Premier League revs up for Demolition Derbies

The Premier League season is only two games old, but two of the top flight's biggest games are already upon us on Sunday.

Off the back of a pair of victories, Liverpool renew their storied rivalry with reigning champions Manchester United, who could be without Wayne Rooney due to a head injury.

The clash at Anfield is sure to be scintillating, but faces competition for game of the day from the north London derby.

A new-look Tottenham, who added Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen to their overhauled squad on Friday, take on an Arsenal side who have been buoyed by three convincing victories in all competitions after an opening day defeat to Aston Villa.

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Nothing separates Manchester United & Chelsea

A cagey game in which both sides were happy to settle for a point, Monday night's stalemate at Old Trafford lacked the explosiveness many had predicted.

Perhaps not as unlikely, however, were the comments from Jose Mourinho after the match, who called on Wayne Rooney to clarify his situation at Manchester United.

"If now, he doesn't want to leave, we are out of the thing. We need to know what is happening," said the Chelsea boss.

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Premier League ready for more fairytales in 2013-14

IT'S BACK!!! After a summer off, the Premier League returns with 10 fixtures over the weekend. 

Sir Alex ended his time at Old Trafford in fitting fashion, securing his 38th trophy as Manchester United manager, while past seasons have seen dramatic title races, narrow brushes with relegation and unlikely heroes. 

The footy is back and that means a fresh slate ready for a whole host of new fairytales in 2013-14!

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Premier League managers shop at La Liga supermarket

 

Premier League managers are filling their squads with top Spanish talent this summer.

17 players have left La Liga for England already this summer, with Manchester City signing Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo, while Brendan Rodgers has brought Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto to Liverpool.

The spending appears unlikely to stop, as Manchester United continue to pursue Cesc Fabregas, and Arsenal remain in the hunt for Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid.

And with Tottenham in talks to sign Roberto Soldado from Valencia, there could still be more Spanish flavour heading to the Premier League this summer. 

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The Special Don: Mourinho wants to be the Premier League’s Godfather

 

On arriving at Chelsea first time around Jose Mourinho famously announced himself as the ‘Special One’.

The Portuguese has now returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell and says he wants to be the “Godfather” of the Premier League.

After the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson, it was pointed out to Mourinho that he is the only Premier League manager to have won the Champions League, leading him to announce: "I am just going to be The Godfather". 

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Outcast Arshavin dreams of better days

 

Andrey Arshavin has revealed how difficult he found life at Arsenal in his final season at the club.

The Russian sealed a free transfer back to Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday after spending a lot of time on the Gunners bench in 2012-13.

Having taken the league by storm upon his arrival in 2009, the 32-year-old will no doubt have spent most of his time dreaming of his former glories. 

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Martinez escapes plummeting Wigan to join Everton

 

Despite Wigan Athletic's relegation from the Premier League last season, Roberto Martinez convinced Everton chairman Bill Kenwright that he was the right man to succeed David Moyes at Goodison Park.

The Everton chief claimed his decision to appoint Martinez took just 45 seconds after they held talks, and now all the 39-year-old has to do is follow up his promise of securing Champions League football. No pressure, then. 

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Tears and cheers as the curtain closes on Premier League

 

Sunday saw the final round of games as another Premier League season came to an end.

Manchester United claimed the title, inspired by Robin van Persie's goals, before Sir Alex Ferguson stunned the world by announcing his intention to retire from the game, closely followed by Paul Scholes.

Deposed champions Manchester City lost not just top spot but also their manager after firing Roberto Mancini while Rafael Benitez went from zero to hero at Chelsea.

Elsewhere Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was rarely out of the headlines and Wigan claimed a memorable FA Cup win but still slipped out of the top flight.

And of course there was still time for drama on the final day as Arsenal pipped Spurs to fourth spot, despite Gareth Bale’s heroics, as the curtain came down on yet another season. 

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Fergie, Scholes, Owen & Carragher take to the stage one last time

 

It's the end of the season and we are bidding farewell to four Premier League stars as Sir Alex Ferguson, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen all call time on their careers.

As we usher in a new wave of players and managers ready to take the Premier League by storm, Sunday provides a chance for football fans to pay homage to four people who have secured their own history in English football. 

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Relegated Wigan fall into the void

 

Just three days after securing their first ever FA Cup triumph with a memorable win over Manchester City at Wembley, Wigan have been relegated.

Roberto Martinez’s men lost 4-1 at Arsenal and tumbled out of the Premier League after an eight-year stay and will join QPR and Reading in the Championship.

The defeat means the Latics also pick the unwanted record of becoming the first side ever to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season.

Speaking after the game Roberto Martinez said he “never expected” to get relegated as the FA Cup winners tumble into the void.

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King Bale hailed by fellow PFA nominees

 

Gareth Bale scooped the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards on Sunday evening, capping a breathtaking personal season for the Tottenham winger.

Luis Suarez, who was banned for 10 games for biting Branislav Ivanovic, finished in second place, but his name was booed both times it was read out at the ceremony on Sunday night.

And with the Uruguayan in Premier League quarantine, it was left to Bale's four other rivals to bow down to the newly-crowned King. 

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Wenger rolls out the red carpet for Van Persie's grand return

 

All eyes will be on the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as Robin van Persie steps out at his former stomping ground for the first time since his headline-grabbing move to Manchester United last summer.

The Netherlands international arrives back in north London a champion, with the Red Devils having already wrapped up the title with victory over Aston Villa last week, and a guard of honour from those he called his team-mates a matter of months ago awaits his return.

Despite Arsene Wenger's calls for respect for Sir Alex Ferguson's side and their top-goalscoring striker, Gunners supporters are set to give their former hero a rocky reception after his decision to quit the club for one of their chief Premier League rivals. 

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Take that Tevez! Sir Alex & Man United celebrate sweet revenge

 

Manchester United got their own back on rivals City by clinching their 20th league title on Monday night.

Roberto Mancini's men broke United hearts on the final day of last season, and Carlos Tevez infamously celebrated by holding up an "RIP Fergie" banner on their open-top bus tour through Manchester.

But United have roared back this season to leave Tevez et al in their wake, and Sir Alex can once again celebrate in style. 

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QPR & Reading on the brink in relegation battle

 

Reading and QPR are on the brink of relegation after defeat for both sides on Saturday left them 10 points adrift of safety with just four matches remaining.

The final relegation spot is still undecided with Wigan currently in 18th place, while Aston Villa, who face Manchester United on Monday, are three points clear of Roberto Martinez's side.

Further ahead are Newcastle United, Stoke City and Sunderland, who are all on 37 points and starting to edge clear of the drop zone. 

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Cannonball Carroll targets De Gea

 

West Ham striker Andy Carroll was the main talking point following his side’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Upton Park.

The on-loan frontman may not have managed to get on the scoresheet but he certainly hit the headlines with a robust performance.

David De Gea was certainly made aware of the striker’s qualities after being flattened in the first half by a flying Carroll, who walking away without so much as a booking.

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Mancini risks rivals’ wrath

 

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini looks set to risk the wrath of rival Premier League bosses by fielding a weakened side against struggling Wigan on Tuesday.

The Italian is set to rest several key names after testing fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea with Micah Richards, Edin Dzeko and Aleksandar Kolarov all expected to start.

The news might be welcomed by his opposite number Roberto Martinez, with his side currently in the relegation zone, three points from safety but with two games in hand.

However, it is unlikely to go down as well with rivals as the scrap to avoid the drop starts to hot up.

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Mad to measure: Tailor fury at Di Canio derby delight

 

Sunderland took their first step towards safety under Paolo Di Canio as the Black Cats secured a 3-0 victory over local rivals Newcastle United on Sunday.

Three fine strikes from Stephane Sessegnon, Adam Johnson and David Vaughan fired Sunderland to 34 points in the Premier League, edging them three clear of the relegation zone, while Di Canio's exuberant celebrations may have cost him a new pair of trousers. 

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Liverpool set for summer holidays as top four scrap continues

 

After Arsenal and Everton both recorded wins on Saturday, the race to finish in the Premier League top four has taken another twist.

Tottenham - who do not play this weekend - have dropped to fifth as the Gunners moved up the table and closed in on Chelsea, who are in FA Cup action against Manchester City on Sunday.

Liverpool, meanwhile, look set for an early summer holiday after another goalless draw, this time against Reading, thanks to some heroic goalkeeping from Alex McCarthy. 

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City take the spoils but title still in United's reach

 

Sergio Aguero's fine solo strike may well have tipped the Manchester derby in City's favour on Monday evening, but United still boast a 12-point gap over Roberto Mancini's side at the top of the Premier League.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side need 10 more points from their remaining seven games in order to secure the Premier League title, while Manchester City look set to settle for second spot. 

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Benitez denies 'hand grenade' Di Canio an explosive start

 

Paolo Di Canio's "management by hand grenade" threatened to pay immediate dividends when Sunderland took the lead against Chelsea on Sunday but Rafa Benitez's team came from behind to deny the Italian a perfect start.

A Cesar Azpilicueta own goal gave the Black Cats the lead at Stamford Bridge but another own goal, this time by Matthew Kilgallon, was followed by Branislav Ivanovic's similarly fortunate winner.

The victory, coupled with Tottenham's draw at Everton, strengthened Chelsea's hopes of a top-four finish but left Di Canio looking ahead to a mouthwatering Tyne-Wear derby as Sunderland edge closer to the drop zone. 

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