WHO said the north-east wouldn’t have a say in the outcome of this season’s Premier League title?

GORDON TAYLOR believes the punishment meted out to Luis Suarez for racially abusing Patrice Evra sends a warning that racism in the game will not be tolerated.

BACARY SAGNA is set to relieve Arsenal’s defensive injury crisis and return to the first-team in the next few weeks.

LIVERPOOL and Luis Suarez last night grudgingly accepted the striker’s eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

MANCHESTER CITY moved three points clear in what is becoming an increasingly intriguing tussle with their neighbours United at the top of the Premier League last night — a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium over Liverpool continuing their near perfect home form.

GOAL hero Frank Lampard admits Chelsea can only blame themselves for slipping out of the Premier League title race after claiming they have “dropped their standards” in recent weeks.

PHIL JONES may have been critical of Manchester United’s performance against Blackburn on New Year’s Eve but he is still loving life at the Premier League summit.

ARSENE WENGER would never have openly admitted it, but his anger after Monday’s defeat at Fulham made it plain that he believed his Arsenal side were still in the title race.

EVERTON boss David Moyes claims recent results show why nobody can take anything for granted in the Premier League.

TOTTENHAM moved to within three points of second-placed Manchester United after Jermain Defoe finally broke through West Brom’s stubborn resistance with a second-half winner at White Hart Lane.

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon was full of praise for the application of his players and the dead-ball talent of Charlie Mulgrew following their 3-0 win over Dunfermline.

IT’S always a dangerous game to make predictions based on November’s performances.

LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish insists super-rich Manchester City’s super-talented squad hold no fears for his side.

MIDFIELDER James McCarthy is hoping Wigan can begin 2012 by bringing Sunderland back down to earth at the DW Stadium tonight.

EMMANUEL Adebayor called on Tottenham to cement their place in the top four by taking maximum points from their home games this month.

STEVE KEAN praised the Blackburn fans for getting behind their team at Ewood Park yesterday and felt they should have been rewarded with at least a point against Stoke.

JOEY BARTON hit out at a “ridiculous decision” to send him off in QPR’s loss to Norwich at Loftus Road yesterday for an apparent headbutt on Bradley Johnson.

THE season of goodwill to all men?

ROBERTO MANCINI admitted his concerns over Manchester City’s title credentials after they stumbled to a shock defeat at Sunderland.

LIVERPOOL have issued an apology to Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi, who claims he was racially abused by a Reds supporter during Friday night’s FA Cup tie between the sides.