Birmingham are in real trouble

When Obafemi Martins pounced in dramatic fashion to secure the Carling Cup for Birmingham in late February, nobody associated with the club could have envisaged that this season would be marked more by failure than by success. That, however, is looking increasingly likely after the Blues' 2-0 defeat by Fulham. Alex McLeish's men collapsed in abject fashion against a team that apparently had nothing to play for and now find themselves outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone going into the final game of the season, away to Tottenham.

Their predicament has come as something of a surprise. Birmingham rarely appeared to be genuinely in trouble of dropping out of the Premier League and were 14th the weekend before the Carling Cup final, having won two and drawn one of their four previous games. But since Wembley Birmingham have won only two of 11 games, with their most recent defeat proving that this is definitely a club in crisis.

They never looked like securing victory at St Andrew's, with Ben Foster almost beaten by a long kick from Mark Schwarzer in the very early stages of the match before Brede Hangeland did score for Fulham after five minutes. The defender got a second shortly after half-time. Scoring has been Birmingham's problem this season – they have 36 goals, the lowest tally in the division – but it was their defence which malfunctioned against Fulham and, as such, there must be real worry ahead of next week's visit to White Hart Lane. Asked to choose, some Birmingham fans would take winning the Carling Cup even if it meant getting relegated but, should the worst happen, they would be justified in asking how a group of players can reach two such contrasting conclusions.

Ledley King can still hack it

"Oh Ledley, Ledley, he's only got one knee, he's better than John Terry" sang the away supporters at Anfield in tribute to a man who continues to defy the sceptics. Battered by lingering injuries, the Tottenham centre-half should really be in retirement now but instead the 30-year-old goes on, putting in performances to suggest he can remain an asset for club and country for a few more seasons at least.

King was imperious in the 2-0 win over Liverpool in what was only his eighth appearance of the season, pulling off a crucial challenge on Andy Carroll as the striker looked set to fire in an equaliser following Rafael van der Vaart's early opener. It left the Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, pondering what might have been this season had he been able to get more out of the defender.

"Ledley was amazing," said Redknapp. "He hasn't played for seven months. He's got a chronic knee condition and doesn't train. Before the game I said: 'How do you feel?' He told me he was scared he was going to break down again. I said: 'You might as well break down here as have all the summer off and break down on your first day back next season.'"

King got through the game and, with England due to play Switzerland in a Euro2012 qualifier in three weeks' time, his season may not be over just yet.

DJ Campbell is severely underrated

Should Blackpool leave Old Trafford next week still a Premier League club then much praise will rightly be heaped on the club. But if assessments of their season so far are anything to go by, the plaudits are likely to be shared between Ian Holloway for his all-out attacking managerial style and Charlie Adam for his precision and poise from midfield.

Fair enough but what seems to have been lost in the fog of tangerine wonder is the contribution of Dudley Junior Campbell, whose two goals against Bolton at the weekend not only helped Blackpool to a potentially decisive victory but also swelled his tally for the season to 13, putting him level with Javier Hernández, Dirk Kuyt, Andy Carroll and Florent Malouda.

That is some achievement for a forward playing in a newly promoted side and one which could yet be relegated. His goals have also displayed a breadth of ability, as was seen on Saturday. Campbell's first resulted from his strength and poise and the second, coming moments before the interval, was down to the instincts of a player who has proved himself at the highest level five years after leaving Yeading and the Isthmian League Division One North behind. Campbell, like Adam, could well be in the Premier League next season even if Blackpool are not.

Roy Hodgson is a candidate for manager of the year

Even now, as Liverpool end the season playing with a flourish and stay in the hunt for a European place despite yesterday's defeat by Tottenham, their supporters shudder in terror at what might have been. Most of them had never known it so bad, with relegation a possibility for a side playing in a style so negative they made Gérard Houllier's 2002-03 vintage appear Barcelona-esque. As Kopites look back, they know who to blame.

Roy Hodgson should never have been given the job in the first place, claims the consensus, with the 63-year-old doing little to prove the doubters wrong during his six months at Anfield. As the poor displays and results came rolling in, so did the mocking chants, with the most infamous – 'Hodgson for England', spreading quickly across Anfield as the home side fell to Wolves four days after Christmas. Hodgson left Merseyside soon afterwards a broken and humiliated man.

All of which makes his achievements at West Bromwich Albion the more remarkable. Saturday's victory over Everton was their ninth game without defeat since Hodgson replaced Roberto Di Matteo at The Hawthorns in February, a run which has elevated a club sliding rapidly towards relegation into the top 10.

For Hodgson to pull that off so soon after his chastening spell at Liverpool is testimony to his powers of recovery and, barring Holloway keeping Blackpool up, should perhaps be enough to earn him the manager of the year award for a second season in a row. He would become the first man to retain the honour since Steve Coppell in 2007. Cue outrage in the red half of Merseyside but respect elsewhere for a man who has risen from his knees in admirable fashion.

One obsession can lead to the disappearance of another

So Manchester United have reclaimed the Premier League title and, while the pursuit has been characteristically dramatic and exhilarating, it will ultimately be remembered for the constant use of two words.

'Nineteen' and 'perch', 'perch' and 'nineteen', over and over again. Fair enough, given what Sir Alex Ferguson's men have achieved, but never again can a straight face be kept when a United supporter claims they are not obsessed with Liverpool. That may pass now the club are firmly sat (cue yawn) on their perch but then another question arises: with Merseyside conquered, will energies return to the green and gold campaign?

What last season appeared to be an unrelenting revolt against the club's high and rising debt levels, one which drew admiration from even the most ardent United-haters, has fizzled out into a near-irrelevance this campaign. Canary-coloured scarves can still be seen hung around some supporters' necks, but where are the street protests, the planes carrying a 'Glazers Out' banner over Old Trafford, and the smoke bombs going off in the Megastore? All gone, it appears, in a gathering wave of Scouse-baiting delight.

The Glazers will be relieved, ecstatic even, and it can only be hoped that some of the away fans at Ewood Park sensed that as they revelled in triumph despite a backdrop of looming financial problems.