LONDON --
If the Barclays Premier League thought Europe's second-tier competition could bring comfort after two of its clubs had suffered UEFA Champions League humblings earlier in the week, it could hardly have been more wrong.
Out of the UEFA Europa League crashed first Tottenham in Florence and then, after extra-time and penalties against Besiktas in historic Istanbul, Liverpool completed an unwanted double by going out of two European competitions at the earliest possible opportunity in the same season (the Reds were eliminated from the Champions League at the end of the group stage in December).
Only Everton survived with a 7-2 aggregate victory over Young Boys of Switzerland and, while that might superficially suggest Premier League strength in depth -- Roberto Martinez's team currently sit 12th in the table as they contemplate Sunday's visit to Arsenal -- the rest of the evidence from the Europa League tells a less flattering story.
Of the last 16, no fewer than five clubs come from Italy's top ten -- Roma, Napoli, Inter, Fiorentina and Torino -- while even Ukraine, a country with more important things than soccer on its mind as pro-Russian forces seek to tear it further apart, has two survivors -- Dnipro and Dynamo Kiev -- to England's one.
The timing's bad, too, for the Premier League has been basking in pride over a new and hugely improved domestic television deal with Sky and BT Sport. It has been worked out that television revenue from next season will average more than $15 million per game. Seems a lot, doesn't it, for a product that cannot prove itself head-to-head superior to equivalents from Turkey, let alone Italy. As one London critic succinctly tweeted, "The highest-grossing movies aren't necessarily the best."
A little pricking of hype's bubble shouldn't do too much harm and it is fair -- if somewhat clutching at straws -- to point out that Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as Chelsea, remain in the Champions League. City, having lost 2-1 at home to Barcelona, will surely make their exit at Camp Nou, while Arsenal face a 3-1 deficit at the Stade Louis II in Monaco. At least Chelsea are slight favorites to go through to the last eight and will start at 1-1 against Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge. But Chelsea have looked by far the best team in England this season.
While Jose Mourinho's men take a weekend off from the Premier League race -- they face Tottenham in the Capital One League Cup final at Wembley -- there is a possibility that their position as leaders could be strengthened. If Manchester City, the only serious challenger for the title, lose to Liverpool at Anfield, the gap will stay at five points but City will have only 11 games left to play and Chelsea 12.
It could easily work out that way, for Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers have been in consistently good domestic form since before Christmas, unbeaten in 14 games in the League and FA Cup. "Our objective this season was to win a cup," Rodgers said after the Istanbul disappointment. One down, one to go as Liverpool have a winnable game at home to Blackburn in the FA Cup quarterfinals. But of at least equal importance is another entry into the Champions League and they are now only two points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and three behind Arsenal in third.
Both of those teams will feel the pressure if Rodgers's team can overcome the champions. Arsenal face Everton immediately afterwards and, while United may feel that they have a more routine fixture at home to Sunderland the day before, there's a forthcoming collision of the English game's most bitter rivals at Anfield -- March 22, mark the date -- that is unlikely to be suitable for the faint-hearted.
It's strange. No sooner have we acknowledged that the Premier League may not always live up to its world-class billing than the juices start to flow again. The reason is that, although our teams are regularly found out by well prepared European opponents, the intensity of internal competition makes for exceptional entertainment, or at least the prospect of it. When Liverpool run out to face City, with the flags and scarves held aloft and "You'll Never Walk Alone" hitting the rafters, there won't be many worrying about the Premier League's European co-efficient.
City have something to prove, too. If they win, they're two points off Chelsea and at least notionally back in contention. They missed Yaya Toure against Barcelona -- he was suspended -- and his return could be a key factor. A comeback from injury by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is less certain but this, too, could be important. Liverpool may not rule Europe like they did 30 -- or even 10 -- years ago and City never have. But listen to the noise they will make this weekend. Feel the excitement. There's more to life than Europe.
