Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool must no longer look in the rear view mirror - but admits the road ahead to restoration may be a long one.

In among the cascade of optimistic messages that have epitomised Rodgers's short time at Anfield, the cold chill of Liverpool's current status came in one statement from the manager after the 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

"The club finished eighth last season. If we can improve on that if would be fantastic for us. That is the reality of where Liverpool is I'm afraid," said Rodgers.

This counts as expectation management on a grand scale. It is a long time since the prospect of finishing seventh would be regarded as "fantastic" at Anfield but Rodgers clearly feels this is the context in which he is working after succeeding sacked Kenny Dalglish.

And if he was to take a backward glance over his shoulder he would see that the current Premier League placing of 13th with 12 points from 11 games is three points worse than the same position under Roy Hodgson in 2010/2011 as he was on the road to effectively being run out of town by disaffected Liverpool supporters.

Chelsea captain John Terry headed the Blues into the lead on Sunday. Photo: Getty

No-one would suggest for a moment that a similar fate will befall Rodgers. He is barely through the door and admitted Liverpool fans had been "lenient". There is genuine support for him from Liverpool's followers.

This must not disguise another reality. This points tally is not good enough for a club of Liverpool's ambition, even if Rodgers appeared to be scaling this back at Stamford Bridge. Eventually Rodgers must start winning.

Much has been made of his passing "philosophy" - although anyone could tell you this has been in the club's DNA since Bill Shankly arrived in December 1959 and not something Rodgers brought in the boot of his car as some great secret on the journey up from Swansea - and the only philosophy that actually matters is the one that wins matches.

Rodgers insists signs of development can be seen in Liverpool's side and he has a point. He is working with a squad in reduced circumstances and despite this they have proved difficult to beat. Their last two away league fixtures have brought creditable draws at Everton and on Sunday at Chelsea. Few will pick up even single points easily at either place this season.

Rodgers was also on the mark to underscore Liverpool's "great character, resilience and survival instincts" but eventually there must be more than possession coupled with a reliance on the cunning and brilliance of striker Luis Suarez. This is his top priority.

He can be well pleased with the eventual outcome at Stamford Bridge after Suarez - who else? - scored the goal to earn a draw that looked most unlikely for more than an hour. Liverpool, so poor for the first 45 minutes, even ended the game emboldened and looking for a fourth successive win at Chelsea.

Rodgers was in candid mood as he said: "The reality is we are a long way off winning the league. I'm not going to sit here and say we are up there challenging."

He added: "The club has given me brilliant support since I have come in here. The owners have brought me in and given me great security in terms of the plan going forward."

The task facing Rodgers is turning draws into victories - but for now he is very grateful to have a player of Suarez's class to turn potential defeats into draws, as he has done in the last week against Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Rodgers has shown a commendable desire to inject young blood into Liverpool's side and there is no doubt he received the rough end of the deal in August when the Anfield hierarchy showed no appetite for his desire to buy Clint Dempsey from Fulham and left him desperately short of a striker after Andy Carroll was loaned to West Ham.

But his own buy, Fabio Borini, was looking decidedly underwhelming at a reported £11m before injury, so Rodgers will need to spend wisely in January. "You need materials," said Rodgers. "Hopefully we can add one or two in January to help us in the top half of the field to try and turn draws into wins."

Much depends on his success in that period but for now he can take a measure of satisfaction from a draw at Chelsea, although this should be tempered by the knowledge that if Oscar and Juan Mata had matched finishing to the expertise of their approach play this game might have been over inside an hour.

John Terry gave Chelsea the lead before going off on a stretcher with a knee injury following an accidental collision with Suarez, who was once more Liverpool's talisman with the equaliser, albeit courtesy of a less-than-subtle shove on Ramires that was missed by referee Howard Webb.

Liverpool had stand-out performers in defender Jose Enrique and goalkeeper Brad Jones but in reality - that word again - it was Suarez alone who won them a point.
Rodgers is in the first flush of his infant Liverpool reign and no-one can carp at a point gained at Stamford Bridge but he must soon find the winning habit.

When Roberto Mancini's rage against the slow death of Manchester City's Champions League aspirations finally fizzles out, it will be replaced by the recognition of a brutal truth.

Mancini was the flesh and blood embodiment of all the frustration this competition has brought City as he stalked on to the pitch carrying bitter disappointment and a burning sense of injustice at the end of the 2-2 draw with Ajax.

The result leaves the Premier League champions needing to win their final two games at home to Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid and away to Borussia Dortmund, then a few other cards to fall favourably, to avoid a second successive departure at the group phase.

This combination of an imminent exit and a contentious finale led Mancini to boil over for the second time this week as Danish referee Peter Rasmussen and a television cameraman felt the full force of the Italian's fury.

Rasmussen was the target after Sergio Aguero's late strike was ruled out by a borderline offside decision while he did not award a penalty in the final seconds when Ajax defender Ricardo van Rhijn clutched a large piece of Mario Balotelli's shirt, although there was a touch of six of one and half-a-dozen of the other about it.

Mancini's jets had not cooled when a cameraman copped it for invading his personal space. It was a ragged end to a ragged night that summed up City's flawed Champions League campaign.

Mancini angrily confronted a cameraman after the final whistle. Picture: PA

Heads will soon clear - although Mancini may not have heard the last of his impromptu pitch invasion from Uefa - and when they do City and their manager must accept that they are to blame should they fail to reach the last 16. This campaign has not been a hard luck story - City have not been good enough.

Mancini announced that City's destiny will be to win the Champions League if they escape this perilous position and get out of the group. He perfected the art of dismissing his own team's chances during last season's triumphant title race - but this time he is likely to be right.

There is currently a strange atmosphere surrounding City and Mancini. It has manifested itself in a lack of belief in the Champions League and appears to have spread to the supporters, who were subdued until a second-half rally lifted spirits.

It was as if players and fans were in need of inspiration to make City feel as though they really belong in this competition. The spirit of Mancini's men should not be doubted, given the manner of Tuesday's comeback from two goals down to almost win, but a spark is missing.

City have struggled to get to grips with the Champions League, even with the added layer of confidence being champions should give them, while Mancini himself has never got a handle on it, either with Inter Milan or at Eastlands.

Hindsight is a wonderful gift but perhaps City did need an "A-List" signing such as an Eden Hazard or Javi Martinez to lift them to the extra level required in the Champions League, to make them feel collectively more at ease on this stage.

The sloppiness that handed Ajax captain Siem de Jong two early goals from corners is what Mancini should remember, not his feeling of ill fortune.

Among the usual debate about zonal marking, this was simply a case of Manchester City's defenders not doing the basics of defending and paying for it. If it had happened down the divisions in England, questions would have been asked, let alone at this rarified level.

Mancini has cut a pressurised figure this week, reacting angrily about links with other clubs on Monday then quick-marching on to the pitch in search of aggravation on Tuesday. It was not a pretty sight.

Of course the miracle may yet happen, but the truth will hurt City and it is this - two points from four games is a fair reflection on their performances and a dismal return on the investment their Abu Dhabi owners have made in this squad. One of those points, at home to Borussia Dortmund, was a gift from the gods as a last-gasp penalty rescued them after a superb display by goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Dortmund's draw with Real Madrid may have opened a door but City, in the Champions League at least, seem too timid to walk through it.

It takes time to grow into the Champions League let alone win it, and there will be pains along the way. Chelsea took until 2012 to finally win it, and Arsenal have been hammering away in the competition for years without lifting the trophy.

So to expect City, no matter how much was spent, to pitch up and instantly lay waste to Europe's elite was somewhat fanciful, especially given the groups they have been given. Where City have come from in such a short space of time should offer some context.

What could reasonably be expected is better than two points from four games, amid a sense that City are still not getting to grips with the requirements of the Champions League.

Before kick-off, young City fans brandished a banner emblazoned with the message "We Still Believe".

City will never have a bigger opportunity to prove they still believe than when Real Madrid come to Manchester later this month - but Mancini's anger may just have betrayed his own belief that their chance has come and gone.

Sir Alex Ferguson was almost wistful as he sounded like a man pining for the dangerous days of flying pizzas in the Old Trafford tunnel.

The meeting between Manchester United and Arsenal was once a fixture to count on if you wanted pure theatre on and off the pitch.

It was a match that decided titles and provoked behaviour, good and downright awful, reflecting those pressures.

Downcast Ferguson was not even cheered by United's 2-1 win over Arsenal that took them back to the top of the Premier League as he declared: "The whole day was disappointing."

And this was because the serious element of competition was removed by Arsenal's lame performance.

Van Persie's celebration was muted after scoring against his old club Arsenal. Photo: Getty

Arsene Wenger's team were so polite and accommodating, apart from the combative Jack Wilshere as he received a red card, that the only threat to Ferguson was being killed by their kindness.

There was animosity off the pitch as Arsenal's supporters ignored Wenger's plea to respect former idol Robin van Persie. They abused him loudly with lurid chanting but once he responded by scoring with his first kick of the game it was effectively over.

United could afford the luxury of Wayne Rooney's missed penalty before Patrice Evra's second goal after 67 minutes rewarded their vast supremacy.

It would insult the intelligence of Arsenal's fans to describe Santi Cazorla's goal with the last kick of the game as any measure of consolation.

It was not a defeat on the humiliating scale of last season's 8-2 thrashing at Old Trafford but it is hard to imagine Wenger, in his quieter moments, gaining any more satisfaction from this. The scoreline was close - the contest was not.

Ferguson's disappointment was probably buried deep in the knowledge that United should have beaten Arsenal more convincingly. He still carries the scars of a title lost on goal difference to Manchester City last season.

For Arsenal and Wenger the concerns run deeper. They did not show Van Persie what he was missing, indeed Arsenal demonstrated much about why he left. This was not the stuff to force him into a single backward glance towards The Emirates.

The atmosphere was as flat as a pancake. Fans of both sides left long before the end and this was an Arsenal team that looked like it never believed for one second it could beat Manchester United.

Once Arsenal's travelling support had tired of vilifying Van Persie, they turned on their own. From chants of "Wenger, Wenger Sort It Out" to "Ivan Gazidis What Do You Do?" (expletive deleted) to the now traditional cry of "We Want Our Arsenal Back", there was an air of genuine discontent about the club's direction.

Wenger, rightly given his achievements, still generates much goodwill and support but Arsenal - despite shafts of early season optimism - are nowhere near title contenders.

And while Wenger regards Champions League qualification as a "third trophy" after winning the title and the Champions League itself, no-one would say with absolute certainty they will claim that prize this season.

The key question is how much longer Wenger will tolerate living life on the margins of what he regards as real successes after the glories of his past - but the immediate frustration is directed towards Arsenal's boardroom.

At the recent Annual General Meeting, chief executive Gazidis insisted that in the next two years Arsenal will have the financial resources to sit alongside and compete with the world's leading clubs. Fine words, but the worries are where Arsenal the football team will be in two years.

It is a message greeted with scepticism by many Arsenal fans as a sort of footballing version of Del Boy Trotter's hopelessly optimistic mantra to brother Rodney in "Only Fools And Horses" when he said: "This time next year we'll be millionaires".

The suggestion at the same meeting that Van Persie was sold for football reasons also fails to hold a drop of water. It made perfectly sound financial sense to rake in £24m for a player refusing to commit in the final year of his contract but there was never a football reason to sell.

Arsenal may yet end in the top four and claim silverware that has eluded them and Wenger since 2005 but in amid the mess and timidity of this display it was clear they will not register in any serious discussion about the destination of the title.

The Gunners were impressive in victory at Liverpool to hint at good things ahead. Wenger's track record also deserves, at the very least, the respect deserving of a manager who knows how to finish in the top four.

It is the easiest line in the world to write that Arsenal's manager is stale and should be changed. Rather more difficult is suggesting a realistic contender to succeed him.

But he was nowhere near blameless here. Wenger's team selection contained obvious flaws and United, even in low-key mood, were still aware enough to exploit them.

A recent viewing of hapless left-back Andre Santos against Schalke 04 in the Champions League suggested his confrontation with the speed and direct approach of Antonio Valencia was best viewed from behind the sofa with the lights off. It was worse than that - for a time in the first half Santos was trending on Twitter and not in a good way.

Santos looked and played like a liability. There seemed no sound logic for his inclusion and there was a case within minutes of removing him and introducing Laurent Koscielny, shifting Thomas Vermaelen to left-back. Wenger also had the option of playing Bacary Sagna at left-back and selecting Carl Jenkinson. It would have at least spared the Brazilian's embarrassment.

Just as mystifying was Wenger's decision to leave Theo Walcott on the bench. He may have played 120 minutes in the 7-5 win at Reading in midweek but he is 23 and at his peak of fitness with a hat-trick to feel good about.

Walcott is already surrounded by speculation about his future with Liverpool loitering with intent, and he may wonder what he needs to do to get a run up front, especially with Olivier Giroud's radar once again wayward and Lukas Podolski anonymous.

The naysayers may suggest it is too early in the season to express these concerns but a listen to the anguished voices of Arsenal fans inside Old Trafford told the story.

And when even an old foe like Ferguson fails to gain any obvious pleasure from beating Arsenal then all those questions about their current status carry even greater validity and weight.

The scenery was suddenly, uncomfortably, shifted. It was moved into relatively uncharted territory where a referee is at the centre of allegations that he used "inappropriate language" to two players - and part of Chelsea's complaint is that he used racial language.

How sad that football is once more second on the agenda. This was a game that was on its way to being celebrated but instead concluded in a toxic cloud of controversy, recriminations and accusations involving referee Mark Clattenburg.

Referees' organisation the Professional Game Match Officials says Clattenburg will co-operate fully into any inquiry and welcomes the facts being established - but once again what is meant to be the main event is pushed into the shadows by happenings in and around it.

Even before that news seeped out from the dressing room area into what was already a highly-charged environment, Clattenburg had endured a trying and mixed 90 minutes.
As the clock moved past the hour mark, this was a match perched on its tipping point.

At 2-2 it could have gone either way. In an antagonistic finale it is impossible to shake the conclusion that the work of the officials moved the delicate balance decisively United's way.

Referee Mark Clattenburg has been accused of using inappropriate language towards two Chelsea players. Photo: Getty Images

United opened in blazing style and opened up an early two-goal lead through David Luiz's unwitting deflection and Robin van Persie's superb finish. Chelsea, once they had shaken their heads and cleared the shock, responded magnificently with goals either side of half-time from Juan Mata and Ramires.

And so Stamford Bridge awaited the fight to the finish conclusion of this heavyweight contest - only to see it end as unsatisfactorily as a classic boxing match stopped on cuts.
No-one could seriously question Clattenburg's decision to send off Branislav Ivanovic for tripping Young as he went through.

Chelsea were still in the hunt with 10 men but any slim chance left town when Fernando Torres quickly joined him in the dressing room.

It was a defining moment. Torres, who was actually just about to be replaced by Daniel Sturridge, was clearly caught on the shin by Jonny Evans. The fall may have had an extra flourish but he was caught.

Evans stood with arms outstretched awaiting sanction but instead Clattenburg advanced clear in his mind that Torres had dived. It was his second yellow and a sending off - and Chelsea were left with a numerical disadvantage they simply could not overcome.

The task of refereeing at elite level is fiendishly hard and requires nerve as well as ability. The problem here was that Clattenburg surely needed to be 100% certain Torres has indeed simulated to make a decision of such magnitude. None of the evidence was that clear cut.

And to make matters worse United's winner, that came accompanied by a sense of inevitability, was scored by Javier Hernandez from an offside position.

Clattenburg left Stamford Bridge with neat vitriol being poured in his direction and what was a fine advert - in a purely footballing context - for the Premier League was further scarred as objects were hurled at United players celebrating Hernandez's goal and a steward ended up in hospital after being injured in the same incident.

There was even an unseemly spat between the two benches after the sending off of Torres, with Chelsea's staff making their sense of injustice clear to a plainly unmoved Ferguson.

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo, with a measure of justification, suggested his team could have gone on to win if it remained 11 against 11. Ferguson, with equal conviction, could say the same.

The over-riding sadness, especially for the neutral observers it should be said, was that it was not left to both sides to go at each other fully-loaded to find a winner.
United ended with the three points and there was plenty to please Ferguson.

They have once again shown that for any perceived defensive and midfield frailties, United have a range of attacking options and formations that make them intensely formidable.

Van Persie is a guarantee of goals. Wayne Rooney can operate either in a deeper position as a creator or as an attacker. And in Antonio Valencia that have a winger of real pace and threat.

He started, along with Ashley Young, after United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he heard an 80-year-old grandmother from Rochdale called Margaret bemoaning his use of the diamond formation on the club's in-house television channel.

The angry Octogenarian found Ferguson in agreement with her on this particular occasion and United's width and pace were crucial ingredients in a win that now leaves them only one point behind Chelsea.

For Chelsea, there was also plenty to admire in their work, even in defeat. Yes, there were flaws at the back that left them playing catch-up but they showed admirable character to fight back and even their nine men were only undone by an offside goal.

So much to admire and yet so much of it to be ignored in another inquiry into "who said what to who" that has become the game's regular companion in recent times.
Once again, football comes in second.

The City manager accepts this is what they need to prevent the torch-bearers for the self-styled "best league in the world" from suffering the chastening experience of an exit at the group stage for the second successive season.

Manchester United failed to make the knockout phase last season and neighbours City are doing an even more convincing job of not making it this year.

Their 3-1 defeat by Ajax in Amsterdam leaves them with only one point from three games, a point most observers could reasonably put down to outrageous good fortune as they somehow got a draw against Borussia Dortmund after losing to Real Madrid in The Bernabeu.

Manchester United stumbled and almost fell before coming from two goals behind to beat SC Braga of Portugal while Champions League holders Chelsea were beaten more convincingly by Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk than a 2-1 scoreline suggests.

This was merely the starter for the full horror of a black Wednesday when Arsenal were utterly outmanoeuvred on their own ground by the German Bundesliga's highly-impressive Schalke 04 and - most significantly - Manchester City imploded in the Netherlands.

Striker Sergio Aguero was left frustrated on a night when City's Champions League hopes may have ended. Photo: AP

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger faces the club's shareholders on Thursday morning and judging by the amateur financial analysis being bellowed into the media area at the final whistle against Schalke, one matter will rise above all others.

It will be the vexed question of why Arsenal do not spend more, why they continue to lose marquee stars such as Robin van Persie and still refuse to join the real big spenders. They are understandable questions after seven years without a trophy.

Wenger and Arsenal's hierarchy were unlikely to receive an easy ride come what may. The manner in which they were dismantled by Schalke will make the inquisition even more pointed and painful.

Arsenal barely created a chance worthy of the name and once Schalke realised that Brazilian left-back Andre Santos was - and this is not a phrase used lightly - a complete liability, the game was up.

Schalke were, and this will also pain those who continue to champion the Premier League as the great global brand above all others, technically and tactically superior to Arsenal and fully deserved the win goals from Klaas-Jan Huntellar and Ibrahim Afellay gave them.

Consolation comes for Arsenal in the shape of likely qualification for the last 16 but it was not a performance designed to appease or reassure a worried fan base.

While Wenger faces shareholders, Mancini faces old demons and arguably an even bigger inquest after proving once more that he cannot get a handle on the Champions League.

It is true City were drawn in the time-honoured "Group of Death" - but this does not mean manager and players had to hasten their own demise with a series of self-inflicted wounds. This was a group any of the Premier League's quartet would have found difficult. The champions are making it look impossible.

City's failure to qualify for the knockout games last season was put down to the testing transformation of a first season in Europe's elite competition. There can be no excuses for their abject effort this time.

It is now only an outside bet that City will even rise to third place in their group and claim a slot in the Europa League, although whether they want that is another matter.

The added complication is that if City fail to turn what looks like a terminal situation around, their lack of pedigree in the tournament leaves them wide open to the prospect of another hazardous draw should they qualify next season.

There are still games to play and still opportunities to avoid those inquests. On the evidence so far, however, all signs points to an early farewell.

And if that happens, much of the spotlight will fall on Mancini who, despite his successes in domestic competition, has failed to master the intricacies of this tournament. He never got further than the last eight during his successes at Inter Milan and unless the sky falls in on their Champions League rivals this season, it will start to represent a scar on his City record.

Mancini was brutally honest in accepting he prepared badly for the game and seemed to spend much of the night in Amsterdam attempting to correct his failings without ever coming close to finding the answer.

Just reaching the Champions League was an achievement for City last season but there was pride at stake this time after winning the Premier League title. In place of pride has come embarrassment after the capitulation in Amsterdam.

For a team that was based on the solid Mancini template, they have looked horribly vulnerable in Europe and this must be a major concern. Defender Micah Richards hinted at confusion and a lack of tactical understanding from the players when the Italian switched to three at the back.

The more Mancini tries to find the formula that will bring him satisfaction in the Champions League the more it appears to elude him and frustration was writ large on his face after this latest defeat.

There have been moments at home when it has looked like Mancini has put all the pieces in place, a solid defence locked on to a gifted and varied attack by the powerhouse that is Yaya Toure. On foreign soil the effect has never been as convincing and it was exemplified against Ajax.

The whole message of the evening appeared to be a manager and players ill-at-ease in this arena. As a result it is an arena they are unlikely to be occupying for much longer.

Champions League failure is hardly likely to plunge the Mancini regime into crisis but there is little doubt City's Abu Dhabi owners will have been disappointed with events in Amsterdam. They celebrated winning the English league title but their ambition is such that it is certain they wanted a lot more than a group stage exit in Europe's premier competition.

In Mancini and City's defence, winning the Champions League is no quick job. It should be remembered it took just under nine years of extraordinary investment in Chelsea by owner Roman Abramovich before they claimed the crown.

This will be of no consolation to City as they face another early elimination and one of Mancini's immediate tasks will be to ensure the pain of events in Europe does not impact on domestic affairs as they try to retain the Premier League.

Where there is life there is hope - but even Mancini appeared resigned to Manchester City's fate after another dismal Champions League night.

Like bookends at either end of Sir Alex Ferguson's evening, Manchester United's manager drove away from Old Trafford to ponder two pressing problems.

Finding the solution to one created by the outstanding Javier Hernandez will be a pleasure and will be considered in the days before Sunday's meeting with Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - the other may prove more painful before Ferguson uncovers the answer.

United's 3-2 win against SC Braga in the Champions League was their season in microcosm. The night started with the shambolic defending that has scarred their campaign, and ended with another rescue act performed by the rich attacking resources Ferguson has assembled.

One end of United's team posed questions the other end was asked to answer. Once more they - and more specifically the returning and rejuvenated "Little Pea" - did so.

He expressed his concerns about United's habit of making life difficult for themselves and was no wiser after this game as he said: "I can't understand our defending. I can't get to the bottom of it. It's difficult to put my finger on it and it certainly doesn't give us a good start to games, that's for sure."

Ferguson, with lighter heart and tongue in cheek, also suggested Hernandez's performance had left him clueless about what to do with an attacking quartet that also places Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck alongside the 24-year-old Mexican.

He wanted to secure qualification for the Champions League knockout phase swiftly and without slip-ups after last season's calamity. This victory puts them on the brink of the last 16 and on the surface will bring much satisfaction.

Manchester United's defence was exposed early on against Braga. Photo: Getty Images

It was a display that illustrated once more that, notwithstanding any flaws United's squad currently possesses, once you scratch beneath that surface, their stomach for a fight and the character Ferguson has built into his team cannot be questioned.

And the biggest bonus of all was the sight of Hernandez showing all the instincts and natural movement that made him an instant success with 20 goals in United's record-breaking 19th title year before enduring a relatively barren time last season.

The phrase "second season syndrome" was often uttered in relation to Hernandez last term as he did not repeat his initial impact. He has also been in the shadows as Van Persie, Rooney and Welbeck played the main parts this term.

There was even talk of a switch away from Old Trafford, with Atletico Madrid linked with a move for Hernandez should they succumb to one of the many suitors for Radamel Falcao. Ferguson's post-match praise for his player suggests he will not be falling for that.

He praised Hernandez's approach in training, his goals-per-game ratio and the natural movement that is in the gift of all the best strikers. He has the ability to make more than one movement in the same passage of play, hence his ability to find space in the most congested of penalty boxes.

The two headed goals he scored to start United's comeback and conclude the recovery, with Jonny Evans's equaliser sandwiched in between, showed once more that there is more than a touch of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about Hernandez, from the boyish looks to the lethal finishing.

If he has completed his rehabilitation after an educational second season, Hernandez will be part of an attacking force that Ferguson feels he can place alongside the one utilised in his greatest team. He has already drawn comparisons between Solskjaer, Dwight Yorke, Andrew Cole and Teddy Sheringham from his 1999 treble-winning side and his current crop.

What cannot be compared with the 1999 side that won the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup is the present United squad - talented though it is

In another 1999 footnote, this was the first time United had come from two goals down to win in the Champions League since their famous victory against Juventus in Turin in that year's Champions League semi-final.

Halcyon days but, on current evidence, this does not look like a United squad capable of repeating those feats and winning the Champions League. Not with its soft centre and habit of conceding cheap goals.

Ferguson is confident he will sort the problem and surely part of his answer will be to back away from the conviction that Michael Carrick is a central defender. He may be tall and composed on the ball, but has shown nothing to suggest this theory that he is equipped to move back from his natural home in central midfield carries any weight.

Carrick was given a fearful going over at Everton earlier in the season and once again struggled against Braga, in particularly embarrassing fashion when he was tricked and turned by Eder for Alan's second goal.

Ferguson's solution should come in the shape of returning absentees. He can restore Ferdinand at Chelsea but will hope to have Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling at his disposal in the not-too-distant future.

He will hope they give United a more secure appearance than they currently carry. The ease with which Braga scored their goals will have been noted by their European rivals and recovering the sort of situation in which they found themselves on Tuesday will be as easy the further they drive into the competition.

But where there is United's superb attack there is hope. And the sight of Hernandez back to his lethal best was the most satisfying sight of another night of mixed emotions for Ferguson.

Steven Taylor's provocative pre-match declaration that no Sunderland player would make Newcastle United's starting line-up should have been the spark to light a fire under Martin O'Neill's side.

This Tyne-Wear derby did not require any stoking of the flames for what is traditionally a spiteful affair - but Taylor was on hand with a few ill-chosen words just in case.

No manager has ever won a match armed with a set of press cuttings but O'Neill admitted several of his players passed comment on what, tongue in cheek or not, was a message that demonstrated disrespect for Newcastle's fiercest rivals.

Sunderland's problem in a predictably feverish affair was that too many of their players spent too long assembling a compelling body evidence to support Taylor's case rather than throwing the words back in his face.

Newcastle boss Pardew was the happier of the two managers at the Stadium of Light. Picture: Empics

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew marched towards the visiting fans at the final whistle pumping his fist in pleasure at a hard-earned point. Inside, however, he will have been disappointed a team that ended with 10 men after Cheick Tiote's red card did not secure all three.

Yohan Cabaye's early goal was protected in relative comfort by Newcastle's reduced numbers until Demba Ba's scrappy 86th minute own goal gave Sunderland a point that was the result of frantic, unconvincing pressure, rather than any structured approach.

Indeed, for long spells Sunderland were nothing short of clueless in their attempts to break down a measured Newcastle magnificently marshalled by Fabricio Coloccini.

It was only when he succumbed to cramp and was replaced by arch-villain Taylor that Newcastle's resolve even threatened to break and at least give Sunderland the consolation of a point.

Taylor's very presence, even as a substitute, provided a poisonous sub-plot at the Stadium of Light after his outburst, which included the insistence that he "would rather go and collect stamps than wear their [Sunderland's] shirt".

It was more a case of philately than flattery, and meant this game began in a frenzy that suggested the traditional pre-match music of Prokoviev's "Dance Of The Knights" could have reasonably been replaced with some headbanging Motorhead to match the mood.

Of course it was a needless, unwise insult and resulted in Taylor being abused from the moment he came out to warm up, throughout the game, and during his brief appearance as a substitute.

There was vicious chanting from Sunderland's fans but Newcastle's supporters were not spotless either, singing tasteless songs about Sunderland's absent midfield man Lee Cattermole.

Taylor would hardly turn his nose up at the idea of players like Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson as team-mates but on this day Newcastle and Sunderland produced performances to back his claims.

This was a chastening afternoon for Sunderland. Perhaps it was a case of catching them on a bad day but they were tactically bankrupt for the most part and when cool heads were needed following referee Martin Atkinson's decision to send Tiote off for a high tackle on Fletcher, they had left their composure in the cloakroom.

Fletcher barely received any service worthy of the name while Johnson's contribution, which was non-existent in the second half, can be measured by his removal after 83 minutes with Sunderland still chasing an equaliser. When he did have possession early on he was often surrounded by three Newcastle players and was reduced to wallowing in a sea of frustration long before the end.

If there was any comfort for Sunderland it was in their industry, base camp for any O'Neill team. In a frenetic conclusion a regular stream of crosses and set pieces finally bore fruit but there was nothing by way of subtlety and the manager will need more than beads of perspiration over a long season.

It may come as and when (or if) Sunderland's creative players such as Johnson and Stephane Sessegnon rediscover their spark, as there is no doubt much better than Sunday's performance will be required and The Black Cats have been off colour for a while now.

In contrast Newcastle, especially with a full complement, looked very much like the side that finished fifth last season. Pardew felt they were back on song and until Tiote disappeared down the tunnel they looked a much smoother operation, particularly in possession, than Sunderland.

Coloccini may not quite have been a vision of the late, great Sir Bobby Moore as Pardew excitedly announced but the Argentine was more or less faultless until his legs tired.

Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa provide the light and shade while Ba is a threat, with Papiss Cisse on the bench as attacking insurance.

On this viewing Newcastle look in ruder health than Sunderland. Pardew looks like he has plenty of his team's parts in good working order while Sunderland looked scrappy and a work O'Neill will need to progress further. In the manager's defence he is only 10 months into his tenure and still has many challenges to meet.

Pardew declared his side "a class act" when all 11 players were present while O'Neill appeared grateful for a point, although he was happy to accept an invitation to respond to Taylor, quipping: "I'm delighted he made their bench."

Other than that flash of humour, Pardew was the manager with most to smile about.

Chelsea did not exactly bury bad news with a very good day at Tottenham, but behind the many unwanted headlines there is much that deserves admiration as a revolution gathers pace.

Roberto di Matteo's side arrived at White Hart Lane as Premier League leaders but, as seemingly happens with monotonous regularity, this status was not top of the Chelsea agenda.

John Terry was absent at Spurs but his presence hung over the preamble like a toxic cloud. He was starting a four-game ban for racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand as chairman Bruce Buck revealed the centre-back would keep the captaincy but had been hit with the heaviest club fine ever imposed on a Chelsea player.

Chelsea's stylish attacking football is something their owner has craved for years. Photo: AP

Buck also publicly apologised for the suffering the incident and subsequent court case had caused the Ferdinand family, all this hard on the heels of Ashley Cole's £90,000 fine for firing Twitter abuse at the Football Association.

So it should surely be a matter of huge regret to Chelsea that these events have also overshadowed some of the most creative, attacking football they have played in a long time.

When owner Roman Abramovich sought Pep Guardiola before handing the reins to the Champions League-winning Roberto Di Matteo, he was pursuing a theory based on "Barcelona In Blue Shirts" - in other words he wanted some footballing eye candy for his money.

While it still takes a leap of the imagination to suggest Chelsea are now Barca in blue, there is no doubt this current incarnation is filled with possibilities thanks to a major shift in tactical emphasis and the introduction of personnel to suit the template.

Andre Villas-Boas was initially charged with this task at Chelsea but took on too much too soon and fell foul of a powerful dressing room that swiftly lost faith in the talented young manager's methods. He was gone in nine months.

So it was a game laced with irony in which Chelsea performed superbly, and Spurs very creditably, while Villas-Boas watched his former charges, with two very notable additions, at close quarters. It could almost have been a case of "this is what you could have had, Andre".

What he has at Spurs is promising but what Chelsea showed, even at this very early stage of the season, is they must be taken very seriously as title contenders. If one stand-out threat has emerged to Manchester City's crown in these opening exchanges, then it is Chelsea.

And there is also a growing body of evidence that suggests a serious move to the next era in this side. Frank Lampard was hardly on long enough to get grass on his boots and Terry was absent, but Chelsea still confirmed the outstanding impression they have given so far this season.

Villas-Boas was as warm in his praise for Chelsea as he was in his greeting for his former right-hand man Di Matteo, backroom staff and players like Lampard before kick-off. If there is a lingering, sour aftertaste from his time at Stamford Bridge it was not in evidence.

For this match he could also plead mitigating circumstances with the late absence of Gareth Bale after his partner went into labour and the injury that robbed Spurs of Mousa Dembele.

Nothing, however, should detract from Chelsea's ominous authority.
Gone is the grinding, give-them-nothing machine that was forged under Jose Mourinho and brought further successes under Guus Hiddink, Carlo Ancelotti and Di Matteo last season.

It insults a fine group of players to suggest they achieved this without huge measures of skill but the silverware was based on solid foundations and the occasional flourishes were added extras.

This season, with the addition of fine young talents such as Oscar and Eden Hazard alongside the superb Juan Mata, Abramovich may finally be getting to witness the flesh and blood embodiment of his somewhat fantasised football philosophy.

Their movement behind Fernando Torres was at times bewildering and all done with pace and panache, although Mata easily outshone his colleagues. They intervened fleetingly but Mata was the great manipulator, the heartbeat of this new Chelsea.

The season is in its infancy and tests such as Manchester United await next Sunday, but Di Matteo has found a shape that suits Chelsea's players and a win at Spurs to follow another impressive effort at Arsenal tells the tale.

Villas-Boas felt no compunction to hide his admiration for Oscar, Mata and Hazard, calling the trio "amazing". He talks of how they could unlock doors whereas Chelsea in previous guises might have pinched their lines from Michael Caine's "Italian Job" and just blown them off.

The lockpicker-in-chief at White Hart Lane was Mata. He came into his own when quick goals from William Gallas and Jermain Defoe turned the game around after Gary Cahill's volley thrashed Chelsea into the lead.

This was the moment to test Chelsea. Was there substance grafted on to the style? On this occasion there was, as their response was an icy calm and a ruthless touch.

Gallas, goal apart, had a horrid day and Mata swept home his poor clearance before beating the recalled Brad Friedel to add a third. He then supplied the fourth for substitute Daniel Sturridge. He could not miss and he did not.

Torres was not at his best but he did not need to be. Chelsea carry invention and menace to spare and even the best efforts of Spurs could not contain them.

The public may not grow to love Chelsea, this would be a step too far of course, but they may just find themselves secretly admiring the football they are playing. And that is a start.

After the deluge came the damp squib. England grabbed gratefully at a point as they flew out of Warsaw but this was not a performance designed to make a 24-hour wait worthwhile.

England's visit to Warsaw has almost been plucked from the world of the surreal with Tuesday's World Cup qualifier postponed as a storm raged through an open roof in the National Stadium - then restaged using that expensive overhead protection as the sun beat down.

Wayne Rooney's 32nd England goal, in just about his only constructive contribution, put England in position to claim a crucial and undeserved win until Kamil Glik's equaliser gave Poland the very least their enterprise merited.

Hodgson, to his credit, made little attempt to disguise just how poor England were - especially in a first half when they spent long periods seeming incapable of stringing three passes together.

If, as the old saying goes, possession is nine tenths of the law England were guilty of persistent criminal negligence, a fact acknowledged in slightly more diplomatic terms by Hodgson.

England have found the road to Rio 2014 is not a smooth one. Photo: Getty

He made valid points about the delay perhaps disrupting England's rhythm of preparation and the soggy surface not helping efforts to build momentum, but there can be no real excuses. This was an England effort that went beyond average.

It also strengthened the growing belief that negotiating a path out of Group H and on to the road to Rio in 2014 may not be as easy as many thought when the draw was made.

Would anyone confidently predict England's certain participation in Brazil on the evidence of what they have produced so far and with the fixtures that still await them?

This is a group where there is lots of capacity for points to be dropped so no-one can rest easily and assume qualification. Hodgson certainly is not.

England, as they should, made short work of Moldova and San Marino but draws against Ukraine and now Poland illustrate the scale of what they must do.

The campaign resumes with an away double header against San Marino and Montenegro in March. Montenegro will, in all likelihood, be top of the group by then making England's visit to Podgorica - where they could only draw a year ago - a decisive moment in their bid for World Cup qualification.

It is the default position of any manager to draw the positives from even the blandest of performances and Hodgson was right to point out that, even after 90 minutes as desperately mediocre as this, England still claimed a point in an arena that will not prove easy for their rivals.

Headlines in Poland's influential newspaper "Gazeta" on Wednesday morning read "Skandal narodowy - Basen narodowy" - translated as "National Scandal - National Swimming Pool". It captured the mood surrounding this game.

And there was no doubt the atmosphere inside their iconic arena was more subdued for the delay, especially as the ranks of visiting England fans were significantly diminished from 2,500 to around 1,000 because of the postponement.

Their reward was a game they will quickly forget. The tentative nature of England's game was illustrated by passing that would have shamed a lower league team in the first half. Rooney, goal apart, was arguably the biggest culprit.

And the normally reliable goalkeeper Joe Hart saw blame land firmly at his feet, responsibility he accepted with candour, with an ill-judged attempt to claim a corner that led to Glik's leveller.

It was simply that sort of night but England and Hodgson cannot afford to have too many like this because better, more potent, sides than Poland will not allow it to go unpunished.

Of course, the sub-plot to this whole game were the farcical events of the night before which have led to much embarrassment and no little anger here in Poland.

And while England's players cannot draw plaudits for the manner in which they played, it would be churlish not to acknowledge their very worthy efforts - and those of the Football Association - to compensate supporters who suffered through the indecision of the authorities on Tuesday.

The cynics will, no doubt, carp that highly paid players can afford it, but credit to them and the FA for agreeing to reimburse ticket money for supporters who stayed on in Warsaw to attend Wednesday's rescheduled game.

The Polish federation will set up a refund process for those who were unable to attend while all 2,500 fans who bought tickets will be invited to a special England training session at Wembley or St. George's Park before the end of the season.

The other reward England seek after this eventful stay in a country that affords a warm welcome, and felt genuine sadness at Tuesday's farce, is a place in the World Cup in two years.

England have made a solid, unspectacular start to their task - but will need to offer a lot more than they displayed in Poland on Wednesday to complete their mission successfully

England's World Cup qualifier with Poland was already dead in the water with U2's "Beautiful Day" ringing out in a moment bursting with irony as rain danced off a surface that resembled a swamp.

The DJ inside Warsaw's £400m national stadium may have taken his big chance to show off a neat line in black humour as the city was hit by a deluge, but credit was in short supply elsewhere on a night that endured a slow, tortuous descent into farce.

Bob Marley then crooned "We'll Be Together With A Roof Right Over Our Heads" from his classic "Is This Love?" - the twist in this little tale being that the roof that provides a spectacular adornment to this arena was not over anyone's head.

When Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi finally put this game and those waiting to watch it out of their rain-soaked misery at 10.05pm local time, Warsaw was also awash with embarrassment and anger at what had unfolded.

Fans resort to providing their own entertainment on a night which resembled a pantomime. Picture: AP

Warsaw was in the grip of a downpour for several hours yet no-one had seen fit to close the roof over this monument to modern sporting architecture and soon it was too late. Too much rain had fallen for the roof to be closed.

International football at elite level was supposed to be above this sort of breakdown. What was the point of having the roof if it could not be utilised in times such as this?

So thousands of Polish supporters whistled their derision when they were finally informed the game was off and 2,500 England fans who paid for the privilege of watching rain fall and must now consider the possibility of being out of pocket if they stick around for Wednesday's rearranged 16:00 BST fixture.

Polish FA media officer Agnieszka Olejkowska fronted up to take the flak and, asked about future weather prospects, replied: "I'm not a fortune teller."

This was not really the point. Surely a swift glance at the weather prospects for Tuesday - and it was dank, foggy and soggy from very early afternoon - should have persuaded the Polish FA or Fifa delegate Danijel Jost to order the relevant buttons to be pressed on the roof.

Instead what we saw was an embarrassing decision-making vacuum, a strangely compelling pantomime that became more gruesome, at least in the context of the spectacle, by the minute.

Closing the roof had been discussed on Monday but the decision was taken to leave it open and trust to the weather. Unwise.

This stadium, in its own way, is a thing of beauty, with a spectacular tower hanging over the centre circle and housing huge television screens as its centrepiece. And yet it was also part of the problem.

As the rains fell, water cascaded off the giant central structure in a circle around the centre of the pitch. It was the first sign of trouble ahead.

The roof only takes 20 minutes to close but the sheer weight of water meant this could not be done. The drainage system could not cope with such a continuous downpour so a sell-out crowd of 58,000 looked to the opened heavens and an opened roof in powerless frustration.

England's goalkeepers came out to warm up but were swiftly summoned back before the body language of manager Roy Hodgson and his staff screamed a very obvious reluctance to have anything to do with this game.

What followed was almost a black comedy. Rocchi, accompanied by his assistants and the whistles of an increasingly agitated crowd, conducted an inspection which merely confirmed the pitch was unplayable.

Announcements about pitch inspections are usually the preserve of Test cricket and an utterly pointless second one taken 45 minutes after the first - when all that could be gleaned was that the surface was now 45 minutes wetter than when it was last inspected. It was an abject exercise in rank futility.

In the meantime, a pitch invader, chased by a steward who inevitably slipped into a pool of indignity, brought some light entertainment with a magnificent dive before being removed to a drier, better place.

It was as close as it got to entertainment. Indeed, Rocchi's second visit was more a glance than an inspection. One roll of the ball, one very small roll, was enough to confirm inside 30 seconds what most of us knew much earlier. All back on Wednesday.

This whole process summed up the inertia of the night. It was a decision anyone could have taken at least an hour earlier and only strung out the agony of the night for the soaked supporters.

Throughout there was not a single sighting of anyone or anything resembling groundstaff. No attempts to drain the pitch by human hand. Presumably the notion goes, 'why have groundstaff when you have a roof?' Well, the flaws in that particular theory have now been brutally exposed.

At just after midnight in Warsaw the rain had finally relented and the tarpaulin-like roof was locked into place above a surface that finally showed signs of draining. The stadium was virtually deserted and staff were on what was described as "red alert" to get ready for Wednesday's rearrangement.

More showers are forecast but with the roof in place all seems set fair, although there are now understandable fears in the England camp about the state of a surface that looked patchy even before it was subjected to a prolonged drenching throughout this miserable Tuesday.

"This is our shame", said one downcast Polish journalist as we made our way out of the stadium. Strong words - too strong - but this is a proud country and they knew plenty of eyes were on them.

We will all reassemble on Wednesday afternoon but whether the atmosphere greeting England will be as hostile as it would have been on Tuesday remains to be seen.

If there was one plus, it at least allows the game to be played with a significant historical footnote. 17 October 2012 is exactly 39 years to the day since one of Polish football's landmark moments, when goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski kept Sir Alf Ramsey's England at bay and out of the 1974 World Cup.

England and Poland have World Cup history. It is a past that is revisited every time they meet and the next page will be written in Warsaw's spectacular National Stadium on Tuesday.

The history is both rich and poor in an England context - from the pain of Jan Domarski and Jan Tomaszewski at Wembley in 1973 to the pleasure of Gary Lineker's hat-trick in Monterrey in 1986.

Poland still recall memories of the draw at Wembley almost 40 years ago - a result which helped them qualify and prevented England reaching the World Cup - to evoke a spirit that has been a scarce commodity in recent years, exemplified by their failure to negotiate the group phase of Euro 2012 with the emotional weight of a nation behind them as co-hosts.

This is a Poland team in reduced circumstances, rated only 54th by Fifa's somewhat maverick ranking system compared to England's optimistic - make that unrealistic - fifth place.

Roy Hodgson and his England players arrived in Warsaw on Monday in good heart after a satisfying Friday that saw them wipe out the flimsy challenge of San Marino at Wembley while receiving the good news from Chisinau that close rivals Ukraine had been held by Moldova.

So England's qualifier with Poland offers opportunities for Hodgson. Victory gives England a measure of control in a potentially tight Group H and could be used to make a statement about the direction Hodgson is heading in.

Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski will provide a stern test to the English defenders. Photo: Reuters.

Defeat, however, will raise questions and leave Hodgson and England to deal with the unpleasant notion of stewing on a bad result between now and the next qualifying game against San Marino on 22 March.

Hodgson's selection for the procession against San Marino cast more than a cursory nod in the direction of this more testing fixture. Steven Gerrard returns as captain after suspension while Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Joleon Lescott, James Milner and possibly Jermain Defoe will all be back.

No-one would insult Hodgson by suggesting England approached San Marino lightly, but there was clearly no doubt in his mind which qualifier would require his squad's heavy artillery.

Hodgson is aware that history provides a colourful background to this fixture, but even this avid student of the game's past knows that only the present and future counts in Warsaw on Tuesday.

He said: "I recall the Wembley game in 1973 and, of course, it came more than seven years after England won the World Cup. Sir Alf Ramsey was probably going into his 10th year as manager and he had that enormous success in 1966 at the World Cup.

"It was a bitter moment when England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup, but the fact is the historical moments don't interest me as far as this game is concerned. I don't ever dismiss history, but the bottom line for us is working for today and for tomorrow.

"It's about what we are trying to build. A knowledge of history gives you some perspective, but it doesn't help you win a football match."

New Poland coach Waldemar Fornalik needs victory to shape his new era after replacing Franciszek Smuda, but he must do it without captain and inspiration Jakub "Kuba" Blaszczykowski, who is out with an ankle injury, although he will have Borussia Dortmund striker and all-round coveted star Robert Lewandowski at his disposal.

England are pivotal to the great eras of Polish football. Wembley in 1973 confirmed the start of a golden age, while Monterrey in 1986 is widely recognised as signalling the end. Fornalik will hope another brush with "Anglia" can be the catalyst for a new generation.

It is the memory of moments like 1973 that fires the Polish footballing imagination, with even a brief television interview as England trained in the rain at the National Stadium swiftly shifting the agenda back to one of Wembley's blackest nights.

Hodgson does not want to be the victim in this bustling city and is well aware that victory on Tuesday will be of some significance in England's attempt to reach Brazil in 2014.

He said: "You are aware of the fact that when you're playing against your biggest rivals in the group it adds that bit of spice. We feel a great deal of responsibility whenever we take part in an England game. We feel the responsibility, whoever the opposition, to go out there and win it in the right way.

"Against San Marino it was 95 minutes of attack against defence. To have a game you need both sides to try and win the game, so this will be more interesting. Poland will think they can play well enough to cause us problems - and we think likewise."

Hodgson admitted the mere presence of England in Poland is an added incentive for the home side to raise their game, no matter how much they are in transition.

"We'll face a very highly motivated team with a very vocal and enthusiastic support because we are a scalp," Hodgson said.

"England have always been a scalp. Poland will be rubbing their hands with glee at this game because, if they can win it, this is a magnificent feather in their cap. We have to make sure we're not the victims."

England goalkeeper Joe Hart did not have many touches at Wembley but every one was cheered resoundingly. The rafters almost shook when he finally laid hands on the ball in stoppage time.

Roy Hodgson's side got the job done against San Marino, a 5-0 margin slightly better than the tiny republic's average defeat from a record of 108 losses in 113 games.

But was it a job England should have had to do?

The smiling countenance and grateful thanks to all expressed by coach Giampaolo Mazza in his post-match briefing suggested this will be regarded as a moral victory by San Marino's 32,404 inhabitants.

It was, as anyone could have predicted, a mismatch on the grandest scale. The biggest example of why this game flouted its billing as a competitive fixture came after 65 minutes when Wembley roared San Marino's Ezequiel Rinaldi Danilo towards goal in his side's one attacking foray, only to collectively sigh in disappointment when he shot wildly off target.

Oxlade-Chamberlain scores England's fifth in a one-sided encounter at Wembley. Photo: AFP

All good knockabout stuff - but should international football be paraded on such an unequal basis and reduced to a level that sees one set of fans actively encouraging goal attempts from the opposition?

The match ball arrived courtesy of Royal Marines abseiling down Wembley's towering stands to the the tune of "Mission Impossible." There was only one team here in step with that theme.

This was never a serious contest. San Marino are little more than a footballing punchbag, an object used only to improve goal difference. There was only ever going to be one winner and one winner by a margin that is now considered huge in international football.

The extent of San Marino's ambitions every time they take the field is to make defeat as painless as possible. They will lose. It is simply a question of by how many. They live a footballing life of permanent damage limitation.

The only pain suffered by England came in the early moments when San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Junior Simoncini inflicted total wipeout on Arsenal's Theo Walcott with a challenge of such ferocity that it left his opponent in hospital overnight and undergoing scans and X-rays on a chest injury.

Even this was put down to the possible naivety of the accountant turned goalkeeper, although Hodgson refused to use this as one of the prime exhibits of the dangers of allowing the team ranked joint 207th in the world - joint bottom of the Fifa rankings alongside Bhutan and the Turks and Caicos Islands - into elite competition.

Hodgson, at least, found meaning in this fixture. His team won comfortably and heard good news from Chisinau where close rivals Ukraine were held by Moldova, putting England's own 5-0 win there last month into very pleasing context.

And he found meaning in the shape of this almost farcically one-sided affair as he said: "It gave new meaning to the words attack versus defence."

It was an encounter so grotesquely lop-sided that it raised again the question of a pre-qualifying stage for the World Cup that would go some way, at least, to balancing out the sides left in the tournament.

So is this a valid argument? Should there be an extra layer to sort out the wheat from the chaff? It is an argument often used in cricket, with those against saying removing the likes of Bangladesh from competing against countries such as England, India and Australia restricts their opportunities for improvement.

Those in San Marino's corner will say the same and no-one could blame them. But are they improving? Will they improve? A lack of resources and years of hard evidence suggests they will not - they certainly do not show many signs that they will in future.

No-one could question their bravery and determination. Indeed, it took England 34 minutes to break through but there was never the slightest doubt in any mind that England would win with embarrassing ease.

The mere notion that San Marino's path to the World Cup qualifiers should have another obstacle placed in front of it is an emotive one, one Hodgson said it was up to Fifa (and in the case of the Euros, Uefa) to decide.

And there will be plenty who will say, with great conviction, that the joy such occasions bring to San Marino's players - including accountants, students and an olive oil salesman - as well as their management renders any cynicism the refuge of the sour-faced. Maybe so, but this was never approaching anything like serious competition.

It is a game England and Hodgson will be glad to have negotiated, although it claimed a painful casualty in Walcott. There is little to gain and not much credit to be claimed - any win is expected and even 5-0 will be seen as a disappointment for some expecting a repeat of the Netherlands' 11-0 win in against San Marino in a Euro 2012 qualifier.

In this game's defence, a wonderful crowd of 84,654 enjoyed seeing England score five goals, two from Wayne Rooney to take him to fifth place in England's all-time standings. They saw two moments of fine opportunism from Danny Welbeck and the first of what is likely to be many international goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Rooney fulfilled his promise of maturity with his persistent probing. He led England in all the right ways, from scoring goals to the constant urging for more knowing goal difference could yet prove decisive in what may yet become a very close group.

England face San Marino again in March. The pattern of the game will be the same. The result is likely to be the same and the arguments will be the same.

The real World Cup action starts again when England face Poland in Warsaw on Tuesday.

If elite players are defined by their contributions to major tournaments, then England's most naturally gifted footballer has yet to fully secure his place in his country's gallery of greats.

Rooney is not alone in his frustration as England's success remains limited to the sunlit afternoon in July 1966 when the late Bobby Moore was carried shoulder-high holding the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley after the World Cup final win against West Germany.

And yet for a stellar talent, who was given his first cap by Sven-Goran Eriksson at 17 years 111 days on 12 February 2003 in a 3-1 defeat by Australia at Upton Park, Rooney will know the next World Cup may be his last chance to make that indelible mark.

Rooney's 10 years in an England shirt have too often been marked by frustration. Photo: Getty

Rooney's England record is perfectly respectable, with 29 goals from 76 games, but he knows there are spaces left to fill. No-one is more determined to make that leap than the 26-year-old, with a drive that has occasionally carried his game and character to the edge when representing England.

The teenage Rooney illuminated Euro 2004 in Portugal as an Everton player, then fell short and ended his World Cup two years later with a quarter-final red card against the Portuguese in Gelsenkirchen. He only captured the headlines in South Africa in 2010 with some ill-judged abuse of England fans fired into a television camera after a goalless draw with Algeria in Cape Town.

Euro 2012 was another disappointment. Rooney missed the first two games against France and Sweden through suspension and even though he scored the winner against co-hosts Ukraine, still returned home accompanied by a sense of falling short.

The World Cup in Brazil is the next stop and England's qualifying campaign, made more complicated after being held to a draw by Ukraine at Wembley, continues against San Marino at Wembley on Friday.

It is a sign of Rooney's senior status in England's squad that he was able to reflect with pride on the honour of being given the captain's armband in the absence of suspended Steven Gerrard and injured Frank Lampard.

There may be some who believe the combination of the heavy weight of expectation that accompanies Rooney's every England move, alongside a temperament that has improved drastically but can still be combustible, makes him a surprise candidate as captain.

In reality, he is the logical choice within the framework of what will be required against San Marino.

England manager Roy Hodgson has no such doubts and - Montenegro aside - Rooney's on-field discipline has undergone something of a transformation in recent times.

Hodgson said: "The expectations for the likes of Wayne, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are a bit higher than those playing their third, fourth or fifth game but I had no hesitation in thinking Steven could handle it and it is the same with Wayne.

"It is something they have to live with as a top player, a cross they have to bear. But it didn't occur to me to give the captaincy to anyone else. Wayne deserves it."

This is a game that gives the lie to the old adage of "no easy games" in football. San Marino lie joint 207th in Fifa's rankings alongside Bhutan and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It should be an exercise in improving goal difference, something that may yet prove decisive in this close World Cup group.

Celebrating the news that wife Coleen is expecting their second child, Rooney presented a mature figure at England's Hertfordshire HQ - determined to prove the red mist had evaporated forever and now was the time to show his full bloom for England.

Of course this could also be construed as a striker with a chequered disciplinary record tempting fate, but Rooney possesses gifts on such a scale that it would be a source of sadness to his many admirers if he failed to replicate the impact he had as a tyro in the heat of Lisbon in 2004.

And for all San Marino's lowly standing, Rooney's game face was on. He may also be motivated by a growing realisation that he needs to make up for lost time with England, especially after missing the opening two qualifiers through injury.

It will be a temporary appointment, with Gerrard scheduled to return against Poland in Warsaw on Tuesday, but Rooney will call on the spirit of England's current captain and a warrior who fought many battles alongside him at Old Trafford to ensure there are no mis-steps in front of a sell-out Wembley crowd.

Rooney said: "I've learned from captains like Roy Keane having played with him for a couple of years at Manchester United and seen how he played on the pitch and dealt with things off it. He was vocal on the pitch and helped me off it. He was a great captain. Hopefully I can gain some of his qualities in my own game.

"With England it has been Steven Gerrard and his determination. Growing up I saw his passion and desire to play for Liverpool and England and that's fantastic. He's certainly been an inspiration."

Rooney added: "I've had a few rollockings off Roy [Keane]. We've had a few debates but we want to win. Sometimes when you want to win it is not all about sitting down and talking quietly - you have a go at each other to try and get the best out of each other.

"If you saw the way Roy [Keane] was with senior players, he was the same with the younger players. He treated everybody the same and he wasn't afraid to tell everybody how he wanted them to play.

"He didn't scare me at all. No - I respected him. He was one of the best players in the Premier League and Manchester United's history. He is the type of player I like when he has a go at you. I want to show them what I can do. It was desire and passion."

So it will not be a mellow Rooney at Wembley as he says: "It's a great honour and hopefully it will be a successful night. I don't think I'm going to change my attitude because I'm wearing the armband. I'm quite vocal on the pitch and hopefully my determination can help the team.

"I think it's a great responsibility for me to take. I feel I've matured as a player, learned the game better and have a different style. Whatever the manager asks me to do I can do it."

The 27-year-old Merseysider has lived his England career in the shadow of Chelsea's Cole as an able deputy to a defender of undisputed world-class, one whose enduring quality is amply illustrated by 98 international caps.

And Cole will claim the headlines once more in the build-up to England's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland following his ill-judged profanity aimed at the FA after an independent commission queried his evidence in the hearing which found team-mate John Terry guilty of racial abuse against QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

The notion of Baines taking to Twitter is unthinkable - the idea that he would use the platform to abuse the FA even more so. He is a thoughtful personality who prefers to get lost in the crowd away from the field of play, rather than attract attention and raise his deliberately low profile.

He is more likely to engage England manager Roy Hodgson in a chat about 1950s music - apparently it was a subject for discussion between the pair recently - than be taking calls from him asking for explanations about outbursts on Twitter.

This will be of comfort to Hodgson, and perhaps the FA, and his growing maturity as a defender of the highest class will be of even greater reassurance, as anyone who watched Baines in Everton's 2-2 draw at Wigan will testify.

If Hodgson does not already know that England's left-back berth will be in safe keeping in the post-Ashley Cole era, then any spies he had in attendance at The DW Stadium could have confirmed it for him.

Cole, in my opinion, still has the edge as the superior left-back but the gap is narrower than it has ever been and on Saturday's performance Baines has time to improve even further.

Off the pitch, those who know Baines well speak of an understated but highly intelligent character - traits which should not be taken for any lack of desire and passion to represent his country.

There may have been times when a shortage of self-belief could have held Baines back for club and country but he is now a talent in full bloom and much appreciated by Everton manager David Moyes.

After watching Baines earn Everton a point with a late penalty, his third such strike against his former club in his Goodison Park career, Moyes could barely contain his admiration for what the defender had offered his team. His old admirers greeted him warmly in recognition for his time at Wigan but there is no doubt he is becoming a rather large pain in the neck for manager Roberto Martinez.

"Leighton Baines was fantastic - his performance and his penalty," said Moyes. "His performance was right up there, as good as anything. He drove us on. Just outstanding."

The penalty Baines struck high and powerfully beyond Ali Al Habsi was fitting reward for him and Everton after an absorbing encounter in which Wigan led twice through Arouna Kone's early offside goal and Franco di Santo's strike, with Nikica Jelavic's equaliser sandwiched in between.

Baines was the game's outstanding figure, performing defensive duties while also striking a post in the first half and inspiring Everton's wave of second-half attacks before his crucial late contribution.

In short, it was a display virtually without a flaw and personified by a 96th-minute sprint, albeit in vain, to try and retrieve a wayward pass in an attempt to forge an unlikely Everton victory. The instant beam delivered by Moyes when his name was mentioned confirmed it.

Baines has been instrumental in Everton's fine start to the season as a creator and now scorer of goals and his left-flank partnership with Steven Pienaar is as potent as anything the Premier League has to offer, after he was reunited with the elegant South African following his return from Spurs.

It was all done on a tough afternoon for the Merseysiders when a high-octane Wigan took full toll on a lacklustre and uncharacteristally lazy Everton start that carried some of the hallmarks of a team that seemed to be daring to believe its own good publicity.

This would have been a surprise in a club and team that does not do "big time" and Moyes made the necessary adjustments required at the interval. John Heitinga was given the merciful release of being kept back in the dressing room after his lack of pace was exposed by Kone and promising young Belgian Kevin Mirallas was moved from the right flank to play alongside the predator Jelavic.

This finally gave Everton momentum and carried them forward in front of the massed ranks of their 5,000 fans. Moyes felt they were undermined by referee Kevin Friend's refusal to accept penalty appeals after the break, and Kone's questionable first goal was an understandable sore point.

Wigan deserved their point, however, and so did Everton as the belief injected into their system by a fine start eventually led to concerted pressure and a point.

Whether Everton can maintain their current lofty position cannot be answered yet and the midfield mix does not look quite right without the stable base provided by the unsung and currently injured Darron Gibson.

But there is no doubt this is a different Everton from this time last year. Jelavic is a constant threat and that Baines-Pienaar pairing is one of rare, almost telepathic creation. The style is more expansive, the threat more obvious, even if it has led to more gaps at the back.

The pieces came together to ensure Everton's morale was not dented by defeat - and the most important piece of all on Saturday was Baines.

England defender Ashley Cole's profanity - aimed at the FA via his Twitter feed after an independent regulatory panel stated there were discrepancies in his evidence in the report detailing why Terry was banned for racially abusing Ferdinand - caps a troubled time for manager Roy Hodgson.

Whatever personal injustices 31-year-old Cole felt were contained within the 63-page submission published on Friday morning, the abuse he aimed at the FA hours later was desperately ill-advised.

Cole effectively admitted as much as he deleted the tweet after 85 minutes before apologising "unreservedly" to the FA after his "heat of the moment" outburst - but much damage had been done as it had already been re-tweeted 20,000 times.

The pre-match handshake has captured plenty of headlines, most recently when Ferdinand studiously ignored Terry and Cole before the recent meeting between QPR and Chelsea at Loftus Road.

And, if Cole is around to take his place in England's team to face San Marino in next Friday's World Cup qualifier at Wembley, it will be viewed as an awkward moment to see him greeting a line of FA dignitaries in the ceremonials after describing the organisation in such colourful and uncomplimentary terms - even if he was contrite later.

The Ferdinand (centre) and Terry saga rumbles on. Photo: Getty

If Cole's incendiary venture on to Twitter does threaten a fine England career currently spanning 98 caps, he will be the latest casualty of an affair that has caused untold complications for the FA.

Former coach Fabio Capello resigned in February as a direct result of the FA's decision to strip Terry of the England captaincy for a second time after his clash with Ferdinand, and it has also provided a backdrop to the early months of Hodgson's reign.

When Hodgson came to select his squad for Euro 2012, the prospect of Terry and Anton Ferdinand's brother Rio sharing the same dressing room became a point of contention. The England manager insisted he selected Terry ahead of Ferdinand purely on footballing grounds but still faced suggestions that the events of Loftus Road had played a part in the decision.

After Euro 2012, Terry, 31, was subsequently cleared in court - but the FA's decision to continue its own investigation then prompted him to announce his England retirement, claiming it had made his position untenable.

And so it continued, with Hodgson forced to apologise to Rio Ferdinand after the contents of a private conversation on the Tube in which he said he would not be selecting for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, even after Terry's departure, was made public.

It was a matter of embarrassment for Hodgson, despite the fact he was simply replying in a civil manner to a question asked while he was - rare for an England manager - travelling on public transport.

Capello, Terry, Ferdinand and now possibly Cole represents a stellar casualty list from that conversation at Loftus Road.

If Hodgson and the FA thought the lengthy report would draw a line under this damaging series of events, they were quickly proved wrong by Cole's Tweet. The apology was a clear attempt to take the heat out of the situation - whether it succeeds remains to be seen.

Cole will join up with the England squad as scheduled but is still likely to have some explaining to do - it is another matter for Hodgson and the FA to deal with ahead of two important games, particularly a testing trip to face Poland in Warsaw.

Cole has proved a divisive figure among England fans, seemingly condemned for what many regarded as his showbiz lifestyle and his marriage to pop star wife Cheryl - but even his sternest critics could never question his football credentials.

He has been a stalwart of England's defence since his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Albania in Tirana on 28 March 2001. Cole remains England's first-choice left-back despite the emergence of Everton's Leighton Baines, an outstanding deputy.

And throughout that England career he has been one of their undisputed world-class performers while enjoying a glittering club career with Arsenal and Chelsea.

Hodgson trusts Baines and has also called up Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs for the forthcoming games, but Cole is still one of the men he would have been counting on in his attempts to reach the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

It is a career and record that deserves better than to conclude in rancour, but after Cole's brief but explosive - and later retracted - attack on the FA, there are bridges to build.