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Wembley

Alex McLeish may have forgotten that Carling Cup victory brought European football as a fringe benefit - but he remembered how the game's prizes can be won and lost.

One small detail revealed in the euphoric after-glow of Birmingham City's dramatic Wembley victory against Arsenal hinted at McLeish's meticulous planning to .

The outcome of a thrilling final ultimately hinged on a catastrophic communication breakdown between Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny that gifted Obefami Martins the winner two minutes from time.

But as Birmingham manager McLeish lavished justified praise on Ben Foster for his latest Carling Cup Final heroics, the Scot spoke of how training ground work on improving the accuracy of the goalkeeper's kicking to keep Arsenal under pressure formed part of his game plan.

A small detail maybe - but the sort of careful attention and diligence that characterised a , his team and those he labelled "the long-suffering Blues fans."

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Old Trafford

Sergio Torres tucked a small piece of grass inside his sock and David Hunt laid claim to Wayne Rooney's shirt as consolation prizes when .

Moments earlier, before manager Steve Evans and his players took the acclaim of 9,000 supporters massed in Old Trafford's East Stand, only the crossbar stopped Crawley claiming the rightful reward for their heroic labours.

With Manchester United clinging grimly to the lead Wes Brown's first-half goal had given them, substitute Richard Brodie's header looped over stranded United keeper Anders Lindegaard and towards goal. Crawley held its collective breath, but the effort glanced agonisingly off the woodwork and the dream was over.

Evans was left to his 45-minute audience with Sir Alex Ferguson and an exchange of fine wines before turning his thoughts to the reality of promotion from the Blue Square Premier and a meeting with Southport at Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday.

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The Emirates

The group of Arsenal fans gathered in Holborn station gazed up at a giant screen inviting them to sample the delights of Barcelona. They already had - and still survived to witness .

North London, in the space of 24 unforgettable hours, laid claim to the title of European football's epicentre as Arsenal followed up Tottenham's wonderful win against AC Milan at the San Siro by .

And while Wenger may have to wait three weeks for total victory against Catalonia's artists to fully justify the philosophy he applies so strictly to Arsenal, this was a night he can use as a powerful weapon against the doubters.

It is stretching reality to breaking point to suggest Arsenal were the better side against Barcelona, far from it, but this was such a show of moral and physical courage from the Gunners that few would begrudge them their win.

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Old Trafford

Sir Alex Ferguson's long memory could not recall a better goal at Old Trafford. .

They were debating the moment 78 minutes into the Manchester derby when Rooney cast aside a season of relative under-achievement and occasional animosity with a strike that had a fitting home in the self-styled "Theatre Of Dreams".

Rooney's overhead kick that gave over neighbours Manchester City was not simply confirmation that he remains England's most natural, instinctive talent. In the context of the Premier League title race it may prove priceless.

Ferguson and Rooney were still on a high from the manner of that decisive goal, but it was a piece of individual brilliance that deserved every word of the post-match hyperbole.

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Roy Hodgson has taken just 34 days to recover from the damage a short and traumatic reign at Liverpool inflicted on his reputation and is now ready to repair both his own standing and West Bromwich Albion's season.

When Hodgson secured his first Premier League win as Liverpool manager against the Baggies at Anfield in late August, he could hardly have imagined that, less than six months later, .

And yet this is where Hodgson stands now, succeeding Roberto di Matteo at The Hawthorns after a fruitless spell at Liverpool that often amounted to little more than an exercise in public torture.

Hodgson, 63, has not been given the job on the basis of his time at Anfield - and it would be an injustice to define a competetent career by those - but on the evidence of his work at Fulham.

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In the rush to condemn England's friendly in Denmark as a meaningless and unwanted interruption to an already over-crowded calendar, .

England have made a full contribution to devaluing this particular currency in the past with gratuitous gifts of caps and those nights of endless substitutions - but the encounter in Copenhagen carried genuine significance for many of Capello's undercard.

England's Italian coach will have relished the victory as preparation for a Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales in Cardiff next month that he simply cannot lose. It was also a game that effectively started one international career and revived others.

On that basis alone, those who cared to label this as a game without meaning must think again - and would certainly get an argument from Capello.

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Stamford Bridge

Fernando Torres declared football's age of romance was dead as he explained the cold logic behind his move £50m move from Liverpool to Chelsea. If it is, the message has yet to reach Kenny Dalglish.

of exactly why he insisted on leaving Anfield, a quest for silverware as opposed to Roman Abramovich's gold, it will have come as no surprise to him that his debut ended in the ignominy of an early departure and .

Torres found no love off the pitch at Stamford Bridge as he endured the taunts and saw the banners of the same Liverpool supporters who idolised him a fortnight ago. On it the misery of his 65th minute substitution was compounded by Raul Meireles' winner.

Torres was substituted in the 65th minute against former club Liverpool. Photo: AP

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Gary Neville's vast legion of critics and admirers will all have their say after one of English football's most divisive figures - so let the facts speak for themselves.

Neville, 35, ends his playing career with one Champions League triumph, eight Premier League titles, three FA Cup victories, two League Cups, the Intercontinental Cup and the Fifa World Club Cup. And, of great significance in this era of player mobility, 602 appearances and seven goals for his only club, Manchester United.

If any footballer of the modern generation could use the phrase "show us your medals" in answer to those only too happy to pour cold water on his achievements it is Gary Neville.

Neville is on his way out of Manchester United after almost 20 years in Sir Alex Ferguson's first team and he leaves them where he always wants them to be, on top of the table and chasing another title.

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The Emirates

Everton manager David Moyes delivered an instant response when invited to deliver his verdict on the drama that unfolded in the final hours before the January transfer window closed.

With a fixed smile and just a hint of gritted teeth, the manager who had his nose pressed up against the window in frustration without a penny to spend, stopped short of turning out empty pockets as he said: "You're asking the wrong man."

Moyes had been cutting a figure of frustration in recent days, even before two late Arsenal goals snuffed out Everton's hopes of lifting spirits as .

Everton and Moyes have endured a transfer window in reverse. The period when clubs traditionally strengthen, even slightly, has ended with Moyes in charge of a squad that is markedly weaker than at the start of January.

It is a month that has shone a harsh light on Everton's desperate lack of financial firepower, the failure of owner Bill Kenwright's search for investment and that has raised serious doubts about how Moyes can even keep the club standing still in future, let alone make it move forward.

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If was football acting in a deep recession, the mind boggles at what will unfold should the good times roll once more.

Two British record transfer fees within minutes in a blur of aircraft and fast cars travelling between Tyneside, Merseyside and London as Liverpool and Chelsea sent the markets into a frenzy.

And the catalyst for it all was the conversation Fernando Torres conducted with Liverpool late last week which culminated in a written transfer request only three days before the transfer window closed.

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