Barely have you had chance to draw breath and it’s time to do it all again. There’s a full midweek programme of Premier League fixtures, game week 12 is upon us already, and it’s going to be tricky selection wise as several managers may opt to shuffle their packs.

Tie of the week has to be the Manchester derby. The Blue half of Manchester have Carlos Tevez back and the Reds back line can expect a torrid time at the hands of the annoyingly persistent Argentinean. United may still be picking up points but they are struggling and will be looking for big performances from the experienced Scholes and Fletcher. It would also be a good time for Hernandez and Berbatov to rediscover their earlier form.

Chelsea and Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results. Spurs play host to Sunderland on Tuesday, and the form is with Tottenham, the Black Cats have only won once at the Lane in 26 years. Van Der Vaart is struggling with a hamstring injury, but I think Harry will risk him. Three points here are vital for Spurs’ push for the top four, Redknapp will go all out for victory on Tuesday night so it’s time to give your Tottenham forwards a run out.

I fear Fulham could pay for Liverpool’s victory on Sunday. Chelsea need to bounce back with a win and will simply overpower Fulham at the bridge. Drogba will be all guns blazing after warming the bench at Anfield for a long 45 minutes. This could be the week to rest any Fulham defenders you have in your squad.

Aston Villa’s treatment room is full of strikers right now, which equals opportunity for one young striker and if you feel like taking a gamble then Nathan Delfouneso, who could have had a hat-trick on Saturday, will be looking to make amends at home to Blackpool on Wednesday. It could also be a good time to give two more of Villa’s youngsters a chance, midfielders Marc Albrighton and Barry Bannan are turning heads for all the right reasons and both are available for under 5 million. There are always goals where Blackpool are concerned, honours may well end up even in this one but it will be entertaining.

There are two ties this week which, in all honesty, could go either way. Wolves host Arsenal and Newcastle host Blackburn. Wolves were outstanding in defeat at Old Trafford and have been impressive all season. Arsenal, being Arsenal could stroll this one or make a complete three course meal out of it. I’m going to go for the latter. Robin Van Persie made an appearance on Sunday and I’m backing him to be the difference in what will be a tight encounter.

It would be no surprise if Newcastle followed up a win at the emirates with a defeat at home to Blackburn. Nothing would give big Sam more pleasure than a victory against his former club. Newcastle should win, which is why I’m going to back Blackburn and Jason Roberts who found his shooting boots, well shin pads, against Wigan.

West Ham vs West Brom is another fixture that could throw up a few goals. Scott Parker at 5.4 million and Frederic Piquionne available for 5.1 million are well worth considering. The Hammers won’t stay bottom of the table for long and this home tie with the Albion could be the turning point of their season.

I’ve gone striker crazy in my suggestions this week, but I sense goals in game week 12 and goals mean points. Hopefully I’ve given you plenty to think about as you tinker with your attack.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

• Stand Up ye Brave Scots!

The definition of the word epic is as follows: heroic; majestic; impressively great. Such were moments from a few brave Scots this weekend that saw their respective clubs gain a valuable three points to either continue their pursuit of the title, or stave off a potentially feisty relegation battle. For those who enjoyed the highly entertaining Premier League this weekend, their identities may already be known to you. If you missed this epic weekend, continue reading where the names and achievements will be revealed.

While Chelsea were the first to blink in the three team title race, Tottenham Hotspur continued to fill in the lines of their L4 application with an acute seriousness. Aston Villa could only manage a point at home v Wolves and Manchester City also remain a favorite for L4 with a 2-1 win away to Fulham with one of their games in hand to be played midweek.

Finding themselves level at the Britannia v Stoke in the 63rd, Spurs pressed on and produced a stunning 77th minute winner when a Benoit Assou-Ekotto cross was dummied by Ediur Gudjohnsen and finished brilliantly by Niko Kranjcar. City disposed of a deservedly hungover Fulham at Craven Cottage with relative ease as the London club’s Europa League achievement against Juventus clouded their vision in front of goal but was definitely worthy of the accolades.

Honorable Mentions -

Craig Gordon, Sunderland – Brave Scot #1. Gordon produced a number of beyond quality saves to keep Sunderland ahead of Birmingham City on Saturday. There really were a myriad of incredible stops throughout the day, but Gordon’s 30th minute, full stretched tip onto the bar to keep out a Christian Benitez header is sure to get consideration for save of the season.

Darren Bent, Sunderland – The Wearsideres were able to win their match 3-1 much from the production of Gordon’s efforts, but also from a fine brace from potential England World Cup striker Darren Bent, who has quietly passed the 20 goal mark this season with his 20th and 21st of the campaign.

Bent’s first came in the 5th minute when he banged home a rebound, but his second in the 11th was the more impressive of the two. Bent ran onto a well placed ball from Steed Malbranque with only Birmingham’s Scott Dann to beat. Bent took the pass in stride and cut towards the inside of Dann before powering home a strong, impressive left-footed strike. His second secured the 3 points for the now in 12th place Sunderland.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

There have been very few if any boring Premier League weekends so far this season, and this Saturday was another example of why this is one of the most entertaining leagues in the world. Here are my observations from the Saturday games I’ve watched thus far:

Stoke City v Wigan Athletic

• When ESPN2 looked at the fixture list and saw Stoke City versus Wigan Athletic on a Saturday morning in December, they probably weren’t too excited just like many of you, the readers. However, the game turned into an extremely entertaining match with goals galore, plenty of controversy (the penalty decision, and the resulting save from Rodallega) and a wonderful climax to the game with Wigan piling on the pressure but unable to get the winner. The game ended 2-2, but what a way to begin the Premier League weekend!

Bolton Wanderers v Manchester City

• Playing against Bolton Wanderers was never going to be an easy fixture for Manchester City, but a game against such a physical and direct team such as Wanderers was always going to be a perfect test for City to see if they can win the tough games as well as the glamorous ones.
• The Wanderers versus City game reminded me of the Stoke against Wigan game from earlier in the morning. Lots of goals, lots of controversy and highly entertaining. Bolton’s opening goal was contentious when a deflected pass came into the path of Tamir Cohen who knocked the ball into the goal despite being in an offside position. Should the goal have counted or not? Cohen was obviously offside but does the deflected pass put Cohen onside? With a highly contentious decision like this, I rely on the co-commentator to share his expertise and definitively say whether the goal should have been disallowed or not. However, co-commentator Dean Sturridge seemed as unsure as I was over the rule and gave a half-hearted response about Cohen being in an offside position.
• Controversy reared its ugly head later in the game when Craig Bellamy was fouled by Paul Robinson but Bellamy received a yellow card from referee Mark Clattenburg for diving. It was Bellamy’s second yellow card in the game, so he was sent off.
• Overall, what a classic game this was between Bolton and Manchester City. Both teams battled hard. Carlos “Captain Caveman” Tevez, yet again, was exceptional with two brilliant and timely goals. But fair play to Bolton. If they continue playing like this week-in week-out, then they thoroughly deserve to stay in the Premier League and football supporters should get off Gary Megson’s back. For City, it’s another draw but this was a game that they could have easily lost. City should their tough side today by coming back three times after being behind and thoroughly deserved the one point.

Chelsea v Everton

• Before I began watching the second half the Manchester United versus Aston Villa game, I was able to watch the highlights of the Chelsea against Everton match. And incredibly, this was another match that ended in a pulsating draw. American soccer haters who don’t know any better often are dumbfounded by how games that end in draws can be entertaining. Americans are bred to see winners and losers in their sports, but to me a draw is often more entertaining and pleasing than seeing a win.

Manchester United v Aston Villa

• The third entertaining match I was fortunate to watch in a row Saturday was Manchester United against Aston Villa. Martin O’Neill’s side have to be commended for going for the jugular against Man United and trying to get all three points. The side consistently floated in tons of dangerous crosses into the middle of the United penalty area to put pressure on the weakened United back four with Wes Brown replacing the position normally held by Rio Ferdinand and/or Jonny Evans, and Fletcher stepping in as right back instead of the usual Gary Neville and/or Rafael Da Silva. And by half-time Villa was deservedly 1-0 ahead after a picture-perfect header from Gabriel Agbonlahor.
• In the second half, it was quintessential Aston Villa at their best. They defended heroically and threw themselves at every United attempted shot on goal. Plus, they played their typical counter-attacking football which helped Villa ensure there were always enough players back in defense and midfield to prevent United from having clear-cut chances on goal. Whatever you say about Aston Villa, they’re always a hard-working side and never give up. They’re always pressuring the other team as soon as they get the ball and ended up keeping Man United at bay time after time.
• And let’s not forget about Brad Friedel who didn’t have a lot to do on the day, but when it counted the most, he made an incredible save from Dimitar Berbatov’s goalbound shot near the end of the game.
• Rather than criticize Manchester United (and yes Wayne Rooney had an off day), the full credit needs to go to the Aston Villa players and manager Martin O’Neill for a textbook performance against a dangerous Manchester United side. When Villa needed to hold up the ball and keep possession, they did. Congratulations on a well-deserved 1-0 win.

What are your thoughts from this incredible day in the Premier League? Were there matches that I missed that also were just as entertaining as the ones mentioned above? Did you think United had a “bad day in the office” or were Villa simply better? Click the comments link below to share your feedback and opinions.

Thank god the Premier League is back. Nothing against international football, but there’s something very comforting with getting back into the ritual of watching Premier League football and being familiar with the surroundings, the pace of the game and the excitement it creates.

So the Liverpool against Manchester City game on early Saturday was the perfect re-introduction to the Premier League. I found the first half not as boring as ESPN’s Tommy Smyth claimed it was. Sure, there were few chances, but the flowing football was easy on the eye which was punctuated by two unfortunate injuries for Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel.

The second half of the match erupted. The last ten minutes of the match were pulsating with both teams throwing everything forward to try to get the winner, but alas the game ended 2-2 — which I thought was a fair result for both teams.

For me, the player who had the biggest impact on the match was Carlos Tevez who came off the bench and transformed City from a team who looked soulless in midfield to a team that was suddenly dangerous on the attack and had more possession. The thing I love about Tevez the most is that he turns nothing into something. He constantly fights for the ball and a perfect example of this was how he won the ball down the left wing and ran with the ball, passing it to Shaun Wright-Phillips who planted a beautiful pass to Stephen Ireland to score a valuable goal for City.

In the other games I watched, the football wasn’t as exciting as the match at Anfield.

Sunderland’s 1-0 victory against Arsenal was a game that wasn’t for the soccer purist. Both teams played well but Sunderland suffocated most of Arsenal’s attempts on goal and the Mackems had few chances of their own. That’s not to take anything away from Sunderland’s performance. The team battled hard and deserved to get something out of this game, and had a bit of good fortune in the ball falling to Darren Bent to win the match. While Tevez was my man of the match in the Liverpool versus City game, my man of the match at the Stadium of Light was Andy Reid who delivered a performance equal of Tevez by constantly fighting for the ball and pouring his enthusiasm into everything he did for Sunderland.

Just as Liverpool and Manchester City didn’t look like Premier League champion material today, neither did Arsenal. It wasn’t that they were bad. Instead the Gunners were shut down well by Sunderland similar to how Steve Bruce’s side did the same against Manchester United at Old Trafford recently. I’m sure a lot of the excuses for Arsenal’s defeat today will be aimed at the unavailability of Robin van Persie due to injury, but I feel that’s unfair. Arsenal had a few golden chances near the end of the game to equalize but it just wasn’t their day.

With Arsenal’s loss in the northeast, Chelsea moved eight points clear of the Gunners with an emphatic 4-0 home win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Seriously, Chelsea have become incredibly boring to watch this season. Don’t get me wrong. They’re playing wonderful football, but the matches they play are so one-sided that I find myself losing interest because they constantly cruise to victory with simplicity (except of course in a few games this season such as against Manchester United and Wigan Athletic, where the opposition was tougher to break down).

Last but not least, the match between Manchester United and Everton was exceedingly enjoyable to watch. Everton were very much in the game and fighting for every ball until the 35th minute when Darren Fletcher rocketed the ball with his right foot into the top corner of the net. Despite Everton’s constant persistence, they created very few chances against a Manchester United side that seemed to be buzzing after their recent drop in form during the past few matches.

The second half of this match was very wide-open with both teams trying to get the decisive goal. But it was another piece of class in this game that saw Manchester United scoring a goal. This time it was a perfect pass from Ryan Giggs to Michael Carrick who knocked in a shot with precision into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0 to United. Antonio Valencia’s shot near the end of the match which was deflected in to make it 3-0 made it a very convincing win for Manchester United although you have to think that the scoreline wasn’t a fair representation of how well Everton played at times during this match.

I’ll try to spend some time later tonight watching the other Premier League games played today. But in the meantime, feel free to post your observations about the games today and what was interesting for you.

Photo credit: Soefrie.

Why is it so hard to have a governing body with an ounce of common sense, UEFA just seem bereft of it every time it seems like they’ll do the right thing. Are your matches blighted by neo-nazi’s forming swastika shapes on the terrace? Here, have a fine of $3 and don’t do it again. Do your fans steal a visiting fans scooter, carry it into the ground, set it on fire and throw it on the pitch during a game? Never happened. English based player sent off for a foul he didn’t commit? The Red card stands!

Darren Fletcher’s red card, alongside Eric Abidals, was a travesty. The referee got it wrong, it was obviously a mistake so United must have been hoping that UEFA’s appeal’s panel would realise that the ludicrous and frankly absurd rule that you can’t appeal a red card unless it’s mistaken identity and it would see the opportunity for them to hold their hands up, say the referee got it wrong, and rescind it.

Of course they didn’t. Now I’m not buying into the conspiracy theories that are currently doing the rounds in the British press, though UEFA’s contempt for the Premiership is hard to ignore currently due Platini’s consistent anti-Premiership rhetoric, but honestly, they make you want to pull your hair out. Fletcher’s challenge was a wonderfully timed last ditch tackle that saved a goalscoring opportunity, or so he thought. Unfortunately referee Rosetti deemed it a foul and that’s the end of it.

To be blunt, it shows that the idiots in power at the top of UEFA have now entrenched so far into their bunkers that they can no longer see common sense. What is so wrong with doing the right thing? It’s the same for the Abidal sending off, an incorrect decision that all the world can see in the cold light of day but they will not budge on the matter. An incorrect decision, regardless of televisual evidence stands, cast in stone.  A chance for UEFA to finally offer those who criticise the bloated, out of touch and idiotic board an opportunity to say well done UEFA, a common sense victory for football.

Yet, they once again sail off into the sunset, the winds of ignorance speeding them onward to the next calamity. How can these decisions support the referee’s who have to make these decisions, no-one is infallible, no-one is beyond making a mistake. By digging themselves into such a position, they make themselves ripe for ridicule, with the next calamitous decision just around the corner. Like holding the Champions League final at a ground with a history of violence from both the fans and the police in a country racked with hooliganism at every match.

I’ve been to the Stadio Olympico twice, both times were eye opening experiences for me as a fan. Both times left me very nervous about my well being in and around the stadium and they were for a Serie A game. Would I go there as an opposing fan? Not on your life!Hopefully, the British police will be there in large numbers to keep an eye out for rogue groups of Roma fans with their speciality of sticking a pen knife in you as you walk past them. And again, and again and so it continues.

It’s so disappointing to have an official body that won’t do the right thing whenever they seem to given a perfect opportunity time and again. It’s a real shame that Fletcher and Abidal will both miss the biggest games of their careers so far due to stubbornness beyond all reason.

Chelsea’s first leg clash with Juventus is all about one man, Claudio Ranieri. The manager who was first fired by Roman at Chelsea, after getting one season, knew he was a lame duck and insists the fact he didn’t give up shows the character he has. For a man who thinks he did ok, he certainly did alright by me…even if that meant heartbreak against Monaco in a Champions League semi-final and Arsenal in an FA Cup final.

Guus Hiddink’s first home match in charge of Chelsea has almost taken a back seat to Ranieri’s return. But Hididnk knows his place, win and win now. While Hiddink’s preparation for Juventus wasn’t exactly ideal, Guus says he won’t make excuses if there isn’t instant success.

Chelsea/Juve is an interesting tie for sure. Two sides who’s form have appeared to mirror each other will take the park Wednesday (2:45 pm ET ESPN2). This one all falls on which set of strikers decide to show up, and if John Terry doesn’t turn out to be the liability he has been of late. While Terry did have a half decent outing against Aston Villa, Ranieri will know his old players well, and which ones to quickly exploit.

That doesn’t mean the build up to the Real Madrid/Liverpool hasn’t been dull (Setanta Sports 2:45 pm). Let’s start with the Real Madrid president predicting a 5-1 aggregate victory. We then read that Rafael van der Vaart thinks Liverpool are scared of Real Madrid. Arjen Robben, he just wants revenge.

Rafa has an interesting dilemma ahead of him. Steven Gerrard is close to being fully fit, the question is will Rafa play him? I think that answer the most obvious answer of the year (yes). Fernando Torres is looking forward to making an impact in Madrid, after not  Alvaro Arbeloa has no regrets about his past and is looking to his future with Liverpool, Xavi Alonso is a bit worried about the threat Real Madrid pose.

Real Madrid come into this tie with Liverpool on fire, Liverpool just look ice cold. Rafa has always proved his sides can do the job over two legs, and with his contract still not signed, there is extra motivation. Of all the four ties between English clubs in this round of the Champions League, this could end up being the most entertaining to watch.

Other Stories
Martin O’Neill has left key players out of the side heading to Russia for Aston Villa’s second leg tie with CSKA Moscow. While I understand his wanting to have his side focused on qualifying for the Champions League, why do I get the sneaky feeling they may end up in the round of sixteen?

Darren Fletcher had a little more on his mind than he bargained for last night after it was revealed his house was robbed and his girlfriend held at knife point. I hope these bastards are caught and get exactly what they deserve.

Could AirAsia be Manchester United’s next kit sponsor?

Steve Bruce believes South Korean international Cho Won-hee will pay off for Wigan Athletic. If Bruce can keep him healthy, he might be right.

The Football League is not happy with Wembley Stadium. Reason being, that 2011 Champions League final…well it clashes with one of the dates the Football League had already booked for the playoff finals. Expect money to exchange hands on that one.

Joe Kinnear has been told to chill out after apparently spending more time worrying about Newcastle United than recovering from triple-bypass surgery.

Here’s an interesting way to apologize. Craig Bellamy says all Robinho has to do is ‘play his best‘. You first Craig.

Giofranco Zola disagrees with those who have devalued the FA Cup, insisting he wants to win the trophy as manager of West Ham. Gareth Southgate, doesn’t plan on sacrafacing the FA Cup just because they are in the relegation zone.

And Sam Allardyce says he will stick with Blackburn, even if they are relegated.

Fans, pundits and fellow players considered Kieran Richardson lazy, inadequate and many other unfortunate synonyms when he was at Manchester United.  He made only 41 league appearances in five seasons at the club, scoring just two goals.  Richardson’s £5.5 signing seemed at the time a misguided move by Roy Keane in the summer of 2007.  Thus far, that’s been hardly the case.

At Sunderland, Richardson has blossomed.  Despite injuries, he’s developed into a dynamic attacker, a free kick artist and a match winner.  Originally viewed as unworthy of his fee, Richardson would probably be worth at least double it now, if manager Ricky Sbragia saw him as dispensable.  We never saw Richardson’s full potential until he left Manchester United, which raises a question.  How valuable are their other second-tier players?

John O’Shea’s popular image is as a bit of a bumbler and a doofus.  He’s never cemented a place as a first-team regular, despite making 313 appearances.   He’s clearly not in the same class as Cristiano Ronaldo, though he’ll show the occasional burst of flair.

However, the 27-year-old is very versatile.  He can fill in at fullback, centre-half and in central midfield, without United noticeably declining.  He literally has played every position on the pitch for United.  How much would a player like him be worth for Everton or Tottenham?  How good would he be with a consistent place in the Starting XI?

Who, when discussing a Manchester United performance, ever touches on Wes Brown’s contribution?  Listing the best players at various positions in the Premier League, Brown’s name seldom arises.  Has he been overlooked?

United were better with Brown at right back last season than they were with Gary Neville the year before.  Fabio Capello brought Brown into the England squad ahead of the far more hyped Micah Richards, with solid results.  If Wes Brown were playing for a mid-table club such as Portsmouth, would he receive more praise?

Look at Darren Fletcher as well.  He’s often maligned compared to his more talented companions.  Even his own teammates have ridiculed him.  At 24-years-old he’s never nailed down a place in the United midfield.

Despite this, however, Fletcher has been important for Manchester United.  When big signings Hargreaves and Carrick have been injured, Fletcher has filled in for big matches and played well.  United displayed no midfield faults when he played against Chelsea.  He already has 40 caps for Scotland.  He probably steps straight into 14 or 15 Premier League Starting XIs.  How good would he be with a regular run of games?

Manchester United have elite-level talents, such as Ronaldo, Rooney and Ferdinand, but so do Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.  What sets Manchester United apart is their second tier.  While the other big three falter noticeably without a star or two, United absorb injuries, calling on experienced players, such as O’Shea, Brown and Fletcher to fill a hole without incident.

Rather than being oafs or wastrels, these second-tier players are a major reason, Manchester United has won the Premier League the past two seasons.

Getting up at five o’clock this morning to watch a game on TV live from Japan reminded me of World Cup 2002. But this time, instead of watching England lose against Brazil in Japan, it was the turn of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup featuring Manchester United against Gamba Osaka from Yokohama.

From the first few minutes, it was apparent that this was going to be a very open game, but who would have expected eight goals in a 5-3 win by Manchester United? While Manchester United’s first two goals were scored from headers by Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo, both connecting from corner kicks, the turning point in the game was when Wayne Rooney entered the game as a substitute for Carlos Tevez when the score was 2-0 to Manchester United.

Incredibly, the game came alive and five goals were scored within five minutes. Rooney scored within one minute with his first touch of the ball, and netted a goal later in the match. Darren Fletcher also scored just a few minutes after Rooney’s first goal.

The TV coverage and commentary from Fox Soccer Channel was well done with Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan in fine form. While Max can be too over excited at times, Sullivan continues to impart golden nuggets of tactical insight throughout matches which I always appreciate.

Manchester United now plays Liga de Quito (from Ecuador) in the final on Sunday, December 21st with the kick-off at 5:30am ET on Fox Soccer Channel.