Leeds Prove Magic Of The Cup Is Still Alive

Decline. Fall from grace. This is how you would describe the last ten years in Leeds United's history. But it would appear that they are on the rise again after knocking out a strong Manchester United side out of the FA Cup in what is the biggest shock in years.

After a Saturday of 3rd round action that saw no real surprises and dwindling attendances, it seemed that the nation may have fallen out of love with the famous old competition. Not today. Manchester United were desperate not to be beaten by their opponents from League One, but while they were not at their best, you could see the frustration on the faces of their players and how much they wanted to win. Those Manchester United fans did not want to be beaten by their old rivals because no team, no matter how big likes being knocked out of the FA Cup, as could be seen by Sir Alex Ferguson's obvious frustration on the touchline.

Indeed Leeds could have won it more comfortably, having more chances late in the game as Manchester United pressed for a way back into the game and credit to manager Simon Grayson who was not afraid to come out and have a go. At the end of the game you did not feel that Leeds weren't value for their victory. Maybe if some more Premier League sides approached a trip to Old Trafford in the same way they might get a result.

What we have seen this weekend though is that the bigger teams still want to win the FA Cup. Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham all played reasonably strong sides and while it may not be priority number one for the 'big four' it is still a major trophy they all want to win.

So what will this result do for Leeds? Well for a start they've been handed another plum tie as they will visit Tottenham in round 4 in what will be another reminder to where Leeds want to return to playing week in, week out. But more importantly they currently sit eight points clear at the top of League One as they look to escape the third tier at the third time of asking. And if they are successful, they will surely feel they have the squad for a Championship promotion push, as sides such as Nottingham Forest and Leicester are doing after returning from the third tier.

So for the first time for years, things are starting to look positive for a Leeds United fan, and they will be hoping that it won't be too long before they can return to Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Champions League Draw Throws Up Double Reunion

Yesterday's draw for the last 16 of the Champions League brought about an intriguing Anglo-Italian duel, where England's big two clash with the giants of Milan. Manchester United will take on AC Milan, whilst Chelsea take on Inter.

Tasty enough you might think but when you throw in the double return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge and David Beckham to Old Trafford, the pinnacle of European football will be eagerly anticipated after the winter break.

Both Chelsea and Manchester United will be expected to progress into the quarter finals, especially with the second legs being played in England, highlighting the importance of topping the group.

For both of these men, it will be their first competitive return to their former clubs since leaving the Premier League. Chelsea have never quite been the same since the 'special one' left in 2007, and are now only returning to the sort of form displayed under him, though they have been shaky of late.

As for Beckham, this is perhaps the most interesting. Since leaving Old Trafford in 2003, it's very much the opinion that his career has gone downwards. After some success at Real Madrid, he was eventually forced out and chose America to play his football. Maybe he realised his mistake and he didn't want to admit it or he was just being loyal to LA Galaxy who he had promised so much to, but he returned to Europe last year to have an impressive spell on loan at AC Milan, where he has since returned again as the MLS season is over.

Of course, Beckham can also cite his claims for a place in England's World Cup squad, where I think he should still be. While some of the pace has gone, the quality still undoubtedly remains. His ability to pick out the perfect pass, or a fantastic delivery from a set piece is still there. He showed in performances in qualifying that he will never let England down and will always there when called upon. There are many by now who would have called it a day.

Of Chelsea and Manchester United's chances, they know that they can beat anybody at home so as long as they avoid a hammering in the San Siro they should have enough. But with Beckham and Mourinho adding an extra spice they will need to be on their guard.

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Less than a month after being sacked by Portsmouth, Paul Hart has already stepped back into management as the new manager of Queens Park Rangers. After the incident between Jim Magilton and Akos Buzsacky that was reported in this column last week, it was decided that Magilton wouldn't be continuing as boss.

So in comes Hart, and you would have thought he'd have had enough of uncertainties in the boardroom at Portsmouth only to step into a club which is probably even more uncertain.

You've got to give it to him though, he won't be deterred and is determined to get his managerial career back on track at Loftus Road. You sense he will have to be quick in getting results though. Hart is now the fifth permanent manager since October 2007, which is absolutely ridiculous.

The moguls that run QPR expect instant success, but how can they achieve that if a manger is given no time to get his own team together. All I can say Paul Hart is good luck because you're going to need it.

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Finally, of those Tottenham Hotspur players going to have their secret knees-up in Dublin behind Harry Redknapp's back. How on earth did they think they were going to get away with it?

Premier League footballers out on the town after their manager Harry Redknapp had publicly stated there would be no Christmas party in case of an incident that could potentially derail their season... kind of back fired then I guess.

Perhaps the most alarming thing of all though is the possibilty they didn't care if they were caught. But if there are players deliberately disobeying the manager's orders then there's only one thing for it - get them out. I suppose it depends who those players were which of yet we do not know.

Spurs have to quickly get this out of their system though and hope that it's not the secret Christmas party rather than the dodgy lasagne that derails their Champions League prospects.

McCarthy Gives United Early Christmas Gift

As a Wolves supporter myself, I try to keep them out of this column as much as possible as it is my aim to be strictly neutral. However, as my team are all over the national press today I'm going to give my honest view on last night's events that have divided the Wolves community.

How quickly the mood at a club can change. Saturday evening was the greatest victory for Wolves for a long time. A fantastic 1-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane and a good performance to boot. Then last night came Mick McCarthy's shocking decision to make ten changes to that team, every outfield player as only Marcus Hahnemann remained between the sticks.

Now, I can understand the reasons why this was done as Wolves go into a crucial six pointer at home to Burnley on Sunday, but to change all the outfield players was puzzling to say the least. After the victory over Spurs there was a sense that Wolves might be able to get something from the game, whether this was true or not we'll never know.

Manchester United were hardly at their best, and it was a poor game in truth. I bet Alex Ferguson was rubbing his hands with glee as he saw the Wolves team. This would surely be a chance to get back to winning ways after Saturday's surprise defeat to Aston Villa.

Let's get real for a moment though. This is Old Trafford and Manchester United we are talking about. It was likely that any Wolves team that went out there were going to be turned over last night, and maybe this was McCarthy's thinking. But this is so unlike him, this is Mick McCarthy, the tough, straight talking former defender who it seems hates to lose at anything. For him to be so seemingly defeatist is what amazed me.

Could McCarthy not have just rested players who he thought needed it, Kevin Doyle for example? I understand that Wolves did a lot of running without the ball on Saturday and were always going to last night. These are professional footballers though who should be able to handle three games in a week. I shall be expecting to see Burnley dead on their feet then at Molineux on Sunday as they tackle Arsenal tonight. They will be playing three games in a week, I expect at full strength. The pressure is now on McCarthy and his team to pick up three points on Sunday.

There is the argument that there were eleven professionals out there representing Wolverhampton Wanderers who could have got the job done and to be fair to them they caused some problems early on, but once Wayne Rooney expertly converted the opening goal from the penalty spot, that was that. I wonder what Carlo Ancelotti made of McCarthy's decision? Had Wolves affected the title race? I doubt Ancelotti would've expected much from Wolves anyway.

From a personal opinion it was disappointing to see the heroes from Saturday evening dropped for such a game, but Burnley is crucial. Three points on Sunday and all is forgiven. What is irking Wolves fans the most though is that a ticket for the game cost £42, and extra add ons for travel. If some knew they'd be watching largely second string players they wouldn't have bothered. It was Manchester United who set those ridiculous prices though and Mick McCarthy's job is to pick the team and get results - ultimately keeping Wolves in the Premier League. It sounds harsh but it's not up to him to care about the fans. He didn't do it out of spite, he did it for Wolves.

But there can be no complaints from Wolverhampton now should Man Utd or Chelsea play a weakened side against one of their relegation rivals. Wolves have to now move on from this episode to the one that really matters - Burnley on Sunday.

Big Two Falter As Villa Make Their Move

What an unpredictable day it was in the Premier League yesterday. Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all slipped up in apparent 'home bankers'. Spurs were toppled by my team Wolves, while United lost to Aston Villa and Chelsea were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton at Stamford Bridge.

So while it seems nobody wants to take the title race by the scruff of the neck it looks as if Spurs are determined to stuff up their chances of Champions League football - they have not won since that 9-1 drubbing of Wigan. We also saw more of Manchester City's leaky defence and ruthless attack in another goal glut at Bolton, another 3-3 thriller.

So it seems it all worked out perfectly for Aston Villa. Not only did they notch up their first win at Old Trafford since 1983, with their main rivals slipping up they found themselves sitting in the top four. While it has been Tottenham and Manchester City thumping their chests and talking up their chances of breaking into the top four, it's Aston Villa quietly going about their business on the pitch.

Incredibly Villa have now won at Anfield and Old Trafford this season while beating Chelsea on their own patch - that's championship winning form! In fact, the only thing keeping them out of the title race are the defeats against the likes of Wigan, West Ham and Blackburn.

But it's a carbon copy of last season. A blistering start to the season including a win at The Emirates saw Martin O'Neill's men firmly placed in the top four, they were the only side who were going to do it. However, they faded dramatically after Christmas as Arsenal clawed them back to comfortably finish above them in the end as Villa finished sixth.

So O'Neill will be hoping that Villa have come into form at just the right time to have a real go at securing Champions League football. With no Europa League football this time around, Villa can focus firmly on the League, depending whether O'Neill fancies a crack at the FA Cup, but this wouldn't be too demanding.

Looking over their shoulders, you would expect the firmest challenge to come from Liverpool, who will surely return to top form at some stage, especially with the return to fitness of Fernando Torres. Though O'Neill may take comfort from the fact that the Reds will have to travel across Europe some Thursdays before returning to League action on the Sunday.

One thing's for sure, an interesting battle lies ahead for fourth spot just as for first. For now though, I'm sure Villa supporters are revelling in their fabulous victory and trying not to look too far ahead.

Managers Should Get Respect They Deserve

There have been two incidents this week that have seen dressing room bust-ups between player and manager. Of course this is nothing new in football, and some see it as a healthy difference of opinion and two people showing their passion for the club.

However, Queens Park Rangers seemed to have turned against their manager as they have suspended Jim Magilton whilst investigating an incident between he and influential midfielder Akos Buzsaky after Monday night's defeat to Watford.

The other incident occurred at The Emirates Stadium on Saturday where there was an apparent falling out in the Stoke dressing room between Tony Pulis and striker James Beattie. We don't know the facts of exactly what happened but if you believe the tabloids it seems it was to do with the club's Christmas party which seems difficult to believe.

Of course this would be an unbelievable thing to argue about after a game and Beattie would clearly be in the wrong, but he has had a good time of it since his move to The Brittania in January and would be foolish to mess it up.

Now for QPR to suspend their manager they must feel he has done something to warrant this punishment. But his back room staff have come to his defence by refusing to work until he is reinstated so they must feel there has been an injustice. When there is a disagreement between player and manager it is simple; the manager is correct because what he says goes. The players just have to get on with it. You wouldn't got to work, have an argument with the boss and expect him to be suspended would you?

I'm sure a similar thing won't happen at Stoke though. Pulis has done magnificently over the past couple of years and I'm sure he won't want to lose Beattie so maybe they can do what's best for the club and patch things up. The spirit has been fantastic at The Brittania and this has been instrumental in their survival.

There had been rumblings of discontent though down at Loftus Road prior to this incident about poor results despite Rangers been in and around the top six. But there are high expectations from the high rollers who run the club who want instant success, so maybe this is there chance to dump Magilton. What they need though is stability.

No player should be above the manager and if a player is unhappy then the club should cut out the player that's causing the disharmony and get rid. The manager is in charge of the team and the players should respect that.

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Owen Rolls Back The Years

Just like Jermain Defoe nine days before him, Michael Owen sent out a reminder to Fabio Capello and also Sir Alex Ferguson that he's still capable of playing at the top.

He rattled in a magnificent hat-trick against Wolfsburg to round off Manchester United's Champions League group in style. This was Owen's perfect opportunity to shine in an unfamiliar starting line up as United had already progressed in the group. However, their opponents were at their strongest and desperate for victory to try and get through, so this was an impressive performance by Owen against the German champions.

The first was a close range header at the back post, the second a nice reaction poke in and the third the most impressive. With Wolfsburg attacking desperately to try and get something from the game United hit them on the counter attack and with Owen through on goal you got a glimpse of Argentina at World Cup 98, as he cutely chipped the keeper to seal a brilliant hat-trick.

Owen would now like to think he's got a shot at a starting place in the Premier League against Aston Villa on Saturday. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but Dimitar Berbatov has hardly been setting the world alight lately.

And how Capello would like to see him in a regular starting berth as Owen tries to force his way into his World Cup plans. But if Owen can continue to hit these heights then he must surely be in with a chance of boarding the plane to South Africa.

Must Win For Arsenal?

At the beginning of the season, there weren't many who thought Arsenal had a realistic chance of winning the title apart from a few optimistic Gooners, but after a blistering start to the season many had begun talking up there chances.

They had bounced back from the double defeats in Manchester early on in the season and had returned to fantastic form in the Premier League. That was until last Saturday and an unexpected defeat at Sunderland, where Arsenal in truth weren't themselves. They have since returned to winning ways though after seeing off Standard Liege 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek.

Now comes a huge test of their mettle though as league leaders Chelsea visit the Emirates on Sunday. Arsenal currently find themselves eight points behind the Blues with a game in hand. While nobody can write off a side like Arsenal in November, you feel they need to win this one or at worst not lose.

Arsenal were unlucky to lose against Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier in the season, after being the better side for large parts of the game. But that is what the best do, they win games when they are not at their best.

Sometimes you don't feel the Gunners are capable of this, for them to beat Chelsea on Sunday I feel they will have to be at their best. They will not want to be reminded of the 4-1 beating that Chelsea dished out to them at the Emirates at the back end of the last campaign. While Arsenal are perhaps the nicest on the eye, there is no doubting the quality Chelsea have at their disposal.

But Chelsea are not inhuman, they are capable of having an off day, particularly on their travels. This is a game where all results are possible, but one you feel Arsenal will need to win to stop the fight for the Premier League title becoming a two-horse race.

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Defoe Sends Out A Reminder To Capello

After banging in five against Wigan last week, Jermain Defoe has perhaps reminded the whole of England why he should be in England's starting line up next summer.

It was a truly phenomenal display from Defoe and watching it you do have to question why Emile Heskey would be deployed ahead of him. Sure Heskey brings something different to the side with his hold up play, but I feel you need your strikers to score goals.

Indeed I would favour Peter Crouch ahead of Heskey, while he is not as strong, he can hold the ball up and also score goals. This is not a witch hunt or a major criticism of Heskey but this is a player who doesn't start regularly for Aston Villa, while it was Defoe and Crouch who got six between them against Wigan last Sunday.

Wayne Rooney is number one striker and rightly so, but he isn't always prolific but it is he who brings so much to the team that he can't be ignored. For me, Rooney and Heskey wouldn't be enough of a goal threat at next summer's finals.

There is also a certain Michael Owen, hero of previous major tournaments, to consider. For me, he is definitely worth putting on the plane, but for him to be picked he needs to be scoring regularly for Manchester United and prove he is fit enough.

So right now, if I was Fabio Capello I would go with Rooney and Defoe to start up front with Crouch as a different option if needed.