounced off his knee and over the goal.

Ipswich would make Walcott and Fabregas pay for their miscues soon after, taking a shock 1-0 lead in the 78th.

An awkward turnover from Denilson fell to Colin Healy, who quickly found Priskin behind the defense. This time the Hungarian took his chance brilliantly, taking several touches and holding off Djourou before sliding the ball low past Szczesny and into the far corner.

Arsenal looked dangerous in the final ten minutes. However, they failed to break through against a heroic Ipswich Defense.

But there were chances.

First a fine touch inside the 18 from Chamakh set up a shot on his left foot and Fulop spilled the strike momentarily before pouncing just in time.

Walcott was played through and had a similar one-on-one to his earlier attempt from the right side of the box, but Fulop once again saved his try to chip.

Ipswich had the final chance of the match when a fantastic punt from Fulop landed on the feet of Carlos Edwards down the right wing. He advanced into the box but saw his shot saved from an acute angle.

EPL: Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool

Conditions continued to worsen for Liverpool, as they suffered their tenth loss of the season, and fourth time in five games.

It all started so promisingly in Kenny Dalglish's first Premiership match in charge. Fernando Torres opened up the scoring in just the third minute, blasting a shot top shelf at a difficult angle from the right side of the box.

But the home side equalized nine minutes later when Gary Taylor-Fletcher got behind the Liverpool defense down the middle, and slotted past Pepe Reina.

Blackpool won it in the 69th. After Liverpool cleared their lines from a corner, a long ball into the box found the ball of Ian Evatt, who headed across goal to a wide open D.J. Campbell, who finished well from close-range.

The win saw the Tangerines surpass Liverpool in the table, upping their point total to 28, which is good for ninth place. Meanwhile, the Reds' nightmare season continues, they now sit in 13th place, just four points above the relegation zone.