Death holds no favours, death does not discriminate between those who have wasted their lives drinking, taking drugs and smoking. Death comes but once and it is final. Death is unfair. It takes the best and the worst that mankind has to offer and does not discriminate between them. Death cannot distinguish the good from the bad.

A trip to Wembley and Liverpool's first cup final in nearly five years are on the line on Wednesday, with Manchester City heading to Anfield for the second leg of the League Cup semi-final. Liverpool have a 1-0 advantage from the first leg after a Steven Gerrard penalty capped a dominant opening spell for Kenny Dalglish's squad, but there's little illusion that they'll be able to coast into the final, with City more than capable of turning the tie over.

A trip to Wembley and Liverpool's first cup final in nearly five years are on the line tomorrow, with Manchester City heading to Anfield for the second leg of the League Cup semi-final. Liverpool have a 1-0 advantage from the first leg after a Steven Gerrard penalty capped a dominant opening spell for Kenny Dalglish's squad, but there's little illusion that they'll be able to coast into the final, with City more than capable of turning the tie over.

In the big two Sunday games in the Premier League, both Manchester City and Manchester United dealt big blows to North London rivals Spurs and Arsenal.

In the first game, Man City won a thrilling controversial 3-2 match thanks to Mario Balotelli's injury-time penalty.

The controversy is whether Balotelli should have been on the field to score the penalty as he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker's head.

In the big two Sunday games in the Premier League, both Manchester City and Manchester United dealt big blows to North London rivals Spurs and Arsenal.

In the first game, Man City won a thrilling controversial 3-2 match thanks to Mario Balotelli's injury-time penalty.

The controversy is whether Balotelli should have been on the field to score the penalty as he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker's head.

Roberto Mancini has said it is "impossible" for Carlos Tevez to play for Manchester City again.

Recently, City assistant coach David Platt suggested Tevez could play for the club again if his future was not resolved in this month's transfer window, but Mancini threw cold water on that suggestion today:

"It is impossible.

Any hopes we had of tiptoeing under the radar were swiftly punted into the Thames on Wednesday evening after every man and his lame dog in the days following declared Tottenham of Hotspur as genuine title contenders™. Alan Hansen, David Platt, S'ralex- even our own Heemskerk Howitzer, Rafael Van der Vaart, has pitched his tent in the side of ‘why the heck not'.

Manchester United defeated Manchester City 3-2 on Sunday in the English FA Cup. The game was played at the City of Manchester Stadium in front of a sell out crowd. The last two times the teams had faced off against each other there had been a total of 12 goals, 6-1 to Manchester City at Old Trafford in the English Premier League and 3-2 to Manchester United at Wembley for the Community Shield clash.

*hyperboilk*

Right, big game today and all that. Man City. I remember when they used to be just fields. The other team in Manchester who everyone kind of had a soft spot (sort of) for because they were United's poor relation. Not just the poor relation though. They were the keen, eager yet drooling relation with a club foot and a cleft palate who really wanted to join the kickabout and nobody had the heart to refuse.

Manchester United and Arsenal, from 1997 to 2005, undoubtedly engaged in the era-defining rivalry in English football. In order to be classified as a great sporting rivalry the protagonists must move beyond the feudalistic; the edge and the aggro, and be ultimately characterised by supreme competition and a bountiful supply of dramatic and heart-stopping moments.

Manchester United and Arsenal, from 1997 to 2005, undoubtedly engaged in the era-defining rivalry in English football. In order to be classified as a great sporting rivalry the protagonists must move beyond the feudalistic; the edge and the aggro, and be ultimately characterised by supreme competition and a bountiful supply of dramatic and heart-stopping moments.

Sir Ferguson (Man Utd), born Glasgow.
Eric Black (Sunderland caretaker manager), born Bellshill, 9 miles outside Glasgow.
Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool), born in Glasgow.
John Colquhoun (West Brom Club Agent and Strategic Orchestrator), created in Stirling just 23 miles from Glasgow.
Alex McLeish (Aston Villa), born in Glasgow.

England face Sweden at Wembley tonight in what the FA would describe as another ‘vital' friendly. But look into the history of the two nations and one statistic jumps out: England cannot beat those Swedes! It was a friendly at Wembley on May 22, 1968, when we last recorded a win over them. Since then, [.

Capello taking a Ledley risk by playing Jones in midfield

There always seems to be a late starter before every major tournament. Theo Walcott, Paul Gascoigne, David Platt, Aaron Lennon, Owen Hargreaves and even Gary Lineker staked their claims late on before previous tournaments.

By Chris Wright

Five years after splitting his head open on the low, pointy dugouts at El Madrigal, Roberto Mancini did it again during the first-half of Man City's 3-0 win over Villarreal last night (more on that later) and was immediately issued with a makeshift icepack ice from the refreshments bar wrapped up in the plaggy bag David Platt bought his Egg and Mayo sandwiches to work in and proceeded to clutch it to his injured cranium for the rest of the evening, far past the point where he must have been doing little more than balancing a sack of lukewarm water on his head.

West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool | Scott Murray

• Send all your thoughts to scott.murray@guardian.co.uk • Press F5 to refresh this page or use our auto-refresher • Click here for all the stats you will ever need • Click here for the latest scores from across Europe Good evening all.

Manchester City manager David Platt has spoken positively of Mario Balotelli's behaviour off the pitch, describing him as an ‘enigma' and praising his improved maturity. The Italian striker was in fine form at the weekend, scoring two goals as City hammered Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford, and he has certainly appeared to be more consistent at the start of this campaign.

Manchester City manager David Platt has spoken positively of Mario Balotelli's behaviour off the pitch, describing him as an ‘enigma' and praising his improved maturity. The Italian striker was in fine form at the weekend, scoring two goals as City hammered Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford, and he has certainly appeared to be more consistent at the start of this campaign.

Manchester City first-team coach David Platt has insisted the squad are fully focused on their upcoming Carling Cup date with Wolverhampton Wanderers following their heroics last weekend.
In what was a thrilling encounter which had everything at Old Trafford on Sunday, City ran out 6-1 victors over their rivals Manchester United, to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points.

What are the odds City score five or more in their Wolves double-header? Derek McGovern's Bets of the Day

Manchester City assistant coach David Platt has praised controversial striker Mario Balotelli for showing greater maturity in the same week a firework went off in his ­bathroom.

Manchester City's management decision in suspending Carlos Tevez because of his indiscipline attitude could be troubling for them this weekend as two of their main strikers in the first team are struggling with injuries.

Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero are the names that almost certainly wont be available for Roberto Mancini's squad at the moment, leaving Edin Dzeko as the only target man available for selection.

As Manchester City look to prepare a January transfer deal for Carlos Tevez, Coach Roberto Mancini has deflected attention of the club's current striker crisis by lavishing praise on Italian striker Mario Balotelli.

City are currently facing a serious striker crisis after injuries to Aguero and Balotelli coupled with Tevez's suspension have ruled out all the 3 ahead of this weekend's home match against Aston Villa.

Some time ago, a friend and I were discussing youth power in football and how an academy brings out talent time and again. I thought this would be an interesting topic to write on though it has been thrown around quite a bit in the blogosphere already. But, given that it's international weekend, Phil Jones has been prompted as a future England captain, and Jack Wilshere is causing people the age of his Dad sweat over him, it sounds appropriate to devote something to the Next Gen.

Roberto Mancini had learned from the Fulham lesson and as David Platt said, Mancini freshened up his team after the Champions League defeat at Munich. He rang in changes for the match against Blackburn and the replacements repaid his faith in them by scoring four goals against Rovers.
Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri and Adam Johnson together with David Silva were the difference in another routine match for the Citizens.

Platt Sabbath We mentioned in our Top 10 conclusions that Mario Balotelli had provided the most unwanted sweaty hug of the weekend after finding the net against Everton. City's first team coach David Platt launched into his own celebration nearby, taking inspiration from your embarrassing uncle at a wedding reception.

Platt Sabbath We mentioned in our Top 10 conclusions that Mario Balotelli had provided the most unwanted sweaty hug of the weekend after finding the net against Everton. City's first team coach David Platt launched into his own celebration nearby, taking inspiration from your embarrassing uncle at a wedding reception.

For a long time now, the media have portrayed us as a club in crisis. Over the last few years, Arsene Wenger's methods which were once admired and revered have been questioned and put under scrutiny. We, as Arsenal fans are very loyal to Wenger as we don't – or can't – forget all the great work he's done in the past.

Gary Lineker is one of the players that I admire very much, not just for his great scoring ability and elegant finish, but much more for his attitude in general on the pitch and outside it as well. In 1990 he was awarded FIFA fair play award as he was never had a red or yellow card in his career. By 1990, he was already a hot target for defenders boots and elbows.

Living the dream with UK Football Finder

The days when football was played simply for the love of representing a cherished team seems to have gone. When players received their hard-earned wage they deserved every penny and the fans respected them for it. Now, players have continued to ask for extortionate amounts which the average working person would be ecstatic about; football has obviously lost its purpose and no longer can be seen as a working man's game.

UEFA U21 Championship Group B:
England v Czech Republic
2045 Viborg
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards'"
- Soren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855

No one wore his heart on his sleeve quite like he did as a player.

Written by MickyDidIt89

Today I am prostituting myself and as the title would suggest, I am appealing to the Asian Market for my "Hits". Now that I am a record breaking AA Poster, I would like to move swiftly on to today's topic. Total Football and The Wenger Way. At this point, I am about to drop a bomb on some heads, and would therefore urge the likes of TA to "Tin Hat Up".

Manchester City's latest success in winning the FA Cup is being touted as the key aspect that could help the team in winning more trophies in the future, not only that, the club apparently expect that their recent achievement along with their success in getting into Champions League football could attract more super star players.

I have to say that I am a little confused by the furor arising because Jack Wilshere might play for England's Under 21s this summer in the European Championship.

I saw a tweet from Matt Lawton yesterday who said that he agreed with David Platt that "Playing under 21 football a drop in standards for Wilshere.

Once more the tabloid hacks are weeing themselves trying to pin some awful deed upon Manchester City's Mario Balotelli, after the fracas at the end of City's surprisingly comfortable F.A. Cup semi-final win over Manchester United.

Once more they're talking from their not inconsiderably-sized bottoms.