Even this early on into the current EPL season viewers have witnessed nearly every team have at least one or two surprise if not shock results. Often these so called ‘blips' have been accompanied by a dip in form, or at the very least results that have meant the table from top to bottom is as intriguing and open as perhaps it has ever been before.

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Phillippe Auclair has written a brilliant book on Eric Cantona which gives a really interesting look behind the scenes of our hero's career.

RoM gave away a copy of this book last month and previewed the book using part of one of the chapters over the weekend.

Phillippe has given an exclusive interview with me which explores his understanding of Eric's relationship with the fans, his feelings on that incident at Selhurst Park and how he sees Eric as an untamed man.

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There is reason to be concerned.

If AZ Alkmaar was a foreshadowing, the Gunners did their best to not heed the warning. Â Anyone who has watched this team over the past five years knew what was coming, both in the Netherlands and at Upton Park. Â It's just too predictable.

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It pains me to have to agree with Rafa Benitez. But Mr Zonal Marking is probably right. Not about zonal marking. But on the notion that the top teams will be losing more often this season as the league becomes more open and clubs realize that it's not illegal to play two forwards against the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.

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On May 17, 1990, Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in the FA Cup Final replay to win the first silverware of Sir Alex Ferguson's 22-year reign at Old Trafford. It had taken the Scot three-and-a-half years to achieve it, but 32 trophies later the adoring Mancunian fans have no qualms about the bedding-down period Ferguson was granted. Click to continue reading...

The last English team to lose three of their first eight League games and go on to win the title were Manchester United in season 1966-67. We all know what happened next.
For those who believe in lucky omens, it stands to reason that from here Liverpool will collect their first title of the modern era in May and lift the European Cup at Wembley the following season. Click to continue reading...

The European leagues are in full swing after several weeks of matches. In the English Premier League, Manchester United and Chelsea are at the top of the table while Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are at the top of the Spanish La Liga. Overall, its still very early in most leagues and hard to tell who will be lifting the league trophy and who will be relegated.

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The English Premier League continued on Saturday, September 12, 2009 with some great mtaches. Two of the biggest were Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United, Stoke City v Chelsea, and Manchester City v Arsenal. Was Manchester City able to show they are for real against Arsenal, did Tottenham continue their great start against Man U at home?

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The English Premier League continued on Saturday, September 12, 2009 with some great matches. Two of the biggest were Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United, Stoke City v Chelsea, and Manchester City v Arsenal. Was Manchester City able to show they are for real against Arsenal, did Tottenham continue their great start against Man U at home?

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August has been short but sweet for Wayne Rooney as his consistency in front of goal is exactly what was needed of him with even more responsibility on his shoulders due to the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rooney has looked all the more dangerous this year, and stats don't lie, with five goals in five games so far this term.

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The Football League Trophy or the Johnstone's Paint Trophy began its first round of matches on Tuesday September 1, 2009. The first round is divided into regions (Northern and Southern played on Tuesday) and contains teams from the English League One and League Two. The matches are single elimination with the winners moving onto the second round.

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Yup, Wycombe Wanderers forward Jon-Paul Pittman has scored for the third straight match, knotting up a Football League Trophy first round contest with visitors Northampton from the spot just past the hour. It's still 1-1 with 20 to play, so he could add on with a winner.If it's just one goal, I won't bother trying to dig up a PK clip, but we do have an interview with the Wycombe site where JP Click to continue reading...

For the first time ever, Premiership Talk's Thursday Throwdown is here. Each week we'll bring the A to Z list of the happenings in the Premier League. Without further adieu...

A is for Ancelotti. Carlo Ancelotti got off to a phenomenal start at his new club as Chelsea picked up six out of six points during the opening week of action.

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Sunday's defeat at Spurs hurts especially with all the hype in the media about this being Liverpool's year to finally lift the Premier League trophy.We played in the first half as we have all pre-season, sluggish, aimless and generally poor.However, the second half saw a big improvement with a big step up in the standard of our game. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed that he is desperate to claim the league title with the Reds and has insisted that finishing top of the pile would mean the world to him.
"I'm desperate to get that photo of me with my teammates holding the Premier League trophy," he told the News of the World. Click to continue reading...

If one thing is for certain as Tottenham Hotspur prepare to embark on another Premier League campaign, it is that they will be desperate to get off to a better start than they did last season.
Under Juande Ramos, the Lilywhites went winless for the first eight games of the season, resulting in the Spaniard's departure and the subsequent appointment of Harry Redknapp. Click to continue reading...

Near the end of last season, Fernando Torres stated that winning the Champions League is more important than winning the league title. Sacrilege, surely? Whilst Torres is perfectly entitled to his opinion, such a belief is contrary to a long-standing principle of Liverpool FC's philosophy.
In an interview in April 2009, Torres stated:
"Domestic titles are very important but to win the Champions League you are saying we are the best team in Europe. Click to continue reading...

Raise the curtain. The season has arrived.

Chelsea and Manchester United welcome football back officially today with the FA Community Shield at New Wembley.

A lot has changed since United lifted the Premier League trophy in May.

At Chelsea, it's a new manager. Its sans bye bye Ronnie and Carlitos in Manchester.

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The English Premier League is set to start on Saturday August 15th, 2009 with Manchester United looking to win their 4th straight title. This year proves to be very competive at the top as Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City will be looking to knock off the reigning champions. Man City have made news with their spending spree that includes Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry, and Kolo Toure.

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The 2009-10 German Bundesliga season is set to begin on Friday August 7, 2009 as Wolfsburg look to defend the league trophy. The Bundesliga was very competitive last season with the gap between the top 6 teams at only 10 points. Bayern Munich finished a disappointing 2nd but will be looking to regain the league trophy as they have retained most of their top players.

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Bordeaux took advantage of Lyon's problems last season and they managed to pip Marseille to the Ligue 1 title. That was a big success for Les Girondins led by Laurent Blanc from the bench and Yoann Gourcuff from the pitch. These two were the reasons behind team's success, although they had big help from Gourcuff's teammates.

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Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer Ian Rush is fully confident that manager Rafael Benitez can bring the Premier League title to the club this season.
The ex-Wales striker feels the Spanish manager has now assembled a squad capable of making a real push for the club's first ever Premier league trophy. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has hailed the £18million arrival of Glen Johnson and insists the former Chelsea reject in now ready to assert himself amongst the big four.
Johnson collected a Barclays Premier League title medal at Stamford Bridge under Jose Mourinho's stewardship yet the former Blues boss deemed the full-back not good enough for his squad and sent him swiftly packing to Portsmouth. Click to continue reading...

New Liverpool academy advisor Kenny Dalglish has stated that he has been very impressed with the impact striker Fernando Torres has had on the club.
The Anfield legend, who returned to the club yesterday, feels that Torres has taken the Reds to a new level, and has said that the Spaniard is now an invaluable member of the squad. Click to continue reading...

It seems that Real Madrid still haven't forgotten the embarrassing elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Liverpool, as Los Merengues are reportedly trying to hurt their rivals by taking three of their very important players. Florentino Perez is ready to offer €65 million for Alonso, Mascherano and Arbeloa and we are yet to see Liverpool's reaction.

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According to press reports from Italy and Belgium, two Italian Serie A clubs are interested in acquiring American central defender Oguchi Onyewu. Fiorentina and Palermo now join Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Fulham, Besiktas, and Fenerbahce for the 6'4" player who is available on a free transfer from Standard Liege in July. Click to continue reading...

Nigeria's Bayelsa United lost their captain Abiel Tabor just hours after they had won the Globacom Premier League title for the first time ever.The player was shot dead by suspected armed robbers on the Warri- Sapele road.
'Football reporter Norbert Okolie, who followed Bayelsa's victory parade, disclosed that after Tador, a defensive midfielder, had lifted high the league trophy, he travelled with the victorious team to Oghara.

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When the various media outlets produce their League tables before the start of the season, they normally put the teams on alphabetically.
But the guys at ESPN have other ideas and produced a Premier League table which has left us guessing that maybe they know something we don't.
According to the table, they predict Hull City will finish top, followed by Stoke, Wigan and Bolton in the Champions League places, whilst Man Utd have to settle for a Europa League place. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have confirmed that both Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano will be staying at the club, despite rumours that the pair were set to leave Anfield for Spain.
Alonso has recently been heavily linked with a big money move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, with the midfielder said to be one of Madrid president Florentino Perez's top transfer targets this summer. Click to continue reading...

"Arrival of prestigious cup evokes incredulous gasps from locals who call it a 'historic day for football in Uganda'"
The Guardian, Wed 10 June
Gadzooks (arcane English word used to express shock or surprise)! The way the Guardian tells it, you'd think the Premier League trophy was the Lost Ark of the Covenant! Click to continue reading...

The majority of the European leagues have wrapped up the 2008/09 seasons. In the Premier League, Man U again won their league title, and Rangers won the Scottish Premier League trophy. In Ligue 1, Bordeaux clinched the title on the last matchday with a 1-0 win at Caen while the Bundesliga was won by Wolfsburg.

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Today's Thursday Thigh off is brought to you by the sexy chicas at ONTD Football. Please pay them a visit; embrace the crazy, it's for the best.

We still can't get the Champions League theme song out of our heads.

Please send help.

We had a good final, and yourselves?

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Today's Thursday Thigh off is brought to you by the sexy chicas at ONTD Football. Please pay them a visit; embrace the crazy, it's for the best.

We still can't get the Champions League theme song out of our heads.

Please send help.

We had a good final, and yourselves?

Click to continue reading...

Besides the brilliant football on display last night, there was one more thing that stood out for the rest of the world to see... the loco fans from Barcelona! These true men and women with Catalan blood running right through their veins undoubtedly deserve this victory and a piece of Spanish history.

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The English Premier League 2008/09 season has finished with Manchester United retaining for the trophy and Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion, and Middlesbrough all being relegated. Liverpool had an early lead over Man U but couldn't hold on and ultimately ended in 2nd place. Fulham enjoyed a terriffic season with a 7th place finish that will give them a Europa League spot for next season.

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