The Sporting calendar

Man Utd and Arsenal booked their places in the last four of the 2009 champions league competition tonight, with wins over Porto and Villarreal respectively.

For Utd, a Ronaldo thunderbolt in the 6th minute saw them win, an impressive feat, against a Porto side that are very strong at home. Despite a very nervy last 10 minutes, Utd held on to keep a clean sheet, something they have struggled to do of late and close out the match.
Their opponents in the semis will be the impressive Arsenal!
They beat Villarreal 3-0 at the Emirates stadium, all the more impressive as they had lost most of their defenders for the game, they are quietly creeping up, on a long unbeaten run in both league and cups.
My tip for the FA Cup this year are beginning to assert themselves on opponents, and with Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd all still to play them in the league, they can cause a few worries.

Chelsea will play Barcelona in the other semi final, after an epic 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Stamford bridge.
Puzzling for me, as the pool took off Torres and Mascharano, just as they were getting back into the game, two of the players most likely to turn the game!
As good a fight as pool put up, the damage was clearly done in the first leg, Chelsea winning 3-1 at Anfield.
The one disappointment for me was the amount of times Drogba fell to the ground as if he’d been shot, only to jog away fine once the free kick had been given.
There is no place for this in English football, something needs to be done about it, once or twice, 50-50 challenges fair enough, but look at the free kicks he won last night, clearly he is playing on it.

The man of the match for me, was once again, Frank Lampard, his ability to pop up in the box late in the attack and his natural ability to hit the target is not being used to its maximum on the international scene. Like his dad, he is a quality player.

Barcelona make up the last four, after an easy win against Bayern Munich, a big win in the first leg made last nights game a formality.
As so often happens, the one odd team in the last four, normally goes on to win it.
Three English teams in the last four again, it wouldn’t surprise me if the only non English team wins it!

The Liverpool family and the football world, will today come together to mark the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

96 of our kind fell, on a day that was supposed to be filled with excitement and passion for the sport and team they loved, which turned into a tragedy which touched the world.

I watched the scenes that day on television, it shouldn’t have happened, and I hope will never happen again.
The victims will never be forgotten and my thoughts and prayers go out to their family and friends.

Champions league quarter final (1st leg) sees a full strength Liverpool side take on Chelsea at Anfield and lose quite heavily.
Is this the same team that took on the seemingly invincible Man Utd at Old Trafford and come away 4-1 winners?

I can’t help but wonder how Liverpool can beat Real Madrid 4-0, Man Utd 4-1 (at home) then dominate Aston Villa 5-0, are then well beaten at Anfield against a Chelsea team, who whilst a strong side, haven’t scored a single goal against us in the league this season, (pool have beaten them 1-0 and 2-0 in the league) it’s very strange.

How will this affect the league title race?
It could blow any remote hopes of a title win out of the water (yet again) or it could work in reverse and be a blessing in disguise, allowing us to focus on the league championship at last (our “bread and butter.”)

Sir Bob Paisley, we need your help!

Teenage substitute Federico Macheda, stole a priceless 3 points for the premiership champions, Man Utd.
A wonderful turn and curling shot broke the hearts of Villa fans around the country, as Utd came from 2-1 down, to win 3-2 and return to the top of the table.
The ex Lazio trainee was due to fly out for a game, but injuries to Berbatov and Rooney, allowed him a place on the bench, which he used to his full advantage.

It’s always good to see youngsters coming through, regardless of team, a brilliant goal, lets hope (for Liverpool’s sake) we don’t see anymore of them this season!

PA

Chelsea (who have been my tip for the title all season) clinched a vital away win at Newcastle Utd 2-0, Alan Shearer’s first game in charge of the toon army.

Utd, must still be the favourites, in second place twopoints behind leaders Liverpool, with a game in hand, but with Aston Villa visiting Old Trafford tomorrow, it was vital the chasing teams kept the pressure on by winning.
Liverpool looked to have drawn yet another game when they had chances to win, after hitting the woodwork 4 times during a game they dominated throughout.
Fulham lacked any of the attacking threat they used to good effect to beat Utd last time out (before the break for international games).
In the second minute of injury time, up popped Benayoun to secure all three points and keep the title race alive.