More Liverpool, Javier Zanetti, Manchester City vs. Aston Villa, Sunderland vs. West Brom, Brazil Announce Roster, Removal Of Michael Jackson = Fulham Relegation

Thanks for the memories...

Happy Hump Day! 

Manchester United defeated Hull City quite comfortably yesterday thanks to a couple of goals from their newest kid, James Wilson. On the other end of the spectrum, evergreen Ryan Giggs probably played his last match at Old Trafford and looked quite good in his 20-minute cameo. Out with the old, in with the new...

Meanwhile, on the other side town, City have a chance to go back on top tonight when they host Villa. The other match today sees Sunderland attempt to continue their march to safety at the Stadium of Light against West Brom.

In other action today, Real Madrid go to Valladolid knowing only a win will suffice to keep them in title race. Here's a video preview that features the Real Madrid players jogging and Carlo Ancelotti talking.

There are a few players respected by every single employee at SSN Headquarters. There aren't many, but there are a few upon which everyone here can agree. Javier Zanetti is one of those players. He's been a favorite of ours for 22 years now. If you search for "oozing class," you'll find Zanetti. Top Italian scribe Paolo Bandini takes a look at the Inter Milan and Argentina legend as he finally hangs up his boots.

Firmly residing in the "Really?!!" category is this. The asshat who threw the banana at Alves now has his own support group. And...and...Villarreal was punished not by losing points, not by a stadium ban, but by a fine of 12,000 euros. So...that'll learn 'em.

The moment it all began to go wrong for Fulham...

Liverpool's collapse on Monday was so epic. What a way to lose. Martina Hyde has a great piece on the psychiatry behind the whole affair: Dr Steve Peters has been so brilliant at making Liverpool dismiss negative thoughts this season that at Crystal Palace they abandoned even negative concepts – like having a defence. Phil McNulty says that never has going top of the Premier League with one game to play been greeted by such an outpouring of grief, despair and disappointment.

The hosts for this summer's big show have announced their 23-man squad. Here it is:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro)

Defenders: David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Henrique (Napoli), Maicon (Roma), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain)

Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Hernanes (Inter Milan)

Strikers: Hulk (Zenit St. Petersburg), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Fred (Fluminense)

And finally...former Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed knows the reason why Fulham were relegated this season: the removal of the Michael Jackson statue.

Onward!!

-SSN