MANCHESTER CITY V STOKE CITY-THIS YEAR'S FRESH LOOKING FA CUP FINAL ON MAY 14

Manchester City versus Stoke City at Wembley for the FA Cup final on May 14 gives the competition a really fresh look.City,looking for their first major trophy since 1976....Stoke's only previous was the League Cup when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in 1972,a match I was at.They were not favourites then and they will not be now in their first FA Cup final in their 148 years history.But you write them off at your peril!Their 5-0 win over Bolton was a shock scoreline and the biggest semi-final win for 72 years! Manager Tony Pullis and chairman Peter Coates are a great combination and have both done a wonderful job for the club who enjoy a magnificent and noisy support.Staying in the Premier League has been a fine achievement but they are improving on that all the while...City? You expect success with the fortunes they have and continue to spend.So you still wonder if Roberto Mancini will keep his job.One should not have to think like that but that's the name of the game!I actually think Stoke will win the FA Cup...and that would be a wonderful result for the game.....

ARSENAL AGAIN NO TROPHIES

Arsenal's whacky 1-1 draw with Liverpool(both goals being penalties deep into added time) put pays to any chance of a trophy.Arsene Wenger's agony goes on.He keeps hitting the crossbar in that respect.Its not improving his judgement or selected eye sight but Gooners Monsieur Wenger is still a very good football manager at a great club.

MY PREDICTIONS ON COURSE

All season I have been banging on about Manchester United winning the Premier League title.They are right on course.Mind you I thought they would beat Mancester City in the FA Cup semi-final.Dimitar Berbatov should have scored an easy one.But hey the old nottingham Forest chairman Fred Reacher called his house "IF ONLY"......and sadly I have been saying for some time that Blackpool would be relegated.When they were flying some people thought I had fallen off the trolley but this season is so long!They now look like going down.

DEATH OF ARSENAL DIRECTOR DANNY FISZMAN A SAD LOSS

I was so sad to learn that the Arsenal director Danny Fiszman has died from throat cancer at the age of 66--just two months younger than myself. When I was ITV's reporter on the live coverage of Arsenal in the George Graham title winning days it was always a pleasure to go to Highbury.After a nice welcome from George in the manager's office before the game I would always be invited to the Director's room after the match.Danny and David Dein would always be up for a long chat with plenty of smiles and laughter.Danny did a great job as the driving force in Arsenal's successful move to the Emirates stadium.He was a mult-millionaire diamond dealer and life time Arsenal supporter.He often flew fellow directors and friends in his private plane to away European Champions League matches. He was also,like Dein,a huge supporter of manager Arsene Wenger.

CHELSEA v MANCHESTER UNITED AGAIN?

Champions Chelsea look unstoppable.Played 3 Premier League matches,won all three,14 goals scored and none conceeded.Wow is that impressive or what?Manchester United also have a top squad and Dimitar Berbatov is starting to look the part.They,like Arsenal,are two points behind,United dropping two late points at Fulham:Arsenal drawing at Liverpool.Arsenal will have a decent season,better I expect than recently,but they might just still be a notch behind the big two as they are now becoming.Long way to go but the signs are there.

WEST HAM'S WRONG CHOICE

Avram Grant may or may not be a good manager.Who really knows? But I thought at the time he was the wrong choice for West Ham.The start hardly proves me wrong.Played 3 lost 3.Bottom of the Premier League with no points and just 1 goal with 9 conceeded.Owners David Sullivan and David Gold usually keep their manager for 6 years.Will this one last six months?

ASTON VILLA NEW MANAGER

Villa have stated that their new manager must have had Premier League experience.Well I suppose Kevin MacDonald has now had that.The players want the care-taker manager to be Martin O'Neill's successor.But they would,wouldn't they?They feel safe with him but his public answers to whether he wants the job hardly fill you with confidence.He has little experience in the transfer market.Overseas managers with no experience over here are obviously ruled out but it still lives a few good candidates home and abroad.Owner Randy Lerner knows he has to get this one right.Martin O'Neill's boots are hard to fill in this role but hardly impossible.