Tonight five Premier League clubs begin their UEFA Cup campaigns with high hopes held that finally an English club will lift the trophy for the first time since Liverpool triumphed in 2001.The teams involved are Manchester City who qualified via the fair play league, Tottenham via their Carling Cup win, Portsmouth via their FA Cup win, Everton by finishing 5th and Aston Villa via the Intertoto Cup. None of these sides can be cast as no hopers for the competition even though Spurs are seriously struggling at the bottom of the Premier League and have some important new recruits cup-tied.

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Even before the first ball of the 2008/09 season is kicked, clubs must set out their stall for the season ahead. While the top four mount their typical challenge for the title, the ’second tier’ of Premier League teams prepare their pitch for the Uefa Cup places.

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In the last few weeks the wheels have well and truly come off Everton’s exciting season. A string of poor results has left them trailing in their Merseyside rivals wake. The home defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night even saw the players booed from the pitch by the Goodison Park faithful. Whilst Champions League football was the club’s target a few weeks ago, the loss of momentum could see David Moyes’ team end the season without even Uefa Cup qualification to show for their exploits.

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Rangers produced another superb European display in Lisbon to reach the Uefa Cup semi-finals last week. They overcame the odds once again to win 2-0 in Portugal. This result epitomised the recent upturn in Scottish fortunes both in club and international football. If you look at the improvements made in recent seasons it truly is a remarkable turnaround for the countrymen north of Hadrian’s Wall.

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My congratulations to Portsmouth and Cardiff City for reaching the final of this season’s FA Cup. The end of ‘Big Four’ cup dominance has seemingly been a long time coming; 13 years to be exact (and 28 years for a winner outside the top flight). But while this season’s cup events are great in the romantic stakes, in reality is such a final good for the game?

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They may have paid the penalty for their disastrous first leg performances but Everton and Tottenham should both take more from their matches last night that just sad regrets.

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What a difference a day makes. Yesterday we were talking about British Clubs dominating the European Cup Competitions; now, after a nightmare night for both Everton and Tottenham as well as a less than perfect scoreline for Bolton, we’re asking - Have the English Clubs blown their Uefa dreams?

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Three English clubs have successfully negotiated their routes into the Champions League’s last 8 and Liverpool will be firm favourites to join them next week as they take a 2-goal lead to the San Siro.

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