As the last ball was kicked last season, Chelsea was crowned champs, and Man Utd was second, and teams like Arsenal and Liverpool were left thinking if they will ever win the league title again. Rightly so, because with the emergence of Manchester City, the likes of Arsenal and co will find top 4 a hot zone to be in.

Well, that believe has been bolstered again this season with the blue half of Manchester signing noteable names in the game to help their quest.They just completed the signing of a certain Mario Balotelli on a five year deal.
Not to talk much really, i just want to see the first balls kicked and the first matches of the season played.

After all the nonsensical refereeing and the shocks at the world cup just ended in South Africa, it will be refreshing to watch top class football again. Expect shocks too.

A Darren Bent short hit a red beach ball that had Reyna fooled into diving to save the beach ball,instead of the deflected ball that ricocheted into the net for the only goal of the match.

This incident raises a lot of questions concerning referees and the decisions they sometimes allow to stand. In my opinion, the goal should never have been allowed to stand. Its so unfair.

A fourth defeat of the league season will only add to the question marks over Liverpool’s title credentials after they were outplayed without injured midfielder Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres.

Ahead of a week in which they face a crucial Uefa Champions League tie against Lyon and host Manchester United, they only added weight to critics who label them a two-man team.

Liverpool were lethargic and looked at unease with a 5-4-1 formation manager Rafael Benitez had opted for as he tried to cope with injuries and tiredness after the recent internationals.

Benitez was probably hoping that full-backs Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio, as well as wingers Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun, would have more of an impact going forward.

But Sunderland, with a near-capacity 47,000 crowd behind them, did not let Liverpool settle and aggressively took control of the game before being rewarded with the lead in somewhat fortunate circumstances.

Bent’s shot went in off a beach ball and, to compound Liverpool’s misery, it was one punched on to the pitch by one of their own fans. A clear case of one causing one’s own downfall you might say..

Oh! for the records, Chelsea were beaten by Aston Villa, while Manchester United and Arsenal both won at home respectively.

From Russia with pain, Inter Milan just managed to salvage a point from Rubin Kazan who were on their neck from start to finish in that match. So after losing to Sampdoria in the Serie A in the weekend, they nearly lost to one of the so-called minows to the Champions League.Oh! Inter also finished with a man less with Mario Barotelli sent off.

Spare a thought for Liverpool, i just wander if their European fuel is drying up. Remember how they treat everybody in the C. League? well they could not do that to Fiorentina as the Italians beat them by 2-0.

The above aside, it was business as usual for Barcelona who beat Dynamo Kyiv by 2-0, Arsenal who beat Olypiakos by 2-0, Lyon who thumped Debrecen 4-0 away, and Sevilla who also put 4 pass Rangers in Scotland. AZ Alkmaar drew 1-1 with Standard Liege, and Stuttgart who were forced to 1-1 by home team Unirea Urziceni.

So, if were excited by today’s matches, why not wait for the real deal tomorrow, when all the big boys take to the pitch.

Check out the fixtures for tomorrow:

Apoel Nicosia v Chelsea, Gp D, 19:45

Personally, i believe this season’s competition is going to be very exciting for some reasons. For instance, Christiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United, and a couple of very new and small clubs have made it to the group stage of this season’s affair.

How about the fact that champions Barcelona are drawn in the same group with Inter Milan. Remember Barcelona telling Samuel Eto’o they don’t want him again, and offloaded him to Inter Milan with Zlatan Ibrahimovic moving the opposite direction? they play tomorrow, how will that turn out.

How about Christiano Ronaldo, the world’s most expensive player moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid, how will he perform in his first champions league match for Madrid? very exciting indeed.

Here below are  tomorrow’s matches.

Besiktas v Man Utd

Chelsea v Porto

FC Zurich v Real Madrid

Juventus v Bordeaux

Marseille v AC Milan

Wolfsburg v CSKA Moskow

Atletico Madrid v Apoel Nicosia

Have fun guys.

But one just wonders what might have been the outcome had the penalty not been given, or Diaby’s late own goal. Anyhow, somebody had to win the match and i am glad that it’s Man Utd that won it.

Other results of note are that of Spurs’ 2-1 win over Birmingham to keep their 100% start to the new season, their best in years.

Liverpool finally came good today beating Bolton by 3-1, delight for Benitez, and of course Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Burnely. End of a fairytale two weeks for Burnely you would say.

Rooney's moment

Villa had been heavily criticised after losing their opening home game to Wigan Athletic and slumping to defeat in the Europa League against Rapid Vienna – but they answered all the questions in emphatic fashion at Anfield.

Liverpool faded after a bright start, and have now lost as many league games as they did last season following losses against Spurs and now Villa.

Anfield was left frustrated as Liverpool wasted the opportunities that came their way, but ultimately they were reduced to running up blind alleys, and out of ideas, in the face of Villa’s resilience.

Villa were set on their way after 34 minutes when Lucas deflected Ashley Young’s free-kick into his own net, and they grabbed a second on the stroke of half-time when Curtis Davies headed in Nicky Shorey’s corner at the near post.

Liverpool surged forward after the break, but met a white wall of resistance as Villa defended their precious lead, with Carlos Cuellar outstanding and goalkeeper Brad Friedel a commanding presence.

Fernando Torres gave Liverpool hope with a close-range strike after 72 minutes, but any hopes of a dramatic revival ended three minutes later when Steven Gerrard brought down Nigel Reo-Coker and Young scored from the spot.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill was elated – and rightly so as his side got their season up and running with a landmark victory.

For Liverpool, they will now simply have to produce better – and more creative – performances as they chase their first title in 20 years.

One just wonders what will happen to the much touted acclaim by a lot of people that Liverpool’s wait for the premier league title could be over this season.

Quite frankly, i don’t see the Reds picking it this season with such displays, and with the other big boys and Manchester City started so well already.

Champions League quarter-final draw:
1 Arsenal v Liverpool
2 AS Roma v Man Utd
3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea

Champions League semi-final draw:
1 Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
2 Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd

Arsene Wenger’s side will play the first leg at home on 1/2 April, with the return leg at Anfield on 8/9 April.

Manchester United, who beat Lyon to reach the last eight, were drawn against Real Madrid’s conquerors Roma.

Chelsea, the fourth English club in the draw, face Fenerbahce, with Schalke 04 versus Barcelona the other fixture.

The winners of the Arsenal-Liverpool showdown – the first time those two will have met in European competition – will then take on Chelsea or Fenerbahce in the semi-finals, while Manchester United or Roma face Barcelona or Schalke 04.

The legs for the last-four ties will take place on 22/23 April and 29/30 April.

It means if Chelsea overcome Fenerbahce in their quarter-final, not only could they face their semi-final conquerors of 2005 and last year in Liverpool, but also that England will be guaranteed a presence in the final in Moscow on 21 May.

And with Fenerbahce and Schalke 04 appearing in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, and Roma having never got past this stage, English sides make up four of the top five favourites according to the bookies.

However, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry could barely hide his disappointment at having to play the Gunners, saying: “We’d hoped to avoid an English team but an all-English tie was bound to happen and it’s happened to us. At least we’ve avoided a trip to Turkey.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS* 11/4 Barcelona 10/3 Man Utd 7/2 Chelsea 5/1 Arsenal 6/1 Liverpool 11/1 Roma 33/1 Schalke 40/1 Fenerbahce * Odds subject to change

“We’re also playing Arsenal in the league in between the quarter-final legs so that will be interesting. I don’t think there will be any surprises for either side in those games.

“Of course, we’ve noticed we might also face another English side (Chelsea) in the last four as well.”

Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman added: “I think we’d have preferred European competition.

“Liverpool are a great team and are fantastic in this competition and, with three games against them in a week, I’m sure the tactics in each tie will be under close scrutiny.”

“It should make for compelling viewing and, after the way we played against AC Milan, we must have a lot of belief that we can go all the way.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United club secretary Ken Ramsden said: “It’s a good draw for us, I think. I’m happy we’re playing continental opposition and we have a good record against them.

“I’m sure the manager will also be happy that we’re playing at home in the second leg so we’re content with that.”

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was equally happy to have avoided an English side in the draw, adding: “I’m delighted.

“There are no easy draws at this stage but we wanted to avoid an English side and we’ve done that.

“Despite a couple of disappointing results of late, we’ve complete confidence in the team and coaching staff to ensure we have a good end to the season.”