Sublime Suarez fires Liverpool to second

Liverpool's title challenge is gaining increasing momentum, with Luis Suarez inspiring them to a victory at Southampton that moves them second in the BPL.

A tilt at the crown had never been part of Brendan Rodgers' plan this season, but their recent form has given them a real chance of a first championship since 1990.

The latest victory came at Southampton - the only side to have won at Anfield this season - with goals from Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard earning the Reds a 3-0 which sees them climb above Manchester City and Arsenal.

It was the ideal start to a run of three successive away matches, with Suarez marking his 100th league appearance for the Reds by ending his an unusual barren run after just 16 minutes.

Saints did not wilt, though, with Adam Lallana hitting the post after a Rickie Lambert flick-on, before Luke Shaw, impressing in front of watching England manager Roy Hodgson, went on a marauding run which ended with Jay Rodriguez forcing Simon Mignolet into a fine save.

Stoke defeat a Major blow admits Arsene Wenger

Stoke stunned Arsenal 1-0.

Arsene Wenger conceded Arsenal's stuttering Premier League title bid had suffered a "major setback" after they lost ground at the top with a shock 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Jon Walters' second-half penalty handed Stoke a famous win at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and left the Gunners four points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea in third place.

The north Londoners have now won just once in their last eight trips to Stoke and Wenger admitted it was the worst possible start to what he had branded a season-defining month.

Jermain Defoe leaves Tottenham Hotspurs and the Barclays Premier League

Jermain Defoe said farewell to Tottenham Hotspur and to the Barclays Premier League this week as he heads off to play for Toronto FC in the MLS and begin a new chapter to his stellar career. Looking back on his 13 years in the Barclays Premier League the England striker talked exclusively to premierleague.com about his success on the pitch and off it with various good causes.

Defoe made his Barclays Premier League debut as an 18-year-old on 19 May 2001, coming on as a substitute for West Ham United away to Middlesbrough.

"I was at Bournemouth on loan having made my debut in the cup for West Ham and at Bournemouth I had scored a number of goals so I was looking forward to coming back to West Ham and playing that in the Premier League," he says. "It was like a dream come true to come on in the Premier League at such a young age for a good club. It was a special day."

Wenger discusses break criticism, Campbell

Arsene Wenger has hit out at being forced to justify handing his Arsenal stars two days' rest this week.

The Arsenal manager branded criticism of his decision "unbelievable" ahead of his side's Premier League trip to Stoke City on Saturday. Wenger revealed Mesut Ozil will be fit to return after hip trouble for the weekend's Potters clash, with Thomas Vermaelen also expected to be available.

Wenger said German playmaker Ozil is now ready to shrug off his costly penalty miss in Arsenal's 2-0 UEFA Champions League loss to Bayern Munich. "It's not necessarily fatigue, I don't see why that's suddenly a problem," said Wenger when questioned on the impromptu rest period he handed his squad this week.

"We have played without a break since December, we don't have to justify that, it's unbelievable. We are in a society where everyone wants to control everything; I don't understand this at all.

"We are entitled to do unusual things. We came out of a heavy schedule. We had two days off, that's all. Sometimes it's not only physical, it's mental, you're under pressure all the time, there's nothing unusual there."

He was good (against Manchester United), convincing in going forward, he looks like he has adapted better to the physical side of the European game.

Wenger on loan forward Joel Campbell

Admitting he is still weighing up whether to employ Vermaelen at left back to cover other absentees, Wenger backed Ozil to shrug off recent struggles with the Premier League's relentless intensity. "He (Ozil) had a difficult game because he missed that penalty, and it was on his mind," said Wenger.

"Sometimes when you're under this kind of pressure it's good to refresh. My opportunity is just to put the best team out who can win the game, it's not about individuals, it's about the team. If needed Thomas can play there (at left back), it's not his preferred position. He's been out for a long time but I still have 48 hours to make that decision."

Wenger also said that forward Joel Campbell, on loan at Olympiacos, now has the physicality and temperament to secure himself a long-term future at Arsenal. The 21-year-old claimed a fine individual goal in the Greek side's 2-0 Champions League victory over Manchester United in Athens in midweek.

Wenger said a series of loan stints have stood the Costa Rica forward in good stead. "He was good (against Manchester United), convincing in going forward, he looks like he has adapted better to the physical side of the European game," said Wenger.

"We knew always that he had the talent to create something special. He did rely a bit too much on that, but he has now been out at three different clubs, at Lorient, Sevilla, and Betis. Now he is at Olympiacos and he has learned the toughness of the European leagues.

"I will decide (his future) later, but why not? We bought him to bring him here."

BPL Facts

·         Arsenal are unbeaten in 14 Barclays Premier League trips to Villa Park, winning seven and drawing seven.

·         The Gunners' 14 game unbeaten run at Villa is their longest away run without defeat against a single side in Barclays Premier League history.

·         Arsenal conceded two penalties in the reverse fixture against Aston Villa this season for the first time in the League since 5 Feb 2011 v Newcastle United.

First a Rock, Now a Wreck! What ha happened to Manchester United?

Manchester United lost to Sunderland 2-1 in the first leg of the Capital One Cup last night as three generations of United legends watched shaking their heads in disbelief.




For those of us old enough to remember, or in my case, to be there, it is all Déjà vu. When Sir Matt Busby retired after Manchester United has won the European Cup in 1968, it was thought that he would fade away into retirement with his wife and family. But no, he decided he would hang around the ground, the training centre and the changing rooms. This was found to be a distraction for the players and the new manager and it ultimately led to him making a brief comeback, but it merely delayed the inevitable. United were relegated in 1975 and I have to say that the foundations for that were laid during the end of Sir Matt's reign.