Manchester United top the rankings for September

On the rankings in the Football Ranking System Manchester United have regained top spot from Manchester City, who have slipped to fifth with indifferent form of late. Chelsea have jumped from fourth to second, only held back by draws with QPR and Juventus. Everton have kept up their early season form and are in third position.

Inevitably, Celtic head the Scottish challenge, falling one place to seventh. Hearts are next for the Scots in 27th.

Rangers continue to fall and have slipped from 19th to 33rd. from 8th to 19th.

Aston Villa have staged something of a recovery, rising from 29th to 19th and Championship risers Cardiff City jumped from 37th to 23rd.

Biggest fallers were Coventry City, who plummeted from 53rd to 72nd.

Ten-place plus movers elsewhere include:
Leicester City, up from 34 to 24.
Dundee United, down from 18 to 32.
Brighton & Hove Albion, up from 47 to 31.
Kilmarnock, up from 46 to 35.
Wolverhamption Wanderers, up from 49 to 36.
Sheffield Wednesday, down from 31 to 47.
Ipswich Town, down from 40 to 55.
Portsmouth, down from 57 to 70.
Crawley Town, up from 84 to 74.
Morton, up from 91 to 80.
Leyton Orient, up from 92 to 82.
Hamilton Academical, down from 76 to 87.
Port Vale, up from 102 to 92.
Southend United, up from 105 to 95.
Wycombe Wanderers, down from 85 to 96.
Hartlepool United, down from 87 to 98.
Burton Albion, up from 113 to 99.
Aldershot Town, down from 96 to 108.
Oxford United, down from 99 to 113.
Dartford, up from 169 to 157.
Chester, up from 173 to 159.
Oxford City up from 179 to 168.

Who can wrest fourth place from Liverpool?

The fight for fourth place in the Premier League to secure a Champions League spot for next season stumbles on. No one can quite grasp the opportunity.

For all their apparent failings this season, Liverpool are placed fifth with 41 points from 24 games. Tottenham surrendered a lead late on in the game at Birmingham City on Saturday, but they still hold fourth place, but are only one point ahead of Liverpool on even games.

In sixth, with two games in hand on the two above them, are Manchester City with the same points as Liverpool. With only three defeats all season, they still look a good bet, but can't quite get consistency in their performances. Yesterday's 2-0 over Portsmouth was comfortable, but uninspiring. A lace and a point behind City, on 23 games, are Aston Villa, who secured a good 2-0 win at Fulham on Saturday, but otherwise have stumbled of late.

It is then six further points back to Birmingham City whose good run seems only to have secured a Premier League spot for next season, rather than forcing them into fourth-place contention.

Thus, it looks to be between the four: Spurs, Liverpool, City and Villa.

You'd have to say, despite all their troubles, Liverpool look the likeliest.

Carling Cup ties fall foul of the weather

Both Carling Cup semi-final first leg matches have been postponed due to the snowy and icy conditions in the north-west of England.

Tuesday night's game between Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa at Ewood Park was called off on advice from the police, despite the pitch being playable.

Wednesday night's game between Manchester City and Manchester United at Eastlands has been called off on Tuesday. A statement on City's website read: "It is with regret that the club can confirm that due to extreme weather conditions in the North West of England, tomorrow night’s Carling Cup semi-final tie against Manchester United has been postponed.

"After discussions with the relevant parties including Greater Manchester Police, the Safety Advisory Committee, the Football League and Manchester United, the decision was unanimously reached that the game should be re-scheduled due to safety concerns, particularly with regard to travel for supporters."

The second legs of these ties were originally scheduled for the week starting Monday 18 January. At least none of the four have FA Cup replays which would have been in the week starting Monday 11 January, but whether the first legs can be scheduled for then, I don't know.

At times like this, Sir Alex must be relieved that his team lost to Leeds in the FA Cup on Sunday, thereby by reducing fixture chaos in weeks to come. United are the only one of the four Carling Cup semi-finalists still in European competition.