Following their defeat to Chelsea, I read a couple of articles writing off Manchester United's title hopes. This feels absurdly early to me, so ahead of this weekend's Premiership matches here are 4 reasons why I reckon Manchester United will be lifting the Premier League title in May 2010.

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ATLETICO DE MADRID Argentine forward SERGIO AGÜERO must haveimpressed CHELSEA FC in their last Champions League group match,as news from England informs that the Premier League Club ispreparing a 45M€ offer for the "2010 Winter Transfer Market" thatopens the 1st of January for the forward.The British paper "The Daily Telegraph" informs that Chelsea FC,after having had the FIFA signing ban lifted, Click to continue reading...

While the injury to Robin van Persie was disturbing news this past weekend, let's try not to go overboard. Posts on message boards and the like have been raging about how our season is over, etc., etc., etc.... That is hardly the case. Yes, he has been in the form of his life with 8 goals and 7 assists in 15 matches.

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Well, I just finished gnashing my teeth, rending my clothes, and dropping down to my knees, head thrust upward, yelling "Why, God? Why?!" I think now I can almost think rationally about this.

The big news is that the injury is not quite as bad as it had been first thought. Originally, everyone was reporting 2-3 months, some of the more sensationalist English papers were saying out for the season.

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Brazilian journalist Fernando Duarte (a future guest on the Soccerlens Podcast, once we can track him down) interviewed Brazil and Real Madrid star Kaka in Doha this week, ahead of Brazil's friendly against England.

The full interview can be read on the Guardian here are a few excerpts:

Kaka on.

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Tonight Chelsea travel to Madrid for the reverse fixture in our Champions League group stage against Atletico Madrid. In our first game we totally outplayed Madrid and kept Forlan and Aguero quiet. Expect it to be alot different as they are unbeaten at home this season. It will be interesting to see if Ancelotti rotates the squad from our last game. Click to continue reading...

There was a lot of action in topflight soccer last week, with a full suite of Champions League, Europa League and domestic competition on tap. After the dust settled, however, the number one team is the same one it's been for three weeks running now. Not that anybody should be surprised by that. There was plenty of movement elsewhere in the top 25 however. Click to continue reading...

I'm not quite sure where this week has gone. It's absolutely motored past. However, I suspect I drifted along, basking a bit too much in derby delight, and before I could whistle, the Champions League game had been and gone, and Stan Kroenke had hoovered up yet more shares.

We continued our fine form, albeit against what turned out to be the limited AZ.

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It took four rounds of play but the Champions League group stages is finally heating up.

If the group stages finished as they are now, then Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool would all be playing in the Europa League.

Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan were five minutes away from an 9th consecutive Champions League game without a win, when two late goals not only gave Inter the win, but also propelled them to first place in the group.

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Free-scoring Arsenal continued their dominance of Champions League Group H with a stunning 4-1 drubbing of AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday night.
The Gunners are in top spot and unbeaten in their group, and proved far too classy for the Dutch visitors at The Emirates, where skipper Cesc Fabregas bagged a brace and was joined on the scoresheet by Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby, who netted a sublime fourth of the night on 72 minutes after some flowing build-up play from Eduardo and Andrey Arshavin. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool's chances of advancing to the UEFA Champions League knockout stage are on life support after the team's 1-1 draw at Olympique Lyon earlier today. With the point from the draw, Lyon become the first team in the group to advance. Likely to join them are Fiorentina, who sit second on nine points. Click to continue reading...

The Game After the disappointing draw away from home against Dutch side AZ, Arsenal will surely be on fire to secure all three points and consolidate the top of the table in their Champions League group. If ...

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The Game After the disappointing draw away from home against Dutch side AZ, Arsenal will surely be on fire to secure all three points and consolidate the top of the table in their Champions League group. If ... Click to continue reading...

It's probably not news to you that Juve and Italy's Gigi Buffon is quite good at the old goalkeeping. But just in case there was any doubt, take a look at his save vs Maccabi Haifa in Champions League Group A yesterday. First the close-range block, then the elastic lean backwards to palm it away from [. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool FC's manpower crisis has got worse after they lost their appeal over full-back Philipp Degen's red card in Saturday's defeat at Fulham.
Injury-hit Liverpool had both Swiss defender Degen, and stand-in skipper Jamie Carragher sent off in the second-half of the match at Craven Cottage which they lost 3-1. Click to continue reading...

Goal video from the Arsenal vs AZ Alkmaar Champions League Group H game on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Game kicks off at 19.45 UK time at the Emirates Stadium, London. Arsenal drew 1-1 in Alkmaar when the two teams met at the DSB Stadium a fortnight ago. Related posts:Arsenal vs Tottenham goals highlights-October 31 Video of [. Click to continue reading...

Luca Toni's toque was no match for Bordeaux last night. Image via Getty

Wow. Last night's Champions League group action was more exciting than an Hermes sample sale.

In case you missed it, here's what we observed:

- Frank Lampard's increasing use of thigh-covering under-armour is becoming a serious concern.

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Luca Toni's toque was no match for Bordeaux last night. Image via Getty

Wow. Last night's Champions League group action was more exciting than an Hermes sample sale.

In case you missed it, here's what we observed:

- Frank Lampard's increasing use of thigh-covering under-armour is becoming a serious concern.

Click to continue reading...

Manchester United and Chelsea came from behind on Tuesday evening as they booked their places in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. Group C is the most evenly contested affair as just one point separates the top three. AC Milan remain on top after they a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid at the San Siro. Click to continue reading...

Right. Let's just get it out of the way. For Rangers, tonights Champions League Group G fixture against the Romanians from Unirea Urziceni is a make or break game. It's a gala day, a Cup final, the biggest fixture of the year and simply a must-win game. With Rangers languishing at the bottom of the [. Click to continue reading...

by CARL ELDRIDGE Arsenal fans are fearful for the future of the club after Stan Kroenke increased his stakeholding to 29.6 per cent — just short of the threshold for an obligatory takeover of 29.9 per cent, reports the Times.

Kroenke yesterday purchased another 427 shares in the parent company of the North London club from the estate of Ernest Harrison, a British industrialist, at a cost of £3.

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Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has lost two further players to injury ahead of Wednesday's crucial Champions League Group E tie in France.

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Sevilla vs Stuttgart

Group G leaders Sevilla can book their place in the knock out stages with a win over struggling Stuttgart as the Group's prize positions begin to take shape.

Sevilla's rampant form has seen them blitz their way to the top, with 9 points from a possible 9.

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In the Champions League Group Phase, considerable analysis is possible at the midway stage as all the teams have played each other once.
This allows proper analysis of form and the fundamentals, and allows us to determine if any of the events are 3 for 3 or 2 for 2 scenarios (teams sharing the points over the two games). Click to continue reading...

Tonight Chelsea travel to Madrid for the reverse fixture in our Champions League group stage against Atletico Madrid. In our first game we totally outplayed Madrid and kept Forlan and Aguero quiet. Expect it to be alot different as they are unbeaten at home this season. It will be interesting to see if Ancelotti rotates the squad from our last game. Click to continue reading...

Tonight Chelsea travel to Madrid for the reverse fixture in our Champions League group stage against Atletico Madrid. In our first game we totally outplayed Madrid and kept Forlan and Aguero quiet. Expect it to be alot different as they are unbeaten at home this season.
It will be interesting to see if Ancelotti rotates the squad from our last game. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has raised the stakes ahead of his side's clash with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in the Champions League on Wednesday. Wenger has demanded that his team finishes first in their Champions League group, and has explained that the semifinals are no longer good enough for the Gunners.

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FC Barcelona has just one loss this season, and the defending European champions will get their chance to avenge that loss on Wednesday when they travel to Russia to take on FC Rubin Kazan on Wednesday.

The Russian champions cracked this week's SBI European Club Top 10 with its latest league victory, and on the strength of its 2-1 win at the Camp Nou and its draw vs.

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FC Barcelona has just one loss this season, and the defending European champions will get their chance to avenge that loss on Wednesday when they travel to Russia to take on FC Rubin Kazan on Wednesday.

The Russian champions cracked this week's SBI European Club Top 10 with its latest league victory, and on the strength of its 2-1 win at the Camp Nou and its draw vs.

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Sam Story Samueltstory@gmail.com Staff Writer Ah, yes. Day four of the Champions League group stage beckons and there are some riveting story lines to tell. Why wait? -David Beckham is heading back to Milan on loan: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8326285.stm - Steven Gerrard misses the return match against Lyon in a near must-win match: http://news. Click to continue reading...

Who: CSKA Moscow v Manchester United
What: UEFA Champions League – Matchday Three
Where: Luzhniki Stadium (Moscow, Russia)
When: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 (17:30 BST or 12:30 EST)
Why: Because the viewing public need to know which is icier.

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Liverpool's Emiliano Insua, center, reacts following their Champions League group E soccer match against Lyon at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Lyon won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Tim Hales)And with a swift 2-1 defeat ... Click to continue reading...

Liverpool's Emiliano Insua, center, reacts following their Champions League group E soccer match against Lyon at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009. Lyon won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Tim Hales)And with a swift 2-1 defeat ... Click to continue reading...