Manchester United inched closer to retaining their Premier League title as they cruised to a 3-0 win against a Liverpool side who had only ten men for half the game.

Reina Poor Performance

Wes Brown put the home side ahead on 34 minutes, when Reina failed to deal with a Wayne Rooney cross. The Spaniard only managed to punch the ball against the back of the advancing defender, which was to be the start of a bad day for the Liverpool keeper.

Bennett Steals The Show

Even with all of the talent on display and three goals in the match, the centre of attention was Referee Steve Bennett. After just eleven minutes he reached for his book and entered the name of Argentinean Javier Mascherano for unsporting conduct after a late challenge on Paul Scholes. Bennett created the talking point of the game just before half time, when he booked Fernando Torres for dissent after the Spaniard had been the victim of two suspect challenges. Having seen the injustice Mascherano approached Bennett and asked him ‘What’s happening?’ not foul language and was given a second yellow for his trouble. The scenes after Bennett issued the Red Card became farcical as the Argentine demonstrated his disbelief that he had been dismissed from the game for a simple question. Bennett’s heavy handedness came just a few days after Ashley Cole got away with a torrent of abuse at the 4-4 draw between Tottenham and Chelsea where Bennett was the fourth official. Bennett has a history of dishing out injustice to Mascherano, last season he let Jermain Defoe away with biting the Argentinean.

Ronaldo Ends Liverpool’s Hopes

Liverpool fought to get back in to the game but after 35 minutes in the second half United goalden boy Cristiano Ronaldo headed home a corner that Reina got nowhere near to put the game beyond the visitors. Just one minute later Ronaldo’s Portuguese compatriot Nani thundered home a shot from the edge of the area to put the home side three up.

Who Is The real Villain?

Mascherano will no doubt be villainised in the media as an example of what not to do for kids and pros alike. When the truth is it should be Bennett who is crucified in the press for ruining a crunch game for the billions of spectators around the world and for demonstrating the huge inconsistency of Premier League referees, who have been hounded and abused for years by players some of whom were not even given a talking to never mind a red card.

Dutch side Ajax have given Henk Ten Cate permission to contact Chelsea to discuss the possibility of him joining the coaching staff at Stamford bridge as Avram Grant’s number two. This could unsettle Steve Clarke, although Chelsea will do what they can to help keep some continuity at the club, which could involve him moving down the pecking order.

Ten Cate The Number One Number Two

Ten Cate has a successful history as a number two, before taking over Ajax he was No.2 at Barcelona where he helped the Spaniards to the league title in 2006.

Could Martin Jol Take Over At Ajax?

Despite a reasonable points haul during his tenure at Ajax, this season has been poor. With the Dutch heavy weights getting knocked out of the Champions League by Slavia Prague. The departure of ten Cate could pave a way for Martin Jol to leave Spurs with his head held high. With him walking in to the most prestigious job in Holland other than the International job.

Jermain Defoe was back in to the starting eleven replacing Robbie Keane, leaving Paul Robinson deputising as captain. Spurs began brightly, laying siege to the on the Middlesbrough goal. Boro were without new strikers Aliadiere and Mido and looked toothless in attack.

Brad Jones In Stoppable Form

Spurs were wasteful with gilt-edged opportunities in front of goal, Jenas and Defoe coming closest to breaking the dead lock. Schwarzer’s understudy Brad Jones demonstrated form that could have the Australian keeper looking over his shoulder.

Second Half Goals & Clean Sheet The Perfect Tonic For Confidence At Spurs

The Tottenham defence still looked suspect from set pieces but they managed to hold up and keep a confidence boosting clean sheet. Gareth Bale broke the deadlock in a controversial move Aaron Lennon appeared to be in an offside position but was deemed not to be by the referee, paving the way for Bale to run round Jones before putting the ball in the goal. Crowd favourite Tom Huddlestone added the second ensuring Spurs name was entered into the hat for the draw. Huddlestone headed the ball past Jones after Lennon carved out an opportunity to cross having beaten Rochemback on the right flank.

For the second year in a row Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United have been put out of the Carling Cup in their first round by lower league opposition. No doubt there will be headlines calling for his head and he will join Jose Mourinho on the English football scrapheap as he has failed to make progress on last seasons performance. In fact United have got 100% worse losing by two goals this year.

Last year a Freddy Eastwood’s free-kick created the upset of the season as Southend won one-nil at Roots hall. This years upset was at the theatre of dreams, and this years hero was Michael Misfud. He scored the first just after half an hour when he slid home Michael Doyle’s low cross. Misfud nearly doubled his tally this time the supply came from Simpson.

Misfud managed to double his and Coventry’s tally when he ended a counter attack with a fierce shot that Kuszczak was unable to stop. Sending almost 12000 Sky Blue fans in to an ecstacy they haven’t felt since Gary Mabbutt’s own goal gifted them victory in the F.A. Cup twenty years ago.

Coventry and Mifsud had opportunities to increase their lead, but the fans and Dowie appeared to be content with their two goal triumph over the Premier League champions.

Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed every England fans worst fear. England striker Michael Owen needs surgery to repair his most recent injury; which will see him miss the next two Euro 2008 qualifying games against Russia and Estonia.

It had been feared that Owen needed to go under the knife for a hernia injury but he was given a clean bill of health on that front only to discover that he may have to have surgery on his latest injury; a tear on his Abductor muscle.

Allardyce believes that Owen will be out at least until the Magpies play Spurs in October. The first Premier League fixture after the Euro 2008 qualifiers that is if the player does not need surgery or that date would be dragged out even longer.

Out of favour Wanderers midfielder Ivan Campo returned to the Reebok stadium on Sunday to rescue a point against a struggling Spurs side. A point that appears to have kept manager Sammy Lee in his job for a while longer.

Bolton need all the help they can if like Tottenham they are to turn their season around, however Campo was omitted from the UEFA Cup squad after he asked to speak to other clubs following Sam Allardyce’s departure to Newcastle United.

Campo Scored The Equaliser Against Spurs

Campo (33) played his first league game of the season against Spurs and demonstrated his value to the Lancashire club contributing with the equaliser. He will not be able to make the same contribution in Europe until after the group stage and the January transfer window is over. By which stage Wanderers could have been dumped out of the competition and Campo could be playing his football in another country with another team. There a number of clubs interested in the Champions League winner although he could opt for a payday in the retirement league in Qatar.

Lee: ‘UEFA Cup Squads Set In Stone’

Lee was bold when speaking to the Bolton News saying ‘it would have been remiss of me to have included him in the UEFA Cup squad when he could have gone elsewhere at a moments notice’ He continued ‘UEFA squads are set in stone once they are named and to have taken up one of the places with a player who might not have been here, would not have been in the club’s best interests’. That may be true but would it have been best to have named the Spaniard in the squad so he can be used to get in to the lucrative group stage, rather than not name him and risk getting dumped out of the competition.

Spurs look certain to make the UEFA Cup group stage, as they take a five goal lead in to the away leg in Cyprus. Manager Martin Jol will want this victory I the first European fixture will help to kick start this season in the same manner as it did last year.

Kaboul Opens Spurs European Account

The home side opened their European account after just five minutes a well worked set piece. Tom Huddlestone’s corner kick and Pascal Chimbonda’s dummy run allowed Kaboul to score with his head from six yards.

Three Goals In As Many Minutes

The Cypriots fought hard through the first half and kept Spurs at bay, it seemed that if they got a lucky break they could continue Spurs frustrating start to the season, the referee denying Darren Bent a stonewall penalty. However the worry was dispelled when Spurs took advantage of another set play, this time it was Keane who put the corner in the box Chimbonda knocked the ball down for Dawson to stab the ball in to the back of the net.

Two minutes later it was the turn of the strikers to get on the score sheet, Assou-Ekotto squared the ball to Keane who flicked the ball into the air with his right foot and volleyed home with his left; the shot was scuffed but it rolled past the Famagusta keeper.

A minute later Darren Bent scored his first UEFA Cup goal for six years, when he scored for Ipswich as a 17 year-old. The £16m striker proved his worth by being quick enough to take advantage of a defensive error. He latched on to a misguided back pass, holding off a defenders challenge long enough to steer the ball into the empty goal from the tightest of angles.

Defoe Demonstrates His Worth To Tottenham

Jermaine Defoe replaced Robbie Keane just after the hour mark, with his first touch of the game he played a delightful chip from twenty five yards over the goalie in to the waiting goal. He scored a second and Spurs sixth on the night when he created a little space and drove the ball into the top right hand corner of the goal from the edge of the box.

Defensive Confusion Costs Spurs A Clean Sheet

The visitors did manage to get a valuable away goal, although it was scant consolation. Tottenham introduced Welsh defender Gareth Bale for his first European appearance when the visitors were waiting to take a throw in. The speed of their play caught the Tottenham defence off guard. In the ensuing mix up Zlogar managed to toe-poke the ball through a gap in the defence. Radek Cerny who had little to do while deputizing for Paul Robinson, managed to get a hand to the shot but failed to stop it crossing the line.

There are reports in London that Jose Mourinho has walked out on Chelsea. It would appear that last nights poor performance against Rosenborg was the straw that broke the camels back. The deterioration of the relationship between Mourinho and Abramovich has been well documented over recent months.

There will be plenty of managers willing to take over the reigns at Chelsea. To have the almost infinite resources of Roman Abramovich, and make the stars play the attractive football that Russian craves.

Mourinho Leaves A Sinking Ship At Stamford Bridge

The press have done there best to sensationalise the issues at the club a bust up with Joe Cole, Ballack’s omission from the Champions League squad just to name a few.

Mourinho had another three years on his lucrative deal as Chelsea manager and he leaves on a sour note having lost the Premier League title to Manchester United, although during his tenure he did win everything that England had to offer. Premier League fans will miss him when they listen to the managerial sound bites this weekend.

Where Next For The Special One?

There will be no shortage of job offers for the talents of Mourinho, Spurs could be looking for a new manager soon, it would be the perfect opportunity for Mourinho to demonstrate that he has the ability to replicate his success at Porto with a club that has limited resources. Alternatively a man with his charisma and vocal opinions could very easily find a career in the media, Skysports could find a role for him alongside other pundits and ex-managers.

Sergio Ramos was given a lesson that could come in useful should he take over from Martin Jol. How to graciously accept defeat at the hands of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.

Fabregas Forces First Goal For Gunners

The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League and they took their form straight from Saturdays victory over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in to the game with Sevilla. They were gifted a first half goal by the visitors when a shot from Fabregas was deflected in to the goal. The young Spaniard will no doubt try to claim the goal to add to his already incredible tally for this season; he was instrumental both of the other Arsenal goals.

Eduardo Seals Victory

Robin Van Persie scored the Gunners second when he popped up at the back post to thump Sagna’s flick on from a Fabregas cross. Sevilla threatened on the counter attack, with ex-Spurs striker Fredi Kanoute coming closest to opening the account for Sevilla despite the perpetual booing from the home support. Thierry Henry’s replacement Eduardo left it late to add his name on the scoresheet, he finished from a few yards out after Fabregas and Hleb created the opening.

Manchester United visited Portugal knowing that their recent away form in the Premier League has not been of the standard of Champions. Sir Alex Ferguson was given a boost to his squad as England striker Wayne Rooney returned to fitness, news that would also be music to the ears of England manager Steve McClaren.

Cristiano Ronaldo Returns Home To Sporting Lisbon

Rooney managed to play for over seventy minutes before being replaced by Louis Saha. However it was the return of another prodigal son that helped United fly back to Manchester with all three points. Cristiano Ronaldo headed home the goal that was the difference between his old club and his current employer. Wes Brown provided the cross that Ronaldo guided home just after the hour mark.

Although Sporting Lisbon had more attempts on target they were not as threatening as the statistics read, although they did force Van Der Sar in to making some top class saves. United more specifically Ronaldo were more deadly with their attack, ensuring their perfect start to this seasons European campaign.