When Norwich City headed to Manchester United on October 1, not very many people gave them a chance. Then again, no one gave them a chance to be in the top league this year, as the team has jumped two divisions in the past two years.

From playing football that was on the fringe of irrelevancy, the Canaries were facing off against the most popular team in the world. And the world took note.

For the first half, Norwich was the better side. They kept attackers like Wayne Rooney contained and even managed some attempts at goal themselves. By the end of the match, Norwich had managed several clear-cut chances. Anthony Pilkington was superb all game, sitting on the defence and snatching balls. He stole a ball right off of Antonio Valencia's foot and his resulting shot just skimmed the post. Later, he directed a well hit ball towards goal, only to have come off a defender and hit the woodwork. The match ended 2-0 for Manchester, but it wasn't the Reds who took the headlines; it was all about Norwich and how they were unlucky not to get anything out of the game.

It's hard not to get romantic with teams like the Canaries; a true underdog who are in above their head, and playing above it too. In fact, there are plenty of teams just like Norwich holding their own across Europe. With Swansea's win and QPR's loss, all three promoted teams sit in the top half of the table in England. This anomaly isn't just limited to the Premier League.

In fact, the underdogs are taking European leagues by storm. Out of the five big leagues in Europe, there are 14 newly promoted clubs this season. Out of the 14, only three currently sit in the drop zone. This is crucial because we see teams that are vulnerable for the drop getting the points they need when they can get them. To say these teams are locked in to playing another year in the big leagues would be a stretch, but these early points will be huge factor in how the table shapes in May.

Besides, who doesn't like rooting for the little guy? Last year, Blackpool popularized the offensive style of play for promoted teams. The trend for promoted teams has moved from the scrappy defensive style to an open, go-forit- all mentality. It makes the games easy to watch, and makes getting behind a team even easier. The giants may dominate the sport, but never count out the underdog.

Other stories: Looks like Carlos Tevez may have played his last game for Man City. After refusing to play during a Champions League game, City has suspended him until January (conveniently, when the transfer window opens). Vancouver opened the brand new BC Place stadium against the Timbers on October 2. Keeper Joe Cannon called out his teammates, reminding them they are playing for their jobs after a 1-0 loss. With the expansion draft looming, hopefully they can kick it into gear at the end of the season.