Why Manchester City may be excluded from Europe, banning Fergie from the Man United bench, Ian Wright vs Alan Hansen & Liverpool, Man Utd & Blackburn battle for Diarra

Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: Finishing fourth last season shows Spurs have improved a lot and I hope this season we are going to finish even higher, maybe even win the Premier League. We just have to believe in ourselves. We have got young players with great quality. They just have to believe in their capacity to do something and I hope we can achieve this Tottenham are ready for the Champions League, even though they lost the first game against Young Boys. I saw that match and the team showed character to come back. I am confident we will win tomorrow because all the players know its very important to play in the Champions League. William Gallas.

Runner-up: Javier Mascherano is not in the right frame of mind at the moment to play the game because his head has been turned by the offer from Barcelona. The fee that the club thinks is the correct fee and one that has been offered are very far apart and unless that can be resolved he might be unhappy for a long time. Im not going to get involved in that. The discussions between the club and Barcelona are being held at high club level We are only two matches into the season. We had Arsenal in the first game which we had to play with 10 men [after Joe Cole's sending-off] and then a strong Manchester City side. Its a bit premature to start discussing how big the match is. Hopefully in the next 36 games we can take some points. Roy Hodgson.

Cry-baby of the day: Roy Hodgson, who replaced Rafael Benitez, is changing the organization of the club and is trying to encourage English players ahead of foreign ones, unlike his predecessor. He clearly stated he wanted to remake Liverpool into an English club. I love the club, but if the situation requires me to go, I will. Im not asking to contest a full season in the first team. Im just d! emanding a fair opportunity to train, then later have a little game time. This is a logical progression and if I stay with the reserves, it is the brake. I hope to find a new club. Liverpool are not keen to loan me. Liverpool youngster Chris-Mavinga.

Todays overview: A 3-nil defeat of Liverpool on Monday night has allowed the fifth estate the chance to gush praise onto Manchester City. In doing so their lofty ambitions and English core is flagged up, while its left to Matt Scott to reign in the love-in by exposing how the Eastlands spending policy is courting a European ban from Uefa.

On Liverpool, daggers are drawn on Javier Mascherano with Jamie Redknapp getting particularly personal over the Argentines absence against City. Mascherano though looks set to jump ship with a move to Barcelona seemingly imminent.

There are a cluster of interesting op-eds to chew over.

Terence Blackers sarcastic open letter to the 2018 World Cup delegates is a fun read, Sir Alex Fergusons refusal to speak to the BBC is criticised by James Lawton, while Ian Wright attacks Alan Hansen for his public dressing down of Theo Walcott.

In the transfers its a busy day at Anfield, Spurs are again linked with an ex-Arsenal player, Robinhos departure from Man City is complicated, with the Daily Mail appear to get confused over the future of Mahmadou Diarra.

Finishing things off, Mark Odgen brings attention to the Carling Cup wondering why the big-boys still manage to avoid playing in the early rounds.

Chorus City & Monster Masch: After Manchester Citys 3-nil hammering of Liverpool on Monday night, two strands develop in the backpages. One, that the Citizens have now shown off their capabilities. Two, Liverpool have troubles.

Kevin McCarra touches on both angles. Manchester City did far more than take their first Premier League victory of! this ca mpaign. They claimed the win by the sort of margin associated with sides who are viewed as credible candidates for the major prizes. Luck also went against Liverpool here on occasion, but the home crowd had its glimpse of the spectacle that is now demanded here. In patches at least, the flow and danger were obvious. Time, too, is in the side that is clearly taking shape.

Picking out Citys stars was Daniel Taylor. James Milner had an excellent debut, Adam Johnson put in maybe his best performance since joining the club and it could not be said Carlos Tevezs second-half goals flattered Manchester City. Roberto Mancinis team played with width and penetration and, once they had sensed Liverpools vulnerabilities (of which there were many), they set about exposing them, not once afflicted by the kind of self-anxiety we have been accustomed to seeing on this ground.

Henry Winter was impressed with Citys Englishman. The Blue Moon rising last night cast an encouraging light on England. Gareth Barry, looking more svelte-like than usual, delivered a heavyweight performance in central midfield, powering forward to score Citys first and also putting in some important tackles. He was named man of the match but the sponsors bubbly could easily have gone to Adam Johnson, who had Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel spinning like feathers in a wind tunnel. Over on the left flank, James Milner constantly stretched Liverpool and was such a thorn in their side that Steven Gerrard grew increasingly frustrated and eventually began chipping away at Citys new boy. Micah Richards, particularly, and Joleon Lescott also impressed while Joe Hart made saves from David Ngog and Fernando Torres that confirmed why he deserved the fans salute of Englands No 1.

Turning to the Merseysiders, Sam Wallace picks apart the Scousers. Liverpool are not just failing to buy, they are also becoming a selling club. Mascheranos absence was telling last night but it is the symbolism of his departure that is another blow to the status of th! e club. Once upon a time in the history of this club the notion that a player would not be in the right frame of mind to play for Liverpool as Hodgson described the Argentine last night would have been anathema Martin Skrtel was badly-exposed by Adam Johnson, first when he drew the Slovakian into a foul that resulted in an early booking and then won a penalty from him in the second half. Fernando Torres was substituted before the end of the match having hardly made a mark on the game.

Jamie Redknapp criticises Javier Mascheranos non-appearance at Eastlands. Maybe Javier Macherano must have forgotten where he was when Liverpool came to sign him in West Hams reserves. They salvaged his career. How does he repay them? By refusing to play last night. Hes a good player, not a great one, but hes certainly not a good man.

The Expresss Richard Tanner then injects some tabloid hype into the mix barking Mascherano went AWOL last night after Barcelona had a 12million offer for him turned down by Liverpool.

Ban the Bucks: Manchester City are known for never doing things the easy way. So, on a day where they are the toast of the Premier League, Matt Scott reveals how just around the corner an impending Champions League banning order waits.

Scott: Uefa rules state that in order to play in European competition clubs must not have aggregate losses of more than 45m over the three seasons from 201112. Bear in mind that City recorded a turnover of 87m in the 12 months to May last year and that this summer they have spent 126m on new players. Under normal accounting procedures, the cost of those players will be spread out, or amortised, over the terms of their contracts Even if City sign no more players, most of the 38 current players will remain on the clubs books, costing City upwards of 75m in amortisation fees alone in the 2011-12 season. Admittedly, that number is imprecise, having been calculated from figures and contract lengths widely reported at the time of signings but if it is ! close th en Citys transfer activity is a time bomb that, even if it buys domestic success, could lead to them being banned from the Champions League.

World Cup 2018: All the papers report on how the Fifa World Cup delegation have arrived in England to fact-find whether the British bid is up to scratch. While the general undercurrent is that the English bid is strong, Henry Winter was left cursing the men-in-suits first day in Blighty.

Winter: They should have left the limos in the Park Lane garage, skipped another presentation video from the FA and hot-footed it to Eastlands The Fifa Six should have been here in the rain as a Premier League game beamed around the world got underway, experiencing the electric atmosphere generated by two sets of famously diehard supporters. The unique beauty of Englands case for 2018 lies in the stands of Eastlands not in the sumptuous surrounds of the Dorchesters dining rooms.

Taking a different angle, Terence Blacker delivers a tongue-in-cheek open letter explaining why England should host the World Cup. Our fans are at ease with foreigners, having realised that the fewer English players a team has, the more likely it is to win matches not being English is now an important part of the English game. In 2018, English fans watching two teams of foreigners playing against one another will find it entirely natural. Supporters also know how to enjoy themselves. There is no dreary blowing of vuvuzelas. Anyone trying to start a Mexican wave is likely to get beaten up. Instead, a glorious musical tradition, forever changing and developing, is celebrated with such classics as F*** off, Spurs/ F*** off, Spurs/ F*** off, Spurs, Did the Ripper get your mum? and F*** all, youre gonna win f*** all.

Lastly on an England footing, Sam Wallace claims that Mikel Arteta will not be selected for the Three Lions despite his ava! ilabilit y while hopes are high that Paul Scholes could be talked out of international retirement.

Fining Fergie: After years of Sir Alex Ferguson snubbing the BBC for personal reasons, it now looks as if the Manchester United manager is set to pay the price. Back-pocket style.

As reported by Daniel Taylor, Sir Alex Ferguson faces a series of escalating fines, beginning with a punishment in the region of 1,000, after maintaining his boycott of the BBC in direct opposition to new Premier League rules Ferguson is worth around 22m and the 68-year-old is said to be largely unmoved by the threat of comparatively small fines. Instead, he has told colleagues he is waiting for an apology before he speaks to the BBC again.

A pissy James Lawton bemoans the issuing of fines, calling for Ferguson to be banned from the dugout. Whatever the rights or wrongs of Fergusons objections, the League is obliged to enforce its regulations or surrender any pretence of authority. If the League is at all concerned about the latter development, it must gather up its nerve and consider imposing a match ban. This would be only slightly less provocative than sending a Trident missile up the Manchester Ship Canal, but surely something has to be done. Otherwise, Ferguson is entitled to believe that he is indeed operating in a world surrounded by pygmies.

Ian Wright vs Alan Hansen: Wrighty, a staunch Arsenal supporter, goes straight for Alan Hansens jugular after the leading Scottish pundit tore into Theo Walcott on Match of the Day. Hansen basically saying the lad is thick which is insulting and very, very wrong. I bet Theo, 21, was staring at the TV thinking what the hell can I do to get people off my back? Now, I know Hansen has a job to do. But he went way over the top. It was harsh, it was unnecessary and it was bang out of order. Im not saying Theo! should be immune to any criticism. He will agree his crossing needs to be worked on. But please, give the guy a break. This is a young English player learning his trade and striving to get better. Yet here we have a bloke like Hansen criticising just for the sake of it.

Done Deals: Arsenal have completed the signing of Sebastien Squillaci, but rather than focus on what the Frenchman may bring to the Gunners defence David Hytner focuses on how the centre-half made his transfer happen.

Hytner: Sebastien Squillaci has already demonstrated a ruthless and single-minded approach in forcing through his 5m move from Sevilla to Arsenal and now the France defender is intent on winning the battle to establish himself in Arsene Wengers team. The 30-year caused uproar last Wednesday when he refused to play for Sevilla in the first-leg of their Champions League play-off against Braga in Portugal, as he did not want to become cup-tied in Europe and so jeopardise his hopes of making the proposed transfer.

Moving on, the Independent announce Wigan have signed former Burnley defender Steven Caldwell on a one-year contract.

Transfer Gossip: Last week it was hinted that Javier Mascherano could stay at Anfield. Now James Callow understands its just an issue on working out the details of the Argentines move to the Nou Camp. The Guardian understands that Barcelona wanted to pay an initial 15m with an extra 5m in appearance-based add-ons. However, the Liverpool manager, Roy Hodgson, is holding out for 25m. A compromise could be a player-plus-cash deal, with Alexander Hleb and Martin Cceres used as makeweights.

Jason Burt counters that Mascherano is a definite goner saying, Liverpool have rejected a bid of 18.8 million plus Alexander Hleb from Barcelona for Javier Mascherano Hodgson is refusing to allow the player to be sold for less than Liverpools 20 million euro valuation.

Its not only outgoings concerning Liverpool, as according to the Telegraph the Reds are near! ing deal s for PSV Eindhovens Ola Toivonen and Carlos Salcido. Yet Liverpool face competition, with the Daily Mail farting that Birmingham are also tracking 2m-rated Salcido as well as Charles NZogbia (9m) and Guillermo Franco.

Spurs have Palacios, Huddlestone and Sandro as present central midfielder options, but according to the Guardian a new high-profile holding midfielder is being courted. Harry Redknapp has made a move to sign Lassana Diarra from Real Madrid and talks with the midfielder are believed to be progressing positively Real do not want to loan the 25-year-old and his value as a permanent transfer would be in the region of 10m.

Robinhos departure from Eastlands is complicated in the Telegraph as we learn Besiktas have agreed a 16m deal with the Citizens but their failure to secure a sponsor to help fund the deal has now opened the door for Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce to lure Robinho to Turkey. French club Lyon are also monitoring Robinhos situation.

So predictable its nauseating, the never-get-it-right Daily Mail continue to peddle transfer lies this Tuesday.

Apparently Sunderland have 15m to spend on West Hams no-more than 10-goals-a-season and penalty-fluffer Carlton Cole while they opt not to spend 12m on Asamoah Gyan. Elsewhere, Chelsea are linked with Inter defender Nicolas Burdisso, Chelsea and Manchester United are named in a silly article about Sergio Aguero and Peter Crouch wont be moving to Stoke.

Lastly in the DM there are two articles on Mahamadou Diarra which dont match up. First were learn that Liverpool are weighing up a free transfer move for Real Madrid midfielder Mahmadou Diarra. But then its reported that Blackburn Rovers are hoping to pull off a shock 6.5million deal for Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra this week if near neighbours Manchester United dont beat them to it.

Moving into the red-tops, The Sun claim ! West Ham have made an 8million bid for Lorient hitman Kevin Gameiro. The Mirror splash with news of a possible Peter Crouch-Steven Pienaar deal, while also claiming Toivenen wont move to Anfield, West Ham are to lose out on Felipe Caicedo because of an admin gaffe, while Fiorentina want Valon Behrami.

Turning to the continent, the Guardian report that AC Milan want Zlatan Ibrahimovic while its believed that Inter Milan have lodged a bid for Liverpools Dirk Kuyt.

Pompey Takeover: In an article so flimsy it could have been written on toilet paper, the Daily Mails no-name reporter farts Portsmouths administrators are studying a 16.5m bid that would make 21-year-old Manchester property entrepreneur Thomas Lever the countrys youngest football club owner.

Carling Crap Cup: A baffled Mark Odgen asks a simple question. Can anyone explain why Chelsea, United and Arsenal continue to benefit from a bye to the third round of the Carling Cup? I know the reason, of course. European qualifiers simply cannot cope with the burden of playing one extra round of the Carling Cup. Thats the theory anyway, but while you can just about understand the absence of Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa from this weeks Carling Cup second round they are all playing in Europe this week, after all there is no justifiable reason for the Champions League trio to take the week off. First of all, none of them play in Europe this week, so their resources are hardly stretched and, secondly, they are three of the most powerful clubs in the country with squads to match, so this is the perfect opportunity to use them.

Bundesliga: Raphael Honigstein reviews week one from the German top flight. Top of the league and having a laugh: Hoffenheim (remember them?) are back. The Bundesligas least organic and financially prudent club ! turned i n the best performance of the opening day, dismantling a shockingly poor Werder Bremen 4-1 in the Rhein-Neckar-Stadion.

The Smut: The Daily Mail detail how Gary Linekers son failed to get the A-Level grades he needed, while The Star announce that Abbey Clancy will take back Peter Crouch provided he gives her a baby.

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