Joe Cole Joins Lille

Joe Cole has signed a season-long loan deal with French champions Lille. The Liverpool midfielder held talks with the Ligue One outfit yesterday and has now decided to accept their offer. There was also interest from Aston Villa but Cole was lured to Lille by the prospect of Champions League football. In a statement on their website Lille said: "With the arrival of England international Joe Cole, Lille has boosted both the quantity and quality of its squad. "The club is pleased and proud that this project has attracted a player of this magnitude." Cole hadn’t made Liverpool’s matchday squad so far this season and boss Kenny Dalglish had made it clear he would be allowed to leave. The capture of Cole on a free transfer from Chelsea was celebrated last July but he has been dogged by injuries and poor form. The 29-year-old has started just one league game under Dalglish and that was at Villa Park on the final day of last season. Summer signings Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing have left Cole surplus to requirements and Liverpool were keen to get him off the wage bill.

Chelsea make £30 million move for Ribery

Chelsea made a £30 million move for French star Franck Ribery on Tuesday after failing to prise Luka Modric from Tottenham.Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has turned to Ribery in his search for a world-class playmaker after being frustrated by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's tough stance over Modric. But Bayern Munich will not consider a deal for less than £36m. The Blues are ready to hand him a pay deal worth £10m a year. Now AVB must decide whether to match the German giants' valuation. Chelsea are determined they are not going to be left behind by Manchester United and big-spending Manchester City. Carlo Ancelotti tried to sign Ribery, 28, two years ago but was quoted a price of £88m by Bayern president Uli Hoeness. Bayern forked out a record £22m to sign him from Marseille in 2007. He is the highest paid player in Germany and still has four years of his £180,000-a-week contract to run. But he is trying to restore his reputation after being indicted for soliciting an underage prostitute last year and banned for his part in France's World Cup strike. AVB also offered £7m plus Yossi Benayoun for Liverpool's Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles, but that was rejected.

Fuham Agree Fee for Bryan Ruiz

Costa Rican international Bryan Ruiz is set to move from FC Twente Eschende to Fulham,The club's has agreed to a £10.6M deal for the 26-year-old attacker, who just completed his second season in the Dutch Eredivisie.Ruiz moved to the Netherlands in the summer of 2009, having since scored 39 league goals in 61 appearances. Prior to his Eredivisie move, Ruiz spent three seasons in Belgium with Racing Gent, scoring 26 Jupiler League goals after joining from Costa Rica's Alajuelense.Ruiz's acquisition will fuel rumors that the Cottager's leading scorer, Clint Dempsey, is about to leave the club, having been connected with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Clint Dempsey Set To Join Arsenal

Arsenal are closing in on signing Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey as the transfer window comes to a close.Fulham do not want to sell the club's key attacker but privately accepts that they will be unable to fend off Arsenal if the north Londoners match the valuation of £10 million for the American, who is highly regarded at Craven Cottage and has two years remaining on his contract.The Gunners made their initial move for Dempsey before Sunday's 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United after Arsene Wenger identified the American's versatility and experience as qualities that can improve his threadbare squad.Sources close to Dempsey say he has aspirations to play in the Champions League after joining Fulham from Major League Soccer in January 2007.Dempsey was Fulham's leading scorer last season with 13 goals, including 12 in the Premier League. He has already added another two in the Europa League this season and scored in his team's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday.Fulham coach Martin Jol is ready to make a late move for FC Twente's Bryan Ruiz if he loses Dempsey. The 26-year-old Costa Rican has been closely tracked by Fulham during the window and has admitted that he is open to a move to England.

Defender completes switch to Loftus Road

Left-back Armand Traore has joined the QPR revolution after completing his move from Arsenal on a three-year deal. The 21-year-old spent time on loan with Serie A outfit Juventus last season and has made just one Premier League appearance for the Gunners in the last 15 months in Sunday's 8-2 defeat to Manchester United. Traore has now completed his move across London and becomes the third signing of the Tony Fernandes era following Joey Barton and Luke Young. "When I talked to Neil Warnock he was very passionate about what I could bring to the club," the Frenchman told the club's official website. "He was very motivated about playing me week in, week out, and that's what I need at this stage of my career. I've not been able to prove and show what I'm all about because I've been at two big, big clubs like Juventus and Arsenal. "I'm looking forward to coming here and playing regular football. The ambition of the new owners and the calibre of players they are signing is something that really attracted me to the club."

Stoke fail in Lukaku loan bid

Stoke have failed in an attempt to sign new Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan due to Premier League rules. The move fell foul of the rule-book, which forbids a player being lent to another top-flight side during the same transfer window that he joined his parent club. But it is also unclear whether Chelsea or Lukaku would have been open to a loan move, with the 18-year-old specifically saying before joining his boyhood idols that he did not want to be farmed out. Premier League Rule M.7.1 reads: "A Temporary Transfer to a Club may not take place in the Transfer Window in which the Transferor Club acquired the Player's registration." Lukaku completed his protracted move from Anderlecht to Chelsea almost two weeks ago for a fee that could reportedly rise to £20million. He made his Blues debut as a substitute in Saturday's 3-1 win over Norwich, although he faces a fight for a starting spot at Stamford Bridge, with Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda, Daniel Sturridge and Salomon Kalou among Andre Villas-Boas' other striking options.

Owen Hargreaves Set For Manchester City

Ex-Man Utd star Owen Hargreaves has undergone a medical with Manchester City as he looks to finalise a free transfer to Eastlands. The 30-year-old was pictured coming out of Bridgewater hospital in Manchester where he reportedly underwent a three-hour exam with City's staff. Hargreaves is a free agent after his contract with United expired last season and he had been linked with moves to West Brom and Leicester after both clubs offered him deals. Tottenham and Aston Villa were also thought to be interested but City look as though they will take a gamble on the England midfielder. Roberto Mancini is keen to bring in one more midfielder before the transfer window closes and has seemingly failed in his attempts to lure Mark van Bommel away from AC Milan. The signing of Hagreaves would represent a huge gamble given the injury-ravaged four years he endured at Old Trafford before his release.

Newcastle Sign Santon

Davide Santon has completed his move to Newcastle and has penned a five-year contract. The Italian full-back has been strongly linked with the Magpies over recent days, with Inter Milan prepared to discuss a deal. The 20-year-old arrived in England on Tuesday ahead of undergoing a medical with the Magpies. It is understood that he has been given the all clear and has put the finishing touches to a move. Santon will be hoping to breathe new life into his career on Tyneside, with the last couple of seasons having seen him stagnate. He is capable of operating on either side of the back four and Alan Pardew may opt to use him as a replacement for Jose Enrique at left-back.

Tremmel signs for Swansea

Swansea City today bolstered their goalkeeping options with the signing of Gerhard Tremmel. The German stopper has signed a two-year contract at the Liberty Stadium following a successful trial with the Swans. Tremmel, who has previously played in the Bundesliga for Hannover, Hertha Berlin and Energie Cottbus, has joined on a free transfer after leaving Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg this summer.The 32-year-old joined up with the Swans during their Austrian training camp in July, and featured in their friendly match with the United Arab Emirates' Olympic team. Brendan Rodgers then brought Tremmel to South Wales to take another look at the former Bayern Munich trainee, who played in the friendly victories over Celtic and Real Betis at the Liberty. Now, with David Cornell out on loan at League Two club Hereford, Brendan has strengthened his options with the arrival of Tremmel, who battles for the number one shirt with Michel Vorm and Jose Moreira. "I'm delighted to be here as a Swansea player," said Tremmel. "I've been with the club for quite a while on trial, and I already felt a part of the squad as everyone here has been so welcoming. It is a family club. "I have also had the chance to see how the team gets on in the Premier League, and I've been impressed with what I've seen. "But I've got a big challenge ahead of me. Of course, I have to be patient because Michel has been playing very well and Jose is also pushing to play. "However, I feel I have good experience to share from my time playing in the Bundesliga, and that could help us this season. "But first I need to get my chance, which I will work hard for and I will also be patient. "I'm just looking forward to getting started officially as a Swansea player."

Per Mertesacker Signs For Arsenal?

French source L’Equipe are reporting that Arsenal have signed experienced German international Per Mertesacker as Arsene Wenger looks to strengthen the club’s leaky defence. The Werder Bremen centre back has been linked with a move to the Premier League side for the best part of a year and now it appears that the Gunners boss has secured a deal to sign the 26 year old. Mertesacker has amassed 75 national team caps and could well be the player to help stabilize a defence that has struggled for form over the past 18 months. Wenger has been looking to beef up his back-line all summer and reportedly made advances for English international pair Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill but has seemingly opted for the more cost effective option of moving for a German international with just one year left on his current contract. Mertesacker is said to be available for as little as £6m. Last summer’s signings Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci have struggled to make an impact and Johan Djourou, though much improved, does not appear to be the answer to Arsenal’s defensive woes. Last term the Emirates Stadium side conceded their highest Premier League total in over a decade and followed that up with poor displays against Liverpool and Man United. Thomas Vermaelen offers a solid base but the Belgian could benefit from an experienced partner at the heart of the Arsenal defence and Per Mertesacker may well be the man to fill that void. The giant 6ft 5in defender is in his sixth season at Werder Bremen and has seen the side go from being genuine title challengers and regular Champions League participants to a disappointing 13th place finish last term and now the Hannover born stalwart appears ready for a new challenge

Park Chu- Young Joins Arsenal

Park Chu-Young has undergone a medical and is set to complete a £2.6million transfer to Arsenal - after going AWOL by fleeing his hotel for London shortly before finalising a deal with Lille.The Monaco striker had agreed terms to join the French champions and the deal had progressed as far as him travelling to Lille on Friday, with a view to completing the move on Saturday. However, when club officials went to collect the South Korea international from the hotel for his medical, they found the room empty. Lille president Michel Seydoux was furious about the 26-year-old going missing and the discovery that Park had travelled to England, 'apparently to Arsenal', did little to quell his anger. 'We are stunned by this unacceptable behaviour in terms of human qualities,' Seydoux told L'Equipe. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger revealed on Friday that he planned to sign a new striker, as Nicklas Bendtner is close to finalising a move away from the Emirates Stadium.Park - who was reported to have held talks with Spurs following Monaco's relegation from the French top-flight last season - looks set to arrive at Arsenal as a low-cost replacement for the Dane. He will also act as cover for Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh during next year's African Cup of Nations.

Sunderland Prepare Samaras Raid

Georgios Samaras is believed to be a shock transfer target for Sunderland. Steve Bruce has vowed to bring in a striker before the transfer window closes with the Celtic forward high in his list of options. Despite big money moves for Asamoah Gyan and Connor Wickham over the last twelve months Sunderland have scored just once this season in the Premiership and were dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton and lost the Tyne-Wear derby at home to Newcastle. Bruce is under pressure after spending £30m during the current transfer window and believes that Samaras could provide the missing link for his strikers. After a goal-less draw at Swansea on Saturday the Sunderland boss admitted: “We’ve brought in Ji (Dong Won) and Wickham as players for the future. We’ve definitely got two players of potential there but we won’t see the best of either of them for a year to 18 months. “In the meantime we need a bit extra up front. If we’re honest we’ve been a bit lacking in that department since Darren Bent left for Aston Villa last January so we’ll do all we can to bring someone in by Wednesday night. We’ll just have to try our best and see if it’s possible.’ Samaras is believed to be high on Bruce’s wanted list with Celtic prepared to offload the former Manchester City man if they get a bid of £2m. Bruce is also watching Papiss Demba Cisseof Freiburg but has been quoted a price of £13m and got little encouragement from his interest in Spurs strikers Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch.

Arsenal Offer Free Tickets After Man United Humiliation

There is at least one positive for Arsenal supporters reeling from the 8-2 defeat to Manchester United: the club has promised to give free tickets to those who attended the humiliation at Old Trafford. Around 3,000 fans made the 400-mile round trip to Manchester on Sunday, only to see the team suffer their heaviest defeat since 1896. Arsenal will now write to those supporters, offering to cover the cost of a ticket at a future Premier League away game, reports Guardian.co.uk. A club statement said: "Sunday's result was obviously disappointing for everyone connected with the club. Our travelling fans were magnificent throughout and we want to recognise their fantastic support. We will be writing to them shortly with the details." It is not the first time a football club has taken such action. Wigan players clubbed together to refund the costs of fans who travelled to Tottenham to see their team humbled 9-1 in 2009, while in the same year the German side, Energie Cottbus reimbursed supporters after a 4-0 defeat at Schalke, a performance the club described as "pitiful". In addition to the financial compensation, Arsène Wenger also issued an apology to Arsenal fans, as the manager faces up to the most testing days of his 15 years at the club. "The fans do not want to see their team like that," he said. "We can only apologise and come back in our strength and desire in the next game. Big scores are humiliating and difficult to swallow but I don't think they have a special meaning. They are always under special circumstances." For Wenger, those special circumstances were a lengthy injury list, which left him without Jack Wilshere, Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna among others, plus the suspensions of Alex Song, Gervinho and Emmanuel Frimpong. But Robin van Persie insisted the embarrassment cannot be blamed on a weakened team. "It is an honest result if you look at the game," the captain said. "We were simply not good enough. We have to deal with that. I don't think we can hide behind injuries or suspensions. It is no excuse. They had injuries too, this is football." Van Persie – who missed a penalty and scored one of the consolation goals – also admitted he felt sorry for the supporters who travelled to Old Trafford, most of whom braved it out until full-time. "That is one really positive thing," he said. "They were cheering us up all game for 90 minutes. We really appreciate that. Sometimes you see fans leaving early but I did not see that. When we went to the fans to thank them after the game, it looked like every seat was still full."

Arsenal and Liverpool in Benayoun Chase

Arsenal, Liverpool and French club Lille have all approached Chelsea over the possibility of signing midfielder Yossi Benayoun. The 31-year-old Israeli posted on Twitter on Monday that he is on the verge of leaving Stamford Bridge. Arsenal are looking to strengthen their midfield following the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Benayoun joined Chelsea from Liverpool for £5m in July 2010 but has seen just one minute of action this season. It has been rumoured Benayoun would be included in an offer from Chelsea for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric. "Negotiating with several teams... news soon," wrote Benayoun on Twitter. Newcastle have also been linked with the Israel captain, who was restricted to 10 appearances for the club last season due to an Achilles injury, which kept him out for six months. Benayoun spent two years at West Ham before joining Liverpool in 2007. He scored 29 goals in 134 games for the Reds.

Arsenal Sign Andre Santos

Arsenal are set to sign Brazilian international left-back Andre Santos from Fenerbahce for £6.2m. The 28-year-old from Sao Paulo was bought by the Turkish club in 2009 from Corinthians in his homeland. After Sunday's 8-2 defeat by Manchester United, manager Arsene Wenger said he was chasing new players before the transfer window closes on 31 August. Wenger is also on the verge of signing striker Park Chu-young from Monaco. Last season Santos made 25 league appearances for Fenerbahce, scoring five goals. Santos played for Brazil as they won the Fifa Confederations Cup in 2009, but he did not make the 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup Finals. He did return to play in the 2011 Copa America, but missed a penalty as Brazil lost to Paraguay on spot-kicks in the quarter-finals. Having seen left-back Gael Clichy join Manchester City, Wenger played 21-year-old Kieran Gibbs in that position on the opening day of the season against Newcastle United. Gibbs then injured his hamstring in the Champions League qualifying play-off first leg against Udinese. Wenger used Bacary Sagna at left-back during the 2-0 Premier League defeat to Liverpool on 20 August, and the second leg against Udinese, where Arsenal qualified for the Champions League group stage. But Sagna was ruled out at Old Trafford on Sunday, paving the way for another left-back, Armand Traore, to play, but he is now on the verge of leaving the Gunners for Queens Park Rangers.

Match Report:Tottenham 1 Manchester City 5

Edin Dzeko scored four as Manchester City maintained their 100% start to the season with an awesome display. Dzeko prodded in from close range from a left-wing cross from Samir Nasri, who was outstanding on his City debut. Peter Crouch headed a good chance to equalise wide before another Nasri cross was neatly headed in by Dzeko. In the second half Dzeko tapped in his third, Sergio Aguero fired in after a mazy run, Younes Kaboul headed one back but Dzeko curled a sublime fifth. After their first match of the season against Everton was postponed because of the London riots, Spurs always knew their start to the campaign would be tough, and having lost at Manchester United they found City even more formidable opponents. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was not allowed to include new recruit Emmanuel Adebayor under the terms of his loan from City, but was able to field Luka Modric for the first time this season. Modric, still linked with a move to Chelsea, was unable to have much influence in a central-midfield partnership with Niko Kranjcar that was over-run by the fluidity of City, simply irresistible going forward. In the early exchanges there were chances at both ends, David Silva testing Brad Friedel with a stinging drive and then drifting effortlessly across the defence and forcing the veteran goalkeeper into another save. Rafael van der Vaart orchestrated the best moments for Spurs, but his shot on the turn and curling free-kick were both turned around the post by Joe Hart. Gareth Bale was kept largely quiet by the returning Pablo Zabaleta but the wide man had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when a delightful Spurs move ended with Aaron Lennon's cross falling to him in space 10 yards out, but he sliced over the bar. Nasri, Aguero and Silva provided some mesmerising moments going forward and soon ensured they were rewarded for their invention. After some delightfully intricate passing at pace, Nasri sent over a perfect left-wing cross for Dzeko who poked in on the volley from six yards. Bale's one moment of brilliance produced a magnificent driven cross which fell perfectly for Crouch but the striker, linked alongside Wilson Palacios with a move to Sunderland, could not direct his diving header on target. City extended their lead when Nasri drifted clear on the left again and crossed for Dzeko, who flicked a back header beyond Friedel in the manner of Javier Hernandez's goal at Stoke last term. Tottenham's hopes of a second-half recovery receded when the threat of Lennon was ended by a groin problem and Dzeko soon completed his hat-trick from barely a yard out, converting Yaya Toure's cutback from the right-hand byline after a devastating overlap. Aguero added a memorable strike when a flash of pace enabled him to wriggle free of Michael Dawson's lunge and he sent an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Kaboul, having endured a torrid afternoon against the subtlety of City's a la carte menu of attacking players, gained some consolation when he rose to head in a Van der Vaart corner. The Netherlands international joined a growing injury list when he hobbled off with hamstring trouble to reduce Spurs to 10 men and Redknapp will hope to add to his squad before they try to gain their first league points away at Wolves on 10 September. There was still time for one more moment of magic from City, Dzeko exchanging passes with Gareth Barry and curling a measured shot past a dejected Friedel into the top corner.

Match Report: Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2

Manchester United inflicted total humiliation on Arsenal and their embattled manager Arsene Wenger with a brutal victory at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson's Premier League champions responded in spectacular fashion to Manchester City's outstanding 5-1 win at Spurs by returning to the top of the table with a result that represented Arsenal's worst defeat since 1896. Wenger sent out a makeshift side depleted by injuries and suspensions - but even this cannot excuse the manner in which they were outclassed in all parts of the pitch and swept aside with such ease by United. Wayne Rooney was United's inspiration with the sixth hat-trick of his Old Trafford career, but Ashley Young also made his mark with two stunning goals. Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-sung were the other scorers. Theo Walcott reduced United's three-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time but Robin van Persie's strike late in the second half-represented no measure of consolation for a dispirited, broken Arsenal. United keeper David de Gea distinguished himself with a fine penalty save from Van Persie moments after Welbeck had opened the scoring - and in a game of almost unrelenting misery for Arsenal, teenager Carl Jenkinson ensured they have failed to end a game with 11 players in any of their league games this season when he was sent off. Old Trafford was understandably exultant at the conclusion of such a carnival performance but Wenger now faces defining days of his Arsenal reign before the transfer window closes on Wednesday. For Wenger it was a performance, or lack of one, that proved the folly of his summer of transfer inaction Read more of the blog This result underscores the gulf that has opened up between United and Arsenal and Wenger will now seek to address the weaknesses in his squad and replace the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Ferguson's faith in the team that won so convincingly against Tottenham was rewarded with another thrilling attack-minded performance. Arsenal's uncertainty was partly explained by the unfamiliar make-up of their team, but the flaws were swiftly exposed by the manner in which United took the lead. Anderson's lofted pass was inventive but Arsenal's failure to react was ominous for what lay ahead, allowing Welbeck to head past Wojciech Szczesny. Van Persie then squandered an instant opportunity to equalise after referee Howard Webb awarded a penalty when Walcott tangled with Jonny Evans in the area. De Gea has had a mixed start to his Old Trafford career but he was engulfed by his team-mates as he dived to his right to make a fine save. And United ensured Arsenal were punished heavily as Young added the second after 28 minutes. Young found space just outside the area and curled a perfect finish high beyond Szczesny's grasp at the Stretford End. Welbeck's game was cut short by a hamstring injury - but there was no respite for Arsenal as Rooney worked a free-kick routine with Young to send a 20-yard free-kick into the top corner as the interval approached. Walcott halted some of United's momentum when he took advantage of slack marking to shoot beneath De Gea in first-half injury time. It made little difference amid the carnage of the second half as Arsenal were torn apart amid a torrent of goals, near misses and saves from the desperately exposed Szczesny. Arsenal survived until the 64th minute when they were undone by another piece of Rooney creation at a set-piece, again linking with Young before dispatching the finish past the motionless Arsenal keeper. It was the breaking point for Arsenal and they spent the remainder of game in a constant state of siege. Rooney was the creator for Nani with the pass that gave the Portuguese the opportunity to send a flamboyant chipped finish over Szczesny for United's fifth. With the Gunners in disarray, Park marked his arrival as substitute by lashing home an unstoppable finish before Van Persie briefly interrupted the one-way flow towards Arsenal's goal by beating De Gea. It barely seemed possible for matters to get worse for Arsenal, but the agony increased when Jenkinson was sent off after receiving his second yellow card for fouling Javier Hernandez as he raced clear. Rooney completed his thrilling treble with a penalty eight minutes from time after Walcott fouled Patrice Evra. And United completed the scoring with their eighth in injury time, Young once again showing his eye for the spectacular with another curling shot. Wenger cut a despairing figure as he walked back to the dressing room at the final whistle after one of the darkest days of his career.

Match Report: Blackburn 0 Everton 1

A controversial last-gasp penalty by Mikel Arteta handed Everton their first win of the season after Blackburn dramatically missed two spot-kicks. Tim Howard was Everton's earlier hero when he saved a 46th-minute penalty from Blackburn's Junior Hoilett. The giant American keeper then watched Mauro Formica's 77th-minute spot-kick slam against the post. Arteta's late winner came after referee Lee Mason ruled Chris Samba had flattened Marouane Fellaini. Despite a host of complaints from incensed Blackburn players, the penalty was awarded in the second minute of stoppage time and Arteta's confident finish condemned Steve Kean's men to their third successive league defeat. Rovers had only themselves to blame, though. They had a chance of opening their Premier League account just after the restart after Everton's inexperienced Ross Barkley brought down Formica for a clear penalty. Hoilett took careful aim but Howard gambled correctly, dived to his left, and kept the visitors in what was, until that point, a pretty mediocre game. Blackburn, who dominated the game from a statistical point of view, got a second chance from the spot when Formica was brought down by Phil Jagielka. But the otherwise impressive Formica could only watch in horror as his penalty hit the foot of the post and bounce away to safety.

Match Report: Aston Villa 0 Wolves 0

Both sides might feel they could have won this local derby but the two share the spoils after a goalless 90 minutes. Aston Villa pressed for much of the second half but failed to find an opening against an organized Wolves side. Wolves' best chance of the game came after just 20 minutes as Stephen Ward crossed from the left hand side. Stephen Hunt arrived at the back post to meet it but his header didn't have the power to beat Shay Given. Five minutes later Villa might have scored as Gabriel Agbonlahor got to the byline and cut the ball back for Emile Heskey who turned the ball inches wide of the near post from close range. After the break Villa were in the ascendancy and Agbonlahor forced a save from Wayne Hennessey after striding past Roger Johnson and shooting low across goal. Hennessey got down to his left to make the save and kept the rebound way from Bent on 51 minutes. Just shy of the hour mark Stilian Petrov's corner picked out Richard Dunne who powered a header at goal from twelve yards but Hennessey again made the save. Three minutes from time Barry Bannan crossed from the left for Darren Bent but his looping header landed on the roof of the net with the keeper well beaten. Wolves weathered the storm though to remain unbeaten this season, as do Villa who now have five points from three games.

Match Report: Chelsea 3 Norwich City 1

Chelsea beat ten-man Norwich City 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, but needed late goals from Frank Lampard and Juan Mata to secure the points. The Blues made a perfect start as Jose Bosingwa's striker from distance beat John Ruddy from around 25 yards out, but the visitors then enjoyed the better of the game as the first half progressed. Hilario had to make decent saves from Chris Martin and Grant Holt, before Ruddy got down well right on the stroke of half-time to keep out a Florent Malouda volley. Chelsea started the second half brightly, but failed to find a second goal and paid the price just past the hour mark, as Holt capitalised on a mix-up between Hilario and Branislav Ivanovic to hook the ball home. Soon after Didier Drogba was knocked out in a tangle with Ruddy, leading to play being held up for around ten minutes. The decisive moment arrived with around ten minutes to play, as Ruddy brought down Ramires following a quick break and was shown a red card. Lampard blasted the resulting spot-kick past sub keeper Decland Rudd, leaving City a goal down and a man short. Ivanovic wasted a clear chance to make the points safe in stoppage time, but in the 11th added minute debutant Mata made the final score 3-1, latching on to a defensive error to find the back of the net. Romelu Lukaku also made his debut in what turned out to be a good one for the hosts.

Match Report: Wigan 2 QPR 0

A Franco Di Santo brace maintained Wigan's unbeaten start at the start of the Premier League campaign with a win over QPR. Wigan made a bright start to the game but it was QPR who came closest with Shaun Derry forcing an early stop out of Ali Al-Habsi with a 30-yard drive. Hugo Rodallega and Victor Moses shared the chances for the hosts but both failed to trouble Paddy Kenny from close range. QPR boss Neil Warnock will be cursing his luck this afternoon as Adel Taarabt came inches away from opening the scoring on two occasions. Twice the QPR star man saw efforts come back off the post before Di Santo netted a sublime 20-yard volley on 41 minutes. Taarabt almost equalised immediately when his long range free-kick deflected off the wall but an in-form Al-Habsi was on hand again to deny the visitors. Di Santo's goal clearly boosted his confidence and on 66 minutes the little Italian took the ball off the toes of Rodallega on the edge of the QPR box and struck a right-footed shot which nestled in the top corner after taking a wicked deflection. QPR had a late penalty appeal turned down when Derry seemed to be brought down in the box by Al-Habsi before Rangers were again denied by the frame of the goal when Bruno Perone's header came back off the crossbar.

Match Report: Swansea 0 Sunderland 0

It finished all square at the Liberty Stadium as Swansea and Sunderland created chances but couldn't find the back of the net. The home side enjoyed the better of the first-half opportunities, while the Black Cats arguably shaded the second half. Sunderland hit the ground running as they started brightly. Debutant John O'Shea saw his header clip the crossbar, while Swansea keeper Michel Vorm made a great save to keep out Stephane Sessegnon. Swansea began to find their way back into the game and Scott Sinclair shook the crossbar with a 35-yard thunderbolt. Nathan Dyer also went close but saw his header fly inches wide of the upright. Shortly before the break Danny Graham should have given the home side the lead but put a free header the wrong side of the post. Sunderland went closest to breaking the deadlock after half time. O'Shea provided the ammunition with a cross but Craig Gardner had to stretch to get to the ball and his diving header flew over the bar. Meanwhile, Asamoah Gyan saw his effort saved by Vorm after a swift break from Steve Bruce's men. At the other end Simon Mignolet pulled out a superb point-blank stop from Graham in what was the Swans best opportunity of the second 45 minutes. The result leaves both sides on two points from their opening three games, but of the two managers Steve Bruce may be the one feeling a touch more pressure after Sunderland's busy summer in the transfer market.

Match Report:Liverpool 3 Bolton 1

Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table after cruising to an easy 3-1 victory against a poor Bolton side at Anfield. Kenny Dalglish opted to start with Andy Carroll on the substitute's bench and it proved to a wise move as his side played some free-flowing football at times that made the Bolton defence look ponderous. With no European disatractions this season, Liverpool could finally be title contenders this term. After dominating the early stages, Liverpool deservedly took the lead in the 15th minute when Jordan Henderson lashed a shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen after the Finnish goalkeeper had initally made a smart save to deny Dirk Kuyt. The lively Luis Suarez and Kuyt went close to doubling the Reds' lead before the interval but two goals in little over a minute early in the second period effectively ended the game as a contest. Substitute Martin Skrtel powered a header home from a 52nd-minute corner before the Bolton defence parted, allowing Kuyt to waltz into a dangerous area. The Dutchman set up Charlie Adam who slid a low shot past the hapless Jaaskelainen. There could have been more goals for Dalglish's side who threatened to run riot immediately after grabbing their third goal but, after the attacks had been repelled, Bolton netted a consolation goal with virtually the last kick of the game courtesy of Klasnic.

George John Set For Blackburn

American defender George John is close to joining Blackburn from FC Dallas. To avoid the necessity of obtaining a British work permit, John has traveled to Greece - his grandparents' homeland - to collect a passport from another European Union country. "All the paperwork with the MLS has been agreed, the player has traveled to Greece to get his passport, and hopefully he will be in the country either tonight or tomorrow," Blackburn manager Steve Kean said Tuesday. "We've been tracking him through a scout based in the USA, we have had a number of good reports, and I've seen him myself on a number of occasions. "In times past I've been involved with a lot of American players -- Eddie Lewis, Marcus Hahnemann, Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride -- from my Fulham days. It's a very good market because you can get players who have great potential, who hit the ground running, and you can normally get them for a very competitive salary, and he fits the ball." John will fill a void left by Phil Jones' departure for Manchester United. "He is 6-foot-4, a commanding defender," Kean said of John. "He is quick, aggressive, and he has a really bright future."

Barton Set for QPR

Premier League new boys QPR are ready to smash their wage structure to offer midfielder Joey Barton a £30,000-a-week pay rise. Barton was having a medical last night after telling a friend: “I’ll talk to QPR because Newcastle don’t want me, so I have to go somewhere.” He later tweeted: “Going for a medical now, still no contract offer from NUFC... think that just about makes my mind up. Don’t want to leave Newcastle. I’ve made that clear but my hands are tied.”Barton has less than 12 months on his £70,000-a-week deal at St James’ Park after being refused a new contract and dumped on the transfer list following a fall-out with boss Alan Pardew. He made matters worse with a blistering attack, saying the club lacked ambition under owner Mike Ashley. However, Barton, 28, played in both Newcastle’s Premier League games this season After his £35m takeover, new majority shareholder Tony Fernandes made the quest for Barton part of a charm-offensive, also cutting ticket prices after massive increases this summer

Juan Mata completes move to Chelsea

Juan Mata has completed his move to Chelsea from Spanish club Valencia for a reported £23.5m. Mata has signed a five-year contract and is available for Saturday's game against Norwich. "Valencia was a big club anyway but I have left to join a bigger club," the 23-year-old winger said. "It is all about the opportunity to win trophies and I have that here." The Spaniard said Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas convinced him to move. "He said he wanted Chelsea this season to play more attacking football, and that I would be a big part of that," added Mata. "Villas-Boas is someone who won almost everything last year [the former Porto boss won the Portuguese league, Europa League and two domestic cups last season] and we are both here with the idea of winning lots this season."

Arsenal reach Champions League Group Stage

Arsenal cast aside their recent troubles to reach the Champions League group stage with victory at Udinese in their qualifying play-off second leg. The Gunners won the first leg 1-0 but Udinese went ahead in Italy through Antonio di Natale's superb header. Robin Van Persie equalised from Gervinho's pass before Thomas Vermaelen handled a Di Natale corner in the box. Wojciech Szczesny saved the penalty and Theo Walcott sealed a 2-1 win (3-1 on aggregate) with a fine run and finish. It capped a critical win for Arsene Wenger's side and means they will be in Thursday's draw for the group stages as they prepare for a 14th consecutive season in the competition proper.

Coates on Brink of Anfield Move

Liverpool expect to complete an £8million deal for Uruguayan defender Sebastian Coates by the end of the week and see off late interest from Arsenal. Coates, 20, was voted Young Player of the Tournament at the recent Copa America and has a towering reputation to match his 6ft 5ins height. Liverpool made a formal written bid to Nacional on Monday. Talks are still on-going but Nacional vice president Hector Olmes said: 'The offer (from Liverpool) is very good. Coates will surely go to Liverpool.' Liverpool will look to push through deals to offload Joe Cole, Alberto Aquilani, Christian Poulsen and David Ngog after they were left out of the squad to face Exeter on Wednesday.

Spurs agree loan deal for City's Adebayor

Tottenham agreed a loan deal for striker Emmanuel Adebayor on Tuesday night, according to 'The Sun'. Manchester City's ex-Arsenal hitman will have a medical today. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp saw his side soundly beaten 3-0 by Manchester United on Monday and admitted he needed new signings. So he has swooped for Togo ace Adebayor, who is behind Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli in the pecking order at City. Tottenham have agreed to pay a larger percentage of the 27-year-old's £170,000-a-week wages than they were originally willing to splash out. But the £25 million striker will not be allowed to make his Spurs debut this Sunday when they face his parent club.

Nasri Set To Complete Manchester City Move

Samir Nasri has completed his medical at Manchester City and is expected to finalise his move from Arsenal on Wednesday. The 24-year-old France international was due to travel to Manchester for a medical examination on Tuesday, Arsenal said before the north London team flew to Italy for a Champions League playoff against Udinese. The Blues agreed a fee with Arsenal earlier in the day, as a summer-long transfer saga began to edge towards a conclusion. Arsenal was compelled to sell Nasri because he turned down a new contract and could have left on a free transfer next year when his most recent deal expired. Arsenal is reported to be receiving £24 million ($40 million) from City. The attacking midfielder, who can play centrally or on either wing, scored 27 goals in 124 appearances since joining Arsenal from Marseille in July 2008. Despite Arsenal's failure to seriously challenge for the English league title, last season was Nasri's most productive with 15 goals — 10 in the Premier League. Nasri will be joining a City squad already including the attacking talents of Spain midfielder David Silva, England winger Adam Johnson and Argentina forward Sergio Aguero.

Chelsea in bid for Pereira

Chelsea have made a bid for Porto midfielder Alvaro Pereira. Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas worked with the 25-year-old Uruguay international before he joined the Premier League side this summer. But it is now believed that Pereira could be following his former coach to Stamford Bridge, with the London club looking to replace Yuri Zhirkov who has joined Russian outfit FC Anzhi Makhachkala. Pereira would fill that void after gaining a reputation as a highly rated wing-back. Chelsea are the highest spenders of all 20 Premier League clubs this summer, with Juan Mata the latest signing, joining from Valencia for £26m. Pereira began his career in Uruguay with Miremar Misiones and spent time at Quilmes and Argentinos Juniors before moving to Europe to play for Romanian side CFR Cluj. He made the move to Porto in 2009 and played a significant part in their treble winning side under Villas-Boas last year. It is understood that Pereira has a £25m release clause.

Match Report: Manchester United 3 Tottenham 0

Manchester United swept Tottenham aside in impressive fashion as the Premier League champions made a powerful statement of intent at Old Trafford. Spurs were without unsettled Luka Modric as he continues to be linked with a £30m move to Chelsea - and he was sadly missed as United overpowered Harry Redknapp's side after an evenly-contested first half. Sir Alex Ferguson embarked on an expensive summer rebuilding programme, but it was United's home-grown talent that built the platform for their second successive win as they go in search of a 20th domestic title.With England coach Fabio Capello an interested observer, Danny Welbeck headed in Tom Cleverley's cross just after the hour and the young striker then produced a wonderful instinctive flick to set up a second for Anderson. Wayne Rooney completed the formalities with a pinpoint late header from Ryan Giggs's centre to extend Spurs' miserable sequence of 22 years without a win at Old Trafford.The hosts' new arrivals made an impact early on as Jones and Ashley Young led a sweeping counter attack before Cleverley brought a fine fingertip save from the stretching Brad Friedel on his Spurs debut. De Gea, watched from the directors' box by his predecessor Edwin van der Sar, was a focus of attention after early blunders following his summer move from Atletico Madrid and he needed to show neat footwork as Rafael Van der Vaart threatened to catch him in possession. Young's movement was presenting problems for Spurs and he was inches away from giving United the lead with a looping header from Rooney's cross with Friedel stranded as he scrambled back towards goal. Spurs wasted an opportunity to strike just after the break when Aaron Lennon was desperately wasteful with a cross inside the area, an incident that saw Van der Vaart pull his shirt over his head in fury. It was the signal for United's most concerted spell of pressure - a decisive phase of the game that eventually led to them taking the lead just after the hour.Friedel excelled once more with a fine double save from Anderson and Rooney, but he was powerless to prevent Welbeck taking advantage of Cleverley's inviting delivery by glancing a fine header into the corner. United were carrying all the momentum and threat, with Friedel in acrobatic action again to save Rooney's free-kick as it seemed destined for the top corner and Welbeck's ambitious overhead kick. Welbeck was oozing confidence after his goal and he illuminated Old Trafford with his part in Anderson's second 14 minutes from time. He took Anderson's pass inside the area before delivering an instant backheel which the midfield man took in his stride to score. Tottenham rallied briefly and Jermain Defoe volleyed against the post following a rare De Gea error, the Spaniard flapping at a cross and allowing the Spurs striker to strike the woodwork from the angle. But Rooney's third was simply confirmation of United's superiority as they move into second place behind neighbours Manchester City in the table. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson: "The second-half performance was absolutely fantastic. "It was a fast game in the first half, it was end-to-end. Tottenham had a lot of possession, but in the second half we just took off." Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp: "I'm sure [Luka] Modric will stay. The chairman has made his mind up."

West Ham join chase for Beckford

West Ham are the latest club to show interest in Everton striker Jermaine Beckford but the 27-year-old wants to stay at Goodison. Everton have rejected a bid from Leicester while the player does not want to go to Nottingham Forest or Southampton.Manager David Moyes would be prepared to cash in on Beckford just a year after picking him up on a free from Leeds.Moyes has had little success trying to generate cash by offloading squad outcasts Yakubu and Joseph Yobo, and may sell Beckford if Leicester return with a bid closer to £6m.However, the 27-year-old former Chelsea trainee does not want to drop down to the Championship having worked his way up to the top flight from non-League Wealdstone.Beckford is adamant he can succeed in the Premier League and was the Blues’ joint-top scorer last season, albeit with only 10 goals in 38 appearances. However, Moyes was frustrated with him at times and would consider selling for the right price so he could add at least one new face this summer.

Liverpool hope for Shawcross deal

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is believed to be ready to offer Stoke £10m plus Christian Poulsen to land Ryan Shawcross. The Reds are after a proven centre-back and have been linked heavily with Birmingham's Scott Dann this summer. However, no deal has materialised for him and now Dalglish is looking elsewhere as he looks for more competition for places in defence. Dalglish has Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos as options while Martin Skrtel is currently out injured, but he is keen to recruit another centre-back and believes Shawcross could be the answer. Liverpool have watched the Potters skipper for the past 12 months but have so far failed to come up with an offer suitable to land the 23-year-old, although cash plus Danish international Poulsen may tempt Stoke chief Tony Pulis into doing a deal. Pulis does not want to lose Shawcross but may be forced into agreeing to the transfer if the player makes it clear he wants to move.

Spurs Confirm Adebayor Talks

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed the club are in talks with Manchester City to sign Emmanuel Adebayor. City boss Roberto Mancini revealed earlier this month that the Togo striker had no future at the club, with the arrival of Sergio Aguero further boosting his striking options. Adebayor spent the second half of last season on loan at Real Madrid and the Spanish giants have been linked with a permanent move for the former Arsenal man. The Gunners' north London rivals Tottenham have also been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, with Redknapp declaring his interest in the player earlier in the summer. The main stumbling block to any deal appears to be Adebayor's £170,000 a week wages. However, the saga has now taken a new twist with Redknapp revealing the club are in discussions with City over a season-long loan move for the hitman. "The chairman is talking to Man City about the player but where they (the negotiations) are at, I genuinely don't know."said Redknapp, ahead of his side's Europa League play-off tie with Hearts.

Edinburgh festival disrupts Spurs' preparations

Tottenham's plans for Thursday night's Europa League play-off with Hearts have been disrupted by the Edinburgh Festival. Additional visitors to the Scottish capital during August means Spurs cannot be accommodated in a suitable hotel, so they are staying 50 miles further north in St Andrews. Harry Redknapp's men will train at their Chigwell base on Wednesday and forego the opportunity to see Tynecastle the evening before tackling Hearts in the play-off first leg. "It's been a problem with our preparation, but we'll get around it,"said Spurs first-team coach Joe Jordan. "We would have preferred to stay in Edinburgh, but we're a long way away from it. We're up at St Andrews."We would have liked to have been closer on the day of the game so our journey there would have been a lot shorter."

Arsenal 1 Udinese 0

Arsenal laboured to a 1-0 win over Udinese in the first leg of their Champions League play-off at Emirates Stadium, which left more questions than answers over life after Cesc Fabregas. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger - who watched from the stands as he served a touchline ban - had called for a response from his young squad following the sale of their captain back to Barcelona. It seemed he would get just that when Theo Walcott, under the watchful eye of England boss Fabio Capello, swept the home side in front after only four minutes. However, from then on, Arsenal never really got into any sort of rhythm as Udinese grew into the game. Indeed, the Italians will feel frustrated the industry of captain Antonio Di Natale did not bring them an away goal to take back to the Stadio Friuli next week. Before then, the Gunners must regroup for the visit of Liverpool on Saturday, when they will again face a stern examination of whether they can indeed go on to challenge for honours. It has all started so well when Walcott's early strike settled any nerves. Marouane Chamakh won the ball just inside the Udinese half, with Bacary Sagna playing a clever chip over the defence for Aaron Ramsey to run onto down the right. The Wales skipper looked up, before clipping the ball across goal, where Walcott arrived at the near post to sidefoot past Samir Handanovic. It should have been 2-0 soon after, but Thomas Vermaelen, skipper for the night with Robin van Persie suspended, and Gervinho - set to serve a three-match domestic ban for his red card at Newcastle - got in each other's way at the far post following a corner. Walcott, in the headlines for revelations about England duty from his new book, was booked for a foul on Piccoli Neuton. It was almost a costly lapse in concentration as Udinese captain di Natale curled in the free-kick from 30 yards, which looped off the crossbar. Arsenal were let off again on 25 minutes when Alex Song lost possession on the edge of the Udinese box after a corner, and Pablo Armero sprinted clear on into the Arsenal area. Wojciech Szczesny, though, stood up to make a fine save, with Song then having tracked back to block Mauricio Isla's follow-up effort. Udinese continued to look the more lively as half-time approached, with di Natale shaving the outside of the post after making space for himself in the six yard box. Arsenal were forced into a change at the restart, with Johan Djourou replacing England defender Kieran Gibbs, reported to have a tight hamstring, and Vermaelen switching to left-back. The Swiss international was soon in the thick of the action, sliding in to block di Natale's close-range effort. However, Djourou did not last long, as he limped off after 54 minutes to be replaced by Carl Jenkinson, the youngster making his debut following a summer move from Charlton. Jenkinson - who was playing non-League football on loan at Eastbourne Borough last season - was outmuscled by Isla, as the Chilean charged into the right side of the Arsenal area, but could only fire across goal. Udinese sensed Arsenal were there for the taking, as Armero fired an angled drive over from 20 yards. Walcott spurned a great chance to ease the pressure when he latched onto a defense-splitting pass from Ramsey, but the England forward mishit his first-time chip, which bobbled horribly wide. Wenger - who had been sending messages to the dugout via assistant Boro Primorac - made a final change when Tomas Rosicky was replaced by defensive midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong. With 15 minutes left, Szczesny made a flying save to beat away a curling 25-yard free-kick from di Natale as again Arsenal were forced onto the back foot. Walcott almost made it 2-0 in stoppage time, but was denied by a fantastic reaction save from Handanovic as Arsenal had to be content with just the slenderest of margins to defend in Italy next week.

Match Report: Manchester City 4 Swansea City 0

Sergio Aguero scored two goals and set up another on his debut to help Manchester City beat newcomer Swansea 4-0 Monday and give the Welsh club a harsh welcome to the Premier League. Goalkeeper Michel Vorm had made a string of good saves to help Swansea withstand nearly an hour of relentless pressure from City before Edin Dzeko finally put the host ahead in the 57th. The striker capitalized on Vorm's first inaccuracy, slotting a rebound into the empty net after the goalkeeper failed control Adam Johnson's shot from the right side of the area. Aguero then came on as a substitute and made it 2-0 in the 67th, meeting Micah Richards' cross at the far post for an easy tap-in. The Argentina striker then set up David Silva for the third just three minutes later, and rounded off the scoring with a long-range strike in injury time.

Fulham in Loan Bid for Real Star

Fulham are one of three Premier League sides reportedly set to battle it out for the loan services of Real Madrid winger Pedro Leon. The 24-year-old is looking to secure a move out of the Bernabeu having grown disillusioned with life under Jose Mourinho after making just ten appearances last term following his arrival from Getafe in an £8.74million deal 12 months ago. Chelsea and Hercules failed with attempts to take Leon on loan last season, while it is now being claimed that the player is looking to secure a move to England before the end of the current transfer window. And, that has seemingly alerted Cottagers chief Martin Jol, who is on the lookout for a right-sided midfielder, while Everton and Aston Villa are the other clubs being credited with an interest.

Liverpool Swoop For Celtic Winger

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is considering a shock move for Celtic winger Paddy McCourt. The Northern Ireland international hit the headlines last week with a stunning goal in his country’s 4-0 win over the Faroe Islands. The 'Daily Mirror' reported that Liverpool had been monitoring the 27-year-old and their interest has been flushed out by the attention McCourt is now receiving from other clubs. He joined the Bhoys in 2008 but has struggled to hold down a starting spot in the SPL. However, he has outrageous talent but his lack of consistency has held him back throughout his career. Dalglish is aware of the damage he can do and is keen on adding his flair to the Reds squad having already splashed over £50 million in the transfer market. McCourt would be an unlikely starter but is capable of coming off the bench and making an explosive impact.

Match Report: Stoke 0 Chelsea 0

Stoke held Chelsea to a frustrating goalless draw as their resolute defensive performance kept the visitors' attacking talents at bay. Fernando Torres was Chelsea's sharpest player during a quiet first half as Stoke were limited to set-piece scraps. The Blues improved in the second half and John Obi Mikel went close before substitute Nicolas Anelka's shot was tipped onto the bar by Asmir Begovic. In a game of few chances, Chelsea will also point to three penalty appeals. Marc Wilson's trip on Frank Lampard was the most credible of those but they were a long way short of their form from the beginning of last season, when they began the campaign with two 6-0 wins. The result will also call into question Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas's decision to start with Torres instead of Didier Drogba. For periods of the game, however, there were instances when it looked like the confidence had returned to the Spaniard's game and he was certainly among the better performers. The striker's link-up play was sharp, plus he was willing to make intelligent runs into space to receive the ball, and his growing influence was underlined when Ryan Shawcross hacked down the 27-year-old for a deserved booking. But there were only glimpses of any urgency from Torres's team-mates as Stoke, who handed a Premier League debut to Jonathan Woodgate, defended stoically. Jose Bosingwa went close with what looked like a cross which was heading for the top corner, but Villas-Boas appeared agitated on the sidelines, not only by his side's lack of penetration but also Stoke's muscular threat from Rory Delap's long throw-ins. Ramires tried to inject some energy from midfield when he burst into the box but his cross whistled across the six-yard line, and Torres made a weaving run before a timely Shawcross tackle prevented him from shooting. The former Liverpool striker had a penalty shout at the start of the second half when Shawcross appeared to trip him on the edge of the box and it began a period in which Chelsea began to impose themselves at last. First, Torres failed to connect following John Terry's header from a corner, Lampard had another penalty shout when he appeared to be brought down, and Mikel almost scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea when his dipping strike was tipped over. Florent Malouda was replaced by Anelka and his rising shot was expertly tipped onto the bar by Begovic, while Salomon Kalou had a header saved from Torres's cross. Drogba was then introduced, to cheers from the Chelsea fans, and fired a dangerous free-kick at goal. Yet as Stoke held firm, the visitors appeared to become frustrated as the game entered the final stages, with Lampard picking up an uncharacteristic booking. Potters boss Tony Pulis cautioned before the game that expectations may be too high at the Britannia this season, but on this evidence they will once again be one of the Premier League's tougher opponents. His only worry was the shoulder injury to Matthew Etherington, who was taken off after an hour. Pulis said the winger would go for an x-ray.

Match Report: WBA 1 Manchester United 2

A late own goal spared goalkeeper David de Gea's blushes as Manchester United began their defence of the Premier League title with victory at West Brom. Wayne Rooney scored early on when he combined with Fabio and Ashley Young to drill in a low effort. Shane Long equalised on his competitive debut for West Brom when his tame effort crept under the body of De Gea. United grabbed the winner when Young's cross from the left took a deflection off Steven Reid and beat Ben Foster. In the end luck was on the side of United, who had dominated for much of the first half but seemed devoid of bright ideas after the break. Had Reid not put through his own net then De Gea's error would have been highlighted on Monday's back pages, although it is unlikely his moment to forget will pass without comment. In the past Ferguson's Achilles heel has been the man wearing the number one jersey and on Sunday De Gea may have made his manager consider whether he was right to throw the 20-year-old straight into the first team. Other young players such as Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck have been loaned out to gain experience before being handed their first-team opportunity, but Ferguson had no hesitation in giving the £18m summer signing his league debut. Rooney opens the scoring early on The Spanish stopper looked impressive when he took up a good position and then stayed on his feet to palm away a fierce strike from Paul Scharner. However, he appeared weak when balls were floated into the area. Yet it was not a teasing cross that outfoxed De Gea for the West Brom goal but a weak strike that drifted under his body. Up until the equaliser, United were in control and some fans must have been wondering how many the champions would score after Rooney drilled home in the 13th minute. The England striker linked with up with Fabio and Young before shifting inside the area and firing low into Foster's bottom left corner. United produced some controlled pinball in and around the penalty area. Nani, Rooney and Danny Welbeck knocked one-touch passes between themselves before Nani scooped over. Moments later, the Portugal international fired over again when former United keeper Foster failed to deal with a cross. The visitors' setup was upset after the break when centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were forced to come off with injuries. The average age of the starting XI was 23.9 years and that was lowered when Jonny Evans and Phil Jones came on as replacements. It was lucky for the pair that only Long's movement and Somen Tchoyi's crossing raised their heartrates during the second half. At the other end, United replaced Welbeck with experienced striker Dimitar Berbatov, hoping that a moment of Bulgarian magic would gift them victory. But as it was, it was a moment of good fortune which gave the champions the perfect start.

Bacelona And Arsenal Finally Agree Fabregas Deal

Arsenal and Barcelona have confirmed they have reached an "agreement in principle" over the sale of Cesc Fabregas to the Spanish club. It means the 24-year-old Gunners captain is set to return to the team he left as a 16-year-old in 2003. He will now discuss personal terms and undergo a medical on Monday. "We understand Cesc's desire to move to his home-town club and have now accepted an offer from Barcelona," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "We have been clear that we didn't want Cesc to leave and that remains the case. "We thank Cesc for his contribution at Arsenal and wish him future success." Barcelona have been chasing Fabregas since last summer. As BBC Sport revealed on Friday, Arsenal will receive a guaranteed £30m transfer fee, with a further £5m dependent on the number of games played and trophies won by the Spaniard during his time at the Nou Camp. News of the deal was confirmed at half-time of the first leg of Barcelona's Spanish Super Cup match against Real Madrid on Sunday, which ended 2-2. The Spanish champions later stated on their official website that Fabregas will undergo a medical at Barcelona hospital at 0700 BST on Monday, before having a further test at Barcelona's medical centre at 0930 BST. He is then scheduled to sign his contract at 1130 BST before being unveiled to the media at 1300 BST. Meanwhile, Wenger will have to face the media ahead of Tuesday's Champions League qualifier against Udinese. Fabregas trained with his Arsenal team-mates for the final time on Friday morning and was not part of Wenger's squad for Saturday's Premier League opener against Newcastle, which finished 0-0. He had missed the club's summer tour of Asia as well as other pre-season games, including the Emirates Cup, because of a hamstring injury. The Spaniard, who has 58 caps for his country, made 303 appearances for the Gunners during his eight-year spell in north London, scoring 57 goals in all competitions. In October 2003, he became Arsenal's youngest first-team player when he made his debut against Rotherham United in the Carling Cup aged 16 years and 177 days. He also became the club's youngest goalscorer when he netted against Wolves in a 5-1 win that December. Fabregas was part of the Arsenal team that beat Manchester United on penalties to win the 2005 FA Cup, which turned out to be his only major trophy with the Gunners. He went on to become Arsenal captain in November 2008. Striker Robin van Persie is likely to take over as the new permanent Arsenal skipper, although he will be suspended for the Udinese match after being shown a red card against Barcelona in the Champions League last season. When quizzed on the futures of Fabregas and Samir Nasri - who BBC Sport understands is close to a move to Manchester City - at a news conference on Friday, Wenger had said he expected "nobody to leave" Arsenal.

Match Report: QPR 0 Bolton 4

QPR began life back in the top flight with a heavy loss as Bolton taught them a painful lesson in the unforgiving nature of Premier League football. The home side fared well in the first period but trailed at half-time after Gary Cahill's superb 25-yard shot. Bolton excelled in the second half and seized an unbreakable hold on the game through Danny Gabbidon's own goal and Ivan Klasnic's deflected strike. Fabrice Muamba slotted in a fourth before QPR's Clint Hill was sent off. It was a miserable but fitting ending to the game for the home side, who faded quickly in the second half in the face of a powerful and thoroughly professional away performance from Wanderers. The Trotters had been asked by their manager Owen Coyle to improve on a positive 2010-11 campaign and made impressive first strides towards delivering on that request. QPR have also made great steps forward in recent years, but their ascent to the top flight for the first time since 1996 has been somewhat tainted by issues off the pitch regarding the potential sale of the club, a lack of big-money signings and a significant increase in ticket prices, which has left many fans aggrieved. There were noticeable gaps in the stands at Loftus Road but a sense of optimism prevailed, which was initially prolonged by what was a positive, if somewhat naive, first-half display from their team. They almost made the perfect start to life back in the Premier League when new signing DJ Campbell flicked the ball into the Bolton net from six yards, but the striker was rightly adjudged to have been offside. Campbell was to have a reasonably positive debut, suggesting he could repeat last season's feats with Blackpool for his new club, but the same could not be said of fellow summer recruit Kieron Dyer, who was taken off on a stretcher in just the seventh minute after falling awkwardly in a tackle. It was feared he had broken a bone in his foot but manager Neil Warnock confirmed there had been no break. The Hoops did not let it affect them, though, and fashioned a number of chances but playmaker Adel Taraabt, who was largely shackled throughout, chipped one wide and Jay Bothroyd saw the best of these headed over by Gretar Steinsson. In first half stoppage time, Bolton demonstrated the need to take your chances in the Premier League when Cahill collected the ball 25 yards out and curled an excellent shot into the far corner to give his side the lead. The second half belonged to Bolton, who extended their lead when Chris Eagles' free-kick was deflected into his own net by Danny Gabbidon in the 67th minute before sealing their win three minutes later when Klasnic's shot from inside the box was deflected in by Bradley Orr. With 11 minutes to go Muamba collected from Klasnic and strode through to side-foot in a fourth before Hill completed QPR's horror-show by getting himself sent off for headbutting Bolton's Martin Petrov in the chest in the last minute.

Match Report:Liverpool 1 Sunderland 1

Sebastian Larsson scored a superb volley on his debut to earn a point for Sunderland at Liverpool. The hosts will curse the fact Luis Suarez missed an early penalty when he was tripped by Kieran Richardson before sending his spot-kick way over. But the Uruguayan shrugged off his disappointment to nod in a 12th-minute opener from Charlie Adam's cross. Sunderland rarely threatened in the first half but Larsson's 57th-minute goal capped a better defensive display. Once they had equalised, the Black Cats looked the more likely victors as Liverpool ran out of steam. And it was an impressive second-half turnaround for Steve Bruce's men, who would have been happy to take a point back to the north east after coming under serious pressure in the first period. With four Liverpool players making their debuts, there was lots of encouragement for Kenny Dalglish and his decision to use Suarez was entirely justified despite the striker only returning to training on Monday following his Copa America exploits. After winning the South American championship with his country on 24 July, perhaps tiredness could have played a part in Suarez's misfortune from the spot after only six minutes. Yet he was sprightly enough to earn the penalty in the first place, charging down Richardson's pass near the halfway line and racing clear, only to be tripped by the left-back as he shaped to round keeper Simon Mignolet. The Sunderland defender looked fortunate not to earn a red card from referee Phil Dowd, but before the Black Cats could regroup they were behind when Adam's free-kick from the right was tucked in by the Uruguayan following Wes Brown's foul. Adam looked extremely comfortable during his first game in the centre of Liverpool's midfield. And his range of passing more than made up for Steven Gerrard's absence through injury, with the former Blackpool player going close with a rasping drive. Although Sunderland were timid early on, debutant Larsson caused Pepe Reina problems from his set-pieces, with the Spanish keeper saving from Brown's header before looking shaky on another occasion. Three of Liverpool's four-man midfield were making their first appearances for the hosts, with Dalglish preferring Jordan Henderson, up against his former club, on the right-hand side of midfield to Dirk Kuyt. Although Downing was deployed on the left, he almost marked his debut with a superb goal from the opposite flank on 34 minutes. Cutting in, he raced past several Sunderland defenders to smash a shot against the bar. Despite some occasionally rash challenges by both sides, the hosts were coasting and it wasn't until after the break that Steve Bruce's team improved. They had to. It was Larsson who turned their pressure into something more tangible when he volleyed in from Ahmed Elmohamady's right-wing cross. The Swede was given lots of room at the back post by Liverpool right-back John Flanagan but even so it was an expert finish. After a relatively quiet first period Andy Carroll began to get on the end of more of Liverpool's crosses, but even though Kuyt was introduced in place of Henderson, the fluency ran out of their play. Sunderland were working harder and with Suarez being withdrawn with 15 minutes to go, there was little danger behind their defence and a more evenness to the match. After conceding a controversial goal last season, Bruce would have been content to finish the game in relative comfort, but for both sides there were encouraging signs from their new-look players.

Keane set to join Beckham's Galaxy of stars in LA

Robbie Keane was last night widely reported to be considering a move to LA Galaxy after having apparently become frustrated at the lack of desirable options available to him in the Premier League. The Irish captain, who said earlier this week that he expects to leave Tottenham Hotspur in the current window, had been seen as a target for Leicester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson in recent days but the Dubliner was adamant when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday that he would not drop into the Championship. West Brom and Blackburn Rovers were among the Premier League clubs rumoured to be interested in the striker but last night reports circulated that Galaxy were in talks with Spurs about the player, with some suggesting that the 31-year-old was on a flight to the United States to discuss a move worth €5.6 million over two years and others claiming that the deal was actually done. On the face of it, such a deal would seem unlikely given that the MLS season is well advanced and Galaxy already have the maximum three “designated players” permitted under thee league’s rules. Clubs are allowed count only a small portion of the wages of such players for the purposes of the salary cap imposed on all teams. Galaxy’s three are David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Juan Pablo Angel, with the latter seen as by far the most likely to be moved on in the event that space was to be made for the Irishman. Despite the apparent implausibility of the move – Keane also suggested previously that he would be more likely to consider a move to continental Europe than to the US after previously being linked with an MLS outfit – Fox Sports last night reported that Galaxy sources had confirmed that talks between the various parties were in progress with a view to striking a deal. Such a move could prove problematic for Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, with some other US-based European players finding it difficult to maintain their fitness for all international matches because of the different league seasons. Keane would, on the other hand, be expected to play regularly in the event that the club was prepared to invest so heavily in bringing him over from London in the first place. The Irishman has scored 123 goals is just over 300 games for Tottenham during two spells which extend back over nearly a decade. Since returning to White Hart Lane in 2009 he has become completely marginalised and was twice been sent out on loan, with the player enjoying a successful spell at Celtic and a much less memorable one at West Ham towards the end of last season. His relationship with manager Harry Redknapp is rumoured to have become extremely strained prior to his departure for Upton Park and on Tuesday he accepted that he needed to move on, observing: “When your time is up, it’s up.” He didn’t rule out a move abroad but seemed to hint that he would most likely move to another Premier League outfit.

Liverpool finalise £6m defender deal

Liverpool have completed the signing of Newcastle defender Jose Enrique after the left-back put the finishing touches to a long-term deal at Anfield. Negotiations were concluded swiftly after the 25-year-old travelled from the north-east to have a medical at the club's Melwood training ground on Thursday. The Spaniard is believed to have cost the Reds in the region of £6million."This is one of the happiest days of my life," he told liverpoolfc.tv. "I have come to one of the biggest clubs not just in England, but in the world. I am really, really happy."

Modric wants future resolved

Luka Modric is anxious for his future to be resolved after revealing he has been left in limbo over a possible move to Chelsea. Modric has made it known that he is keen for a move across London to take place but Tottenham have insisted that they are not prepared to sell one of their prize assets. Chelsea have had two bids of £22m and £27m firmly rejected by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and have reportedly made a third approach for the Croatia midfielder, offering midfielder Yossi Benayoun as part of the deal. Tottenham are yet to comment on the latest reports but Modric revealed that he has heard nothing and is still waiting to hear whether a move will take place. Modric is reluctant to talk about the situation and told RTE Sport: "I don't want to talk about that, I said before what I think and that's it. "I said a lot of things before and still everything is the same at the moment. I will see - I'm still waiting."