Hargreaves scores on debut: Manchester City 2-0 Birmingham City

Owen Hargreaves enjoyed a sensational Manchester City debut as he opened the scoring in his side's 2-0 Carling Cup triumph over Birmingham at the Etihad Stadium.

Hargreaves scored the opener

Released by Manchester United in the summer after three injury-ravaged seasons, the midfielder drove home a superb 25-yard shot after 18 minutes and was deservedly named man of the match.

Mario Balotelli added a second before the break to secure City's passage into the last 16 and end the holders' interest in a much-derided competition that will never be dismissed by Hargreaves, as long as the former Bayern Munich man draws breath.

After virtually three years on the sidelines, punctuated by a couple of very brief appearances, totalling only six minutes of actual playing time, Hargreaves took just 18 minutes to open his account for City.

Rooney plays like Pele; claims Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has compared Wayne Rooney to Pele and claimed the Manchester United striker is on course for his best-ever goal haul.

Rooney, with eight goals in his first four Premier League games, is well on his way to breaking his personal best of 34, achieved two seasons ago.

The United striker will lead his side's attack in their Champions League opener against Benfica on Wednesday, after Ferguson placed him in the same bracket as the Brazil legend.

"If you look at Pele, for instance, he was a very aggressive attacker also who could look after himself - so can Rooney," said Ferguson.

 

"They have similarities that way in terms of strength, speed, determination."

Ferguson made the comparison with Pele after Benfica boss Jorge Jesus claimed Rooney had elements of the Brazilian and Argentine styles in his game.

"I disagree there," said Ferguson. "I think Wayne's a typical British player.

"But there have been British players over the years who've had similar qualities that make them great players, whether it's Paul Gascoigne, George Best, Bobby Charlton or Denis Law.

"The similarities [between them and Rooney] are that the boy has great courage, he wants to play all the time and he has incredible stamina. These are added extras to the talent he has.

Chelsea quiz Fernando Torres over criticism of 'slow', 'old' team-mates

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed the club are looking into an interview by Fernando Torres in which the benched striker appeared to criticise his own team-mates.

Torres and Villas-Boas

Torres, who has scored just one goal since his £50 million transfer from Liverpool in January, spoke to the official website of Spain's Primera Liga and appeared to hint at a lack of service from Chelsea's "older" and "very slow" players in an English translation that later appeared on his personal website.

Villas-Boas sought an explanation from Torres, who claimed his words were not translated accurately on his own website.

Chelsea are now seeking to obtain a copy of the interview in its original Spanish and Villas-Boas revealed he would warn Torres not to speak so candidly about the club in future if the translation did stand up.

I want to be the Maradona of City : Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero has vowed to do for Manchester City what Diego Maradona did for Napoli.

The dazzling striker arrived in Manchester this summer for £38million from Atletico Madrid and has already become a hero at the Etihad Stadium with six goals in his first four league games.

He knows the Argentine magician better than most as he began dating his daughter four years ago and they’re now married with a son.

And although he wasn’t even born at the time, he knows all about Maradona’s move from Barcelona to Napoli and how it changed his life and the team’s. Maradona helped the unfashionable club upset Italy’s established order of Juventus, AC Milan and Inter.

Rooney Scores another hat-trick as Manchester united thrashed Bolton 5-0

Manchester United eased to a 5-0 win at Bolton on Saturday with Wayne Rooney bagging his second hat-trick in as many games.

United were really in the mood in the first half as they romped to a 3-0 lead inside 25 minutes with a goal from Javier Hernandez and a brace from Rooney, whilst Bolton struggled to cope with their visitor’s attacking ability.

In the second period, both strikers grabbed another goal each, but could have added several more as the match neared the heights of United’s last league match, the 8-2 victory against Arsenal.

Rooney Celebrates his hat-trick with his team mates

It didn’t even take Javier Hernandez five minutes into his first start of the season before he opened his account for the year as he flicked the ball home from the near post, but a lot of credit should be given to Nani who delivered a brilliant low cross from the right.

The hosts almost hit back a minute later as Martin Petrov cross from the left, but United failed to clear it properly and Chris Eagles got a shot away, but the combination of Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand saved it on the line.

United came close to extending their lead in the 12th minute as the visitors hit Bolton on the counter-attack, but Rooney couldn’t quite reach Hernandez’ cross from the right and Gary Cahill conceded a corner.

They did however, extend their lead just shy of the 20 minute mark as Wayne Rooney got on the end of a Phil Jones cross, poking the ball out of the reach of Jussi Jaaskelainen into the bottom far corner.

Minutes later, United had their third, owing much thanks to a sublime run from Phil Jones as he skipping past several tackles as he charged down the right before eventually having a shot blocked, but Rooney was on hand to smash home the rebound from six yards.

Despite just a few minutes after, Hernandez thought he’d added a fourth, however he was flagged offside and the score remained as it was until the second half with Bolton barely registering a shot on the United goal in the first period.

The second half started with Bolton actually looking to pressurise David De Gea in the United goal, but at first he was equal to Mark Davies’ shot from just outside the box, and soon after he rose well to catch a Kevin Davies header.

Hernandez should have got his second of the day as he gambled on Jaaskelainen to make a heavy first touch from De Gea’s clearance, but after getting the ball, instead of hitting it first time, Chicharito opted for a touch and when he eventually got a shot away, it was tame, allowing Bolton to find safety.

However, two minutes later, he did get his second as Michael Carrick shot from the edge of the box, but a deflection took it straight to the little Mexican was left with the simplest of finishes.

Still with 23 minutes to go, Wayne Rooney claimed his hat-trick, smashing a Nani pass into the bottom left corner after the Portuguese winger received a brilliant pass from Ryan Giggs and picked out the England international in the D of the penalty area.

That goal consolidated a remarkable feat with Rooney becoming the first player in Premier League history to score eight goals in four matches.

United came close to adding a sixth five minutes from time as Nani found Hernandez in the box with a clver pass, but when through on goal, the Mexican tried to square the ball to Anderson, but the pass was just too far ahead of him.

In all honesty, Bolton were never really in the game with United's lightening quick start effectively ending the match as a contest minutes after starting as the Premier League champions completely outclassed their hosts.

Sunderland 1 - Chelsea 2 :- Sturridge Shines as Chelsea wins the match

Chelsea starlet Daniel Sturridge showed Fernando Torres exactly how to do it with an outrageous strike in a 2-1 win over Sunderland.

With the £50 million man sitting on the bench, Sturridge produced an outrageous back-heeled finish to wrap up a comfortable victory at the Stadium of Light.

Skipper John Terry had opened the scoring with an 18th-minute shot after Juan Mata's free-kick had hit the woodwork, but it was left to the former Manchester City man to complete the job in style six minutes after the break with substitute Ji Dong-won's injury-time strike counting for little.

Sturridge scores an amazing goal by back heal

The win extended the Blues' uneaten start to the season and left Sunderland still looking for their first victory and having scored only two goals in five games.

That statistic will not have been lost on the club's fans as news of Asamoah Gyan's loan move to United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain emerged shortly before kick-off, although they will have been buoyed by Nicklas Bendtner's performance on his debut in front of a crowd of 36,699.

All the talk in the hours immediately prior to the game was about strikers and in particular, two who were not involved this afternoon.

Gyan's departure will no doubt have been a topic of conversation between Steve Bruce, Niall Quinn and Ellis Short as manager, chairman and owner met on the pitch before kick-off, and when the team-sheet arrived, Torres, who had scored just once in his previous 21 appearances for Chelsea, was named only among the substitutes.

The upshot was that Bendtner made his first appearance for the Black Cats playing as a lone striker and not alongside the Ghana international, while Juan Mata, Nicolas Anelka and Sturridge lined up in attack for the visitors, for whom Raul Meireles made his debut.

Sunderland might have got off to the perfect start with just 12 minutes gone when Bendtner got his header to a Sebastian Larsson free-kick, but glanced the ball agonisingly wide with keeper Petr Cech rooted to the spot.

However, that proved a rare excursion into enemy territory until a late flurry as Chelsea dominated possession and created a series of chances.

Mata was a livewire as he and full-back Ashley Cole exploited space down the left with Meireles and Frank Lampard prompting from the middle.

The opening goal arrived with 18 minutes gone, although it did so in slightly controversial circumstances with Lee Cattermole unhappy with Anelka's reaction to his challenge 20 yards out.

Mata curled the free-kick over the wall and saw it come back off the post with keeper Simon Mignolet beaten.

But the Black Cats failed to make the most of their escape and when the ball was eventually recycled to Terry beyond the far post, he fired in a shot which was blocked, but Phil Bardsley could only help his follow-up into the roof of the net.

Anelka and Ramires both went close as the Londoners eased into top gear, and it took good blocks from Mignolet and Wes Brown to deny the Frenchman.

Bardsley was fortunate to escape without punishment after he appeared to stamp on Mata as the clock ran down and may yet have to face the repercussions, although his side finished the half in positive fashion.

Stephane Sessegnon forced Cech to beat away a well-struck shot at his near post and Larsson mistimed a header from Kieran Richardson's injury-time cross to at least suggest the contest was not over.

Craig Gardner headed tamely at Cech from another Richardson cross as Sunderland resumed in determined fashion, but the game was effectively over within six minutes as Chelsea hit back.

Anelka had already fired wide after running away from Titus Bramble and Cattermole was relieved to see a volleyed clearance from Cole's cross fly over his own crossbar when the visitors doubled their lead.

Meireles' ball over the top allowed Sturridge to run away from Brown and as Mignolet came to meet him, he audaciously back-heeled his shot past him and into the bottom corner with the former Manchester United defender's efforts to keep it out coming to nothing.

Sunderland might have reduced the deficit with 25 minutes to play when Branislav Ivanovic made a mess of clearing Jack Colback's left-wing cross and the ball fell to Bendtner, but Terry was on hand to block his shot at source.

Anelka forced a 73rd-minute save from Mignolet as the visitors eased into cruise control, and although Ji side-footed home at the death to give the home side some reward for their efforts, the points were safe.

Manchester City 3-0 Wigan: Sergio Aguero hits hat-trick

Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the season with an impressive 3-0 over Wigan Athletic at the Etihad Stadium.

A Sergio Aguero hat-trick wrapped up the three points to leave Roberto Mancini's men at the top of the Premier League table with 15 goals in their opening four games.

Sergio Aguero Celebrates after scoring the Hat-trick

The Italian gave Carlos Tevez a starting berth in place of the Premier League's leading scorer Edin Dzeko with the Argentine looking to re-establish his reputation with the Eastlands faithful following a summer of transfer speculation that only served to damage his reputation. Samir Nasri, who was at his first game in City colours, started on the bench.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez was equally hesitant with his potential debutants, leaving Spanish winger Albert Crusat on the bench as well as Patrick van Aanholt and Shaun Maloney out of the squad completely.

The home side started with the greater endeavour and should have taken the lead within the opening five minutes, with Adam Johnson blazing over from inside the area after controlling Gael Clichy's deep cross.

The pressure from City was becoming impossible to contain and the Wigan resistance was broken after only 13 minutes when David Silva, in irresistible form, playing in Aguero after a fine bit of skill and the former Atletico Madrid man drilled home.

As has been their wont so far this season, the home side were unwilling to rest on their laurels and had a marvellous opportunity to double their advantage less than five minutes later when the blistering Silva was brought down by his compatriot Adrian Lopez in the area. Carlos Tevez was given the chance to make it two from the penalty spot but tamely scuffed his effort into the arms of Al-Habsi. It was a moment befitting the striker, who had started the clash somewhat meekly.

The visitors, to their credit, were refusing to go into their shell but as each attack mounted from Martinez's men, an ominous counter was invariably forthcoming from their hosts. Chances for Johnson and Aguero were wasted but not quite as embarrassingly as a spurned effort from Micah Richards, who conspired to hit the bar from seven yards out after breaking the offside trap wonderfully.

The chances were stacking up for the hosts and having seen Vincent Kompany rattle the post with a fine headed effort from Milner's corner, Toure looked all the world to have played Lescott in but failed to get a strong enough touch and the Latics, somehow, went in at half-time only a goal behind Mancini's men.

The visitors seemed willing to make the most of City's profligacy and came out in the second period with impressive movement going forward. Ben Watson, breaking from midfield, so nearly latched onto a Rodallega through-ball but was beaten to it by Joe Hart.

It was an impressive showing of endeavour from the visitors but any chance they had of getting back into the game was soon quashed by Aguero, with the Argentine finishing off some sublime build-up play from Toure, Silva and substitute Samir Nasri with a neat finish past Al-Habsi.

With the ruthlessness of true title contenders, the hosts turned the knife with another shortly after and it was Aguero once again, profiting from a magnificent ball from Silva to all but end the contest. It was a performance worthy of a hat-trick from the Argentine, who has taken his tally to six goals in four City appearances.

Manchester United fans' outrage at new Glazer plans

The sagging popularity of Manchester United's American owners has touched a new low with the $1 billion flotation plan in Singapore that would consolidate the Glazer family's control over the Premier League giants.

Manchester United Fans expressing their rage

Sources have revealed the club plans to use a two-tier system of shares in Singapore.

This would minimise any new shareholders' influence, something that clearly has not gone down well with fans at home.

"It is certainly disappointing," Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of Manchester United Supporters Trust, said.

"Clearly the degree of control by one majority shareholder has to be a major concern for any conventional investor thinking of purchasing shares primarily seeking a return on investment."

Manchester United wants to raise cash to help reduce its near-$500 million debt pile but many of the club's estimated 333 million global fans are sceptical of the Glazers who bought the club in 2005.

"We want to see the majority of the profits that Manchester United generates invested back into the football club," said Drasdo.

"There are so many better uses for Manchester United's profits than sending the money to Florida or into interest or debt payments on the Glazer's debts which they transferred onto our club or indeed into excessive dividend payments resulting from an excessive valuation at IPO."

Season ticket holder Paul Davidson was harsher in his criticism.

"They (the Glazers) will still control the purse strings and the political machinations," the teacher said.

"In their defence they did spend a fair whack on those three players in the transfer window (Ashley Young, David de Gea and Phil Jones) which has gone some way to suggesting they have put cash into the team on the odd occasion... but I'm still very sceptical about it all," he added.

"I can't help feeling there's some sort of Machiavellian motive. I'm not convinced it's ultimately going to benefit the club.

"They (the Glazers)... don't give a flying monkey's about what people think."

Mancini ready to hand Tevez a chance to impress after Aguero's long-haul duties

Carlos Tevez is in line for his first start of the Barclays Premier League season as Manchester City face Wigan at the Etihad Stadium.

Tevez - City’s captain and top scorer last season - has fallen down the pecking order at the club due to the £38m arrival of fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero in the summer and the form of Edin Dzeko.

Tevez and Mancini during a match

But manager Roberto Mancini is considering shuffling his pack. Aguero has been to India and Bangladesh with Argentina over the last week while Tevez stayed in England.

City also have to consider a Champions League game at home to Napoli on Wednesday.

New signing Samir Nasri trained fully, despite a broken bone in his hand. Owen Hargreaves also joined in the session.

Mancini has a vast array of  talent at his disposal and Wigan manager Roberto Martinez yesterday described City as ‘near enough unplayable’.

City have scored 12 goals in their first three Premier League games and their performances have led to Martinez insisting  they have the look of champions.

Didier Drogba will be available for United Clash

Didier Drogba's head injury is almost certain to mean he will miss Chelsea's visit to Sunderland on Saturday in the Premier League and the opening Champions League group match against Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

André Villas-Boas, the head coach, is hopeful the 33-year-old can make his return on Sunday week for the visit to Manchester United in the league.

Drogba was knocked unconscious during Chelsea's last game, the 3-1 win over Norwich City on 27 August.

Didier Drogba was in 'tremendous pain' in the days following his head injury sustained in a collision with the Norwich goalkeeper.

Villas-Boas said: "Didier Drogba still might be in between [being unfit and fully fit]. He has to be authorised medically to make his full return to training. He has been doing light sessions, of course, with our physios. Let's push it to the limit to try for him to be available for Man United.

"I wouldn't say he would be available for Leverkusen. He is probably out for Sunderland and Bayer Leverkusen.

"The first days [following the injury] were tremendous pain. He had his family supporting him and complete support from the medical staff 24/7. We've given support since. We have to make sure he's fully recovered before he comes back to training because that is the requirement neurologically. Has to be right [mentally] as well."

Modric interest over : Villas-Boas

Andre Villas-Boas

Andre Villas-Boas has suggested that the signing of Raul Meireles has ended Chelsea's interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric.

Chelsea snatched Portugal international Meireles from Liverpool for £12 million in the dying minutes of the August transfer window, having admitted defeat in their summer-long pursuit of Modric.

Reports suggest Chelsea made several offers for the diminutive playmaker - the final bid reached £40m - only to be told that he was not for sale, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy eager to ensure the player remained at White Hart Lane.

Villas-Boas is believed to be concerned over a lack of creativity in the Chelsea engine room and, having also lost the inventive Yossi Benayoun in August, his squad still looks light in that regard.

But, when asked if Chelsea would return to Tottenham with another bid for Modric in the New Year, Villas-Boas said: "No I don't think so. The market is closed and I won't speculate what happens in January."

Samir Nasri set to make his home debut despite his injury.

Samir Nasri will be fitted with a protective cast in an effort to ensure he can make his home debut for Manchester City this weekend after breaking a bone in his left hand while on international duty for France.

Nasri during an international match

Nasri suffered the injury during a 15-minute substitute's appearance in France's goalless draw with Romania on Tuesday. He was able to finish the match after receiving a pain-killing spray but he left the stadium with a cast on his left hand and, on his return to Manchester, was taken to a private hospital for an x-ray.

The results will determine whether the £24m signing, who made his City debut in the 5-1 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane two weekends ago, can play in the Premier League home game against Wigan Athletic on Saturday. The immediate sense at City is that the former Arsenal player will be cleared to play.

Balotelli linked with Mafia? Man City star summoned to Italian court

Mario Balotelli's Manchester City career has taken another bizarre twist after the Italy striker was summoned as a witness in a high-profile mafia trial in Naples.

Balotelli has been called to give evidence to prosecutors on September 15 - the day after City play Napoli at home in the Champions League - because he is said to have been taken on a guided tour of the Scampia district of the Italian city by known mobsters.

Mario Balotelli

The striker, 21, learned of the summons when police visited Italy's training camp ahead of this week's Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia.

There is no suggestion he is involved with the mafia, but prosecutors investigating the Lo Russo family want to know who showed him around and why.

Balotelli is believed to have visited Scampia with mafia members last year because he wanted to see locations from Gomorrah, a film about organised crime in Naples. He was quoted in Italy as saying: 'I have already spoken with them (the prosecutors). There is nothing to worry about. I am calm.

'I had no idea who the people were showing me around Scampia. 'I'm sad the effect this may have on my family.'

Last October, Balotelli and his brother Enoch were questioned by police after driving into a women's prison near Milan 'just to see what it was like inside'.

"I will try to adjust at Arsenal and work hard to play in many games as I can,” says Arsenals new signing Park Chu-Young

Korea international captain Park Chu-Young admits Tuesday's 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw in Kuwait took its toll on him due to the stifling conditions.

Park Chu-Young 

The new Arsenal signing scored his ninth goal in 17 matches against Middle East countries in the result which moves Korea to four points from two games.

However, Park said after the game that the hot conditions, long travel distances, hostile atmosphere and unfamiliar pitch conditions made it difficult.

“I felt really tired, but I appreciate that other players took control of the game well,” Park told Ilgan Sports.

Park is now looking forward to linking up with his new team-mates at Arsenal, with a debut against Swansea City a possibility this Saturday.

"I will try to adjust at Arsenal and work hard to play in many games as I can,” he said.

Six teams can win Premier League: Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson believes as many as six teams are in the running for the Barclays Premier League title.

Chelsea and Arsenal are always there or thereabouts, while big-spending Manchester City, rejuvenated Liverpool and ambitious Tottenham Hotspur will also have their eyes on the prize.

 Sir Alex Ferguson

United manager Ferguson concedes that the race to secure top honours in English football will be keenly contested, with the competition increasing year on year.

"I think you could say that five or six teams will be involved," he said.

"It's always hard to win the league. It's a league that if you look at it, in the south you have the London teams like Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea and then you have ourselves, Manchester City and Liverpool in the north. It's a really, really difficult league to win."

United have put considerable faith in their youngsters this season and Ferguson admits it is important to inject new blood into a side on a regular basis if you intend to remain competitive.

David Beckham on the Verge of Premier league return?

QPR are set to launch an audacious bid to land former England captain David Beckham.

The LA Galaxy star is out of contract at the end of the MLS season which ends in October, and he is reported to be considering a return to the Premier League.

Beckham is desperate to play for Team GB at next summer's Olympics and believes another stint in England's top flight could see him seal a place in the squad.

Beckham

According to The Sun, new owner Tony Fernandes is prepared to spend big to bring the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star to Loftus Road. 

A source is quoted as saying  'Tony promised Neil Warnock plenty of support in the transfer market and proved that in the recent window.

'But bringing Beckham back to England next month would top the lot - and it's not a pipe-dream.'

Beckham has been offered a new contract by the American side but has so far failed to commit to a new deal.

Mikel Arteta: "It's always exciting to watch Arsenal play."

Arteta  with his Arsenal Jersey

Arteta, is poised to make his debut for the Gunners against Swansea on Sunday having arrived from Everton for £10 million last week. And the Spanish midfielder is eager to make an impact at a club he feels plays the most attractive football in the Premier League.

He told: "I can't wait to start playing. I can't wait to play at the Emirates, I think it's an unbelievable stadium. I'm so excited. I have always been a big admirer of the Arsenal philosophy, the way they play, the way they do the job, and it's always exciting watching Arsenal play. In England there is no better team to watch than Arsenal."

"Hopefully I will not take long to adapt but obviously you need to meet new characters, new personalities and new players with different abilities so you need to pick that up as soon as possible to get an understanding on the pitch. But I have been watching a few videos and have got some work done before training and hopefully that will help me." Says the midfielder

Barca denied Manchester City bid for Messi

Barcelona vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu has rejected rumours that Manchester City made an audacious bid for superstar Lionel Messi during the latest transfer window.

Messi

Reports in Spain suggested big-spending City had tabled €50million plus striker Mario Balotelli to bring Argentina ace Messi to the Etihad Stadium but Barca had rejected the bid.

However, Bartomeu insists no such offer was made.

He told : "Our policy is not to sell our stars but on this subject it certainly did not (happen)."

Meanwhile, Bartomeu made no guarantees over the future of Barca coach Pep Guardiola but hopes the Spaniard will stay on at Camp Nou.

The Barca chief added: "The decision lies with Pep but we hope to go on with him on the bench."

"First of all, I'm not retiring" - Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Manchester United in the near future as he considers who might one day become his successor.

Ferguson will bring up 25 years in charge of United on 6th November, before celebrating his 70th birthday at the end of December.

He planned to stand down almost a decade ago but changed his mind and has not looked back since, leading the Red Devils to another period of success.

The debate about who should eventually replace Ferguson has raged for years, and the man himself believes it would have to be somebody with great experience.

But the Scot feels it is virtually impossible to predict the identity of the next manager, as a host of names have been linked with the role in the past.

At various times, Bryan Robson, Steve McClaren, Mark Hughes,Martin O'Neill and a host of top continental bosses have been connected with the post.

Current favourite to replace Ferguson is Jose Mourinho, although a mounting disciplinary crime sheet at Real Madrid is not helping his cause.

Yet, speaking to the Italian media at an awards ceremony at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Ferguson confirmed he is going nowhere.

He said: "Over the years I've had the question who do I think could replace me? Now in those years, some of the coaches they were talking about to replace me don't have jobs anymore.

"So it becomes very difficult because someone who I think has potential may be sacked by his club and disappear.

"I think you would need someone very experienced in the long term. But I have absolutely no idea... first of all, I'm not retiring."

Petr Cech may face Sunderland

Chelsea have received a boost after goalkeeper Petr Cech returned to full training on Tuesday.

Cech was ruled out for up to a month on August 18 after suffering a medial knee ligament injury in training

Andre Villas-Boas had said after that game that he had "confidence in all of the three" goalkeepers, but it will be considered a significant boost if Cech proves his fitness in time for the weekend's trip to Sunderland in the Premier League.

Thomas Vermaelen Ruled Out For Two Months - Huge Blow for Arsenal

Arsenal have been dealt a huge blow as defender Thomas Vermaelen has been ruled out for two months with after ankle surgery, according to reports.

Vermaelen: More injury woes for Arsenal

The Daily Mirror are reporting that the centre-back was in Stockholm on Monday to undergo surgery on his left Achilles and will be out of action for up eight weeks.

The former Ajax player last played two weeks ago in the second-leg against Udinese as the Gunners qualified for the Champions League group stage.

The Belgium international took a kick in that away match in Italy, however, and was ruled out of the embarrassing 8-2 loss to Manchester United a few days later.

He will join Jack Wilshere on the list of those out injured at the Emirates, who revealed at the weekend that he would be unavailable for two to three months because of an ankle problem picked up in pre-season.

Wenger will be hoping deadline day signings Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker can patch up an injury-ravaged Gunners back-line as the north London club look to forget their shaky start to the season.

Chelsea remain a "big threat" in the title race this season - Ferguson

Sir Alex.

United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen had branded Chelsea's squad 'too old' to provide any real competition for the title this season.

However, Ferguson is not of the same thinking and believes Chelsea will be up there challenging as he has a lot of respect for their experienced squad.

"They have tremendous experience with the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, John Terry, Alex, Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres - there aren't any young kids in that team," Ferguson said.

"But they don't have 36 or 37-year-olds like Ryan Giggs. Lampard and Drogba are 33, Anelka is 32 - not dissimilar to (Michael) Carrick and Rio Ferdinand, and we wouldn't be saying they are dead and buried, would we? So why should they be?

"They'll still be a big threat and we expect them to challenge.

Ferguson will lock horns with new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas for the first time later this month and Ferguson admits he does not know a great deal about the Portuguese.

"He has a different set-up there to me, but I'm sure he'll get plenty of advice from others and he'll do fine. I don't know much about him," added Ferguson.

"He's a young man and it's a big step coming into the Premier League from the Portuguese championship, but given time and support anything is possible."