There are no major shocks at the top of the table. The top 5 remain the same with Real Madrid and Barcelona in the top two spots, followed by Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Arsenal.

Chelsea come in at 6th and Liverpool are 8th. Manchester City jumped 9 places but, at 11th, just missed out on the top 10.

The Premiership is still the best represented league in the table with seven teams in the top 20.

However, Newcastle's season in the Championship in 2009-10 saw them drop out of the top 20, with Deloitte estimating their position to be somewhere between 40th and 50th. The Premier League's strong presence in the table is largely down to the huge incomes received from Sky TV and it's losing the estimated £38m from Premiership TV, to be replaced by around £5m from Championship TV money that's hit Newcastle hard.

Sunderland, their arch-rivals who remained in the Premier League last year, overtook Newcastle in the list with a position some ten points higher despite lower gate receipts.

Newcastle's fall is likely to be short-lived. With a return to the Premiership this year and decent performances to date, Newcastle's revenues will be up on last year and they are expected to return to the top 20. It is also likely that they will leap-frog Sunderland to become the north-east's richest club again.

This demonstrates just how massive an effect the Sky sponsorship has on the ability of clubs to compete financially.

The fact that Newcastle have released Hughton suggests the irrational thinking at board level that got Newcastle into a mess is still there.

After the ridiculous managerial merry-go-round at Newcastle over the last couple of years, I was very impressed by the way Chris Hughton steadied the club then built a team capable of promotion and getting comfortably to the middle of the Premiership.

While they have had some poor results, overall the performance has been more than acceptable from a newly promoted club. Forget 'Newcastle is a big club' and 'with our history we should be in Europe' - that counts for nothing. The reality is Newcastle were a Championship side and have been in a mess. With a solid mid-table finish this season Newcastle could attract more quality players and aim higher in future seasons.

However, the board obviously expect far more and have sacked Hughton in order to get someone with more experience at this level. Chelsea and Man City aside - who frankly have achieved their success with bottomless pockets - the clubs that have enduring success have stuck with managers over a long period. Newcastle certainly don't have the riches to buy their way to the top so must follow Arsenal and Man United's approach. Hughton hasn't been given time to prove whether he can or can't replicate this, growing with the team.

To make it even more of a joke, the man widely tipped to be his successor - Martin Jol - is hardly a major coup. He's just resigned from managing Ajax after a poor run of form leaving them fourth in the league and out of the Champions League. In his leaving statement he suggests he didn't like the pressure in the role saying "I have come to realise that the expectations after last season were too high."

Hardly the ideal candidate for Newcastle then, where unrealistic expectations has been one of the biggest problems.

The other 'strong' candidate is Alan Pardew. Okay he's been a manager for a long time, but remind me which top 6 Premiership side it was that he led to glory? His latest role was managing League One side Southampton. Although he did a good job with what he had, they let him go saying "The club has decided that, to achieve its well known targets, it is essential to make changes to the management." If he isn't good enough to match a League One club's ambitions, how is he better than Hughton at Newcastle?

So ultimately, Newcastle have released a relatively inexperienced manager who has brought them success so far to replace him with a far more experienced manager with no history of top-flght success.

I'm getting that relegation feeling again.

To find answers to this question, I compiled a "Best of English Football" league. I don't know why British newspapers/statisticians don't employ this more often but the Brazilian press use the criteria "percentages of available points won" as a league ranking. This eliminates the problem of looking at a league table with "games in hand" to take into account. For example, let's say if Aston Villa had won their first two games at the start of the season they would have a percentage of 100% (6 points won / 6 points available) after two games and would finish above a team who had won two but drawn one which would have a percentage of 77% (7 points won / 9 points available). The advantage of this is that you can also compare teams across divisions or even countries even if they have played vastly different numbers of games. So, using this criteria let's compile an elite league of 12 made up of the top 3 from the top four English divisions. This is what it looks like.

Percentage of available points won.

1. Chelsea (Prem) 81%
2. Leeds United (CCL1) 80%
3. Man Utd (Prem) 76%
4. Arsenal (Prem) 73%
5. Bournemouth (CCL1) 68%
6. Newcastle (CCC) 67%
7. Charlton (CCL1) 64%
=7 MK Dons (CCL1) 64%
=7 Rochdale (CCL2) 64%
=7 Dag & Red (CCL2) 64%
11. West Brom (CCC) 60%
12. Cardiff (CCC) 60%

This league of leagues shows how the Premiership really is a league of extremes in which the top teams have to perform extraordinarily well maintain a title challenge. The top 3 Premier League teams appear in the top 4 overall form positions. Arsenal, despite being 3rd in the Premier League are producing results 6% better than Newcastle who are top of the Championship. Another factor in favour of the Premiership teams has been the lack of draws in the top half of the Premier League this season – more points are being won by more teams. Well done to Leeds United too, who are clearly dominating League 1 taking 80% of points available to them.

But, when it comes to goals scored per game, what does the league of leagues look like?

Average goals per game (gpg).

1. Arsenal 3.2
2. Chelsea 2.5
3. Man Utd 2.3
4. Cardiff 2.1
5. West Brom 1.9
=5 Leeds 1.9
=5 Rochdale 1.9
=5 Dag and Red 1.9
9. Charlton 1.6
10. Newcastle 1.5
11. Bournemouth 1.3
12. MK Dons 1.2

This league demonstrates, then, that Arsenal are scoring far more freely than anyone else in the top 4 English divisions, netting 0.7 more goals per game than Chelsea and everyone else. In fact, the best teams from Europe are not scoring 3 goals per game either: Barcelona 2.6 gpg, Inter 2.5 gpg. Even in the SPL where the old Firm usually dominate the rest of the league convincingly, Celtic top the gpg ratio at only 2.0. Again, the Premiership seems to be the division to watch in order to see goals. Much has been made this season of Cardiff's free-scoring in the Championship but they still average less gpg than Chelsea and Manchester United.

Strangely, Bournemouth and Newcastle can't muster more than two goals per game and yet they are leaders of their respective leagues. This shows, of course, that defence is equally important to success. Or, in other words, goal difference (goals scored – goals conceded) is obviously an even more important indication of whether a team are winning and winning well. Arsenal fans won't be happy if Arsenal concede as many as they score.

So, here is the goal difference league across the four divisions divided by the number of games played by each team. The number in the league then is the number of goals MORE that a team scores than their opponents on average per game.

1. Arsenal +1.9
2. Chelsea +1.8
3. Manchester United +1.7
4. Leeds United +1.4
5. West Brom +1.1
6. Cardiff + 1
7. Newcastle +0.9
=7 Rochdale +0.9
9. Charlton +0.7
=9 Dag and Red +0.7
11. Bournemouth +0.5
12. MK Dons +0.3

When Arsenal fans have gone to watch Arsenal this season they have been watching a team that averages more than 3 goals per game and who beats teams by almost a clear 2 goal margin. Or, the average Arsenal score this season has been a 3-1 win to the Gunners. No other team is able to dominate teams quite so thoroughly in all 4 divisions. Cardiff, who have done well to score so many goals, seem to concede a lot as they only manage to beat teams by one goal each time.

These statistics are clearly not the be all and end all in comparing teams across the divisions. Bournemouth are topping League 2 with a very low goals scored and goal difference. It seems apparent that the outcome of a league – especially at the business end of the season – will be down to many other competing factors including when and against whom goals are scored and conceded. What these statistics do show, however, is that Arsenal supporters should be a fairly happy lot right now. Nowhere in England or probably Europe is a team scoring so many goals in order to overturn teams so completely.

As a Gooner myself I say long may it continue!

Most commentators start with the revolving door of managers and the turmoil within the board as pointing to Newcastle's demise. Without a doubt, that's obviously crucial. But what about the players? Newcastle could well have the best, most-experienced, most-expensive squad ever to be relegated from the Premier League. If there are other examples that could match them I'd like to hear your thoughts...

Granted there have been injuries, some players are in their twilight years, personality issues and plenty of sulking, but if the blame lies at the feet of the managers it must surely be for not getting this lot to play at even half their potential capacity. However, I would say a significant portion of blame must rest with Newcastle's big names on the pitch too.

1. Newcastle's squad includes players who have won things at the highest level. Damien Duff, Geremi, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt, Michael Owen and Obefemi Martins have all won (frequently on multiple occasions) coveted domestic prizes in their respective leagues and played at the highest level in Europe. Why couldn't the lessons learned from earlier in their career be transferred to a club in a dog-fight at the other end of the table? Why couldn't they feed off the experience of each other to lift the team when the going got tough?

2. Newcastle's squad includes players who were legends and/or the best of other Premiership clubs. Mark Viduka, despite his ample waist-line and Berbatov-esque aloofness was a legend at Leeds and Middlesborough and a proven Premier League scorer. Joey Barton's career has been in decline (a product of his on and off the pitch behaviour) since 2006 when he was the best player at Manchester City before then. Kevin Nolan was the captain fantastic of Bolton 2 or 3 years ago, taking the Wanderers into Europe and bagging a dozen goals from midfield in the 2003/04 season. What surprises me is that he above all the others hasn't been able to show more leadership and presence on the pitch.

3. Signings. It's true that in recent seasons Newcastle have shed some good players - in particular, Shay Given (the best thing about that shakey back line in recent years) and Milner (seemingly much more content at Villa) and N'Zogbia (whose career has been reinvigorated under Steve Bruce at Wigan) . But, with two Argentine Internationals (Colocconi and Guiterrez) and Metz defender Bassong Newcastle were still splashing out and attempting to bolster their squad with seasoned performers in the areas that mattered. Steve Harper in goal is certainly not the worst the Premiership has to offer in that position either.

So, what now? The wage bill and reputation of most of Newcastle's starting XI could well result in mass exodos. Almost everyone I have mentioned above will want out if another club comes knocking. Perhaps, some long-term squad members who are "barely" Premier League quality will stay on - the Steve Taylors and Danny Guthries of the team. However, the Toon Army are staring into an abyss. Can they turn the ship around before doing "a Leeds"?

Not surprisingly given this week's events and the demonstrations over the weekend, the future of Newcastle United was a hot topic. We all agreed that the situation for Keegan was bad and none of us were too surprised he left the club.

Besides the Toon army though, many football fans question whether he was good enough to take Newcastle to the top and keep them there. I know he enjoyed a good spell in his last tenure at Newcastle but the world has moved on, and even then he couldn't sustain the performance.

That's not the point though - Newcastle fans love him and they want him in charge. For them getting rid of Keegan was the last straw and now they want Ashley and Wise out. But it made me laugh to see a banner on Match of the Day saying 'Cockney mafia out' when the most likely candidate to purchase the club would be from the Middle East, USA or Russia.

Which brings me to the point. On the radio this morning they were discussing whether Newcastle was a good investment for a new buyer. It came down to a two-part decision.

First, what is the business opportunity? Newcastle is a big club, with gates little below Arsenal's, it has passionate support especially locally and the team is clearly under-performing. Merchandising and other sales are way behind Manchester United's. That means the right investment leading to the right results could see income at Newcastle United rise far beyond current levels. At this level, it's a very attractive purchase.

However, the second part was the risk, and primarily the fans. Given how they've hounded Ashley in the last week so he's now forced to sell, and the displays of dislike for anyone they don't hail as their messiah, the fans are in danger of leaving the club in an even worse position - with an owner who doesn't want to be there but can't sell.

Unless there is a Geordie billionaire willing to invest just for the love of the club, Newcastle fans are going to have to either learn to love management that may not be their first choice (so long as it gets results), or get used to languishing lower down the table with the other clubs that don't have deep pockets.

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As for Arsenal's fans, where was everyone?

Despite the official attendance being well over 59 000, in reality there were so many empty seats, the actual number must have been far less!

Last year I seem to recall, Spurs were going to finish above Arsenal!

So, who do you think will finish top this season?

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So here are the results :

No more than £600 - 13%
£600 to £1000 - 32%
£1000 to £1250 - 13%
£1250 to £1500 - 8%
£1500 to £2000 - 5%
I'd pay anything to watch my team 29%

So whilst I'm not surprised that 32% wouldn't pay more than £1000, I'm surprised that 29% of you said you'd pay anything to watch your team.

So, while many ticket holders are thinking of giving up their season ticket, because for them it's becoming far too expensive, there will always be a large number of fans that are willing to pay, what ever the club demands!

We're always on the look out for new writers. So if you fancy writing about your team, please get in touch.

We're always on the look out for new writers. So if you fancy writing about your team, please get in touch.

Given the cost and how difficult it can be to get tickets to see a match, I think if you're luck enough to get to a game, then you should stay and see your team through the bitter end.

Anyway, if your guilty of not staying, what's your reason?

I particularly enjoyed watching the guys football skills on the bridge and look out for the dangerous kick - ball off top of the head!

Watch the video and you'll see what I mean!


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How long Owen will last at Newcastle is open for debate, but I suspect we’ll see him available in the transfer market in the summer.

From the off the Magpies were on the back foot. It was only going to be a matter of time before we went ahead. I was only surprised at how long it took. Yet again Adebayor used his head, scoring from a Flamini cross just five minutes before half time.

Second half was more of the same. The gunners dominating, passing the ball around, Newcastle never really getting a look in. The only frustration being our unwillingness to shoot. I was just commenting on this to the gooner sitting next to me, when what should happen? Flamini hits the ball from 25 yards and scores, a stunner! That’ll teach me!

Fabregas didn’t have one of his greatest matches, he looked a bit tired, not his usual self, but did take the last goal well from the Bendtner cross.

Thinking about the match against Man United, we’ve still got some improving to do based on the Newcastle matches, we need a bit more pace, or perhaps that’s just down to tiredness from having a reduced squad at the moment.

As for Newcastle, Keegans got his hands full. Especially if he wants to silence the opposition fans from singing :

"Sacked in the morning, you’ll be sacked in the morning, sacked in the morning".

Aren’t we cruel sometimes?

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Cynics might argue that a £8m contract is good enough reason (I’d take the money!), but for Kevin there's got to be more to it!

The huge travelling contingent was euphoric when Joey Barton converted a penalty that seemed to be given for absolutely no reason whatsoever. It capped off a game that was by any stretch of the imagination very dull. The away fans had little to cheer until the last minute, although we still managed to make a racket for the whole 90. What was great to see was the lads once again battling right until the death; it has earned us four points over the past week, long may it continue!

Whether I am the only fan that is happy with such a win isn't for me to decide; I do know that had we lost 5-4 we would be three points worse off and my spirit this morning would be much lower. Roll on Derby - 1-0 will do me just fine.