1. This wasn’t a round of Premier League fixtures: it was the world’s best attended leaving do. Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen, Steve Harper, Rafa Benitez and Mark Halsey were all saying goodbye.
2. Fergie won’t be forgetting his final game in management for a while. Manchester United’s draw with West Brom – SAF’s first ever 5-5 – was a timely reminder that you’ve never seen it all in football.
3. Richard Scudamore will be cursing the Premier League fixture computer for pairing Arsenal and Tottenham with Newcastle and Sunderland on the final day. The Champions League qualification denouement had about as many twists and turns as a Roman road. read more »
Following the news that David Beckham is to hang up his boots at the end of the season, OTP explores some of the standout moments of the ex-England captain’s career.
1. The free-kick against Greece
Having already ran around like a man possessed to play Greece almost by himself for most of the match, Becks sent Wembley into delirium with this late free-kick to ensure England’s automatic qualification for the 2002 World Cup. read more »
1. Chelsea know how to win these trophies against the run of play. They were inferior to Benfica for huge chunks of this match, but Bayern Munich will testify that counts for little.
2. “Winners of Europe’s second most prestigious club competition, we know what we are” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
3. Rafa Benitez coaches Fernando Torres to pace and muscle his way past a team in red including a Serbian called Nemanja. Deja vu… read more »
With the dust about to settle on another Premier League season, OTP looks at the top-flight teams’ dodgiest transfer investments.
1. Chris Samba (QPR)
QPR’s super-heavyweight defender tops our list after his arrival in January. Brought in to bolster the R’s brittle defence, he succeeded only in adding an extra dimension of calamity. The Loftus Road faithful should have known trouble was afoot when, amid controversy about his transfer fee and wages, Samba began making excuses about his match fitness. read more »
1. Old Trafford gave a great goodbye to Sir Alex Ferguson. Prawn sandwiches were pushed aside to create some serious atmosphere.
2. Quitting works. Both Manchester United and Everton got good home wins to say goodbye to departing managers.
3. It was a bittersweet weekend for Wigan. They upset the odds to win the FA Cup, but nobody was in the mood to do them any favours in the Premier League yesterday. read more »
