By Michael Sinnerton

As Carlos Tevez finally admitted his antipathy towards being used sparingly by Manchester United this season, a host of Europe's biggest clubs began to dust off their purse strings. Tevez was particularly concerned at his admission for key matches, with Berbatov and Rooney often preferred as a front two, or Rooney, Ronaldo and Park as a front three.

 "There are many players and they all need to play but I have not played important matches," said Tevez. "As a player I can't permit myself to play one game, but not another. And also, the World Cup is coming up. I see it very difficult to stay with Manchester United. That's the reality.  You can score three or four goals and not play in the next game. It gets to your head. I need to play."

It is yet to be seen whether this is an early joust by Tevez in contract negotiations with United or a genuine come-get-me plea. As a Liverpool fan I can't think of many available players I'd rather we'd sign although David Villa as always springs to mind. Whilst £20 - 30million is a lot to pay, especially for Liverpool, what you are getting for your money is a world-class forward who has already acclimatised to the pace of the Premier League. In Benitez' favoured 4-2-3-1 formation Tevez could play any of the front four positions well, and would certainly be a decent foil for Fernando Torres were 4-4-2 the preferred formation. At 25 Tevez, signing a four or five year contract would also still have a good resale value to Italy or Spain. In fact, he would probably maintain good value whether or not he was a success at Anfield.

Tevez's work-rate mean to me, he can fill a similar role to Dirk Kuyt, yet his technical ability is closer to Torres meaning he could fill in for Kuyt, Gerrard or Torres in times of injury, suspension or fatigue. Given Liverpool's league form, without a natural replacement for Torres this season, a second world-class striker could make all the difference.

 Another positive about Tevez is the apparent lack of ego, not that I'd want Tevez to spend much of his time on the bench, but the fact that he has been willing to play that role without much complaint until now makes the prospect of Tevez in a Liverpool shirt even more appealing.

United fans probably wouldn't much like it either.

By Michael Sinnerton 

Fans of anyone other than the big four should have been heartened this weekend by goings on all round Europe. Not only did Lyon lose 1-0 at Bordeaux meaning they may not win the league for the first time in eight years, but Wolfsburg won again to keep themselves ahead of Bayern Munich. A year for the outsider perhaps, Everton fans rejoice, AZ's championship win in Holland all but confirmed that.

AZ's title victory was the first for a club outside the big 3 (PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord) since 1981 (AZ again) who's victory was acheived on a much smaller budget than the others and despite finishing the previous season in 11th and with a manger who only agreed to stay on after a desperate squad pleaded with him

Louis Van Gaal now has four domestic dutch titles, a Champions League, a UEFA cup, a few La Liga titles and a few other bits and bobs lying around the place, giving him 12 titles the same as a certain dutch flavour of the month, Guus Hiddink. According to Dutch experts, Van Gaal has slightly sacrificed his high-pressing  total-football attitude this season with AZ instead morphing into a slick counter-attacking unit.

Maybe Wolfsburg and Bordeaux can do likewise upset the odds. Long live hope. Long live the underdog.

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As a footnote, I thought it was very strange for Alex Ferguson to attack Benitez for calling an Everton a small club. Ferguson then proceeded to treat them exactly like one by picking a reserve team for an FA Cup Semi-Final. Can you imagine him picking that team had they been playing one of the 'big' four?

Does Manchester United's weak cup surrender have any echoes of Arsenal's collapse last year after exiting both cups meekly (or embarrassingly) or will United come again after their first major set back of the season?

By Michael Sinnerton

Sir Alex Ferguson has used today's press conference to attack Rafa Benitez for his actions against Blackburn, this is the same man who said only last week:

"But the interesting thing as far as Rafa Benitez is concerned is that he's got a European tie [against Chelsea] and he's talking about Alex Ferguson. Fantastic – I didn't know I was that important."

Perhaps Benitez will respond with a snide remark about his own importance given Ferguson's decision to talk about him on the eve of a cup semi-final.

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Man City's display against Hamburg yesterday has confirmed my suspicions that Elano should start whenever possible. The talented Brazilian who made such an impression on the Premiership over 12 months ago has great feet, good vision and stunning set-piece delivery. Play him off the main striker or on the right wing in a 4-2-3-1, job done.

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A friend of mine recently suggested that Arshavin was a better player than Ronaldo due to having more natural ability. He cited Ronaldo's tricks as the sign of a manufactured player, whilst Arshavin tends to beat people with body movement, turn of pace and speed. Whilst disagreeing with the initial prognosis due to Ronaldo's goal-scoring record if nothing else, it does highlight the point that three of the world's best dribblers, Messi, Iniesta and Arshavin rarely use tricks to beat a player. As a result, in my opinion they look more natural dribblers and are more fun to watch as the game flows slightly better. It makes you wonder if time spent teaching kids step-overs could be better invested.

By Michael Sinnerton 

So 3 of last year's semi-finalists have made it back to the hallowed ground but whilst England and Barcelona continue to dominate in Europe you'd be hard pressed to deny any of the four semi-finalists their place.

Four teams who have got this far playing attractive, attacking football. Barcelona have been the best side in Europe this season, scoring the most goals and boasting the world's best player. Arsenal's footballing prowess, in aesthetic terms, is well known and having come through the ‘battle of the beautiful game' against Villarreal now face the European Champions. Games between United and Arsenal are always fiercely competitive but in recent seasons have tended to be the most exciting of the games between the big four.

With Chelsea reaching the semis through an avalanche of goals, their clash with Barcelona looks appetising and with a potential repeat of last year's final (Chelsea v United) or the 2006 final (Arsenal v Barca) on the cards.

Scores to settle all round then, I'm hoping for an Arsenal  v Barcelona final but even being a Liverpool fan it's hard to begrudge any of the four their opportunity. Let's hope the semi-finals can match the quarters for entertainment.

by Stuart Gillespie

It might not seem like the most obvious point to raise after last night's enthralling Champions League match between Liverpool and Chelsea, but it's the only one that got my neutral blood boiling.

The incident came at 1-1, early in the second half, in the shape of Lucas Leiva's flagrant shove on Branislav Ivanovic at a Chelsea corner. This sort of "jostling" in the penalty box is far too common and, as in the case of Lucas, often takes the form of common assault. But it's all too rarely punished.

Ivanovic had the last laugh, going on to score his second of the game from a subsequent corner, but this should not distract us from the previous foul, during which time Lucas was completely unconcerned by the whereabouts of the football. Of course Chelsea have been offenders themselves in the past -  Ricardo Carvalho getting over-friendly with Victor Valdes rings a bell.

But what else would we like to see eradicated from the game?

For a start, how about what is euphemistically known as defenders "shepherding the ball out of play". Often, this involves the defender adopting a pose more usually associated with sumo wrestlers or those with severe constipation. And the ball is rarely within projectile vomiting distance of the offending full-back (not that I'm singling anyone out), never mind playing distance.

Watching a Scottish First Division match on Tuesday night reminded me of another personal bugbear, this one a relatively new irritant. A ball was played over the top of the defence, towards the corner flag. The attacking forward was a yard offside, but could not have known this himself. Instead of flagging straight away, as would seem sensible, the linesman felt the need to wait until both attacker and defender had sprinted 30 yards towards the ball to see if the forward would get there first. Having had a decent headstart he of course did, and the linesman duly flagged. But there would clearly have been no advantage for a defender collecting the ball at his own corner flag, so there was no need to let play continue. All it did was waste the energy of two players, as well as a bit of game time.

Any advances?

By Michael Sinnerton

Ones to Watch

Porto

Lisandro Lopez - The second highest goal-scorer in the Champions League this season with 7. Lisandro has 44 goals in 97 games for Porto, a record all the more impressive when you realise it took him a little time to settle, he netted only 7 times in his first 26 appearances. Is another of Porto's Argentinean contingent and has 6 caps for his country despite the wealth of attacking talent available to Diego Maradona (who has included him in every squad so far).

Lucho Gonzalez - Someone who I would love to see in the Premier League, Lucho has over 40 caps for Argentina and can play a variety of positions well. He's probably best playing as an attacking central midfielder but can also be dangerous from wide, where he has often played for his country. Is often a goal-threat, has two good feet and is another of Porto's typically cultured midfielders.

Raul Meireles - Another cultured player, who has great feet and a big heart. Meireles has a great strike on him and is a typical box-to-box midfielder. Suitors from Spain and England have come knocking in recent years and will continue to do so should the young Portuguese midfielder maintain his progress as one of his country's leading lights.

Villarreal

Joseba LLorente - Signed from Real Valladolid in the summer, Llorente is making a name for himself at his new club having scored the winner against Pananthinaikos just minutes after coming on as substitute. Llorente also holds the Spanish League record for the fastest goal ever scored (7.82). The Basque striker is great in the air and a clinical finisher.

Mati Fernandez - A young Chilean whose progress I have watched with interest ever since seeing him mesmerise for Colo Colo in South America's UEFA cup equivalent. Has settled slowly in Spain but the former South American Footballer of the Year (2006) is a dangerous attacking midfielder with a classy left foot.

Diego Godin - A Uruguayan centre back whom Tim Vickery describes as "out of the top drawer". He is a defender in the John Terry mould, unfussy but very determined. Having just turned 23, Godin has plenty of time left at the top level and should only improve with time. He has surprising speed and Emmanuel Adebayor will need to be on form to breach this defence (unless Pascal Cygan plays).

By Michael Sinnerton 

Given the sheep like nature of most football fans it will come as no huge surprise to many to hear that Kiko Macheda, after a dream debut, now has almost 24,000 friends on social networking site Facebook. Yesterday at 4pm he had less than 600. Few people knew about the young Italian prodigy whom Lazio had been loathe to lose more than 18 months ago. Lazio though so highly of the player that they had taken him on a pre-season tour aged just 16 before United's scouts swooped.

Fair play to the scouts who must be delighted with their work this morning but even the most ardent United fan should give some credence to the Lazio chairman Claudio Lotito's claims for a level playing field. "We tried in every way to stop Manchester United from taking our player but the present Italian regulations don't give you any type of defence." Equally fans like the one emailing SkySportsNews this morning calling for Macheda to start ahead of Rooney against Porto and describing him as a player with more talent than Rooney and Ronaldo combined should if possible be silenced and neutered. One swallow doesn't make a summer. Neither should Garth Crooks have picked Macheda (as a midfielder?) ahead of Fabregas in his team of the week. A baffling decision the type of which would be expected from an excited child but not an experienced pundit.

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There is no doubting though that Macheda is a young player who could go on to great things. If a warning was needed, the timing of Adriano's latest problems could not have come at a better time. Adriano once, fairly, touted as the next big thing has seen his career unravel through a mixture of bad luck and bad decision making. Unfortunately I don't think there's a way back him for him at the top level, with the possible exception of a rejuventation back in Brazil. Players should take note that temperament and not just talent is required to really cut it at the top level.

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Sad news for all but Arsenal fans this week as Santi Carloza, widely acknoweldged as one of football's nice guys as well as a wonderful player, broke his leg and will be out for the rest of the season. A good boost then for Arsenal going into the Champions League this week as was Villareal's result, a 3-0 loss to Almeria. The Gunners seem to be hitting form at just the right time.

by Joe Walton

This has been, by any standards, an exciting Premier League campaign. The top of the league has just gone mental, the long running struggle between Arsenal and Aston Villa promises more action, while the relegation scrap, dog-fight, or whatever you want to call it, is a delicately balanced as the Simone Clarke's career. But there is one more battle ground being drawn up which is looking as fascinating as all the others: 7th place and the Europa League place.

Wigan currently occupy 7th by virtue of their better goal difference over West Ham with both teams on 41 points. Fulham are just a point of the pace while Tottenham and Manchester City are both a win away. What is interesting about these clubs is that although they occupy the midtable positions, they have all had remarkable seasons. Studentsofthegame runs the rule over the contenders:

Wigan:

Everybody knows that Steve Bruce has done a fantastic job at Wigan and has a nose for talent, but what I like most about them is their versatility. They can play direct football as well as they can string a passing move together. The brute force of Mido and Zaki is tempered by the ball carrying abilities of Nzogbia and Valencia. They flirted briefly with relegation but now are a team who fully deserve to be respected in the Premier League.

West Ham:I

t is never boring at Upton Park so it comes as no real surprise that West Ham have had 3 managers this season, or that they've seen their billionaire owner's fortune wiped out, or that they've been humiliated at home by Bolton and Spurs and yet have earned draws away at 3 of the top 4. Around Christmas it was all doom and gloom for the Irons, yet under Zola and Clarke they are capable of playing some of the best football in the country.

Fulham:

Having been revolutionised by Roy Hodgson, the Cottagers are now one of the best defensive outfits in the league. Hodgson's meticulous planning and organisation has made them a real force. With the line lead by Bobby Zamora and the defence marshalled by Brede Hangeland they haven't faded since losing club captain Jimmy Bullard.

Tottenham:

Woeful at the start of the season Spurs still have a perceived weakness away from home. Yet, since Harry Redknapp took over from Juande Ramos they have been the 7th best team in the league. The recent win over rivals Chelsea shows that they are finally achieving the balance that many said they were lacking early doors.

Manchester City:

City are perhaps the biggest enigma of the season. Generally they have been good at home and poor away, but it isn't quite as simple as that. Rumours surrounding big name targets and the manager's position can't have helped the squad. The new owners would presumably be expecting European football next season, although this may come about from success in the last UEFA Cup. They only seem to attack by playing intricate passing and while this works sometimes they are lacking a plan B.

So, to recap, there are 5 teams competing for this one spot. 5 teams who have shown themselves to be inconsistent (as is par for the course in this league). 5 teams who have all at one point been touted as relegation candidates. But ultimately 5 teams who have shown why the Premier League is so popular. It is the ups and downs and the unpredictability of any good league which provides competition. While this year may not be vintage in terms of quality, all over the league it's been a hell of a competition.

By Michael Sinnerton

The media seems to really struggle to get to grips with Rafa Benitez's view of football. They see him as a coach with flaws in identifying attacking full-backs, a man who rants about opposition coaches without identifying the flaws in his own team. They fail to pick out both his biggest strength and perhaps his biggest weakness; he is perhaps the biggest control freak in football.

Another man who claims not to understand Benitez is Alex Ferguson. Ferguson's "back-room team" (not a gay euphemism) somehow made his net spending £24million less than Benitez over the last 5 years when in reality Ferguson's net spend has been £112.2million some £40million more than Rafa's £72.22million.

What most of the media have failed to show is how far Liverpool were behind United 5 years ago, and how Ferguson always gets his first choice target. Benitez on the other hand has missed out on Nemanja Vidic and Dani Alves among others due to financial constraints and Gareth Barry due to a lack of boardroom backing. Ferguson himself said:

"We never discuss targets at this time. But it has always been the same here, even under (former chairman) Martin Edwards. If I wanted a player, the club would try to find the money. That will still be the case. The Glazer family have always delivered."

Five years ago, United's squad included Ferdinand, Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, Ronaldo, all of whom have played major roles in the successes of recent seasons, Benitez had Gerrard and Carragher to work with.

Since joining the club he has signed Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Riera, Mascherano, Alsono, Torres, i.e. 9 of his first choice 11. In that time, Ferguson has signed Van der sar, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Rooney and Berbatov, 6 of his first choice 11. The money he recouped meanwhile was easier to come by than Rafa's due to the quality already on offer at the club, so for example Ferguson recouped £18 of his £70 million from the sale of van Nilstelrooy whilst Benitez had few real saleable assets.

A brief look at the players bought by the managers costing over £15million is also revealing, Benitez has signed Torres and Mascherano, Ferguson has signed Berbatov, (Tevez pending), Carrick, Nani, Anderson, Hargreaves. Who's really had more money to spend?

By Michael Sinnerton 

Is there ever a point when for the entertainment of the fans two teams should be kept apart in a draw? As a Liverpool fan, unlike the rest of you, I have to sit through another Liverpool Chelsea game, which makes the draw pretty dismal.

Predictions

You have to fancy Arsenal to beat Villarreal, who are a very good team but are ultimately limited. Arsenal too have inherent weaknesses and may struggle to win at El Madrigal but should have enough at the Emirates where they have yet to concede in the Champions League this season. Also playing into the Gunners hands is Villarreal's similar brand of football and the return from injury of so many important players.

A draw in Spain but a win at home.

Manchester United will beat Porto, who if the Spanish press are to be believed are only in the quarter-finals because of a crazy decision by Atletico Madrid not to start top-scorer Diego Forlan in the second leg. United have way too much quality for this tie and will win at home. If they win comfortably the away leg will probably be a draw, otherwise United may win in Porto as well.

2-0 at home and 0-0 away.

Liverpool v Chelsea. If the second leg was at Anfield, Liverpool would win this tie, if Scolari was at the Bridge, Liverpool would win this tie. But I digress wistfully, because I've not got a clue. This is for me the tightest of the draws, Hiddink memorably won the European Cup with PSV without winning a game from the quarters onwards. So, not that you did, but don't expect goals. Two tight affairs with the managers trying to control every single details, not for the purists.

Liverpool to win on penalties.

Barcelona to do list for the Quarter Finals.

- Attack

- Mark Franck Ribery (*maybe tap him up)

The Catalans have way too much going forward for Bayern and should win well enough at home to be relatively comfortable for the return leg.

A win by two clear goals at the Nou Camp and a draw in Germany.

A quick semi-final prediction. No point in predicting the winners if I don't get the participants right.

Barcelona to beat Liverpool. Manchester United to beat Arsenal.

Barcelona to beat Manchester United (football fans everywhere to celebrate)