Scott Murray's Blog, page 211

Stoke v Manchester United – live!

Minute-by-minute: A place in the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup is up for grabs as Stoke host Manchester United at 7.45pm, join Scott Murray for all the action

Scott Murray

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Liverpool seek a big away tonic, time to take Newcastle even more seriously and Manchester United's visit to the Villa

1) Rodgers needs a big away win – and fast

Liverpool have yet to win a game away from home against one of the Big Teams under Brendan Rodgers. It's probably not long before that underwhelming banter generator, That Internet, proclaims him as the David Moyes de nos jours, especially as across the park Roberto Martínez cracked the code of winning big on the road, at Manchester United, not long after taking over. Rodgers should be cut a little slack, though. It's not as though he sends his team on to the pitch with a negative mind-set: there have been 2-2 draws at Arsenal and Manchester City, plus a 3-3 at Everton. And on other days, results could have been much more positive, had Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen and Pepe Reina not flown into flat spins at various inopportune moments (at Old Trafford, Goodison and the Etihad). The thin line between success and failure in professional sport, huh? Having said that, Rodgers needs to register a big win on his travels soon, or this could develop into a complex. Liverpool have an appalling record at White Hart Lane but Tottenham's current uncertainties offer him an opportunity. If not now, then Chelsea and Manchester City come in quick succession. Fail to win any of those – a prospect that's hardly a faint one – and Liverpool have themselves a little mental problem brewing. Scott Murray

• Gerrard hopes to return from injury in four weeks

2) Arsenal look for positive end to tricky week

Arsenal have a mental balancing act to perform this weekend, too. Their surprisingly weak performance during the second half at Napoli has filled Arsène Wenger with "regret", his team now facing the possibility of another brutal second-round draw in the Champions League, and with it another relatively early European exit at the hands of one of the game's giants. While that has no literal bearing on Arsenal's season until February, the dull thud of regret could nag away like toothache, and they can't afford to follow up a league game in which points were squandered late on against Everton with defeat at Manchester City, especially as difficult encounters with Chelsea and Newcastle are coming soon after. The weird thing about the Napoli result was that Arsenal were in total control defensively in the first 45 minutes, against one of Europe's more potent teams. Two halves of that at the Etihad at Saturday lunchtime and Arsenal will have escaped from a tricky week still in fine fettle at the top of the Premier League table. Another one-half showing and City will suddenly be only three points behind them – and Arsenal have themselves a little mental problem brewing. SM

• Arteta rails against scheduling before Man City clash
• Wenger admits 'regret' after Arsenal defeat at Napoli
• Arsenal launch investigation into fans' travel delays

3) It's the banker of the week/season!

Manchester United already have a little mental problem brewing, albeit only domestically. (Dodgy in the Premier League, majestic in Europe, are United on an erratic caper à la Liverpool 2005 or Chelsea 2012?) After back-to-back defeats at home, first to 1990s throwbacks Everton then Newcastle from out of the 1970s, David Moyes is desperate for a big result to maintain United's faint hopes of retaining their title. Oh look! The bus is pulling up at Villa Park! Since losing the Alan Hansen Headstone Inscription Match in 1996, United have travelled to play Aston Villa at their gaff 17 times in the league. They've won 11 of those mismatches, and drawn the other six. Throw in three cup victories too, and United couldn't pick a bigger banker to get back on the horse. In a purely logical world, history wouldn't weigh this heavily, but it does, evidently so on Villa. The home side's only hope might be that United, always comfortable in this arena, push forward with such swash and buckle that Villa's pacy front line spring them on the break. Their two best results this season – at home to Manchester City, and away at Southampton – has seen the game pan out pretty much like that. But 17 years of misery suggests it's a long shot. Still, if Everton and Newcastle can buck big trends … SM

• Young realises he has a reputation for diving
• Moyes rips into United over passing against Shakhtar

4) Time for the Toon

It might be time to start taking Newcastle United a wee bit more seriously. The form team in the division, they've won five out of their past six, including victories over Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. And yet they've still rather flown under the radar on their way up to seventh spot. Their first victory at Old Trafford since 1972, for example, ended up being more about the travails of David Moyes than the midfield excellence of Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tioté and Moussa Sissoko. Cabaye and Tioté's nice-and-nasty act in the centre of the park grabs the lion's share of what little attention Newcastle are given, though Sissoko's arguably the man of the moment: witness his recent thriker against West Bromwich Albion, or last weekend's systematic undressing of France team-mate Patrice Evra. Southampton will test Newcastle thoroughly at St James' Park on Saturday in their trademark intense style – the absence of the suspended Cabaye will help the visitors there – but with Saints stuttering this is the sort of fixture the Toon should be winning if they're to challenge for a European place. An outside shout for the Champions League? With a midfield like theirs, why not? SM

• Latest Premier League table and statistics

5) Are Stoke leaving the Pulis years behind?

Stoke City started the month of November by scoring a goal that was their former manager in distilled form, a tincture of Tony, a parfum de Pulis: that route-one-to-the-power-of-one upfield blooter by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic against Southampton. But at Swansea the week after, things started getting interesting. Stoke's second goal in a 3-3 draw was the result of some tiki-taka triangulation down the inside-right channel which culminated in Stephen Ireland stroking a finish into the bottom left in a Messi stylee. Having out-Swansea'd Swansea, it was the first suggestion that Mark Hughes was beginning to impose a new style on his new charges. A month down the line, and Stoke have seen off Chelsea, Oussama Assaidi adding to Stoke's prettied-up portfolio. A visit to Hull at Saturday teatime gives them an opportunity to firmly establish themselves in mid-table, from where Hughes can continue his fine work in peace. But which Stoke will turn up? The one which has scored eight goals in three recent games against Manchester United, Swansea and Chelsea, or – here's Steve Bruce hoping – the one that shipped four at Everton? SM

6) Sunderland's time for festive push

This time last season Sunderland were about to endure a harrowing festive period, featuring defeats to Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs (as well as their annual victory over Manchester City, of course). They will need a much happier Christmas this year. The good news is that the fixture list comes wrapped in tinsel, with six of their next eight matches against teams in the bottom half. The bad news is that Sunderland have scrounged just one point from teams in the bottom half so far this season. They will hardly get a better chance to improve on that record than the one they have this Saturday, when they travel to depleted, deteriorating West Ham. Paul Doyle

7) Will Fulham repeat Villa heroics?

It probably has not escaped the attention of the chairmen of, say, West Ham and Cardiff, that the three teams who have changed manager already this season have all improved. Granted, each of them is still in the relegation zone but they seem to have upward momentum and plans that are taking root. How long that lasts remains to be seen, of course. It will be especially interesting to see whether Fulham can repeat the performance that swept them to victory against Aston Villa last weekend, since it was totally at odds with most of what they had done previously this season. René Meulensteen has made a couple of personnel changes and imposed a more coherent shape but the biggest transformation was in the side's attitude and energy levels, as exemplified by Dimitar Berbatov's most dynamic display of the season. If they can reproduce that at Goodison Park, then Fulham can be confident of clambering free of danger. And other clubs may decide it is time to reinvigorate their team with a new manager too. PD

8) Swans' need for Michu to step up

Last season's sensation is becoming a frustration. Michu scored 18 league goals in his debut season in England and was supposed to be even more influential this term. Swansea splashed £8.5m on a specialist centre-forward, Wilfried Bony, so that Michu could spend more time in his favourite position, in the hole behind. But it hasn't quite worked out so far. He and his team-mates often appear on different wavelengths, his runs too often disorienting Swansea rather than unhinging opponents. Against Hull on Monday, when he returned from an injury-enforced absence, he was deployed again as a lone striker due to Bony's absence and it was a vexing experience all round: he was visibly exasperated at his team-mates' inability to find him amid three Hull centre-backs and his team-mates seemed irked by the fact when they did deliver the ball into a dangerous area, Michu had usually drifted off somewhere else. Ultimately, he extended his goalless streak to six matches. With Bony fit again and Alejandro Pozuelo emerging as a classy menace, some Swansea fans are starting to call for Michu to be dropped. Norwich, you suspect, would welcome that. PD

• Swansea safely through to Europa League last 32

9) Six-shooters must provide more firepower

Shane Long, Saido Berahino, Markus Rosenberg and the summer signings Nicolas Anelka, Victor Anichebe and Matej Vedra. In total, West Bromwich Albion's six strikers have scored league six goals this season. Steve Clarke seems to waver between which ones he likes best, as only Long has started more than half of the club's league matches (eight out of 15). How the manager must miss Romelu Lukaku. He probably feels less nostalgic about Peter Odemwingie but at Cardiff on Saturday the Nigerian will be aiming to strengthen the belief that this summer's transfer activity left the Baggies with less firepower rather than more. After just one league goal from Odemwingie so far this season and none from anyone in the past three matches, Cardiff could do with seeing some evidence of that too. PD

10) Palace seek Chelsea upset

Sometimes it feels as if José Mourinho is just an upmarket Tony Pulis. But not at the moment because the one thing that both managers insist on having is absent at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea do not have a solid spine and that it why their form is erratic and Mourinho has not yet looked truly at home since his return. Chelsea do not currently have a reliable striker or a dominant midfield anchor and, in recent weeks, Petr Cech has contracted the wobbles in goal. Palace, who have developed a sturdy backbone over the past five matches, will go to the Bridge feeling there is a brittleness there that they just might be able to exploit. PD

• Big interview with Crystal Palace's Barry Bannan
• Chelsea weigh up £13m January bid for Zouma

ArsenalManchester UnitedLiverpoolNewcastle UnitedStoke CityPremier LeagueCrystal PalaceChelseaSunderlandFulhamSwansea CityWest Bromwich AlbionDaniel HarrisScott MurrayPaul Doyle
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Europa League clockwatch – as it happened | Paul Doyle and Scott Murray

Minute-by-minute report: Swansea and Spurs march on in Europe. Paul Doyle and Scott Murray were watching

Paul DoyleScott Murray

Europa League clockwatch – live! | Paul Doyle and Scott Murray

Minute-by-minute report: It is the final round of group games in the competition. Find out who progresses with Paul Doyle

Paul DoyleScott Murray

Champions League 2013-14: The best and worst bits from the group stage

From Zlatan's tache-bash to racism in Russia, the Champions League group stage has provided some memorable highs and some depressing lows

Best goal: Aaron Ramsey

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 30-yard blooter against Anderlecht was the most spectacular, but in the context of his personal portfolio it was little more than a tap-in. Aaron Ramsey's header in Dortmund wasn't exactly in the same aesthetic ballpark, but his was a gentle eyebrow-brush that was heard around the world: no other goal turned a team's campaign on its head like this. Arsenal were under the cosh when it occurred, staring the Europa League in the face; after it went in, qualification for the second round was suddenly a realistic possibility.

Man of the groups: David Moyes

The poor bloke is getting brickbats for Manchester United's dismal performances in the Premier League, so it's only fair he should be thrown a sweet-smelling bouquet for guiding his new club through Group A with the minimum of fuss. Bayer Leverkusen were thrashed 9-1 on aggregate, no small feat seeing Sami Hyypia's men are currently the Bundesliga bosses of last year's Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. The half-time hairdryer turned on against Shakhtar Donetsk in the final game is worthy of note too, sending the Ukrainians out rather than sneaking off with a shock win and leadership of the group. Moyes' achievement has been strangely underplayed: even Sir Alex Ferguson failed to make it through the groups once or twice, after all.

Lowest moment: CSKA Moscow v Manchester City

Yaya Touré was visibly upset after Manchester City's trip to CSKA Moscow, where he was subjected to racist monkey chanting. Afterwards, he called on Uefa to take tough action, saying: "I'm not just disappointed, I'm furious. I'm very, very disappointed about what those fans have done today and I think Uefa have to take action because players with the same colour of skin will always be in the same position. For me, as captain, I was wearing an armband which said 'No to racism' and I was totally disappointed." The reaction from CSKA Moscow was unedifying. Though the manager, Leonid Slutsky, made it clear the club were against all racism, he described the fallout to the incident as "very exaggerated" and "an overreaction".

Best team: Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid may have had one of the easier draws of the competition – Porto, Zenit and the debutants Austria Vienna – but the old adage of only having to beat the team in front of you holds true. And Atlético did that with aplomb. At home they won all three of their matches and away they only dropped points at Zenit, who were the eventual runners-up in the group. Diego Simeone's side also went through with a goal difference of 12 – second only to Real Madrid, equal with Bayern, and scored by a team put together for a fraction of the cost of either.

Individual performance: Kostas Mitroglou v Anderlecht

Anderlecht are the side to play should you be looking to impress. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four on his own past them, one of them a 30-yard piledriver and the other a clipped, backheeled flick. But while scoring four past the likes of Anderlecht is impressive, it's no longer unexpected. More of a surprise, then, was Olympiakos's Kostas Mitroglou, whose three goals against the Belgians was the first-ever Champions League hat-trick by a Greek player. He has since been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, suggesting there is more to come.

Best result: Bayern Munich 2-3 Manchester City

The European champions fielded a strong XI for their final game in Group D, while it was City who made all sorts of changes with the upcoming Premier League showdown against Arsenal in mind. No matter: Manuel Pellegrini's jazz band came from two goals down to record an astonishing win: it was Bayern's first home defeat since March and only their second since October 2012. City had already qualified for the knockout stage, the first time they had made it through a round of the European Cup since they started trying back in 1968. But this was the moment they finally felt at home among the big boys.

Poorest performance : Giorgio Chiellini

How different would Juventus's campaign have been had Giorgio Chiellini not been such a daft sod at the Bernabéu? Juve were giving as good as they got with the score 1-1, until Chiellini opted to wrestle Sergio Ramos to the ground in the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo tucked away the resulting spot-kick, then just after half-time made the most of Chiellini's inexcusable decision to flap his fingers in his face. Red card! A 48-minute performance of the crassest buffoonery, and one which really cost Juve, who nevertheless pushed Real hard despite being down to 10 men. With 11 men, a point wouldn't have been beyond them that evening – and maybe the narrative of Group B might have unfolded in a more acceptable fashion for the Old Lady. Oh, Giorgio...

Unexpected thug: Mikel Arteta

When Mikel Arteta got his marching orders at Napoli this week for two questionable challenges, he had the audacity to look shocked to see red. But it had been coming. And not just in this match either, but the group as a whole: he really should have walked in Dortmund for persistent fouling. Arteta has always had a bit of the devil in an otherwise artistic make-up, but he's suddenly laying it on a wee bit too thick, and as a result Arsenal will miss him dreadfully in the first leg of the second round. Arteta needs to calm down, a point Arsène Wenger is sure to have made to the player in a lyrical style.

Best row

A toss up between Mathieu Flamini's right to bare arms and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's tache-bash. Flamini was forced to apologise for cutting off the sleeves of his Arsenal shirt, defying the club tradition in which the captain decides whether short-sleeved or long-sleeved attire will be worn. "I like to wear short sleeves, that's what I like to do," sniffed Flamini. "I do not like that and he will not do that again," reckoned Arsène Wenger. Meanwhile, Anderlecht's moustachioed midfielder Sacha Kljestan revealed that Ibrahimovic turned to him midway through their match against Paris Saint-Germain to offer some style advice. "After a perfectly normal challenge, Ibra turned to me and provoked me, making a joke about my moustache, saying: 'That really is terrible,' " said Kljestan, clearly not one to take it lying down. "I responded by saying that he should think about his nose."

Best quote

Having previously delivered sermons on 'John The Milkman' and the story of the priest and the mountain of sugar, Rafael Benítez teed up Napoli's match against Arsenal with a tale about a donkey. "If a man is walking with his son and his donkey," he said, "the first person will come along and say: 'Why don't you put your son on the donkey?' So he puts his son on the donkey, and a second person meets him and says: 'Why aren't you sitting on the donkey, too?' Every decision you make, someone criticises. It is best to stick with what you know."

Champions LeagueZlatan IbrahimovicArsenalDavid MoyesAtlético MadridManchester CityJuventusScott MurrayTom Bryant
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Champions League: 10 talking points from the final group games

Didier Drogba's potential return, Pellegrini's numerical error, marvellous ranting and the worst last 16 qualifiers ever

1) Was Arsenal's glass half-full or half-empty?

Arsenal have emerged from the Group of Death to reach the Champions League knock-out phase for the 14th season in succession, after the 2-0 defeat at Napoli. Visiting teams do not merely turn up to the Stadio San Paolo and walk off with the result. There was never the danger that Arsenal would not qualify. There might have been a wobble after Gonzalo Higuaín's opening goal and Mikel Arteta's 77th-minute red card but Arsenal kept their cool. On the other hand, this was an opportunity missed. A draw or better and Arsenal's odds of a favourable last 16 draw would have rocketed but, as it is, they will face Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid or Paris St-Germain. It was possible to script the narrative of Arsenal exhibiting time-honoured failings, chiefly the one about coming up short when the prize is in sight. They were passive in the second-half. They looked tired. After the 1-1 home draw against Everton on Sunday, this was another bad result and, next up for them, is Manchester City away on Saturday lunchtime. It is all going wrong … David Hytner

• Match report: Napoli 2-0 Arsenal
• Wenger admits to 'regret' after Napoli defeat
• Pictures: all the best images from Naples

2) Drogba might remind Mourinho what he lacks

José Mourinho had welcomed the possibility of the man he calls "King Didier" returning to Stamford Bridge should the draw for the knockout phase pair Chelsea with Galatasaray. In truth, the last thing this team needs now is a reminder of Drogba's prowess leading the line. Even at 35, the Ivorian remains a threat – there was a run of five goals in six games earlier this season – and his brutish presence had given the Portuguese "a headache", apparently, when his Real Madrid side were briefly bullied by the Turkish team. He is a leader of men, an inspiration, and, given the deficiencies displayed too often this term by Demba Ba, Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto'o, might show up a few of the current incumbents. His homecoming would undoubtedly be emotional. It might also remind Chelsea precisely what it is they lack in front of their cluster of creative attacking talents. Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Steaua Bucharest
• Pictures: the best images from Stamford Bridge
• Chelsea weigh up £13m bid for defender Zouma

3) Manuel maths meltdown masks Munich masterclass

To his credit, Pep Guardiola did call it. In the build-up to Tuesday night at the Allianz Arena, Guardiola told the German tabloid Bild that if his players played like they'd been training after a noticeably self-congratulatory Christmas party then they would lose to Manchester City. And so they did, at least for the final dozy, oddly flat 78 minutes of a performance that began at a sprint and sagged horribly in the middle. Damn you, Pep. Even in defeat, you somehow get to win. And yet Guardiola was blessed also by Manuel Pellegrini's maths-related show-stealer at the end, an act of endearingly dad-like numerical incompetence, but also a piece of misdirection that – unfortunately for Pellegrini – disguised the real story of the night, which was not the undoing of Manuel but the outwitting of Pep. Modern day super-manager he may be, a monkish, Confucian aesthete of elite European football, but Guardiola was outmanoeuvred on Tuesday night, just as his Bayern Munich team was exposed a little. Bayern may have been a little short on motivation, but they were also stretched by the direct impact running of Jesús Navas on the right and stifled, in the end, by City's tightly-knit five-man midfield, with Javi García a surprisingly dominant figure in the middle period of the match. Afterwards Pellegrini pointed out that he hadn't changed anything when City went 2-0 down, trusting instead that his plan would assert itself, that City's patterns would begin to emerge. This was against Bayern's strongest available team too, giddily kitted out with attacking midfielders, but short on explosive impact without the injured Arjen Robben and also lacking a little drive in the absence of Bastian Schweinsteiger. Barcelona have at times in their run of 10 straight Champions League victories looked pretty much unbeatable, not least at the Etihad Stadium in October. Pellegrini's gift to the knockout phase is to disturb that aura. Bayern will no doubt be back as strong as ever when it really counts. But City and Pellegrini will take huge confidence from this both at home and in Europe next year. Barney Ronay

• Match report: Bayern Munich 2-3 Manchester City
• Milner's mastery makes mockery of mediocre image

4) Relief for Manchester United

After topping Group A, Manchester United can put their Champions League pretensions aside until the competition resumes in February. The challenge for David Moyes now is to mastermind a string of victories so that his team emerge from the congested festive period flying. Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Ham United, Hull City and Norwich City are next up before Tottenham Hotspur motor into Old Trafford on New Year's Day. In those five games Moyes and the champions have a fine chance to take all 15 points and send a clear statement that they have finally found the fight that has thus far been lacking. The unpalatable corollary, though, is continue to lose games in the Premier League and the Scot will find his future at the club in quicksand. Jamie Jackson

• Match report: Manchester United 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
• In pictures – the best images from Old Trafford
• Young realises he has a reputation for diving
• Marina Hyde on savouring the Ferguson v Keane rivalry
• Paul Wilson: four games to save United's season
• Jamie Jackson: three players Moyes needs to buy and sell

5) Everyone's a (potential) winner

Steaua Bucharest, Celtic and Marseille – all former winners of the European Cup – finished bottom of their groups. Ajax, Porto, Benfica and Juventus – former winners too – were all dumped into the Europa League. The criticism of the Champions League is that it is always the same old teams, the European aristocracy, that win it – but this year the likes of Zenit, Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Schalke and Leverkusen are all through. Despite their riches, even the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are rare names to see in the knockout stages. Tom Bryant

6) Relentless Ronaldo

Until Tuesday night, five people shared the record of most goals scored in the group games. Four are, to varying degrees, forwards of rare European pedigree: Hernán Crespo, Filippo Inzaghi, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But it was the fifth, Cristiano Ronaldo, who set himself apart against Copenhagen by scoring his ninth of Real Madrid's Champions League campaign, a new record. He did so despite missing a penalty – an attempted chip that was read by the goalkeeper – and sitting out the match against Galatasaray with an injury. His strike against Copenhagen also ensured Real Madrid finished with 20 group stage goals, equalling Manchester United's 1998-99 record and Barcelona's in 2011-12. Ibrahimovic – who has eight in this campaign – might well be miffed that he was rested for the match against Benfica, thus depriving him of the chance to match Ronaldo. TB

• Match report: Copenhagen 0-2 Real Madrid

7) Caley Thistle and Motherwell can only prep Celtic so much

It's only 12 months since Celtic made it through a tricky group containing Barcelona and a Benfica side that would eventually reach the final of the Europa League. And with some style, to boot. Now they depart Europe in ignominy, on the end of a 6-1 thrashing at Camp Nou, their biggest humiliation in Europe since Artmedia Bratislava skelped them in the qualifiers back in 2005. Lack of serious investment is the root cause: Peter Lawwell needs to open the Celtic coffers, which are beginning to resemble the old biscuit tin again. But perhaps a lack of serious competition back home is beginning to hinder them too, with a lack of snap in the tackle evident in their rout: Cristian Tello's goal came at the end of a 40-pass move, the sort of thing that simply shouldn't be allowed to unfold, no matter how distinguished the opposition. Celtic might not want to admit it, but the sooner Rangers return from their sabbatical of shame, and sharpen them up a bit, the better. Scott Murray

• Match report: Barcelona 6-1 Celtic

8) Onwards …

How will all this Champions League action affect the Premier League? It's certainly been good news for Manchester United and Chelsea, who by finishing first in their groups are guaranteed to avoid the big boys until at least the start of April, and can now concentrate on domestic affairs without too much extraneous strife from overseas. Manchester City and Arsenal have no such luck; as second-placed finishers, they might be thrown into summit meetings with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund a month and a half earlier. Extra pressure may be felt at Arsenal, who are defending the leadership of the league, and were hopeful of topping their Champions League group. But no. This weekend they face City, who have just beaten the European champions and had already prepared themselves mentally as likely runners-up. A defeat at the Etihad on the back of a home draw with Everton followed by Champions League disappointment, and suddenly Arsenal might feel a little jittery. Especially with tough games against Chelsea and Newcastle coming up. The Premier League, like it's European counterpart, is on! SM

9) Three reds, three penalties and a marvellous rant

After watching his side concede three penalties, two of which were saved, and then having three of his players sent off against Olympiakos, the Anderlecht coach, John van den Brom, would have been forgiven for allowing the steam to come parping out of his ears. And he didn't disappoint. "Red cards, penalties … it was like someone did not want us to leave here with a win," he said. "We continued to battle with 10, nine and eight players, but it seemed that it was certain we would not be allowed to leave with victory. I am not implying anything, I am saying what I saw." Asked if he blamed the referee, he warmed to his theme: "Were all the decisions of this man wrong? Yes. I also hear that it was the last Champions League match of the referee. Well, then I'm happy for the other teams in the Champions League. This was just outrageous." Olympiakos scraped into the last 16 courtesy of goal difference – a real achievement, given they were in a group including both the moneyed Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica, the current Europa League runners-up and the 2011/12 Champions League quarter finalists. However, despite the achievement, there will be plenty of sides hoping to face the Greeks in the next round. TB

• Match report: Olympiakos 3-1 Anderlecht

10) Points do not always win prizes

Napoli will look at the table, and at the 12 points they have accumulated and feel desperately hard done by. Not since Paris Saint-Germain failed to qualify for the knockout stages in 1997-98, also with a tally of 12, has a team racked up so many points yet failed to go through. They will be doubly irritated when they look over at Group G, where Zenit St Petersburg have sailed through to the last 16 with just six points. The last team to go through with fewer were Milan in 1994-95 who went through with five after having two points deducted after crowd trouble, and under the old two points for a win rule. Zenit can probably, therefore, claim to be the worst team to ever qualify from the Champions League group stages. TB

Champions LeagueJamie JacksonBarney RonayDavid HytnerDominic FifieldScott MurrayTom Bryant
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Napoli v Arsenal – live! | Scott Murray

Arsenal lose, but make it to the second round anyway as Napoli crash out. Scott Murray was watching

Scott Murray

The Fiver | Oh Manchester City! | Scott Murray

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CITIZEN CALCULATORS

Oh Manchester City! Typical Manchester City! Yes, as any football fan who has ever uttered one of those time-honoured phrases will be able to attest, Manchester City have a habit of coming a cropper in the most singular, self-administered fashion. Examples of their unerring ability to find unique ways to fire rounds of bullets through their shoes are legion. One time, they lost a game against opponents they were expected to beat. Another, there was this year they didn't play very well at all, and got relegated. And in one other particularly infamous debacle, a player playing for them once scored a goal – but into his own net! It was an own goal! Oh City! Typical City! Unlike any other team in the history of football, sometimes things simply don't pan out for them in the manner they'd prefer!

In fairness to City, they've been getting better at avoiding these signature slips in recent times. By way of illustration, after winning the Premier League in 2012, they managed to avoid scoring 80 goals and finishing bottom the season after, something most people blithely assumed they'd do on account of it happening once before in 1938. City had also recently, finally, broken their Big Cup jinx, by getting through a round of Europe's most prestigious competition for the first time in 45 years of trying. But some habits are harder to break, and last night's denouement to Group D saw them revert to old ways. Oh City!

Upon registering a spectacular 3-2 win at Big Cup holders Bayern Munich, it was only after the game that Manuel Pellegrini and his team realised one more goal would have seen them top the group at Bayern's expense on away goals in the head-to-head results. But, having thought only a three-goal margin would do if they wanted to avoid the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris St Germain and Atlético Madrid in the second round, they took their foot off the gas in order to protect the fitness of David Silva ahead of this weekend's league game against Arsenal. As shambles go, it wasn't the same as the time they played out a draw at Anfield with a view to retaining their Premiership status only to realise when it was too late that in fact they required a win. But it was similar. Oh City!

"It was difficult to score two goals and I think that Silva had to play not more than 70 minutes," admitted Pellegrini afterwards, explaining his decision not to bring on Sergio Agüero and send on Álvaro Negredo instead, and in doing so inadvertently revealing his own confusion over the group standings. James Milner later confirmed that City were indeed, to a man, numerically perplexed: "We didn't know if 4-2 would be enough or if we would need 5-2. We thought it needed to be 5-2, to be honest." Typical etc.

Pellegrini later insisted that "it's very important to be the first in the group but it's not the most important thing", but surely you can't afford to reduce your chances of further advancement by making avoidable misjudgments such as this. The mistake betrays City's inexperience at this level. For example, you simply wouldn't catch their more worldly-wise neighbours Manchester United making such a crass mathematical error, like getting the decimal point in the wrong place while negotiating a £270,000.00 deal with Everton for a bit of midfield back-up, or anything.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE TONIGHT

Follow Scott Murray's minute-by-minute report of Arsenal 1-2 Napoli and Tom Bryant's Big Cup clockwatch from 7.45pm.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Like every city in the world, we have our problems, but, despite what the article says, there are not poisonous snakes and tarantulas roaming around the streets and falling from the trees" – the mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio, sets the record straight again after charming reports in Britain referred to the Amazon city that will host England as a "murderous hell-hole."

FIVER LETTERS

"In response to Nick Smith's letter yesterday questioning the doctoral thesis on Poirot and stating (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (8 years earlier, where the narrator turns out to be the killer)) … I'll put said book down and won't bother reading the last chapter. Thanks for ruining that for me Nick" – Ed Theobald (and many other disgruntled Agatha Christie fans).

"Thanks very much for the Hodge conjecture. I felt like I knew I was reading English, because I recognised the majority of the words and the order they were in but I knew I didn't understand what was being said. Now I know how the England team feel at press conferences. Now, if you'll excuse me, someone's just sent me something about a Guardian knot which looks interesti … oh" – Ferg Slade.

"Rather than a Marvel Superhero being the model for said Green Brigade Suit (Fiver Passim), as suggested by Graham O'Reilly, may I suggest it was indeed Shane Long, busking in Temple Bar, Dublin, on West Brom's Christmas outing" – Kevin O'Stables

Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our letter o'the day is: Ferg Slade, who wins a copy of Footba … ah, Sid Lowe's Fear and Loathing in La Liga. We'll have another one to give away tomorrow, so if you haven't been lucky thus far, keep trying. Let's face it, the standard's snakebelly low and it's not like it takes much winning.

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BITS AND BOBS

Liverpool will be $tevie Mbe-less for four to six weeks due to hamstring twang. Still, it's a good job they only play Spurs, Chelsea and Man City away in the next four games.

Roberto Mancini's Galatasaray scarf has lived to fight another day after Wesley Sneijder's late goal knocked Juventus out in the snow-hindered Big Cup match.

Big Sam is so desperate for a striker with two functioning legs and a beating heart that he may loan Obafemi Martins from Seattle Sounders.

Brentford have appointed sporting director Mark Warburton as manager after Uwe Rosler did one to Wigan.

And Ajax fans on the way to San Siro have clashed with anti-austerity 'Pitchfork' protesters in Milan after their bus was held up by their demonstration before the Big Cup match.

STILL WANT MORE?

What's all the fuss about … a few wins over Christmas will put United right back on track, writes glass-half-full's Paul Wilson.

What Page 42 Stunnah Marina Hyde wants from a feud is thermonuclear warfare over an issue marginally less important than what she might have for her supper – and Keane v Lord Ferg doesn't disappoint.

Did Rafa Benítez really say "I wanted 10,000 spoons, but they only had a knife"? Do this quiz to find out.

Sitting comfortably? Then let Daniel Taylor recall the tale of when Nottingham Forest fell foul of match-fixing in 1984.

What happens when sugar daddies get bored? Football clubs die, warns cheery Louise Taylor.

Oh, and if it's your thing, you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace.

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WETTING THE BABY'S HEAD: A YEAR ONManchester CityScott Murray
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