Liverpool are where they want to be – now we learn if Arsenal blew wonderful opportunity

PLUS: Daniel Farke led the ecstatic Leeds United celebrations after their win over Sunderland on Monday night – but what happened after their 95th minute winner was a farce

The title race isn’t over.

The gap will be down to five points if Arsenal beat West Ham and Liverpool lose at Manchester City this weekend. Not only do the Gunners have a game in hand, but the 36th game of the 38-match Premier League campaign is Liverpool v Arsenal at Anfield.

As the late ITV commentator Brian Moore said, when Michael Thomas burst through to score Arsenal’s title-clinching goal in the dying seconds at Anfield in 1989, it’s up for grabs now.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot was frustrated to drop points at Villa Park on Wednesday night, and after conceding a 98th-minute equaliser at Everton in the derby he is disappointed by their return of five points from the last three games. But we are into the final third of the season, and this is where you find out what champions are made of.

If you had offered Slot this position with 12 games to go before a ball had been kicked last August, he would have been doing cartwheels.

Liverpool are still in the driving seat. And now we’ll discover whether Arsenal blew a wonderful opportunity to win their first title in 21 years by failing to sign a top-class striker in January.

But either way, it’s not a done deal.

Farke’s ridiculous ban

Daniel Farke is on course to win the Championship for the third time in seven seasons – a remarkable feat by any measure.

To win the Football League twice with Norwich was phenomenal, but to add a third title with Leeds after coming so close to promotion last year would be mind-blowing.

I’ve said it before: English football is a more vibrant landscape when Leeds are in the Premier League. It has the feel of a big club with a fantastic tradition and huge fanbase.

I loved the passion of Farke’s celebration after Pascal Struijk’s 95th-minute winner against promotion rivals Sunderland.

And it is absolutely ridiculous that he will serve a touchline ban at Monday night’s top-of-the-table clash with Sheffield United because referee Stuart Attwell saw fit to show him a yellow card for encroaching on the pitch to celebrate.

What a nonsense.

Grassroots football clubs need more support

Yes, a 21-point lead at the top of the Northern Premier League for Macclesfield looks healthy.

But two clubs in our division, Blyth Spartans and Prescot Cables, have both launched crowdfunding initiatives – in Blyth’s case to stay afloat as a club, while Prescot need to generate more finance to stay at this level.

Football is nothing without its grassroots – without grass roots, the rest of the plantation will wither.

Those clubs are as important to their communities as Macclesfield FC is to the town. Please get behind them if you can.

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