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Chief Exec of the Premier League stopped short (but only just) of admitting that Man Utd have protected status in English football yesterday, causing uproar on football forums across the country:

Manchester United’s woeful season has potentially damaging consequences for the worldwide appeal of the Premier League, according to Richard Scudamore.

The Premier League’s chief executive admits the global popularity of English football will decline if United do not recover from this season’s slump.

Speaking in South Africa as part of the Premier League’s promotional work in the country, Scudamore acknowledged the mass appeal of United is key to attracting an overseas audience but viewers may turn off if their favourites are underperforming.

....

"but you have to balance that off against, generally, we’re in the business of putting on a competition and competition means people can compete.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... amore.html

Generally? How good of the Premier League to allow the illusion of fair competition to win out over the blatant favouritism shown to their top earners! Lots of dodgy ref decisions will be going Man Utd's way again next season

Liverpool stormed to the top of the table beating Spurs 4-0 breaking Premier League records for consistent wins and most 4+ goal games in the process.

Meanwhile closest rivals Chelsea were fortunate to only lose 1-0 at Crystal Palace, and Man City drew with Arsenal. If Liverpool win all their games (or win everything and draw with Chelsea and Man City) there is nothing the others can do to stop them now.

England World Cup 2014 kit was unveiled earlier. The shirt is so fitted that Wayne Rooney has to hold a ball in front of his paunch in the official photos. And breathe:



Oh, and a replica shirt will cost you (I hope you're sitting down) £90. £90! I've just paid less than that for a return flight to JER!

The mighty all-conquering Bayern Munich looked pretty feeble last night, drawing 1-1 at Man Utd. Even Swansea did better than that at Old Trafford!

In European football news, Barcelona are given a 14-month transfer ban by UEFA after being found guilty of illegal activity regarding the signings of 3 U18 players.

So at what point to we really start to consider Liverpool as favourites for the title this year? Mathematically, it's Man City's to lose. But the in-form team is Liverpool, and they will host Man City AND Chelsea in the coming weeks.

I'm just about ready to tip my hat in the direction of Brendan Rodgers...

IFEMaster wrote:Mathematically, it's Man City's to lose.

Mathematically it's also Liverpool's to lose - they can't now be stopped if they don't drop points either. The decider will be the Liverpool - Man City game. Personally I think Liverpool will win it, and I wouldn't be surprised if Southampton help Liverpool a lot this weekend.

After Liverpool's victory over Manchester City this weekend, and Manchester City dropping points against Sunderland today, I'm calling it.

Liverpool FC will win the Premier League this year.

I'd agree the title is heading for Anfield, what a great season it's been though for a change

gkirk wrote:I'd agree the title is heading for Anfield, what a great season it's been though for a change

Looks like every significant position in the league will go right down to the wire - 1st to 3rd, the all important 4th place and the relegation places are all very tight.

Crystal Palace's run from rock-bottom to 11th has been a highlight for me. They brought in Tony Pulis to play attractive attacking football?!? Quite mad, but effective

gkirk wrote:what a great season it's been though for a change

It really has. I must admit to varying levels of deep, hearty schadenfreude seeing Manchester United have such a miserable time under David Moyes' regime, but it's made for a really interesting top 6. The number of times the top spot has changed hands this season has been crazy, and it's really great to see it all so close on points at both ends of the table. It'll go down to the wire, for sure.

Chelsea shocked by Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, Man Utd gubbed by Everton, Newcastle losing yet again. What a weekend

Unconfirmed reports that Moyes has been sacked this afternoon...

gkirk wrote:Chelsea shocked by Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, Man Utd gubbed by Everton, Newcastle losing yet again. What a weekend

Especially if you're a Liverpool fan!

mhodgson wrote:Unconfirmed reports that Moyes has been sacked this afternoon...

The silence from Man Utd speaks a thousand words. I suspect his replacement is already lined up.

David Moyes officially sacked this morning!

gkirk wrote:David Moyes officially sacked this morning!

No surprises there. Louis Van Gaal seems to be the nailed-on favourite at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if Utd have already done a deal that allows him to join after the world cup.

You can get 500/1 on Howard Webb changing jobs from official Man Utd charitable benefactor to manager

Things might change of course



Still Giggs is in charge now and ready to stamp his mark on the squad



On a more serious note this is just history repeating itself.

1967/68 Manchester United are defending English champions.
Manchester City win the league that year.

After one more year United's great manager, Matt Busby, calls it a day. He stays on as a director thus undermining his successors.

He is replaced by a man with no experience of managîng at the top level. he lasts less than 2 seasons.

If history continues to repeat itself ....

1973-74 Manchester United are relegated.

They do not win a trophy for 20 years.

One thing that someone pointed out on a City board.

Moyes had 31 games in charge and won 18 of them in his first and only season.

That's better than Busby (15)
That's better than Atkinson (14)
Ferguson (12!)
Sexton (12)
Docherty (10)

Modern football I suppose (sigh)

helvknight wrote:Modern football I suppose (sigh)

A symptom of having non-football people on the board of football clubs. A couple of interesting facts I heard on the radio yesterday:

It is almost certain (in reality, nailed on) that the three clubs relegated will all be clubs who have sacked at least one manager during this season.

Only one club (Crystal Palace) have a better points per game tally after replacing their manager than they did before. The other eight teams have faired worse.

Looks like the title may be all but handed to Liverpool at the weekend. With a raft of injuries and suspensions (and one eye on the 2nd leg of the CL semi-finals), Chelsea are struggling to name a full match-day squad for the crunch game with Liverpool, who may just have a full squad to choose from.

JLAmber wrote:Looks like the title may be all but handed to Liverpool at the weekend. With a raft of injuries and suspensions (and one eye on the 2nd leg of the CL semi-finals), Chelsea are struggling to name a full match-day squad for the crunch game with Liverpool, who may just have a full squad to choose from.

Except for Jordan Henderson, who will be serving the second of his 2-match ban, it does indeed look like Liverpool will have a full squad to choose from now that Sturridge has been declared fit. Liverpool need 7 points from their last 3 games to guarantee the title, assuming Chelsea and Man City don't drop any more points from their remaining games (not including the Liverpool vs Chelsea game this weekend). With Cyrstal Palace away and Newcastle at home left to go after Chelsea, I think everyone can see where the silverware is headed.

And you know what? I am really really really really happy for Liverpool, their fans, that city, those who have campaigned for a quarter of a century to get justice for the 96 Hillsborough victims, and for the Premier League in general. Fenway Sports Group have done some amazing things at Liverpool without spending as much as the other top 5 or 6 clubs in the last 2 years, and this is completely unexpected, considering most were predicting nothing more than a top 4 finish for Liverpool this year.

Rangers legend Sandy Jardine yesterday lost his battle against cancer

Today former Barcelona boss Tito Villanova has also died.

RIP

In a word, Football. Bloody Hell.

As a City fan this weekend surpassed my expectations (obviously our friends from the other end of the East Lancs Road would not agree)

I feel sorry for Stevie G though,



As you can imagine, he has had a lot of that.

I'm not counting my chickens though, there are still 3 games to go and City's record at Goodison is not good.

helvknight wrote:
I'm not counting my chickens though, there are still 3 games to go and City's record at Goodison is not good.

What a crazy weekend of football. For a game so incredibly one sided from a possession and pass-completion point of view (Liverpool were completely dominant), I've also never seen a team defend so solidly. Chelsea were lucky, but that's football.

I think the Everton vs Man City game will be clutch. The red side of Liverpool will be cheering on the toffees because realistically that's the only likely chance of City dropping points. Everton will be guns blazing to secure their UEFA spot, or even put themselves in 4th if Arsenal drop enough points.

I don't recall a season as crazy as this in ages.

Sunderland may survive the drop. Holy hell. Who would have bet that a couple weeks ago...

Meanwhile, Manchester City fans are getting the champagne ready, as Liverpool pretty much rolled over against Palace.

Tom in NO wrote:Meanwhile, Manchester City fans are getting the champagne ready, as Liverpool pretty much rolled over against Palace.

I have never in my life seen a team dominate a game so well and then crumble so easily at the end. Rodgers needs to shore up that defense and Gerrard needs to be stripped of his captaincy. Take a bow, Liverpool. Your title hopes have gone.

IFEMaster wrote:

Tom in NO wrote:Meanwhile, Manchester City fans are getting the champagne ready, as Liverpool pretty much rolled over against Palace.

I have never in my life seen a team dominate a game so well and then crumble so easily at the end. Rodgers needs to shore up that defense and Gerrard needs to be stripped of his captaincy. Take a bow, Liverpool. Your title hopes have gone.

I could see this happening. Liverpool needed to overcome a 9 goal GD and were having a go at Palace. they got caught on the break and went to pieces.

Is it over yet? My head says yes, probably but umpteen years as a City fan tells me that my club might find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Supporting Manchester City for many years does that to you, if there were cups for cockups we'd win it every year. (It's called Typical City)

I think a lot of neutrals were on our side, many were heartily sick of the media love-in for the Scousers. Certainly some of the things that Liverpool pulled - going round wearing Champions T-Shirts, putting out photoshopped images of the PL trophy with Liverpool as 2014 champions, giving the team bus a guard of honour were embarrasing and reminiscent of their red neighbours at the other end of the East Lancs.

I'll only really believe it when I see Vinnie hoist the pot on Sunday though.

Man City fined £50m by UEFA, and they shall only be allowed a 21 man squad for the Champions League next season