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gone mad even before they met at the Emirates. It had a ludicrous ring after Arsene Wenger's team delivered emphatic evidence of the gulf that still exists.

Keane had added time to consider his ill-judged elevation of Spurs' aspirations when he was removed early from an encounter that was .

Nothing wrong with talking up your team, but Keane learned a harsh lesson that it is always best to talk big after first backing up your words with deeds.

Spurs failed to do that and the Emirates, unsurprisingly, battered Keane over the head with all the derision at its command when he was removed after 65 minutes.

The big surprise came as Spurs boss Harry Redknapp sat in the Arsenal media theatre and refused to believe the evidence of his own eyes, announcing: "There is no gap between the clubs in my opinion."

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Rafael Benitez's twin boyhood passions were football and a Spanish military board game called "Stratego" - both appealing to his calculating mind and analytical approach.

So when faced with a simple calculation on the coach journey to Anfield to face Manchester United, Benitez weighed up the odds and took a gamble that could shape Liverpool's season.

Liverpool's figures of influence, from Kenny Dalglish and to , had formed an orderly queue to insist the club's worst run in 22 years had not shaken belief in Benitez.

But this most singular man, with an astonishing ability to polarise opinion, knew a fifth successive loss was not an option as he considered the appeal of playing Fernando Torres, despite a groin injury that left the Spain striker short of fitness.

"He was not 100% fit or fresh but sometimes 80% of Fernando can make a difference," said Benitez. So the decision was made after a conversation between the pair on the team coach - and as the circus left town in search of a fresh crisis with skies darkening over Anfield on Sunday, Benitez's brinksmanship had struck again.

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Mick McCarthy wore the expression of a man who had just been robbed - or to be more precise a man who had just seen Kevin Doyle robbed.

, Wolves manager McCarthy found himself navigating his way through the minefield of football's morals.

As Wolves fans filed away from Molineux past the Billy Wright statue, satisfied with a point against Aston Villa, McCarthy was perched high above them struggling to get to grips with the concept of being penalised for honesty.

The ethical dilemma was the result of Doyle's "refusal" to hit the deck while being manhandled - - by Villa defender Richard Dunne.

Doyle stayed on his feet despite Dunne's close attention, perhaps persuading referee Peter Walton not to point to the spot. It all happened in the opening minutes and may have put a different shape on a game that too often matched the dreary Molineux weather.

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In between brickbats aimed at Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and beach balls hurled at Pepe Reina by goading Manchester United fans, something Sir Alex Ferguson calls "The Game" will break out at Anfield.

- in a faintly surreal development - .

and the current criticism, much justified but some downright hysterical, surrounding Rafael Benitez makes them even less important this Sunday.

Benitez's circumstances are clear enough. He needs to end Liverpool's worst run since 1987 swiftly, and while a meeting with Manchester United provides danger it also provides opportunity and the best possible chance to blow away the clouds of crisis.

And yet, in among the politics and behind-the-scenes pantomime that has replaced what used to be called "The Liverpool Way", it should not be ignored that the champions have not always been convincing themselves this season.

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Rafael Benitez wore the haunted look of a man who had just heard the first sounds of revolt inside Anfield - a loud and clear signal that pressure is mounting on Liverpool's manager.

Benitez, even in his times of greatest turbulence, has always been able to call on the unswerving support of the majority of Liverpool's fans, with many even prepared to take to the streets in a show of loyalty when life got tough.

So it was a moment of some significance and a sign of the times when Benitez was the target for Anfield's anger during the Champions League defeat against Lyon, a reverse that threatens their long-term ambitions in the tournament and capped their worst sequence of results since April 1987.

When Benitez inexplicably removed Liverpool's most dangerous performer, goalscorer Yossi Benayoun, and sent on Andriy Voronin with five minutes remaining and the game poised at 1-1, .

Lyon punished this flawed logic as Cesar Delgado rounded off a depressing evening by sliding in a stoppage-time winner -

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England's impressive World Cup qualification campaign under coach Fabio Capello ended with a routine victory over Belarus at Wembley.

The defeat against Ukraine was the only blemish as established a solid platform for England's bid to win the World Cup in South Africa next summer.

Capello is already plotting a path to World Cup success - but who will he take with him to South Africa in a bid to justify England's status as one of the showpiece's main threats?

Here we examine Capello's England contenders and see where they stand when it comes to stamping their passport to South Africa.

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allows him to publicly outline plans to adopt "Style A, Style B or Style C" without fear of reducing his assembled audience to laughter.

Capello, , held court at Arsenal's London Colney training headquarters before and explained how flexibility will be a crucial factor in South Africa.

Heady days indeed for seasoned , even with the benefit of a high-intensity microscope, and a small insight into Capello's meticulous methods.

Capello gets the chance to implement one of his alternative strategies against Belarus - but it is one he will never want to use again in competitive combat, especially if England harbour serious hopes of winning the World Cup next summer.

Namely, it is the plan that forces Capello to make allowances for the absence of an injured Wayne Rooney. No Rooney for an experimental qualifier is one thing. No Rooney for a World Cup game is another.

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Rio Ferdinand displayed a highly tuned sense of foreboding on the eve of England's World Cup qualfier against Ukraine when .

Ferdinand's concerns centred on fitness as opposed to form - as befits a player who was starting only his third England game in 12 months and had played just 14 of the last 40 competitive games for his country and Manchester United before this international.

Form and fitness go hand in hand at the highest level, however, and Capello's iron glare will be fixed even more firmly on Ferdinand after he was once again caught short as .

Ferdinand's actual exclusion from England's squad is the unlikeliest of prospects unless he is struck down by injury again, but the pressure is mounting on a player for so long regarded as untouchable in the first-choice line-up.

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David James is hooked on television series - but even that particular drama might struggle to match some of the harrowing storylines Portsmouth's England goalkeeper has been forced to cope with this season.

James was in danger of being last man standing as Pompey , briefly gained a new owner, then stood on the precipice after it was revealed players had not been paid.

So it was understandable that James was able to relax and finally enjoy moments of reflection in the opulent surroundings of England's Hertfordshire hideaway after life finally took a turn for the better.

Portsmouth ended a run of seven straight Premier League defeats with , , those missing pay packets finally appeared and James was back with England.

If those outside Fratton Park regarded Portsmouth's problems as a little local difficulty, the next question facing this most rounded of individuals is of major national importance.

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- but the Manchester City revolution he chose to join looks increasingly like the genuine article.

when his long-stated ambition to play Champions League football was shelved in order to join a club that could not offer him any form of European football.

, from the derision as he stepped off the Manchester City team bus after it pulled into Villa Park on Monday evening to fans waving wads of counterfeit cash in his direction.

Barry drew applause from many respectful Villa fans, but as the bus pulled away after an entertaining game between two teams with designs on breaking up the Premier League's top four cartel, he will have had no reason to regret his move.

Villa, bursting with energy and endeavour, had that top-six look. Manchester City, with some defensive fine tuning, resembled a side and a squad that can seriously threaten the Premier League's established order.

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- if Rafael Benitez's agitated and animated body language is an accurate guide - was a massive source of irritation to Liverpool. And that was just when he was lying motionless on the Stamford Bridge turf.

Drogba, a bizarre mixture of toe-curling amateur dramatics and fearsome attacking threat, was even more of a nuisance when upright, on his feet and punching holes in Liverpool's Premier League title credentials.

The Ivorian's contest with was billed as a heavyweight confrontation wrapped within Chelsea and Liverpool's battle to make an early statement of intent to challenge Manchester United's domestic domination.

There was only one winner. Drogba may spend more time on the deck than any glass-jawed boxer, but while the subdued Torres barely laid a glove on Chelsea.

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Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez have history. From to - two Champions League finals between AC Milan and Liverpool with honours even.

Chelsea and Liverpool's players will also have something in common at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, other than the annual pursuit of Manchester United at the Premier League summit.

and Steven Gerrard will lead out two sets of players with the angry words of their respective managers still ringing in their ears after an uncomfortable week at home and abroad.

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