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Arsenal go into Sunday’s game against Stoke in their 100th match at the Emirates Stadium looking to maintain their recent good form but will have to cure their European hangovers first.

The Gunners have lost all four games that have preceded a Champions League fixture and haven’t won a domestic game following a Europ

ean tie since last November. However they do look a better side than the one that started the season and have won their last three games at home. The much maligned defence is starting to tighten up and have conceded just five goals in their last six games. Per Mertesacker continues to adapt to the pace of the Premier League whilst Laurent Koscielny has improved tenfold this season. Arsene Wenger’s decision to sign Mikel Arteta from Everton looks a shrewd one but he will have concerns over Andriy Arshavin and Theo Walcott who continue to struggle on the wings. The pair have looked anything but clinical in the final third and it’s something Wenger needs to address. Once again though it’s likely Arsenal will rely on the goals of Robin Van Persie with the Dutchman going through a prolific streak. He’s hit 27 goals in his last 33 games in all competitions for the club including a game winning  double against Sunderland last week with his 29 second opener the fastest goal of the season to date.

It’ll be a tough ask for Tony Pulis’ side to stop Van Persie but if there is anyone who can it’s the Potters. They’ve become one of the hardest teams to beat in the top flight and have adapted well to additional fixtures a Europa League brings. It’s likely Pulis will freshen things up after their midweek win in Europe with former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch likely to relishing a return to North London. The Potters are looking to end a torrid run in the capital having failed to beat Arsenal in 30 years and have yet to claim a point in their three visits to the Emirates.Their form away from the Britannia Stadium isn’t the best either and they’ve lost their last two on the road. Pulis’ back four will come in handy against the Gunners with the gambles on Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson paying off considerably. Five years ago both players would have cost an arm and a leg but the fact the Stoke boss picked them up for nothing is testament to his ability to get the best out of players.

Key Players

Robin Van Persie – Arguably his impact and leadership as captain has been considerably more effective than Cesc Fabregas’ when he held the armband. Everything the Dutchman touches at the moment turns to goals and it’s good to see him finally scoring on a regular basis and staying free from injury.

Peter Crouch – Scored a hat trick for Liverpool against Arsenal in 2007 and will be hoping to repeat the trick this weekend. His aerial dual with Mertesacker will be one to watch and if he can get the better of the big German then Stoke will be confident of claiming their first win at the Emirates since their promotion in 2008.

Prediction: 2-0

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Robin van Persie scored his fourth and fifth game of the season last weekend. The Arsenal striker has been unlucky so far this season, and his return of 5 goals comes from 35 attempts at goal with 63% on target. By comparison, Rooney has scored 9 from 32 attempts with 59% on target. Van Persie’s goals lifted him 45 places to 23rd in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, making him Arsenal’s highest ranked player Peter Crouch covered most distance in that game with 10.786km in a Stoke team that together covered 110.461km Jonathan Walters scored his second goal of the season against Fulham. The striker has had 10 attempts at goal this season, getting 50% of his shots on target

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Struggling Championship club Coventry City have sacked manager Aidy Boothroyd just 10 months after his appointment.The Sky Blues have won just one of their past 16 league affairs, most recently being beaten 1-0 by Hull City at home, and sit seven points above the relegation zone.City released a statement on the club website confirming an overhaul in the coaching ranks at the Ricoh Arena.”The board of Coventry City Football Club has today relieved Aidy Boothroyd of his first-team duties with immediate effect,” the statement read.”Assistant manager Martin Pert has also been relieved of his duties. First-team coach Steve Harrison and chief scout Andy Thorn will be placed in temporary charge of team affairs.””We would like to place on record our thanks to Aidy and Martin for their efforts.”Coventry are now on the hunt for their 10th manager in the past decade since the departure of Gordon Strachan in 2001.

After that humiliating hiding from the old adversary, let’s salute one of England’s finest; the crisp wielding, overly tanned ringleader of football broadcasting, Gary Lineker.

His transition into presenting represents yet another triumph for Lineker, and he’s successfully been engrained into the British psyche in this guise. (Hence England games just aren’t quite right on ITV).

Certainly, broadcasting and the BBC has become such a natural habitat for Gary that, when watching MOTD with my girlfriend last season, my dearly beloved turned to me and innocently asked ‘was Gary Lineker actually a good player?’. I smiled at her sweet little face, explained that he was once a fine player indeed, and then softly sighed as my love and affection swiftly drained away, drifting into the cold night sky…

Anyway, one of England’s greatest strikers, and a Leicester City, Everton and Tottenham legend, Lineker deserves a succinct address:

We’ll eulogise about his talents in a moment – though it’s implicitly done just by noting his goal scoring record – but firstly let’s track his career. Born in Leicester (1960), Lineker proudly began his career representing his ‘home-town’ upon leaving school in 1977. (This was, however, after he received a school report asserting that ‘he must devote less of his time to sport if he wants to be a success’; Proof, if proof be needed, that all school kids should never, EVER, listen to their teachers, and should instead smash up the class-room, pillage the building, ruthlessly assault the head-teacher and run free with reckless abandon…perhaps).

He broke into the first-team at an early age and duly made a name for himself. During his time at Leicester he amassed a scoring ratio of nearly one goal every two games; scoring 95 goals in just under 200 appearances. His goals also helped the Foxes achieve promotion to the First Division in 1983. An all-time Leicester legend, by 1985 the big boys inevitably came knocking and Lineker eventually moved to defending League Champions Everton for £800,000.

At Goodison he continued to prosper. His potency in front of goal led to him to bagging 38 goals in 52 games, and finishing the league’s top scorer (a feat he also achieved at the Walkers Stadium). Personal achievement was almost accompanied by club success, but the old foe from across the Park put a double dent in that; Everton finishing second in the league and losing in the FA Cup final to double-winning Liverpool, during a decade largely Merseyside dominated. Lineker has subsequently stated ‘there’s no doubt at all that Everton was the best team I ever played in’.

After an impressive 1986 World Cup showing in Mexico, little Gary, the slender Leicester lad, was off to the glitz and the glamour of the Nou Camp. Signed for £2.2miilion by Terry Venables, Lineker predictably continued his prolific goal scoring record at Barcelona and must be commended for making the leap abroad – something very few English footballers attempt or successfully do. His first season saw him score 21goals in 41 games, including a memorable El Clásico hat-trick against the old nemesis Real Madrid, thus ensuring ‘fan-favourite’ status from the local Catalans. His time at Barca also entailed Spanish Cup and European Cup Winners Cup success, however Johan Cruyff pushed Lineker out of position and out-wide, and he was soon on a plane back to Blighty.

Reportedly spurning an offer from Alex Ferguson, Lineker instead headed to White Hart Lane in 1989. His time at Tottenham saw him at his zenith, scoring 67 goals from 105 games. He finished the leagues’ top scorer, again, in his first season – thus remarkably doing so for three different clubs – and helped Spurs win the FA Cup in 1991; the Gazza and Gary axis.

Finally, with the sun setting on his top-flight days, he ‘did one’ to the land of the rising sun in a surprise transfer to Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1992, before retiring in 1994. Famously he was never booked or sent off during his illustrious career; a ‘Mr Nice guy’, a gentlemen, a sportsman, a really sweetie pie.

The old adage is that Lineker was a great goal scorer rather than a scorer of great goals. This may well be true, but should certainly not be seen as detraction; putting the ball in the net is, notoriously, the hardest thing to do in football and he made it look easy. He was a true poacher, living and breathing goals…goals, goals, GOALS! Always in the right place at the right time, Lineker’s skills may not have been flashy but they were impressive nonetheless. With immaculate timing, instinct and composure, Lineker was deadly in the penalty area and, though sometimes criticised for doing little else, one should always take into account his shrewd off the ball movement. Lineker brilliantly exploited the talents he had; finding that little bit of space, losing his marker, working the defence and finishing with instinctive aplomb. This type of player is a dying breed in the modern game. Indeed, system shifts and the evolution of the striker means ‘the poacher’ is fading fast and is often not a viable option, however Lineker will go down in the annals of history as one of the greatest.

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These attributes, and his club form, were successfully transferred to the international scene. Indeed, he reliably delivered and represents the sort of luminary we would relish having now (though I’ve actually just said ‘system shifts and the evolution of the striker means ‘the poacher’ is fading fast and is often not a viable option’ so I’ve hideously contradicted myself in a few swift tip-taps of the keyboard). He boats a record of 48 goals from 80 England caps, putting him second behind Bobby Charlton (49 goals from 106 appearances) in the all-time top England goal scorers chart. Most memorably he hit a hat-trick past Poland to take England through to the knock-out stages at Mexico 1986, then bagged a brace against Paraguay, before notching a consolation strike in the ‘hand of god’ quarter-final defeat to Argentina. This was enough to secure Lineker the World Cup ‘Golden Boot’; the only English player ever to do so. Four years later, at Italia 90, he scored four goals as England reached the semi-final. Enter stage right, the Germans…exit stage left, England (but not before Gary pulled a strange face and did that infamous ‘keep an eye on him’ Gazza signal thingy).

Prolific goal scorer, a legend for club(s) and country, OBE, golden boot winner, crisp wielding maniac, presenter, the face of BBC sport and actively involved in charitable causes (most notably children’s cancer charity), raise a glass to one of England’s finest gentlemen; the ‘goal hanging’ Gary Winston Lineker.

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Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell’s red card in the Merseyside derby on Saturday has been rescinded, with the player now not having to serve a three-match ban.

The England under-21 star has dismissed in controversial circumstances in The Toffees’ 2-0 defeat against Liverpool at the weekend, a decision that David Moyes felt ultimately cost the home side the game.

In a forceful but seemingly legitimate tackle on Luis Suarez after 23 minutes of the contest, Rodwell appeared to win the ball cleanly before marginal contact with the Uruguayan striker.

Moyes feared that Rodwell would be suspended for upcoming games against Fulham and Chelsea, but the FA have confirmed that the verdict of wrongful dismissal has been upheld, and he will not have to serve the ban.

Everton travel to Stamford Bridge after the international break, and will know that their chances of picking up points will be helped by Rodwell’s inclusion.

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By Gareth McKnight

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With the news that former managing director Christian Purslow has finally left the club after finishing his role as a special adviser to the new owners NESV, what legacy does the former Cambridge graduate leave behind him?

Well it’s fair to say that Purslow’s spell at the club coincided with a tumultuous period in Liverpool’s recent history. The problems off the field with former Chairmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been well documented, but thankfully Purslow’s reputation hasn’t been sullied by association with two of the worst Chairman’s in living memory.

During his time at the club Purslow was able to do a lot of good, despite the constraints and difficult conditions in which he worked under. He was instrumental in the club signing a hefty sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered Bank worth £80m over four years, a deal that by far eclipsed what the club were previously receiving from long-term sponsors Carlsberg. However, Purslow’s true day of triumph came in court on the 15th October last year, whereby Hicks and Gillett were finally ousted in favour of new ownership in the form of NESV.

Purslow, Ian Ayre and Martin Broughton will forever be immortalised in fans heart’s for going that extra mile in a bid to secure a change of ownership. The aforementioned trio out-voted the gruesome twosome of Hicks and Gillett in favour of NESV’s bid in the board room and lay the groundwork for their ousting.

The next step was most surprising, as Hicks and Gillett were said to have dismissed Ayre and Purslow for a breach of contract after voting against their continued ownership. It took a day in the High Court to finally put to bed the ownership issue and lift the cloud that had hung over Anfield while the deeply unpopular owners were in charge.

Purslow has also been at the forefront of the club’s continue growing presence in Asia. It is thought by many business experts that it is extremely difficult for a club to break the Asian market; Chelsea so far have struggled despite numerous attempts and pre-season tours to the area. But Liverpool were already a presence on the continent and credit must go to Purslow for trying to fully take advantage of the commercial gains and opportunities that could be achieved.

A major criticism of his predecessor in the role, Rick Parry, was that his dithering and indecisive nature had cost the club dearly in the long-haul as Man Utd leapfrogged them as the continent’s main Premier League attraction.

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Of course, it was not all smooth sailing for Purslow while at the club. He was instrumental in bringing Roy Hodgson to the club after dismissing Rafa Benitez at the end of last season.

On the surface, the move for Hodgson seemed to tick all of the boxes – he was an experienced hand on the tiller, capable of getting the best out of limited players and excellent at working with limited resources as he had just shown by leading Fulham to the Europa League final. He was forthright, likeable and honest.

However, Hodgson’s reign at the club was a complete and utter disaster. The man brought in to steady the ship did anything but, and it became clear that Hodgson and the club just weren’t a good fit as the manager struggled to shake-off the small-team mentality that he had garnered while at Fulham.

Purslow also had a fractious relationship with former boss Rafa Benitez and many fans even turned on him prior to his discovery of NESV’s interest, with many holding him responsible for the club’s failure to find any significant new investment.

To my knowledge at least, Purslow was responsible, along with Ian Ayre and to a lesser extent Martin Broughton, in an increased level of professionalism on behalf of the club in their commercial ventures. The club appears to be finally expanding as a global market presence, something which is long overdue considering the club’s fantastic history and Liverpool now seem in safe hands under NESV; something which Purslow must take great credit for that.

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He stepped down from his managing director role at the club shortly after NESV took full control of the club, but he initially stayed in a special advisor role on an ad hoc basis. New Liverpool Chairman Tom Werner had this to say of Purslow: “We will always be grateful to Christian for his vital contribution to the club during his time as managing director and latterly as a special adviser. He has played a fundamental role ins securing the future of the club and in the sale of LFC to new ownership.”

The club is now in undoubtedly better shape than when he first came to it, and you can’t ask for much more than that from a Managing Director. His spell at the club has been anything but easy at times, but his instrumental presence in securing the club new ownership and a huge sponsorship deal should ensure that his legacy will be viewed on favourably in the years to come.

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Kenny Dalglish is desperate to return as Liverpool's new manager, according to his son Paul.

The club legend has been mentioned as a possible short-term successor to Rafael Benitez at Anfield with the Reds currently up for sale.

Dalglish, who managed Liverpool for six years between 1985-91, is currently employed as the club's academy boss and could step up to the first team at short notice.

That, according to Paul, is an appealing prospect for the 59-year-old Scot.

Liverpool are on the lookout for a new manager after parting company with Benitez by mutual consent on the back of a disappointing 2009-10 season.

"I just think that hopefully he does get it because I know how much he wants it," the former Liverpool reserves striker and now Tampa Bay Rowdies coach told the Liverpool Echo.

"To be honest with you it would be an unbelievable story for my dad to be going back.

"Some people say, well what happens if it doesn't work? He's been out of the game for 10 years.

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"My question is, what if it does work? What person loves Liverpool more than my dad?

"Who would Liverpool fans love to see have success more than my dad? Nothing could make my family more proud. I'd love to see it happen."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Imagine just having a casual walk down the street – you see a City fan wearing his new shirt proudly – what do you think ‘glory supporter. ’ You see a Chelsea fan in a pub with a shirt that says ‘Legend’ on the back, followed by a number 11. Again the first thing that comes into your mind is the fan is somewhat of a glory supporter. Not a die-hard fan, but someone on a whim, who cares little about the club apart from the trophies they have achieved. Likewise, the age old joke, most United fans live in London – yet are these actually fair claims, or are they what can only be described as an insult to the born and bred fans?

Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware of the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ type of supporters, who are only interested in fun filled away trips in Europe or a big game to discuss on the golf course the following Monday, yet what about those real fans – the ones who would describe it was a total insult to be a dreaded ‘glory supporter?’

There are Chelsea fans who remember the days before Abramovich and his Russian billions took over the club, for whom the victory in Munich will only ever tie with a Jesper Gronkjaer goal against Liverpool to save the club and get fourth place in the Premier League.

Not to mention the City fans who were there for the second division play-off final against Gillingham many blue moons ago – leaving it late far, far before the days of Aguero goals, and of all the clubs it is perhaps City fans who take the tag hardest.

These are by no means the only clubs who’s fans get such a tag – any club that has recently come into money or trophies – or usually both –  suffer the same fate, and ironically you will find that the genuine fans are the ones who hate the new breed of supporters at their clubs the most.

The running joke last season for new City fans was that they had come by their shirt by putting their old Chelsea one in the wash on a high heat to dye out the dark blue – how insulting to real fans, yet such a valid accusation for the new breed, who when it looked like City were about to lose out on the title were about to declare they had loved United all along.

It is such a fine line in modern football, where loyalty from the players is also a thing of the past in most clubs, and you don’t get many like Craig Bellamy who would play at a club they loved for half the money they were being offered elsewhere – it is somewhat mercenary these days, and in some cases this is the situation for fans too.

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Of course, all clubs no matter how small have their die-hard fans – those Rangers fans who will turn out every week for third tier Scottish football, or the Leeds fans who were their when they were splashing the cash and are still there now, and it is full credit to them, and they are the people who keep the clubs going, not the new influx of fans each season who come armed with their ‘Champions’ shirt and prawn sandwich, and it is those fans who rightly feel aggrieved when asked exactly how long they have supported the club – they are about as far away from a glory hunter as you can get.

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A few weeks ago both Liverpool and Wolves were purring after beginning the season in sparkling form. The two meet on Saturday at Anfield desperate to get their campaigns back on track after a torrid few weeks on the field.

Liverpool were thumped last week at Tottenham going down 4-0 at White Hart Lane with Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel giving manager Kenny Dalglish extra reason to moan after they both received red cards. The Reds positive start to the new campaign has completely washed away after last weeks loss and the defeat to Stoke seven days prior to that. It’s the toughest period Dalglish has had to endure since taking over the reigns at the turn of the year and he tried to remedy the sudden decline by sending out a strong team in Wednesday’s Carling Cup fixture at Brighton. Goals from Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool home and into the next round showing the boss is taking every competition seriously. The big positives to come from that game was the energetic performance from Bellamy, who could prove to be an astute bit of business, and the return of skipper Steven Gerrard. His comeback from a groin injury couldn’t come soon enough for Dalglish who will be tempted to start the midfielder from the off against Wolves. Jordan Henderson’s insipid displays in the last few games could see him drop to bench although he may be given a reprieve after Adam’s sending off last week.

Wolves have suffered a similar drop in for to their opponents failing to win or score in their last two games. They also suffered a thrashing at home with newly promoted QPR coming away from Molineux with three points last week after a 3-0 victory. Mick McCarthy responded by sending out his strongest possible eleven in midweek and it paid off with Wolves smashing five past Championship side Millwall to progress to the fourth round of the Carling Cup. What will be more alarming for McCarthy will be his teams inability to find the back of the net in their last two fixtures. Wanderers were free scoring in their opening games but have seen chances dry up and the onus will be on Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher to bang in the goals. Out on the wings Matt Jarvis and Steven Hunt will be tasked with providing plenty of width at Anfiield with the former facing an intriguing battle with Jose Enrique.

Martin Kelly is likely to return at right back with Skrtel set to replace the injured Daniel Agger after serving his suspension.

Wolves could have captain Roger Johnson back after recovering from a calf injury whilst Fletcher has shaken off a groin complaint and is fit to play. Kevin Foley, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Ronald Zubar and Jody Craddock all remain sidelines.

Key Players

Luis Suarez – Who else but the Uruguayan at the moment could be considered Liverpool’s star man? An annoying presence for any defence he will be charged with getting in the face of Wolves back line and using his pace and determination to put them under constant pressure.

Karl Henry – As Wolves midfield enforcer he will have a task on his hand keeping Liverpool’s central trio quiet and creating space for Jamie O’Hara to carry out his playmaker duties. Will need to control his temper after last week’s spat with Joey Barton escalated out of nothing.

Verdict: 2-0

Fancy winning a million pounds??

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Three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo is reportedly set to announce his retirement from professional football on Monday.

The 34-year-old has endured a disappointing campaign with Brazilian club Corinthians and was blamed by supporters for the team’s exit from the Copa Libertadores last week.

Fans have damaged players’ cars and thrown rocks at the team bus, with the violence leading another former Brazil international Roberto Carlos to announce his intention to walk away from the club.

Ronaldo insisted the unrest would not force him to quit, but he has also struggled for fitness this season and is yet to score a goal in 2011.

“It’s time,” Ronaldo was quoted as saying by newspaper Estado de S. Paulo.

“I can’t keep going. I wanted to continue but I can’t. I think about making a play but I can’t execute it.”

Corinthians have scheduled a press conference for Monday, where Ronaldo is expected to publicly confirm his retirement.

Voted the world player of the year in 1996, 1997 and 2002, Ronaldo scored 67 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil and won the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and Korea.

He netted both goals in a 2-0 win over Germany in the final and remains the leading scorer in World Cup history.

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Ronaldo also scored an extraordinary 47 goals in 49 games in all competitions for Barcelona in the 1996/97 season, before suffering the first of three serious knee injuries playing for Inter Milan in 1999.

A transfer to Real Madrid brought the only national league titles of his career in 2002/03 and 2006/07, but he never fully recaptured the devastating combination of pace, strength and skill that earned him the nickname ‘the phenomenon’ earlier in his career.

Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has admitted that Luka Modric would fit in well at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Croatia international has stated his desire to leave Tottenham after the White Hart Lane club failed to qualify for the Champions League for the second consecutive season.

Spurs are willing to listen to offers for their key midfielder, but will not compromise on their asking price, believed to be in the £40 million region.

As talks between the clubs continue, Karanka has admitted that Modric is a player that fits into Madrid’s footballing mentality.

“Which club would not want a player like him?” he told AS, translated to English by The Daily Mail.

“He is an outstanding footballer and had a great tournament (Euro 2012). It is clear that he would fit in Madrid.”

Modric has been identified as Kaka’s potential replacement in the Spanish capital, but Karanka also said that the Brazil international would not be sold.

“We decided he would stay in Madrid. Kaka and the club are working to find a good solution for all parties,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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