Reds for Red Square, but Bolton come first

SO much for the predicted stroll in the Pride Park. Saturday was much hairier than desired and constituted another wayward performance to add to the growing list of such underwhelming shows since Christmas.

Still, let’s happily trot out the old cliché about championships being won on such discoloured days. And we were certainly further cheered up when we watched the match at the Emirates in the pub afterwards.

What is it with Europe’s so-called elite this past couple of weeks? Arsenal and us flop over finishing lines at the ninety like exhausted nags who’ve only just managed to give the glue-truck the slip; Real Madrid lost wretchedly again at the weekend, to continue their pas-de-deux of near-weekly cock-ups alongside Barcelona; Bayern were well-beaten at relegation-bound Cottbus; both Milan teams have been stumbling around chaotically like their compatriots circa 1943.