Grand Slam Sunday

As we reflect upon yesterday's so called Grand Slam Sunday,one could not help but wonder if the beautiful game could ever be played the way it should in England by both sides in any fixture save for Arsenal v Man United.In both clashes between the Big Four of the Premiership,only occasional flashes of brilliance,of intent to create an artistic move,were evident in the Emirates Stadium,so often the venue showcasing the best (albeit orchestrated by foreigners) English football can offer.

There were plenty of passion on display at Anfield,where Man United were fortunate to have snatched three points for the fifth time in six seasons,but it was a typical demonstration of how the heavyweights of the Premiership slug it out when they meet.Rafa Benitez will look back at the game with the realization that for all their effort,the chasing and closing down of opponents,Liverpool did not possess that cutting edge to produce a clear-cut opportunity to score.It is also worth crediting a United team which withstood the barrage of long balls into the area and,fittingly,the defending champions defended like champions.Things were a world apart from the match down in north London,where Chelsea showed the world that they,too,despite being unable to match the flow of Arsenal's passing,still managed to put together neat passes to carve out openings of their own.You probably wouldn't see Petr Cech make a mistake like the one he did last night in the rest of his career but he still managed to produce a magnificent double save later in the game to deny firstly Hleb and then Fabregas.

The top two may have put some distance between the rest of the league,but as far as this season goes,signs are pointing to a three-horse race that will surely be taken right to the last day of the season.