Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has warned their title rivals Chelsea and Manchester United that the Gunners' best is yet to come - even though they are already top of the table boasting a proud record of being the only unbeaten team in all four divisions of the English league.
Arsene Wenger's men rose to the Premiership summit at the weekend as a result of their 1-1 draw against Charlton and whilst they have yet to find top gear in Europe, Campbell insists: "We've got a great team and the sign of a good side is when you're not playing at your best, you can still pick up wins and draws.
"We're still there and there's a long way to go. I quite like it like this at the moment. Rather than playing your best football now and then running out of steam, I much prefer it the other way around where you build up and then, in the final ten games, you start increasing it. It's a question of peaking at the right time."
Cash-strapped Leeds United have announced massive annual losses of almost £50m but chairman Professor John McKenzie insists it's not all doom and gloom at Elland Road and assures fans: "We have turned the corner and are on our way back."
Whilst also announcing that former Chelsea man Trevor Birch will be taking over as new chief executive on November 1, McKenzie added: "We have taken £20m of costs out of the business and rebuilt the management team. As such, it is now possible to begin to look forward with some confidence."
The Yorkshire club's turnover fell by 21 per cent to £64m, due mainly to drops of 36 per cent and nine per cent in television and merchandising income respectively. But McKenzie, who will now become non-executive chairman, has urged people to get off his back, saying: "Why does everybody always want to knock Leeds down all the time?"
As for the future he says: "There will yet another opportunity for fans and others to invest in the first part of next year. We will not sell a player unless they ask to go and that will only be when the price is then right. The key is whether they want to go or not."
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink reckons his early season form for Chelsea is worthy of an international recall and the seven-gaol striker is now setting his sights on the finals of Euro 2004.
Just like Ruud van Nistelroooy, the Stamford Bridge favourite has fallen out of favour with Dutch boss Dick Advocaat and doesn't hold out much hope of being drafted back into the squad for the play-offs against Scotland next month.
Hasselbaink told the Sun: "I don't know what's happening with Holland. The coach rang and told me I'm not in the team, so what can you do?
"I've always said I want to be there in Portugal and I think I deserve to be there, especially if I keep going like this. I'm playing well for my club but it's up to him. He's making the decisions."
Liverpool's England midfielder Steven Gerrard is close to signing a new deal which will tie him up to the Anfield club for the next four years - and during that time he expects to have made some prestigious additions to his trophy cabinet.
"I wouldn't be signing a long-term contract if I didn't feel we had the squad and the ability to be challenging for honours," said the new Liverpool skipper. "I want to be going for the title and the Champions League.
"I'm a Liverpool boy and I don't want to leave the club. I want to help this club become successful again and to be here, playing my part, when it is."
