Canny spending, sound management and expansive play are changing the pecking order in the north-west and north London

Jol and Fulham's former Tottenham contingent are keen to show their north London neighbours what they might be missing

Is it because our top flight has the world's finest strikers at the top of their game? Or has the art of defending been lost? Is it new laws? Or is it because everyone is trying to copy Barcelona?

It had to happen sooner or later. La Liga minnows Levante finally lost their first game of the season yesterday, 2-0 at Osasuna , ending their run of seven successive league wins, surrendering their position at the top of the table to Real Madrid, who battled to a 1-0 victory away at Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Wigan Athletic 0 Fulham 2: Rash Gardner sees red as Rodgers' men stay cool to punish sloppy Bolton

Sam Baldock scored twice for the second consecutive home match as West Ham United, second in the Championship, won 3-2 against a Leicester City adjusting to life after Sven Goran Eriksson. Baldock headed in his first after 21 minutes, and a minute later Julien Faubert fired in the second. Andy King reduced the deficit before Baldock struck again. King hit back after 74 minutes to set up a nervy finish. No word on a new Leicester appointment, but Kevin Keegan, Huddersfield's Lee Clark, Celtic's Neil Lennon, a former Fox, Mark Hughes, and, perhaps more fancifully, Rafael Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti have been mentioned.

The Last Word

The challenges facing European policymakers as they attempt to resolve the sovereign debt crisis were underscored by grim economic data yesterday, with Spanish unemployment spiralling to a 15-year high and French consumer spending falling by more than had been forecast.

Manchester United will have to pay Benfica at least £35m if they are to make good on their interest in Benfica's Nicolas Gaitan, the midfielder who excelled against them in the Champions League.

By Sam WallaceFootball Correspondent

We’ve been bowled over by the volume of well-wishers writing, texting, tweeting and posting on Facebook to wish us a happy first birthday and say warm words about i.

Britain is planning to mark its return to Olympic football after a 40-year absence with a gala double-header featuring both the women's and men's teams playing international friendlies at the same venue on the same day next July.