EPL Soccer Crazy : The Latest Soccer Updates

Villa completed the signing Warnock

2009-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

Chelsea aim on Jonathan de Guzman

2009-08-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-18T16:59:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool

2009-08-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

Premier League transfer rumours

2009-08-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

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'

2009-08-05T03:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-05T03:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

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

Win £50,000 Prizes - Fantasy Football Daily Mail

2009-07-29T11:36:00.001-07:00

Initial spending money : £100m to form a squad

No. of Team Squad : 12 Players

Transfer Player : 16 transfers up to December 28, 2009
then we’ll give you another 16 transfers for the second half of the season.

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League name:
MAILONLINE LEAGUE

Code:
8003987

Choose OTHER fantasy games here:

Fantasy Stadium Astro (RM50,000 Prizes)
Barclays Fantasy Football (Click here for prizes)

Yahoo Fantasy Football (Free League)

Win RM 50,000 Prizes - Studio Astro Fantasy Football

2009-07-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

Initial Squad Value: £100 million

No. of Team Squad : 12 Players

1 Goalkeeper
4 Defenders
4 Midfielders
3 Forwards

2 transfer can be made between each gameweek

Scoring and more info here

PRIZES

Overall 1st Prize RM 25,000
Overall 2nd Prize RM 10,000
Overall 3rd Prize RM 5,000
Monthly Prize RM 1,000

JOIN NOW

JOIN MY LEAGUE
BPL Astro League - Code: 1261-287

Choose OTHER fantasy games here:

Fantasy Football Daily Mail (£50,000 Prizes)
Barclays Fantasy Football (Click here for prizes)

Yahoo Fantasy Football (Free League)

Barclays Fantasy Premier League 2009/10

2009-07-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

Is back...

You manage your own Fantasy team selected from the players in the Barclays Premier League. Fantasy Premier League is the world's biggest fantasy game and is FREE to play.

Pick your squad

With a budget of £100 million, choose a squad of 15 players made up of:

2 Goalkeepers
5 Defenders
5 Midfielders
3 Forwards

No more than 3 players can be selected from a single team.

Scoring

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.

JOIN MY LEAGUE

League name:
Fantasy EPL2010

Code:
191640-50239

Choose OTHER fantasy games here:

Fantasy Football Daily Mail (£50,000 Prizes)
Fantasy Stadium Astro (RM50,000 Prizes)

Yahoo Fantasy Football (Free League)

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

2009-07-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

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.

GAMEWEEK 1

2009-07-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

Chelsea	VS	Hull City	15 Aug 12:45
Aston Villa	VS	Wigan	15 Aug 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Man City	15 Aug 15:00
Bolton	VS	Sunderland	15 Aug 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Fulham	15 Aug 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Burnley	15 Aug 15:00
Wolves	VS	West Ham	15 Aug 15:00
Everton	VS	Arsenal	15 Aug 17:30
Man Utd	VS	Birmingham	16 Aug 13:30
Tottenham	VS	Liverpool	16 Aug 16:00

GAMEWEEK 2

2009-07-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

Fulham	VS	Blackburn	18 Aug 19:45
Sunderland	VS	Chelsea	18 Aug 19:45
Wigan	VS	Wolves	18 Aug 19:45
Birmingham	VS	Portsmouth	19 Aug 19:45
Burnley	VS	Man Utd	19 Aug 19:45
Hull City	VS	Tottenham	19 Aug 20:00
Liverpool	VS	Stoke City	19 Aug 20:00

GAMEWEEK 3

2009-07-01T02:48:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Portsmouth	22 Aug 15:00
Birmingham	VS	Stoke City	22 Aug 15:00
Hull City	VS	Bolton	22 Aug 15:00
Man City	VS	Wolves	22 Aug 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Blackburn	22 Aug 15:00
Wigan	VS	Man Utd	22 Aug 15:00
West Ham	VS	Tottenham	23 Aug 13:30
Burnley	VS	Everton	23 Aug 15:00
Fulham	VS	Chelsea	23 Aug 16:00
Liverpool	VS	Aston Villa	24 Aug 20:00

GAMEWEEK 4

2009-07-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

Chelsea	VS	Burnley	29 Aug 12:45
Blackburn	VS	West Ham	29 Aug 15:00
Bolton	VS	Liverpool	29 Aug 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Sunderland	29 Aug 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Birmingham	29 Aug 15:00
Wolves	VS	Hull City	29 Aug 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Arsenal	29 Aug 17:15
Portsmouth	VS	Man City	30 Aug 13:30
Everton	VS	Wigan	30 Aug 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Fulham	30 Aug 16:00

GAMEWEEK 5

2009-07-01T02:46:00.000-07:00

Blackburn	VS	Wolves	12 Sep 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Burnley	12 Sep 15:00
Man City	VS	Arsenal	12 Sep 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Bolton	12 Sep 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Chelsea	12 Sep 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Hull City	12 Sep 15:00
Wigan	VS	West Ham	12 Sep 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Man Utd	12 Sep 17:30
Birmingham	VS	Aston Villa	13 Sep 12:00
Fulham	VS	Everton	13 Sep 16:15

GAMEWEEK 6

2009-07-01T02:45:00.000-07:00

Burnley	VS	Sunderland	19 Sep 12:45
Arsenal	VS	Wigan	19 Sep 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Portsmouth	19 Sep 15:00
Bolton	VS	Stoke City	19 Sep 15:00
Everton	VS	Blackburn	19 Sep 15:00
Hull City	VS	Birmingham	19 Sep 15:00
Wolves	VS	Fulham	19 Sep 15:00
West Ham	VS	Liverpool	19 Sep 17:30
Man Utd	VS	Man City	20 Sep 13:30
Chelsea	VS	Tottenham	20 Sep 13:30

GAMEWEEK 7

2009-07-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

Portsmouth	VS	Everton	26 Sep 12:45
Birmingham	VS	Bolton	26 Sep 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Aston Villa	26 Sep 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Hull City	26 Sep 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Man Utd	26 Sep 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Burnley	26 Sep 15:00
Wigan	VS	Chelsea	26 Sep 15:00
Fulham	VS	Arsenal	26 Sep 17:30
Sunderland	VS	Wolves	27 Sep 16:00
Man City	VS	West Ham	28 Sep 20:00

GAMEWEEK 8

2009-07-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

Bolton	VS	Tottenham	3 Oct 15:00
Burnley	VS	Birmingham	3 Oct 15:00
Everton	VS	Stoke City	3 Oct 15:00
Hull City	VS	Wigan	3 Oct 15:00
West Ham	VS	Fulham	3 Oct 15:00
Wolves	VS	Portsmouth	3 Oct 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Sunderland	3 Oct 17:30
Arsenal	VS	Blackburn	4 Oct 13:30
Chelsea	VS	Liverpool	4 Oct 16:00
Aston Villa	VS	Man City	5 Oct 20:00

GAMEWEEK 9

2009-07-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

Aston Villa	VS	Chelsea	17 Oct 12:45
Arsenal	VS	Birmingham	17 Oct 15:00
Everton	VS	Wolves	17 Oct 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Bolton	17 Oct 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Tottenham	17 Oct 15:00
Stoke City	VS	West Ham	17 Oct 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Liverpool	17 Oct 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Burnley	18 Oct 13:00
Wigan	VS	Man City	18 Oct 16:00
Fulham	VS	Hull City	19 Oct 20:00

GAMEWEEK 10

2009-07-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

Wolves	VS	Aston Villa	24 Oct 12:45
Birmingham	VS	Sunderland	24 Oct 15:00
Bolton	VS	Everton	24 Oct 15:00
Burnley	VS	Wigan	24 Oct 15:00
Hull City	VS	Portsmouth	24 Oct 15:00
Man City	VS	Fulham	24 Oct 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Stoke City	24 Oct 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Blackburn	24 Oct 17:30
Liverpool	VS	Man Utd	25 Oct 14:00
West Ham	VS	Arsenal	25 Oct 16:15

GAMEWEEK 11

2009-07-01T02:31:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Tottenham	31 Oct 12:45
Bolton	VS	Chelsea	31 Oct 15:00
Burnley	VS	Hull City	31 Oct 15:00
Everton	VS	Aston Villa	31 Oct 15:00
Fulham	VS	Liverpool	31 Oct 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Wigan	31 Oct 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Wolves	31 Oct 15:00
Sunderland	VS	West Ham	31 Oct 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Blackburn	31 Oct 17:30
Birmingham	VS	Man City	1 Nov 16:00

GAMEWEEK 12

2009-07-01T02:30:00.001-07:00

Aston Villa	VS	Bolton	7 Nov 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Portsmouth	7 Nov 15:00
Man City	VS	Burnley	7 Nov 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Sunderland	7 Nov 15:00
West Ham	VS	Everton	7 Nov 15:00
Wigan	VS	Fulham	7 Nov 15:00
Wolves	VS	Arsenal	7 Nov 17:30
Hull City	VS	Stoke City	8 Nov 13:30
Chelsea	VS	Man Utd	8 Nov 16:00
Liverpool	VS	Birmingham	9 Nov 20:00

GAMEWEEK 13

2009-07-01T02:29:00.000-07:00

Liverpool	VS	Man City	21 Nov 12:45
Birmingham	VS	Fulham	21 Nov 15:00
Burnley	VS	Aston Villa	21 Nov 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Wolves	21 Nov 15:00
Hull City	VS	West Ham	21 Nov 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Arsenal	21 Nov 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Everton	21 Nov 17:30
Bolton	VS	Blackburn	22 Nov 13:30
Tottenham	VS	Wigan	22 Nov 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Portsmouth	22 Nov 16:00

GAMEWEEK 14

2009-07-01T02:26:00.001-07:00

Blackburn	VS	Stoke City	28 Nov 15:00
Fulham	VS	Bolton	28 Nov 15:00
Man City	VS	Hull City	28 Nov 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Man Utd	28 Nov 15:00
West Ham	VS	Burnley	28 Nov 15:00
Wigan	VS	Sunderland	28 Nov 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Tottenham	28 Nov 17:30
Wolves	VS	Birmingham	29 Nov 12:00
Everton	VS	Liverpool	29 Nov 13:30
Arsenal	VS	Chelsea	29 Nov 16:00

GAMEWEEK 15

2009-07-01T02:26:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Stoke City	5 Dec 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Hull City	5 Dec 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Liverpool	5 Dec 15:00
Everton	VS	Tottenham	5 Dec 15:00
Fulham	VS	Sunderland	5 Dec 15:00
Man City	VS	Chelsea	5 Dec 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Burnley	5 Dec 15:00
West Ham	VS	Man Utd	5 Dec 15:00
Wigan	VS	Birmingham	5 Dec 15:00
Wolves	VS	Bolton	5 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 16

2009-07-01T02:24:00.001-07:00

Birmingham	VS	West Ham	12 Dec 15:00
Bolton	VS	Man City	12 Dec 15:00
Burnley	VS	Fulham	12 Dec 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Everton	12 Dec 15:00
Hull City	VS	Blackburn	12 Dec 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Arsenal	12 Dec 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Aston Villa	12 Dec 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Wigan	12 Dec 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Portsmouth	12 Dec 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Wolves	12 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 17

2009-07-01T02:24:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Blackburn	15 Dec 19:45
Burnley	VS	Arsenal	15 Dec 19:45
Hull City	VS	Everton	15 Dec 19:45
Man Utd	VS	Wolves	15 Dec 19:45
Stoke City	VS	Fulham	15 Dec 19:45
Sunderland	VS	Aston Villa	15 Dec 19:45
Tottenham	VS	Man City	15 Dec 19:45
Bolton	VS	West Ham	15 Dec 20:00
Chelsea	VS	Portsmouth	16 Dec 19:45
Liverpool	VS	Wigan	16 Dec 20:00

GAMEWEEK 18

2009-07-01T02:23:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Hull City	19 Dec 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Stoke City	19 Dec 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Tottenham	19 Dec 15:00
Everton	VS	Birmingham	19 Dec 15:00
Fulham	VS	Man Utd	19 Dec 15:00
Man City	VS	Sunderland	19 Dec 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Liverpool	19 Dec 15:00
West Ham	VS	Chelsea	19 Dec 15:00
Wigan	VS	Bolton	19 Dec 15:00
Wolves	VS	Burnley	19 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 19

2009-07-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Aston Villa	26 Dec 15:00
Birmingham	VS	Chelsea	26 Dec 15:00
Burnley	VS	Bolton	26 Dec 15:00
Fulham	VS	Tottenham	26 Dec 15:00
Hull City	VS	Man Utd	26 Dec 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Wolves	26 Dec 15:00
Man City	VS	Stoke City	26 Dec 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Everton	26 Dec 15:00
West Ham	VS	Portsmouth	26 Dec 15:00
Wigan	VS	Blackburn	26 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 20

2009-07-01T02:21:00.001-07:00

Tottenham	VS	West Ham	28 Dec 13:00
Aston Villa	VS	Liverpool	28 Dec 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Sunderland	28 Dec 15:00
Bolton	VS	Hull City	28 Dec 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Fulham	28 Dec 15:00
Everton	VS	Burnley	28 Dec 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Wigan	28 Dec 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Arsenal	28 Dec 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Birmingham	28 Dec 15:00
Wolves	VS	Man City	28 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 20

2009-07-01T02:21:00.000-07:00

Tottenham	VS	West Ham	28 Dec 13:00
Aston Villa	VS	Liverpool	28 Dec 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Sunderland	28 Dec 15:00
Bolton	VS	Hull City	28 Dec 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Fulham	28 Dec 15:00
Everton	VS	Burnley	28 Dec 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Wigan	28 Dec 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Arsenal	28 Dec 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Birmingham	28 Dec 15:00
Wolves	VS	Man City	28 Dec 15:00

GAMEWEEK 21

2009-07-01T02:20:00.001-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Everton	9 Jan 15:00
Birmingham	VS	Man Utd	9 Jan 15:00
Burnley	VS	Stoke City	9 Jan 15:00
Fulham	VS	Portsmouth	9 Jan 15:00
Hull City	VS	Chelsea	9 Jan 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Tottenham	9 Jan 15:00
Man City	VS	Blackburn	9 Jan 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Bolton	9 Jan 15:00
West Ham	VS	Wolves	9 Jan 15:00
Wigan	VS	Aston Villa	9 Jan 15:00

GAMEWEEK 22

2009-07-01T02:20:00.000-07:00

Aston Villa	VS	West Ham	16 Jan 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Fulham	16 Jan 15:00
Bolton	VS	Arsenal	16 Jan 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Sunderland	16 Jan 15:00
Everton	VS	Man City	16 Jan 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Burnley	16 Jan 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Birmingham	16 Jan 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Liverpool	16 Jan 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Hull City	16 Jan 15:00
Wolves	VS	Wigan	16 Jan 15:00

GAMEWEEK 23

2009-07-01T02:19:00.000-07:00

Man Utd	VS	Hull City	26 Jan 19:45
Portsmouth	VS	West Ham	26 Jan 19:45
Stoke City	VS	Man City	26 Jan 19:45
Tottenham	VS	Fulham	26 Jan 19:45
Wolves	VS	Liverpool	26 Jan 19:45
Bolton	VS	Burnley	26 Jan 20:00
Aston Villa	VS	Arsenal	27 Jan 19:45
Blackburn	VS	Wigan	27 Jan 19:45
Chelsea	VS	Birmingham	27 Jan 19:45
Everton	VS	Sunderland	27 Jan 20:00

GAMEWEEK 24

2009-07-01T02:15:00.001-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Man Utd	30 Jan 15:00
Birmingham	VS	Tottenham	30 Jan 15:00
Burnley	VS	Chelsea	30 Jan 15:00
Fulham	VS	Aston Villa	30 Jan 15:00
Hull City	VS	Wolves	30 Jan 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Bolton	30 Jan 15:00
Man City	VS	Portsmouth	30 Jan 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Stoke City	30 Jan 15:00
West Ham	VS	Blackburn	30 Jan 15:00
Wigan	VS	Everton	30 Jan 15:00

GAMEWEEK 25

2009-07-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Wolves	6 Feb 12:00
Bolton	VS	Fulham	6 Feb 15:00
Burnley	VS	West Ham	6 Feb 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Arsenal	6 Feb 15:00
Hull City	VS	Man City	6 Feb 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Everton	6 Feb 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Portsmouth	6 Feb 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Blackburn	6 Feb 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Wigan	6 Feb 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Aston Villa	6 Feb 15:00

GAMEWEEK 26

2009-07-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Liverpool	9 Feb 19:45
Fulham	VS	Burnley	9 Feb 19:45
Portsmouth	VS	Sunderland	9 Feb 19:45
West Ham	VS	Birmingham	9 Feb 19:45
Wigan	VS	Stoke City	9 Feb 19:45
Wolves	VS	Tottenham	9 Feb 19:45
Aston Villa	VS	Man Utd	10 Feb 19:45
Blackburn		Hull City	10 Feb 19:45
Man City		Bolton	10 Feb 19:45
Everton		Chelsea	10 Feb 20:00

GAMEWEEK 27

2009-07-01T02:13:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Sunderland	20 Feb 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Burnley	20 Feb 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Bolton	20 Feb 15:00
Everton	VS	Man Utd	20 Feb 15:00
Fulham	VS	Birmingham	20 Feb 15:00
Man City	VS	Liverpool	20 Feb 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Stoke City	20 Feb 15:00
West Ham	VS	Hull City	20 Feb 15:00
Wigan	VS	Tottenham	20 Feb 15:00
Wolves	VS	Chelsea	20 Feb 15:00

GAMEWEEK 28

2009-07-01T02:12:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Wigan	27 Feb 15:00
Bolton	VS	Wolves	27 Feb 15:00
Burnley	VS	Portsmouth	27 Feb 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Man City	27 Feb 15:00
Hull City	VS	Aston Villa	27 Feb 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Blackburn	27 Feb 15:00
Man Utd	VS	West Ham	27 Feb 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Arsenal	27 Feb 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Fulham	27 Feb 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Everton	27 Feb 15:00

GAMEWEEK 29

2009-07-01T02:09:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Burnley	6 Mar 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Sunderland	6 Mar 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Birmingham	6 Mar 15:00
Everton	VS	Hull City	6 Mar 15:00
Fulham	VS	Stoke City	6 Mar 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Chelsea	6 Mar 15:00
West Ham	VS	Bolton	6 Mar 15:00
Wigan	VS	Liverpool	6 Mar 15:00
Wolves	VS	Man Utd	6 Mar 15:00
Man City	VS	Tottenham	7 Mar 15:00

GAMEWEEK 30

2009-07-01T02:08:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Everton	13 Mar 15:00
Bolton	VS	Wigan	13 Mar 15:00
Burnley	VS	Wolves	13 Mar 15:00
Chelsea	VS	West Ham	13 Mar 15:00
Hull City	VS	Arsenal	13 Mar 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Portsmouth	13 Mar 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Fulham	13 Mar 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Aston Villa	13 Mar 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Man City	13 Mar 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Blackburn	13 Mar 15:00

GAMEWEEK 31

2009-07-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	West Ham	20 Mar 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Chelsea	20 Mar 15:00
Everton	VS	Bolton	20 Mar 15:00
Fulham	VS	Man City	20 Mar 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Liverpool	20 Mar 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Hull City	20 Mar 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Tottenham	20 Mar 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Birmingham	20 Mar 15:00
Wigan	VS	Burnley	20 Mar 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Wolves	21 Mar 12:00

GAMEWEEK 32

2009-07-01T02:06:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Arsenal	27 Mar 15:00
Bolton	VS	Man Utd	27 Mar 15:00
Burnley	VS	Blackburn	27 Mar 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Aston Villa	27 Mar 15:00
Hull City	VS	Fulham	27 Mar 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Sunderland	27 Mar 15:00
Man City	VS	Wigan	27 Mar 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Portsmouth	27 Mar 15:00
West Ham	VS	Stoke City	27 Mar 15:00
Wolves	VS	Everton	27 Mar 15:00

GAMEWEEK 33

2009-07-01T02:05:00.000-07:00

Fulham	VS	Wigan	2 Apr 15:00
Arsenal	VS	Wolves	3 Apr 15:00
Birmingham	VS	Liverpool	3 Apr 15:00
Bolton	VS	Aston Villa	3 Apr 15:00
Burnley	VS	Man City	3 Apr 15:00
Everton	VS	West Ham	3 Apr 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Chelsea	3 Apr 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Blackburn	3 Apr 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Hull City	3 Apr 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Tottenham	3 Apr 15:00

GAMEWEEK 34

2009-07-01T02:02:00.000-07:00

Aston Villa	VS	Everton	10 Apr 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Man Utd	10 Apr 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Bolton	10 Apr 15:00
Hull City	VS	Burnley	10 Apr 15:00
Man City	VS	Birmingham	10 Apr 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Arsenal	10 Apr 15:00
West Ham	VS	Sunderland	10 Apr 15:00
Wigan	VS	Portsmouth	10 Apr 15:00
Wolves	VS	Stoke City	11 Apr 12:00
Liverpool	VS	Fulham	11 Apr 15:00

GAMEWEEK 35

2009-07-01T01:58:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Hull City	17 Apr 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Everton	17 Apr 15:00
Fulham	VS	Wolves	17 Apr 15:00
Liverpool	VS	West Ham	17 Apr 15:00
Man City	VS	Man Utd	17 Apr 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Aston Villa	17 Apr 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Bolton	17 Apr 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Burnley	17 Apr 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Chelsea	17 Apr 15:00
Wigan	VS	Arsenal	17 Apr 15:00

GAMEWEEK 36

2009-07-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Man City	24 Apr 15:00
Bolton	VS	Portsmouth	24 Apr 15:00
Burnley	VS	Liverpool	24 Apr 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Stoke City	24 Apr 15:00
Everton	VS	Fulham	24 Apr 15:00
Hull City	VS	Sunderland	24 Apr 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Tottenham	24 Apr 15:00
West Ham	VS	Wigan	24 Apr 15:00
Wolves	VS	Blackburn	24 Apr 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Birmingham	25 Apr 12:00

GAMEWEEK 37

2009-07-01T01:56:00.000-07:00

Birmingham	VS	Burnley	1 May 15:00
Blackburn	VS	Arsenal	1 May 15:00
Fulham	VS	West Ham	1 May 15:00
Liverpool	VS	Chelsea	1 May 15:00
Man City	VS	Aston Villa	1 May 15:00
Portsmouth	VS	Wolves	1 May 15:00
Stoke City	VS	Everton	1 May 15:00
Sunderland	VS	Man Utd	1 May 15:00
Tottenham	VS	Bolton	1 May 15:00
Wigan	VS	Hull City	1 May 15:00

GAMEWEEK 38

2009-07-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

Arsenal	VS	Fulham	9 May 15:00
Aston Villa	VS	Blackburn	9 May 15:00
Bolton	VS	Birmingham	9 May 15:00
Burnley	VS	Tottenham	9 May 15:00
Chelsea	VS	Wigan	9 May 15:00
Everton	VS	Portsmouth	9 May 15:00
Hull City	VS	Liverpool	9 May 15:00
Man Utd	VS	Stoke City	9 May 15:00
West Ham	VS	Man City	9 May 15:00
Wolves	VS	Sunderland	9 May 15:00

Blackburn 0 - 0 West Brom

2009-05-24T22:52:00.001-07:00

Tony Mowbray and his West Bromwich team sadly said goodbye to the Premier League for at least a season as Tugay took his leave to a rapturous reception from the Blackburn fans who have made him a favourite for the past eight years.

It was just one campaign up again in the top flight for manager Mowbray and his men and he hopes they can bounce straight back up.

But he insisted after this goalless draw against opponents who finished with 10 men following the sending-off of Jason Roberts that nothing was guaranteed, particularly with Newcastle and Middlesbrough joining them in the Championship.

Mowbray claimed this rather dull finale told some of the story of Albion’s season — but not all of it. ‘It’s frustrating because we can dominate games with the ball, but it’s not necessarily the story of our season because we did not concede a goal today and we have conceded more than anybody,’ said Mowbray.

‘We have got to go into next season believing we can bounce back. I believe we will be the best side most weeks, but that doesn’t guarantee winning matches. We’re all going to wait to see what Newcastle and Middlesbrough are going to do because they have been in the Premier League for a long time.’

The visitors were certainly closer to a breakthrough goal with Chris Brunt seeing a power drive turned on to a post. But Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce felt his side could have gone on to win but for the red card shown to substitute Roberts by referee Mike Jones after 70 minutes.

‘It’s sad that I’m talking about that rather than Tugay’s performance or a goal,’ said Allardyce. ‘The referee has said he has sent him off for punching Jonas Olsson, but it’s not pushing or elbowing. It’s swinging the arm to get Olsson away from him.’

Tugay, the 38-year-old Turkish midfielder, retires with the gratitude and admiration of everyone at Blackburn.

‘To be a Premier League player at the age of 38 takes more than ability. He knows where to ply his trade correctly and at the right time,’ said Allardyce.
Sent off: Jason Roberts

Although Tugay is keen to go into coaching, Allardyce made it clear he would have to wait for a job at Blackburn.

‘I don’t know what role he could perform because he has no qualifications at the moment.’

Fulham 0 - 2 Everton

2009-05-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

Two goals from Leon Osman could not destroy the mood as Roy Hodgson clinched seventh place and hailed it one of the proudest moments in a 33-year coaching career.

Tears may have flowed on the Tyne and the Tees but it was champagne all round on the banks of the Thames as Fulham qualified for the Europa League despite Everton’s first win at Craven Cottage since 1966.

Tottenham’s defeat at Liverpool confirmed Fulham’s highest ever top-flight finish, not to mention the small matter of £10.64million in prize-money.

‘This rates very highly for me,’ confessed Hodgson, who has won titles in Sweden and Denmark, reached the UEFA Cup final with Inter Milan and led Switzerland to Euro 96.

‘I’ve had a long career and been very lucky. I’ve had quite a few honours come my way. I can look back on many years with pride but I will remember this as one of my very best.

The game drifted occasionally into the realms of a pre-season kickabout and the biggest surprise was that Phil Neville and Steven Pienaar had managed to pick up niggles which will have to be carefully monitored as the week unfolds.

Louis Saha, however, is one player who has discovered full form and fitness in time for Wembley and a summer holiday. He climbed above Aaron Hughes to plant an excellent header against the bar in the third minute and forced a superb fingertip save from Mark Schwarzer in the second half.

But it was Osman who displayed the killer instinct, striking in the closing minutes of each half.

His first was a fine example of Everton’s perpetual movement, with the brilliant Pienaar jinking in from the left and threading a neat pass through Fulham’s back four. Osman darted in from the right, taking care not to stray offside, took the ball in his stride, side-stepped Schwarzer and rolled it into the empty net.

Hodgson’s team enjoyed good spells of possession but rarely looked like pulling level. Bobby Zamora came off the bench to squander two clear chances with trademark inaccuracy and Tony Hibbert cleared off the line from Clint Dempsey in stoppage time.

Osman had already scored his second, two minutes from time, with a beautiful curling left-footer beyond Schwarzer’s dive. It was not enough to spoil the party at Craven Cottage.

‘We’re all going on a European tour,’ sang the home fans, although it will be interesting to see how many of them will be turning up for a tedious group game on a rainy Thursday in November.

Fulham’s only other European campaign, in 2002-03, started in the InterToto Cup on July 6 against FC Haka and consisted of 14 games before they went out to Hertha Berlin in the UEFA Cup third round.

This year, Hodgson has ordered his players back for training on July 1. He will turn his attention to ‘bolstering’ his squad and keeping defender Brede Hangeland from the clutches of Arsenal.

‘We will do everything in our power to keep him,’ said the Fulham boss. ‘But our power sometimes can’t be compared to the power of other clubs.’

Liverpool 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspurs

2009-05-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

He has made his reputation as one of the hardest defenders around, an old-fashioned stopper hewn from granite, but Sami Hyypia could not hold back the tears when the realisation hit him at Anfield yesterday.

A shrill blast of referee Peter Walton's whistle marked the moment his Liverpool days came to an end and, as he paused before heading down the tunnel one last time, it all became too much for a player who has taken countless knocks without flinching in the 10 years since signing from Willem II for just £2.5million.

Double act: Steven Gerrard races to congratulate Fernando Torres after the Spaniard's 14th league goal of the season

Physical discomfort has never been a problem for the 35-year old Finn, but the wrench of cutting his Anfield ties, ahead of embarking on a new adventure with Bayer Leverkusen, was a different matter as he briefly stood alone near the centre circle, dabbing away tears with his shirt sleeves.

Eager to spare his blushes, his team-mates moved in to mob him before keeper Pepe Reina hoisted him shoulder-high and carried him off to rapturous cheers from fans who had grown impatient for a final glimpse of their favourite.

Not only had Rafa Benitez denied him a starting place, the Liverpool manager kept him on the bench for 4 minutes before finally bowing to pressure from fans who repeatedly chanted: 'Sami, Sami, on, on, on.'

Benitez redeemed himself by choosing Steven Gerrard to make way, allowing the Liverpool skipper to wrap the captain's armband round Hyypia's bicep as they exchanged high fives, and he remained unrepentant over limiting the veteran centre back's farewell appearance to six minutes.

'I just felt it would be more special for the fans to see him for the last few minutes, and it was so nearly a fantastic finale,' he said, referring to an injury-time Hyypia header that was blocked on the line by keeper Heurelho Gomes. 'I was pleased to see him get a reception like that, but I feel sad to be losing such an outstanding professional.

'It was always the plan that Stevie should come off, so Sami could wear the armband, and I knew I couldn't leave it any longer because the fans were pushing and pushing.'

It might not quite qualify as one of Benitez's famous facts, but it remains a fairly safe bet that Liverpool would have pushed Manchester United even closer for the title but for Fernando Torres missing most of October and all of December through injury. Liverpool's record signing provided another reminder of the cutting edge that was sorely missed in his absence as he transferred Liverpool's dominance on to the scoresheet with a 31st-minute breakthrough.

Tottenham's defence left him unmarked, and the inevitable response followed as the £21m marksman planted a six-yard header in off the bar from Dirk Kuyt's cross for his 17th goal of an injury-shortened campaign.

Liverpool doubled their lead with a 64th-minute shot from Kuyt that looked to be drifting wide until Alan Hutton's outstretched leg diverted it past Gomes.

They were found as wanting defensively as Spurs had been in the 77th minute, though, as Robbie Keane marked his Anfield return by controlling a long through-ball before firing past Reina.

The former Liverpool striker, sold back to Tottenham after barely half a season at Anfield, chose not to celebrate and was applauded for his show of good grace.

Perhaps he sensed it was little more than a consolation goal, given a degree of Liverpool supremacy that was duly rewarded in the 81st minute, when Yossi Benayoun held off a half-hearted challenge from Ledley King and rolled a shot under the advancing Gomes.

Benitez was in no mood for giving away transfer secrets but his response to continuing reports of interest from Real Madrid in Xabi Alonso hardly dispelled growing fears that the Spain midfielder may be sacrificed to help fund Liverpool's summer spending plans.

Asked if Alonso will still be a Liverpool player at the start of next season, he said: 'Xabi still has three years left on his contract and is not for sale. I had a private conversation with his agent during the week, and it is interesting to see how some people have interpreted that.'

Sunderland 2-3 Chelsea

2009-05-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Anelka is congratulated by Jose Bosingwa after his 19th league goal of the season, with the Frenchman netting the golden boot.

Sunderland survived a nervy final afternoon of the season and was defeated 3-2 by visitors Chelsea.

While rivals Newcastle and Middlesbrough were experiencing the trauma of relegation, Sunderland were succumbing to defeat in Guus Hiddink's final match as manager of Chelsea.

But results elsewhere meant it was not a costly loss, and events elsewhere ensured these two sides will meet again next season.

Substitute Salomon Kalou and England defender Ashley Cole struck inside the final 16 minutes to ensure the three points left Wearside with the visitors, despite Kenwyne Jones' 90th-minute header.

Kieran Richardson had earlier dragged the home side back into the game with a 53rd-minute strike, six minutes after Nicolas Anelka had claimed his 25th goal of the season with a 25-yard rocket.

A crowd of 42,468 left the ground happy for very different reasons, with the victors looking to next Saturday's FA Cup final clash with Everton and their hosts anticipating the watching Ellis Short's buy-out.

After a week during which the strength of the teams Chelsea and Manchester United might field had been a regular topic of debate, no-one could have any complaints about Guus Hiddink's response.

Seven days before the FA Cup final, he left out only Alex and Frank Lampard, and an early injury to Juliano Belletti meant Michael Ballack also got a run-out on his return from a hamstring injury.

It was a measure of what was at stake on a tense final afternoon of the season that the biggest cheer of the first half had nothing to do with what was happening at the Stadium of Light.

With 38 minutes gone on Wearside, the news filtered through that Aston Villa had taken the lead against Newcastle, and the resulting celebrations among the fans decked out in red and white were as much in relief as at the misery of their black and white neighbours.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech got away with an unconvincing punch early on as he and Jones jumped for a Danny Collins cross.

He also saw a well-struck Grant Leadbitter shot fly well wide with 24 minutes gone as the home side worked hard to limit their opponents.

Chelsea's best moments came at either end of the half with Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda causing the problems.

The Ivory Coast striker chipped an eighth-minute shot just over the rapidly back-pedalling Martin Fulop, and then forced the Hungarian into a solid save from a tight angle three minutes later.

Fulop had to be at his best in stoppage-time when Drogba turned smartly on the edge of the box and curled a shot towards the bottom corner, where the goalkeeper just got his fingertips to the ball.

The woodwork denied the visitors deep into added time when Malouda crashed a dipping left-footed drive against the bar with Fulop beaten.

However, there was nothing Fulop or anyone or anything else could do to prevent Chelsea from taking the lead two minutes after the restart.

Anelka, who had endured a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards, took it upon himself to light up the game with a piece of individual brilliance.

He picked up the ball around 35 yards out and made ground before unleashing a piledriver which was too good for Fulop's despairing dive and screamed into the top corner.

But Sunderland refused to accept that was game over, and they were back on level terms within six minutes.

The industrious Leadbitter battled hard for the opportunity to cross from the left, and when Cech spilled the ball under pressure from Jones, Richardson pounced to smash the rebound home.

Fulop had to be on his toes to keep out Ballack's near-post flick from a 57th-minute Malouda corner, but the home fans were starting to relax as the nightmare scenario receded.

Sunderland enjoyed their best spell of the game as they started to play with a freedom which had been lacking in recent weeks, and they very nearly took the lead with 19 minutes remaining.

Steed Malbranque broke from his own half and exchanged passes with the supporting Calum Davenport, only for John Terry to intervene before the Frenchman could pull the trigger.

But it was Kalou, who had earlier replaced Michael Essien, who made it 2-1 three minutes later when he drilled an unstoppable shot inside the post to beat Fulop.

Sunderland continued to battle gamely, with Phil Bardsley forcing another save from Cech with a long-range 83rd-minute attempt, but it was Cole who wrapped things up four minutes from time with a volleyed finish from the edge of the box.

Jones' 90th-minute header ensured a tense finale, but there was no way back for the Wearsiders.

West Ham 2-1 Middlesbrough

2009-05-24T22:21:00.001-07:00

That sinking feeling: Boro players see their slim hopes of survival diminish fuirther as Carlton Cole opens the scoring

Middlesbrough's relegation was confirmed after Brad Jones' blunder gave West Ham a 2-1 win.

Gareth Southgate's men needed a big victory and for results to go their way but they failed to do their part, with Junior Stanislas' weak shot sneaking past Jones for the winner at Upton Park.

Carlton Cole had given the Hammers a first-half lead but Boro were given encouragement when Gary O'Neil levelled and their relegation rivals were losing.

After Stanislas struck there was a resigned attitude to Boro as their fate was sealed.

Boro's stint in the top flight lasted 11 years and included a League Cup win and a UEFA Cup final appearance - but now they are heading for tricky away fixtures at the likes of Doncaster, Blackpool and Scunthorpe.

Southgate has been undermined by a lack of goals from Brazilian flop Afonso Alves, who missed this clash through injury along with England winger Stewart Downing.

Without them, the odds were stacked against Boro winning and getting the five-goal swing they needed to overtake Hull.

The focus will now be on whether Southgate will remain as manager and whether players such as David Wheater, Downing and Tuncay Sanli will have to be sold.

Southgate is considered one of England's brightest managerial prospects but this season has not found the goals or away points required to get out of trouble.

This match summed up their problems. Southgate's young players are promising but they lacked the cutting edge needed.

Adam Johnson wasted their first opportunity, blazing over when he was given time and room at the far post. Had that gone in, Boro may have been on course for the big win they needed.

When the ball broke in the penalty area after Robert Huth challenged Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green it fell to the wrong person, with Wheater hooking it over the crossbar.

The Hammers were far more dangerous in front of goal, and Stanislas had struck the crossbar early on from 25 yards after Boro defenders jumped out of tackles.

The opener came in the 33rd minute. Luis Boa Morte held the ball up and played Herita Ilunga down the left.

The full-back's cross went between Justin Hoyte and Huth, then Cole sent the ball back in the direction it came - between the two defenders but this time into the corner of the net.

Favourable scorelines were filtering through but Boro were not putting up a fight. Something had to give so Southgate took off Tony McMahon and Julio Arca at the break, with Josh Walker and Joe Bennett coming on.

Boro were level within five minutes of the restart.

Tuncay wriggled his way into the area but resisted the temptation to shoot, instead offloading to O'Neil who found the bottom corner with an angled drive.

Parity lasted eight minutes thanks to Stanislas. Jack Collison had retrieved a lost situation with his endeavour, then got the ball back and found Stanislas 25 yards out.

The youngster was encouraged to shoot from the crowd and by Boro's defenders backing away, with his shot lacking power but squirming past Boro goalkeeper Jones.

It was a howler from Jones and he was determined to make up for it when he dived at the feet of substitute Kieron Dyer to prevent a third goal.

The Hammers went in search of another, while Boro moved centre-back Wheater up front without reward.

Wigan 1-0 Portsmouth

2009-05-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

Chairman Dave Whelan may have been a little premature in raising the possibility of redistributing some of the Premier League's millions to allow Wigan fans in for free next season - many more displays like this and the locals will be happy to pay more to watch Steve Bruce's effervescent team.

If ever a side were hammered by a single goal, then it was Portsmouth, who were outclassed by a sparkling display from the hosts, whose only failing was that they did not reward their dominance with a glut of goals as they finished in 11th place.
Hugo Rodallega.

Hugo Rodallega scored the only goal of the game as Wigan ensured a winning end to their season

Bruce said: 'It's a terrific finish if you consider the size of some of the clubs who've been relegated.'

The hosts settled for just the one goal, after 27 minutes, rolled into an empty net from two yards by Hugo Rodallega for his third goal of the season. Sol Campbell, making his final appearance before leaving Fratton Park, failed to cut out a low cross from Charles N'Zogbia.

Rodallega should have scored more, but was one of several Wigan players thwarted by Portsmouth keeper Asmir Begovic.

It proved a fruitless return for Wigan-born Portsmouth manager Paul Hart, his task already complete having kept the south coast club up. 'I've been asked where this ranks among my achievements as a manager,' he said. 'If you look at my c.v. there aren't that many achievements anyway.'

Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle

2009-05-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

Down Toon: Gareth Barry's shot is going wide, until a wicked deflection off Damien Duff (right) beats Steve Harper

Newcastle's 16-year spell in the top flight came to an end as Damien Duff's own goal doomed them to defeat at Aston Villa.

Duff deflected a 38th-minute shot from stand-in skipper Gareth Barry past his own goalkeeper Steve Harper to seal their fate.

It meant Magpies legend Alan Shearer had failed to work the miracle he was brought in to try and achieve with eight games remaining.

Newcastle have paid the price for a season of instability ever since Kevin Keegan decided to quit as manager in early September and Mike Ashley decided to put the club up for sale.

Joe Kinnear was brought in to try and rescue the situation until his heart problems terminated his involvement and led to Shearer getting the call.

But it was always going to be an uphill task to reverse a season of under-achievement and turmoil in such a short space of time.

Now Shearer has to decide whether he wants to take on the task of trying to help the Magpies regain their top flight status and is due to have talks with Ashley early next week.

He clearly has a massive rebuilding job ahead of them with the future of 15 players, reportedly on £50,000 or more a week, to be sorted out ahead of the less glamorous life of trips to Peterborough and Scunthorpe in the Coca-Cola Championship.

For Villa they can look back on another season of progression despite a late fade-out after automatically qualifying for Europe for the first time in 11 years.

But Martin O'Neill will need to add further quality and quantity to his squad in the summer if he is to seriously challenge for a Champions League place.

Before the kick-off Villa fans gave an emotional send-off to skipper and central defender Martin Laursen, who has been forced to retire because of a knee problem.

Gabriel Agbonlahor came close to giving Villa the lead after only two minutes when he powered a header over the bar from close range following a left-wing centre by Barry.

Villa dominated the early stages and knocked the ball around in confident style - but Brad Friedel was called upon to make the first meaningful save when he deflected a low drive from Duff around the post after he appeared to be initially unsighted.

Villa defender Carlos Cuellar then came to his side's rescue when he blocked a shot on the turn from Peter Lovenkrands on the line.

Obafemi Martins volleyed powerfully over the bar from 12 yards out after good play by Mark Viduka, before Harper reacted quickly to turn over a powerful drive from Craig Gardner.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor became the first player to be yellow carded after 34 minutes for bringing down Agbonlahor 30 yards out.

Milner's free-kick went straight through the defensive wall but Harper was alert to the situation and able to save at the foot of a post.

The decisive goal came after Nicky Butt conceded a corner, appearing to indicate Harper had not given him a call.

The danger appeared to have been averted when Taylor headed out Ashley Young's centre - but Stiliyan Petrov headed the ball back to Barry, whose fierce shot struck Duff and completely wrong-footed Harper before finding the corner of the net.

Agbonlahor nearly doubled Villa's lead when his flick from John Carew's centre flew just wide of the far post - but Martins almost levelled in injury-time when he headed wide from Butt's free-kick.

Villa began the second half on the attack and Harper was forced to fingertip away an inswinging and powerfully driven corner from Young at full stretch.

Young took advantage of the Newcastle defence backing off to line up a shot from 20 yards out but he curled his effort past the post.

Harper was relieved when Milner dragged his low shot wide when unmarked 20 yards out as the Newcastle defence were prised open with ease.

Newcastle fans chanted "attack, attack, attack" but there was little evidence of their side threatening the Villa goal.

Shearer brought on leading scorer Michael Owen - who has been struggling with a groin injury - in place of Kevin Nolan after 66 minutes.

But Carew should have sealed Newcastle's fate when he miskicked with the goal at his mercy from an Agbonlahor centre.

David Edgar was sent off in injury-time for bringing down Ashley Young - his second bookable offence - and soon after the Magpies' fate was sealed.

Hull 0-1 Manchester United

2009-05-24T21:50:00.001-07:00

Tigers together: Hull City display a moment of unity prior to kick off

Hull escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth despite slumping to defeat to an under-strength Manchester United.

Darron Gibson fired the only goal of a tense Barclays Premier League encounter at the KC Stadium with a stunning strike midway through the first half.

Yet with Newcastle losing at Aston Villa, the Tigers just managed to limp over the line to safety with 35 points.

United made 10 changes as Sir Alex Ferguson rested his biggest names ahead of the Champions League final on Wednesday but the final score meant there could be no complaints.

Their starting XI had an average age of just 23, a figure boosted by the return of veteran club captain Gary Neville, 34.

England defender Rio Ferdinand, hoping to prove his fitness to face Barcelona in Rome after a calf injury, failed to make the team.

Hull started brightly by winning two early corners and a long ball from Michael Turner put Craig Fagan in on goal but the forward could not control and Tomasz Kuszczak gathered.

Geovanni then broke clear down the left twice in quick succession but the Brazilian's first cross just evaded Fagan and Kuszczak punched his second clear.

Nani had United's first serious attempt from a free-kick 30 yards out but Boaz Myhill was not troubled.

Hull were almost caught on the counter-attack when a vicious low cross from Rafael da Silva almost found the onrushing Lee Martin.

United then struggled to clear a corner from Andy Dawson and the ball broke to Marney but his shot was easily saved by Kuszczak.

United stunned Hull by taking the lead in the 24th minute with a ferocious strike from Gibson.

The 21-year-old let fly from 25 yards with a powerful shot across goal that flew past Myhill into the top corner.

That goal put Hull into the bottom three, as things stood, and the Tigers needed to respond but Federico Macheda almost doubled their misery when he shot straight at Myhill.

United then began to dominate possession but Dawson did get forward to curl in a dangerous cross which Michael Turner headed over.

Hull were almost caught again after a strong run by Danny Welbeck but the 18-year-old striker dragged his shot wide.

Macheda then engineered another opportunity for himself but failed to hit the target and Hull had a chance when Geovanni blasted a free-kick over.

Geovanni then turned provider to tee up a shooting chance for Dawson but Kuszczak tipped over the left-back's piledriver.

The atmosphere intensified considerably before the break as news filtered through of goals being scored against relegation rivals Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

Hull had a good chance early in the second half when Kevin Kilbane's cross picked out Nick Barmby but the former England international failed to make firm contact and Kuszczak tipped wide.

Gibson tried his luck again from distance just before the hour but this time his effort sailed well over the bar.

Hull boss Phil Brown replaced the creative talents of Geovanni, his top scorer, with a target man in Caleb Folan but nerves were affecting the Tigers' play.

Hull failed to make the most of their possession with Richard Garcia letting himself down after a good break with a poor ball for Folan.

Gibson conceded a free-kick for handball on the edge of the area but Dawson curled his shot straight at Kuszczak.

United countered and Macheda again had a chance to double the lead but shot wide.

Fagan attempted a spectacular volley after a long Sam Ricketts throw into the area but was well off target.

Turner got his head to another Ricketts throw but his looping effort was clawed out from under the bar by Kuszczak.

The closing minutes were tense with City trailing but knowing a goal for Newcastle at Villa Park could relegate them.

Nani almost put them further behind with a powerful shot four minutes from time but Myhill pushed the ball wide.

Hull struggled to get the ball in injury time and they had a nervous few seconds' wait after the final whistle before their survival was confirmed.

Many fans invaded the pitch when the news was confirmed despite the efforts of police to contain them.

MU claimed their 3rd successive BPL title

2009-05-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

United captain Gary Neville leads the celebrations

Manchester United claimed their third successive Barclays Premier League title today after a goalless draw with Arsenal at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson's side needed only a point to seal the trophy in the day's lunchtime kick-off and a steady if unspectacular performance delivered just that, making it 11 Premier League crowns in total for the Scot and 18 top-flight titles for the club overall.

United were rarely troubled by an improved Arsenal side, for whom Andrey Arshavin looked lively and Robin van Persie went close late on.

But the hosts held firm at the back and finished the job to move seven points clear of Liverpool, who travel to West Brom tomorrow but can no longer catch Ferguson's team.

Squad the key to United success

When the in-depth analysis of Manchester United's latest title success is done the conclusion will be much the same.

United won their 18th championship because their squad was far superior.

It is a fairly obvious statement. Nevertheless, it is one other clubs must take heed of.

In the same way Arsenal and then Chelsea raised the Premier League bar with their flying starts, so United have nudged it slightly further skywards by amassing more quality than any other squad in English football history, and quite possibly Europe too.

How else could United come within one FA Cup semi-final shoot-out defeat to Everton of completing a full season, with not a round missed in every competition they entered?

Cristiano Ronaldo might not agree with the way Ferguson makes his substitutions and Carlos Tevez is not always so keen on the choices his manager makes when the Red Devils teams are picked.

But from a detached viewpoint, Ferguson has assembled two complete teams that are almost impossible to differentiate from each other. No longer does the term 'first-choice side' apply.

True, there are some; Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Edwin van der Sar, who would definitely command a place in the biggest games.

How though do you choose between Rafael, Gary Neville, John O'Shea and the currently injured Wes Brown to complete the defence?

Where do you even begin to start picking between the competing talents of Michael Carrick, Anderson, Paul Scholes, Park Ji-Sung and Darren Fletcher in central midfield, not to mention the more sparingly-used PFA Player of the Year Ryan Giggs? And don't forget Owen Hargreaves, who is hoping to be fit and raring to go by next August.

Then up front, Ferguson can select just two, and on occasion only one, of Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney.

The antics of Ronaldo and Tevez during the derby win against Manchester City might have been the first signal of cracks in Ferguson's delicate strategy beginning to appear.

After all, though the 1999 treble-winning strike force of Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is often hailed as the perfect example of squad rotation, in the years afterwards, when Cole and Yorke suddenly found themselves on the bench, it very quickly broke up.

However, the template is now in place.

If Ronaldo and Tevez do move on, replacements will come in. Franck Ribery has already been spoken of as a potential big-money recruit from Bayern Munich. Wigan's Antonio Valencia has also been watched. And when Ferguson is assessing Tevez's contribution and whether to keep him, the emergence of Federico Macheda is bound to play some part in his thinking.

Indeed, it promises to be a big summer at Old Trafford.

Quite aside from the issues over the more sulky members of his squad, Ferguson realises the contributions of Van der Sar, Giggs, Scholes and Neville cannot be relied upon much longer.

That is not to say there will be a massive influx of new players, more added responsibility being given to the likes of Ben Foster, Anderson and Rafael, who have been groomed as replacements, plus a demand that Nani shows considerable improvement.

Ferguson himself will still be there. For how much longer though? How many more summers will the most successful manager Britain has ever known spend plotting the downfall of major rivals, or swatting away emerging ones?

These questions provide United's challengers with reason for optimism, reason to doubt an unprecedented fourth successive title - and what, to Liverpool's horror, would be a record-breaking 19th - will end up at Old Trafford.

Yet on Merseyside and in west and north London, the problems are greater.

Liverpool, for all the massive improvement made this season, still appear too heavily reliant on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, two brilliant footballers with questionable fitness records.

Ferguson felt Chelsea had gone beyond the age of improvement last term. They have not got any younger and major surgery is required for a new manager. Arsenal have talent but neither the experience, nor the depth.

They are major structural faults, immediate issues for messrs Benitez, Abramovich and Wenger to solve. In contrast, Ferguson's problems are fairly minor and centred around individuals, so many of whom have been moved on without affecting the success United enjoy.

True, if Tevez, or more importantly Ronaldo, left there would be a big hole. But it is not that long ago much the same was being said about Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Keane. Before that, Paul Ince and Mark Hughes.

Eric Cantona's legacy was immense but most of United's triumphs under Ferguson have been achieved without the talismanic Frenchman. And that is why Ferguson can allow himself a brief moment of relaxation, toasting another year of glory with a glass of his favourite red.

Newcastle 0-1 Fulham

2009-05-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saves a shot from Newcastle United’s Obafemi Martins

Newcastle boss Alan Shearer found himself back in relegation trouble after Mark Viduka was controversially denied an equaliser.

Trailing 1-0 to Fulham as a result of Diomansy Kamara's 41st-minute strike, the Australian thought he had levelled five minutes after the break to give his side a lifeline.

However, referee Howard Webb harshly chalked off his effort for a foul by Kevin Nolan on keeper Mark Schwarzer to dump the Magpies, who played the last half-hour with 10 men after defender Sebastien Bassong had been sent off, back into the mire with just one game remaining in which to save themselves.

Newcastle, who had soon to be out of contract skipper Michael Owen missing with a groin injury in what might have been his final game for the club, went close 12 minutes from time, but Schwarzer pulled off a fine save to deny Obafemi Martins, who had earlier hit the post, and then kept out Nicky Butt's injury-time effort.

They now face a trip to Aston Villa next Sunday knowing even victory might not be enough if other results go against them and with their Premier League status hanging by a thread.

Tyneside was shrouded in dark clouds, both literally and figuratively, as the final whistle sounded and a crowd of 52,114 filed out not knowing whether they will return to watch top-flight football next season.

The euphoria of Monday night's 3-1 victory over derby rivals Middlesbrough, which dragged the club out of the bottom three, had quickly been put to one side with no-one in the Newcastle camp in any doubt the job was nowhere near done.

For much of the first half, Shearer's men looked the more likely to take the initiative, but when they left the pitch at the break, they were trailing and back in trouble.

It might have been so different had Martins' 15th-minute shot not come back off the post after he had played a neat one-two with Nolan, or had Viduka managed to hit the target when presented with a free header, albeit from distance, by Danny Guthrie's cross 10 minutes later.

However, Fulham, who arrived sitting in seventh place in the table and in with a real shout of securing a place in the Europa League, had not just come along for the ride, and served warning of their intent six minutes before the break.

Erik Nevland ran on to Kamara's clever back-heeled pass and curled a shot towards the far post, and keeper Steve Harper was delighted to see it drop inches wide as he flung himself across his line.

But the Magpies did not heed the warning, and they fell behind two minutes later in controversial circumstances.

Danny Murphy's pass found Nevland in acres of space on the right and with the home defence appealing in vain for an offside flag, he raced away before squaring for Kamara, who evaded Bassong and Steven Taylor on the line to fire into the roof of the net.

Former Magpie Aaron Hughes blocked a Jonas Gutierrez shot as Newcastle attempted to hit back immediately, but St James' was once again bathed in anxiety as the players left the pitch at half-time.

Shearer's players returned in determined mood and might have been back in it within two minutes when Martins volleyed a Guthrie cross towards goal, but could not hit the target.

However, they thought they had levelled with 50 minutes gone after Viduka twice got the better of his former Middlesbrough team-mate.

The striker saw his header from a Guthrie free-kick cleared off the line by Dickson Etuhu, but there was nothing anyone could do to keep out his header from the resulting corner with 50 minutes gone.

But the Australia international's joy turned to misery within seconds when Webb ruled Nolan had impeded Schwarzer on the line, although television replays suggested the decision was harsh with the keeper not even appealing.

Newcastle laid siege to the Fulham goal as they sensed the time had come, but they were wasteful in promising positions with Gutierrez particularly guilty.

However, disaster struck on the hour when central defender Bassong was sent off for hauling down Kamara 40 yards from goal, and the Frenchman could have few arguments.

Martins got in 12 minutes from time only to be denied by Schwarzer, and the keeper pulled off a superb injury-time to keep out Butt's effort

Stoke 2-0 Wigan

2009-05-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

Goals from Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie ensured Stoke signed off in their final home match of the season with a 2-0 win over Wigan.

The match only sprang into life in the last 20 minutes when Fuller's persistence saw him evade three defenders to fire past Richard Kingson.

Beattie headed home Matt Etherington's cross in the 76th minute as the Potters clinched their 10th victory this season at the Britannia Stadium.

Wigan have now failed to win in 15 of their last 17 Barclays Premier League matches and the end of the season cannot come quick enough for them.

Part of the reason for that terrible run is their inability to score, with just nine league goals since the start of the year, and the problem reared its head again.

The Latics had the better of the first half but could not take their chances, whereas in Fuller and especially Beattie Stoke have strikers who score important goals.

Wigan carved out their first chance less than two minutes in when Hugo Rodallega headed a long punt forward into the path of Paul Scharner but his angled drive was straight at Thomas Sorensen.

Debutant Cho Won-hee's 13th-minute through-ball sent Scharner running into the penalty area but although the Austrian went down in a tussle with Abdoulaye Faye referee Lee Probert waved play on.

Stoke's first shooting opportunity fell to Glenn Whelan moments later but he screwed a long-range effort well wide.

Cho, who had enjoyed a gentle introduction, forced Sorensen to tip over his 19th-minute 30-yard shot at full stretch but the Korean's second effort from the resulting corner was embarrassingly high.

Rodallega, after scoring in his last two matches, was next to try his luck from distance but he too was well off target.

Nothing was going right for either side; exemplified when one of Rory Delap's trademark long throws ended up in the back of the net without anyone getting a touch on it just after the half hour.

Faye's back-header from Kingson's long kick sent Rodallega clear but his shot from the right of the area rolled harmlessly across the face of goal.

Untidy play was evident at the other end too as Fuller's poor touch in the penalty area took Beattie's low cross away from the on-rushing Liam Lawrence.

There was no change in the level of quality unfortunately as within six minutes of the restart Lee Cattermole miscontrolled Charles N'Zogbia's left-wing cross inside the six-yard area when it looked easier to score.

N'Zogbia was not exempt from criticism either. First he was guilty of wastefully crossing too near Sorensen after Rodallega had dispossessed Danny Pugh to set up a counter-attack.

The French winger then blazed over having run 30 yards with the ball after Wilkinson's slip on the halfway line.

Cho was replaced by Ben Watson in the 58th minute, just before substitute Pugh's swerving half-volley from a partially-cleared corner flew inches over the crossbar and Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa drilled a left-footed shot narrowly wide.

When the breakthrough came in the 69th minute it was largely thanks to Fuller's persistence and Wigan's inability to clear their lines.

There appeared to be little danger when Lawrence played a high ball up to the striker, closely watched by three defenders.

Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble and Figueroa all had chances to tackle Fuller but he battled on and somehow had enough time to pick a spot high to Kingson's right.

Mido was sent on for midfielder Michael Brown as Steve Bruce reverted to 4-4-2 but before they had time to reorganise Wigan were 2-0 down in the 76th minute.

Delap's ball inside Mario Melchiot released Etherington down the left and as Kingson raced out he scooped a cross to the far post where Beattie headed home.

With the match won the game reverted to type but that did not bother the home faithful one bit as they are already looking forward to a second successive season in the top flight.

Tottenham 2-1 Manchester City

2009-05-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

Tottenham skipper Robbie Keane grabbed a late winner against Manchester City to keep alive his side's hopes of a European place.

Jermain Defoe had opened the scoring at White Hart Lane, then was involved in a clash that led to one of the assistant referees being injured and replaced at half-time.

Valeri Bojinov equalised for City but Keane scored the winner from the penalty spot, meaning the race for seventh place in the Barclays Premier League will go to the wire.

By only conceding one goal, Spurs also established a new league club record for least goals conceded at home in a season - but it was the fact that they edged an action-packed encounter that really mattered.

After scoring the opener, Defoe was involved in the bizarre incident with the assistant referee on the stroke of half-time.

Nedum Onuoha challenged him on the touchline and as he rolled off the floor Defoe must have felt a touch. The England striker may have felt it was his opponent but it was actually assistant referee Trevor Massey, with Defoe instinctively flicking out.

It did not appear deliberate but Massey still required treatment and was replaced by Stuart Attwell at the interval.

Spurs should have sealed the points by then but Shay Given single-handedly kept his side in the match.

It was Keane who set up the first chance. Defoe had already had a strike ruled out for offside, then Keane slipped him the ball in the fourth minute. Defoe took a touch inside and curled an effort on target, with Given leaping to his left to keep out the effort.

Given's high standards means those type of saves are now expected of him, and he was down sharply again when Roman Pavlyuchenko tried his luck from 25 yards.

The Republic of Ireland stopper pulled another save out of the top drawer when Ledley King connected with Tom Huddlestone's corner, with a reflex stop required on the line.

Given was finally beaten, just before the half-hour mark, by Defoe's impish piece of skill.

Jermaine Jenas shifted the ball to Huddlestone on the right, the cross came over but was slightly behind Defoe, so the striker back-heeled on the volley beyond Given.

It was his first goal since a foot injury in January kept him out for 10 weeks, and City may have been disappointed that Elano was not taken off just before the goal.

The Brazilian was struggling with an eye complaint and was taken off for Pablo Zabaleta just after the opener.

There had been very little for Oasis singer Liam Gallagher to shout about from the stands, only a poked Martin Petrov effort, a finish that suggested he was a player short of confidence and a right foot.

Alan Hutton came on at the break for Jonathan Woodgate, meaning Spurs made a change as well as the officials.

Spurs had won their previous four home matches 1-0 and City were determined to break that sequence, with Micah Richards raiding down the right trying to make something happen.

Felipe Caicedo had sight of goal but his effort was sliced wildly and almost went for a throw.

City boss Mark Hughes responded by introducing Benjani and Bojinov for Petrov and Caicedo, on the hour mark.

Bojinov equalised in the 65th minute. Stephen Ireland chipped the ball into the penalty area, Benjani held off two defenders and Bojinov dipped his volleyed home when it broke for him.

Pavlyuchenko stabbed an effort horribly wide and was then taken off and headed straight down the tunnel, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp appearing unimpressed with the Russian.

Spurs were awarded their penalty when Richards held Fraizer Campbell, with Keane tucking away the spot-kick.

Benjani missed a sitter for City in the dying moments.

Everton 3-1 West Ham

2009-05-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Louis Saha had a match to remember on the day his former club Manchester United secured the Barclays Premier League title.

The Frenchman scored a brace in a comfortable victory against 10-man West Ham at Goodison Park.

With Jo ineligible for the FA Cup final in two weeks, it was the ideal moment for Saha to stake a claim for a place at Wembley where they face Chelsea.

West Ham made the ideal start and Radoslav Kovac gave them the lead before Saha equalised with a penalty after Tim Cahill had been tripped by James Tomkins.

That resulted in Tomkins being sent off and the visitors imploded. Joseph Yobo put Everton ahead and Saha added a second.

Everton had the majority of possession in the first half only to find themselves chasing the game.

Everton’s Louis Saha scores his sides first goal of the game from the penalty spot

Saha dragged a shot wide of the post from the edge of the area after nine minutes having been set up by Steven Pienaar.

Then Pienaar strode forward and unleashed a powerful effort from 25 yards that went narrowly over the bar.

Leon Osman should have given Everton the lead in the 13th minute but screwed his shot wide of the post after Marouane Fellaini had flicked on a cross from Lars Jacobsen.

Everton’s Joseph Yobo (right) celebrates scoring his
sides second goal of the match with teammate Marouane Fellaini (left)

West Ham responded and Kovac split the defence to release Diego Tristan. He seemed surprised at the chance and goalkeeper Tim Howard was able to mop up.

Osman tested Robert Green with a delicate chip in the 19th minute before West Ham took the lead with a goal out of nothing in the 24th minute. Kovac delivered a stunning effort from distance that flew into the corner beyond Howard.

Czech Republic midfielder Kovac celebrated in style as it was his first goal for West Ham after arriving on loan from Spartak Moscow.

Gianfranco Zola's side were growing in confidence and Tristan clipped a shot wide of the post in the 28th minute.

However, the game took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute when West Ham were reduced to 10 men.

Tomkins tripped Cahill as he burst into the penalty area and was sent off.

West Ham were outraged but Saha kept cool. He stepped up and sent Green the wrong way with his spot-kick to take his tally for the season to six goals.

Everton took the lead in the 48th minute after some sloppy defending by the visitors.

Yobo was left unmarked at the back post as Pienaar swung in the corner and rifled a shot into the net, the ball taking a slight deflection off Matthew Upson.

Everton almost increased their lead two minutes later. Saha got on the end of Osman's cross but his header clipped substitute Jonathan Spector and came back off the post.

Then Saha skipped away from Lucas Neill in the 62nd minute, only to see his shot go wide of the post.

However West Ham suddenly launched two swift counter-attacks with Howard doing well to thwart Luis Boa Morte, then substitute Carlton Cole failed to get a decent touch in a good position.

Everton extended their lead in the 76th minute with Saha's second goal of the game. He scored from close range following a cross from Pienaar, who had shown good skill to skip to the byline.

Saha should have completed his hat-trick two minutes later but Green blocked his effort after he had been released by Cahill.

The Frenchman was then given a standing ovation when he was replaced by James Vaughan in the 79th minute as Everton rounded off their home games with a comfortable victory before going on a lap of honour.

Man United 0-0 Arsenal

2009-05-16T09:52:00.001-07:00

Committed: Wayne Rooney, centre fights for the ball against Arsenal's Denilson

Manchester United were today crowned champions of England for a record-equalling 18th time at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side might not have given Usain Bolt a goal to celebrate on his first visit to the Theatre of Dreams but the Premier League trophy will do as consolation after a goalless draw with Arsenal ensured Liverpool cannot now catch their north-west rivals.

After over three decades as the unquestioned kings of English football, the Merseysiders now have someone else to share the title with.

And, if Ferguson is to be believed it will not be long before the Anfield outfit lose it altogether.

While the first half ended with United still on course for the 11th league title of Ferguson's illustrious reign, Arsenal had every reason to be pleased with themselves.

After two dire displays that surrendered their Champions League semi-final with the Red Devils, plus a hammering on home soil by Chelsea, it was feared the Gunners would suffer yet another embarrassing mauling.

It surely could not be a coincidence that Andrey Arshavin's return from a combination of being cup-tied and contracting a flu bug coincided with Arsenal's return to form.

As Gunners fans search for reasons to be cheerful ahead of what will be another trophyless summer, the Russian playmaker is the main one.

Arshavin went on one mazy dribble from the left flank that would have opened United up totally had Jonny Evans not raced across to clear.

The former Zenit St Petersburg star was also the provider of a cross lone striker Robin van Persie might easily have steered into the net, rather than just over. However, the world's fastest man did not come to Old Trafford to watch Arsenal.

The hosts certainly started as if they meant business with Darren Fletcher almost sending Cristiano Ronaldo through inside the opening minute.

Yet, as time wore on, it seemed Ferguson's side were adopting a pragmatic approach to the situation, ensuring their goal was tight and secure, pushing forward in numbers only when really necessary.

The energy of Carlos Tevez helped in that regard. Sometimes it seems the South American is doing the work of two men. And, as the speculation over Tevez's future rumbles on, there is little doubt most United fans would want him signed permanently if at all possible.

It seems highly improbable though. And when he responded to his number 32 being flashed up as the man to be replaced by Park Ji-sung, the response, a little shake of the head and a two-handed wave to all four corners of the stadium, looked for all the world like a goodbye.

There has, of course, never been any discussion over Wayne Rooney. Had voting for the various player of the year awards been based on the last two or three months' form alone, Rooney would have been top of the pile.

The England striker has added an extra level of consistency to his game that truly deserves him now to be ranked if not at the very top of the game, then only just underneath.

Rooney stole in behind Bacary Sagna to head a teasing Michael Carrick cross wide after earlier having an effort deflected away by Kolo Toure.

On the brink of his 11th championship, Ryan Giggs curled a free-kick over and was then off target with a volley.

Ronaldo had an even better opportunity at the start of the second period after Tevez had failed to manage a shot after Carrick had supplied the cross, but did enough to nudge it into the Portugal superstar's path.

After offering his own sprinting guidance yesterday, Bolt must have thought Ronaldo would offer a fitting payment. Instead, he leant back and skied his shot into the Stretford End. In fairness, Bolt had chosen to come and watch his team on a rare day that they did not need to win.

For all the side issues surrounding Park's arrival, it suggested even less of an emphasis on attack, although Ronaldo did send one his trademark free-kicks whipping wide. It marked the end of United's attacking intent.

Fabregas and Van Persie had one last shot at spoiling the party. But with the trophy ready and the tickets sorted, it seemed a shame to stop it.

Sir Alex demands United keep Carlos Tevez

2009-05-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sir Alex Ferguson last night watched Manchester United move within a point of another Barclays Premier League title after a dramatic victory at Wigan, then offered renewed hope that striker Carlos Tevez can be persuaded to stay at Old Trafford.

'He knows I want him to stay,' said the United manager last night, much to the delight of the club's fans.

Well heeled: Substitute Carlos Tevez celebrates his back-flick equaliser against Wigan

The reigning champions need only a draw at home to Arsenal on Saturday or away at Hull on the season's final day to retain their title and match rivals Liverpool's record haul of 18 Championships.

Trailing 1-0 at half time at the JJB Stadium last night, United recovered in spectacular style to equalise through Tevez then clinch three points with a Michael Carrick winner four minutes from the end of normal time.

Tevez's goal was his second in four days, even though he vowed to leave the club on Sunday due to his failure to nail down a regular place.

United manager Ferguson said last night: 'The situation has not affected Carlos at all. He knows I want him to stay.

'I had another chat with him about it today and our chief executive, David Gill, had other meetings as well. I'm sure it has progressed further.

'The terms we have offered Carlos are good, so we will see.'

However, a spokesman for Tevez's adviser Kia Joorabchian said last night: 'It is true David Gill came to see Mr Joorabchian and they had a cordial meeting.

'It is categorically untrue that Manchester United made an offer to try and persuade Carlos Tevez to stay at the club. In 2007 they agreed a two-year loan for Carlos and at the same time agreed the terms that would make the transfer permanent. They have not taken up that option.'

United were on the back foot after Hugo Rodallega's opener last night and it looked as though the title momentum may swing back towards Liverpool.

Ferguson added: 'We had to show the resolve of champions again against a determined Wigan side. This was a terrific challenge but we got there with a fantastic second-half performance.'