It's exactly a week on from the moment Bolton's Fabrice Muamba collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest in the FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Shock and horror gripped the global footballing fraternity, leave alone the 28,000 gathered inside the stadium. While the miracle makers at London Chest Hospital have set Muamba on the long road to recovery, the FA has ascertained that Premier League footballers could be screened more regularly for heart defects. It's a decision that has been greeted with immediate agreement from coaches and administrators alike. And it's a change the game badly needed.
As Gary Cahill's deflected goal on the hour gave Chelsea a lead they did not deserve at the Etihad, Roberto Mancini turned to Carlos Tevez, back as a substitute in the City ranks. Until then, opinion remained divided on whether Mancini had made an astute decision or the other extreme. But as is the wont of the supremely talented, Tevez showed incredible composure and peerless vision in a heavily-populated penalty area to slip a sublime reverse pass into the path of Samir Nasri for City's winner. Game over. Three points earned, still firmly in the title race. And any doubts about Tevez's game-changing abilities were shot to pieces.
The frustration and anxiety that had been bubbling under Arsenal supporters not too long ago have been swiftly transformed into worthy praise. Seven wins in a row in the league - even amidst the unceremonious exit from the Champions League - have fast-tracked the Gunners into third place. It remains to be seen where they'll finish. But on the evidence of current form, there's every possibility Arsenal could leave Spurs and Chelsea trailing in their wake. What has Wenger done different since the 3-2 defeat against Swansea in January? Nothing, other than simply believe in his squad. And that's game-changing enough.
The frustration and anxiety that had been bubbling under Arsenal supporters not too long ago have been swiftly transformed into worthy praise. Seven wins in a row in the league - even amidst the unceremonious exit from the Champions League - have fast-tracked the Gunners into third place. It remains to be seen where they'll finish. But on the evidence of current form, there's every possibility Arsenal could leave Spurs and Chelsea trailing in their wake. What has Wenger done different since the 3-2 defeat against Swansea in January? Nothing, other than simply believe in his squad. And that's game-changing enough.
