Evra deserves credit for handling of Liverpool fans' vile abuse

Patrice Evra was taunted throughout the FA Cup tie by Liverpool fans

I've never been a particularly big fan of Patrice Evra.

In the past, I have found him to be arrogant and unlikable, but the Luis Suarez saga has put him in a different light.

He has dealt with the whole situation admirably, particularly today when he was given ridiculous abuse in Manchester United's FA Cup tie at Liverpool.

Many have tried to brush this aside, but I find it completely unacceptable that the victim - yes victim - in a race case is being given so much stick.

Liverpool fans are continuing to support Suarez - more due to the quality of his play than the quality of his evidence in the case - but the fact is he was found guilty by an independent panel of racially abusing Evra.

Because of that, it must be assumed Evra was telling the truth throughout and his integrity should not be questioned. There is nothing to suggest he lied other than a host of childish conspiracy theories dreamt up by Kenny Dalglish.

Dalglish must take his share of the blame for the attitude of Liverpool's fans towards Evra.

He was booed and abused throughout the FA Cup tie and cameras even showed one fan racially abusing him.

Yet what has he done wrong? As I mentioned earlier, he is the victim in all of this.

Evra must have been disgusted with the Liverpool supporters' treatment of him, yet somehow kept his cool in the cauldron-like atmosphere and did not bite back.

I never thought I'd be saying this about him, but Evra was the moral victor today.

Why does a victim of racist abuse deserve to be booed?

What message is that sending to other victims? Will players fail to speak out in future when they are racially abused due to incidents like this?

Anton Ferdinand received a bullet in the post for daring to complain about the alleged abuse he was given by John Terry.

Liverpool's whole handling of the Suarez-Evra case was woeful, and they are now discovering the consequences.

The Suarez-Evra case is continuing to haunt Liverpool

The club's name is continually being dragged through the mud by mindless idiots who call themselves 'fans'.

Of course, the majority of Liverpool fans would be strongly against racism, and it is important not all of them are tarnished with the same brush.

However, the club's true supporters must be despairing at how the image of their club has been wrecked in the last few months.

They were once a club respected by all, but now they - and their fans - are being seen in a different light.

Dalglish described the abuse of Evra as a "bit of banter", which is another ridiculous statement likely to persuade even more to turn on the Frenchman.

If fans singing songs ridiculing a player who has been racially abused is a bit of banter, then the world has gone mad.

Liverpool won the game on the pitch, but off the pitch they lost it.

Towards the end, with the game at 1-1, I found myself willing Man United to score a winner. I have NEVER rooted for them before and never expected to, but I couldn't help myself.

Suarez is being treated like the victim and Evra like the guilty party, which is sad and distressing to all those working tirelessly to kick racism out of the game.

Even ITV's director seemed to be siding with Suarez, with his celebrations in the crowd to Liverpool's goals given far too much prominence.

Unfortunately, racism is slowly seeping back into football and some are turning a blind eye to it.

It is crucial Suarez is not seen as the victim. Racism must be kicked out once and for all and it never will be when those found guilty of it are not so much as criticised.

Evra is certainly not without his faults but he showed tremendous professionalism today in the face of such vile abuse.

He should be proud of the way he dealt with the situation. Some of Liverpool's fans - and Dalglish - should be ashamed.

Dalglish reaching the end of his tether with Liverpool flops

Kenny Dalglish seems fed up with his misfiring Liverpool side

You'll never walk alone is not just Liverpool's anthem. It's their motto; it defines them.

They win as one and lose as one, but they never walk alone.

So for Kenny Dalglish to come out and publically slate his players after their 3-1 surrender at Bolton on Saturday, that shows you something is wrong.

Dalglish has reached the end of his tether as he has seen his side's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League slowly slip away.

Since returning to Liverpool as manager a year ago, the Scot has criticised his players about as rarely as Mario Balotelli has had a controversy-free week.

But after the defeat at the Reebok Stadium, Dalglish questioned their attitude, respect and approach and it is clear the pressure is getting to him.

A top-four finish is a must for Liverpool this season after the huge amount spent in the transfer market by owner John W Henry, and Dalglish is right to point the finger after a string of unconvincing displays.

He must take much of the blame himself, of course, as he is failing to get the best out of his players, most notably Andy Carroll.

The style of football Dalglish is implementing is not suited to Carroll, who needs regular service from the wings if he is to make an impact at Anfield.

Carroll's link-up play was improved at Bolton, but there is no chance of him returning to the levels he reached at Newcastle unless Dalglish plays to his strengths.

Carroll marks Dalglish's biggest mistake of his second spell at Liverpool, with the £35million spent for him last January looking preposterous given his performances in the last 12 months.

The likes of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson also look like expensive mistakes, although Dalglish would never criticise either of them individually in public.

In that sense, the manager has stayed true to the Liverpool motto but it is clear that, privately, certain players are close to the edge.

Dalglish has suggested some players could be sold quickly if performances continue to slide, but to sell the likes of Carroll or Downing would be a humiliating climbdown for a man who has invested so much money and faith in them.

He has had some success in the transfer market, with Jose Enrique and Craig Bellamy the Reds' standout players this campaign, but overall Dalglish must look back on his dealings with regret.

His new-look side sit seventh and have recently performed meekly in the league in the absence of the suspended Luis Suarez.

Suarez's eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra, coupled with Liverpool's handling of the situation, cast a huge shadow over Anfield

They have enjoyed success in the Carling Cup but look an extremely poor side without Suarez, who cast a huge shadow over Anfield with his suspension.

The Bolton loss may prove to be a tipping point for Dalglish, whose players are now surely playing for their futures.

Failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a disaster for everyone connected with Liverpool, and everyone's future would then come under question, including Dalglish.

Dalglish is still revered in God-like status among Liverpool's fans but he has spent over £100million and the club seem no nearer to challenging the best than they did in the days of Rafael Benitez.

After their recent run of form, Dalglish may now feel inclined to backtrack on his prediction of a "quiet" January transfer window, but whether the club's hierarchy would trust him with more millions remains to be seen after his transfer failings.

Dalglish's pride is another issue. Would he be willing to give up on his expensive flops? Would he risk his reputation even more with extra expensive signings?

He may have to swallow his pride. Failure to do that may just cost him his job in the long run.

Liverpool's team is simply not good enough, especially without Suarez.

The Champions League is increasingly looking like a distant dream and without some more significant outlay, that dream could become impossible.

Then Dalglish's flops would truly have to walk alone.

Cahill signing the beginning of the end for Terry at Chelsea?

John Terry may no longer be guaranteed a starting place at Chelsea

It's hard to imagine Chelsea without John Terry.

Terry has been the heartbeat of the side for over a decade, with his lionheart commitment, leadership skills and excellent defending making him an irreplaceable part of the Chelsea machine.

But this week's signing of Gary Cahill from Bolton could prove to be the beginning of the end for Terry at Stamford Bridge.

Andre Villas-Boas is trying to implement a new philosophy at Chelsea and while Terry is still central to it due to his position as 'Mr Chelsea', he can no longer be guaranteed a place in the side.

Most would expect Cahill to slot straight into the Blues' line-up at centre-back alongside Terry, but Villas-Boas has enormous faith in David Luiz, who has been a calamity at times this season.

The manager even went as far as saying Luiz will become one of the greatest central defenders in the world, which seems ridiculous given the evidence of his performances, but it does show Villas-Boas is not ready to cast him aside.

Luiz may be erratic and always prone to bringing attackers down, but Villas-Boas is almost staking his reputation on him and he is convinced he will come good.

As for Cahill, he wouldn't have joined Chelsea in a European Championship year to sit on the bench.

A decent half-season may be all he needs to secure a place in Fabio Capello's starting line-up for Poland and Ukraine, and Cahill would surely rather have had six more months of starts at Bolton than six months as a bit-part at Chelsea.

The ironic thing is that Cahill had a nightmare last six months at Bolton.

He struggled to reach the standards he had set in previous campaigns, and you only need to look at the league table to see how much he and his ex-team-mates have toiled.

However, a move to a bigger stage for Cahill was always on the cards and the switch to Stamford Bridge should bring out the best in him.

Cahill earned the move to Chelsea with four excellent years at Bolton

Cahill's big advantages over Terry are his age and his pace.

Terry has the experience and proven quality, but Cahill must be the future of Chelsea's backline.

Looking at the way Frank Lampard is slowly being sidelined by Villas-Boas, Terry must be worried.

Both men have bundles left to offer, but Villas-Boas seems ruthless and doesn't care about reputations.

If he feels Terry is no longer worthy of a starting place - as silly as that sounds - it won't take him long to wield the axe.

The high defensive line Villas-Boas adopted at the start of this season, which failed spectacularly, was clearly not suited to Terry.

If the Portuguese boss is to reapply those tactics it is clear the captain Terry will not have a place.

You only need to look at the way he ended up on his knees against Arsenal this season, leading to a crucial goal from Robin van Persie in the Gunners' 5-3 win, to see that.

Cahill would be a lot more suited to those tactics due to his pace, as would Luiz.

That must be the long-term partnership Villas-Boas is looking to and it may not be long, perhaps even as early as next season, before Terry is slowly phased out.

Villas-Boas is still under pressure at Stamford Bridge

That is all presuming Villas-Boas is kept on as manager, of course.

There are certainly no guarantees of that given Roman Abramovich's reputation for hiring and firing, but Terry should be worried for his future if Villas-Boas stays.

Terry has the race case with Anton Ferdinand still hanging over him and may have a hefty ban to serve as a result of that.

A long suspension could give Cahill and Luiz the chance to develop a partnership and if Cahill can prove himself and Luiz can cut out the erraticism, Terry could find himself as third choice defender.

For what it's worth, Terry should have a place in Chelsea's defence for at least the next four years.

He deserves that for what he has given for the club and for what he continues to give, but all good things must come to an end and he must be worrying for his future now.

Terry's game has been deteriorating for the last couple of years and this season, at least the first few months of it, he was well below his best.

Gary Cahill may not be the biggest name in the world but his arrival may prove the beginning of the end for Mr Chelsea.

For the first time in possibly a decade, John Terry has something to prove on the pitch.

Hughes a good choice for QPR but Warnock deserved better

Neil Warnock deserved to see out the season at least at QPR

Mark Hughes will probably make a success of it at Queens Park Rangers, but that doesn't make the sacking of Neil Warnock justified.

Warnock transformed the Rs from a club lurching from crisis to crisis in the lower echelons of the Championship to a Premier League outfit on course to stay up in their first season in the top flight in 15 years.

True, Rangers hadn't won for eight games prior to Warnock's dismissal and they were slipping down the table at an alarming rate, but he deserved the chance to at least see out the season and complete the job he started.

The January transfer window should have been Warnock's chance to prove himself and bring in some quality players with the help of Tony Fernandes' money.

Hughes will now get that opportunity and his acquisitions will no doubt push QPR onto the next level, but Warnock will rightly feel aggrieved if the Welshman succeeds at Loftus Road as there is nothing to say he could not have turned it around.

There is a generally accepted feeling that Hughes is a step up from Warnock, based mainly on a more glittering playing career and the fact he has held more high-profile managerial positions.

But the reason Warnock is not held in as high esteem as Hughes is not his fault. He couldn't have done much more to earn his big chance in the Premier League.

He has won promotion seven times with various clubs at differing levels, yet this was just his second season in the Premier League.

His first campaign, with hometown club Sheffield United, ended with relegation on the final day of the season and it is that season which has led to him being tagged as a 'Championship manager'.

But what is a 'Championship manager'? How is Warnock a 'Championship manager' when he has only had one and a half seasons to prove himself in the Premier League?

Sheffield United were always going to struggle in the top flight in the 2006/07 season.

They had spent the previous 12 years in the second tier and Warnock was only able to spend around £12million on a clutch of players in an attempt to keep them up.

Their main relegation rivals were West Ham, whose survival was orchestrated by Carlos Tevez, who was illegally owned by a third party.

And this season, after brilliantly masterminding QPR's promotion last year, Warnock was left in an almost impossible position in pre-season with the club's ownership situation making him unable to spend money in the transfer market.

Warnock is well-loved among QPR fans for leading their team to promotion last season

Fernandes took over right at the end of the transfer window, allowing Warnock time to bring in players like Joey Barton, Anton Ferdinand, Luke Young and Shaun Wright-Phillips, but the signings were rushed and didn't allow the manager a fair crack at bringing in the players he wanted.

He has now been dismissed before being given that chance and will no doubt get another job, albeit back in the Championship.

Winning promotion must give Warnock a lot of pleasure but he must be wondering what the point of it all is.

If he is not going to be rewarded with loyalty and stability for leading teams to the promised land, then why bother trying to win promotion at all?

It must be so disheartening, not only to Warnock but to any Championship manager.

Chris Hughton and Roberto Di Matteo suffered similar fates last season, when Newcastle and West Brom sacked them respectively despite both winning promotion to the Premier League and both being on target to stay there.

These managers deserve at least a full season in the Premier League to prove their ability, as the effort they put into promotion campaigns surely earns that at least.

You either love Warnock or you hate him, but whatever you think of him, you cannot argue with his record in the Football League.

Does Hughes have a better managerial record? Arguably.

Warnock may have had many successes in the lower leagues, but his critics will point to the fact he has never kept a team in the top flight.

However, Hughes had a huge advantage over Warnock. He started at the top.

Hughes walked out of Fulham citing the club's lack of ambition last summer

He began his managerial career with Wales and moved onto Premier League outfit Blackburn, while Warnock started in the Northern Premier League with Gainsborough Trinity.

While Warnock had to drag himself up the ladder with spells at Burton Albion, Scarborough, Plymouth and Bury, among others, Hughes has enjoyed reigns at two more Premier League clubs - Manchester City and Fulham.

In comparison to Warnock, Hughes has had it easy.

He has never had to select a team in the Football League, whereas Warnock has never been given the chance to manage a club of the calibre of Blackburn, Fulham or Manchester City.

If managers aren't given a chance, how are we supposed to know how good they are?

QPR should have been Warnock's big chance to prove himself and work with high-profile players, but sadly all his hard work in the lower divisions and in getting the Rs back in the big time has not been rewarded.

Fernandes has to do what he thinks is best for his club though, and he clearly trusts Hughes with his money more than Warnock.

The likes of Chris Samba, Alex and Darren Bent have all been linked with a move to Loftus Road, and they are the type of players Rangers need to be going for to push onto the next level.

Fernandes will point to last season's harsh sackings of Hughton and Di Matteo, decisions which were criticised at the time but now seem justified with Newcastle and West Brom enjoying success under Alan Pardew and Roy Hodgson respectively.

Hughton and Di Matteo still deserved better though, as did Warnock.

Hughes is a good manager who has had relative success wherever he has been, but whatever he achieves at QPR, there will be a proud Yorkshireman watching on thinking he could have done just as well.

Brilliant Newcastle prove Manchester United are nothing to be scared of

Newcastle thoroughly deserved their 3-0 win over Manchester United last night

Newcastle 3-0 Manchester United

Manchester City may be the current Premier League leaders, but there is still nothing quite like a victory over their city rivals.

Newcastle battered and bullied Manchester United last night and were superior in every department, giving the Toon Army a night to remember and other Premier League teams an eye-opener.

If Alan Pardew's men proved one thing, it is that the side from Old Trafford are not to be feared.

This is not a vintage Sir Alex Ferguson team, with defensive flaws and a lack of creativity in midfield again magnified.

But to dwell on the Red Devils' poorness would be doing a disservice to the simply brilliant Newcastle.

Man United may not be the team they once were, but they still possess quality players and seasoned internationals.

They were made to look ordinary by the positive and aggressive Magpies, who were fantastic from back to front with star performances from the likes of Demba Ba and Cheik Tiote, who will now be sorely missed with a month-long trip to the African Cup of Nations.

It could be worse though. After a performance like this, Champions League clubs are sure to be sniffing around and it can only be hoped Newcastle's board stands firm and refuses to cash in as they did with Andy Carroll last January.

Whatever happens though, the duo of Ba and Tiote will be missing for the next month or so, and what a parting present they gave.

Tiote ensured Man United did not get a grip of the game

Tiote was a warrior in midfield, breaking up anything the visitors threatened to create and often going on rampaging runs up the field.

As magnificent as Tiote was, Ba deserved his man of the match award.

The Senegalese hitman has to be up there with Robin van Persie as the Premier League's best striker this season, with 15 goals in his last 16 appearances.

He took the opening goal magnificently after Tim Krul's long ball was nodded on by Shola Ameobi and Ba did the rest with a calm, magnificent volley which left the recalled Anders Lindegaard with no chance.

Ba hooks in the opener

Ba bullied Man United's central defensive duo of Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones, who didn't know how to deal with the dual threat in the air of Ba and Ameobi, and the terrorising runs of Ba towards them.

Many teams would have sat back on a one goal lead against the champions, but Pardew had set his stall out to go for it with his team selection and his side kept on battering Man United, whose only real chance of the first half fell to an out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney.

At 0-0, the ball was played through to Rooney and it seemed inevitable he would control and finish as he was one-on-one with home 'keeper Tim Krul, but he failed to trap the ball in an instance which summed up his team's evening.

Rooney was a shadow of the player he was early in this season, and was barely involved at St James' Park apart from complaining to the referee whenever any decision went the way of the hosts.

Whistler Howard Webb was in fact favourable towards Man United with his decisions, so Rooney's frustration was probably mere leftovers from the punishment Ferguson handed to him for a Boxing Day night out.

Rooney was forced to miss the Old Trafford defeat to Blackburn on Saturday, and may now be wishing he missed the trip to Tyneside too.

This was not the kind of 'wounded animals' performance we have come to expect from Ferguson's team over the years after a defeat, as they were outplayed and suffered back-to-back defeats to hand City the initiative in the title race.

There are sure to be fresh questions about Rooney's future now, too.

During his contract row last season, he said he feared Man United lacked ambition and may not be able to fight for titles, and those worries are sure to come to the fore again now.

Rooney spent much of his time on the pitch moaning at referee Webb

Rooney doesn't look happy - that much was evident in the warm-up.

He trained mostly on his own, seemingly locked in his own thoughts, and was often at the opposite side of the pitch to his team-mates, juggling the ball and seemingly uninterested in warming up with the group.

In the squad's usual cross-field runs, Rooney sprinted well ahead of his team-mates in a world of his own.

He cut a frustrated figure during the game and suffered the ignominy of being substituted with just over 15 minutes left when his side needed goals.

Ferguson clearly has some work to do to get his key man back on-side and firing again.

Yohan Cabaye doubled Newcastle's lead two minutes into the second half with an unstoppable free-kick which bounced in off the bar.

Cabaye's stunning strike stopped a Man United second half onslaught in its tracks

After the game, even Ferguson was purring at the quality of the Magpies' opening two goals, and Cabaye's fantastic strike did spark the visitors into action.

In their only real spell of pressure, Man United were denied by a superb goal-line block from birthday boy Danny Simpson to stop Rooney scoring, but other than that, they rarely threatened.

Dimitar Berbatov hit the outside of the post with the score goalless and Rooney had earlier had his chance when he miscontrolled the ball, but in truth Newcastle's defence was rarely under any pressure.

That was testament to the calm and assured work of Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson, tight full-back play of Davide Santon and Danny Simpson and the industrious displays of Tiote and Cabaye in the centre of midfield.

Rooney and Berbatov were forced to drop deep to find the ball, as were Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck when they came on, while keeper Krul played a key part in two of the hosts' goals.

His long punt forward in the closing stages was bundled into his own net by an indecisive Jones, ensuring Newcastle's fans could enjoy the final few minutes and create the sort of stadium-rocking atmosphere that only they can.

When Newcastle beat Man United, it tends to be special.

Before yesterday, they had gone over 10 years without beating the side from Old Trafford and had only beaten them three times in the Premier League.

Those wins were the famous 5-0 game, a 3-0 rout and a 4-3 blockbuster, and this win can now go alongside them.

Two of their goals may have been route one, but the victory was not all built on a long ball game.

Every Newcastle player deserves credit for the team's triumph

The success came that way, with Ba and Ameobi superior in the air to their counterparts, but the excellent Cabaye set the tone with a superb display in the centre, showing off his great technical ability and starting many attacks to put Newcastle on the front foot.

Cabaye and Tiote as a partnership are simply fantastic and are a match for any other midfield duo in the league.

They made Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs in Man United's midfield look ordinary and are exactly the type of players Ferguson needs in his team.

This success for Newcastle wasn't all about two or three individuals though, it was a real team effort.

They all worked tirelessly for each other and believed they would get the result, with not one player in a black and white shirt having a bad game.

Pardew got his tactics spot-on, using the long ball at the right times and to the right effect, and unleashing a high tempo which even the great Man United sides would have struggled to deal with.

There should even have been a penalty for the home side with the score at 0-0, but nobody will be complaining now.

Newcastle embarrassed their illustrious visitors and their performance mocked any doom-mongers who had suggested their early season bubble had burst.

Pardew got his tactics spot-on at St James' Park

Ferguson will be worried by his team's lack of a response after their humbling at home to Blackburn, as his old sides would have come out fighting and determined to show the Premier League they are still the top dogs.

On this evidence, they are most certainly not that anymore, and may only be the third best team in the country, behind City and Tottenham.

They miss the leadership and calming qualities of stricken Nemanja Vidic, but there can be no excuses for this defeat.

Ferdinand was back, Rooney was back, Giggs was back and their calamity 'keeper David de Gea was dropped.

Man United were pretty much at full strength but could not get anywhere near the magnificent Magpies, who are now back on track in their superb season, sitting seventh and just four points off the Champions League places.

Pardew should take credit for his tactics, Ba, Tiote and Cabaye for their fantastic displays and the whole team for their bravery and solidity.

St James' Park was rocking by the end, just like Man United's title hopes after their first away defeat in the league this season.

Those hopes are now hanging by a thread, despite being just three points behind City, because results and performances like this are not those of champions.

Darts: Disappointing final fails to spoil incredible tournament

Adrian Lewis sealed his second straight world title at Alexandra Palace

Usually, the final comes to define the tournament that preceded it.

However, there was so much drama, excitement and incredible action at this year's PDC World Darts Championship that it was almost impossible for Adrian Lewis and Andy Hamilton to better what had gone before.

This was the tournament that had it all: wasp stings, gusts of wind, unbelievable comebacks, controversy over girlfriends, broken legs, shocks aplenty and cracking darts.

The final between Lewis and Hamilton turned out to be a case of after the Lord Mayor's show, but that seemed almost irrelevant given the entertainment served up in the rounds before it.

Darts is getting bigger and bigger and its popularity is sure to have reached new heights now.

There was a dramatic story from almost every night of action, starting with the first session where Mark Webster was edged out by Richie Burnett and Lewis had to come from 2-0 down to overcome Nigel Heydon after being stung by a wasp.

Lewis beat Hamilton in the final 7-3, but both had clearly reached their peak earlier in the tournament.

Lewis averaged just over 93 and Hamilton just over 90, at least five points down on their tournament averages.

Perhaps it was the occasion that got to them, perhaps it was just tiredness after their semi-final dogfights.

There was the odd flash of brilliance from both players but overall their performances were disappointing, which was a shame after such a dramatic tournament.

Lewis was booed by the crowd for much of the tournament

Many observers have claimed it was the best darts tournament in history, and it is hard to argue with that.

There were so many fantastic games and talking points, none more so than early exits for legends Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld.

Taylor's second round loss to Dave Chisnall was a further signal players are not scared of the 15-time world champion anymore, although it would be foolish to write him off just yet.

It is not so long since he was sweeping everyone aside at the Grand Slam of Darts, and it is almost certain he will bounce back at the upcoming World Cup and Premier League.

Chisnall failed to capitalise on his triumph and lost 4-0 in the next round to Hamilton, who had himself been fortunate to beat Antonio Alcinas in the opening round.

The Spaniard played magnificently but so did Hamilton, with the 3-2 victory presumably giving him the belief to go all the way.

Also in the first round, last year's losing finalist Gary Anderson should have lost to German Jyhan Artut before eventually winning a last leg shoot-out.

Simon Whitlock played fantastically despite having a broken ankle and got to the semi-finals, where he ran into a determined Hamilton in the form of his life.

There were too many great games to mention them all, but the quarter-final between James Wade and John Part will go down as one of the best ever played at Alexandra Palace.

Wade overcame Part after a titanic tussle

Part showed his trademark character and doggedness to force a final set and eventually a deciding leg, but Wade pulled through with an 85 checkout to seal a magnificent win.

The semi-finals summed up the tournament.

The first, between Whitlock and Hamilton, was a see-saw battle between two players in great form and deserved to go all the way.

Hamilton came from 5-3 down to beat the Australian 6-5 in the latest installment of what is becoming an intriguing rivalry between the two.

In Blackpool at the World Matchplay last summer, Hamilton came from 15-8 down to beat Whitlock 16-15, and that may have played on the Australian's mind as Hamilton got close to him at Alexandra Palace.

In the other semi-final, Lewis produced an even greater comeback to derail James Wade.

Wade - widely recognised as the greatest player never to win a world title - was 5-1 up only for the reigning champion to win five straight sets and take the match 6-5, showing that Lewis has such extreme confidence in his ability now that no situation is irretrievable.

The match also saw controversy, with a 20 minute delay due to a breeze coming across the stage.

Lewis and Wade were both unhappy with the playing conditions

The players were well within their rights to walk off until the problem was solved, and if anything it just added to the drama.

The tournament had seen almost everything before that, so it was only fitting there was one last surreal moment to cap off the drama.

This tournament also saw a number of players come of age, and those men will be more difficult to beat as a result of it.

Hamilton is the most obvious one, as he played the best darts of his career and reached his first world final.

Lewis will obviously be an even greater force now he has retained his world title, and it is hard to argue against his prediction he will win at least 10 World Championships.

He was barracked throughout the tournament for the arrogance he showed in pre and post-match interviews, but he won the title as he said he would and deserves respect for that.

His statements were disrespectful and breathtakingly arrogant, but he is likely to be even more bumptious next year.

Belgium's Kim Huybrechts also looks a real talent, with his unexpected run to the quarter-final again underlining the strength in depth of the PDC.

His girlfriend caused quite a stir in his match against Paul Nicholson, with the Geordie-Aussie blaming his defeat on the repeated appearances of her on the big screen.

Huybrechts' girlfriend Dana was one of the stories of the championship

John Part now looks back to his best and will be a contender for majors again, while youngsters like Michael van Gerwen and Devon Petersen underlined their potential with impressive displays.

What the tournament did prove is that there will be life after Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld for darts.

A few years ago, the sport was reliant on them but there are so many great players and characters now that darts' popularity will continue regardless.

The fact Taylor and van Barneveld were barely mentioned after their early exits shows there was never a dull moment in this World Championship, the tournament which just kept delivering.

There are several matches from this year's tournament which will go down as some of the best in darts history, and it all whets the appetite for the Premier League.

Taylor, Wade, Anderson and Lewis have already secured their places, while the four wildcards will be announced tonight.

World finalists Lewis and Hamilton should renew their rivalry in the Premier League

Hamilton and Whitlock should be certainties after their World Championships performances, while van Barneveld is likely to win a place due to his legendary status.

The further place could go to anybody, but arguably Nicholson should get it due to his 'bad boy' image and lack of respect for big-name players.

The World Championships will be some act to follow but the quality of darts is so high it is very hard to see the Premier League not delivering.

Lewis will go into it ultra-confident after defending his world title, but Taylor will still be the man to beat as he is still the best player in the world.

Darts is on a high and in truth, anyone could win the Premier League.

The opening fixtures can't come soon enough.