By JOHN BOSCHINI

Manchester City are back atop the English Premier League but it came in less-than-convincing fashion with a 1-1 draw away to Stoke.

Peter Crouch scored one of the goals of the season to give the home side a second-half lead. A long ball from deep inside Stoke's half was headed by Crouch to Jermaine Pennant who then returned a pass to the 6'7 striker.

A red card for Carlos Bocanegra meant his game ended early, but Rangers managed to delay Celtic's celebration as Scottish Premier league champions with a 3-2 win at Ibrox. Rangers led from the 11th minute when Sone Aluko scored. Celtic went down a man in the 29th and were shown a second red card in the 57th.

As usual, it was a fierce and heated battle in the Old Firm derby.

While the Scottish Premier League title race is over (Celtic have a commanding 18 point lead), there was much at stake. It was a match which saw three red cards and drastic momentum swings.

Rangers would start off strong as Sone Aluko made it 1-0 in the 11th minute.

It seems like ages since I tickled the malnourished belly of the SPL with a wildly inaccurate prediction post.
I think the last time I Nostradamus-ed the weekend action Rangers had won the title and Motherwell were about to take the Champion's League by storm.
What a difference an eight point swing makes.

Sone Aluko got banned for diving.
Garry O'Connor got away with diving.
Ergo the new disciplinary procedures in place at the SFA are ridiculous and hellbent on making a mockery of the Scottish game. At best.
At worst the new procedures have been all but designed to penalise one team above others.

Personal transfer fee Sone Aluko has revealed that he, his friends and family had to stump up £200,000 to complete his move to Rangers. The 22-year-old's transfer was on the verge of collapse when the champions refused to stump up the compensation being demanded by his former club Aberdeen. According to the Daily Record: Faced [.