Gang Of New York

There's something special about New York basketball. Through the years; whether good or bad; the New York Knicks have always gained an oversized spectrum in our collective consciousness. Maybe it's the storied history; maybe it's Madison Square Garden; but there's something riveting and almost hallowed when we talk about this particular NBA franchise.

We remember that memorable run in 1994; when Patrick Ewing and his physical team nearly made it to the Promised Land; only to be denied by The Dream's Team; where no-one was about to stop Hakeem Olajuwon that season. We remember that 1999 run; when the Latrell Sprewell-inspired team defied all the odds and became the first 8th-seeded team to nearly win it all. We remember Allan Houston's long-hanging jumper that fell through as the Knicks upset the top-seeded Heat.

And now this season; there's finally a reason to believe again. It's not just a possibility; but this season the Knicks feel like they could really do some business. They weren't all-conquering in the Regular Season; but as the Playoffs have progressed; it seems the chemistry of this team is now reaching Championship proportions. As the Pistons and Cavaliers slug it out in a Game 7; the Knicks showed their mettle in demolishing the Philadelphia 76ers (not an easy team themselves) in a 4-0 sweep.

Jalen Brunson is the undisputed leader of the gang; but he is ably supported by center Karl-Anthony Towns and a trio of athletic wingmen: Josh Hart; OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. The favorites are of course still the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder; but if the Knicks can reach the Finals again; you never know what might happen.

It's A Kind Of Magic

The NBA Playoffs season is well & truly in the air; and there are exciting matches all round. None more so than in Orlando; as the surprising Magic have now taken a 2-1 lead over the much-fancied Detroit Pistons. This could be one of the greatest 8th seed v 1st seed upsets since the days of Baron Davis & the Golden State Warriors.

There's something about this Magic tram. They kind of underperformed in the Regular Season; falling to the dreaded Play-In Tournament where they just about made it out to secure the 8th seed. After stunning the Pistons in Game 1; they were beaten convincingly in Game 2. And in Game 3; they managed to build a substantial lead into the 4th quarter; only to see the Pistons come roaring back to take the lead themselves.

But this Magic team seems to perform best when the chips are down. With the multi-dimensional talents of Paolo Banchero; Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs; they are a match for anybody; and they reeled off the final points with some tough shots to take this even contest. They thought they could prove a handful when they get the chance; and that's exactly how things are shaping up now.

Deck The Dewsbury-Hall

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall saved the day for Everton; rattling in an improbable 91st-minute equalizer at the end of a pulsating 2-2 draw with fellow high-flyers Brentford in the English Premier League.

It had all started so badly for Everton; as an innocuous long ball from Brentford somehow found its way to an advancing Kevin Schade; who was tripped by Jordan Pickford as he bore down on the Everton goal. Igor Thiago; now just behind Erling Haaland with 21 goals for the Golden Boot; rifled in an unstoppable penalty to put the Bees in front.

Everton are made of stern stuff these days though; and after some sustained pressure; it was main striker Beto who nodded them level after being picked up well by Idrissa Gueye's flighted cross.

Brentford came out energised for the second half though; and after their period of sustained pressure; it was Thiago again who put them back up after he rather fortuitously deflected in Michael Kayode's toe-poke shot. Things looked doomed for the visitors; until Dewsbury-Hall's late heroics rescued the day; and ensured both teams are still on course for European qualification.

Sing When You're Winning

Singapore wrapped up a successful Asian Cup 2027 qualification campaign with a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh in front of 30,000 bouncing fans at the National Stadium. It was a night of celebration all round; with the host nation already qualified thanks to their nerve-wrecking 2-1 away victory of Hong Kong in the previous round of matches.

With Shazza performing 'Home' and even Iman Fandi performing as part of the pre-match festivities; the match certainly had an air of celebration about it; and Singapore played its part with a customary victory to ensure it finished top of Group C with an unbeaten record. It was right-winger Harhys Stewart who did the honors; steering home a pot-shot after the ball had broken neatly to him after Glenn Kweh's initial shot was parried by the Bangladesh custodian Mitul Marma.

Bangladesh; featuring Leicester City superstar Hamza Choudhury in their side; started a bit timid but grew into it as the match went on; and were actually the more dominant side in the second half. They had chances to equalize; notably when Safuwan Baharudin was forced to clear off his line in the first half; and their best chance came in the 79th minute; when substitute Mirajul Islam hit the post after latching on to Choudhury's cross.

City Of Angels

City have never looked this good. And Liverpool have never looked this bad. All this came to fruition in a supposedly-close FA Cup Quarter-Final that turned into an embarrassing 4-0 exhibition for City. Liverpool's previously invincible aura is now in smithereens; not helped by the ever-hanging cloud of legend Mohamed Salah's impending departure; that culminated in the former fan favorite's dismal game; first missing Liverpool's best chance that could have made this contest all so different; followed by a penalty miss when they were already 4-0 down in front of a half-empty stadium.

City; after a slightly shaky start; are now looking more ominous by the week; and this performance seemed to exemplify that return to supremacy; with their famed passing game now reaching overdrive. Part of that resurgence stems from their influx of new talent; not least 21 year-old Nico O'Reilly; who is looking greater with every passing week and is now surely a lock for the England starting spot at left-back for the coming World Cup 2026. Add to that the mercurial talents of Rayan Cherki and the indisputable wing-play of Jeremy Doku; and suddenly the world has a problem again.

Erling Haaland has not had the greatest form in 2026; scoring only 5 goals in 19 appearances; but alas; he was back to his best today; scoring a near-perfect hat-trick as the Liverpool defence just failed to keep up with the Norwegian's sublime movement. By the time van Dijk & company had woken up from their slumber; they were already 0-4 down and game over; cut open time & again by the marauding City attack.

Beto The Devil You Know

There are some nights where everything works like magic. Where every player plays well and everything goes according to plan. And the opposite happens for the opposition. Well this was exactly that. Everton; while going OK; were still decided underdogs against a powerful Chelsea side.

In the end though; it was the exact opposite. Chelsea; already reeling from 3 consecutive losses that saw them torpedoed out of the Champions League by reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain on a 2-8 aggregate; should have smelt something fishy happening. Liam Rosenior is in trouble and the team know it.

And the way they started was symptomatic of it all. Too casual; and too careless. Robert Sanchez looked a bundle of nerves in goal; and he wasn't helped at all by a sloppy defence and midfield that saw Jorrel Hato and Romeo Lavia also giving away cheap balls in possession.

Everton on the other hand; were everything Chelsea were not. Hungry and energetic in possession; they pressed well and found the moves when it mattered. The pleasant surprise was Beto; so lambasted this season for his lack of goals and commitment; came up trumps in both; first with a coolly-dinked finish; then a decisive shot that surely Sanchez had to take the blame.

By the time Iliman Ndiaye did his trademark run and jink and arrow into the top corner; it was done & truly dusted. It was one of the greatest Everton performances ever seen; one that made a superstar team like Chelsea look very ordinary indeed. Everton are now remarkably just 2 points behind Chelsea and 3 behind Liverpool; with Champions League qualification now a distinct possibility. While Chelsea stay mired in 6th and in danger of losing everything this season.

A Whiter Shade Of Pale

Arsenal's Ben White was the man of the moment; first prodding home at the far post to give England the lead; before turning villain by committing a rash foul on Federico Vinas in stoppage time to hand Uruguay a penalty and salvage a 1-1 draw in a glorified friendly at Wembley before the World Cup finals 2026.

Both teams were rather cagey in this one; as they seemed more intent not to lose than actually going for the win; but England did show some nice touches from their attackers such as Noni Madueke; Marcus Rashford and substitute Cole Palmer. Shoutout also to Everton debutant James Garner; who acquitted himself well in the middle of the park; covering ground and breaking up play; as he usually does at his club Everton.

For Uruguay; they would have been delighted to come away with a draw. Managed by El Loco himself Marcelo Bielsa; they looked slightly shaky while playing out from the back; and the general feel is they are a little too reliant on their main superstar Federico Valverde. As usual; they also have a tendency for over-aggressive tackles and may lose their composure when things don't go their way. On this night though; it did.

In The Nico Of Time

Nico O'Reilly - surely a lock-on to start for England at left-back in the coming World Cup 2026 - was the man of the moment; coming up with 2 decisive headers to power Manchester City to a much-needed Carabao Cup final win over heated rivals Arsenal.

While the first half was very much a close & tight affair; City found the energy to turn things up in the second half; and Arsenal inexplicably looked tired & withdrawn, It could be that the long-drawn pressure of going for all four competitions is taking its toll; plus an injury-stretched squad and the constant need to 'not bottle it'. Whatever it was; Arsenal looked out of it and were there for the taking.

Mikel Arteta should also look at himself. The right side of City's attack was looking dangerous; and he surely should have brought off the nervous Piero Hincapie for Riccardo Calafiori much earlier than he did; looking how the latter looked threatening and even hit the post with Arsenal's closest effort so far.

As it was; it was not a great surprise that both goals came from City attacks on the right; with Rayan Cherki lifting in a cross that was howled by the equally-nervous Kepa Arrizabalaga; who perhaps should have been dropped in favor of the steadier David Raya. The second goal was more of the same; with right-back Matheus Nunes this time crossing in a classic right-back to left-back combo that spoke volumes of City's domination.

In the end; the beating was so severe that Cherki resorted to doing the legendary keepie-uppies in the Arsenal half; surely the greatest humiliation any team could face. It was that kind of a night.

No Hollywood Ending

Wrexham; perhaps the team most in the news these days; nearly produced another miraculous upset; taking the lead twice against the best team in the world Chelsea; before finally falling short after going down to 10 men and fading off in extra time.

In an epic encounter at the Racecourse Ground, Sam Smith (not the singer) raced clear to put Wrexham ahead in the 18th minute; but Chelsea fought back & levelled 5 minutes before half-time; after an unfortunate goal-line clearance from George Thomason ricocheted off his own goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo into their own net.

In the second period; Wrexham found the wherewithal to take the lead again; when Josh Windass; son of the Hull legend Dean Windass; saw his long shot deflect in off Callum Doyle to set the stage for another major upset. Alas they would not hold the lead for long; as defender Josh Acheampong found a way & rocked the ball into the roof to bring Chelsea level again.

The turning point of the contest was arguably the sending-off of George Dobson in the 93rd minute. Wrexham seemed to fade after that; and goals from Alejandro Garnacho & Joao Pedro ensured there would be no fairy tale for Ryan Reynolds' men on this night. Chelsea will look forward to a slightly bigger team in Paris Saint-Germain in midweek; while Wrexham will continue their spirited push toward the Premiership.

Harden To Believe

One of the big trades coming out of the NBA recently is the high-stakes gamble between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers; with the Cavaliers acquiring superstar guard James Harden in exchange for young All-Star Darius Garland.

After the smoke had settled; I can see that both teams have benefited from this one. For the Cavaliers; it is a move for the now; with Harden instantly pairing up with another superstar guard in Donovan Mitchell; that instantly puts the Cavaliers into title contention. For the Clippers; it is one for the future; with 26 year-old Garland; at 10 years younger than Harden; setting them up nicely for things to come.

It is of course a bit sad to see Harden departing the Clippers; he is someone you always love to watch; and his excellent form this season has propelled the Clippers back into Playoff contention after a disastrous 6-21 start. However; perhaps the rumors of him not getting along with Kawhi Leonard are true; and with Garland representing a new wave of optimism; the Clippers surely had to bite at this one.

No Apology Needed

I'm not really a big OneRepublic fan; but this was a pretty good concert I must say. Even though we've seen them before; they seemed bigger on this one; more confident, more vocal and with that much more swagger. Maybe it is their added experience; that added prestige, but somehow there was considerably more energy to this one than before.

Ryan Tedder is a pretty decent singer; but I felt he was trying a bit hard to stretch his voice at times; which led sometimes to feeling it was in danger of being over-strained. The band got off to an early start with Good Life; before settling into a litany of their famous fast songs such as Rescue Me, Run & Something I Need. The problem with them is that some of their fast songs sound a little similar; which is OK if you're a big OneRepublic fan but not so much if you're just drifting along.

The high points, not unexpectedly, were their big songs such as Secrets, Apologize and Counting Stars. Especially Apologize; when the first beats come on; it really does signify their biggest song, even though it was their first. And while Counting Stars really brought everyone on their feet, it was an appropriate finale; the more measured If I Lose Myself that brought the night to a suitable close.

Taking It All

The latest documentary to roll out from Netflix is 'Take That'; a comprehensive 3-episode blockbuster of the greatest boyband in the world back in the 90s. The thing I like about this documentary is well; its completeness; it covers never-before-seen juicy details and doesn't hold anything back.

As such; we see things we never saw before; such as the rift between Gary Barlow & Robbie Williams that eventually led to the latter leaving; and the continued jealousy as Williams soared way over Barlow in what nobody really expected. In the end though; perhaps inevitably as they started to mature; true sense meant they got back together again.

My favorite is actually the final episode; when the story zooms in on their re-birth if you will. Just like Pet Shop Boys; Roxette and a host of others; I actually liked them more after their peak period; when I felt their songs were actually better and maybe less teeny-boppyish. U know what I mean ;-) the Patience days when they seemed to find a new level. I also struggled to hold back a tear when I saw Williams reuniting with the band again after years away... that was something to behold.

The Race Is Run

There were many juicy Champions League matches to choose from; but I chose the Real Madrid v Benfica one. Why? It was simply the hottest ticket in town; everyone was talking about it; and not just for football terms of course.

Real were already leading 1-0 from the first leg coming back to the Bernabeu. But you could never count this Jose Mourinho-led Benfica team out. As if to a tee; they even took the lead on this warm; tense night in Madrid. Veteran Rafa Silva; retired from the international game but very much still on the club scene; is regarded as something of a hero in his second stint at Benfica; and who else but him to prod home on the second attempt after a near-own goal from Marcos Asencio.

Just when the nerves were coming in though; up stepped Aurelien Tchouameni; who steered home brilliantly from Federico Valverde's cut-back to calm the Madrid nerves and put the match back on Real's terms. And it got better for them; when who else but Vinicius Jr latched on to another through-ball from Valverde; and passed brilliantly into the side netting after racing clear.

Real progress to the next round; where a mouth-watering clash with Manchester City awaits.

Point God

One of the big news coming out of the NBA recently is the retirement of Chris Paul; one of the greatest point guards in the history of the game. At 40 years old and playing in his 21st season; the man aptly named 'Point God' had defied the laws of longevity in recent seasons; but it looks like the time has finally come.

At 6'0", Paul was not the biggest; but he more than made up for it with his unparalleled court intelligence; heart and devasting elbow jumper. He played for a host of teams; but is perhaps best remembered for his time in the Los Angles Clippers as the chief protagonist of Lob City; when he threw alley-oops to Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan at will.

Not surprisingly; he was coveted by many teams; and his time in both the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets saw him come pretty close to winning the NBA championship. Sadly though; he could not quite achieve the ultimate accolade. Perhaps sadly too; his time at the end was perhaps an ignominious way to exit after a glorious career; with him perhaps antagonizing people the wrong way and ending up with an abrupt booting-out at the Clippers again, of all teams.

How does he rank overall in the pantheon of legends? For point guard; I rate him only behind Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, John Stockton and Steve Nash. That's pretty high territory. His complete court coverage and leadership make him stand out. He was also in the All-NBA First Team 4 times; which means he was the best point guard in the world for 4 seasons.

A Lot Of Fight

The National Basketball Association (NBA) seems to be taking something of a resurgence in recent times. With stars and entertainment on a high; the league seems to be more high-profile than ever; and the competitiveness has taken on a new level. With that new level however, has come up a new level of fights and violence, exacerbated by the prevalence of social media.

Fights of course are nothing new to the NBA; back in 1977 we had the infamous Maurice Lucas v Darryl Dawkins boxing match; then came the Larry Bird v Julius Erving affair in 1984; when Dr. J seemingly couldn't take the dominant Bird's trash-talk. But it seems to be happening rather often in recent years.

Probably the greatest brawl of all time occurred in 2004 in the 'Malice at the Palace'; a fight so legendary it became a Netflix documentary. The defending champion Pistons were bring humiliated at home by the upstart Indiana Pacers; and with the game winding to an end; the touch-paper was lit by a hard foul by Ben Wallace on Ron Artest; which eventually led to everyone getting involved and players chasing down fans in the stands.

Another notable fight occurred around 2021-22 when LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart got into it; with blood streaming down Stewart's face and him not giving it up even when the situation seemed to have been diffused with coaches; referees and everyone else holding them back.

And it was Stewart who was again involved in the league's latest altercation; when the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons met the red-hot Charlotte Hornets; who were on a 9-game winning streak. What began as a hard foul by Moussa Diabate on Jalen Duren developed into an all-out brawl; with Miles Bridges & Stewart getting involved & all hell breaking loose. There used to be a saying that NBA players was soft. That is certainly not the case now.

Beto Late Than Never

Everton have been having a bit of a topsy-turvy season; with stunning away victories buffeted by lethargic home displays. Thus as they lined up for an away game with a talented Brighton & Hove Albion outfit; it was anybody's guess which version would turn up.

The match was rather cagey; with both teams seemingly scared of each other's good form rather than trying to go for the win. And it all looked like going wrong for Everton again; when Pascal Gross; something of a cult hero in these parts; swept home after a lovely dummy from substitute Charalampos Costoulas. It was a lovely homecoming for Gross; who made a romantic return to his former club after a sojourn in Germany with Borussia Dortmund.

Brighton looked like they had sewn it up when Kaoru Mitoma finished neatly; but it was disallowed for an offside on Joel Veltman. Just when it seemed Everton were doomed; up stepped substitute Beto to fire home after Jake O'Brien's shot was palmed out into the danger zone by Bart Verbruggen. In the end; Brighton would be disappointed to give up the victory in this late manner. But for Everton; their upswing continues on; with their unbeaten run now reaching 4 games.

Mile High Victory

This was shaping up to be a delicious match-up. The Denver Nuggets had the surprise return of their star player Nikola Jokic after 16 games out; and the Los Angeles Clippers were the hottest team in the NBA; going at a 16-3 clip after a dismal 6-21 start. And by and large; that was exactly what we got. The intensity was awesome; players fighting for every ball; true Playoffs-style.

In the end though; it was the Nuggets who proved too strong; utilizing their relentless offense and unbridled chemistry to suffocate the Clippers in the 4th quarter. Jokic had a stellar game on his return; looking like he was never away; but he was ably supported by sidekick Jamal Murray (who is looking more & more like a Scottie Pippen to Michael Jordan); and supporting cast such as Peyton Watson; Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Junior.

What makes the Nuggets more ominous is that they actually went 10-6 during the time Jokic was out; which even included absences to key starters Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson. That actually forced the rest of the team to play better; such as small forward Watson, Spencer Jones and even Bruce Brown. That's why they have such a deep & loaded squad now; with tremendous chemistry; that makes them a serious force to be reckoned with.

Past Tense

The latest movie blockbuster is 'Back To The Past'; a Hong Kong sequel to the seminal 2001 series 'Step Into The Past'; a science-fiction inspired trip back to the Qin Dynasty for a modern policeman. Kind of like an antithesis to Back To The Future; the film brings back the sterling cast of Louis Koo; Raymond Lam; Jessica Hsuan and others; thus ensuring its nostalgic appeal back to the good old days.

With its strategic premise; you get a sense that this film could have been more. But with a good dose of humor; a relatively fast-moving story-line and its nostalgic cast; this makes it just about a hit. However; its strength is also ultimately its failure. By relying on the sequel method and bringing back all the old stars; it more or less makes it a sure-fire hit. But that is exactly the problem it is trying to overcome. Honk Kong shows nowadays are more or less showing the same stars in every show such as Bosco Wong & Charmaine Sheh; and there is just not enough new talent recognized enough to make a breakthrough.

Garnering Attention

We need to talk about James Garner. From being a nobody at Manchester United; he was shipped off to Everton; like so many rejects before him; such as Phil Neville; Tim Howard; Darron Gibson; Tom Cleverley; Morgan Schneiderlin and Louis Saha. While some were good like Neville & Howard; some were bad like Cleverley & Schneiderlin. But now; he is looking like he could be the best.

His initial start at Everton wasn't great. He was only doing average and everyone was complaining he was yet another Man United reject who couldn't make the grade. Slowly but surely though; he has established himself as a hardworking player capable of expressing himself at both ends of the floor. Over the past season or so; he was formed an indelible partnership with the experienced Senegalese international Idrissa Gueye in the centre of the park; and a key component of Everton's rise this season.

What stands him out is his ability to play both sides of the park; thus influencing proceedings and controlling the tempo of the game. His outstanding stamina has allowed him to start every single game this season; surely an unheard of statistic. And nowhere were his traits better shown than in the recent 1-0 win at Villa Park; where he shone and broke up play at every opportunity. With Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands; there is even talk that he may have an outside chance for England at the coming World Cup. Now that would be something.

Up The Toffees

It was the most unexpected victory. The stage was all set for Aston Villa to win again and go a mesmerising 4 points behind league leaders Arsenal. This was after both Arsenal & Manchester City dropped points in a rare occasion. Villa had been the hottest team in the world; winning their last 11 straight matches at Villa Park (8 in the league); and having not lost at home in the past 15 months. Furthermore; Villa had never lost to Everton in their last 13 meetings in the league; winning 9 & drawing 4. Everton were also having a threadbare squad; with no less than 7 first-team players out; either through injury; suspension or the AFCON. Their bench only had 8 players; of which two were 'keepers and two unknown defenders in Reece Welch & Elijah Campbell.

So this made the victory all the more remarkable; on a par with that stunning 10-man upset at Man United earlier in the season. Their away form is actually better than their home form; and it's the style of David Moyes; tough & rugged away from home to squeeze out 1-0 results. Merlin Rohl had sounded the alarm after hitting the post after only 12 seconds; and it was an ominous sign of what was to come. Thierno Barry has been looking the part recently; and Everton perhaps don't need another striker now that he has come of age; scoring the winning chip and winning almost everything in the air.

For Villa; their fans looked aghast as if it couldn't quite be happening. They had expected an easy victory; but it was anything but. Morgan Rogers; the favourite for England at the coming World Cup; had one of his worst games ever; having about 8 chances but squandering them all; especially when he seemed to be skying them higher & higher. They tried to get back into the game but on this night; Everton's impressive willpower and tactical know-how proved too much to overcome.

Cry Wolves

We need to talk about the resurgence of Wolves! While attention has rightly focused on the top of the table; with all teams dropping points & whether Arsenal will bottle it again; a resurgence is happening at the other end of the table.

Wolverhampton Wanderers; looking so abject & hopeless earlier in the season; now look a totally different outfit. And they displayed this precisely in their latest match against a high-flying Newcastle United; themselves looking to intercept the Champions League places. With a confidence & poise belying their current basement position; Rob Edwards' men were well worth their goal-less draw.

Yerson Mosquera inexplicably found himself charging up the field from his centre-back position; while Hugo Bueno has suddenly looked like a decent left-back. But the clearest symbol of Wolves' rise is clearly 18 year-old Matheus Mane; who is looking mature beyond his years. Playing on the left-wing and looking threatening on the ball; he is displaying a new-found confidence & verve that has suddenly made the Wolves look threatening again.

Newcastle may have thought they could win this; but like several sides recently; they were left disappointed again. Their 6'5" beanpole Nick Woltemade had a few chances to win this; but in the end Wolves' defence proved resilient enough. Wolves still remain rooted to the bottom; but suddenly; it appears that hope is on board.

Back To Black

In 1989, Tom Chambers threw down a dunk on Mark Jackson that would change the world. It was the most electrifying dunk in history; with Chambers' knee almost at the top of Jackson's head in an extraordinary show of athleticism. Not surprisingly; that dunk became the calling card of the NBA; appearing on highlight reels and pre-game shows to no end.

Now; finally there could be a dunk to top that. Anthony Black; a 6'7" point guard from the Orlando Magic; took the ball on the fast break; slalomed his way to the hoop and threw down an emphatic dunk over 4 Memphis Grizzlies defenders. What's more; the game was held in Berlin; showcasing the feat to an international audience. Black; so far an unheralded name in the NBA; is having something of a breakout season; averaging 15.7 points while shooting 46.5% from the field. With this moment; his stock is set to soar even higher.

Crystal Clear

In 1988; the most one-sided final was taking place: Liverpool v Wimbledon. It was supposed to be a wash-out. Except Wimbledon didn't read the script. In perhaps the greatest upset ever; Lawrie Sanchez flicked home Dennis Wise's free-kick (a goal I can still see in my mind) and Dave Beasant saved John Aldridge's penalty to complete Wimbledon's fairy-tale win.

In 1992, Wrexham beat Arsenal 2-1 in another huge upset. Wrexham were in the lowly 4th tier; and Arsenal were the reigning league champions. It dun get any bigger than that. In 2015, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were inexplicably beaten by Bradford City 2-4 at home after having gone 2-0 up. And in 1984; Third Division Bournemouth somehow beat Manchester United (with Bryan Robson) 2-0 in the 3rd Round.

Now there's an upset that beats them all. Unheard of Macclesfield; playing in the 6th tier of English football and a whopping 117 places below high-flying Crystal Palace; the defending champions no less; have beaten them 2-1 in the 3rd Round. Palace may nave rested some players but they still had the likes of England internationals Marc Guehi & Adam Wharton; USA international Chris Richards and Spanish international Yeremy Pino. What's more: they are managed by John Rooney; the younger brother of England legend Wayne; and Francis Jeffers; with a strong Everton connection. The magic of the Cup is very much alive.

Hollywood Stuff

With Ryan Reynolds watching on; Wrexham produced a Hollywood performance to stun Nottingham Forest 4-3 on penalties after a pulsating 3-3 draw after extra time in the FA Cup Third Round. Forest maybe took the Championship side too lightly; making no fewer than 8 changes from their last Premier League victory over West Ham United; and inevitably paid the price.

Wrexham; ninth in the Championship & going for their 4th straight promotion; are a more than decent outfit; and went up 2-0 and then 3-1 with goals from Liberator Cacace & Ollie Rathbone; and after Igor Jesus had pulled one back for Forest; Dom Hyam looked to have sealed it with a bullet header to restore their two-goal advantage. But substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi showed his quality; scoring two goals to haul Forest level and take the tie to extra time.

Forest looked the likelier in extra-time as their Premier League quality started to shine through; with Omari Hutchinson & Neco Williams going close for the visitors. The home side held on though and ultimately won the penalty shootout; with goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo the hero with 2 vital saves. To make the fairytale complete; amongst the penalty scorers for Wrexham were 36 year-old Jay Rodriguez; the former England international; and Josh Windass; son of the Hull City legend Dean Windass.

The End Is Here

Ruben Amorim has been sensationally sacked by Manchester United. Once again; it gives rise to a situation whereby the manager was sacked one year too late; when everyone seemed to know the outcome; but were just hanging on; to no avail in the end.

Hailed a God at Sporting Lisbon; he is the latest world-class manager to end up a disaster at United. If even Jose Mourinho can't do it; who can right? It seems his stubborn use of 3-4-3 formation proved his ultimate downfall; with boss Jason Wilcox not impressed by his desire to keep using it no matter what the results. Well I think you need the players for it; and perhaps 2 better wing-backs than Diogo Dalot  & Patrick Dorgu. U aren't Crystal Palace my friend.

While the team seemed to have improved a little this season; results overall have not been good. A 3-1 loss at Brentford was the writing on the wall; as well as a shocking 12-11 penalty defeat to League Two Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup early on. But I think a true turning point was when they lost 0-1 to 10-man Everton recently at home; when it was obvious the 3-4-3 formation wasn't working.

At pressure to reach the Champions League; the team have struggled under the recent scrutiny; first drawing at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers of all teams; who before that had only 2 points and lost their last 11 straight. Eager to make up for that mess; the team fumbled again; scrambling a 1-1 draw at lowly Leeds in the much-hyped War Of The Roses contest. All that came to a boil as Amorim exploded at the ensuing press conference; basically telling his bosses to do their jobs while he does his; never a good sign in any situation. Amidst all the furore, Gary Neville may also have a part to play in some of his comments on Sky Sports lol

Kawhi!

As Indian Summers go; this could be one for the record books. Not since Gary McAllister's stunning revival for Liverpool has an old-timer brought up the past so much. But that is exactly what Kawhi Leonard has been doing.

I've always been following him. From defensive specialist at San Antonio; he has morphed into an all-out offensive threat; fueled by the stunning NBA championship win at Toronto Raptors and now lo & behold; landing in my favourite Los Angeles Clippers team with James Harden.

The Clippers did not start well; ending up with a dismal 6-21 record that no one expected; especially as they were considered one of the dark horses for the title. But like the proverbial phoenix out of the ashes; Leonard has suddenly woken up to take the league by storm.

Witness his 55-point outburst against the league's surprise team Detroit Pistons; and further 40-point performances as the Clippers went on a 6-game win streak; and suddenly their season looks rather promising again. His ability has always been there; but a litany of injuries and continuity issues had taken their toll over the last few years. Now we are finally seeing the best of Kawhi again; and maybe also for the Clippers.

Africa

This post is far from Toto's seminal 1982 hit (though it could be u know); but about this beautiful tournament called the Africa Cup of Nations. Maybe it's the fact that Zinedine Zidane's son is playing there; maybe it's the miraculous, carnival-like atmosphere in the stands; maybe it's just the cultural football being played out there. But there is something special about this tournament,

I should know. I just watched an absolutely inconsequential game between Equatorial Guinea & Algeria. No matter what happened; Guinea would be last & Algeria would be first in the group. And still it was great. Still both teams played like their lives depended on it. In the last edition; Equatorial Guinea were the talk of the town; stunning all by progressing to the knock-out stages & in fact upsetting Algeria in the process. This time; it couldn't be more opposite as Algeria have won all 3 group games and Guinea have lost all; in a way going according to the form book.

It is now the knock-out phases; and unlike past editions where there were shocks aplenty; this time there are none. That also means that the heavyweights are all in the knock-out stage; meaning many mouth-watering clashes ahead. The likes of Morocco; Nigeria; Ivory Coast; Senegal & Algeria will all be dreaming big; and there remains no clue as to who will come out on tops. Some of the best players in the world are also on show; with the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Ademola Lookman, Amad Diallo; Sadio Mane & Riyad Mahrez all strutting their stuff.

Out Of The Woods

Everton produced a gritty, backs-to-the-wall performance to come up with an impressive 2-0 away win at Sean Dyche's Nottingham Forest. Forest tried their best to stamp their authority on the game; but their strategy of playing crosses in from the flanks was not a good one; as James Tarkowski & Jack O'Brien dealt with everything thrown their way. It also didn't help Forest's cause that their main striker was Igor Jesus; slightly smaller & less of a threat than the bigger Chris Wood.

The win was all the more impressive considering Everton were down to their bare bones due to injury issues & the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations; with their best players such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye; Carlos Alcaraz; Michael Keane & Idrissa Gueye all missing in action. Jack Grealish though; was fit enough to be on the bench & gave a useful outing in the final half-hour or so. Credit also to new boy Tyler Dibling; who gave a good account on the right flank & is now looking the part after his big-money move from Southampton in the summer.

Another new boy getting good is striker Thierno Barry. Far from the bumbling start he made; he is now looking strong; winning challenges in the air and even scoring goals such as this one. He even looks happy when substituted off. But Everton's most important player currently could well be James Garner. The former Manchester United man has slowly become their chief midfielder; orchestrating things both offensively & defensively. And his all-encompassing display today; with both a goal & assist; just added to his growing resume. At the end of the day; Everton's sterling display ensured they did not miss the Forest for the trees.

Ipswich Look Perfect Tonight

In 1987; in my first-ever season of watching football; there came a fairy-tale in the form of the FA Cup Final. Lowly Coventry City were pitted against giants Tottenham Hotspur; and it was a true David v Goliath story. It was my first-ever FA Cup Final; and what a great one it was. Against all odds; Coventry beat Spurs 3-2 and my love addiction with football was sealed. I can still see Keith Houchen's diving header in my mind; that was how epic it was.

38 years later; Coventry; languishing for so long in the lower reaches of English football; are back in prime-time. Leading the EFL Championship by a mile and dazzling all with their stunning brand of football; Frank Lampard's side have surprised all & sundry; as nobody saw it coming. Lampard; not having a very good reputation as a manager after failed stints at Chelsea & Everton; seems to have finally found the winning formula.

But not on this night. Facing third-placed Ipswich in a highly-expected top of the table clash; Coventry started off badly; and it stayed that way throughout. Ipswich came with a relentless style of passing football; and in all apsects of the game; they were on top. After a rather dominant first half from the Tractor Boys; you would expect Coventry to raise their game in the second; but it was more of the same.

At the end of the day; strikes from the impressive Jack Clarke and substitute Wes Burns condemned Coventry to a demoralizing home defeat. It ended their unbeaten record at home this season; and was even more impressive considering the Sky Blues had won their last 8 consecutive on home turf. Ed Sheeran may not have been around; but on this night; Ipswich were damn near Perfect.

Bend It Like Bendtner

This highly-regarded book of Nicklas Bendtner is just like the man himself: irreverent; inspired & just a tad bit shocking. Over the course of the book; you understand what type of player he is; but perhaps more importantly; what type of man he was.

It leaves you a taste of someone who was unnervingly talented; who was born for sports or football for that matter; but ultimately; you get a sense of someone who wasted it all; who never quite hit the heights that he could have.

Yes he had inspired seasons at Arsenal when he was at the top of his game; and a big plus for him was having Arsene Wenger believe in his talent. But almost before you knew it; he seemed to fade off the radar as well. He had inspired games for Denmark as well; when he was truly their No. 1 striker for a time; but that too didn't last for long.

Along the way; the fame seemed to get to him too fast too soon. He was engaged with a Baroness of Denmark; assaulted a taxi driver; had his pants down to take revenge on a sponsor and was caught in fisticuffs with his own teammate Emmanuel Adebayor.

In the end; you could sense the downfall of his game; as from the heights of Arsenal; he slowly became a player almost no one wants; begging for a job; and in the end ended up in the lower leagues of Norway & Denmark as his time slowly came to an end.

The Collective Good

Supergroups have always been around. The latest ones of F3 teaming up with Jay Chou & Ashin are certainly worth noting. As is the creatively-named Big Four starring Dicky Cheung; Andy Hui; William So & Edmond Leung that is making a comeback since 2009. But supergroups have always been a thing...

Perhaps the first supergroup ever created was Cream; the band that comprised superstar guitarist Eric Clapton; together with Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker of the Graham Bond Organization. Another top supergroup was The Power Station who were formed around 1984 as a revenge against Duran Duran kind of thing (lol); where Robert Palmer was rather weirdly paired with John Taylor & Andy Taylor of Duran Duran and famed Chic drummer Tony Thompson.

Not all supergroups turn out that super though. While the pairing of Marie Fredriksson & Per Gessle gave the world Roxette; many other groups turn out not so stellar and break up after a few tumultuous years. Perhaps the worst supergroup of all time is McBusted; a strange pairing that paired members of the bands McFly & Busted; two groups that were pretty good on their own actually. To no one's surprise; the band broke off after about 3 years and not many people hearing of them. I guess when you have to pair two boybands together; the writing is on the wall.

In sports; supergroups have not been left off the hook too. Perhaps the classic example is the Brooklyn Nets' supposed-championship winning trio of Kevin Durant; James Harden & Kyrie Irving. Surely no one would be able to beat those 3? Well we all know how that turned out eventually. Equally ill-fated was the supposed super-team of Los Angeles Lakers that put together Kobe Bryant; Shaquille O'Neal; Karl Malone & Gary Payton. Abit too old & past their peak; it didn't go according to plan.

City On Fire

I must admit: a part of me died when Kyle Walker left Manchester City. It was like an era had changed; a shifting of the times; if you will. Within a flash; it seemed that one of the greatest sides in world history was being dismantled before our eyes. Gone were Ederson; Manuel Akanji; Aymeric Laporte; Ilkay Gundogan; Kevin De Bruyne & Julian Alvarez. Things would never be the same.

But in true Pep fashion; it seems things are now becoming like the same. In came new recruits such as Omar Marmoush; the wily Rayan Cherki; the non-English speaking Abdukodir Khusanov and the former Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri. But perhaps the thing that gets me most excited is the influx of new academy players now getting a chance in the team: the likes of Rico Lewis; Oscar Bobb; the talented Nico O'Reilly, Divine Mukasa and the fresh-faced Charlie Gray. Together; they are forming the 'new wave' at Man City that threatens to match the expectations of the previous era.

And it is with this backdrop hat they eased to a 2-0 win over Brentford in the EFL Cup Quarter-Final for their 6th consecutive victory in all competitions. It was the new boys that did the damage; Cherki with his lesser right foot; and Brazilian youngster Savinho; who got a huge deflection via Kristoffer Ajer. In contrast; Brentford are not the same this season. It seems a part of them died when charismatic manager Thomas Frank left for Tottenham. Their rather lethargic displays are perhaps a reflection of their new boss Keith Andrews. Symbolic of that is Matias Jensen; previously an energetic midfielder; now relegated to insipid displays and he was hauled off in this one was well.

Chelsea Find The Neto

Plucky Cardiff City - the runaway leaders of League One; came up just short against the best team in the world Chelsea - losing 3-1 in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on an inspired night in the Welsh city. Impressing with their passing football; they made Chelsea look insipid in the first half & in fact could feel rather aggrieved at not having gone ahead; such was their stylistic display in the first 45 minutes.

Alas; their passing football was also their undoing; as it was unlucky Welsh defender Dylan Lawlor who gave the ball away carelessly to Facundo Buonanotte; leading to a pass to substitute Alejandro Garnacho who converted expertly past Nathan Trott. It looked like it wasn't going to be Cardiff's night; but their spirit served otherwise; with David Turnbull stunning all & sundry with a superb diving header to take them level.

It looked like it might go to penalties; but another of Chelsea's substitutes Pedro Neto; did what he can by steering in an excellent shot from just inside the penalty area to break Cardiff hearts. Garnacho then doubled his tally for the season with a final flourish; latching onto fellow substitute Joao Pedro's lofted pass before prodding home again. It was indeed the subs who turned the game for Chelsea.

Cardiff though can leave with their heads held high. They gave a truly awesome account of themselves; and with Craig Bellamy watching from the stands; their Welsh contingent of Isaak Davies; Cian Ashford; Joel Colwill & Lawlor certainly put on a fine show out there.

Wednesday Blues

Sheffield Wednesday are a far cry from their 80s pomp. The days of David Hirst, Chris Waddle & John Sheridan are long gone; and these days; the club are stuck at the bottom of the EFL Championship; with administration; deducted points and failed performances the order of the day.

Having said that; the current team do post some luminaries such as former Leeds captain Liam Cooper; Manchester United loanee Harry Amass and Bailey Cadamarteri; son of the former Everton legend Danny Cadamarteri. They faced a Derby County side that is looking more at the bright side of things; with a potential Playoffs place up for grabs. They too have a decent side of their own; with much-coveted striker Ben Brereton-Diaz; midfielder Bobby Clark (son of Newcastle legend Lee Clark) and Rhian Brewster; the former Liverpool hotshot.

There is a reason why Wednesday are down in the dumps; as too often their passes failed to find the intended target and there was a general lack of cohesion & motivation in the side. Derby on the other hand; played like a team hungry for the Playoffs; and it was US international Patrick Agyemang who saw off the challenge of Dominic Iorfa to put Derby ahead midway through the first half.

Further goals from Liam Thompson & Agyemang again put paid to any Wednesday challenge; with the latter a culmination of triple mistakes from substitute Nathaniel Chalobah, Sean Fusire's weak body-check and Max Lowe's hopeless flicked clearance. The home team were still too reliant on 36 year-old legend Barry Bannan; and were guilty of too much slack passing out of defence; notably from Cooper.

This City Never Sleeps

Whisper it softly... but it looks like Manchester City is back. Having gone through a seeming overhaul; they are now ominously reaching their former selves; as shown by their latest 5-match winning streak that has a very familiar feel to it.

Their latest was a comprehensive 3-0 away win over fellow high-flyers Crystal Palace; and a seemingly close game turned out to be anything but. Palace's strength has always been their rock-solid 3-man defensive backline of Maxence Lacroix; Chris Richards & Marc Guehi; that is so dependable that they basically have 1 extra player somewhere else; as such when the defence fails; it almost turns out with tragic consequences.

And it did this time; as the US international Richards let Erling Haaland loose for just a split moment; but it was enough for the hottest striker in the world to nod home powerfully from Matheus Nunes' beautifully-delivered cross. Palace only had themselves to blame; as their early superiority was not converted into goals; notably when Yeremy Pino crashed a glorious chance against the crossbar when it frankly seemed easier to score.

With Rayan Cherki in particularly menacing mood; it was left to Phil Foden; himself going through a revival of sorts; to fire past Dean Henderson for the second goal. And in all honesty; by the time substitute Savinho charged through on a breakaway solo run to win the penalty for Haaland's third; the race had already been run.

Heat On Fire

The Los Angeles Clippers are proving a right anomaly this season. Normally one of the championship contenders; they are languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference this season with a lowly 5-16 record. They still have the players; but gone is the venerable team chemistry; and no one seems to fear them anymore. The Miami Heat on the other hand; are the exact opposite. Not talked about much in pre-season; but even with the absence of All-Star Tyler Herro; they have stunned all & sundry with their electric offensive play & stifling defense.

And this contest was more or less about that. The Heat; not essentially a high three-point shooting team; went off the charts in this one; hitting an unbelievable 52.2%; on their way to tying a franchise-record 24 three-pointers. Simply put; the Clippers simply had no answers for this one. They did try their best however; coming back from a near 40-point deficit to make it slightly competitive in the 4th quarter; but in the end it was too little; too late for Tyronn Lue's men.

Norman Powell; sacrificed by the Clippers for wage space for their star men Kawhi Leonard & James Harden; seemed like a man on a mission; running up 30 points on a sparkling offensive performance; while hitting several eye-catching long-range shots for good measure. He was aided & abetted by accomplice Herro; who is intent on proving that the Heat are an even better team with him in the line-up. For the Clips; it is back to square one. No doubt they will take heart from the fight-back; but the fact is they still seem a little too Iso when Harden is in the team; and even with Leonard firing on all cylinders in the second half; it was not quite enough.

Roar Unleashed

In the greatest night for Singapore football; the Lions defied all the odds with a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 victory over hosts Hong Kong to qualify for the Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia. It did not start that well for them though; as Everton Camargo's cross from the right was headed home by star striker Matt Orr to send the home fans into a rapture.

This Singapore team is made of sterner stuff though; and after staying patient with some controlled possession; their moment arrived in the second half. Ilhan Fandi; the third of the Fandi siblings and brought on for the fading Glenn Kweh; came up big for the away side; first knocking an intuitive volleyed pass for Shawal Anuar to prod home; before firing a sudden left-foot shot that took the HK goalkeeper by surprise.

I think it was a mistake for Ashley Westwood to play 41-year old goalkeeper Wang Zhenpeng for this one. He only has 8 caps; looked nervous and was basically at fault for both goals. His substitutes also did not have the desired effect; with some harried play and poor touches costing them deep in the game. On the other hand; Singapore played their game to perfection; with players working hard for one another; and their backline of Hariss Harun & Safuwan Baharudin in perfect tandem.

Quah Kim Song can rest easy now. Singapore have arrived. 

The Crying Game

In one of the greatest matches in world history, the Republic of Ireland stunned Hungary 3-2 away with a 96th minute hat-trick from Troy Parrott; to send them into the World Cup Playoffs in he final possible moment.

Hungary; of which Dominic Szoboszlai was in imperious form; had looked well on the way to the Playoffs themselves; having taken a 1-0 lead via Daniel Lukacs' glancing header and then a 2-1 lead via a stunning Barnabas Varga strike; only to lose it all in a calamitous finale at a stunned Ferenc Puskas Stadium.

Ireland are a team never to quit in the best of times; and they certainly weren't about to do so now; coming back strongly via Parrott's penalty and composed clipped finish to level things up. But as the clock ticked past the allotted 5 minutes of stoppage time; it looked like their dream was about to be over.

Only for substitute Ryan Manning; who hadn't had the best of second halves; to launch a final assault deep into the Hungarian territory. Then came 'The Climb' that Miley Cyrus would have been proud of; as Liam Scales rose first & highest to flick on the ball for Parrott to insurmountably prod home right at the death.

It was the greatest of great escapes; and after beating Portugal 2-0 to even get to this point; Ireland must surely be whetting their appetites for the Playoffs come March. We can't wait.

Feel The Roar

In a breathtaking final that showcased everything good about women's football; England overcame the odds yet again to triumph over the best team in the world Spain; in a thrilling penalty shootout victory. It did not look so early on; as after a bright start by England; it was Spain who seemed to settle into control; stroking the ball around with the term 'passing England to death' coming into the consciousness.

Not surprisingly; they took the lead midway through the first half; when a 'Martin Odegaard-style' of inter-passing saw arguably the best right-back in the world Ona Batlle spiking up a perfect cross for Mariona Caldentey to head home into the side netting. Spain then seemed to take control; and you wondered if the final was in fact gonna be over.

Credit to England though; this group of Lionesses never give up. Substitute Chloe Kelly seems to make England more dangerous every time she comes on; and another of her teasing crosses was brilliantly headed home by England's 'Graeme Sharp' - Alessia Russo; to put England back on level terms on the hour mark. In the end; you could see Spain was more frustrated and that showed in the penalties; as they seemed to couldn't believe how they had not won this. And Chloe Kelly's unorthodox run-up & final blast seemed to exemplify that England had the better confidence.

The difference with the men seems clear. While Spain is indeed the best team in the world - as explained by Irene Paredes' frustrated claim that England were 'lucky'; England had the best grit and the best teamwork; traits that can move mountains in football. While the men were mired in Lampard-Gerrard shenanigans; tabloid WAGS & over-pressure and Chris Waddle/Gareth Southgate balloons; the Lionesses showed that belief and determination can conquer all in football. In short; they showed the men exactly how it's done. Even Luis Rubiales couldn't spoil the show.

Indy Streaks Ahead

When I saw the Cleveland Cavaliers a few years back; I knew they had something in them. That length; so undefinable on a basketball court; they just had it. 6'11" Evan Mobley. 6'10" Jarrett Allen. That ability to stretch and influence things on the basketball court. The play of Darius Garland. Well they were a little raw back then. Add a few more years; add Donovan Mitchell to the mix; and the recipe was perfect. For a long time this season; they were the best team on the planet; finishing second in the end to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And now they are in deep trouble. After losing both games at home to the upstart Indiana Pacers; they threatened to get back even after winning Game 3. Which left Game 4 very much in the balance. And it was a total whitewash by the Pacers. You know when a player gets in the zone; and it's so fun to watch. Well the entire Pacers team was in the zone. And I mean everybody. Whether it was 6'10" big man Obi Toppin muscling inside for a lay-up; 7'0" center Myles Turner draining threes from way downtown ; or unheralded whitie T.J. McConnell driving to the hoop; everything was falling for the Pacers. So much so that they built up a scary 41-point lead at halftime. It indeed felt like a fairytale.

After beating up almost everybody in the Regular Season; the Cavs almost seemed like they forgotten how to play in this one. They came out lacklustre; tired almost; which was almost baffling for a game of such importance. Their movement was slow; they weren't getting open looks; and everything felt rushed. They also forced passes at strange sequences; leading to turnovers and fast-break points for the home side. The Pacers could even afford to lose key player Bennedict Mathurin; who was ejected after an altercation with the Cavs' De'Andre Hunter. But perhaps the highlight of the night was Toppin's Dr. J-esque right-to-left swoop and scooping lay-up; a testament to the iconic commercial play that many thought could never be repeated.

Away Day Blues

Everton continue their David Moyes-led resurgence with a scintillating 3-1 away win at continental-chasing Fulham. Even though going behind to a Raul Jimenez header midway through the first half; the Blues fought back and recorded a convincing victory that will surely lend credence to the fact that they could well be aiming for the European spots at their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium next season.

Fulham had the better of the first half; but were slightly hamstrung with the absence of rampaging left-back Antonee Robinson; and Andreas Pereira in place of Sasa Lukic was not the right move for me; with the Brazilian probably better suited higher up the pitch. As such; the Everton tactic of doubling up on Sander Berge worked well; with the previously-composed holding midfielder forced to give up possession on several occasions.

For Everton; their players seem to be playing with the tide behind their back. Fans might have been worried with the inclusion of Ashley Young & Michael Keane; but it was the latter who put them decisively in front with a far-post header that snuck in beyond Fulham's' backline. Even better; it was suddenly in-form Beto who wrapped things up with a clinical finish just moments later; albeit due to a very uncharacteristic groping error from Bernd Leno.

Like Bees To Honey

There was a time 20 years ago when a game like Brentford v Manchester United was almost a sure-win by United. A time when the chance of United losing a game was harder than striking TOTO. Well those days have gone; and now it is lowly Brentford; a team unheard of 10 years ago; that are actually the favorites against United. In the words of Ruben Amorim; this could be the worst Man Utd team in history; even worse than the Gordon Strachan-inspired side of '86. They are like 15th in the league; below teams such as Crystal Palace; Everton and even Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Brentford have been establishing their identity in recent years. After a Sergio Canas-inspired 2-0 league opener win over Arsenal some years back; they have hardly looked back. With Thomas Frank's unique blend of teamwork and intensity; his team are now feared by all & sundry; especially at home; where they seem to have built up a unique reputation with their fans. On this rousing afternoon where they still had a chance of outside European qualification; they sensed United were there for the taking; and took it with open hands. Bryan Mbeumo; already one of the stories of the season; lit up the game with his pace & direct running; looking a threat everytime he cut in on his favourite left-foot. And this 4-2-3-1 formation suits them to a tee; with Ukrainian youngster Yehor Yarmolyuk a useful foil alongside the hardworking Christian Norgaard in central midfield.

For United; perhaps the less said the better. The passing & cohesion in this team is a far cry from their glory days. The players are not moving well; they don't seem to know what to do. Even when they took the lead through Mason Mount; they didn't have the confidence nor the wherewithal to hold on to it. With a youthful team of striker Chido Obi & youngsters Tyler Fredricson & Harry Amass; they were lacking in experience & know-how. It was notable that their entire back three was substituted; not something very common. Even their late scorchers from Alejandro Garnacho & Amad Diallo did not do much to buffer the scoreline.