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Arsene Wenger's philosophy is, to use his own phrase, to see Arsenal play with the handbrake off. At Chelsea he did not stop there - he cut the brake pipes and gave them a hefty shove down a very steep hill.

Wenger's bold approach was shaped by his admission that only victory would satisfy Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, not simply to keep in touch with the Premier League's top four but also as confirmation that the recent recovery carried genuine substance.

And with Chelsea counterpart Andre Villas-Boas equally intent on casting caution aside, after a madcap classic in which attack was not just the best form of defence, it was the only form of defence.

Happily for Wenger, the man at the controls for Arsenal was the exceptional Robin van Persie as he confirmed his status as the second most important man at the club behind his manager.

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Manchester City assembled grim statistical evidence around the feet of Sir Alex Ferguson like rubble - now Manchester United must piece the wreckage back together swiftly to silence talk of a permanent shift in power.

Ferguson did not hold back his emotions as he reflected on the on what United's manager called "our worst ever day - the worst result in my history, ever."

The last time Ferguson, in September 1989, he revealed he went home and buried his head underneath a pillow for hours on end in a bid to make the pain go away.

Ferguson may not have time to seek a similar remedy this time because the speed of City's advance, illustrated by this complete performance and led by the brilliance of David Silva, means they present a present danger to United's title.

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When they walk out as Premier League leaders to face on Sunday, will notice that Old Trafford has undergone one small, but highly significant, alteration since their last visit.

High and hanging from the Stretford End, a long-running painful taunt has been removed, a small sign - literally - of the reluctant acceptance that City is now a club to be taken seriously on both sides of Manchester.

The famous ticking clock banner, that had reached 35 years going on 36, was removed within days of City's and replaced with a more United-friendly "19 times" flag in honour of their .

Now Roberto Mancini's City have the opportunity to prove they have loosened another of the shackles placed around them by United in the years of supremacy under Sir Alex Ferguson.

But have the so-called "noisy neighbours" acquired the strength to finally overtake United?

City have closed the gap on United at the speed with which the men from Abu Dhabi have signed vast cheques for stellar performers such as Sergio Aguero and David Silva.

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When quizzed about the possibility of The Stone Roses reforming, bass player Mani once infamously remarked that it would happen "the day after Manchester City win the European Cup."

The message behind fanatical Manchester United supporter Mani's words was clear - one event was as unlikely to come to pass as the other.

So as Mani played his part in the announcement of that supposedly impossible Stone Roses reunion on Tuesday, City were not winning the tournament now known as the Champions League but they were finally making their first serious impact.

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Sir Alex Ferguson raised expectations by elevating to a level above Spain's "el Clasico" between Barcelona and Real Madrid - then dropped them to the floor with the arrival of his teamsheet.

Ferguson's selection did not reflect this lofty status and looked shaped to secure a point and end a run of three Premier League defeats at Anfield, not put on a show for the likes of visiting basketball superstar and Liverpool shareholder .

The absence of United's own special talent Wayne Rooney was the result, Ferguson explained, of the striker being "devastated" by his after a red card for England in Montenegro.

So Rooney joined United's finest attacking weaponry, including Nani and Javier Hernandez, in spending the first hour either sitting down or trotting along Anfield's touchline to various levels of abuse.

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was at home in Italy when was delivered to him by the .

At that moment Capello knew his plans for the would have to be divided into two phases. He must devise a strategy to ensure England safely navigate their way into the knockout stage, then make sure their finest player is in the right mental and physical shape to enter Euro 2012 at the sharp end.

England coach Capello made about Rooney only being suspended for the opening game when he was sent off in Montenegro for that confirmed qualification.

Rooney may have on his own behalf and left the pitch in Podgorica without contesting referee Wolfgang Stark's decision - but the damage, lots of it, was already done.

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England will not have to wait long to find out what they have let themselves in for , as European champions and World Cup holders .

The good news - and and members of the hierarchy were correct to point this out - is that England qualified top of their group and unbeaten after Friday's tempestuous draw in Montenegro.

Yet this appeared a small mercy as Wayne Rooney once again proved he cannot be trusted to control his temper and England were given a good old-fashioned going over for 45 minutes before securing the point required.

England's task of turning themselves from convincing qualifiers to genuine contenders in was arduous enough before Rooney took a kick at Montenegro's Miodrag Dzudovic and was rightly sent off by referee Wolfgang Stark.

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Podgorica, Montenegro
As England's players trudged through Podgorica's puddles close to midnight while lightning illuminated the skies above The City Stadium, the latest storm raged around Wayne Rooney.

Rooney made his way silently on to the waiting team bus, cast in the role of the villain who had placed a dark cloud over England's satisfaction at reaching Euro 2012 with the draw they required against Montenegro.

What should have been cause for celebration as Fabio Capello's goal was achieved became an inquest once Rooney inexplicably - and irresponsibly - kicked Montenegro defender Miodrag Dzudovic in an act of wild indiscipline 17 minutes from the end of a frantic final qualifier and was

England's ambitions of winning Euro 2012 were put into sharp focus by the manner in which they allowed a position of ease afforded by goals from Ashley Young and Darren Bent to slip into the desperation of uncertain defence after Elsad Zverotic pulled a goal back for Montenegro with the final kick of the first half.

It was followed by the moment that overshadowed the achievement of qualification. for possession with Dzudovic before swinging his right foot in a hack at his opponent's calf.

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Podgorica, Montenegro
Fabio Capello's full attention may be trained on England's final Euro 2012 qualifier here in Podgorica - but another sporting love ensures he follows the fortunes of his rugby union counterpart Martin Johnson.

When his AC Milan playing career came to a close, owner Silvio Berlusconi appointed Capello as his general manager with a brief to oversee the club's other sporting teams, which included .

It sparked an affection for the oval ball game that persists to this day and means Capello has been able to sympathise with as England's victories on the pitch threaten to be overshadowed by criticism of the players' behaviour off it.

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Podgorica, Montenegro

Scott Parker is old-fashioned in the purest sense of the term – even his precise side parting and the habit of never wearing his shirt outside his shorts conforms to the image of a figure from a bygone age.

As he enters the room with a firm handshake for every member of the media, Parker gives the impression of man who applies traditional values in his personal and professional life.

And that approach has been rewarded as here in the heat of Podgorica on Friday night, needing one point to confirm their .

Fabio Capello may be pondering his selections in defence and attack, but one decision that should not be giving him a sleepless night is placing Parker in the centre of England’s new-look midfield.

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to see the lighter side of his current career difficulties when he suggested he may start training with his young son's school team "if selected".

Sir Alex Ferguson left Ferdinand on the bench for after a chaotic defensive performance in the .

And Ferdinand will be confined to club activities as England's squad takes their plane to Podgorica on Thursday morning en route to their final qualifier in Montenegro.

So while Ferdinand may innocently make light of his situation, there is no doubt the problem he faces for club and country is no laughing matter.

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Harry Redknapp persuaded Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to sacrifice his strict laws on simple football economics to give him the gift he wanted all summer by gambling on

While Redknapp admits his pre-season was spoiled by the saga of Chelsea's interest in Luka Modric, he also spent time successfully convincing Levy that Parker was the man who could glue the parts of this gifted Spurs side together and return them to the Champions League.

Redknapp revealed it was not an easy task - but the early signs are that Levy, a tough negotiator and shrewd financial manager, may end up thanking his manager for getting him to take the punt on Parker.

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Good gamblers know a sure thing when they see one - which explains an unusual scene in the Goodison Park press box in the moments before kick-off in the Merseyside derby.

A well-known sporting figure, not involved in football it should be stressed for the conspiracy theorists, noted that Martin Atkinson was taking charge of the 216th meeting of Everton and Liverpool and commandeered a laptop to have a little last-minute flutter on the likelihood of a sending off.

This was a fixture with a history of red cards presided over by a referee with a habit of awarding them. And the money was on its way to the bank in the defining moment of this derby.

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