. “Probably no footballer since Sir Bobby Charlton has so regularly scored so many great goals from outside the area. Gerrard’s record of 100 for Liverpool in just over 400 games compares with the 249 Charlton scored for Manchester United in 758 appearances. And Charlton, like Gerrard a modest, introspective man, spent most of his career playing in a more free-scoring game and often wore the number nine on his back for United. Graeme Souness, the outstanding midfielder of the Bob Paisley years, found the net once every six and a half matches. Gerrard averages one in four. What is astonishing about Gerrard’s record is that he did not begin his Liverpool career with a reputation as a goalscorer. He made his first start, against Tottenham, in December 1998 but it was fully 12 months before he scored his first goal for the club, against Sheffield Wednesday.”

In the Daily Mail, Andy Townsend gives a round-up of his observations from this week’s action in the Champions League. “What has Wes Brown done to upset Fergie? He sat it out on the bench on Tuesday while United selected Rafael instead. Could it be that Wes harshly copped the blame for that dreadful goal at Anfield when his goalkeeper punched it against his own defender?”

On Manchester United, Tony Cascarino (The Times) also offers sympathy for the forgotten man, Wes Brown. “Exactly what Brown had feared has happened. Neville, the old-timer, is on the premises again and Da Silva, the South American tyro, is breathing down his neck. Brown’s loyalty, his willingness to re-sign for the cause, has apparently been overlooked or conveniently brushed aside. He faces a season of frustration at Old Trafford, not to mention what it might do to his England chances. It’s a real kick in the teeth for Wes. Critics go on about disloyal, money-grabbing and utterly self-centred footballers - and, often, they are not wrong - but, in this case, Brown seems to have been extremely hard done by. Football is a ruthless business, it’s about getting what you can when you can, and his decision to stay may have backfired.”

On Celtic’s miserable away record in the Champions League, Barry Glendenning (Guardian) asks “Why does an away win remain a Hoop dream?” “Celtic’s run of defeats on the road in the Champions League proper now extends to a toe-curling 17 out of 18, with just a draw against Barcelona several years ago going some small way towards hiding their shame. While reverses at the Madrigal, Nou Camp, San Siro (x3), Allianz Arena, Stadio Delle Alpe and Old Trafford are not disgraceful, the law of averages suggests eight matches at such imposing venues should have yielded more than a solitary point. Elsewhere in Europe, defeat after defeat at the hands of eminently beatable teams such as FC Copenhagen, Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk (x2), Porto, Rosenborg and the perennially hopeless Anderlecht give every indication there’s a lot more to Celtic’s appalling run than a paucity of quality among the club’s ranks.”

In the Mirror, Ann Gripper celebrates the behaviour of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ian Pearce, who have shown that they’d prefer to play football rather than cashing cheques. “On Fulham’s books last year, Pearce dropped 11 divisions to turn out for Surrey South Eastern Combination First Division with Oxted and District FC. After years spent playing in front of thousands, turning out in front of 150 people must be a surreal experience – perhaps even more so than for those teams from the lower leagues who get their day out at Anfield or Old Trafford. While an FA Cup glamour tie is the fulfilment of a dream, playing alongside sales reps, graphic designers, machinists and postmen, as Pearce is now doing, is a glimpse of the kind of life he could have had if his footballing gene had been slightly less well developed. After a summer spent following the efforts of Emmanuel Adebayor, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo looking to wangle their way to a bigger contract at another big club, it was a real antidote to find a case where it is so obviously a desire to keep playing football – rather than the money – that is the motivation for running out onto the pitch with your team mates.”

The Guardian’s Steven Wells writes an impassioned defence of referees. “So on both sides of the Atlantic and across dozens of sports the consensus is reached. The referee is a useless, interfering, grandstanding bastard. And the sooner we replace him entirely with machines incapable of mistaking a mistake, the better. And the consensus sucks. Would an orchestra be better conducted by a metronome? I for one am sick of hearing ex-players (who couldn’t referee a kids game) telling us that “the ref’s having a good game”, or a poor game, or a nightmare. If these so-called experts are really good enough to rate a referee’s performance, why aren’t they out there refereeing? Keeping fit and active in the game they keep telling us they love? Rather than earning a dodgy crust getting fat and old while trotting out the same half dozen or so well polished opinions. (If I hear the phrases “he won’t be happy with that” or “he’ll be thinking” one more time, I shall scream.)”

Fabrizio Miccoli is mooted for a recall to the Italian national team by Football Italia’s Antonio Labbate. “The Palermo bomber has enjoyed a scintillating start to the season. With four goals in four games, he’s the new darling of the Barbera faithful who were forced to inevitably say goodbye to Amauri over the summer. But while the Brazilian waits for his Italian passport, Fabrizio already has his paperwork in order… So why shouldn’t Lippi consider him? The walking tattoo parlour [he has 13 so far] – who has named his son Diego in honour of Maradona – is arguably in better shape right now than Alex Del Piero, while the tactician still seems to have doubts over the complex character of Antonio Cassano.”

Bild.de report the distasteful story coming from Scotland of Celtic fans who are betting on the life expectancy of Paul Gascoigne. “Supporters of Scottish club Celtic - the bitter rivals of Rangers, a club Gazza once played for - have invented a sinister betting game when participants can guess the time of his death. The game appeared on the ‘Huddleboard’ website after the latest lurid story involving Gazza, who once took centre stage at World Cup 90 and Euro 96, reported that he had drunk a bottle of whiskey for breakfast. The British ‘Daily Star’ newspaper published some of the bets being taken: Benedicts11 wrote: ‘I give him three months,’ while MartyBhoy believed it would be ‘nine months’. AyrshireCSC said: ‘On the Queen’s birthday. They can both go. What a day that would be!’”

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