The Tamil Nadu bowling coach expressed his concerns at the frequent ball changes seen in Nagpur. Within the first two sessions of the first day’s play, the SG Test ball was replaced three times

Arun Venugopal in Rajkot01-Jan-2017

Tamil Nadu bowling coach L Balaji has expressed surprise at the frequency with which the ball was changed on the first day of their semi-final against Mumbai. It was replaced three times inside the first two sessions, and Balaji said it disrupted the momentum of both batsmen and bowlers. Mumbai coach Chandrakant Pandit concurred with Balaji’s remarks and said it was an issue that needed to be taken seriously.”During the game, [teams] batting or bowling can lose the grip because of a sudden change [of the ball]. I think most of the coaches had discussed that in the last coaches and captains [conclave],” Pandit said.There have been previous instances of the SG Test ball, which is used in the Ranji Trophy, being replaced after losing its shape, but Balaji said he had never seen a ball being changed so often within a short period. He also felt the constant changing played on the minds of Tamil Nadu’s batsmen. “When the ball keeps changing, it is like you have to adapt to different balls,” Balaji said. “The ball makes a big difference in bowlers’ skills because in the recent past a lot of [ball-related] controversies have been going on.”I am sure the ball has some kind of ability to change the course of the game; I believe in that because softer balls are sometimes helpful on some wickets and heavier balls are sometimes helpful on different wickets. I have not seen anything like three-four balls being changed in the first session. I don’t know [if it is] because of the conditions or because of the balls’ quality. That is not in our control. That’s up to the match officials.”On his team’s batting, Balaji admitted the loss of four wickets inside 15 overs either side of tea altered the script. He was, however, hopeful that Vijay Shankar, batting on 41, and the tail could rally the team towards a competitive total on the second day. “We have a couple of tailenders who have bailed us out many times – Aswin Crist can bat, K Vignesh can bat and Aushik Srinivas can definitely bat,” he said.”We have a decent total now but there is no reason why we cannot push this total further. Even in the England game [first Test against India in Rajkot], the lower order contributed a huge amount as they reached 500-odd runs [537] with [Zafar] Ansari and Ben Stokes and other guys.”Balaji, however, conceded the surface posed little challenge for the batsmen. “It is pretty much like the bowlers have to bend their back and take all the chances and half-chances,” he said. “That is very crucial. Our bowling has been one of the strengths this season, so let’s see.”Shardul Thakur, who picked for two wickets for Mumbai, felt his team was in a good position despite some patchy bowling. “Sometimes it’s difficult to control the ball, so just taking the idea like how much it’s swinging, whether it’s swinging out or coming in more [is important],” he said. “It’s important how you come back, keep bowling in the channel and trouble the batsman.”Mumbai’s seamers – Thakur, Abhishek Nayar and Balwinder Sandhu – accounted for five of the six wickets to fall. Thakur said they had looked to exploit the reverse swing that was on offer in the afternoon. “A lot of times, batsmen tend to go hard at the bowlers on such pitches, so it is important to just keep in the channel and keep moving the ball in or out, whatever you are comfortable with,” he said.”My inswing is good, so I was bowling that. I was mixing it up later on. We knew that one wicket would get us back in the game. It was then all about bowling in the channel and trying to get the new batsman out.”

Zimbabwe have conducted interviews to fill the position of head coach, left vacant by the sacking of Dav Whatmore in June. Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut and South Africans Peter Kirsten and Justin Summons were interviewed by five ZC board members on Wednesday. An appointment is expected to be made before the Sri Lanka Tests later this month and is likely to be a two-year contract with the mandate to ensure Zimbabwe qualifies for the 2019 World Cup.Of the candidates, Streak is considered the favourite while Summons is the dark horse. Based in Johannesburg, Summons worked with both Prosper Utseya and Brian Vitori to correct illegal bowling actions. Both bowlers have subsequently been cleared to play.Summons will have tough competition from Streak, who was Zimbabwe’s bowling coach under Alan Butcher between 2010 and 2013 and has had stints with Bangladesh and at the IPL since. Streak will likely be able to continue in his role with IPL team Gujarat Lions, which occupies him for only two months a year, even if he gets the Zimbabwe job.Blignaut does not have the same experience as Streak but does share local knowledge. He has been coaching at Peterhouse, one of Zimbabwe’s most prestigious sporting schools, and was being considered for a role with Zimbabwe’s under-19 side earlier this year.Kirsten is also currently involved at a school, Redhill in Johannesburg, while also working as a commentator on SABC Radio. His most recent coaching experiences are all in Africa; he was involved with Uganda, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Kirsten also coached Western Province in the past.Zimbabwe’s South African connection is strong. Their most recent acting head coach was Makhaya Ntini, who took over for ODIs against India and two Tests against New Zealand. With only one victory in eight games, Ntini, who does not have any coaching qualifications apart from the Level II that all former Test players automatically hold, came under pressure and Zimbabwe were forced to seek out another head coach. Ntini is still in Zimbabwe and players have been training under him and batting consultant Lance Klusener in the lead-up to matches against Pakistan A. Ntini and Klusener, who have signed contracts with ZC, are expected to be retained in the roles of bowling coach and batting consultant respectively.Zimbabwe are scheduled to play two Tests against Sri Lanka in Harare starting on October 29, after which they will play an ODI triangular series also involving West Indies.

Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz is being eyed up by Real Madrid for a shock summer transfer, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.

What's going on with Havertz?

The German international has had another disappointing season, scoring nine goals in 47 games across all competitions, and the 23-year-old could be sacrificed in order to bring another forward in.

The versatile attacker scored the winner as Chelsea won the Champions League two years ago, but has been underwhelming during his time at Stamford Bridge beyond that moment, and his three season spell could now come to an end as Carlo Ancelotti takes aim at the £150k-per-week star.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that Los Blancos are interested in Havertz to add depth to their attack, with Marco Asensio set to depart.

"There have been many rumours about Kai Havertz in the last 24 hours, and I'm told that it's true, Real Madrid really appreciate him. He was one of the names they mentioned in their internal meeting they had with Carlo Ancelotti, and with people on the board who report to Florentino Perez," he stated.

"So it's true that they really appreciate Kai Havertz. They believe that Havertz is the kind of creative player with skills that Real Madrid don't have in the current team, let's remind that Marco Asensio will leave the club.

"The situation on the Chelsea side, from what I'm told, Chelsea are open to negotiating for Kai Havertz. So Havertz is not an untouchable player at Chelsea, but some of the reports coming from Spain were mentioning maybe a loan with a buy option clause or these kind of things, no. Chelsea want important money for their important players."

Should Chelsea sell Havertz?

Depending on the size of the offer that comes in from Real Madrid, a sale of Havertz could solve a number of problems at Chelsea.

The club need to sell players in order to comply with financial fair play rules, and Havertz could be a player sacrificed given his underwhelming contributions on the pitch.

Havertz joined for an astonishing £75m in 2020, and whilst it seems highly unlikely that Chelsea will recover a lot of this, cutting their losses now whilst his value is high could help Mauricio Pochettino buy a new striker, and Havertz's departure would make space in the squad.

Victor Osimhen has been targeted, and if Havertz making way can generate space and funds to sign the Napoli striker, then it is a deal that Chelsea should look to complete.

Crystal Palace are believed to be interested in a sealing a summer reunion with Conor Gallagher, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

How is Gallagher performing at Chelsea?

The 23-year-old made himself a hero at Selhurst Park over the 2021/2022 season, spending a highly impressive year there on a temporary basis. He scored eight goals and chipped in with three assists, standing out as one of the Eagles' best players, before returning to Chelsea once the campaign reached its conclusion.

While Gallagher will no doubt have hoped to replicate that level of influence in a Blues side, he found himself in and out of the starting lineup throughout the 2022/23 season. While he featured in 35 of Chelsea's 38 Premier League matches, only 18 of them were starts, making it difficult for him to find any kind of rhythm week in, week out.

It could be that the west Londoners are willing to listen to offers for the England international once the summer transfer window opens, with plenty of interest in him from fellow Premier League clubs.

Could Gallagher make Palace return?

According to talkSPORT's Crook, Palace are keen on re-signing Gallagher this summer, but they aren't alone in eyeing up a move for him:

"Gallagher is not believed to have done enough this season to convince the Blues hierarchy that he ill be a part of their long-term plans.

"West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace, where he had a successful loan spell, have all been alerted to the possibility of signing the £40million-rated midfielder."

Gallagher returning to Palace before the start of next season could be a hugely exciting signing, given how popular he was during his loan spell at the club.

It could simply be that he isn't quite at the level required to be a regular starter for a club of Chelsea's stature, but there is no shame in that, instead possessing enough talent to be a star man for a team like the Eagles. He showed that last season, during which time he was described as a "massive player" by then-manager Patrick Vieira, as well as "extraordinary and outstanding" by Thomas Tuchel.

Gallagher himself would surely jump at the chance to potentially rejoin Palace, considering he knows the club well and seemingly had a strong relationship with the fanbase when he was last there, although that may depend on whether a club who can offer European football come in for him instead.

India captain MS Dhoni blamed the absence of big partnerships for his team’s six-run defeat to New Zealand

Arun Venugopal20-Oct-20161:34

‘If anyone batted 15 minutes more, we would have won’

India captain MS Dhoni blamed the absence of big partnerships for his team’s six-run defeat to New Zealand on a Feroz Shah Kotla pitch that was slow and had variable bounce.After New Zealand had made 242, India stitched together sizeable partnerships in their chase but lost clumps of wickets on two occasions. First, Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey departed in the space of four balls in the 19th over, and then Dhoni, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra fell in a nine-ball span during overs 40 and 41, with Martin Guptill accounting for the last two of those dismissals in his only over of the match.”If you see there were quite a few partnerships, but we kept losing wickets after every partnership,” Dhoni said. “When you are chasing a score like this it is important that you need to keep a few wickets because the runs were coming. Even if you need six or seven runs an over in the end it can easily be achieved but our problem was that we kept losing the wickets. In fact in the 41st over we lost two wickets.”It’s not about one batsman, I felt we lost wickets throughout. Any batsman could have said that had I contributed 10 percent more we would have won the game. So it was the responsibility of the whole batting unit. I felt the bowlers did well.”Dhoni said the pitch continued to slow down despite the dew, which generally ensured the ball came on to the bat better. “I felt it was best to bat in the day time as the game kept progressing the wicket got slightly slower and slower with a bit of variable bounce,” he said. “Also, if you lose one or two wickets that slows you down to an extent. Then, if you have that partnership and still lose a wicket again, again you have to start from scratch.”He defended the decision to bowl first and said 242 was a par score on the pitch. “If any of our batsman had batted 15 minutes more we would have won the game,” he said. “The bowlers did well to come back into the game. Initially it was difficult to contain their batsmen and they played some proper shots, not to forget we dropped two catches off [Kane] Williamson. That also has a bit of a bearing. Overall I was happy with 240-245, because that was very much something we could have achieved.”Dhoni also lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s ability to bowl inch-perfect yorkers, and said his consistency made him his go-to man, particularly at the death. After a tight spell up front, Bumrah returned to clean up New Zealand’s lower order with yorkers and slower deliveries and finished with figures of 3 for 35.”Right from the time he began his international career he has always been someone who can bowl yorkers at will, and that’s why he has been someone I can always bank upon,” Dhoni said. “A lot of times I had to see how every bowler is bowling and then decide who will bowl the last few but with Bumrah be it any condition or situation he has always been someone who gives me those last few overs. He practices that way, he has an awkward action. Still credit to him for consistently bowling those yorkers.”

The Supreme Court of India has directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to its state associations until they comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Oct-20165:23

Kalra: Supreme Court giving BCCI as much breathing space as it can

The Supreme Court of India has passed an order that limits the BCCI’s financial freedom and power until the board and its state associations comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.In a 25-page order issued on Friday, the court directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to its state associations until they submit affidavits stating compliance with the recommendations to the court and the Lodha Committee in two weeks. The order was passed by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.The court also asked BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke to meet the Lodha Committee before November 3. They were required to submit an “affidavit of compliance” in the court by December 3, elaborating on the recommendations already implemented by the BCCI and what it had done to persuade the state associations to adopt the recommendations. The court scheduled the next hearing for December 5.BCCI’s financial wings clipped

The Supreme Court has asked the Lodha Committee to oversee financial transactions undertaken by the board by putting in place the following measures:
♢ Appoint an independent auditor to check the income received and expenditure incurred by the BCCI
♢ Fix a threshold value for BCCI contracts which would be overseen by the auditor from the tender stage
♢ Approve or disapprove BCCI contracts above the threshold value and obtain the advice of the auditors on the fairness of the tendering process
♢ Formulate the terms of engagement and reference for the auditors. The BCCI shall bear the costs, charges and expenses of the auditors

In another significant decision, the court asked the Lodha Committee to appoint an independent auditor to verify the BCCI’s accounts. The Lodha Committee was also asked to set a “threshold value” for various contracts the BCCI enters into, and all contracts in excess of that amount would need the committee’s approval. The next major contract for the board is the IPL broadcast deal, set to be finalised on October 25.”I’ve always maintained that we have the highest respect for judiciary. We have welcomed the Lodha Committee recommendations, we more than welcome them because we have nothing to hide,” Thakur told after the order came out. “I’m very optimistic in my approach and I am sure some of the issues that we have requested for a re-look will be addressed. We are not fighting against anyone. All I have been saying is that there is confusion regarding certain recommendations. I am sure a dialogue can be had in the interest of the game.”Friday’s order is the second one issued this week by the court, after an interim order on October 17 in response to the Lodha Committee’s status report, which had recommended that the BCCI office bearers be “superseded” and a panel of administrators be appointed because the board was impeding the implementation of the court-approved recommendations.In its order the court noted that there was “substance in the status report”. It also said the BCCI was in “breach” of the July 18 court order that had approved the majority of recommendations in the Lodha Committee’s report and asked the board and states to implement them in four to six months. “Implementation of the final judgment of this Court dated 18 July 2016 has prima facie been impeded by the intransigence of BCCI and its office bearers,” the court order said.The court said that “at this stage” it was refraining from approving the Lodha Committee’s suggestion to supersede the BCCI office bearers because the board had said in a submission to the court that “it would make every genuine effort to persuade the state associations” to comply with the recommendations.The BCCI’s position had been that it could not implement the Lodha Committee’s recommendations without a majority of its state associations agreeing to do so. The key recommendations the board said the states were reluctant to accept were the one-state-one-vote policy, the age cap of 70 for administrators, and the limit of three, three-year terms with cooling-off periods in between for office bearers.The court order put the states under pressure to comply by cutting off their funding. “The BCCI shall forthwith cease and desist from making any disbursement of funds for any purpose whatsoever to any state association until and unless the state association concerned adopts a resolution undertaking to implement the recommendations of the Committee as accepted by this Court in its judgment dated 18 July,” the court order said. A state was to receive funds from the BCCI only after the resolution, signed by its president, was submitted to the committee and the court.The court said it had taken cognisance of the argument raised by the board’s legal counsel Kapil Sibal, who had said the BCCI would “demonstrate” to the Lodha Committee how it had already fulfilled some of the recommendations. The court asked the committee to verify whether there had been “full compliance”.

Speaking at a press conference for the first time since he was dropped for what came to be known in public as slow strike rate in the Tests in the West Indies, Cheteshwar Pujara may have come prepared for a question on the scoring rate. It was naughtily put too.Pujara was asked what he thought of India’s strike rate on a day that New Zealand bowled with discipline to keep the hosts under three-an-over even though they lost just the three wickets. Pujara saw the slower ball early; he could have hit it out of the park, but chose to respectfully block it.”This issue has become slightly too big,” Pujara said. “The message [from the team management to him] was to play with intent. When it comes to Test cricket, we don’t need to focus much on strike rate. It’s about having a positive intent. Overall, on such wickets, obviously you can’t keep scoring runs at strike rates above 70-80. You have to play according to the situation, know what the team requires, what number you’re batting at. Depending on all circumstances, you have to bat accordingly.”Two of his team-mates, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, batted according to the situation, weathering the threatening period before gradually scoring runs faster in an unbeaten 167-run partnership. That Kohli can accelerate is well known, but Pujara pointed to what is not pointed often: Rahane’s wish to dominate once he is in.”I’ve observed for the last two years that Ajinkya’s batting has improved in all formats,” Pujara said. “Especially in Test cricket, the way he is batting, he has scored runs in tough situations in India and abroad. He has improved a lot. Once he is set, the way he dominates is always a pleasure to watch.”The second half of this partnership is what New Zealand will rue after they had reduced India to 100 for 3 in 36 overs. James Neesham, the New Zealand allrounder making a Test comeback, said all was not lost yet because they had still kept a check on the scoring rate.”I don’t know if we could have done it a whole lot different with the ball,” Neesham said. “We stuck at it well. Seamers had a tough job with not a lot of bounce or lateral movement. If you can’t get the ball reverse-swinging, it’s difficult with their quality batsmen. Keeping the run rate below three was a good achievement. Couple of quick wickets tomorrow, and we’re still in game.”There is one thing they could have done differently, though: call correctly at the toss. That’s a habit Kane Williamson seems to have inherited from Brendon McCullum. On a tour where tosses are crucial, New Zealand have lost all three. Neesham could laugh about it, though.”Probably makes it easier, turn up at the ground knowing you’re probably going to lose and be bowling, which is an easier mental shift than thinking you might be batting.”

After 'El Mago' announced his retirement from football, GOAL looks back on the best moments of his magical decade at the Etihad Stadium

David Silva's wondrous career has come to a sad end due to a devastating knee injury, forcing the Spaniard to retire a year ahead of schedule. He bids farewell to the game after a storybook career which saw him lift countless trophies, including a European Championship and a World Cup.

Manchester City were lucky that he spent his best days at the Etihad Stadium, inspiring the Blues to four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups. Along with Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart and Sergio Aguero, Silva set City on the path to world domination and deservedly has his own statue outside the club's ground.

GOAL looks back at the glorious career of 'El Mago', picking out the top 10 moments of his magical reign in Manchester…

• Getty
  

  10Forgotten yet crucial goal against QPR

  Most people have forgotten that City actually beat QPR 3-2 twice in the title-winning season. The dramatic final day of the season and Aguero's 94th-minute winner has naturally overshadowed the other match, at Loftus Road, but it was no less crucial.

  Silva played a vital role in the comeback victory. With the match finely balanced at 1-1, the Spaniard fired City in front with a touch of class, bringing a cross from Edin Dzeko out of his feet and away from his two markers in the six-yard box before rifling home from close range.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  9Farewell goal against Bournemouth

  The final few weeks of the 2019-20 season were like a farewell tour for Silva, and the big shame is that City fans were not able to watch his swansong in person due to coronavirus restrictions.

  But he bowed out in typical fashion with an exquisite goal against Bournemouth in the penultimate home game of the season. It was a splendid free-kick, curling over the wall and bouncing off the crossbar into the net to set City on their way to a 2-1 win.

• Getty
  

  8FA Cup final goal at last

  Silva had done almost everything for City apart from make his mark in an FA Cup final. In the 2011 showpiece against Stoke City, he missed a clear chance to score, while the 2013 final was a total disaster as City were beaten by soon-to-be-relegated Wigan Athletic.

  The Spaniard made it third time lucky by firing in City's opening goal in the 2019 final against Watford, though, burying a half-volley after a knockdown by Raheem Sterling in the area.

  The goal set City on their way to a 6-0 hammering, the biggest scoreline in an FA Cup final for 116 years.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  7Scrappy yet vital goal against Arsenal

  It was far from Silva's best goal but it is among his most important. Not every goal has to be a work of art, sometimes you just need to be in the right place at the right time. And that's what Silva did in a tight match against Arsenal in 2011 to snatch a 1-0 win.

  In a reversal of usual roles, Mario Balotelli weaved his way down the left wing and took on a defender before sending a shot across goal. Wojciech Szczesny parried it into the air, but Silva was there to slide in and knock the ball in from a couple of yards out.

  When City were locked in their breath-taking title race with United later in the season, every point counted, and this scrappy finish was just as crucial in City winning the title as Aguero's strike against QPR.

Manchester United could look to the summer transfer window to further strengthen their squad and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Amadou Onana to Man United?

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are plotting a move for Everton's Amadou Onana should the Merseyside club suffer relegation from the Premier League at the end of the season.

As per the report, the Red Devils are keen to bring in another midfielder this summer and have made Onana a target after being impressed with his displays this season.

It is claimed that the midfielder is looking to cement a place in the Belgium squad, so securing a move to an elite club is something the player is keen to push for, despite only completing his £33m Everton move less than a year ago.

Who is Amadou Onana similar to?

Scott McTominay could be set for an exit from Old Trafford this summer with several reports linking him away, whilst Marcel Sabitzer will return to Bayern Munich following his loan, as there is no option for a permanent move, so there is certainly an opportunity to strengthen and add depth to the centre of the pitch.

Indeed, Onana is still inexperienced compared to the likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes, however, the youngster has been showing promising signs that he could be the next Pogba with his huge presence in midfield at Goodison Park.

Michael Ball even compared the 21-year-old to the Frenchman following his influential display in the victory over Arsenal earlier this season. Writing in his column for the Liverpool Echo – he claimed that Onana 'has got the talent and reminds me a little bit of Pogba in the way he glides around the pitch with a sense of confidence.'

Not only that, French journalist Julien Laurens also named Pogba when comparing players to Onana in analysis with The Blue Room:

"He's an incredible talent. He's a Tchouameni, he's a Pogba, those kinds of players."

Over 30 Premier League appearances, the Belgian titan has scored one goal, registered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 shots on goal, 1.1 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 42.7 touches and 6.1 duels won per game.

Just like Pogba, it is clear to see that the 6 foot 4 star possesses outstanding box-to-box qualities that could be a hugely valuable asset to the Man United midfield and, at such a young age, Onana has the potential to develop and mould into the perfect player for Ten Hag.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Man United to secure the services of Onana ahead of next season as his Pogba-esque approach to the game could take their midfield to the next level.

With long-time leaders Arsenal looking likely to lose out to Manchester City, the Gunners of 2022-23 can be added to this rather ignominious list…

At times during the 2022-23 season, Arsenal have been as many as eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. Dreams of a first league title since 'The Invincibles' in 2004 have taken over the Gunners' campaign, with Mikel Arteta's team playing the most thrilling football the Emirates Stadium crowd has seen from the home side.

However, after their 3-0 home defeat to Brighton, it now seems certain that Arsenal will miss out on the title, with Manchester City's superb winning run having moved Pep Guardiola's side clear at the top. City's win over the Gunners in April will perhaps be seen as the result that turned the tide, but Arsenal's three successive draws that preceded that 4-1 loss played as much of a part, if not bigger.

That run and subsequent surrendering of top spot has led to talk of Arsenal having 'bottled' the title, but would such talk really be fair, given Arsenal have surpassed all of their pre-season expectations? Let's not also forget they are going up against a state-backed club that has twice accepted UEFA sanctions for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations and is presently facing more than 100 breaches of Premier League rules?

So, despite their late-season wobble, would they really deserve inclusion on the list of the most infamous title-race collapses in the competition's history?…

Newcastle 1995-96: 'LOVE IT!'

Even now, Kevin Keegan's infamous post-match rant against Alex Ferguson is a little tough to watch. There's so much passion on show, but also so much pain. It's a visceral display of defiance, but from a man clearly beginning to realise that he's fighting a losing battle.

For the majority of the 1995-96 season, Keegan's Newcastle looked destined to win their first league title since 1927, with a side which quickly became known as 'The Entertainers' sweeping all before them with a thrilling brand of football. At one point, they were 12 points clear.

However, United slowly began to close the gap and when Newcastle lost 4-3 to Liverpool in the greatest game in Premier League history, Keegan was disconsolate, the sight of him slumped over the advertising boardings at Anfield becoming one of the defining images of the season.

Just a few weeks later, though, he produced an even more memorable moment. After a 1-0 win at Leeds, Keegan let rip at Ferguson, who had publicly questioned whether opponents would fight as hard against Newcastle as they had against his United team.

"I've kept really quiet, but I'll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that," Keegan fumed on Sky Sports. "We have not resorted to that, but I'll tell you, you can tell him now if you're watching it, we're still fighting for this title, and he's got to go to Middlesbrough and get something, and… and… I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them, LOVE IT!"

Unfortunately for Keegan, United did go to Middlesbrough and get something; three points, in fact. And they ended up winning the title quite comfortably in the end, with Newcastle drawing their final two fixtures.

Both Keegan and his team had been broken by Ferguson's masterclass in the art of mind games.

AdvertisementMan Utd 1997-98: Fergie's fury

People might not remember the name but everyone remembers the face. When Arsenal beat Premier League leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford on March 14, 1998, the coverage cut from the pitch to the crowd, where a curly-haired Gooner called Barry Ferst looked like he was almost about to explode with joy.

His excitement was understandable. Because of Marc Overmars' late goal, Arsenal were just six points behind United – and with three games in hand.

A clearly rattled Alex Ferguson tried to play down the significance of his side's defeat by questioning both Arsenal's quality and composure.

"If they win their games in hand they will go ahead of us, but they will find out they start dropping points towards the end of the season, there's no question about that," the Scot declared.

"They played well today but I don't think they are as good a football team as us."

Ferguson was wrong, though. His side ran well down the home straight but their title rivals never broke their stride until the race was won.

Indeed, that victory at Old Trafford proved the second of 10 consecutive wins that saw Arsenal win the title with two games to spare.

Arsene Wenger then capped off a remarkable first season in charge by leading his side to a 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup final, thus completing only the second domestic double in the club's history.

Ferguson, meanwhile, was furious. United had led by 11 points after beating Chelsea in February – one Manchester bookmaker even paid out on them winning the title after that win – and blew the chance to move 14 points clear after suffering a shock loss at Sheffield Wednesday, which was followed by a 1-1 draw at West Ham.

The reigning English champions eventually finished their campaign without a major honour, which was unthinkable before the Arsenal loss, but that Overmars goal changed everything. And Ferst and his fellow fans knew it too.

Arsenal 2002-03: 'Hard to take'

Arsene Wenger was enraged by the portrayal of Arsenal's 2002-03 Premier League campaign as a "failure".

"Of course, we want to win the title but I think the most difficult thing for the club is to be consistent and we have been remarkably consistent," he argued.

"We lost the league to a team who spends 50 percent more money every year – last year they bought a player for £30m pounds when they lost the championship.

"They will do the same next year and we [have] done miracles just to fight with them."

In terms of Manchester United's financial might, Wenger had a point about the disparity between the two sides. However, there really was no denying that a star-studded Arsenal side had imploded during the title run-in.

After beating Charlton on Match 2, 2003, they were eight points clear, albeit having played one game more than United.

However, what followed was a disastrous run of results, with Arsenal winning just two of their next seven games, and a shock 3-2 defeat at home to Leeds on May 4 effectively ended their hopes of retaining their title.

During that costly spell, the Gunners had been held at Highbury by United, with Ryan Giggs earning the visitors a 2-2 draw.

It was another 2-2 draw, though, that really seemed to strip Arsenal of their remaining self-belief, with Wenger's side conceding twice in the final 15 minutes of a game against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.

As the Frenchman conceded himself that day, "For the first time, it is out of our hands, which is hard to take."

Unfortunately for Arsenal, it was a blow from which they never recovered, with the fatal Leeds loss coming just eight days later.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Arsenal 2007-08: Gallas breaks down at Birmingham

Arsenal's collective loss of concentration on an infamous afternoon at St Andrew's in February 2008 was understandable. After just three minutes of their game against Birmingham, they had seen team-mate Eduardo suffer a horrific broken leg after a terrible tackle by Martin Taylor.

However, William Gallas' late meltdown was utterly inexplicable, and arguably unforgivable.

Granted, the Arsenal captain had seen his side blow a 2-1 lead against 10 men, with Birmingham's equaliser coming via the penalty spot in the fifth minute of injury time.

And one could perhaps see why he felt compelled to take his frustration out on the advertising boards.

However, there was simply no excuse for what followed at full-time.

At a time when the Arsenal skipper should have been trying to rouse his disappointed team-mates, he was instead sitting on the pitch, having the mother of all strops.

It wasn't until Arsene Wenger appeared that Gallas belatedly decided to leave the field.

With that kind of leader, it was hardly surprising that Arsenal subsequently collapsed.

They had arrived in Birmingham five points clear at the top of the table thanks to a 10-game unbeaten run that featured eight wins.

However, they only managed to win one of their next seven games and eventually finished third, four points behind champions Manchester United.

Eduardo's dreadful injury obviously hadn't helped their cause but Gallas' pathetic display of petulance arguably proved even more damaging.