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Banana skin?

Nevertheless, the US proved to be a banana skin for European banks in the past.

The UK’s Midland Bank, now part of HSBC, suffered from its acquisition of Crocker in California and Natwest had problems with its Bancorp subsidiary in New Jersey.

In 2002, Allied Irish Banks was hit by a currency trading scandal at its US subsidiary, Allfirst.

This month, HSBC was forced to issue the first profit warning in its recent history after suffering bad debts that were worse than expected in risky mortgages underwritten by Household, the consumer finance business it took over in 2003.

- European banks are hungry for expansion in the US, but the country has proved to be a banana skin in the past, FT.com, February 17, 2007.

2. In The Times, Paul Joyce remarks that Liverpool’s attacking edge has been blunted significantly.

“That early-season momentum when opponents were swatted aside with contemptuous ease feels like a trick of the mind given the struggles since the turn of the year as they have stuttered to a standstill,” he writes.

“There is no more cutting slight than to be dismissed as nearly men but, following on from two final defeats last season, and the hard-luck stories during Brendan Rodgers’ reign, this group is in danger of being saddled with such a tag.

“Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Wolverhampton Wanderers is a banana skin and next Tuesday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Chelsea could draw a line through their title challenge. The heady optimism of the New Year’s Day victory over Manchester City has quickly dissipated.