The Football Blog

The Premier League is up for grabs, as is Michael Owen, and Paul Ince is cursed...

1. No one wants to win the League. First Arsenal draw. Then Liverpool draw. Then Man Utd draw. Then Chelsea, er, draw. Does anyone want it? Aston Villa to win the League. You heard it here first...

2. Michael Owen is not staying at Newcastle. Great goal. Cracking win. Lukewarm post-match interview. Just admit it Mike, you're off...

3. Juande Ramos has his work cut out. We're no La Liga experts, but we do know that losing 2-0 to Barcelona is not an ideal start to managing Real Madrid when you've got only six months to prove yourself.

4. Hoffenheim are the new Hull. The German side who were playing third divison football only two years ago now top the Bundesliga going in to the winter break.

5. Former Man Utd players are victims of a managerial curse. After Bryan Robson's latest sacking earlier this year, Roy Keane has since been and gone, while Paul Ince and Mark Hughes cling desperately to their jobs. Steve Bruce, like Obelix, seems to have drank the magic potion to counter it...