Outside the Box – Football on TV: A prosperous week for Liverpool in the cups but off the field is a different story

The days leading up to the weekend’s FA Cup Fourth Round ties were not particularly pleasant for many football fans, a week in which the unseemly and murky face of football was glaringly apparent. Many column inches were devoted to the tax-evasion trial of Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, as well as th...

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Spurs v Wigan Athletic: Will Wigan shock Spurs?

Wigan suffered their heaviest defeat in the Premier League at White Hart Lane when they went down 9-1 in November 2009. However, Martinez’s men returned the following season to stun the hosts when Hugo Rodallega scored the only goal of the game. Tonight Spurs are looking to remain within touching d...

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Everton v Manchester City: Can Moyes's paupers overpower Mancini's millionaires?

In the past seven weeks Manchester City have lost their unbeaten league record, exited the Champions League and been knocked out of both cup competitions. Fortunately for Roberto Mancini, they remain at the top of the Premier League table, but tonight struggling Everton will be doing their best to ...

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Wolves v Liverpool: Dalglish eyes league win at Molineux

Liverpool have disposed of both Manchester City and Manchester United in cup competitions over the past seven days, but can they get back to winning ways in the league tonight against Wolves at Molineux? Kenny Dalglish was livid with his sides display against Bolton recently and publicly lambast...

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Swansea City v Chelsea: Will the Blues be added to Swansea's list of scalps?

The Liberty Stadium has been a fortress for Swansea this season - only Manchester United have left Wales with maximum points - but can Chelsea follow in the champions footsteps or will the Blues suffer the same fate as Arsenal? Brendan Rodgers has won much acclaim for his sides football philosop...

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Manchester United v Stoke City: Can the Potters conjure up an Old Trafford victory?

The last time Stoke City won at Old Trafford, Apple Computers had just been formed, Brotherhood of Man had just won Eurovision with Save All Your Kisses For Me and the legendary punk group the Ramones were about to release their self-titled debut album. For those of you too young to remember, these...

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The View Outside The Premier League: The Onward March of Crawley Town And Accrington's New Era

This weekend saw a mixed programme with a virtually full fixture list in League Two and reduced numbers for the Championship and League One as clubs tried to reach the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. In the cup the standout result was Crawleys win at Hull City. Steve Evanss side reached the last 16 last...

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Manchester United: Is An Ultimatum Needed For Ferguson's Goalkeeping Crossroads?

When Manchester United drew Liverpool in the FA Cup, a tense and belligerent atmosphere was expected. It was, after all, the first time the teams had met since the racist spat between Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez. It promised to be a game of intensity, of drama, of interesting and heavy consequ...

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Liverpool: Can the Reds complete a Manchester Double against United?

Kenny Dalglish’s men booked their place in the final of the Carling Cup in midweek with an aggregate win over Premier League leaders Manchester City, but on Saturday they host the Premier League champions and fierce rivals Manchester United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. Can Liverpool do the d...

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Predict the Premier League: Baggies boing boing to the top

The past weekend in the Premier League proved to be a great one for Baggies fans around the world. After years of going down to their bogey side, Roy Hodgson finally guided the Albion to victory over Stoke City. And to make matters even better for the Albion, Baggies fan Andy Wakeman scorched the o...

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Predict the Premier League: Blackpool's lead is coming under real scrutiny

A few weeks ago it looked as though Blackpools Phil Trow was going to erase last seasons heartache of just missing out on the Predict the Premier League title by having this one wrapped up by Christmas. The Seasider had stormed to the top of the pile and nobody ever looked like catching him. Howeve...

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Predict the Premier League: Stoke extend lead at the top to 25

Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool and West Brom denied the majority of our pundits picking up a bundle of points last weekend but it didnt prevent our leader, Stoke fan Phil Eccleston, from extending his lead at the top to 25 points. Mr Eccleston could only manage seven points last weekend, courtesy of th...

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Predict the Premier League: Poor week for the experts

There were 30 points up for grabs this past weekend in the Predictions League but not even one single pundit could muster even a quarter of that figure. Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham and West Brom were the biggest coupon busters as the Blues drew a blank at Norwich, Liverpool were thrashed by Bolton,...

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Keane, Vieira, Makelele, Parker or Mascherano: Who has been the greatest defensive midfielder in the Premier League?

Some of the best midfielders in the world have graced the Premier League over the past 20 years but who has been the best defensive midfielder the top flight in England has ever seen in that period? Manchester Uniteds Roy Keane was an absolute beast of a player. He had it all, but then so did Arsen...

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Man City: 10 things that Mario Balotelli will (possibly) never do?

Manchester City’s madcap Italian striker Mario Balotelli has lightened up the football world with his incredible antics on and off the pitch. From setting off fireworks in his bathroom ahead of the Manchester derby only to score and reveal the famous Why Always Me T-shirt to giving money to homel...

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El Clasico: My recipe for the perfect football feast

Woodstock 69’: love, freedom and prosperity. Wimbledon: elegance and tradition. For me, El Clasico is up there with these occasions as the greatest spectacles on earth. The two most successful sides in the history of Spanish football ripping chunks out of each other. And I love it. I love every...

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