Seattle Daily Star

  Villa manager faces old club in Premier League on Tuesday then Guardiola’s side on final day of season “This does not slip,” Steven Gerrard told his Liverpool teammates on the afternoon he felt as close as he ever would to lifting a league title with the club that defined his career. It was the spring of 2014. His leadership qualities were at their peak. A television microphone picked up his urgent words — “this does not slip” — in the celebratory huddle after a tough 3–2 victory over Manchester City had kept Liverpool before City in the title race. That season, Liverpool ended up second, their momentum broken by a defeat to Chelsea. City won the Premier League, and would go on to wait several years into the post-Gerrard era at Anfield before Liverpool again became the chief obstacle to their accumulation of more and more titles. The next one looks imminent, with City leading the table by three points with three fixtures left, and although Gerrard would never say so, Liverpo...

  a look at the biggest moves involving UK players He was England’s captain and arguably the most high-profile player in world football. David Beckham’s move away from Manchester United had been the source of intense speculation for months, but now it was official: the 28-year-old midfielder was joining Real Madrid. On July 2, 2003, Beckham was unveiled as the La Liga champions’ newest signing. He as handed the Real No 23 shirt also worn by club legend Alfredo di Stefano. Beckham would be joining a squad filled with the world’s finest talent — Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul — a “dream” move. “I have always loved football,” he said. “Of course I love my family. I have a wonderful life, but football is everything to me and joining Real Madrid is a dream come true. “I would like to say thank you to everyone coming and joining me in my arrival. Gracias — hala Madrid!” Beckham had become the second most expensive British player of all-time, with only R...