Why Allardyce would be foolish to take on the West Ham fans

Sam Allardyce's West Ham have drawn their last five home games

Sam Allardyce has a very bloated view of his own ability as a football manager.

He famously once said he was more suited to managing clubs of the calibre of Real Madrid and Inter Milan than those he currently has on his CV and has now angered West Ham fans by labelling them "delusional" for criticising him.

Allardyce is a good manager who did well with the likes of Bolton and Blackburn, but he isn't exactly the Championship's answer to Pep Guardiola or Sir Alex Ferguson.

He can't understand why Hammers fans are daring to criticise him during their current 11-match unbeaten run, completely ignoring the fact seven of those ended in draws.

Many supporters are unhappy Allardyce's team are not playing the 'West Ham way', another issue the 57-year-old mocks.

He claims winning is enough entertainment and that is a fair viewpoint, but the fact is his side have not been winning enough to justify it.

Tomorrow's match against Reading is crucial to West Ham's automatic promotion chances and a loss to the Royals would leave Allardyce's men looking unlikely to finish in the top two.

In truth, West Ham should have found the Championship a much less difficult proposition this season, particularly given the embarrassment of riches they have in midfield and attack.

Allardyce has failed to get the best out of his strikers - the likes of Carlton Cole, John Carew, Sam Baldock, Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard - due to his long ball tactics and all of them have struggled to make an impact.

Vaz Te scored in this week's 2-0 win at Peterborough

Fans are entitled to express their displeasure as they see automatic promotion slipping away and Big Sam must get them back on side rather than turn on them.

They are understandably edgy given the excellent form of Reading and Southampton and the Hammers' current difficulties at home - they have drawn their last five games at Upton Park - and it is inevitable discontent at the style of football will rear its head when the team isn't winning.

That criticism stings Allardyce but rounding on supporters will only make the situation worse for him.

Rather than hit back at them, he should be looking in the mirror to find the root of his team's problems.

If everything was rosy on the pitch, he wouldn't be having the troubles he currently is with fans.

Allardyce has called a section of Hammers fans 'deluded' for their recent criticism but he is the only deluded one if he thinks West Ham will win promotion by continuing in their current vein of form.

He needs to encourage his team to be more patient in their build-up play as the personnel he has at his disposal is not suited to the current direct style of play.

Of course, a win against Reading and an eventual top two position would vindicate Allardyce's tactics and ramblings, but a failure to win promotion would surely lead to his sacking and further condemnation of his style.

Things would look a whole lot better again for the Hammers if they win tomorrow and it is certain the fans will get behind their team for such an important fixture.

West Ham supporters are among the most loyal and passionate in the country and will be there long after Allardyce has left for more attractive surroundings like Madrid or Milan.

Things could still work out for him at Upton Park but he must accept he is facing a losing battle should he continue to take on the fans.

He faced similar struggles at Newcastle - where he wasn't given enough time - and must succeed at West Ham to prove he can produce the goods at clubs where expectations are so high.

Tomorrow's match against Reading will go a long way towards deciding whether Allardyce will achieve what is required at Upton Park.

It's promotion or bust. Criticising fans is only going to make that task all the harder.

Why Arsene Wenger should be a candidate for manager of the year

Arsene Wenger has done an incredible job to take Arsenal into the top three

In the context of Arsenal's illustrious history, this has not been a vintage year for them.

It has certainly not been the best season Arsene Wenger has presided over in North London, either.

But for the way the Frenchman has picked up his battered and bruised troops and put them on track for a top-three Premier League finish, he deserves tremendous credit and there can't have been many managers who have done a better job than him this season.

In the top flight, Brendan Rodgers, Paul Lambert and Alan Pardew are among the bosses who should be considered for the manager of the year award, but Wenger can't be far behind them in the reckoning for the way he has salvaged Arsenal's season.

He has had to fight adversity throughout the campaign, starting with last summer's sale of talisman Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and continuing with the tumultuous departure of Samir Nasri in the closing stages of that window, along with the embarrassing 8-2 reverse at Manchester United.

Arsenal's form soon picked up but they were brought crashing down to earth in early 2012 with an FA Cup loss to Sunderland and a woeful showing in the Champions League in Milan, who they lost to 4-0.

Those losses led many to declare the end was nigh for Wenger, but he has proved in recent weeks - in fact most of the league campaign - that he is certainly still the right man for the job at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal haven't won a trophy since 2005 and that is the main criticism levelled at Wenger, but he deserves more time for everything he has delivered for the Gunners.

Three Premier League titles and four FA Cups make Wenger the most decorated manager in Arsenal's history in terms of trophies and his win percentage is the best of any Arsenal manager.

The signs are there that the tide is now turning and a new period of success could be just around the corner for the Gunners.

A third-placed finish would be a major success this season given the start they had and the criticism that has been levelled at them throughout the campaign, while young players such as Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey and Ryo Miyaichi offer great hope for the future.

Arsenal are currently on a run of five straight wins in all competitions and are arguably the most in-form side - along with Manchester United - in the Premier League, so suddenly all doubts about Wenger are beginning to subside.

The probable summer acquisition of German international Lukas Podolski has offered fans even more optimism for next season, while in Robin van Persie Arsenal have one of the best strikers in the world.

van Persie has scored 33 goals for Arsenal in all competitions so far this season

All in all, it's not looking too bad for them now, is it?

The turning point in their form was the recovery from 2-0 down to defeat arch rivals Tottenham 5-2, while the 3-0 second leg victory over Milan must have given them a tremendous amount of belief.

They are now looking more like the old Arsenal, capable of turning on the style and shutting out games in equal measure, and no team will want to play them now.

Manchester City must be dreading their visit to the Emirates in early-April as it is hard to see Arsenal losing in their current form and mindset.

The form of van Persie is obviously the catalyst for Arsenal's upturn in fortunes, as his goalscoring return has been simply incredible.

If the club were to lose him in the summer, they would find him almost impossible to replace but if the Dutchman is still with the Gunners next season, they could be a genuine force in the Premier League.

If they keep him, they will certainly enter next season in a much better frame of mind than they entered this one, and a strong start could lead to a title challenge.

With their youngsters another year more experienced, van Persie still banging in the goals and stars like Podolski (and possibly more) adding to the squad, they could be a genuine challenger.

The losses of Fabregas and Nasri are now all but forgotten given Arsenal's current form and if they can finish the season in the same vein, it would give them tremendous confidence heading into next year.

This season looked like being a write-off but is now set to end brilliantly with a top-three placing and automatic qualification for next season's Champions League for Arsenal.

Arsenal are looking good for a top three finish after a 1-0 win at Everton

Given all the upheaval and criticism they have had to put up with, that would be one of Wenger's greatest achievements at the club.

At one point, it looked inevitable they would miss out on the top four and finish a long way behind neighbours Tottenham, but they now look like re-establishing themselves as North London's - indeed the whole of the capital's - top team and Wenger deserves a massive amount of credit for that.

He won't win the manager of the year gong, but he deserves some recognition for how he has turned it around.

Wenger has an awful lot left to give and it is clear the players have never doubted him, so the future is looking bright again for Arsenal.

With a bit of summer spending and - perhaps more crucially - the retainment of van Persie, next season may be a vintage one for Arsenal.

This campaign may not go down as one of those, but it will be one Wenger will look back on with a lot of pride, providing they finish the season in the position they are in now.

Arsenal may not have won a trophy this season, but the work they have done to turn their fortunes around should reap dividends in the future.

They look to have turned the corner and that is down to Wenger.

Those who called for his head just a few short weeks ago must now be eating their words.

Sachin Tendulkar: Master of his trade

Sachin Tendulkar's latest milestone adds another incredible chapter to the story of his career

It may have taken him over a year to tick his way from 99 to 100 international centuries, but there was never any real doubt Sachin Tendulkar would reach the remarkable milestone.

The Little Master is a true great - perhaps ​the ​great - and seemingly unites cricket fans across the world in their admiration for him.

He is cheered by all crowds every time he goes out to bat and cheered again as he makes his way back to the pavilion.

Unfortunately for him, the times between those two moments have been all too short in the last 12 months, but now he has the monkey of the wait for the hundredth hundred off his back after today's century against Bangladesh, he should go from strength to strength again.

Of course, he may see this as the opportune moment to bow out with his magnificent triumph in the bag, but he still seems to have so much left to give in both one-day and Test cricket.

Tendulkar was in magnificent form as India won the World Cup last year and although it has been a torturous time for both him and the team since then, they now seem to have turned the corner.

As Jose Mourinho might say, Tendulkar is not "one from the bottle".

He could continue with his peerless batting and elegant strokeplay for the next 10 years if he wanted, but logic suggests this is the twilight of his career at 38.

He has been going strong for almost 23 years since making his Test debut at the tender age of 16, and records have tumbled in all forms of the game since then.

Tendulkar is comfortably the highest run scorer and century maker in Tests and one-dayers and although some may argue against it, for me he is the best batsman of all-time and a cricketing genius.

To have achieved all he has, in the manner he has, and to have kept his level this high for almost two-and-a-half decades is simply incredible.

Don Bradman has a case, of course, but for sheer consistency, unpretentiousness and batting beauty, the best of all-time must be Tendulkar.

He makes batting look effortless and his style must surely be the basis on which all future batting manuals will be built around.

In India, he is quite simply a God and can't even leave his house due to the adulation he is held in.

'Legend' is a term overused in all sports, but if anyone is fitting of that status, it is Tendulkar.

The sight of Tendulkar batting in full flow is a joy to behold

His record of one hundred international centuries will surely never be matched and we are lucky to be able to watch such a master of his trade in action.

The rest of Tendulkar's career must be savoured by all as it is unlikely there will ever be a batsman in his class again.

His greatness in all forms of the game is what stands out more than most and proves that a great batsman can perform whatever the format.

The last year has been a blip for him with perhaps the pressure of a nation's expectations resting heavy on his shoulders, as people have mentioned little else but his quest for the ultimate milestone when talking about Tendulkar in the last year.

India now need him to reach his incredible levels again in the absence of the recently-retired Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar has proved over the years he can deal with those expectations.

The Little Master is once again standing tall over the cricketing world and it is surely a delight to all fans to see him reach his destiny.

It was a long time coming, but it takes nothing away from the momentous achievement of Tendulkar.

A feat like this will never be reached again and his hundredth hundred is sure to have brought a smile to the face of not only all Indians, but all cricket fans.

It is particularly in India where most delight will be demonstrated, as Sachin is a way of life for many Indians.

He has made the 1billion+ population of a cricket-mad country delirious with joy by reaching this milestone and it is hard to imagine how much it means to them.

You see the pictures and you read the words but still it is difficult to understand just how high he is regarded by the people in India.

His milestone is up there with not just the best thing any cricketer has achieved, but any sports star.

It is difficult to comprehend just how he has reached the remarkable figure and how much concentration, dedication and talent it has taken for him to get there.

He may be just 5ft 5in, but Sachin Tendulkar is a sporting giant and will go down as one of the best, up there with the Muhammad Alis, Roger Federers and Peles of this world.

The Little Master deserves admiration from all for what has been - and continues to be - a truly unbelievable career.

Manchester City beginning to pay for lack of defensive depth

Manchester City fell agonisingly short of a superb comeback against Sporting Lisbon last night

Some Manchester City fans may try to pass off yesterday's Europa League elimination by Sporting Lisbon as almost unimportant, but the Portuguese side's triumph emphasised Roberto Mancini's team's vulnerability at the back.

Vincent Kompany is a superb defender - perhaps the best in the Premier League - but City have nowhere near enough strength in depth in the position.

Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure are decent, but beyond that there is a worrying lack of options for Mancini.

The sight of Stefan Savic at the back must strike fear into City fans as he is prone to more than the odd lapse in concentration and sheer poor errors, and this lack of quality back-up could cost them dear this season.

When you add the defensive frailties to the way goals have dried up markedly since City's swashbuckling early-season form, the signs are worrying for City.

This campaign started full of hope and expectation with routs against some of England's top sides, but looks set to end without a trophy unless Mancini can somehow inspire them back into form.

If the past few weeks have taught the Italian anything, it is surely that he needs to get his priorities right in the summer.

While he has largely concentrated on signing attacking players in recent transfer windows, he must sign at least one world-class defender as well as another more-than-decent back-up if he is to avoid these problems cropping up again.

Kompany can't be expected to save them time and time again and he needs someone alongside him who truly merits playing for a team of title challengers.

The Belgian's recent absence has laid bare City's frailties and proved they are still far from the finished product.

City have badly missed Kompany's influence in the last three games

A club with the resources of Manchester City should not be exposed like this after the loss of just one player to injury.

In contrast, they have an embarrassment of riches in most other areas, most notably in the full-back positions and in attack.

Mancini has swapped his full-backs around all season - perhaps to the team's detriment - but at least he has options there.

Joe Hart is a superb goalkeeper but can't have any confidence in some of those in front of him, particularly Savic.

If it wasn't for Hart, City probably wouldn't be in the title race and now Kompany is on the sidelines, their contention for the league may not last too much longer.

Chelsea, surely buoyed by their extraordinary Champions League progression against Napoli, are next for Mancini's men at Eastlands next Wednesday and a defeat for the Citizens would leave them looking desperate in the title race.

They have seen their lead slashed in recent weeks and now city rivals Manchester United have taken the lead it is hard to see them surrendering their title, particular given the respective remaining fixtures of the two sides.

City, almost unthinkably, could end up potless this season and seem to have ran out of gas.

Their early-season form is a distant memory and their elimination to Sporting has to be seen as a major disappointment, despite the way they regained respectability by coming from 2-0 down to win the second leg 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Their fightback proved the quality is still there in attacking areas, with Sergio Aguero still the menace he has been all season and City still capable of scoring goals aplenty.

Aguero has the ability to win matches for City on his own

However, as a team, they have fallen far below the standards they set in the early months of the campaign.

This is where Mancini needs to earn his money.

His squad is certainly talented and deep enough - in most areas - to still win the Premier League but they appear to be low in confidence. Mancini must find a solution.

Reintroducing Carlos Tevez to the scene could provide some fresh impetus, and it would be intriguing to see how he would link up with compatriot Aguero.

Tevez has - albeit reluctantly - apologised for his refusal to warm up against Bayern Munich and his self-imposed exile is over, so it's time for him to show just what a fine player he is again and attempt to inspire City to the title.

The Europa League may have just been a sideshow to City but last night's elimination will have hurt them and showed they still need significant strengthening to get where they want on the European stage.

That has also been underlined in the Premier League recently, with Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Swansea not the first time they have lacked ideas in recent weeks.

They need Kompany back - and quick - and must bring in a top player to play alongside him this summer.

Their defensive record has been impressive this season in terms of goals conceded but they look worryingly weak without Kompany.

It may seem strange to question City's defence given the fact they have conceded the fewest goals of anybody in the Premier League so far this season, but it looks nowhere near as solid when Kompany is unavailable.

They may have conceded just one at Swansea, but with Kompany's leadership and solidity they would have probably kept a clean sheet and taken home a valuable point.

City must have more than one defender in his class and that is what needs to be addressed this summer rather than splashing out tens of more millions on strikers.

Savic is still very young at 21 but lacks confidence and has made silly errors when he has been called upon, so City should not be in the position where they need to rely on him at this stage of his career.

Savic has looked sloppy at times this season

If Mancini can bring in one or two quality defensive reinforcements in the summer, that would allow him to loan Savic out - preferably to another Premier League club - and the Montenegrin could then get accustomed to the pace of the league and understand better what is expected from him at a club the size of City.

They also need more confidence going forward - like they had in the early stages of this season - and Mancini must alter his tactics slightly to ensure his attacking talents are given the chance to express themselves.

The likes of Aguero proved in the second half against Sporting that when given freedom they can cut teams apart, so Mancini has to ensure they are given that freedom from the start of games if they are to return to the form which lit up the Premier League a matter of months ago.

Time is running out for City to turn their form around and now they only have the league to occupy themselves with.

A short-term solution to their defensive problem could be to switch Micah Richards to the centre of defence - he played there impressively earlier in his career - until they bring in a world-class defender in the summer.

Without Kompany, they look disjointed, and if City are to somehow turn their form around and wrestle the title away from their neighbours, they need him back fit. Fast.

It seems strange City can only truly rely on him defensively given the resources they have and that should be a lesson learned for Mancini and the club's owners.

They cannot afford to find themselves in this situation again a year down the line so their priority this summer must be to bring in a defender.

City can afford to buy pretty much whoever they want, so there will be no excuses for not supplying Kompany with a partner come the summer.

David Moyes deserves huge recognition for 10 years at Everton

David Moyes has done an incredible job at Everton

On Wednesday, a very rare milestone in modern football will be reached.

David Moyes will celebrate his 10th anniversary as manager of Everton, and for that he deserves all the praise he is getting.

The Scot may not have won a trophy during his decade at Goodison Park, but he's done pretty much everything but.

Before Moyes arrived, Everton looked set to languish in the lower echelons of the Premier League for the foreseeable future or perhaps even drop into the second tier.

However, Moyes has stabilised the club and turned Everton into a regular top-10 team on what has been almost a shoe-string budget. It is hard to see how he could have done any better.

When top jobs like Chelsea and Tottenham presumably become available in the summer, Moyes' name should be considered.

He has earned that because of the tremendous job he has done with Everton, who are a massive club in their own right.

However, Moyes deserves the chance to manage a club which is able to back him significantly in the transfer market to push his reputation to the next level, something which appears impossible at Goodison Park unless the club is sold.

The way he has made the most of Everton's modest resources has been sensational, though.

The signing of Tim Cahill in 2004 must go down as one of his greatest pieces of business and epitomises the job Moyes has done.

Cahill has been a regular provider of goals from midfield

Moyes took a chance on Cahill when other Premier League clubs dithered, and has been richly rewarded for that.

The Australian has been a revelation for the last eight years, with regular goals and superb contributions from midfield making a mockery of the £1.5million transfer fee it took to sign him from Millwall.

Cahill hasn't been Moyes' only success in the transfer market - in fact he is just one in a long line of superb bargains.

Others who fall into this category are Tim Howard, Leighton Baines, Steven Pienaar, Seamus Coleman, John Heitinga, Phil Neville, Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Mikel Arteta and Joleon Lescott.

Some Everton fans criticise chairman Bill Kenwright for a lack of investment and for selling key players, but it is worth noting that of the players just mentioned, all but the last two remain at Goodison Park.

Arteta and Lescott may have left, but they produced profits of £8million and £17million respectively, which is testament to Moyes' superb judgement.

His first signing, Joseph Yobo, was also a huge bargain success and it is this work in the transfer market which will go down as one of Moyes' greatest achievements.

He may not have been backed with as much money as some fans would like, but Moyes has signed players for substantial fees, like Marouane Fellaini (£15million), Yakubu (£11.25million), Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (£8.9million) and Andy Johnson (£8.6million).

Kenwright has backed him when the finances have allowed him to, with the latest example of this being the £5.5million forked out for Nikica Jelavic in January.

However, most of Moyes' work in the transfer market has involved small sums and for this it is incredible he has kept Everton competitive considering the amounts spent by their contemporaries.

His work with young players has also reaped benefits, with Wayne Rooney, Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, Jack Rodwell and Ross Barkley among those brought through under his stewardship.

Young players in Liverpool can feel confident Everton is a good choice for them as Moyes has shown he is willing to show faith in youngsters and give them a chance at an early age.

The highlight of his reign is undoubtedly Everton's 4th-placed finish in 2004/05, which was incredible given it was the season after they sold Rooney amid a furious fan backlash.

They may have lost in the qualifying round to Villarreal, but the very fact they were in that position was unbelievable.

He has also led them to two fifth-placed finishes and been voted Manager of the Year by fellow bosses three times, which shows how highly he is rated by his colleagues.

Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson have tremendous respect for Moyes

Moyes is often mentioned when top six jobs become available, but no team has yet taken the plunge and that is one of modern football's great mysteries. He deserves his chance.

The way he has turned Everton around has been incredible and his hard-working, well-organised side is a match for anybody on their day.

Traditionally, they have been much stronger in the second half of seasons, with Moyes' team always producing the goods when needed.

'Big' teams must dread visiting Goodison Park in the latter part of a season, as Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City would testify after recent defeats there.

That dread has been created by Moyes and credit must go to Kenwright, who has been heavily criticised in some quarters over the years.

He was the man who took a chance on a 38-year-old Moyes in the first place, and he has backed him with funds whenever he could.

Kenwright also stuck with Moyes during difficult times, such as the season Everton finished 17th (2003/04) and flirted with relegation in 2005/06.

He clearly knew he had someone special and kept faith with Moyes, something other clubs should take note of.

Moyes and Kenwright have had a superb working relationship

After all, while Moyes has spent 10 years at Goodison Park, Andre Villas-Boas didn't even last that many months at Chelsea.

Moyes' only 'failure' is the lack of a trophy win, and he came so close to that when his side reached the 2009 FA Cup final.

Everton ultimately lost to Chelsea, but their progression to Wembley was a sign of their progress and, with another quarter-final to look forward to this season, a winners' medal may not be too far away.

That is the only thing missing from Moyes' tenure, along with a win against city rivals Liverpool at Anfield, which he will be looking to register tonight.

There may be managers out there with more glittering CVs littered with trophies, but not many of them can truly claim to have been as successful, pound-for-pound, as Moyes.

The very fact he has had such longevity and remains with Everton is a sign of how well he has done and the stability and success he has brought to the club should be a clear sign to club chairmen - pick a manager and stick by them, because stability breeds success.

Moyes has laid the groundwork for a period of success at Goodison Park and Toffees fans can only hope he sees it out before a bigger club comes calling.

Clubs like Tottenham and Chelsea would be mad to ignore him if they are looking for a new manager and Everton will need some serious investment to get to where Moyes deserves to be - at least in Europe, possibly the Champions League.

Even if this season is to be his last at Everton, one thing is for sure: he will leave the club in a far better place than he found it.

Moyes is managerial gold and Everton are lucky to have him.

The Toffees may not have won any trophies in his decade at the club, but if they hold onto him for another 10 years, they certainly will win silverware, otherwise he will have moved on.

Moyes is destined for greatness whether at Goodison Park or elsewhere and will feel like this is just the beginning of his journey.

He would dearly like to deliver the huge success Evertonians crave, but if the club cannot find investment quickly enough, it may just be that he delivers that success elsewhere.

Tottenham must act quickly before season falls apart

Tottenham must stay positive to avoid their season unravelling

Two weeks ago, everything seemed rosy for Tottenham Hotspur.

Two-nil up at arch-rivals Arsenal, it appeared Harry Redknapp's side were certainties to finish in the Premier League's top three and even had an outside chance of battling with the two Manchester clubs for the title.

Spurs fans were revelling in the fact they were so far ahead of Arsenal in the table - they would have been 13 points clear of the Gunners had they won at the Emirates Stadium - and the only worry appeared to be the probability of Redknapp leaving at the end of the season to become England manager.

A crazy 25-minute spell at the Emirates though changed the tide.

Suddenly, after the 5-2 humbling to their rivals, the pressure was on them.

The praise which had been heaped on them all season for their swashbuckling attacking play quickly turned to doubts and ridicule at their defending.

They were impressive for decent spells of their next game, at home to Manchester United, but ultimately lost 3-1 and are now certainly looking over their shoulders.

Arsenal are just four points behind them and Chelsea are also lurking, so Tottenham's Champions League aspirations are suddenly in doubt.

However, they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves.

Would they have taken this position with 11 games to go at the start of the season? Of course they would.

Tottenham need to find their spark again

Spurs are still in a magnificent position and third place would be a real sign of their progression, so they must re-find their form, and quickly.

Their early season work cannot go to waste and they must get their eyes back on the ball now.

This evening's trip to Everton will be a severe test of their aspirations and a defeat would open the door for Arsenal and Chelsea.

But Redknapp must stress to his side that they are still quality players and if they play to their potential, third place is theirs.

Spurs mustn't search for the negatives. A win at Goodison Park would stretch their lead over Arsenal to seven points - at least for a couple of days - and restore the confidence which must have been shattered in the last two weeks.

If they don't win - or at least get something - on Merseyside their season would be in danger of collapsing.

That would be a travesty given the thrills they were giving until recently, with the likes of Gareth Bale, Emmanuel Adebayor and Luka Modric among the best players in the league.

Spurs still have a lot to do to secure a top-four finish - never mind a place above Arsenal in the top three - with away games at Chelsea and Sunderland among their remaining fixtures.

Arsenal are riding the crest of a wave and Chelsea are looking to build momentum after the departure of Andre Villas-Boas, so Spurs must click back into form immediately or risk missing out on the Champions League.

That, coupled with the likely departure of Redknapp in the summer, would put the whole club on a huge downer and make the off-season an agonising and depressing one for Spurs fans.

Redknapp looks highly likely to leave White Hart Lane in the summer

As it stands, they are still in a favourable position, but if they don't act soon and forget their recent disappointments, their league campaign is at risk of unravelling.

Positivity is the key for them and they would do well to remember that their current position of third - coupled with their placing in the last eight of the FA Cup - is still excellent.

They should still be vibrant and they should still be confident as they are the same excellent crop of players who have delighted neutrals throughout the season.

Their recent 'slump' - if you can call it that, with it being just two games - is a major test of their credentials but one they should overcome.

Arsenal's comeback was a major blow but that would be nothing compared to the pain of missing out on the Champions League.

Spurs must act now to prevent that heartache.

Hatem Ben Arfa proves his worth as Newcastle snatch draw against Sunderland

Shola Ameobi's stoppage time leveller rescued Newcastle a draw against Sunderland

Shola Ameobi has never been universally popular among Newcastle fans.

He is seen by many as lazy and his overall goalscoring record doesn't help his cause, but against Sunderland he turns into a different player.

He once again came up trumps in the Tyne-Wear derby yesterday to earn the Magpies a deserved point in a 1-1 draw. Perhaps he should be saved exclusively for these occasions.

To be fair to him, he was superb in the 3-0 victory over Manchester United in January, but it is against Sunderland when he really comes into his own.

He has the ability to terrorise defenders and it is frustrating he cannot produce performances like this consistently, but he is guaranteed a place in Geordie folklore for his record against the Black Cats.

His tally in the fixture now stands at seven goals - second only to the great Jackie Milburn - and that record ensures Newcastle fans will look back on him with a smile on their faces when he retires.

The turning point in this game was undoubtedly the red card shown to Stephane Sessegnon in the 58th minute, with the Benin forward showing a complete lack of discipline in elbowing Cheick Tiote.

Sessegnon's red card invited pressure onto Sunderland

Tiote's reaction was over-the-top but it was a definite red card offence and handed the initiative to the home side, who were already showing signs of a second-half fightback after going 1-0 behind in the first-half.

Nicklas Bendtner's penalty gave Sunderland that lead after the increasingly clumsy-looking Mike Williamson pulled Michael Turner's shirt, while Tim Krul also had to be on his guard to pull off a superb double save from Sebastian Larsson and James McClean.

Hatem Ben Arfa's second-half performance proved why he should have a regular place in manager Alan Pardew's starting eleven.

Ben Arfa still gives the ball away too often but he is so slippery, tricky and talented that it is a massive waste to see him sitting on the bench.

He terrorised Sunderland at times in the second-half and he has the ability to do things other players can only dream of.

Ben Arfa is Newcastle's most gifted player and he makes things happen, which was ideal against a defence as resolute as Sunderland's.

He was certainly much more of a threat on the wing than Ryan Taylor, who switched to left-back - where he looked much more comfortable - at the break after Davide Santon was brought off.

There will always be frustration and question marks where Ben Arfa is concerned, but some of his play is breathtaking and makes all the negatives worth it.

The number 10 can unlock teams and his performance against Sunderland should be his breakthrough at St James' Park - his displays from now on have to be up to this standard.

Some of the mazy dribbles Ben Arfa goes on are incredible - although he has a habit of forgetting the ball from time to time - and his goal against Blackburn in the FA Cup was one of the best in Newcastle's recent history.

His talent merits a place in Pardew's team and this performance should have proved that to the manager.

Newcastle dominated after Sunderland went down to 10 men and even missed a penalty with eight minutes left when Demba Ba's spot-kick was superbly stopped by Simon Mignolet.

When the penalty was awarded, Pardew needlessly goaded Sunderland's bench and that is something he should look back on with a lot of regret.

Pardew lost his cool when his side were awarded the penalty

He showed a complete lack of class and it is clear the emotion of the occasion got to him, but he should have showed a lot more respect for opposing manager Martin O'Neill and his backroom staff.

It is clear the occasion got to Pardew.

Unless you live in the area, it is impossible to understand the passion and build-up which surrounds this fixture and the pressure on all involved in it to get a positive result.

Everything seemed to have built up inside Pardew, from Sunderland's rough tactics to the ferocity of the crowd and relief at getting the penalty, but he can have no excuses. He should have channelled those emotions in a different way.

Pardew be given a lot of praise for his role in the draw though, as his subs Ameobi and Ben Arfa were central to the second-half dominance.

Sessegnon's dismissal undoubtedly played a part in that dominance but Sunderland only have themselves to blame for their ill-discipline.

Lee Cattermole was red-carded after the final whistle for abusing referee Mike Dean, and this is a problem O'Neill will have to rectify.

Cattermole set the tone in the first minute with an ugly foul on Tiote which earned him a booking, something Pardew was clearly angered by.

Tiote and Cattermole had a running battle

Cattermole is a player who is always on the disciplinary tightrope but O'Neill needs his captain to set a positive example for his team-mates to follow.

This was certainly not the prettiest game you are likely to see, but it was full of passion and incident, while the atmosphere in the stadium left no player in any doubt as to what the fixture meant.

Aside from the superb noise generated from the supporters, the game was exhilarating and encapsulated everything this derby is about.

It had it all: controversy, goals, a missed penalty, chances galore, skirmishes and late, late drama.

The draw proved the two sides are not far apart but should ensure Newcastle finish the season as the region's top team.

They could have even won it when Williamson squandered a late, late chance, but the draw was a fair result and one Newcastle should be pleased with given the endeavour and fighting spirit they showed in getting the equaliser.

They are still in the superb position of sixth and if Pardew can lead his side through the final 11 fixtures and keep them there, he will have to be a major contender for manager of the year.

Ben Arfa's display certainly proved his worth to the manager but in truth, this day was Ameobi's.

The number 23 has been given a harsh time over the years but his record in this fixture will always ensure his status as a cult hero among Newcastle fans.

He may not be a great goalscorer, but Ameobi is the man for the big occasion. He is the man for derby day.