Can Swansea City win the Premier League? Perhaps Pay As You Play can help you decide.

Swansea beat Reading 4-2 in the Championship play-off final, a pulsating battle that brought the curtain down on the British club season, and ends their near 30 year wait for top flight football. The Swans were previously in the top tier of English football in 1983, where QPR passed them on the way up as old Second Division Champions.

Although the penultimate game of the season was a one sided affair, it was a display of majestic football, a perfect example of pass and move, keeping possession and ruthlessness in front of goal. Unfortunately if you are a Manchester United fan, Barcelona were the purveyors of this footballing exhibition against an ill-equipped Old Trafford side.

Being fair, not many teams could live with the current Barca squad. But a midfield pairing of the aging Ryan Giggs and the non-tackling Carrick shows perhaps Ferguson got his tactics wrong rather than Barca slaying the English Champions.

Ferguson will be happy with winning Manchester United’s 19^th championship, thus overtaking Liverpool’s 18. They have taken their time getting there though, Liverpool have not been champions since 1990.

But will Kenny Dalglish, FSG and Andy Carroll help Liverpool lift the piece of silverware they used to think as their bread and butter? After a sixth placed finish for 2011 there is work to do for a convincing title charge, and plenty more money to spend. The combined £57 million outlay on Carroll and Luis Suarez should just be the start.

According to ‘Pay As You Play’ by Paul Tomkins, Graeme Riley and Gary Fulcher there is a link between success and transfer spending. Using their devised Transfer Price Index (TPI) system the authors have converted all transfers since the start of the Premier League in 1992 in to today’s Current Transfer Purchase Price (CTPP). By also assessing the cost of the starting eleven players (£XI) and the club’s squad cost (Sq£) the book gives a detailed account showing successes and failures of teams correlated to expenditure.

The authors do state the book isn’t intended to definitely prove anything, yet it is a very good indication. When the results are seen for past seasons they are clearly on to something.

Which brings us back to Carroll. With PAYP showing that to win you need to spend, it may seem obvious that the clubs with rich owners will be those winning trophies. With only four trophies on offer per season and the randomness of cup football, the title over 38 games will be most aligned to the CTPP, £XI and Sq£.

But for Liverpool to smash their record signing record in 2011 with £35 million for Carroll is almost bizarre as Manchester United have been signing players around this value for years: Rooney £27 million (£49 CTPP) in 2004, Ferdinand £30 million (£48 CTPP) in 2002, Veron £28 million (£36 CTPP) and Berbatov £30.5 million (£23.8 CTPP) in 2008. When the CTPP are taken in to account then the cost is so much higher. But they have had success, and they do have enormous debt, gross over 350 million.

Season 2009/10 saw Chelsea win the title and have the most expensive XI, Manchester United second on both accounts. With the bottom three being the same three clubs, the evidence is fairly strong for correlation. 2010/11 results are to be finalised, but at Easter Graeme Riley stated: “13 teams are within 2 places of where they should be, and 17 are within 4 places – this exactly reflects last season, which was the most aligned in history.”

Unfortunately for Hammers fans, the odd curveball is present in the Premier League. Having the 10^th most expensive squad for 2010/11 saw them finish fourth from bottom, and a similar Sq£ position this year could not save them from the drop.

Which means they face the blog’s other team, Leicester City. The Championship offers a very different landscape to the Premier League. The money from Champions League football far outstrips anything available to Championship teams, unless you have been relegated! Teams drop down to and are promoted up to the Championship creating a bigger turnover of teams, which add more variables.
Formerly with the Europa League teams, they were teams on the rise and more likely to offer a sterner test the next year. The Championship offers more of these teams due to the nature of the division, what were the odds of Norwich gaining promotion at the first attempt after coming up from League One? Leeds, who came up with Norwich, also gave the promotion play-offs places a good chase.

Considering these variables it is very difficult to predict the outcome of the Championship using squad cost as easily as it is for the Premier League. Promoted Norwich (16^th most expensive squad at £16.19 million) and Swansea (17^th at £16.14 million) prove the correlation isn’t there with such accuracy overall.

But while Paul Tomkins, Graeme Riley and Gary Fulcher offer a great in depth look at these figures, as does the transfermarkt website, is there something else that can be looked in to, Glaswegian managers?

For season 2011/12 there are six Glaswegian managers in the Premier League:
Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool
David Moyes at Everton
Steve Kean at Blackburn
Alex Ferguson at Manchester United
Owen Coyle at Bolton
Paul Lambert at Norwich

Perhaps it’s something in the water, other than the lead of course.

 

The blog was a look at four months of English football, from the view of two teams in two different divisions using the £35 million figure as a starting point. As with PAYP, it was not out to prove anything solid. I hope that it has been of interest. If you would like to know more about the Transfer Price Index please visit tomkinstimes.com or transferpriceindex.com

Many thanks to those who have contributed to the blog and thanks also to those who have taken the time to visit.

Regards

Alexander Tate

Does anyone really want to play in the Europa League next season?

After an allstar blitzing display against Fulham, Liverpool fans were brought back to earth, and sixth place, when beaten by Europa chasing Spurs.

Going to Craven Cottage is never easy but with a quarter of an hour on the clock Liverpool made a mockery of their hosts good form. Thanks to a Maxi brace and a Kuyt volley Liverpool romped into an early 3-0 lead. Fulham gathered themselves, and kept the rampant Reds at bay until midway through the second half. Maxi claimed his second hat-trick in three games after a Dembele side foot finish for the Cottagers, only for Suarez to restore a four goal advantage and then a Steve Sidwell super strike to complete the goal action.

But it was lacklustre display in front of their home fans that lead to defeat against a strong Spurs outfit. Both clubs have a dilemma of whether to finish fifth and gain the final European spot of have a lighter fixture list and hope to push stronger for a top four finish next season.

Harry Redknapp’s reluctance to play in the Europa League wasn’t reflected by his team on the Anfield turf. Spurs were good value, especially after a poor return of one win from 13 games. Goals either side of half time from Van der Vaart and Modric moved the Lillywhites up to fifth, a point ahead of Liverpool.

With Kenny Dalglish now installed as permanent manager with a three year contract, perhaps those inside Anfield are looking forward to a top four challenge rather than a Europa League run. The lack of depth in the squad may not be able to handle the extra 17 games needed to win the Europa League. The calibre of opposition, for example England’s representatives are Stoke, Fulham and Birmingham, are two cup winners and team qualifying via fair play rules. Hardly heady nights at the Nou Camp.

Paul Tomkins latest article on this issue raises many points and assess the situation Liverpool find themselves in. As usual the Liverpool fans are still discussing what they want for their team next season. It’s a very hot topic and can be seen on http://tomkinstimes.com/2011/05/europa-or-bust/comment-page-1/#comment-131079

It maybe where Liverpool are, but it’s not where they want to be. To alter that then a top four finish is required. Blooding youngsters and gaining European experience is all fine for the team, but at the expense of travelling to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Poland when Old Trafford is on the horizon weakens the tilt at top four.

Since the redesign of the European competitions, the UEFA Cup/Europa League has become almost a white elephant to Europe’s governing body. The focus of the elite competition seems to be money. While other fixtures are arranged around the Champions League to increase tv revenue and the seeding does favour the better teams, there are still great success stories from teams tucked away in hidden Europe. FC Artmedia Bratislava for instance, who beat Celtic in qualifying, beat Porto and held Rangers in the group stages, are testament to this. The money no doubt kept the team alive, even though the name has changed three times in those five years.

But with teams the calibre of Liverpool and Spurs hoping to be win a seat at Europe’s top table, it seems they would rather wait patiently for the Maitre D to let them in next time there’s vacancy, rather than have the unique taste of lower level European feasts.

Spurs are at home this weekend to relegation threatened Birmingham while Liverpool travel to Villa Park to take on Gerard Houllier’s Villains. If Liverpool want fifth, they have to gain a better result than Spurs. But will the Lillywhites be undone by a determined Brum team hoping to stay at England’s top table?

There may not be any conclusive evidence from those two results as to the teams desire for European competition in 2011/12, but without doubt both want a top four finish in 2012/113 for entry into the Champions League.

Foxes fire four in final day flourish

Yakubu, Andy King, Yuki Abe and Diomansy Kamara gave Leicester City and their fans a final day victory as they secured 10th place in the Championship.

Two second half goals from a resurgent Ipswich gave the game an edge until Kamara’s finish eight minutes from time. With Leicester having only won twice in the last six, it shows why the promotion chase was unsuccessful.

According Eriksson, the game was illustrative of the clubs season, telling lcfc.com: “We again played some good attacking football and I was pleased to see us score four goals. But again, it is frustrating that we allowed two goals to be scored against us, when we were in a very comfortable position.”

But as the players take time out to allow their bodies to recover from the 9 month season, Eriksson will be hard at work securing the signings he sees as vital for a successful promotion campaign next season. With six loan stars in the squad the Swede will want their futures sorted as soon as the premier league season finished next weekend. Yakubu, on loan from Everton, has already stated his desire to stay in the East Midlands.

Adding to the carnival atmosphere at the Walkers Stadium was the news that Alan Birchenall was awarded a lifetime contract as Club Ambassador by the owners, a decision praised by Eriksson. “He is so important to this club. The work that Birch does in the community is incredible and to see him run around the pitch like that was truly something. He is a real character and the owners have made a great decision to reward him like this.”

With legends like Birch so involved at Leicester it would be a joyous time for him if Eriksson can get The Foxes up and the next attempt. There are characters like him around the lower leagues but to have him acting up and carrying on while Leicester welcome Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool to the Walkers will be refreshing.

Having climbed up from the foot of the table in October to within points of a play off place shows the achievement of Eriksson, his players and the owners this season. With this momentum and seeds of success sown all involved in Leicester City will have confidence and high hopes for promotion in 2011/12.

Penalty King Kuyt leads Liverpool to victory as Leicester’s promotion dream ends.

Dirk Kuyt’s eighth goal in seven outings ensured his richest scoring streak in Red continued, as Liverpool saw off a Toon lacking in the final third. With his penalty, and further goals from Maxi and Luis Suarez, Kuyt helped Liverpool’s goal difference as they took fifth place from Spurs.

It was not a dominant display from the home side as Newcastle had slightly more possession over 90 minutes, and a staggering 12-3 corner count in their favour. But they failed to deliver in front of goal, with only Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan having efforts of note.

With the game in the bag, Dalglish brought on Andy Carroll for the last 20 minutes. While The Kop applauded, the traveling Toon Army gave him some stick. They should, even begrudgingly, have given him some thanks. After all, his 11 goals in black and white will have helped keep them up.

Any vitriol should have been sent Mike Ashley’s way. The Newcastle owner did not use any of the £35 million gained from the Carroll sale to bring in another striker. Time, he’ll say, was too short.

Fifth place is now in Liverpool’s hands, a scenario possibly not entertained by even the most hopeful Kopite at New Year. It does create an issue that Liverpool fans can’t agree on. As debated on www.tomkinstimes.com this week with great fervour, gaining entry into the Europa League is not possibly an achievement to relish.

There’s a myriad or pros and cons to qualification, but all teams will deal with their scenarios as soon as the season has finished. The variables are too many across the board to gain one perfect solution. Unless, for Liverpool fans it is to somehow squeak into the Champions League places this season. Even then, debate will still rage about whether it’s too soon for Kenny Dalglish’s red machine.

If Spurs fail to make the Champions League places this season the financial loss would hurt them more than mega-rich Manchester City, a clear positive for The Reds. The negatives that may affect Liverpool in the Europa will also affect Spurs. Would this then be a plus for Liverpool in their pursuit of a top four finish?

By way of chance and some late season drama, it looks as if Spurs, who play Manchester City on Tuesday night and then follow it up with a trip to Anfield the following Sunday, will have to test their mettle against their nearest rivals when nerves will be at their most vulnerable.

First though, Liverpool have to make sure they get three points when they visit Fulham on the Monday night game. Another fall out from Europa is the Sunday and Monday fixtures. Dalglish has no fresh injury concerns and with Jay Spearing having signed a new contract this week, he’ll be feeling even more buoyed with the reward for his recent stand out performances. The local lad will hope to continue his successful partnership with Lucas through to the end of the season.

A 1-1 draw gave Doncaster the point they need for Championship survival but ended The Foxes dream of sneaking into the play-offs. With one match of the season remaining only Leeds from outside the top six can move into the positions that will contest for the third and final promotion place to the riches of the Premier League. Leicester now sit in eleventh.

No doubt the squad and backroom staff will be warmly greeted on Saturday for the final game. Then upon the final whistle the City first team squad will surely take the opportunity for a lap of honour acknowledging the support of the fans throughout the campaign.

There will be a happy atmosphere at The Walkers as the club has asked the Foxes faithful to attend in fancy dress. As seen at many World Cups football fans don’t often need a second invitation to stand out in the crowd, especially when the prize this good is on offer.

The winner will win the brand new 2011/12 home shirt, which is revealed at 9am Saturday morning, and an executive box for themselves and nine friends on the first home game of next season. Club legend Alan Birchenhall will be choosing the winner himself.

The Foxes could finish as high as eighth if results go their way, which will mean a little extra prize money for the kitty in the summer. This may be vital, as Eriksson knows the owners want Premier League football at the end of next season.

He told BBC East Midlands Today: “I have regular meetings and I know they want Premier League, and probably they will say it is a must – which is good.”

After looking like good play-off candidates an inconsistent March and April saw Leicester fall from contention. But the earlier graph shows just how far the team rose in a very difficult league to negotiate.

Leicester will have to gather themselves for the first day of pre-season but in the meantime look back on what they did achieve this season and believe they can do better for 2011/12.

Lady Luck leaves Leicester as Liverpool batter Brum.

A not so Good Friday dented The Foxes promotion hunt as they lost to Forest 3-2. But a brace a piece from substitute Yakubu and Jeffrey Bruma kept The Foxes faint play-off hopes alive as they despatched Watford 4-2 on Easter Monday at The Walkers.

Leicester City’s season has been one of wonder and despair, the brilliant and the unfortunate. Since Eriksson took over the club has continually been on the climb up the Championship table, dominating games and scoring some crackers along the way. The team seemed to run out of puff in March but since April have had a spring in their step. It looked like the club could still gain a promotion play-off place. But Lady Luck left the East Midlands, seemingly taking up residence with The Canaries of Carrow Road. Just ask Leicester keeper Chris Weale, it was a tame shot that eluded him to give Forest their victory.

Eriksson, a man of unshakable belief in his players this season, may now have quietly conceded that The Foxes promotion chance is over.

He told lcfc.com: “I was very happy with the players today and happy for the fans because they deserve to see this team playing at its best. They have been fantastic at home and away so a good performance and a good result was what they deserved today.”

Perhaps it is more down to other teams showing fight in recent weeks that makes Leicester task now so difficult. While The Foxes stumbled, The Royals and The Swans all moved up the table, taking full advantage. Forest, Leeds, Hull and Burnley all had their moments when they looked sure bets to put up a challenge, but too fell away.

A visit to Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday presents a tough task as Doncaster Rovers have yet to secure their Championship status. With a play-off spot unlikely it may just give The Foxes freedom to play and pick up three points, but perhaps just a little too late.

Eriksson will know that his players have the skill, the fight and now the experience of a promotion chase that The Foxes can look forward to next season with some hope. The first game cannot come soon enough for some of the players, but a summer of rest and appreciation of what happened over the past nine months will give them greater belief, greater strength and determination that they may not need Lady Luck.

In preparation for next season BBC Radio Leicester understands the club have lined up a glamour home pre-season friendly against nine-time European champions Real Madrid. Managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, Los Merengues are likely to visit on Saturday 30 July.

With current market squad value for The Foxes hovering just under £35 million, they will be welcoming a team thirteen times their own value, Real worth just over £453 million, with a former Liverpool midfield maestro clocking in at the magic £35 million mark.

Free transfer Maxi Rodriguez struck in the sixth minute to start Liverpool’s Brum destruction. Two further goals ensured his hat-trick, with goals from Dirk Kuyt and Joe Cole completing a comprehensive victory which not only broke the miserable run against Birmingham but beat it into submission.

It was clearly a day that showed Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool has moved into a winning mindset. Previous manager, Roy Hodgson, would no doubt have only hoped to beat Birmingham. Nothing as defeatist from the Scot, who was put forward this week by MP’s for a knighthood due to his work with the Hillsborough families.

For periods in the game Liverpool were vibrant. With Andy Carroll missing through injury Dalglish named an XI that could be flexible, thoughtful, skillful and frightening. Attacks came out of nowhere leaving the Brum defence scrambling and relying on the impressive Ben Foster, then substitute keeper Colin Doyle, to keep the score down.

The passing was short and sharp, the movement was laden with intent and the young Jay Spearing continued to impress in central midfield due to the absence of Steven Gerrard.

Teenage full-backs Jack Robinson and John Flanagan showed no sign of nerves under the expectations from the new dawn under Dalglish, with composed performances belying their inexperience.

A far cry from the start of the season when managerial and ownership issues hung over Anfield.

As with the way things are done now under FSG, rumours of a new kit deal have not been commented on. But if the £25 million a year deal with American firm Warrior Sports is correct, it beats the current deal Manchester United have with Nike by £1.5 million. With Liverpool being the fourth best selling replica kit in the world Warrior, a subsidiary of New Balance, will leave current manufacturers, Adidas, noses out of joint.

The signs are that FSG are brining more than money to the table. They have gone about their business in a way that aligns itself to the Liverpool of Shanks and Paisley, something many Reds fans believe to be the best way.

None of this guarantees success on the pitch of course. But Liverpool fans are seeing their club being run by intelligent businessmen who are prepared to do the hard work behind closed doors while the players do their hard work in front of a packed Anfield.

Hosting Newcastle this weekend could see Liverpool cement a top six finish. It could be an emotional day for Carroll facing his boyhood team and with only three months since his departure there maybe some stick from the Toon faithful.

Dalglish, who will also be facing a former employer, told a pre match press conference: “For Andy it’s a poignant game but if he’s not fit, he’s not fit. We can’t do anything about that.”

Ahead of the game Carroll, Pepe Reina, Raul Meireles and Glen Johnson went to Madrid to see the Champions League semi-final. All seemed in relaxed mood as they enjoyed a day in the Spanish capital. From a Liverpool aspect the fans will be hoping they reflect the pure footballing beauty of Barca come Sunday, and not the play acting and bad tackles that were also on show.

Kenny wouldn’t stand for the latter and neither would his counterpart Alan Pardew, the same goes for both sets of fans. Liverpool Newcastle games have a history of entertaining for the right reasons and there’s no reason the Sunday lunchtime showdown will be any different.

Liverpool face Brum battle as Foxes aim to fell Forest.

Leicester City again dominated their game but came away from the Madejski Stadium with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of promotion rivals Reading. Brian McDermott’s Royals have gone from outsiders to genuine contenders in the race for a play-off spot, while Leicester have tried, but failed, to maintain their promotion push.

After conceding against the run of play on 19 mins, then again two minutes later, The Foxes flooded forward and left gaps in their defence. This allowed Reading substitute Noel Hunt in for their third of the night. Andy King’s 15th goal of the season the only conciliation on another disappointing night for Eriksson’s men.

But there was some good news as King was named in the Championship PFA Team of the Year, his goals from midfield clearly being recognised by his peers. He told lcfc.com: “It’s always a great feeling to be recognised like this, especially in a vote that your fellow pros have been involved in.”

After sharing the club’s player’s player of the year with Jack Hobbs and becoming The Foxes permanent captain the end of the season has brought the 22 year old plenty of joy. Promotion may be a touch too far for him and his teammates but on a personal note Andy King will feel he has progressed with great strides this season.

For this vital Good Friday evening fixture Leicester travel the short distance to the City Ground to take on rivals Nottingham Forest in this East Midlands derby. As both teams look towards the play-offs, a defeat for The Foxes would probably end their slim chances of a top six finish, a victory would place them level on points with Forest, but still just out of reach of the coveted play-off places.

Liverpool are also a fingernail away from Europe in their hunt for something from this season. Sitting in sixth after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal last weekend, the Reds have too few games to catch Spurs in fifth.

In an emotional week for Liverpool fans everywhere, a superbly recognised minute silence for the Hillsborough victims and for Arsenal director’s Danny Fiszman’s passing started the game in a fashion that is indicative of the great respect these two sets of players and fans have for each other.

Generous applause from both fans as Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher left the field after being concussed showed further this respect, even if Gunner’s manager Arsene Wenger said something to Kenny Dalglish at the final whistle that led the Scot to tell his French counterpart to “Piss off.”

Wenger felt he had a grievance. With 94 minutes on the clock the hosts took the lead through a penalty, only for Kuyt to level at 1-1 with a penalty as the game entered its 100th minute. All the time came from Carra’s treatment, surely something nobody would deny.

Arsenal, though, have been six seasons without a trophy and it’s seven since finishing second to Chelsea. This year’s loss to Birmingham City in the final minutes of the Carling Cup final adds credence to the feeling the Gunners lack steel. It’s generally accepted they play some of the best football in England but playing pretty and having an empty trophy cabinet does not makes good bedfellows, or fans happy.

A move away from Highbury to a brand new stadium at Ashburton Grove proved the Arsenal board were looking to the future. The club’s revenue is up and the shareholders are happy, but the fans are getting a little frustrated. Being challengers on four fronts is fine but deep down the North London fans will be feeling close, but no cigar. Again.

With Stan Kroenke increasing his shareholding, does Arsenal’s future lie with one man? He bought Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith’s and the late Fiszman’s shares to take a 62.89% holding – thus passing the 30% mark where he is obliged to make a mandatory cash offer for the remaining capital.

But 27% shareholder Alisher Usmanov, an Uzbeki billionaire, is unwilling to do business and the Arsenal Supporter’s Trust has said its members are not willing to sell their 10%.

Will anything change if Kroenke becomes owner? Considering the manifesto he has sent out to the remaining shareholders it will be business as usual, careful purchase of players, hoping the youngsters pull more than their weight and getting to the farther reaches of cup competitions while still active in the title race come late April. That will surely not please the Gooners, who have been starved of silverware since being outplayed by Manchester United in the 2005 F.A. Cup Final but winning on penalties.

Since leaving Highbury Arsenal have been careful in the transfer market, buy reasonably priced players to keep them competitive and the aim to bring youngsters though. This appears to be the crux, an aim to keep them there but not push on to see their captain, perennial Barcelona target, Cesc Fabregas lifting cups to the roar of the Gooner support.

With the hunt for Champions League places still hot there are considerations for all four qualifying teams and the two that will miss out. With the money flowing through Manchester City and Chelsea and Manchester United’s debt concerns, it is imperative for Spurs to get into the top four for financial reasons. Arsenal, while looking a good bet for the top four are in fact now looking stagnant.

This will please Liverpool. They appear to be on the journey upwards at a time when the non-bankrolled teams are sliding backwards. The Anfield outfit have suffered through bad ownership but appear to be heading in the right direction, and that is a start. Being stationary or even knowing the drop may be coming is not a better place to be.

It is conjecture, but the Premiership is finally gaining the interest that the Championship holds, which is better overall for the English game.

Liverpool entertain Birmingham City this weekend hoping to end a miserable run of one victory in six at home against their Midland foes. A patched up back four against Brum’s physical presence will be a test for their young stars Jack Robinson and John Flanagan.

Carragher is out and Fabio Aurelio and Andy Carroll are doubts as the Reds look to finish their season on a high, especially as Kenny Dalglish is undefeated at Anfield since returning as manager. But with Manchester United’s twelfth man in charge of the game, Howard Webb, and Alex McLeish’s links to Alex Ferguson it may not be an easy ride for Liverpool.

Foxes fail to take chances as Carroll cracker starts City destruction.

Matt Oakley’s blockbuster volley from the edge of the area helped The Foxes to a 1-1 draw with relegation scrappers Crystal Palace, but Yakubu’s blaze over the bar from two yards could prove costly as the race for play-off places reaches white-hot levels.

After a 4-0 hammering of rivals Burnley at the weekend, including Kamara’s first goal for the club and a brace from Gallagher, Leicester City were in confident mood going in to the Palace game. But the dominance failed to pay dividends.

At the final whistle manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was frustrated and told lcfc.com: “Yes, of course it was frustrating. I feel like I am saying the same things after every game, but whilst it is still possible, we will keep on fighting.”

Four points from six is a good return and with results going their way The Foxes are lying in ninth hoping to overturn a four point gap to make the top six. With their own jitters fading over the past few weeks Leicester’s rivals are now finding theirs.

The top six is closing up, and with four points separating second from fifth these nerves could throw the promotion chase open.

With a trip to Reading before a hectic Easter weekend with fixtures against Watford and Forest, The Foxes will dream of taking nine points off their promotion rivals. It will be a big ask, but now undefeated in three and scoring more frequently could Leicester be heading for the play-offs?

This week also saw 40 years since Alan Birchenall first started his association with Leicester City Football Club. BBC Late Kick Off’s Natalie Jackson signed up for Birch’s Tours to get a behind the scenes look. Take a look at Foxes legend Alan Birchenall at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13034350.stm

Andy Carroll’s first goals in a Liverpool shirt, with a Dirk Kuyt precision strike sandwiched between, saw the Reds thump Manchester City 3-0.

Liverpool started at a high tempo and continued their assault on Joe Hart’s goal for the whole game. The Citizens may have been thinking ahead to their FA Cup semi final against neighbours Manchester United but they still need to sew up their Champions League place.

Carlos Tevez limped off after quarter of an hour, and is doubtful for the semi-final, and was replaced by the ineffective Mario Balotelli, who suffered the indignity of being substituted late in the second half.

Despite their own injury worries Liverpool controlled the entire game, and should have scored more. Teenage Academy graduate, John Flanagan, made a solid start to his Liverpool career in a nerve-free debut. The choice of manager Kenny Dalglish to play the youngster pleased the Kop, who sang their approval and must be hoping for confirmation of Dalglish as permanent manager.

Carroll’s first goal for the Merseysiders came after thirteen minutes, a low considered, yet powerful left foot strike from 25 yards to Hart’s right. Predictably his teammates joy was matched by the Anfield faithful. His second was a deft header under a challenge from Aleksdander Kolarov.

The second half was even more unforgiving for City, only the fact there were no more goals stopped the scoreline revealing Liverpool’s true dominance. The Opta Stats for Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina show he was practically a spectator until palming away Yaya Toure’s drive on 82 minutes.

As Carroll closes in on full fitness and has goals under his belt the final six games of the season can be looked forward to with interest. This weekend’s trip to the Emirates for a showdown with title contenders Arsenal may stop Liverpool closing in on fifth place.

This may not concern too many Liverpool fans. They have seen their team turn in a dominant display against an expensively assembled side, a young debutant handle the pressure and their new striker get off the mark with a brace. Next season probably is what many of them have their eyes on but the next six games can give them something even more to cheer about heading into the summer break.