If there was any question about Jermain Defoe's status as England's best natural finisher, he ended the debate with
his devastating five-goal performance for Tottenham against Wigan.

It was typical of his single-minded approach to the game
that he said afterwards he was disappointed not to get a double hat-trick!

I'm sure his
place in England's World Cup squad is safe, but you wonder whether
Fabio Capello really rates him.

Certainly, he has not got the amount of playing time his
goalscoring record - five in as many games, all from the bench - merits.

It may only have been a friendly, but I was

One of this weekend's stand-out displays was from Tottenham as they came
from behind to beat West Ham at Upton Park.

Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon may well have grabbed the
goals, but the three points were won with a real team performance from Harry
Redknapp's
side.

Unlike some Spurs teams of the past, this one is not entirely based on
talented individuals. Sure, they boast the likes of Luka Modric and Defoe, but
their real strength at the moment comes from a sense of togetherness and a good
work ethic - attributes very much associated with Redknapp's teams over the years.

But a manager can

Tom Hicks Jr's
(pictured, left) abusive email to a Liverpool
fan was an absolute disgrace and shows the kind of regime that is in charge at
Anfield.

It was an unbelievable show of disrespect to some of the
most loyal and passionate fans in the game, and he should have been sacked by
his father (right) before he had a chance to quit.

That kind of behaviour shows that Hicks has no idea how football
works - particularly a club like Liverpool
where the supporters are very close to senior players like Steven Gerrard and
Jamie Carragher.

I am told the email sent by the supporter, Stephen Horner, was

At the ripe old age of 29, it seems odd that a player should
still have to prove himself, especially one who has starred for both club and
country over the years.

But that is exactly the situation Michael Owen finds himself
in after an injury-plagued and ultimately disappointing spell with Newcastle.

He may well have played for two of the world's biggest
clubs, scored 40 goals for his country and won the Ballon d'Or, but with his 30^th
birthday fast approaching he must feel like he is having to start all over
again.

Regularly we hear that Owen is a proven goalscorer. He may
well be, but it

England fans will be hoping for
a good World Cup draw this evening, but the country has already had a big slice
of luck.

FIFA's decision to base the seedings on October's world rankings meant they snuck in ahead of France and Portugal, which would not have
happened if it had been November's
rankings - or recent World Cup performance.

That
was a big bonus for them and, though there are some good sides in the draw, England should
not be afraid of anyone and should expect to reach the last 16.

I'm sure Fabio Capello will want to win the group and
hopefully avoid another seeded nation in the next

MATCH OF
THE WEEKEND: Liverpool v Arsenal

Last
season's clash at Anfield was a real humdinger and if the two sides can
recreate just half the excitement from that 4-4 draw, we'll have another
cracker our hands.

Pre-season,
these two would have expected Sunday's game to be a clash of title contenders,
but the way this campaign has panned out so far is entirely different.

Liverpool
are out of the title race already and for me Arsenal haven't got what it takes
to sustain a challenge to the top two this season.  Arsene Wenger's side
have not got the sheer power of Chelsea or the consistency and

Manchester
United's defeat to Aston Villa will
certainly have Alex Ferguson worried - it is always a concern when you lose at
home to a team that have not beaten you for 20 years.

I
was not altogether surprised, though. Villa are physical and direct, and pose a
different challenge from the teams you face in the Champions League.

Clearly
United's biggest problem lies at the
back, where Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have struggled for form and
fitness.

When
you hear Sol Campbell mentioned as a possible signing, you know there is a
problem! Campbell has not played enough
football, and

Match of the weekend: Tottenham v Manchester United

Yes, I know I'm picking a Manchester United game again, but this is one I always look out for as I supported Spurs as a kid.

Tottenham do not have a good record against United, but this is a real chance for Harry Redknapp to prove his side's top four credentials. They have had a blistering start to the season while the champions have not quite hit their stride yet. A lack of self-belief was a problem for previous Spurs outfits, but this time they should go into the game brimming with confidence.

Harry has got plenty of options up front, but I