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O'Neill faces up to cost of Villa's success

Martin O'Neill has a dilemma. For the first time since he took over as Aston Villa manager, he has the strength in depth in his squad to maintain a challenge for a top-four place. It is a position that the Northern Irishman has longed to be in, but one that he has yet to take advantage of this...

Hard times force new equality on the Premier League's economic miracle | Premier League

Having hit the banks where it hurts, the recession has finally caught up with football's eliteThe question we all dread from foreign visitors to these islands is: "What does Britain actually do?" All we can say is that we surge into cities on overcrowded trains and then disperse mysteriously,...

Sir Alex Ferguson blasts Manchester City's hasty cull of Mark Hughes

• Manager's position is sacrosanct at Old Trafford, says Scot• Manchester United battle through injury crisis for visit to HullAlex Ferguson believes Manchester United would never behave in the way Manchester City did in sacking Mark Hughes halfway through his second season – and...

The Fans' Verdict on the season so far

Liquid football at Aston Villa, meltdown at Portsmouth and time for Gary Megson to look away as the season reaches the halfway pointArsenal, 3rd, Bernard Azulay, GoonersDiary.blogspot.comExpectations were inflated by an early-season glut of goals until Chelsea and injuries burst our bubble. But...

Levein dumps friendlies to restore Scottish pride

• New Scotland manager has a big rebuilding job• Friendly matches will be kept to a minimumOn the basis that managerial positions only fall vacant because a team is in trouble, remedial work is invariably the first duty of the new appointee. Few teams are as troubled as Scotland at...

Villa can capitalise on Big Four slip-ups

With the old Big Four struggling, watch out for Martin O'Neill's side even if the established quartet have rallied in the pastThe story of the Premier League season at the halfway stage is one of top-four standards slipping, in some cases quite badly, while for once the chasing teams look...

Mancini: make me the Popular One

Roberto Mancini acknowledged last night that he was "not popular" like Mark Hughes but says he can win over those sceptical about the Welshman's departure after opening his Manchester City managerial career with a win.

Top-four finish can happen for likely lads

As Liverpool stumble and others leap ahead of them, the possibility grows that this will finally be the season when the top four teams in the Premier League cannot be predicted with customary certainty. For all Manchester City's money and Tottenham's promise, Aston Villa under Martin O'Neill have...