So it was an even worse week than usual. Ok, there were some surprise results but generally it was pitiful, some panelists only picked up one point and even most of our outside contributors struggled despite showing us up in recent weeks.

On behalf of all of us, I’d like to point out that the Premier League is more evenly balanced than it has been for a while (see Kevin’s blog) so we have a slight excuse….

Mitch Phillips was the only one to come out of the weekend with any credit, leaping into second spot after getting two scores bang on including West Ham 2-2 Arsenal, which sadly for the rest of us was a double-pointer.

To avoid a plethora of emails from Mitch and to keep it tight at the top, we will let his prediction of a draw in Wolves v Villa stand despite him sending in his entry after the match had started!

Here are the updated scores:

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 92, Mitch Phillips 81, Paul Radford 79, Simon Evans 71, Mike Collett 70, Kevin Fylan 66, Miles Evans 63, Julien Pretot 59, Mark Meadows 50, Asia Sports Desk 48, Neil Maidment 44, Justin Palmer 36, Martyn Herman 10, Soxley (newbie) 2

Mark Meadows

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A game between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of football’s great fixtures and it has recently been given additional spice by a number of clashes between the managers.

Much has been said and written about the verbal jousting between Rafael Benitez and Alex Ferguson and at the moment the Scot is losing both on and off the field.

Ferguson is by far the most successful manager in the Premier League but Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool suggests he is now helpless and out of ideas when he crosses swords with his Spanish opponent, who was calm and collected before the game.

Ferguson said after the match there was a “wounded animal aspect to the game” given Liverpool’s recent poor run but their victory may also have been the result of a growing confidence among Benitez’s side when it comes to meeting United. 

After losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool last season, United needed a different approach when visiting Anfield on Sunday but their display was a case of déjà vu.

The game was won by Liverpool’s team effort, by the passionate Anfield crowd but also by Benitez’s ability to rediscover United’s weaknesses (Rio Ferdinand?).

PHOTO: Liverpool’s manager Rafa Benitez (L) and his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson gesture during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, October 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool has again exposed the chinks in the Premier League champions’ armour, notably their defensive frailties against top level opposition.

While United overcame Rio Ferdinand’s howler in a 4-3 win over City in the Manchester derby, the England centre back’s lack of pace and cutting edge cost Alex Ferguson’s side dearly against Liverpool.

The ease with which a half-fit Fernando Torres got away from Ferdinand to score Liverpool’s opening goal will have raised not only Ferguson’s eyebrows, but also given Fabio Capello a headache.

Is Ferdinand, who has looked completely at sea in the heart of United’s defence this season and had a nightmare of a game in England’s 1-0 defeat by Ukraine, going through just a temporary loss of form or are his best days behind him?

Ferguson has no world class cover for Ferdinand in his squad and his decision to let Gerard Pique return to Barcelona after United’s 2008 Champions League triumph might come back to haunt him. That is if it hasn’t already…Pique stopped United from taking the lead in the 2009 final while Ferdinand was at fault for Barcelona’s second goal in the 2-0 defeat by the Spanish champions.

England’s potential rivals in the 2010 World Cup will also be rubbing their hands over Ferdinand becoming a liability and while Capello must hope he rediscovers his form, the Italian might also want to consider an alternative partner to John Terry in the centre of England’s defence.

PHOTO: Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (front) outmuscles Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand to score during their English Premier League match at Anfield, Oct 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool’s run of four straight defeats has generated a lot of discussion about what has gone wrong, but precious little about how to put it right, aside from the suggestion that it might be nice to see Kenny Dalglish back in the dugout.

So let’s leave aside for a moment Rafa’s handling of big players and whether he should have kept hold of Sami Hyypia and Xabi Alonso, and consider what the club’s next moves should be.

As many have noted, without Fernando Torres they look impossibly ordinary in attack, and when Andriy Voronin was brought on with a few minutes to go against Lyon it seemed to many fans an indictment of the Spanish coach’s transfer dealings.

Certainly Liverpool could do with another top class forward but with money short the chances of them landing David Villa or someone similar in the transfer window are remote. And in any case, I’m not sure pitching in a player like Villa at the halfway stage of the season would provide the answer.

What Liverpool really need is a player with a touch of gravitas, the sort of performer who can command respect from team mates and opponents alike, can put his foot on the ball, weigh up the options and give players around him a lift.

Arguably the best signing Gerard Houllier made, apart from Hyppia, was Gary McAllister. The Scot was 35 when he moved to Anfield yet he still had a profound effect on the team, playing an instrumental role in the run to the Cup treble of 2000-01 and, more importantly, the club’s first qualification for the Champions League.

How Benitez could do with a player cut from the same cloth. But where should he turn?

David Beckham might have been a solution — well, Michael Owen did sign for United, after all – but the England man seems set for another stint with AC Milan.

He is no McAllister, but in the absence of such a player Liverpool might consider making a bid for Rafael van der Vaart, a player with the same sort of quality on the ball and the experience of leading a team during his time at Hamburg SV.

He is currently warming the bench at Real Madrid and might jump at a chance to show what he can do in the Premier League.

But if not the Dutchman, who would you suggest? They certainly need to find inspiration from somewhere, as they contemplate the possibility of falling 10 points behind Manchester United on Sunday.

TUESDAY UPDATE:

The scores are in and it hasn’t been quite as bad a week as usual for most of the Reuters Panel. Still, we’re not tearing up any trees, as the big man would have said, so still plenty of chance to make us look like fools. Here’s the updated table:

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 89, Paul Radford 77, Simon Evans 71 (shocker), Kevin Fylan 65, Mike Collett 64 (outstanding performance), Mitch Phillips 62 (another shocker), Miles Evans 60, Julien Pretot 57, Neil Maidment 43, Mark Meadows 42, Justin Palmer 36, Asia Sports Desk 35, Martyn Herman 7

Don’t forget to let us know your scores in the comments section, if you haven’t done so already. Remember: five points for getting the score on the nose; one point for the right result but wrong score.

Kevin Fylan

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If you are suffering a post-World Cup qualification hangover then fear not, the Reuters Soccer Blog Premier League predictions contest is back!

While Diego Maradona was sliding on his belly, our panel of so called experts were licking their wounds after a distinctly average few weeks with one notable exception.

Patrick Johnston had a stormer last time out to jump to the top of the standings. But like everything in football, controversy is never far away.

His stunning performance prompted Asia Sports Desk to sign Patrick in a multi-million pound transfer, leaving the predictions league referees with a real quandary.

When he goes off to work in Singapore, do we allow him to continue as an individual panel member or should he be consumed by Asia Sports Desk’s combined team?

Bottom side Asia are hoping they can steal his points but as yet no decision has been taken.

With some tough matches to call this weekend, Asia could well find themselves further adrift although bonus points will be awarded if their prediction that Burnley will have two players sent off in Sunday’s derby at Blackburn Rovers comes true.

Former contest leader Simon Evans and I are from East Lancashire and we know how niggly a Blackburn-Burnley derby can get…on and off the pitch.

So while maid streaks ahead among our outside contributors, here are the running scores for the panel with this weekend’s matches and predictions underneath. Please have a go yourself in the comments and let us know how you are doing.

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 76, Simon Evans 68, Paul Radford 63, Mitch Phillips 59, Kevin Fylan 56, Mike Collett 50, Julien Pretot 48, Miles Evans 47, Neil Maidment 43, Mark Meadows 38, Justin Palmer 36, Asia Sports Desk 28

Saturday
Aston Villa v Chelsea: Patrick Johnston 1-1, Simon Evans 1-1, Paul Radford 1-2, Mitch Phillips 1-2, Kevin Fylan 1-2, Mike Collett 0-2, Julien Pretot 1-3, Miles Evans 1-2, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 0-1, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 1-1, Martyn Herman (very late new entrant) 1-2

Arsenal v Birmingham City: Patrick Johnston 3-1, Simon Evans 3-0, Paul Radford 4-0, Mitch Phillips 1-1, Kevin Fylan 3-0, Mike Collett 3-1, Julien Pretot 3-0, Miles Evans 2-0, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 3-0, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 4-1, Martyn Herman 4-0

Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers: Patrick Johnston 3-1, Simon Evans 2-0, Paul Radford 2-0, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mike Collett 2-0, Julien Pretot 1-0, Miles Evans 4-0, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-0, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 2-0, Martyn Herman 1-0

Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Simon Evans 3-1, Paul Radford 2-0, Mitch Phillips 1-1, Kevin Fylan 2-1, Mike Collett 3-0, Julien Pretot 4-1, Miles Evans 1-0, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-0, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 4-0, Martyn Herman 3-1

Portsmouth v Tottenham Hotspur: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Simon Evans 1-1, Paul Radford 1-2, Mitch Phillips 0-2, Kevin Fylan 0-2, Mike Collett 0-1, Julien Pretot 1-2, Miles Evans 2-2, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-3, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 0-1, Martyn Herman 1-1

Stoke City v West Ham United: Patrick Johnston 1-0, Simon Evans 2-2, Paul Radford 2-1, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mike Collett 2-1, Julien Pretot 1-0, Miles Evans 1-0, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-2, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 2-0, Martyn Herman 2-1

Sunderland v Liverpool: Patrick Johnston 1-1, Simon Evans 0-2, Paul Radford 2-0, Mitch Phillips 0-2, Kevin Fylan 3-0, Mike Collett 0-0, Julien Pretot 2-3, Miles Evans 1-1, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-1, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 1-2, Martyn Herman 0-1

Sunday
Blackburn Rovers v Burnley: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Simon Evans 1-2, Paul Radford 1-1, Mitch Phillips 1-1, Kevin Fylan 0-0, Mike Collett 2-0, Julien Pretot 2-0, Miles Evans 1-3, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-1, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 2-0 (Burnley down to nine men), Martyn Herman 2-2

Wigan Athletic v Manchester City: Patrick Johnston 1-3, Simon Evans 0-1, Paul Radford 1-3, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mike Collett 1-1, Julien Pretot 1-2, Miles Evans 1-1, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 0-2, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 2-2, Martyn Herman 0-2

Monday
Fulham v Hull City: Patrick Johnston 3-0, Simon Evans 3-0, Paul Radford 1-0, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Kevin Fylan, Mike Collett 2-1, Julien Pretot 1-1, Miles Evans 2-0, Neil Maidment, Mark Meadows 1-0, Justin Palmer, Asia Sports Desk 3-1, Martyn Herman 0-0

PHOTO: A fan sits in the stands at Turf Moor stadium ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley and Everton in Burnley August 23, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

The Ballon d’Or shortlist was announced on Sunday, but what about the Ballon de Plage? Liverpool’s inflatable nemesis must surely get a category of its own in the end-of-season awards.

Sunderland’s absurd winning goal at the Stadium of Light was symbolic not just of Liverpool’s woes but of a season that just keeps rattling along in ever more gloriously unpredictable style.

Here are a few reasons why this might just be the best Premier League season ever, or at least for quite a while.

1. Big Four? What Big Four? The worst thing about the Premier League, everyone said before the start of the season, was that you could always predict the top four. I wouldn’t put much money on it being the same old same old this time. Liverpool look especially vulnerable after losing four games already this season but the others have had their unconvincing moments as well.

2. Vaulting ambitions. Manchester City have serious aspirations to make the Champions League and there are a few others hoping to join them. Tottenham look to have a new confidence about them after spending a lot of money, and most of it wisely, and Aston Villa have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea.

3. Goals galore. Arsenal have scored 27 goals, conceding 11, in eight games and they are only fourth. Liverpool, for all the problems that have seen them slip to eighth place, have bagged 22, while conceding 13. At the same stage last season, Arsenal had scored 16 and conceded six, while Liverpool, top at the time, had scored 14 and conceded six.

4. Greatest. Upset. Ever. Burnley beating Manchester United 1-0 at Turf Moor in their first home game back in the top flight in 33 years. Who would have predicted that?

5. Hardly any draws. When England’s league introduced three points for a win back in 1981 the idea was it would inspire a lot more risk-taking by teams. It was slow to catch on elsewhere but eventually the rest of the world came round and 28 years on we are seeing the benefit. This year, we’ve had 10 draws. At the same stage last year (more or less) we’d had 19 of them. 

6. Wigan Athletic. And Sunderland. And Stoke City. And Burnley (again). Roberto Martinez is back at Wigan, now as coach, and he’s stuck with the ball-playing philosophy. It hasn’t been totally successful — just look at the Hull defeat — but they have beaten Chelsea and are winning a lot of admirers. Sunderland can point to even better results, reward for playing two up front even against the best, while Stoke continue to be utterly fearless at home and Burnley like to pass it as well.

So what do you think? Best. Premier League. Ever? Let us know in the comments.

Oh, almost forgot. Reason number 7. We now know what happened to Nena’s 100th red balloon. (Or beachball, if you prefer). Altogether now… “Hast Du etwas Zeit fuer mich/Dann singe Ich ein Lied fuer Dich/Von 99 Luftballons…”

PHOTO: Sunderland’s Darren Bent (R) shoots to score against Liverpool, October 17, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Manchester United have a rich tradition of developing precocious young talents and relying on them to do a job that could be considered beyond their years.

But despite a squad packed to the rafters with players under the age of 25, United fans are hailing the evergreen talents of a 35-year-old left winger and eagerly anticipating the return of a reliable Dutch keeper three years his senior.

The two men could be crucial to their hopes of a fourth consecutive Premier League crown.

Ryan Giggs has arguably been United’s best player this season, while Edwin van der Sar will be welcomed back by many fans who have been less-than impressed by England keeper Ben Foster’s start to the campaign.

Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, a World-Player-of-the-Year-sized hole has been left in the United set-up. The Portuguese wizard made a habit of conjuring goals from nothing and rescuing points that had long-since been given up.

While Wayne Rooney has done his bit to plug the goal-scoring gap, netting seven times in United’s early season skirmishes, it is Giggs who has stepped up to the plate when the Red Devils have found themselves in trouble.

He may not have the scorching pace of his youth - that departed long ago - but he still retains that precious ability to change a game.

Already this season, in matches against Tottenham, Stoke and Wolfsburg, where he grabbed his 150th goal for the club, the Welshman has hauled his side out of danger with crucial goals and important assists.

There were times last season when some United fans were suggesting he was past his best and should step aside, but the dissenting voices have now slipped back into the woodwork and been replaced by near universal admiration.

At the other end of the pitch, United have conceded goals at a rate that will undoubtedly have bothered Sir Alex Ferguson, as demanding a manager as they come.

Foster has been heir apparent to Van der Sar since a successful loan spell at Vicarage Road thrust him into the limelight, but United fans remain unconvinced he will claim the role long-term. One United blogger suggests it is possible he could be shipped out of Old Trafford all together before long.

England fans worried by the lack of an obvious successor to David James will hope Foster’s recent mistakes are little more than a hiccup and a good run of form in the run-up to this summer’s World Cup will see him book a place in the England squad.

Whether or not his place on the plane to South Africa is deserved or just an indictment of England’s current crop of keepers, only time will tell.

And if Giggs and Van der Sar are anything to go by, he will have plenty of time to prove his doubters wrong.

PHOTO: Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs gestures during a training session at the club’s Carrington training complex in Manchester, September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Arsene Wenger has not collected trophies quite as greedily as his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson but in terms of his impact on English football he has no equal.

Ferguson transformed an under-achieving United into the most succesful club in English football but Wenger has set the benchmark for modern-day club football in terms of style.

Like the great Dutch sides of yesteryear, Arsenal’s players, whichever part of the globe they come from, are schooled in Wenger’s philosophy of pure football, one-touch passing and dazzling counter-attacking.

They have evolved from a side built on the traditional English assets of power, grit and workrate to become among the slickest footballing teams in Europe. On their day they are the best team in the world to watch and are a textbook for how the game should be played.

Wenger became Arsenal’s longest-serving manager on Thursday and his latest squad appears equal to anything that has gone before. Great managers are judged on their ability to rebuild teams when key players either get too old or move on and both Wenger and Ferguson are masters at it.

Despite a good start to the season for United, it still looks like the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo might return to haunt them.

Arsenal, though, have Andrei Arshavin quickly establishing himself as the new darling of the fans following Thierry Henry’s move while ball-playing defender Thomas Vermaelen is making his mark. The Gunners are oozing potential.

Wenger appears to have crafted another great squad and with Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott on the way back from injuries, this could be the season that the Frenchman starts collecting silverware again after four trophy-less years…

PHOTO: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger addresses a news conference in Liege, September 15, 2009. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Manchester United played Stoke City off the park on Saturday yet for 62 minutes they lacked the cutting edge to turn their superiority into goals.

Enter Ryan Giggs.

The veteran Welshman was introduced as a substitute for the often infuriating Nani after 57 minutes and took just five more to provide the pass from which Dimitar Berbatov broke the
deadlock.

He then teed up John O’Shea for United’s second with a pinpoint free kick.

When Cristiano Ronaldo departed for Real Madrid, the spotlight turned on Nani and new recruit Antonio Valencia to fill his boots.

But Giggs, the club’s record appearance maker, is proving that there is no substitute for class and know-how.

Gone are the days when his twinkle toes would leave defenders swinging at thin air, but the 35-year-old’s value to Alex Ferguson’s squad is still immeasurable.

Giggs appears to have an uncanny ability to read a football match, to unlock a defence with a simple pass. He made three of United’s four goals against Manchester City last week and his two assists against Wigan Athletic helped his side go back to the top of the Premier League.

He could again be United’s trump card this season as they try to win a fourth consecutive title and reclaim the Champions League and its no wonder that Ferguson has always treated him like a favourite son.

Few players in the history of the club have endured as long as Giggs and, treated carefully, there appears no reason why he cannot continue at the top level for another couple of seasons.

In the meantime, Nani and Valencia should look and learn and remember the old adage that football is essentially a simple game too often made complicated.

PHOTO: Manchester United’s John O’Shea celebrates scoring against Stoke City with Ryan Giggs during their English Premier League match, Sept. 26, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

We’ll be updating the points to the prediction league on Tuesday after Manchester City v West Ham later so please check back to see how appallingly badly we’ve all done.

Personally I was very pleased with Portsmouth 0-1 Everton which gave me a full five points, especially given my dismal showing so far.

Chipking reckons he’s had a bad week so he needs something spectacular up at Eastlands but spare a thought for Paul Radford and Kevin’s Dad who both said Liverpool 6-0 Hull.

Why did Geovanni bother to score one goal for Hull? Could he not have saved it for a game where they didn’t concede six?

PHOTO: Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (R) shoots past Hull City’s Ibrahima Sonko to score during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, September 26, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble