d. Ed Dickson is also a consideration for t

Late last summer, London bookmakers were offering 2-to-1 odds Manchester United would retain the BPL title and meagre 1-to-14 odds they would finish in amongst the Champions League spots. Not sure any bookies were offering odds that, deep into the business end of the season, Liverpool would be placing job ads related to a victory parade the club are planning to possibly stage the day after the season ends. For those who recollect the quite extraordinary city scenes the day after Liverpool had beaten AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League Final when a reported 750,000 people lined the route as an open top bus carrying the European champions made its way from John Lennon Airport to City Hall, these arent the type of events you leave to chance. Even the Queen got in on the act then, as she sent the club her congratulations from Edmonton on the last day of her Canadian tour. A bus of an entirely different nature may have derailed Liverpools title bid after their club record equalling 11-game winning streak grinded to a rather abrupt halt last Sunday, but there can be no denying Liverpools rightful place at the head table - that Champions League virtuous circle more commonly referred to as the "top four." Having finished last season in a very distant seventh place, the turnaround at Liverpool has been nothing short of remarkable and especially when you consider the spending power and superior squad strengths of their title rivals. With Champions League football assured for next season, the target Brendan Rodgers set out with last August, making it all that more special their place back amongst the elite of English football, has come at the expense of their bitter rivals Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson may have preached patience for the incoming manager to the 75,000 in attendance at Old Trafford at his final home game last May, but how about the patience of the Anfield faithful who have waited almost a quarter of a century since their last championship triumph? Although the Chelsea reversal last week handed the initiative to Manchester City, that disappointment pales into insignificance when recalling how the 1989 title was decided. Arsenal not only had to go to Anfield on the last day of the 1989 season and win, but they had to do so by a two-goal advantage. With 90 minutes on the clock and Arsenal leading 1-0 the title was Liverpools. Then, with time running out in added time, up popped Arsenals Michael Thomas to score the decisive goal. Seconds later came the final whistle, as Liverpool players lay completely distraught on the hallowed Anfield turf. Arsenal celebrated, the Kop, for once, in stunned silence. How cruel the beautiful game can be. No victory parades will be staged for the clubs who escape the dreaded drop going into the penultimate weekend of the season, with even FA Cup finalists Hull all the way up in 13th place not safe yet. Following a run of five-straight defeats that firmly rooted Sunderland to the foot of the table in mid-April, it led to questions been asked if Gus Poyet, who had only replaced Paolo Di Canio in October, would resign before seasons end. But my how the club have responded, most famously taking Jose Mourinhos unbeaten BPL home record, earlier this year. On Friday, 21-year old striker Connor Wickham was named BPL player of the month for April, his five goals playing a huge part as the club moved out of the bottom three for the first time since February. With a game in hand against the teams below them, Sunderland control their own destiny. Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff will need help from others this weekend. With the possibility that top place could change hands three times between tomorrow and Monday afternoon when Liverpool play, the real prospect exists come the final game of the season next Sunday that three clubs will still be in contention for the title. This would be the first time this has occurred in the BPL-era and, in doing so, will plunge the league into a silverware crisis. As there are only two BPL trophies in existence and, as traditionally the trophy is handed out on the last day of the season, a trophy will be needed next Sunday at Anfield, the Etihad and in Cardiff where Chelsea plays. So come the final whistle between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park on Monday afternoon, the Premier League may have to put a call and a delicate request into Old Trafford, where, sitting resplendent in their trophy room, a replica BPL trophy exists. Any chance you can deliver it to Anfield please? You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter Ben Bishop Jersey . Hicham Khalouas late goal improved Almerias chances of avoiding relegation in a match dominated by contentious calls, including three penalties. One day after Barcelonas 4-3 win at Real Madrid featured three penalties, referees again dominated a wide-open game that saw Almeria ultimately move out of the relegation zone and one point ahead of Getafe which took its place. Bill Masterton Jersey .com) - Top seed Klara Zakopalova reached the second round, while former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone came up a loser Tuesday at the inaugural Rio Open tennis event. http://www.cheapstarsjerseys.com/?tag=ad...c-methot-jersey. Which is to say, the top of this years draft class is not as dynamic or exciting as the 2013 class of Nate MacKinnon, Sasha Barkov, Jonathan Drouin and Seth Jones and its not as strikingly promising as the highly-anticipated 2015 slate of Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin. Wholesale Stars Jerseys . Sources tell TSN that union executives travelled to select CFL cities Monday to open dialogue with players and answer questions. After the tentative deal was reached Saturday night, several players posted messages of frustration and disappointment on social media - and that carried over into Sunday on both the web and the field. Cheap Stars Jerseys Authentic .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. There are a lot of tremendous athletes in the NFL and, sometimes, all they need is a new and better opportunity to improve their production. While a new team, or scheme, doesnt guarantee production, the opportunity is what matters. Last season, for example, Brandon Marshall set career highs in receptions (118), yardage (1,508) and touchdowns (11) upon joining the Chicago Bears; Demaryius Thomas broke through in his third season with the Broncos, thanks in no small part to having Peyton Manning as his quarterback; Vincent Jackson had a career-best 72 catches for 1,384 yards in his first season with Tampa Bay. Those three ranked third, fourth and fifth in receiving yardage last season. It should be noted that some players, like Mike Wallace going to Miami and Ahmad Bradshaw going to Indianapolis for example, may continue to be productive with their new teams, but may not be as likely to improve on the numbers theyve put up previously. So, who are some players getting new opportunities this year that might be in for productive seasons? Steven Jackson, RB, Atlanta - Jackson has run for more than 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons. Hes 30-years-old, which can be a time of decline for running backs, but Jackson joins an Atlanta Falcons offence that is much more prolific than the Rams offence that hes been trying to carry. For all of the yardage hes accumulated -- last seasons 1,363 yards from scrimmage was his lowest since 2007, Jackson hasnt scored more than eight touchdowns in a season since 2006. The back that Jackson is replacing, Michael Turner, scored 61 touchdowns over the last five seasons with Atlanta, so a double-digit touchdown season shouldnt be out of the question for Jackson. Daryl Richardson, RB, St. Louis - In the wake of Jacksons departure from St. Louis, there is opportunity for Richardson, the second-year back who gained 638 yards from scrimmage as a rookie after he was a seventh-round pick in 2012. Richardson may not be big enough to handle a full starters workload, and Isaiah Pead will compete for touches, but whoever gets to run for the Rams will have a chance to produce. David Wilson, RB, N.Y. Giants - A first-round pick in 2012, Wilson found himself in the doghouse for much of his rookie season after a fumble on the second carry of his NFL career, but showed potential late in the year, rushing for 247 yards in the last four games. Wilson will share backfield duties with Andre Brown, and could lose touchdown opportunities as a result, but hes a good bet to be the more productive back for Big Blue. Greg Jennings, WR, Minnesota - After injuries limited him to just eight games for the Packers last season, Jennings gets a fresh start with a division rival and does so as the Vikings number one wide receiver. That brings no guarantee of production, considering the focus on the running game with Adrian Peterson and the fact that third-year quarterback Christian Ponder isnt exactly Aaron Rodgers, but Jennings is a three-time 1,000-yard receiver who has scored nine touchdowns in a season four times, and he could get back to those numbers over a full season with the Vikings. Tony Moeaki, TE, Kansas City - AFter sitting out the entire 2011 season with a knee injury, Moeaki returned last season and had modest numbers for the Chiefs, but could be poised for a bigger role as the Chiefs offence is overhauled, with new quarterback Alex Smith and new head coach Andy Reid implementing an offence that has tended to be good for ttight end production.dddddddddddd If its not Moeaki who benefits, maybe it will be newcomer Anthony Fasano, who was reliable, if perhaps under-utilized, in Miami. Danny Amendola, WR, New England - Few newcomers have the notoriety of Amendola, the slot receiver who is set to replace Wes Welker in the Patriots offence. Amendola has missed 20 games over the last two seasons, so health is a primary concern, but hes productive when he plays, recording 153 receptions in 28 games (5.46 per game) over the last three seasons. If Amendola can build trust with Brady, though, Amendola will have far better opportunities to produce than he did with St. Louis while quarterback Sam Bradford was in the infancy of his NFL career. Can he catch 100 passes and gain 1,000 yards, like Welker? That might be asking a lot, but its not out of the question. Jared Cook, TE, St. Louis - Following a breakthrough season with the Titans in 2011, when he had 759 receiving yards, Cook took a step back last season and has moved on to a Rams offence which, due to unproven receivers, offers plenty of room for Cook to become a big part of the passing attack. Cook is a big target and athletic enough to get down the field. If he becomes a red zone threat (hes scored eight touchdowns in four NFL seasons), then his value will really take off. Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago - Going from a back-up role in Dallas to a starting spot with the Giants last season paid off for Bennett as he registered career-highs in receptions (55), yardage (626) and touchdowns (5) and now he moves to the Bears, where there should be ample opportunity to play a big role in the Bears passing game under new head coach Marc Trestman. Maybe Bennett wont improve dramatically over last season, but the Bears are likely to pass more than they have in the past and Bennett can be part of that production. Dallas Clark, TE, Baltimore - Far enough removed from his career-best 2009 season, with the Colts, when he caught 100 passes for 1,106 yards, Clark could be a valuable addition to the Ravens offence in the wake of Dennis Pittas hip injury. Re-connecting with offensive co-ordinator Jim Caldwell, who coached Clark with the Colts, provides familiarity and, even at 34, Clark could put up good numbers with a good quarterback and an offence that targets the tight end. Ed Dickson is also a consideration for the Ravens, but hes currently dealing with a hamstring injury, providing more opportunity for Clark to get settled into his role. Jacoby Jones, WR, Baltimore - Staying with the Ravens, Jones could see a bump in production as he moves into the starting lineup due to the departure of Anquan Boldin. Jones is a terrific return man, but has a career-high of 562 receiving yards, so he has a chance to exceed past production. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Arizona - Injuries sabotaged Mendenhalls 2012 season, but hed run for 3,309 yards and 29 touchdowns in the previous three years and he seems likely to be the Cardinals No. 1 back, though he does face competition from Ryan Williams. If Mendenhall is healthy and remains the starter, a 1,000-yard season isnt an unreasonable expectation. There are others, including some that will be included in an upcoming position battles post, but these are some of the new faces in new places that could make a difference this season. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '