A seismic shift in the Premier League powerbase as both Manchester clubs inflict humiliating defeats upon two North London giants on Sunday. The Villas-Boas experiment stuttered through another awkward test at Stamford Bridge but the widest smile of a fascinating weekend belonged to the King of Anfield as the good times returned to Liverpool.
WINNERS
Kenny Dalglish
THE LEGEND’S enthusiasm for Liverpool remains as abundant as ever if the broad smile and enthusiastic hand-clapping are anything to go by following Liverpool's 3-1 win at home to Bolton. Dalglish's re-appointment was derided by many as the former Anfield player-manager had been out of the game for so long until the arrivals of Luis Suarez, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam gave Liverpool back their mojo.
The Scot is as self-deprecating as ever in after-match interviews but Liverpool's re-emergence as a possible Champions League qualifier is down to the manager purchasing quality players and settling on a balanced side (Arsenal take note).
Tony Fernandes
THE NEW QPR owner and Force India Formula One supremo endeared himself to his new supporters by sanctioning an immediate decrease in ticket prices at Loftus Road. Signing Joey Barton with 48 hours of taking over was another clear demonstration that Fernandes - unlike the previous incumbents - is putting his money where his mouth is in an effort to establish the London club in the Premier League.
Manchester United
UNITED'S substitutes bench in the Sunday massacre of Arsenal included Anders Lindegaard, Rio Ferdinand, Fabio da Silva, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez. Missing through injury were Michael Carrick, Michael Owen and Nemandja Vidic.
Any team with title aspirations look to the strength of their bench as an indicator of potential success. Based on that theory Manchester United are odds on to retain their title.
Juan Mata
RARELY does a scoring debutant fail to make the headlines but that is what happened to Juan Mata at Stamford Bridge. The former Valencia winger's debut for Chelsea in a 3-1 win over Norwich was overshadowed by a Didier Drogba concussion which left the Ivorian in hospital overnight. Mata's cameo which culminated in the diminutive winger scoring a delightful left-footed goal bodes well for a stuttering Chelsea side.
Edin Dzeko
FOUR goals from Edin Dzeko in Manchester City's 5-1 demolition of Tottenham on Sunday solidified the former Wolfsburg striker's place in Roberto Mancini's star-studded first team squad. Seven goals in four appearances marks the Bosnian international down as one of the hottest strikers in the Premier League right now and underlines many pundits view that Manchester City are serious title contenders.
The BBC
WHAT a weekend to get Alex Ferguson to lift his ban on speaking to the BBC as the home of the ageless Match of the Day programme got to hear Ferguson's dulcet tones on Sunday evening following United's historic 8-2 victory. Ferguson looked to be biting on a nettle as he answered the BBC's reporter's inane questions but managed to get in a “the media today is so cut-throat now and hard to understand at times” comment before walking off.
LOSERS
The average football fan
AS Sky Sports celebrate 20 years of broadcasting the Premier League worldwide a word for the average football fan that is being slowly being priced out of attending matches.
Birmingham City were relegated from the top tier last season yet saw fit to charge visiting Manchester United fans £54 to attend an away fixture at St. Andrews. A large amount of money in anyone's eyes but made even more incredulous when you consider Birmingham charged Wigan Athletic supporters a mere £18 the following week for the privilege of sitting in the same away end?
Few if any Premier League clubs offer family or student concessions resulting in a generation of potential fans now being lost to the game. Talks of a 39th fixture on foreign soil look a more likely prospect than clubs bothering to address their local fans needs.
The Arsenal Board of Directors
FORMER Arsenal Director Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith was seemingly forced out of her role by having to sell her 15.9% shareholding to Stan Kroenke last April. “If the role of a board member is to oversee a trophy less period, while making significant personal profits and asking fans to pay inflation-busting ticket price increases then, no, I would not want to be on the board” was Bracewell-Smith's parting shot.
Success that had been previously taken for granted at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium has dried up since Bracewell-Smith and most notably David Dein's decision to vacate the Arsenal boardroom.
Off-field difficulties in attracting top talent to the Emirates Stadium due to a reluctance to splash the cash is now matched by a chronic lack of confidence throughout the club culminating in Sunday's humiliation at Old Trafford.
Arsenal's transfer attempts in the past six months underline the current malaise within the club's boardroom at bringing in much needed talent. Failing to purchase Mark Schwarzer from Fulham, allowing Luis Enrique to move to Liverpool, offering a paltry sum for Phil Jones who leaped into Sir Alex Ferguson's arms and now angering Bolton Wanderers with a derisory offer for Gary Cahill?
Arsene Wenger
DIFFICULT as it is to criticise a manager who has revolutionised Arsenal, Arsene Wenger is overseeing the worst run (six Premier League games without a win) of form since taking over. Even ignoring the obvious tactical flaws employed during the 8-2 embarrassment at Old Trafford, Wenger's recent transfer activity has weakened rather than strengthen his club.
The transfer window closes in three days yet amazingly Wenger was still non-committal on the prospect of any new signings after their 8-2 loss. Another trophy-less season may prove too much for the Arsenal board and supporters if their stubborn manager insists on ploughing ahead with his current squad.
*Follow Ger on Twitter: @offcentrecircle
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/5D8dfZc_mhg/post.aspx
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