What an excellent day of football we all had yesterday, starting with the controversial Manchester United, Liverpool match at Old Trafford , and a result that went our way with Liverpool losing 2-1.

I am not so sure about all the Suarez, Evra hype though as it is obvious that there is bad blood between the two of them, but to the credit of Evra he was willing to shake Suarez's hand before the match, but Suarez refused.

• Kop That: England to wear poppy FIFA back down http://t.co/jeKv0xGa 23:37:05, 2011-11-09
• Kop That: EXCLUSIVE: Rio WILL go to Euro 2012 http://t.co/JKY6WM6i 22:50:00, 2011-11-09
• Kop That: EXCLUSIVE: Capello claims player punch-ups are GOOD for team spirit! http://t.co/G5TrH6rH 22:49:56, 2011-11-09
• Kop That: Sturridge, Welbeck, Walker and Rodwell set for Spain test as Capello searches for England X Factor http://t.

Breaking with his normal routine of announcing his team the day before the game, Craig Levein has just announced the Scotland team for this evening's match.
Given that we knew Kenny Miller was out and that Darren Fletcher looked likely to play, you get absolutely no prize if you had already guessed this starting XI:
McGregor, Hutton, Caldwell, Berra, Bardsley, Fletcher, Bannan, Morrison, Adam, Naismith, Mackail-Smith
4-5-1?

Rather later than planned, here are the ups and downs from the Premiership this week
Going Up...

Robin Van Persie
So the glass man has entered the records books at Arsenal with a ton of goals to his name, both of which were sublime finishes. Its a shame that his injury record is so poor or else he would be in a position where he could play for one of the best teams in Europe (muhaha).

Sunderland defender Phillip Bardsley has been charged with violent conduct by the FA after his stamp on Juan Mata during the Black Cats 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Saturday. Sunderland have confirmed they will not appeal the four game ban which will see the defender miss games with Stoke, Norwich, West Brom and Arsenal respectively.

Listening to the Liverpool v Sunderland match on Saturday afternoon, I was struck by the back four selected by Bernard Cribbins at Anfield.
Bardsley
Brown
Ferdinand
Richardson
Now, I don't know about you, but that sounds like a Manchester United Carling Cup defence from about 2007.

Perhaps, on a bookshelf in the offices of the Football Association at Wembley Stadium, there is a leather-bound book called "How To Get Knocked Out Of A Major Tournament". It's a well-thumbed tome, of course, and the England team at this year's Women's World Cup couldn't help but crib from its extensive advice in getting themselves eliminated from this year's tournament at the hands of France at the end of a tumultuous match in Leverkusen last night.

By Chris Wright

After leading since the hour mark courtesy of Jill Scott's looping 20-yard drive, England women were within spitting-distance of making it through to the last four of the World Cup in Leverkusen last night when they were pegged back by France with three minutes of normal time left to play when Elise Bussaglia sent a superb curling effort clipping in off the upright in what seemed to be sloooooow-motion.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com(Note: This is crossposted from our sister-site, MLSTalk.com).

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

It's not the possession. It's what you do with it.France had the ball for so much of this match that its players seemed to forget what to do when they didn't. In minute 59, Jill Scott slipped past a sleeping back line with a nonchalant fake, a turn and a cracker of a shot. Les Bleues went from dream to nightmare.

Hope Powell's squad delivered two killer blows to sink Japan. Ellen White breaking free lobbed the ball perfectly over backpedaling Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori. Then, substitute Rachel Yankey used her speed to get the better off an onrushing Kaihori to flick the ball from an acute angle.

England players look a little resentful while singing their national anthem. I don't think they were expecting as much criticism as they got for their draw against Mexico.
FAIL - Announcer just said Hope Solo instead Hope Powell.
Kickoff!
2 - Bardsley catches an incoming pass.

British Eurosport's ubiquitous football commentator Tim Caple was doing his level best not to say there were "no easy games in international football these days." Some clichés are oft-repeated because of the element of truth therein, but there were certainly no "easy games" in the first round of matches at this year's Women's World Cup in Germany.

By Chris Wright

England Women got their World Cup campaign underway with a slightly disappointing 1-1 draw against Mexico in Wolfsburg yesterday afternoon going ahead through Fara Williams' looping 21st-minute header before being pegged back just 13 minutes on down the line thanks to a bit of a special effort from Monica Ocampo.

On a day of wonderful goals and woeful goalkeeping, Mexico had reason to celebrate at the Women's World Cup.

A 30-yard blast from Monica Ocampo gave Mexico a 1-1 draw against England on Monday in Wolfsburg, the biggest surprise so far after two days of the three-week tournament. A superb curling free kick from star player Aya Miyama earlier sent Japan past New Zealand 2-1 in Bochum.

This will be considered a disappointing result for the Three Lionesses after Fara Williams gives them a dream start with a towering header. But the highlight goal has to be Monica Campo's 30 yard screamer which a flailing Karen Bardsley fails to fend off.

The shot takes her by surprise and she reacts too late.

"Scotland win trophy."
You don't hear that often.
There is a chance you will tonight though.
And perhaps we could even keep the Carling Nations Cup in perpetuity.
Friday night's attendance for the Wales v Northern Ireland game was 529. That leaves the total attendance for the tournament's five games so far hovering around the 60,000 mark.

The 2nd week of Women's Professional Soccer is over and the season is well underway! The second week should have consistent three matches, but the Philadelphia Independence match versus magicJack was canceled because of severe thunder and lightning. Instead, just two matches were played. The Atlanta Beat earned a win over Sky Blue FC, and the Boston Breakers lost their home opener to the Western New York Flash.

So no trophies for Ancelotti this season. He may manage to keep his job because he managed to win the double in his first season, then again, he may be shown the door because he won the double in his first season.

In truth Chelsea haven't played well since October; whether this is Ancelotti's fault is up for debate, but there is no escaping the fact that should he be replaced, Chelsea's next boss will still inherit a club in desperate need of rejuvenation.

Big thank you to ol boy Brucie and his rearguard of Mensah, Bramble, Bardsley and Ferdinand for defending like a fortress at the Emirates. A special mention goes out to Welbeck who was making a return from injury and nearly nicked a goal shortly after coming on with a nice shot on the turn.

Our lead at the top has been chipped away at, but only by 1 pt instead of the 3 that many of us were anticipating heading into Saturday.

Lineups are in:

Arsenal: Starters: Wojo, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Wilshere, Diaby, Nasri (c), Arshavin, Bendtner Bench: Almunia, Rosicky, Ramsey, Squillaci, Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh

Sunderland: Starters: Mignolet, Ferdinand, Mensah, Bramble, Bardsley, Henderson, Muntari, Malbranque, Richardson, Sessegnon, Gyan Bench: Gordon, Riveros, Welbeck, Colback, Noble, Knot, Al Muhammadi

Nothing too surprising about that lineup Koscielny is apparently not just fit enough to play, but to start.

International week and all eyes are on the stadium formerly known as Lansdowne Road as Scotland make their debut in the Carling Nations Cup.
Making their debut and already playing catch-up after Ireland set the early pace with a 3-0 win over Wales last night.
Ewan Murray has more on the background to the tournament on The Guardian sports blog including the travails the Irish FA have been having with ticket sales.

The enigma that is Salomon Kalou was on full show Tuesday at the Stadium of Light. A superb shift as foil to Didier Drogba overshadowed by a second-half miss so glorious that it managed to bemuse the hell out of all of us. Bemusing us, it's what King Salomon does best.

Oh dear.

To begin, I'd like to thank Mohit and welcome him on board! It truly is hard to set apart time to type once you move out to international waters. I'll try chipping in whenever I can and this is one of those occasions that calls for it.

2-4 at Sunderland. This game had so much in it that it almost made me entitle want to chew my !

Former Manchester United full-back Phillip Bardsley gives Sunderland the lead against Chelsea.

Goal to follow...

It's time for revenge. Last time we met Sunderland, they embarrassingly thumped us 3-0 at our own ground as our minor slump took a turn for complete disaster.

Our new boys, Torres and Luiz, will not feature in tonight's match. Torres instead took in a training session at Cobham today, preparing to score a few goals this weekend!

Brad Friedel and Aston Villa lost to Sunderland 1-0 on Wednesday, with Phillip Bardsley scoring the game's only goal in the 80th minute. Both teams were playing a man down after Emile Heskey was sent off in the 68th minute for Villa and Boudewijn Zenden followed for Sunderland in the 86th. "They were a bit lucky because for the goal the ball went through practically four or five players," Villa manager Gerard Houllier said.