Rant over

Question. Can Liverpool win the league for the first time? Of course those previous 18 titles no longer count as football only started in this country in 1992 according to the suits in charge at the Premier League and Sky.

The Reds are looking pretty good aren't they? They hit top of the table before the international break for the first time in 5 years with Voronin, Babel and Torres all looking astute signings by the goateed one, particularly Richard Nathan's love child Fernando Torres, the new Kenny Daglish according to some-car-watching scouse scallies.

Man U look very average, no striker of note except sick note Saha and Tevez is looking very ordinary since he replaced Rooney.

Arsenal fans will be happy that Arsene has signed a new contract, but David Dein and dodgy Russian gazillionaires with bags of cash are hovering on the horizon ready to disrupt the sleepy marble walls of Ashburton Grove.

Chelsea and the Special One started like they had found the page in the coaching manual entitled 'attacking' but have gone back into the chapter headed 'boring' and have now won only 1 of their last 4 games.

And of course those four are the only contenders because no one else will get near them. Or will they? Man City with the Svenster? Don't make me laugh. Aston Villa? Nope, too inconsistent. West Ham. Yeh until Curbs poops his pants and starts defending 0-0 draws at home. Blackburn? Would be a decent bet but they will have so many suspensions to deal with by Christmas. Evertonzzzzzzzzzzzz, and what about Newcastle? Yes, what about Newcastle?

Did someone mention Spurs? In the top 4? I can see the Emirates stadium's shoulders going up down trying to control the laughter. Oh and wasn't Darren Bent good value at 16.5mill?

So Liverpool it is then, will make a nice change I suppose and will put them equal on titles with Dirty Leeds.

Talking of Dirty Leeds, down in Div 3 they deserve a N&R mention. 6 wins on the trot. Congratulations to Chelsea plants Wise, Poyet, and Uncle Ken Bates.

Oh and the Birds World Cup has started in China. The Americans are favourites only because they take it seriously. England have qualified after beating the dirty Argies 6-1 earlier today. You know what I make take more of an interest, particularly if they heeded Sepp Blatter's request for tighter shorts.

More on the Birds WC(TM) next week.