Premier League
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CHELSEA returned to the top of the Premier League by beating Liverpool at Stamford Bridge while their Manchester rivals both slipped up.
Carlo Ancelotti's men recovered from their surprise loss at Wigan Athletic on the previous weekend to beat the Reds 2-0 with second half goals from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.
Chelsea are two points clear on 21 points from eight matches but the defeat will once again call into doubt sixth-placed Liverpool's title credentials.
This was their third loss this season after losing only twice in finishing second in the last campaign.
And Rafael Benitez will not be pleased to hear that the last time a club lost three of their first eight but still won the league was back in 1968-69.
That was the last time Manchester City won the league and Mark Hughes' men are well-placed to launch a challenge this time around.
City are fourth on 16 points with a game in hand on all the clubs around them.
Victory in that game will take them level on points with Manchester United to whom they lost 4-3 in the first derby of the season in controversial circumstances.
A thrilling match at Old Trafford saw City come from behind three times with two excellent goals from Craig Bellamy before Michael Owen won the contest in the 96th minute
This was despite only four minutes stoppages being announced, although it was later explained that the additional time came from City's final goal celebration which came on the 90th minute.
United may be second and only two points adrift of Chelsea but have shown their vulnerability this season on a few occasions, not least in the latest match when another late goal saved them from a home defeat to Sunderland.
Tottenham Hotspur are in third with 16 points after a 2-2 draw with Bolton Wanderers this weekend.
But Spurs have had their own weaknesses exposed in recent losses to superior opposition in Chelsea and United, and north London rivals Arsenal are only a point behind in fifth.
The Gunners' also have a game in hand and their tails are up after a 6-2 thrashing of Blackburn Rovers gave them a sixth consecutive win in all competitions.
Liverpool round up the top six on 15 points with Aston Villa and Sunderland heading the chasing pack in seventh and eighth on 13 points. Villa have a game in hand.
At the bottom, Portsmouth set an unwanted Premier League record by losing their first seven matches before a win came at the eighth attempt, 1-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
And further good news for Pompey came on Monday when Saudi business tycoon Ali Al Faraj completed his takeover.
This should at least ensure there is no repeat of the embarrassing situation when no Pompey staff, including the players, were paid last week.
But only one team in history has survived the top flight having had such a poor start - Liverpool, 110 years ago - and the south-coast club remain four points adrift of safety for now.
Pompey's first target will be to catch second-bottom West Ham United on five points, their worst start since 2002/03 when they last went down.
It could have been worse for the Hammers but a late equaliser against ten-man Fulham spared their blushes and brought to an end a run of four defeats in league and cup.
Hull City are the third team in the relegation zone, courtesy of their woeful goal difference which, at -12, is unsurprisingly the worst in the league.
There are actually four other teams on seven points but the Tigers' heavy defeats against Liverpool (6-1), Spurs (5-1) and Sunderland (4-1) may prove costly in the long run.
Of those other teams, Phil Brown's best bet may come in the form of fourth-bottom Wolves, who lost their third match in a row to Pompey who previously could not buy a win.
Blackburn Rovers and Fulham have made slow starts while Birmingham City's difficulties in front of goal are preventing them from moving any higher.
This was demonstrated most recently in a 2-1 loss to their more unfancied, promoted rivals Burnley.
The Clarets are ninth on 12 points having won all their home matches and lost all their away games.
The Championship
Full table
NEWCASTLE UNITED stayed at the top of the Championship despite taking just two points from their last two matches, both of which were at home.
The Magpies came from behind to draw 1-1 with Queens Park Rangers and were then held 0-0 by Bristol City in the space of four days.
It prevented them from stretching the lead to any more than three points after all their rivals slipped up in recent weeks.
West Bromwich Albion are second, three points behind, but the Baggies have picked up only one point out of nine since their 5-0 thrashing at Middlesbrough.
Despite that humiliating home loss, and the 2-2 draw at Coventry City, Boro stayed just a point behind West Brom after a much better performance in the 2-0 defeat of struggling Reading.
Cardiff City, in fourth on 19 points, are arguably the biggest threat to the trio above them, having returned to form with ten goals inside four days.
A disappointing run of five defeats out of six for the Bluebirds was banished by a 6-1 demolition of Derby County and a 4-0 away win at Watford.
The Championship's top scorer Michael Chopra was again in inspired form as he took his season tally to 11 with four in the Derby match.
Those wins helped Cardiff jump above Preston North End, who are also on 19 points after they managed a credible 0-0 draw with West Brom.
Sheffield United, in sixth on 17 points, could also only take a point from their most recent match, 1-1 with south Yorkshire neighbours Doncaster Rovers.
A draw with Donny was perhaps not that surprising a result given that this was Rovers' eighth stalemate in their opening 11 matches.
Leicester City and Bristol City, also on 17 points, are the two teams immediately outside the playoffs but it is Nottingham Forest who look well-placed to challenge.
After a customary slow start, Forest have moved away from the bottom half and are the form team of the division with three consecutive wins.
Billy Davies' side will be looking to prove their credentials against table-topping Toon at the City Ground in the first game after the internationals.
But Forest will hope their television appearance on a Saturday evening against Newcastle does not end in the same way as it did for Ipswich Town, who are now bottom and still without a win.
For the home fans, a 4-0 drubbing spoiled an excellent evening at Portman Road where the north stand was renamed and both sets of supporters celebrated their link to Sir Bobby Robson who died on July 31.
The Tractor Boys then conceded late goals to draw 3-3 with Sheffield United and lose 2-1 to Barnsley.
It leaves them on five points from 11 matches, five adrift of safety, and with pressure mounting on manager Roy Keane, of whom much was expected.
Darren Ferguson at Peterborough United will also be feeling the heat after a 2-1 loss to Forest made it three consecutive league losses and dropped Posh to second bottom.
One of those losses came against Plymouth Argyle who have started to recovery after a torrid opening nine matches in which they picked up just two draws and seven straight losses.
The Pilgrims have turned it around somewhat and followed up that win in Peterborough with another at home against Scunthorpe United.
Paul Sturrock's men remain in the bottom three, however - a point above Posh on a tally of eight for the season.
Playoff competitors in 2008/09, Reading are finding life after Steve Coppell really tough, with the Royals just one place outside the drop zone on 10 points.
New manager Brendan Rogers has seen just two wins all season, both away, as Reading remain without a home win since January.
Meanwhile, Barnsley, Scunthorpe and draw specialists Doncaster will also be looking over their shoulder - all of them are separated from the relegation places by just three points.
League One
Full table
LEEDS UNITED have marched to the top of League One with the only unbeaten record in the top four English divisions.
United retained their position at the summit after a 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic at Elland Road which was watched by 31,838 supporters.
It took Simon Grayson's men to 27 points from 11 matches, three clear of Charlton who stayed in second.
The Addicks' only slip-up so far was a 3-0 loss to Colchester United who have moved up to fourth.
The U's began the season in scintillating form with a 7-1 away humiliation of Norwich City before the Canaries responded by snatching their manager Paul Lambert.
Former Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd is the new manager and he has helped his team establish the best home record in the division and a position just three points off automatic promotion.
Bristol Rovers are still third, a point further ahead, and the Pirates have done well to stay as high after their own loss - of free-scoring Ricky Lambert to Southampton.
But a 5-1 loss to Norwich has dented their goal difference and will have dented their confidence too.
For Norwich, the win showed the extent of the recovery under their new manager since the opening day horror show.
The Canaries are now in seventh, just a place and two points outside the playoffs, and they look ready to make their move.
Milton Keynes Dons currently occupy fifth on 20 points but two wins and two losses from their last four matches show the inconsistency of Paul Ince's side.
Swindon Town are sixth, having recovered like Norwich from a heavy opening day loss.
The Robins have stayed undefeated since, though they have clocked up six draws to be on 18 points. Oldham Athletic are a place behind Norwich but are also on 16 points.
Southampton finally moved into positive points after 11 matches by beating Gillingham 4-1.
The Saints suffered a ten-point penalty for going into administration and have only now recovered the deficit.
Unsurprisingly they remain bottom with just two points and are nine adrift of safety - but Alan Pardew's men will now be able to set about catching some of the other strugglers.
Their first target will be second-bottom Wycombe Wanderers who have struggled to adapt since their promotion with just a win and three draws, leaving the Chairboys five points adrift.
Tranmere Rovers also look early candidates for the drop after suffering the humiliation of being 4-0 down to Millwall inside half an hour.
The match finished 5-0 to the Lions and it is not the first time John Barnes' team have been well-beaten.
Indeed, Rovers have conceded a massive 26 goals and have a goal difference of -17, as well as being four points from safety.
Brighton and Hove Albion are the fourth team in the relegation places with nine points, but the Seagulls have a game in hand on three of the four clubs above them, all on 11 points.
Those clubs are Stockport County, Carlisle United and Yeovil Town. Gillingham are also on 11 points, but - like Brighton - have only played 10 matches.
League Two
Full table
BOURNEMOUTH's perfect home record has helped put the Cherries two points clear at the top of the basement division after the opening 11 matches.
Five wins out of five at Dean Court and 10 points from six matches on the road have given Eddie Howe's men 25 points, an excellent start to the campaign.
Their nearest rivals remain Rotherham United on 23 points and Dagenham & Redbridge on 21.
But the Millers have won just two of their last five matches and the Daggers have taken just two points from their last three.
That will give the chasing pack in the playoff positions some hope. Barnet lead the challenge in fourth, level on points with Dag & Red.
The Bees recovered well from their 3-0 loss to Rotherham to beat the Daggers 2-0 and Grimsby Town 3-0.
Shrewsbury Town, in fifth are also on 21 points, and look set for another promotion push having taken 10 points from their last 12.
Notts County, in sixth, and Rochdale, in seventh, are just behind on 20 points. The Magpies thus remain well-placed for a promotion bid but it has not all been plain sailing at Meadow Lane.
Former England defender Sol Campbell lasted just one match at this level before he tore up his contract after the 2-1 loss in Morecambe.
Finally, it transcended into a war of words between Campbell and the new board. Campbell claimed he was promised other top players would be brought in but the Magpies regime said it was a long-term process.
As almost a polar opposite of that surreal course of events, Rochdale are happy to be challenging once more for a promotion which never seems to come. The Dale have spent 35 years of trying to gain promotion from the basement division.
More worried about dropping out of the league altogether must be Darlington whose position is looking increasingly desperate.
In administration all summer, the Quakers lost their best players and a shadow squad has taken just two points from their opening 11 matches.
The team has also lost experienced manager Colin Todd after he agreed to step down but new man Steve Staunton has a huge task to save a club already eight points adrift.
Torquay United join Darlo in the drop zone but the newly-promoted Gulls are not in half the trouble, even though they have taken just eight points from their 11 games.
Grimsby Town are just one place above Torquay and will be familiar with this struggle, having endured it for most of last season.
Indeed the Mariners finished third bottom and effectively only stayed up because of Luton Town's huge points deduction.
Just above Grimsby are three clubs on 11 points including managerless Northampton Town and Hereford United, both of whom were only just relegated from League One last season.
Burton Albion's first ever league season is going comfortably enough. The Brewers are nestled in mid-table with 15 points from 11 matches.
Blue Square Premier
Full table
OXFORD UNITED have begun their quest to regain league status in some style with 36 points from their opening 15 games.
The U's have dropped just two points at home all season to lead the table by six points from Kettering in second.
The Poppies form has not gone unnoticed and there are reports that Luton Town want Kettering boss Mark Cooper to become their new manager.
But Kettering's ambitious chairman Imran Ladak says that no approach has been made by the sixth-placed Hatters who lost their league status last season after a 30-point deduction.
Stevenage Borough are in third, three points behind Kettering but with a game in hand, and York City are making their first promotion bid for three seasons.
The Minstermen are unbeaten in 10 matches and that has took them to fourth in the table on 26 points with a game in hand on all their rivals except Stevenage.
Mansfield Town round off the playoff places in fifth, also on 26 points, as they aim to regain the league status which they lost in 2007/08.
But it all looks rather hopeless for Chester City, who lost their league status for a second time last season.
City look destined for the regional leagues after starting the season on -25 points, though they have managed to reduce this to -13 after 14 matches.
Hayes & Yeading are second-bottom on eight points from the same number of games, and Ebbsfleet United are only one point better off. Both teams are yet to win at home this season.
Gateshead complete the relegation places on nine points, though it could get worse for the Tynesiders if they fail in their appeal against Hayes being awarded the three points from their abandoned match.
Gateshead did not re-take the field after a severe injury to one of their players caused a delay in the match.
If the Conference's decision is upheld, Hayes will move to 10 points while Gateshead will replace them in second-bottom on eight points.
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