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Rooney expects ‘tougher than ever’ race

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Wayne RooneyWayne Rooney believes this season will be the toughest Premier League title (Man Utd 12/5 in Outright market) to win, with the English top flight becoming a more level playing field.

The Manchester United frontman has won three titles during his six years at Old Trafford and admits it gets harder and harder to lift the trophy.

Rooney (5/1 to be 2010-11 Premier League top scorer) thinks it will be harder than ever to take the crown back from Chelsea this season, having missed out to the Londoners by one point last term.

The England international insisted: “Since I signed for United I think the Premier League has got progressively harder to win. I know it’s a cliché, but there are no easy games in the Premier League.”

United are going in search of a 19th top flight title, which would see them overtake near rivals Liverpool, but Rooney is under no illusions as to how hard that will be.

He added:  “The 2009/10 season was certainly the most competitive I’ve played in. Nowadays it’s hard to leave players out because every game is competitive and difficult.”

The former Everton man got his first run-out of pre-season on Wednesday night, as United demolished an Airtricity League of Ireland select team 7-1 in Dublin.

Rooney started the game up front alongside Michael Owen, playing 45 minutes but failing to get his name on the scoresheet.

Sir Alex Ferguson was happy though with Rooney’s display but admits that the striker needs to work on his fitness ahead of the new season.

Fergie stated: “He’s only been training for six days, but 45 minutes was fine for him. Six days training is not enough for a player to compete in big competitions.”

Park Ji-Sung bagged two goals for last season’s Premier League runners-up, before the fit-again Owen was on hand to double United’s advantage before half-time.

Rooney and Owen were replaced by summer signing Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov (11/2 to be Man Utd 2010-11 Top Scorer) at the break, with five more goals scored in the second half.

Korean star Park grabbed a second with Hernandez, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans and Nani also on target.

Ferguson says Michael Carrick will miss Sunday’s Community Shield (Chelsea 11/8, Draw 11/5, Man Utd 15/8 – Match Betting) having picked up an ankle injury on Wednesday night.

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Fabregas back with Gunners

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Cesc Fabregas returned to Arsenal for pre-season training on Thursday and the Gunners remain positive that he will still be at the Emirates by the end of the month (4/6 Arsenal – top-4 finish in 2010-11).

The Spain midfielder was given an extended break following his exploits at this summer’s World Cup, amidst more speculation over his club future.

Barcelona made a bid for the Gunners skipper earlier this summer, believed to be in the region of £30million, with the La Liga champions still keen on doing a deal before the window closes at the end of August.

But Arsene Wenger is adamant that he has no intention of selling the midfielder and feels he can play a key role for Arsenal again this season.

The Gunners boss, who has held regular meetings with Fabregas, says the player is not for sale at any price and it looks like arsenal could win the battle.

The 23-year-old (7/1 – Arsenal top goalscorer 2010-11) looked relaxed and comfortable around his team-mates on Thursday and joined the rest of the squad for an open training session in front of thousands of Arsenal fans.

Meanwhile, Gunners winger Theo Walcott says he is confident the Arsenal star will stay in north London despite all the speculation.

The England international admits he has always enjoyed playing in the same team as the World Cup winner and is looking forward to teaming up with Fabregas (9/1 to be 2010-11 PFA Player of the Year) again this term

Walcott said: “I’m looking forward to seeing him back. He’s a fantastic player for us and our captain. After Spain’s victory, it’s a nice bonus to have a World Cup winner by your side.”

He added: “Cesc’s a big player for Arsenal so I’m looking forward to playing with him next season. After that (the World Cup) he just needed a good mental break from it all.”

Another youngster who looks set to play a bigger role for the Gunners this season is Jack Wilshere, following his loan spell at Bolton last season.

Wenger has indicated that the midfielder is unlikely to go out on loan again this term, with Wilshere pushing for a regular first-team berth.

The 18-year-old is believed to be on the verge of a full England call-up for next week’s friendly with Hungary having been omitted from the England Under-21 camp.

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Carlo happy with Yossi swap

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Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti thinks that Yossi Benayoun will be a better player for the Blues than Joe Cole was, with Cole now at Benayoun’s former club Liverpool (Chelsea’s first league fixture is a home tie against West Brom – Chelsea 1/7, draw 11/2, West Brom 11/1).

The Italian tactician allowed Cole to leave after his contract came to an end at Stamford Bridge.  There was a contract offer handed to Cole but he decided to weigh up his options, and Ancelotti did not exactly put a great deal of effort into trying to persuade the England star to stay.

The former AC Milan boss secured the services of Benayoun from Liverpool in a £5.5million deal earlier this summer and Ancelotti thinks the Israeli playmaker will be a better player for his Chelsea side than Cole was in his time with the Blues.

“I think Joe is a quicker player, but I think Yossi tactically is better,” said Ancelotti.

“They are different players. Benayoun is Benayoun, Joe Cole is Joe Cole.”

Many pundits and fans alike have suggested Liverpool got the better deal in this particular scenario.  While the two transfers were not interlinked in terms of the actual deal, the fact the players play in the same position essentially means that Yossi Benayoun is Cole’s replacement at Chelsea, and vice versa.

However, the Chelsea boss believes he has secured a better player to replace Cole and suggested that Cole did not think tactically, or listen to instructions from the manager.

He added:  “People may say Liverpool have the better player but everyone can explain their own opinion. We are happy to have Yossi here.

“Joe Cole had a fantastic career at Chelsea but this year is another story.

“Yossi is very intelligent and tactically he thinks very well – he can play in different positions and will be a good player for us.”

Chelsea are the current favourites to secure the Premier League title after their success last season, and although Ancelotti has been fairly quiet in the transfer market the current squad at his disposal is arguably the strongest in the league.

However, Manchester United will be eager to take the title back to Old Trafford after coming close last season.  United have also been fairly quiet in the transfer market, with just Chris Smalling and Javier Hernanez added to the side who came second last season, but the club’s hierarchy claim there is money available to boss Sir Alex Ferguson if he wishes to splash out on a big name player.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes his team have matured enough to challenge for the top domestic prize in the coming season, while the Frenchman has also secured the services of Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux in the hope the striker scores the goals that bring the title to the Emirates.

Big spending Manchester City have also received backing from pundits who believe this could be the year the established sides stranglehold on the Premier League will be broken, while reports of a takeover at Liverpool could allow boss Roy Hdgson the funds required to turn the Anfield outfit into a side capable of battling it out at the very top of the table (Chelsea 13/8f in the full Premier League 2010/2011 outright market).

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Hodgson hails Torres

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World Cup bettingNewly appointed Liverpool (12/1 to win the Premier League) boss Roy Hodgson has praised his star striker Fernando Torres for deciding to stay at the club this season.

Throughout the summer there has been speculation linking the 26-year-old with a move away from Anfield to Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City.

However on Tuesday the Spanish World Cup winner returned from a three-week holiday and stated that he was happy to stay at the Merseyside club.

Hodgson’s first task when he left Fulham was to make sure Liverpool (7/4 to finish in the top four)  kept their key players with Torres, Steven Gerrard and Javier Masherano all being linked with moves to other clubs.

Skipper Gerrard was the first to commit his future to the club this summer and now that Torres has done likewise the new manager is pleased that he can now look to build the squad for next season.

He said: “It’s nice  that the speculation can finally end and even better that Fernando gave an interview yesterday in which he spoke about how committed he is and how keen he is to have a good season with the club.

“He has only been back a couple of days and he needs to do a lot of work to make certain he recovers from his holiday of three weeks and also, of course, the injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup,? he added.

Hodgson hopes that the striker will be ready for Liverpool’s opening game of the Premier League season when they take on Arsenal at Anfield on August 15.

The former Blackburn manager looks likely to be without Argentina midfielder Masherano as he expects the player to leave Anfield this summer, possibly to follow former manager Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan.

The holding midfielder is estimated to be worth £25m and if sold could help ease the club’s financial issues which could set to be dealt with.

A number of parties are closing in on buying Liverpool with Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang and a consortium made up of Arabian and Canadian businessmen in the running.

Current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been looking to sell the club for some time and a deal with one of the parties who wish to buy the club could come in the next couple of weeks before the Premier League season kicks-off.

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Hughes has ‘plenty of time’ to deal

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New Fulham boss Mark Hughes believes he “still has plenty of time” to bring in new faces as he bids to improve the Cottagers (Fulham 16/1 Premiership without Top 6).

The Welshman was unveiled as the new Fulham boss last week and watched from the stands as his side went down 1-0 in a friendly fixture against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.  Hughes will take charge of his first fixture in the Cottagers friendly tie against German outfit Werder Bremen on August 7, a week before they begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to Bolton’s Reebok Stadium (Bolton 6/5, draw 11/5, Fulham 15/8).

With just two weeks until the start of the season the former Blackburn and Manchester City boss will have to move quickly to secure new additions but Hughes insists he is relaxed over transfer dealings.

“Ideally, we would’ve liked to have been in place before the pre-season schedule was undertaken, but that wasn’t possible” conceded Hughes.

“We’ve got two weeks before the start of the season and we’ve still got another two weeks after that of the window to negotiate as well, so there’s still plenty of time.”

Hughes has been in the Fulham hot-seat for less than a week but the Cottagers boss has already been linked with a number of players, including Roque Santa Cruz, Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland.  All three played under Hughes at City, while both Santa Cruz and Bellamy have been signed twice by Hughes (for Blackburn and City) and Bellamy was also a part of Hughes’ Wales squad when he managed the Welsh team.

It is unclear whether or not there is any substance to the reports that Hughes is chasing the City trio, many managers are linked to players they have worked with in the past and often these stories amount to nothing but the Fulham boss has revealed he will be backed in the transfer market.

He added: “The Premier League is a very expensive league and you do need resources; you need funds to keep energising the team to enable it to continue.

“If you don’t add quality to a club and a group of players then you will stand still and people will overtake you.

“Maybe that was the reassurance that I needed when I had the discussions with Alistair (Mackintosh, chief executive).”

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Kalou unimpressed by City threat

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Salomon Kalou has slammed Manchester City’s title challenge, claiming Chelsea (13/8 to retain their championship) aren’t worried about the amount of players the mega-rich club are bringing in.

So far this summer Roberto Mancini has spent over £70million on improving his squad, bringing in Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov.

City’s spending is only likely to increase in the weeks before the transfer window shuts with Inter Milan’s Mario Balotelli expected to complete his move to Eastlands before the summer is out.

Fernando Torres has also been linked with City as they look to capture their first Premier League title.

Since the Abu Dhabi United Group brought City in 2008 the club have spent hundreds of millions on new players without any success to show for their heavy investment.

Last season the club missed out on their overall goal of reaching the Champions League, instead being pipped at the last fence by Tottenham (3/1 to finish in the top four again).

This season Mancini has tipped his side to challenge for the top honour in the Premier League, indicating that this could be City’s breakthrough season.

However, several of City’s rivals have already dismissed their title challenge, claiming that you can’t buy the title.

The latest player to come out and do so is Kalou, who believes that money doesn’t always equal success.

He said: “Just because you bring in 10 new players every year doesn’t mean you are going to finish top of the table.

“City did the same thing last season and finished fifth and I am not sure if they’ll be any stronger this time.

“Spending a lot of money on new signings doesn’t guarantee anything. City have to remember there are still teams like Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Liverpool and Arsenal who will always be at the top.

“And this year we will all be up there fighting for the title again.”

While Kalou is adamant City (9/2 Premier League winners) won’t be able to buy the title it wasn’t so long ago that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich ploughed large sums of cash into the Blues to help them win their first Premier League crown.

However, this year the Blues have cut back on their spending, so far only bringing in Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool to strengthen their first team.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed his current squad to do the business again next season having seen them do the domestic double in the last campaign.

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Sagna targets more silverware

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Bacray Sagna believes Arsenal must win some silverware this season if the players are to convince manager Arsene Wenger to stay with the Gunners (7/1 to be FA Cup winners).

The north London outfit haven’t lifted any silverware since they beat Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 FA Cup final.

Since then the Gunners have contested a Champions League final, numerous semi-finals and come within a few points of winning the Premier League.

However, the trophy cabinet at the Emirates Stadium still awaits its first addition since the club made the short move from Highbury to their new surroundings four years ago.

Wenger had enjoyed a hugely successful spell as Arsenal manager up until recently, winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.

Now though the Frenchman is coming under increasing pressure to deliver some silverware, with some sections of the Arsenal fan base going as far to call for the manager’s head in the wake of their barren spell.

Wenger has just one year left on his current contract and there is speculation he will walk away from Arsenal (7/1 Premier League winners) should he fail to guide the Gunners to any trophies this year.

Sagna has now called on his team mates to deliver this season, telling them that they must win some silverware if they want to keep Wenger at the club.

“I don’t need to say how important the boss is to Arsenal,” said the full-back.

“He has done great work at Arsenal and we want to win things for him. Everything he has given us we need to give him back.

“That is what we will try to do and it would be great to win something.

“I don’t know if it will be his last season at Arsenal. We just want to play and give back the trust he gave us.

“The contract situation is not a concern. Our job is on the pitch.”

While the Gunners are once again likely to challenge for top honours they are in danger of being overtaken by Manchester City and Tottenham.

So far Wenger has only brought in striker Marouane Chamakh and defender Laurent Koscielny to strengthen his side, despite calls from supporters to bring in a new goalkeeper and anther defender and striker.

The Gunners lack of strength in depth could already be exposed before a ball has been kicked with Nicklas Bendtner ruled out for the first few weeks, while Robin van Persie is also unlikely to feature in the first game against Liverpool (5/4 to beat the Gunners).

That leaves just Chamakh and Carlos Vela as the only available first team strikers for the trip to Anfield.

Not only has Wenger got concerns over his squad to deal with but he is also fighting hard to keep Cesc Fabregas at the club, the midfielder having been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona this summer.

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No Admin for Tigers

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Hull City owner Russell BartlettHull City owner Russell Bartlett has dismissed speculation that the Tigers are facing the prospect of administration (Hull 20/1 to win the Championship).

Following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, the Tigers have been forced to sell a number of their top earners, including Irish winger Stephen Hunt, who has now joined Wolves, and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, now with West Brom.

There has also been speculation that the Premier League may withhold parachute payments as the Tigers reportedly still owe money to other top-flight sides in transfer fees.

However, Bartlett is adamant administration is not on the horizon for the cash-strapped club and is confident Hull can drag themselves out of their current plight.

“I can categorically state that administration is simply not on the agenda,” explained Bartlett in local paper, the Hull Daily Mail.

“We are well down the line in our plans to restructure the finances of the club and we are very close to meeting our targets.”

Hull kick-off their Championship campaign with a home fixture against Swansea City on August 7 (Hull 23/20, draw 23/10, Swansea 11/5).

Former Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson is now in the KC Stadium hot seat after being convinced that the Tigers had the ambition to get back into the Premier League.

However, at present, the club have limited funds available for new transfers and Pearson may have to work with what he has already got at Hull until the club’s financial worries are eased (Hull 6/1 to be promoted).

It has been widely reported that Hull are around £40million in debt and are still looking to get some of their top earners off the books. Jimmy Bullard is still contracted to Hull City and the Tigers are desperately trying to offload the midfielder who earns a reported £50,000 a week.

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Hodgson set for transfer boost

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Kenny HuangThe possible sale of Liverpool FC has returned to dominate the back pages in the last few days amid reports that Chinese tycoon Kenny Huang is now in talks with the Royal Bank of Scotland over taking control of the Anfield side (Liverpool 7/4 to secure a top four finish).

The Times claims Huang is eager to secure a deal for the club before the transfer window closes, at 1700 BST on September 1.

American duo Tom Hicks and George Gillett are the current owners of Liverpool but the pair are desperate to sell. They put the club up for sale in April, after three years in charge at Anfield.

Reports claim that sources close to Huang have said he is eager to seal a deal as quickly as possible so boss Roy Hodgson can be given additional funds to bring in new players.

“He wants to get it done quickly so investment can come this summer,” a source close to his proposed bid is quoted as saying. “Liverpool need investment in the playing squad and infrastructure, and Huang wants to build the (new) stadium. The club has an outstanding reputation but does not have the infrastructure to keep with it and make it grow.”

Hodgson has already signed free-agent Joe Cole after the England international’s contract at Chelsea came to an end, defender Danny Wilson from Rangers, Milan Jovanovic from Standard Liege and promising youngster Jonjo Shelvey from Charlton Athletic, as well as re-signing left-back Fabio Aurelio. However, the former Fulham boss is still on the lookout for new faces.

Liverpool are also desperately trying to convince Fernando Torres to remain at Anfield, with Chelsea and Manchester City both interested in the Spanish star, and if Huang manages to strike a deal for the club, he will do everything he can to ensure the star striker sticks with Hodgson’s side.

However, Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton has revealed that several bids have been made for the club, although Huang is thought to be the front-runner in the race to sign the Premier League outfit.

“Any bids that go straight to RBS – and there have been several – come to me and are directed to Barcap,” Broughton said. “RBS are not involved. The control remains with the board.”

Liverpool face Arsenal in their opening Premier League fixture on August 15, and although Hicks and Gillett may still be the owners when the season starts, it seems certain that their tenure will not last much longer (Liverpool 5/4, draw 23/10, Arsenal 7/4).

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Ancelotti rules out market moves

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Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has rejected claims of a Real Madrid raid for left-back Ashley Cole, while also ruling out a possible move for Brazil ace Kaka from the Spanish giants (13/8 favourites – Premier League Outright).

Reports have claimed that the 29-year-old Cole held talks with Ancelotti last week about his desire to leave the club.

The England left-back is reportedly keen to escape the media spotlight for his actions both on and off the field and is tempted to reunite with Jose Mourinho, who signed him for Chelsea in 2006.

The Portuguese tactician, who led Inter Milan to Champions League glory earlier this year, has taken up the reins at the Bernabeu and is believed to want the former Arsenal star, who is widely regarded as the best left-back in the world.

However, Ancelotti insists that Cole is going nowhere and that no amount of money will tempt him to sell.

“Ashley Cole will not be sold at any price,” said the Chelsea boss.

“There is no price that we would sell him at. We believe he is the best left-back in the world and because of this he will stay at this club.

“Nothing has changed in our position. Everyone can forget about Ashley Cole leaving this club.”

The Italian tactician has also dismissed the possibility of a move for Real playmaker Kaka, after reports suggested Mourinho wanted to offload the former World Player of the Year to help fund his revolution in the Spanish capital.

Kaka made the move in a £68.5million deal last summer but failed to hit the heights in his first season in Madrid under Manuel Pellegrini.

Ancelotti was at the helm at AC Milan when Kaka joined the club in 2003 and enjoyed a good working relationship before they both sought pastures new last year.

However, the Blues boss has played down the possibility of reuniting with the attacking midfielder at Stamford Bridge.

“Kaka cannot come to Chelsea,” Ancelotti told Sky Italia.

“He was one player of mine and has done so much for Milan, but now he belongs to Real Madrid and he will decide about his future along with his current club.

“Certainly neither I nor Chelsea will do it (decide his future).”

Ancelotti led the Blues to the League and FA Cup double in his debut season with the club and they are 12/1 to repeat the feat in the Chelsea Specials market, while they are 6/1 to win the one trophy that has so far eluded them, the Champions League, behind Barcelona at 7/2 and Real at 4/1.

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