Villa completed the signing Warnock

Aston Villa completed the signing of Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock on Thursday night for an undisclosed fee - believed to be around £8 million.

Warnock has put pen to paper on a four-year contract which will keep him at Villa Park until the summer of 2013.

The 27 year-old passed a medical and agreed personal terms on Thursday afternoon and could come into contention for Sunday's home Premier League game with Fulham.

O'Neill, who signed Newcastle defender Habib Beye earlier this month, is also set to add Manchester City skipper Richard Dunne to his squad.

Villa have reached agreement with City over the fee for 29-year-old Dunne.

Warnock underwent a medical and agreed personal terms at Villa earlier on Thursday ahead of making the move to Midlands club.

A Villa statement reads: "Aston Villa have completed the signing of Stephen Warnock on a four-year deal.

"We can also confirm that a fee has been agreed with Manchester City for defender Richard Dunne. The player will now discuss terms on a move to Villa Park."

Warnock has made 87 appearances in two years at Ewood Park since moving from Liverpool.

He earned his one England cap to date as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago during the summer of 2008.

O'Neill has been searching relentlessly to strengthen his back four after inspirational captain Martin Laursen was forced to retire through injury.

His numbers were further reduced after he agreed to off-load central defender Zat Knight to Bolton.

Villa also agreed a fee with Portsmouth for Sylvain Distin but he is likely to move to Everton as a replacement for Joleon Lescott.

Dunne is not the paciest of defenders but a solid sort of player who will compliment the club's only other two centre-backs Carlos Cuellar and Curtis Davies who is dogged by a shoulder problem.

O'Neill has so far spent only a net £6 million after buying Stewart Downing, Fabian Delph and Habib Beye for £21 million and off-loading Gareth Barry and Knight for a combined £15 million.

But the Midlands club will splash out up to £8 million for Warnock plus £6 million for Dunne.

Dunne has spent the last nine years at City, clocking up close to 300 appearances, but the arrival of Kolo Toure and Lescott means his days look numbered as a first choice player.

He is a whole-hearted and committed player who has been sent off eight times in the Premier League, equalling the record number of dismissals held by Patrick Vieira and Duncan Ferguson.

Warnock is relishing the challenge of breaking into the Barclays League top four after making the move from Blackburn to Villa.

He told AVTV: "The main aim is pushing for that top four spot. That's the ambition.

"The manager is buying some really talented players - young and ambitious - and I'm sure they will see that top four spot as a target and goal.

"Playing in Europe is important - playing against the top players on the continent is fantastic - and there's no better stage to do that than on the Champions League.

"If we could do that, it would be a great achievement."

Distin agrees Everton deal

Everton have agreed a deal to sign defender Sylvain Distin from Portsmouth. Everton are armed with funds after selling Joleon Lescott to Manchester City for £22 million, and Distin will be effectively a like-for-like replacement. The fee involved has not been disclosed, but 31-year-old Distin has agreed a three-year contract and will sign - providing he passes his medical.

Everton chief executive Robert Elstone said: "After Sylvain made it clear his preferred destination was Goodison, the chairman [Bill Kenwright] moved quickly to finalise the deal - and Sylvain is now on his way to Merseyside to undergo a medical."

GAMEWEEK 3 Result

Chelsea aim on Jonathan de Guzman

Arnesen watched 21-year-old forward De Guzman score twice for the Rotterdam side in their 4-0 home win over Roda JC at the weekend.

And Arnesen believes Chelsea can sign the Dutch under-21 international on £4 million deal.

De Guzman, first watched by Chelsea two years ago, only has one year left on his contract. Chelsea signed Salomon Kalou from the same club three years ago.

Meanwhile, David Beckham has been linked with a surprise reunion with Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.

Beckham was a success under Ancelotti at AC Milan, and former England manager Glenn Hoddle believes the pair could again work together at Stamford Bridge.

"Ancelotti used him well at Milan, so who knows? He could end up at Chelsea. I think he’d be under the nose of Capello, and at Chelsea with Ancelotti there...he’s worked with him before," said Hoddle.

“He’s obviously got to look at whether David can add something to his squad. But it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

“All he’s got to do is find a home for a short period of time where he’s at a standard where the manager’s happy that he’s shown he’s capable of playing against the best in the world. What better place is there for him to do that than in the Premier League?”

Villa have agreed a fee for Richard Dunne

Aston Villa have agreed a fee with Manchester City for defender Richard Dunne.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international is now negotiating with Villa over personal terms.

Dunne's future at Eastlands looked uncertain following the arrival of Joleon Lescott from Everton this week.

Dunne was in the team that defeated newly-promoted Wolves last weekend but that looks likely to have been his final match for City.

Club captain Dunne joined City from Everton for £3 million in October 2000.

It was Stuart Pearce who handed him the captain's armband at the start of the 2006/07 season.

Dunne was on the pitch for every minute of every game that season, both league and cup, and went on to land fans' player-of-the-season honours for the third successive time. Twelve months later, he made history by picking up the coveted award for the fourth time.

The big defender continued as City captain under Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes and is still a vital member of the Republic of Ireland team.

Burnley 1 - 0 Manchester United

Robbie Blake, centre, celebrates his early goal for Burnley

Sir Alex Ferguson discovered the true cost of his decision to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid as Robbie Blake's first-half goal sent his toothless champions to defeat at Turf Moor.

Blake, the journeyman forward who cost Burnley just £250,000 when rejoining the club from Leeds United in 2007, marked Turf Moor's first top flight fixture for 33 years with a goal to fit the occasion, scoring with a blistering 18th minute volley.

But despite the romance of Burnley's famous victory, United only had themselves to blame.

Michael Carrick's missed penalty, Michael Owen's painful search for form and Wayne Rooney's frustration almost earning a red card as a result of a brutal late challenge on Tyrone Mears were the sorry tale of United's evening.

And it was a night when the absence of Ronaldo was telling. The Portuguese would certainly have fancied his chances from the penalty spot and, as Burnley tired late in the game, he would have relished the opportunity to put Owen Coyle's team to the sword.

For all of his faults, Ronaldo was deadly against lesser mortals. United are simply not the same without him.

Burnley chairman Barry Kilby had declared prior to this game that his club were the 'Sandinistas of the Premier League' due to this determination that Owen Coyle's team strike a blow for the little man against the established order, but the top tier of English football is no easy place to break the mould.

Stoke City afforded Burnley a reality check by sending the promoted outfit to an opening day defeat at the weekend and United, with a recent record of 17 successive victories against promoted teams, would surely emerge unbowed from Turf Moor.

But the champions were strangely impotent in the first-half as Burnley, spurred on by the bearpit atmosphere, dominated and deservedly took the lead through Blake's stunning volley.

Ferguson's starting XI certainly encouraged Burnley to be adventurous. With Ji-sung Park and Anderson deployed on both flanks, United lacked the attacking instinct of Nani and Antonio Valencia. How they could have done with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The home side took advantage and £3 million record signing Steven Fletcher and Chris McCann both went close with efforts inside the United penalty area before Blake scored Burnley's first top-flight goal since 1976.

United, missing the injured Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic at the heart of their back four, allowed Martin Paterson to collect Wade Elliott's pass twelve yards from Ben Foster's goal, but the England goalkeeper blocked Paterson's initial shot.

The danger was not cleared, however, and after two scuffed United attempts to kick the ball to safety, Blake opened the scoring with a vicious right-foot volley from close range that arrowed past Foster at the near post.

Turf Moor shook with Blake's goal, but the noise levels did not subside and Burnley capitalised on the raucous backing by continuing to push United onto the back foot.

Fletcher attempted to beat Foster with scissor-kick on 23 minutes before United finally gained a foothold in midfield, with Wayne Rooney dropping back to orchestrate attacking forays.

Rooney twice shot wide from 25 yards, prompting ironic chants of 'You're not Robbie Blake!' from the Burnley supporters, but United were not seriously testing goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Owen, in front of the watching Fabio Capello, directed a glancing header wide from a Wes Brown cross before the United forward's pass to Patrice Evra on 45 minutes led to referee Alan Wiley awarding the visitors a penalty as a result of Blake's rash challenge on the French full-back.

Here was United's chance, yet instead of grasping the opportunity to score his 100th United goal, Rooney allowed Carrick to take the spot-kick. Bad decision.

Jensen's penalty shoot-out heroics against Chelsea in the Carling Cup last season underlined his ability to outfox opponents from 12 yards and the Dane made easy work of saving Carrick's penalty.

Burnley's challenge in the second-half was merely to hold out. Without Ronaldo, United lack the lethal pace on the counter attack that so often rescued them in the past, but in Rooney and Ryan Giggs, they still possessed the players capable of killing the home side with a pass.

And as United pushed Burnley deeper and deeper, the cracks began to show in Coyle's team. Graham Alexander, at 37 the Premier League's oldest outfield player, was tiring in midfield and the back four found itself under increasing pressure.

Park had a shot blocked, Rooney sent another long range strike off target and Jensen kept out Park's low drive from 20 yards with a fine diving save.

Ferguson withdrew the ineffective Owen and sent on Dimitar Berbatov, but Burnley merely stiffened their resolve and midfielders became defenders as the clock ticked towards a nervous finale.

And despite their obvious fatigue, Burnley held on to record their first victory over United since 1968.

Hull City 1 - 5 Tottenham Hotspur

Jermaine Defoe's hat-trick at Hull made it two wins out of two for Tottenham

From the ridiculous to the sublime. It took Tottenham 10 games to win six points last season; after two outings of the new campaign they boast an impeccable record and sit joint top at the of the Premier League. Having suffered their worst ever start last season, Spurs can now boast, albeit after just two games, their best start since 1965.

Jermaine Defoe led the rout with the season’s first hat-trick, highlighted by a quite stunning third in added time, while Wilson Palacios and Robbie Keane completed this wrecking job. Arsenal made have shocked Everton with a 6-1 win last weekend but Spurs came close.

Tottenham, buoyed by their opening day victory over Liverpool, started strongly with Robbie Keane – and his vivid yellow boots – controlling the game from a deep attacking position.

Peter Crouch had to settle, again, for a strating place on the bench and with only six minutes played Defoe came lose to an opener, the England striker’s delicate chip floating just over Boaz Myhill’s cross bar.

Hull, who gave home debuts to Stephen Hunt, Steven Mouyokolo and Seyi Olofinjana, were struggling to match Defoe’s pace and trickery and when he gave Spurs a 10th minute lead it came as little surprise.

Tom Huddlestone’s low forward pass found Defoe too easily and after easing away from Michael Turner, who found the bottom right-hand corner in sublime fashion.

Hull had shocked Chelsea on Saturday by taking the lead but this time they were the side being embarrassed, with Palacios receiving Keane’s 14th minute ball before finishing in similar fashion.

Spurs’ joy at such an impressive start was tempered by the departure, three minutes after the second goal, of goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. He damaged an ankle as he went to gather a ball and was replaced by Carlo Cudicini, making his first Spurs appearance since February, curiously at the KC Stadium.

Hull made a change of their own soon afterwards, with Daniel Cousin sacrificed in an attempt to halt Spurs’ march – Geovanni replaced him – but the striker was not impressed and refused to shake the hand of manager Phil Brown.

But the change brought immediate returns. Hunt’s free-kick caused confusion in a defence missing Ledley King and, with Geovanni in close attendance, Cudicini was guilty of letting the bouncing ball find his net.

However, Spurs restored their two-goal advantage in the final minute of the first half when Alan Hutton and Keane combined for Defoe, who outstripped Turner before finishing in sublime fashion.

Hull, who started their first season in such devastating form with six wins from their opening nine games, made another change, replacing Mouyokolo with former Spurs favourite Nicky Barmby, with Bernard Mendy dropping to right-back.

Spurs, though, continued to dominate with 12 minutes remaining, Aaron Lennon’s cross was headed home by Keane. But the best came last with Defoe’s stunning strike in added time.

Birmingham City 1 - 0 Portsmouth

Portsmouth's plight is mirrored in their players' shirts, which are sponsored by a job website and manufactured by a company that has since gone bankrupt. The fare they offered on Wednesday night had a similarly bargain basement feel as Birmingham's James McFadden - picture (struck with an injury-time penalty to send them to a second straight defeat.

Sulaiman al-Fahim was at St Andrew's, the prospective Portsmouth owner studying the threadbare condition of his latest investment and wondering, presumably, what on earth he has let himself in for. He might have concluded, with chief executive Peter Storrie sitting next to him and reportedly considering other ownership options, that any rivals were welcome to the club.

This Portsmouth side have had the creative heart ripped out of them and in Birmingham they found opponents of limited attacking ambition, rewarded fortuitously by a late penalty. As the ball looped off Younes Kaboul in the six-yard area, David James came to clear with a punch and barged over Sebastian Larsson in the process. Referee Lee Probert debated for several seconds before pointing to the spot, and McFadden dispatched the kick with aplomb.

It was cruel on James, who had made an inspired one-handed save in the 77th minute from substitute Kevin Phillips' first-time volley. Until that point Sebastian Larsson had come the closest to a breakthrough, when he connected with a crisp cross from the left by Gregory Vignal, but the Swede's header sailed over. Jerome remained his typical tenacious self, ruffling James enough for the England goalkeeper to slice a clearance horribly.

Kranjcar tested his luck from long range, but still Birmingham displayed the greater urgency. Manager Alex McLeish sought to inject greater pace in the second half by bringing on Kevin Phillips for Jerome, but it was Joe Hart who should have worried him more, the goalkeeper flapping badly at a Nadir Belhadj free-kick. At the other end James stood tall, save for one costly rush of blood - a bitter end, indeed.

Wigan 0 - 1 Wolverhampton

Andy Keogh's header spoiled Wigan manager Roberto Martinez's 'homecoming' as Wolves outfought the hosts to win at the DW Stadium.

The Republic of Ireland international glanced a sixth-minute header in off a post, having shot against the same upright moments earlier.

Keogh should also have had a penalty 11 minutes after half-time but was booked for diving after going down under Titus Bramble's challenge.

However, his goal was enough to give Mick McCarthy's side their first away victory in 30 Barclays Premier League matches.

On their last appearance in the top flight in 2003/04 they failed to win outside Molineux, losing 12 and drawing seven times.

Wolves fully deserved their win after catching their hosts cold from the opening whistle.

After Jordi Gomez had blazed over Wayne Hennessey's weak punch from a second-minute Jason Koumas free-kick all the chances fell to the visitors.

They should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Keogh, on the left of the area, cut back onto his right foot to curl a shot which rebounded back off the far post.

However, he made up for it soon after by putting his side ahead with the help of the same upright.

Keogh rose above a static Paul Scharner to glance Nenad Milijas' left-wing free-kick past Chris Kirkland and in off the woodwork.

Greg Halford should have made it 2-0 in the 15th minute when Keogh flicked on Milijas' corner but the unmarked midfielder ballooned the ball over from eight yards.

Gomez headed in Charles N'Zogbia's right-wing free-kick only to be flagged offside in a rare attack against a visiting side which had enjoyed all the early play.

Wigan began to fight their way back and sprang into life in a two-minute spell late in the half as N'Zogbia had a shot deflected over, Gomez fired the resulting corner into a crowd of players and Bramble headed another corner wide.

In that same period N'Zogbia had their best chance of the game when he ran on to Hugo Rodallega's flick on only to shoot tamely at Hennessy.

Wigan began the second half with much more purpose, Rodallega curling a free-kick at Hennessey after Koumas was fouled by Stearman having charged down a clearance.

However, 11 minutes in came a moment of controversy when referee Mick Jones booked Keogh for diving in the penalty area when it appeared Bramble had just caught him with an outstretched foot.

Stearman was booked in the 72nd minute for going in late on N'Zogbia before Karl Henry produced an inch-perfect tackle in the penalty area to deny Scotland.

Wigan stepped up the pressure and Rodallega's first-time shot from Mario Melchiot's pass was deflected wide by Jody Craddock while substitute Jason Scotland's low cross evaded his Colombian team-mate and N'Zogbia.

Another substitute Scott Sinclair headed Gomez's cross agonisingly wide at the far post and Scharner fired over in the last chances of the game as battling Wolves held on to record their first points of the season.

It left Wigan manager Martinez to work out how to find a way to get his side to turn their vastly superior second-half possession into clear-cut chances.

Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti picked up his first BPL away win as Chelsea were once again made to come from behind to claim victory.

Despite dominating the first half, the visitors went in at the break trailing to Darren Bent's second goal in as many games for Sunderland.

But once Michael Ballack had fired them back on level terms within seven minutes of the restart they never looked back.

Frank Lampard handed them the lead from the penalty spot nine minutes later and Deco's sweet 70th-minute strike proved more than enough to see off the Black Cats.

Steve Bruce's men, as well as the bulk of a crowd of 41,179, had dared to hope a first win over one of the big four since their return to the top flight was on the cards after Bent's 18th-minute opener.

But ultimately they were well beaten as the Blues belatedly rediscovered the form that largely deserted them at the weekend.

Having seen what Hull did to Chelsea on Saturday, when they were only denied a point at Stamford Bridge by Didier Drogba's injury-time winner, Bruce set out to do exactly the same.

By the time he got his players back into the dressing room at half-time, things could hardly have gone much better.

The visitors, who replaced Ricardo Carvalho with Branislav Ivanovic at the back - perhaps in an attempt to limit the blossoming Bent-Kenwyne Jones partnership - and introduced Ballack, Deco and Salomon Kalou further up the field, understandably dominated possession.

But, crucially, they were unable to make the pressure tell as the Black Cats defended from the front in numbers and with real tenacity.

However, they also managed to force their way ahead in what proved to be a rare excursion behind the Chelsea defence.

The visitors may have considered themselves a little unfortunate when Jones' 18th-minute shot on the turn, which was blocked at source by Ivanovic, ran invitingly into Bent's path.

But Michael Essien was caught cold as the striker, who adopted a position wide on the left for much of the game, pounced to slide a shot past keeper Petr Cech.

Chelsea's response was committed, but largely toothless, Deco sending a 21st-minute snap-shot well wide as Marton Fulop enjoyed a relatively comfortable opening 45 minutes.

However, he needed the help of Lee Cattermole, like Bent making his debut at the Stadium of Light, to preserve his clean sheet seven minutes before the break.

Deco's corner was cleared to Ballack on the edge of the penalty area and his stinging volley looked destined for the back of the net until the midfielder, who had been stationed at the back post for the set-piece, cleared off the line.

The home side left the pitch to warm applause at the break but neither they nor the supporters who cheered their efforts expected anything other than a backlash from the visitors when the teams returned to resume hostilities.

Chelsea picked up exactly where they had left off, pinning Sunderland back and probing for a way through.

Lampard drilled a long-range shot into the side-netting within seconds and then provided the cross from which Ivanovic forced Fulop into his first save of the game with a 49th-minute downward header.

Drogba powered a header just over the bar from the resulting corner and youngster Jordan Henderson got a vital toe to a Lampard cross to deny Ashley Cole a clear sight of goal.

However, the breakthrough finally arrived with 52 minutes gone when Ivanovic climbed to help on Lampard's corner and Ballack steered a left-foot volley past Cattermole, who was unable to repeat his heroics on the post.

Chelsea sensed their opportunity and flexed their muscles once again, and they took the lead only nine minutes later.

Drogba's trickery tempted George McCartney into an untidy challenge inside the box and referee Steve Bennett had little choice but to point to the spot.

Lampard stepped up to send Fulop the wrong way and ease the visitors in front for the first time on the night.

Drogba could have wrapped up the points with 23 minutes remaining but headed Ashley Cole's inviting cross down into the turf and over the bar, but Sunderland's respite was short-lived.

There were 20 minutes remaining when full-back Jose Bosingwa found Deco on the edge of the penalty area, and he took a controlling touch before firing home a third goal off the foot of the post from 18 yards.

Sunderland battled all the way to the whistle but the contest was over long before Bennett put them out of their misery.

GAMEWEEK 2 Result

Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool

Instant hero: Tottenham debutant Sebastien Bassong scored the winner against Liverpool after Steven Gerrard had equalised from the penalty spot

Eyes blazing, arms outstretched, Rafael Benitez appealed to the referee for a penalty in the dying moments of the game yesterday with the kind of fervour that put him in contravention of any number of Football Association and Premier League respect campaigns. One game gone and Liverpool are feeling the heat.

Benitez's assistant manager, Sammy Lee, was sent off by the referee Phil Dowd a minute later on the advice of fourth official Stuart Attwell. Fernando Torres kicked out at Tom Huddlestone and Lucas Leiva weighed in with a shove to the Tottenham midfielder's chest. But when the whistle went for full-time the rest of the Premier League's big four had left Liverpool in the blocks.
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Benitez had calmed down by the time he reached his post-match press conference but his feelings had not changed on Dowd or Attwell. The first, he indicated, needed to check his eyesight for the penalty he failed to give against Benoît Assou-Ekotto; the latter, he said, was just too young to be officiating in the Premier League. The FA's Respect campaign has already got its work cut out with Benitez.

To his credit, Benitez did not try to pretend that Liverpool deserved to win just three months after they dispatched Spurs 3-1 at Anfield on the last day of the league season. Something was just not right in the heart of the team, they were outfought by Harry Redknapp's players and the malaise manifested in silly mistakes, like the clash of heads between Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in the first half that left both of them off the pace.

Certainly, neither of Liverpool's centre-backs got anywhere near Sébastien Bassong, who scored the first goal of his career on his Spurs league debut with a beautifully poised header on 56 minutes. Benitez would surely have replaced Skrtel earlier if he had a better alternative on the bench than the untried 18-year-old Daniel Sanchez Ayala, who was eventually sent on when the disoriented Skrtel could play no more.

It is early days yet for Liverpool bu,t with the exception of the excellent Glen Johnson at right-back, there was little about them that could be argued was an improvement on last season. When Benitez was chasing the game with another attacking player he had no option but to bring on Andrei Voronin, who is no more effective than when he was sent on loan a year ago.

It would be inaccurate to put a defeat like this down to the absence of Xabi Alonso alone but his departure has undoubtedly made Liverpool weaker. There were other elements too: Steven Gerrard, fit again having missed England's game on Wednesday, was strangely quiet apart from his penalty equaliser; Torres hardly had a chance and Ryan Babel failed to seize his opportunity.

Only Pepe Reina could be said to have played anywhere near his best, saving brilliantly from Robbie Keane twice in the first half as his team-mates failed to take charge. In the course of a Premier League season, August form can be misleading but the early signs for another run at their first title in 20 years say that Liverpool have work to do.

They came up against a Tottenham team who, despite their new players, looked unusually well-drilled for a club that has endured some uniquely chaotic starts to the season. Ledley King was the pick of the home team, a magnificent presence in the centre of defence who offered a masterclass in how to keep Torres quiet, alongside a very composed Bassong.

Having watched his team "absolutely slaughtered" by Liverpool at White Hart Lane last season Spurs still won the game Redknapp said that this time they had encountered a very different Benitez side. They had set out to press and unsettle them and without Alonso and, as Redknapp said, his "ability to pass the ball round corners", Liverpool found themselves suffocated in midfield

Redknapp made the decision to start without his new £9m signing Peter Crouch and in his absence Keane missed three chances in the first half that he might usually have been expected to score. Nevertheless, Keane was part of a monumental effort from his side to close his former club down all over the pitch. When Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko came on as late substitutes, Spurs showed that their attacking strength runs a lot deeper than Liverpool's.

Spurs' first goal was not only the first for Assou-Ekotto in three years at the club, it was also the first in a career of more than 110 senior games and this one was worth waiting for. Huddlestone's free-kick cannoned into the wall and from there Assou-Ekotto took one touch to control it before dispatching it with his left foot into the top right-hand corner of Reina's goal.

Spurs were in control of the game at half-time and it needed a moment of individual excellence to drag Liverpool back into it. As the League's best paid full-back, Johnson has some pressure on him but he delivered in the 54th minute, surging past Huddlestone and Assou-Ekotto before going past Heurelho Gomes, who brought him down. Gerrard, taunted by the Spurs fans over his court case last month, thundered home the penalty.

That might have been the cue for Liverpool to go on and win it but it was Spurs who regained the lead just before the hour. Luka Modric's free-kick came from the right and Bassong got above Johnson and Carragher to head the ball past Reina.

Of the two penalty appeals for Liverpool the first looked borderline. Assou-Ekotto eased Voronin off the ball as the striker ran in on goal; then minutes later the same Spurs full-back appeared to handle the ball.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios, Modric (O'Hara, 84); Defoe (Pavlyuchenko, 90), Keane (Crouch, 68). Substitutes not used: Hutton, Bentley, Naughton, Cudicini (gk). Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel (Ayala, 75), Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt (Voronin, 79), Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun, 68); Torres. Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Spearing, Kelly, Dossena. Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire). Booked: Tottenham Lennon, Assou-Ekotto; Liverpool Mascherano, Carragher. Man of the match: King. Attendance: 35,935.

Man United 1-0 Birmingham

The destinies of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo have been bound together once before in a World Cup season, with a certain dismissal and a wink as England's hopes of glory were extinguished three years ago. That was the endgame played out in Germany but as a new season unfolds we have evidence already that the world's most expensive player may have laid the groundwork for a tournament to remember for England's most potent striker. Freed from the yoke of the left wing by Ronaldo's departure, Rooney has finally been allocated that small area of turf in the penalty area which he has so coveted and his natural instinct for finding space there is proving as valuable for Sir Alex Ferguson as he always told him it would be.

Alex McLeish, the vanquished Birmingham manager put it best last night when he placed Rooney in the same bracket as Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini. "We've seen them over the years, players who drop into all the little pockets and are hard to pin down," McLeish said. "If he faces up you have to watch out, he has a vicious shot on him." Last season, it took Rooney until October to score twice but yesterday's instinctive strike, the striker pouncing on the rebound having leapt acrobatically to head Nani's fine 34th-minute cross on to a post, takes him there already, if you count his Community Shield goal too.

Rooney has that tendency to score in spurts but he is looking like a 30-goals-a-season man already. "A very significant total this season," is what Sir Alex Ferguson said he expected, last night. "He is capable of [30], we've seen that. It's not impossible."

While Rooney stands a goal short of 100 for United, Michael Owen would give the earth for just one. The anticipation he showed to react to Rooney's cushioned chest pass and race through on goal in second-half injury time shows that he has an understanding with Rooney which Berbatov despite his markedly better workrate does not. Time stood still at Old Trafford as Owen advanced but the ensuing miss Owen snatching nervily where in days past he would have skipped past Joe Hart was agonising. "He will get his goal and it will set him on the road," his manager said.

Hart's alertness was a contributory factor though and part of an absorbing subplot involving him and Ben Foster, contenders for the England goalkeeping jersey next summer. "I know it's his ambition to play in the World Cup, and what better incentive?" McLeish said of the 22-year-old who is keeping the established Maik Taylor out.

Foster knows from his experiences in the relegated Watford side of three years ago that Hart's year-long loan from Manchester City will provide a chance to catch the eye. Each matched the other, save for save; Hart leaping to palm over a 12-yard chip from Rooney in the first quarter of an hour and to parry wide a 45-yard shot the striker let go in the first minute of the second half. Rooney's industry was endless. Foster responded with something marginally finer – palming wide after Wes Brown had allowed Christian Benitez to spring United's offside trap. "Benitez denies United": the headline writers were denied an opportunity too. It was a save which atoned for Foster's shaky Community Shield performance. "I think he has learned from last week, which was an unusually nervy performance from him," Ferguson said.

United's 10 clean sheets delivered them the title last season and Ferguson, who said he would "take eight 1-0s," was right to take some pleasure because James McFadden and Cameron Jerome were threatening and it took a gravity defying headed goalline clearance from Patrice Evra to keep out Franck Queudrue's header. There are more defensive challenges ahead. Rio Ferdinand will be missing for at least two weeks after sustaining a thigh injury in training on Friday and Jonny Evans, who has had ankle and groin trouble, was withdrawn injured though Ferguson hopes Nemanja Vidic will be fit for Wigan on Saturday.

Nani's removal at half-time is another concern as the 22-year-old is United's new tale of the unexpected. And eclipsing all but Rooney was Darren Fletcher, at 25, two years older than the matchwinner but starting to set the world on fire in United's midfield nearly a decade after joining as a trainee. The new banners for the Old Trafford entrance, replacing those which depicted a grinning Ryan Giggs and others clutching the European Cup, extol the virtues of the Manchester United Soccer Schools. "Learn to play the United Way," they state. A prescient message considering what the Ferguson youth are providing. Did someone say Ronaldo was missing?

Manchester United (4-4-2): Foster; F Da Silva, O'Shea, Evans (Brown, 75), Evra; Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani (Giggs, h-t); Rooney, Berbatov (Owen, 75). Substitutes not used: Anderson, Gibson, Kuszczak (gk), De Laet.

Birmingham City (4-1-4-1): Hart; Carr, R Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal; Carsley (Benitez, 75); Larsson (O'Shea, 82), Ferguson, Fahey, McFadden; Jerome (O'Connor, 65). Substitutes not used: Maik Taylor (gk), O'Connor, Phillips, McSheffrey, Parnaby.

Referee: L Mason (Lancashire).
Booked: Birmingham City Vignal; Manchester Utd Fletcher.
Man of the match: Rooney.
Attendance: 75,062

Everton 1 - 6 Arsenal

Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen (No 5) celebrates after scoring the second of Arsenal's six goals

A summer of whispering doubt, silenced. Arsenal started this season apparently clutching desperately to their place at the Premier League’s top table, hoping against hope for a future that may never arrive. Within 41 minutes, it was evident rumours of their demise had been greatly exaggerated. Fighting for fourth? Threatened by the Eastlands oil billions? A club crippled by the forlorn hope of its stubborn manager? Arsène knows.

It is easy to get carried away at this time of the year. It is in mid-August when bold predictions are made. Yet it is no exaggeration to say that none of Manchesters United and City, Chelsea or Liverpool will come to Goodison Park and demolish Everton in as imperious a fashion as Arsene Wenger’s side.

The scoreline was, if anything, kind to David Moyes’s side. Denilson opened the scoring with a beautiful 20-yard shot from Cesc Fàbregas’s cut-back, Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas headed home unmarked from inviting free kicks and Fàbregas, deservingly, rolled the ball under Tim Howard after Robin van Persie set him clear just after the interval to complete the humiliation. He added the fifth with 20 minutes to go. The artistry of Wenger’s protégés, though, cannot be distilled into pure numbers.

The Frenchman’s revamped 4-2-3-1 formation purred, his attacking quartet interchanging positions and possession with effortless grace. Fàbregas orchestrated play and dictated tempo, inflicting the death by a thousand cuts which accounted for Everton’s defence. As the Spaniard milked the adulation of Arsenal’s travelling support after adding the fourth, his vanquished opponents stood awestruck.

Even amid the joy, Fabregas found time, after jauntily skipping through Everton’s midfield to add the fifth, to run to the bench and hold aloft a shirt bearing the name of Daniel Jarque, the Espanyol captain and Fabregas’s fellow Catalan who died of a heart attack last week. The Arsenal captain’s class extends off the pitch, too, it seems.

Behind him, Alex Song appears to have matured into the natural heir to the much-missed Mathieu Flamini, although that may, in fact, be unkind. Song is more elegant and more creative than the Frenchman.

The aspect that may have pleased Wenger most was the performance of Thomas Vermaelen, the new centre-back derided for a lack of height, who towered over every other player on the field. His reading of the game is expert, his tacking ferocious, his distribution flawless. He took everything Jo, Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill could throw at him. Arsenal’s fans sang his name inside the first 15 minutes. That may be some sort of record.

Had Manchester City been watching, they may have questioned why they want to pay £24 million for Joleon Lescott, who was helpless despite the unflinching support of a Goodison Park crowd who are desperate not to see him leave, when the Belgian international cost half that amount.

To suggest he was at fault for any of the goals would be to stretch a point, but his display was symptomatic of the general malaise which affected Everton here. Moyes suggested on Friday that the saga surrounding the England international’s future has “disrupted” the club. It sounded a cliché at the time, yet his players contrived to somehow bear out the truth in his statement. Moyes needs an end to the saga, and he needs it soon. The prospect of all that money for a player who is, while a fine defender, eminently replaceable, may be more appealing to the Scot this morning than it was 24 hours ago.

Arsenal scored a sixth goal after a shot from Arshavin hit the post and Eduardo tucked home the rebound. Everton managed a consolation through Louis Saha.

Moyes’ squad are a work in progress. Arsenal, on this form, are one nearing completion.

GAMEWEEK 1 Result

Premier League transfer rumours

Every day Fantasy League will scour the newspapers and weblogs to bring you the latest transfer rumours from the Premier League. Who's in, who's out and how will it affect your Fantasy League selection?

Arsenal

Arsenal are interested in signing Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul after his opening day antics for the Magpies on Saturday. However Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has said he has trust in his current squad and that no new signings are immanent.


Aston Villa

Aston Villa have again been linked with a move for Middlesbrough striker Tuncay. Villa boss Martin O'Neill could also be set to renew his interest in Tuncay's Boro team-mate David Wheater. Meanwhile, O'Neill has revealed youngster Fabian Delph is ready to make an immediate impact on the first-team following his arrival from Leeds.


Birmingham

Birmingham have completed the signing of Irish winger James O'Shea from Galway City for an undisclosed fee. The midfielder was Galway's top scorer last year and has now secured his dream move to the Premier League. Birmingham are unlikely to capture fellow Irish winger Stephen Hunt though as it seems Hull City have emerged as favourites to capture the Reading man. It seems Birmingham may opt for a 4-5-1 formation this season with James McFadden playing behind a central striker.


Blackburn

Blackburn may now face competition for the signing of Nantes midfielder Aurelien Capoue from Bolton Wanderers. The player is available for a season-long loan and although some reports had suggested Blackburn were close the deal, it now seems back in the balance. Danish international Michael Silberbauer is another target according to reports in Holland that claim Rovers are tracking the right-midfielder, who is currently playing for Utrecht.


Bolton

Bolton are trying to hijack Blackburn's attempts to sign Nantes midfielder Aurelien Capoue on loan. The Guadeloupe international seemed close to a move to Ewood Park but Gary Megson is now trying to scupper that deal after learning of the 27-year-old's availability.


Burnley

Burnley are looking at launching a bid for Reading defender Andre Bikey, but only a fee of over £2.5m is expected to capture the Cameroon centre-back. Meanwhile Martin Paterson has given the Clarets a boost by returning to full training having missed three weeks of pre-season training.


Chelsea

Reports suggest Chelsea are set to make an offer for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery worth £55m, which would break the British transfer record. Meanwhile, there is also speculation that the Blues' made an unsuccessful bid for Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi.


Everton

Everton have rejected a transfer request from in-demand defender Joleon Lescott. Manchester City have been very aggressive in their attempts to sign the England defender and Lescott has asked to leave, but Toffees boss David Moyes is adamant that no players will be sold.


Fulham

Roy Hodgson has told Arsenal they will have to pay £15m for Brede Hangeland after the defender was linked with a move to the Gunners. However the giant defender has declared that he is in no rush to leave Craven Cottage despite recently turning down a new contract. Meanwhile Fulham edged closer to the £2.5m capture of Almeria striker Kalu Uche.


Hull City

With a deal for Henri Camara almost done, Hull are set to switch their attentions from attack, to midfield and are reportedly interested in Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt. The Tigers are also monitoring former Liverpool midfielder Boudewijn Zenden, who currently plays for Marseille.


Liverpool

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is a doubt for Sunday's trip to Tottenham after pulling out of the England squad with a groin strain. Meanwhile, boss Rafael Benitez believes it could be a huge year for new signing Glen Johnson who he thinks will shine for club and country in this World Cup year.


Manchester City

Manchester City may have to give up on their bid to land Joleon Lescott after Everton rejected a formal transfer request from the defender. Another target, West Ham's Matthew Upson has rejected an offer of a new contract prompting rumours he could be trying to engineer a move to Eastlands. Portsmouth's Sylvain Distin is also reportedly on the radar.


Manchester United

Ben Foster has been forced to pull out of England's friendly with Holland on Wednesday night. The goalkeeper suffered what has been described as a minor injury in the Community Shield defeat to Chelsea. It is another blow in his quest to be Manchester United's number one and he now faces a battle against time to be fit for Sunday's game against Birmingham.


Portsmouth

Portsmouth have approached Lyon with a bid to take Sunderland target John Mensah on a season-long loan deal, although the French club would prefer to sell the player. Niko Kranjcar has announced he will not be signing a new contract, increasing speculation that Pompey could be tempted to cash in now because the Croatian star has just one year left on his current deal.


Stoke City

Everton have rejected a £5m bid from Stoke for young striker James Vaughan according to news sources in Liverpool. Stoke reportedly bid £2m up front for the talented striker with the fee rising to £5m based on appearances. Andy Wilkinson has welcomed speculation linking the club with a new right-back saying he'd welcome the competition.


Sunderland

Sunderland have refused an approach by Coventry City to bring Jordan Henderson back to the Ricoh Arena on a loan deal, as Henderson is expected to feature for the Black Cats in the Premier League this year. Sunderland have also made an offer for Lyon defender John Mensah, although the amount offered so far has failed to meet the French club's valuation.


Tottenham

New signing Sebastian Bassong has been cleared to play for Tottenham against Liverpool on Sunday despite carrying a suspension from his time at Newcastle. The defender was sent off at the end of the season, but Spurs have released a statement saying he is eligible to play for them because he received his red card playing for Newcastle.


West Ham

Radoslav Kovac is set for a permanent move to West Ham after a successful loan spell last season. The Czech midfielder could move in a £1.5m deal from Spartak Moscow. However, as Kovac comes in Matthew Upson could be on his way out with Manchester City planning a tempting £15m for the defender.


Wigan

Wigan midfielder Olivier Kapo is closing in on a move to Nice after finding his first-team opportunities limited at the DW Stadium. With the transfer window open for just another couple of weeks Kapo is keen to get the ball rolling and after hearing of interest from the French club has made his feelings clear.


Wolves

Wolves may beat Portsmouth to the signing of Modeste M'Bami, after the midfielder has been on trial for three weeks at Fratton Park and still hasn't been offered a contract. Meanwhile Wanderers latest pre season friendly ended in defeat when they created a host of chances against Real Valladolid, but lost 2-0.

Alonso, Real Madrid's latest 'galactico'

Xabi Alonso is due to have his medical at the Bernabeu on Wednesday before becoming Real Madrid's latest 'galactico'.

The 27-year-old midfielder flew to the Spanish capital last night after a fee, believed to be £30million, was agreed between Liverpool and Real Madrid to end the summer's longest transfer saga.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez flew with his squad to Norway for tonight's friendly with Lyn Oslo, already working on signing a replacement.

Now Benitez has the cash to spend on his own squad, with one of the hold-ups this week being his insistence on the first instalment of the Alonso fee being paid immediately.

He is believed to want to close a deal to bring in midfielder Alberto Aquilani as Alonso's replacement. Cash-strapped Roma are willing to sell for around £15million and the player is happy with a five-year contract worth around 4million euros a year.

It is believed that the player has agreed personal terms already, but negotiations could not be completed until Alonso was sold.

Benitez is also known to be considering moves for either of Valencia pair David Silva and David Villa. But that could well push his budget to the limits unless he can off-load the likes of Andriy Voronin.

On Tuesday night Liverpool issued a curt statement which brought to an end Alonso's five years on Merseyside.

It read: "Liverpool Football Club this evening confirmed they had reached agreement for the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, subject only to a medical. The terms of the deal will remain confidential and undisclosed."

But although Liverpool will not reveal the details of the deal, privately sources were maintaining that Benitez had got his own way over the fee.

It is believed that Madrid made another attempt to end the deadlock today with an offer of £30million that will rise to £34million depending on Alonso's success over the first two years of a five-year contract.

Alonso had trained with his Liverpool colleagues yesterday afternoon at the club's Melwood complex.

But as the Liverpool party headed for John Lennon airport and a charter flight to Norway, Alonso was heading back to Spain.

Alonso will join his former Liverpool team-mates Alvaro Arbeloa - who moved to Real last week for 3.5million - and goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek at Real.

Alonso and Dudek were part of the famous night in Istanbul when Liverpool lifted the European Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory over AC Milan in 2005.

Now, of the 18 players on the team sheet in Istanbul that night, only Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher are still with the club.

Alonso is believed to have told his manager on the final day of last season that he wanted to return to Spain.

From that point on, Madrid waged a persistent war to sign the player as they assembled a new squad under president Florentino Perez.

With the Alonso deal, Perez will have spent around £220m in two months on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul Albiol, Esteban Granero, Arbeloa, Alvaro Negredo and Karim Benzema.

That haul is Madrid's response to Barcelona's historic treble of Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Cup.

But although Perez did not consider Alonso to be a player who 'will sell shirts', the Spain international has been almost as difficult to prise away from his club as Ronaldo.

Torres is key to everything for Liverpool

As financial troubles bite even harder at Liverpool than most places, keeping Fernando Torres on the pitch more often is key.

Boss Rafael Benitez believes that if Torres and Steven Gerrard both have injury-free seasons, then anything is possible, even if he has not been able to compete at the very highest level for the biggest stars.

Manchester United, with £80million for the Cristiano Ronaldo sale, plus Manchester City and Chelsea can invariably blow Liverpool out of the water with their spending power.

Which means that a confident, fit and firing Torres is key to everything Liverpool aim for next term.

Benitez believes that Torres' frequent absence through a persistent hamstring injury last season cost Liverpool the Premier League title - a trophy they missed by just four points.

And the Spain striker, reckoned by many to be the best striker in the world right now, is nothing if not confident.

Torres said: "I do not say it lightly, but we must think we can be as good or even better than Barcelona.

"It is the belief of everybody at this club that we can become the best and we have really moved forward in the last two seasons.

"There is nowhere else in Europe I want to be. I believe we are on the verge of something special here and I am delighted to commit my future to this club.

"We came very close last season. And next season, with the experience we now have, we know we can go one better. Manchester United are still very strong but we will improve and will have more about us next term.

"Last season we were unlucky with injuries. I am not making excuses but things could have been different. The manager is building and I expect many trophies for Liverpool in the years to come.

"Winning Euro 2008 with Spain was amazing and it made me understand how good the feeling of winning is. It has made me even more hungry for FA Cups, Premier League titles, European Cups - I want them all. And I want to win them all with Liverpool."

And Torres believes that Liverpool can recreate the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s under Benitez.

The 25-year-old agreed a new contract last term to potentially keep him at Anfield until 2014, all because he feels the club is on the verge of "something special".

Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger also signed new deals.

And Torres added: "You would not get top players signing new contracts if they did not think there were good times ahead. I expect many trophies for Liverpool in the years to come.

"The manager will know what he wants and what areas he wants to improve next season, and whatever he decides we know it will be the right choice because all the players and staff here have total trust in him.

"Our aim has to be the best. If we have no desire to be the best in England and in Europe then there is no point even turning up for work.

"Liverpool are just as famous as Barcelona as a football club and even more famous trophy-wise. But we want to make Liverpool as successful in this era as they were in the '70s and '80s."

Red Devils plan to David Silva

Valencia midfielder David Silva has drawn the interest of English champions Manchester United. The Manchester Evening News have reported that the Red Devils plan to make a bid for the Spanish international.

United head honcho Sir Alex Ferguson could finally be dipping into the cash from the Cristiano Ronaldo sale, with a deal looking to be in the region of £20 million.

With Silva's sought-after teammate David Villa off the market, United face competition to acquire the 23-year-old's signature, as bitter rivals Liverpool have shown a keen interest as well.

The rumourmill is still abuzz despite the midfielder repeatedly declaring that he wishes to stay at the Mestalla.

"I don't know anything about the rumors and I insist that I have a contract with Valencia that I wish to fulfill," Silva said.

BPL transfer window 2009/10

Barclays Premier League clubs have been busy in the transfer market over the summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo's world-record £80m switch from Manchester United to Real Madrid captured the headlines with the Red Devils quickly spending some of the income on Wigan Athletic winger Antonio Valencia and also bringing in Michael Owen as a free agent from Newcastle United and Gabriel Obertan for an undisclosed fee from Bordeaux.

Neighbours Manchester City have been eager to bring in new recruits, spending big on Gareth Barry from Aston Villa and Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn Rovers. They have also snapped up Carlos Tevez who left local rivals Manchester United.

New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has brought in Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow while Liverpool have splashed out on Glen Johnson from Portsmouth.

Newly-promoted sides Birmingham City, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all been swift to strengthen in a bid to ensure survival in the top flight.




IN: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, undisclosed)

OUT: Amaury Bischoff (released), Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City, undisclosed), Kolo Toure (Manchester City, undisclosed)





IN: Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough, undisclosed), Fabian Delph (Leeds United, undisclosed)

OUT: Gareth Barry (Manchester City, £12m), Stuart Taylor (Manchester City, undisclosed), Zat Knight (Bolton Wanderers, undisclosed)





IN: Christian Benitez (Santos Laguna, undisclosed), Scott Dann (Coventry City, undisclosed), Joe Hart (Manchester City, loan), Giovanny Espinoza (Barcelona Sporting Club, undisclosed), Roger Johnson (Cardiff City, £5m), Lee Bowyer (West Ham United, free), Barry Ferguson (Glasgow Rangers, £1.25m)

OUT: Mehdi Nafti (Aris, free), Stephen Kelly (Fulham, undisclosed), Robin Shroot (Burton Albion, loan), Radhi Jaidi (released)





IN: Elrio van Heerden (Brugge, undisclosed), Gael Givet (Marseille, undisclosed), Lars Jacobsen (Everton, free), Steven N'Zonzi (Amiens SC, undisclosed), Franco Di Santo (Chelsea, loan)

OUT: Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City, undisclosed), Matt Derbyshire (Olympiakos, undisclosed) Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, free), Josh O'Keefe (Walsall, undisclosed)





IN: Sean Davis (Portsmouth, free transfer), Paul Robinson (West Bromwich Albion, loan), Zat Knight (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Sam Ricketts (Hull City, undisclosed)

OUT: Blerim Dzemaili (Torino, undisclosed)





IN: Steven Fletcher (Hibernian, £3m), David Edgar (Newcastle United, free), Tyrone Mears (Derby County, £500,000), Richard Eckersley (Manchester United, to be decided), Brian Easton (Hamilton Academical, £350,000)

OUT: Chris Mahon (Tranmere Rovers, free)





IN: Daniel Sturridge (Manchester City, undisclosed), Ross Turnbull (Middlesbrough, free), Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow, undisclosed)

OUT: Ben Sahar (Espanyol, undisclosed), Lee Sawyer (Southend United, loan), Slobodan Rajkovic (FC Twente, loan), Sergio Tejera (Real Mallorca, undisclosed), Franco Di Santo (Blackburn Rovers, loan)





IN: Shkodran Mustafi (Hamburg, undisclosed), Anton Peterlin (Ventura County Fusion, undisclosed), Jo (ManchesterCity, loan)

OUT: Lars Jacobsen (Blackburn Rovers, free), Nuno Valente (released) Andy van der Meyde (released)





IN: Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City, undisclosed), Bjorn Helge Riise (Lillestrom, undisclosed)

OUT: Moritz Voltz (released), Collins John (released)





IN: Steven Mouyokolo (Boulogne, undisclosed)

OUT: Dean Windass (released), Ryan France (released), Michael Bridges (released), John Welsh (released), Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers, undisclosed)





IN: Glen Johnson (Portsmouth, undisclosed), Chris Mavinga (Paris St Germain, undisclosed), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid, undisclosed)

OUT: Paul Anderson (Nottingham Forest, £250,000), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid, undisclosed)





IN: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, £12m), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers, undisclosed), Stuart Taylor (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Carlos Tevez (free agent), Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, undisclosed), Kolo Toure (Arsenal, undisclosed)

OUT: Joe Hart (Birmingham City, loan), Gelson Fernandes (St Etienne, undisclosed), Jo (Everton, loan), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea, undisclosed), Danny Mills (released), Dietmar Hamann (released), Michael Ball (released), Darius Vassell (released), Felipe Caicedo (Sporting Lisbon, loan), Ched Evans (Sheffield United, undisclosed), Shaleum Logan (Tranmere Rovers, loan), Elano (Galatasaray, undisclosed), Valeri Bojinov (Parma, loan)





IN: Antonio Valencia (Wigan Athletic, undisclosed), Michael Owen (Newcastle United, free), Gabriel Obertan (Bordeaux, undisclosed), Mame Biram Diouf (Molde FK, undisclosed)

OUT: Carlos Tevez (released), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, £80m), Rodrigo Possebon (Braga, loan), Lee Martin (Ipswich Town, undisclosed), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland, £3.5m rising up to £6m), Richard Eckersley (Burnley, to be decided), Manucho (Real Valladolid, undisclosed)





IN: Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, free), Steve Finnan (Espanyol, free)

OUT: Djimi Traore (Monaco, undisclosed), Glen Johnson (Liverpool, undisclosed), Andre Blackman (Bristol City, free), Sean Davis (Bolton, free), Noe Pamarot (released), Lauren (released), Glen Little (released), Jerome Thomas (released), Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo (Standard Liege, free), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur, undisclosed).





IN: Dean Whitehead (Sunderland, undisclosed)

OUT:





IN: Fraizer Campbell (Manchester United, £3.5m rising up to £6m), Paulo Da Silva (Toluca, undisclosed), Lorik Cana (Marseille, undisclosed)

OUT: Greg Halford (Wolverhampton Wanderers, undisclosed), Michael Chopra (Cardiff City, undisclosed), Peter Hartley (Hartlepool United, free), Darren Ward (retired), Dwight Yorke (released), David Connolly (released), Nick Colgan (released), Arnau Riera (released), Dean Whitehead (Stoke City, undisclosed)




IN: Kyle Naughton (Sheffield United, undisclosed), Kyle Walker (Sheffield United, undisclosed), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, undisclosed).

OUT: Ricardo Rocha (released), Danny Hutchins (Yeovil Town, undisclosed), Didier Zokora (Sevilla, undisclosed),




IN: Luis Jimenez (Inter Milan, loan) Jack Lampe (Harlow Town, free), Fabio Daprela (Grasshoppers Zurich, undisclosed)

OUT: Diego Tristan (released), Lee Bowyer (Birmingham City, free), Kyel Reid, Walter Lopez, Tony Stokes, Jimmy Walker (all released), Lucas Neill (free agent), Freddie Sears (Crystal Palace, loan)




IN: Jordi Gomez (Espanyol, undisclosed), Hendry Thomas (Deportivo Olimpia, undisclosed), Jason Scotland (Swansea City, undisclosed)

OUT: Antonio Valencia (Manchester United, undisclosed)





IN: Nenad Milijas (Red Star Belgrade, undisclosed), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, free), Kevin Doyle (Reading, undisclosed), Andrew Surman (Southampton, undisclosed), Ronald Zubar (Marseille, undisclosed), Greg Halford (Sunderland, undisclosed)

OUT:

THE BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES FOR 2009-10

Manchester United will open the defence of their Barclays Premier League crown with clashes against minnows Birmingham, Burnley and Wigan.

The champions begin their campaign at home to newly-promoted Birmingham on August 15 before visits to play off-winners Burnley and then Wigan.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men have to wait until the end of the month before their first match against one of the top four clubs, when they take on Arsenal at Old Trafford on August 29.

United's run-in could also be more taxing, with home games against Tottenham and Stoke sandwiching a trip to Sunderland to see out the season.

Last season's runners-up Liverpool start and end their campaign with away fixtures, at Tottenham and Hull City.

New Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti's first Premier League game will be at home to Hull, with the season finishing at home to Wigan.

Arsenal open their campaign away to Everton and close the season with a home fixture against Fulham.

Championship winners Wolves are at home to West Ham on the opening day of the season and finish off at Molineux against Sunderland.

The run-in for Mick McCarthy's side is favourable, however, with matches against Stoke, Fulham, Blackburn, Portsmouth and the Black Cats to conclude their campaign.

Burnley, meanwhile, face a tough first month as they return to the top flight after a 33-year absence.

Owen Coyle's side will be anxious to get off the mark in their opening-day trip to Stoke, as they then host Manchester United and Everton at Turf Moor and face daunting trips to Chelsea and Liverpool within a fortnight.

Fellow new boys Birmingham have a baptism of fire against United, but then host Portsmouth and Stoke at St Andrew's. Alex McLeish's side complete their fixtures with an away match against Burnley and a trip to face Bolton.

Elsewhere on the opening weekend, big-spending Manchester City travel to Blackburn, Bolton host Sunderland and Fulham visit Portsmouth.

Below are the links to each club's full fixture list for the forthcoming campaign.

Please remember the dates and times of matches are subject to change once the TV executives have had a look at them.

Keep up to date with all the big football news, gossip and match reports right here at Sportsmail online throughout the 2009/10 season.

When the 'Big 4' meet each other:

August 29 - Man Utd v Arsenal

October 3 - Chelsea v Liverpool

October 24 - Liverpool v Man Utd

November 7 - Chelsea v Man Utd

November 28 - Arsenal v Chelsea

December 12 - Liverpool v Arsenal

January 30 - Arsenal v Man Utd

February 6 - Chelsea v Arsenal

February 9 - Arsenal v Liverpool

March 20 - Man Utd v Liverpool

April 3 - Man Utd v Chelsea

May 1 - Liverpool v Chelsea

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The players in your squad score points based on how they perform in Premier League matches.

No matter which team you support you'll soon find yourself cheering on every player who's in your team.

1st Prize

The overall winner of Fantasy Premier League 2009/10 will win a VIP trip for two to a Barclays Premier League match (the identity of which is determined by The Premier League) featuring a team of the successful player's choice. The Winner’s Prize includes travel, two nights' hotel accommodation, two match tickets, pre-match meal and £250 spending money.


Monthly Prize

This season the person who finishes top of the monthly leaderboard will be declared Manager of the Month and will win a digital camera, an mp3 player, and a Premier League club replica kit of the Winner’s choice.

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Malaysia’s T. Ananda Krishnan To Buy Newcastle United Football Club

According to the Sun (UK), billionaire, Ananda Krishnan is closing in on a deal to end Mike Ashley’s nightmare two-year Toon reign – and hopes to make an announcement early next week. The £95million deal for the club represents loose change to the 71-year-old, who is South East Asia’s third-richest man worth £4.5billion.

If the deal goes through as expected next week, the Maxis owner will be the second man form South East Asia after Thaksin Shinawatra (Manchester City) to own an English football club. Newcastle United recently failed to maintain their Premier League status and will be playing in the Championship League in the upcoming season. Expectations are always high at St. James Park and fans will expect that the club to go straight back to the Premier League next season. Ananda Krishan will surely take note of this and hope that he can pleased the fans more than Mike Ashley did when he was in-charge at Newcastle.
A RECLUSIVE Malaysian billionaire has jumped to the head of the queue to buy Newcastle.

Media mogul Ananda Krishnan is closing in on a deal to end Mike Ashley's nightmare two-year Toon reign - and hopes to make an announcement early next week.

The £95million deal for the club represents loose change to the 71-year-old, who is South East Asia's third-richest man worth £4.5billion.

Other consortia remain in the running to buy the crisis club.

But after making the first significant move in the drawn-out sale, Krishnan is the favourite to take control after meeting Ashley's drastically-reduced asking price - almost £40m less than the sportswear tycoon paid in 2007.

The owner-in-waiting is believed to favour Alan Shearer to be the club's manager.

Like Ashley, Krishnan has kept a low profile as he has built up a powerful business portfolio which includes major interests in oil, entertainment, telecoms and shipping.

Over the years, he has donated millions of pounds to charities and a source said: "Mr Krishnan shuns public exposure and likes to keep a low profile for someone of his stature."

Figures have yet to be confirmed but a significant kitty would be made available for Shearer to use in the transfer market.