MANCHESTER UNITED CERTS FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS FINAL

Manchester United are bang on course for the Champions League-Premier League double.They won in Germany 2-0 in last night's first leg against Schalke 2-0 with goals by Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.It would have been far bigger but for brilliant German international goalie Manuel Neuer who could well finish up at Old Trafford if he does not choose Bayern Munich.United are absolute certs to get through in the return at Old Trafford to reach the final at Wembley on May 28.Now all eyes on the Arsenal-United Barclays Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday before Schalke play in Manchester three days after that........Meanwhile Real Madrid or Barcelona....got a feeling it will be United v Barcelona.

NEIL LENNON'S GESTURE NOT SMART

Its terrible that a parcel bomb should be sent to any one.I felt so sad for Neil Lennon.I knew the Celtic manager very well when he was a Leicester City player and he is a top guy.It was digusting what he had to experience.But Neil that cupping your ears to Rangers fans last weekend was not as you described "humour".With the mood and re-actions up there I am afraid it was not clever!

QPR ALMOST THERE.NORWICH OR CARDIFF TO JOIN THEM IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE?

Queens Park Rangers are almost in the Premier League.They are certs to go up and deserve to be there.Super job by manager Neil Warnock and star player Adel Taarabt.They have made several key signings.Who will finish second.Norwich hold a slender advantage over Cardiff and I think they will just do it.Football management is a big key.Warnock is proven,Paul Lambert of Norwich has a great future and David Jones has been and done it.By the way am I dreaming or were people calling for Jones to go at Cardiff a little while ago?That is yet another example of showing some patience.Cardiff would not be there now without Jones at their helm

ARSENE WENGER'S SIXTH SEASON WITHOUT TROPHY FOR ARSENAL

I feel sorry for Arsene Wenger.He is a good manager but he is stubborn when it comes to buying good English players like a top centre-half or goalkeeper.Six seasons without a major trophy at Arsenal tell the story.He keeps getting close and must be respected.He is Arsenal and must stay but he has to have a good think about certain aspects.Its all slipped away again since losing to underdogs Birmingham in that Carling Cup final.

TAMIR COHEN'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE MAKES MOCKERY OF YELLOW CARD

We all know rules are rules.But Tamir Cohen's emotional tribue to his late father when he scored the late winner against Arsenal did not deserve a yellow card.The Bolton player celebrated by taking off his shirt to reveal a T shirt with a picture of his father Avi who died in a motorcycle accident.Discretion should have been allowed.I do not blame referee Mike Jones.His hand his forced by inflexible rules.On this occasion it was a daft yellow from football....

KENNY DALGLISH HAS MADE BRILLIANT RETURN

Sure Liverpool are going to lose now and again.But from where they were you have to say Kenny Dalglish has done brilliant job as Liverpool ( albeit caretaker!) manager.They are playing well,there is a buzz and Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez have been wonderful signings.They say you should never go back but King Kenny is obviously the exception

I DID NOT VOTE FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

For the first time since I have had a vote I did not fill in my form for Footballer of the Year.The season is a tight long one and there is not yet in my opinion a clear winner.Certainly with all due respects to my London football writer friends Scott Parker would not have been my choice.Sure he has had a fine season in a poor team but so have the likes of Vidic,Van der Sar,Gareth Bale and the young Mexican Hernandez who has to be the buy of the season at £6 million.Has anyone had a bigger impact?

GERARD HOULLIER TO BE DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL.HE MUST BE CAREFUL

Gerard Houllier must put his health first.The Aston Villa manager is leaving hospital after suffering from chest pains.Gerard,63,was admitted to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital Coronary unit last Wednesday.I was at Anfield when he was rushed to hosital during Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Leeds in October 2001 when he was boss there.It was very serious..a repair to the main aortic valve.He was lucky to survive.Houllier who has always treated me very well formed a sort of medial bond because in February 2011 he was aware that I had a stroke on my way to Old Trafford.We had lunch soon after he arrived at the Villa training ground and he appeared at the big charity lunch for me shortly afterwards.It has been a very tough season at Villa with plenty of problems.For his own sake I hope this highly intelligent and very good man reviews his future in football management.Health has to come first.I certainly assessed and adjusted my career after my big warning.

MANCHESTER CITY V STOKE CITY-THIS YEAR'S FRESH LOOKING FA CUP FINAL ON MAY 14

Manchester City versus Stoke City at Wembley for the FA Cup final on May 14 gives the competition a really fresh look.City,looking for their first major trophy since 1976....Stoke's only previous was the League Cup when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in 1972,a match I was at.They were not favourites then and they will not be now in their first FA Cup final in their 148 years history.But you write them off at your peril!Their 5-0 win over Bolton was a shock scoreline and the biggest semi-final win for 72 years! Manager Tony Pullis and chairman Peter Coates are a great combination and have both done a wonderful job for the club who enjoy a magnificent and noisy support.Staying in the Premier League has been a fine achievement but they are improving on that all the while...City? You expect success with the fortunes they have and continue to spend.So you still wonder if Roberto Mancini will keep his job.One should not have to think like that but that's the name of the game!I actually think Stoke will win the FA Cup...and that would be a wonderful result for the game.....
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Arsenal again no Trophies

Arsenal's whacky 1-1 draw with Liverpool(both goals being penalties deep into added time) put pays to any chance of a trophy.Arsene Wenger's agony goes on.He keeps hitting the crossbar in that respect.Its not improving his judgement or selected eye sight but Gooners Monsieur Wenger is still a very good football manager at a great club.

MY PREDICTIONS ON COURSE

All season I have been banging on about Manchester United winning the Premier League title.They are right on course.Mind you I thought they would beat Mancester City in the FA Cup semi-final.Dimitar Berbatov should have scored an easy one.But hey the old nottingham Forest chairman Fred Reacher called his house "IF ONLY"......and sadly I have been saying for some time that Blackpool would be relegated.When they were flying some people thought I had fallen off the trolley but this season is so long!They now look like going down.

DEATH OF ARSENAL DIRECTOR DANNY FISZMAN A SAD LOSS

I was so sad to learn that the Arsenal director Danny Fiszman has died from throat cancer at the age of 66--just two months younger than myself. When I was ITV's reporter on the live coverage of Arsenal in the George Graham title winning days it was always a pleasure to go to Highbury.After a nice welcome from George in the manager's office before the game I would always be invited to the Director's room after the match.Danny and David Dein would always be up for a long chat with plenty of smiles and laughter.Danny did a great job as the driving force in Arsenal's successful move to the Emirates stadium.He was a mult-millionaire diamond dealer and life time Arsenal supporter.He often flew fellow directors and friends in his private plane to away European Champions League matches. He was also,like Dein,a huge supporter of manager Arsene Wenger.