You’ll find the latest Premier League Transfers (January 2012) listed here. Archives for older transfer seasons are at the end of this page. For the latest transfer rumours and confirmed transfers for other leagues, see our football transfer lists page.

If you find a transfer not listed here let us know and we’ll add it.

Last Updated: 1 February 2012

Arsenal

In: Thierry Henry (loan, New York Red Bulls); Thomas Eisfeld (£600,000, Borussia Dortmund)

Out: Luke Freeman (undisclosed, Stevenage); Vito Mannone (loan, Hull City); Daniel Boateng (loan, Swindon Town); Gavin Hoyte (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Paulo Botelho (loan, Levante); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Sanchez Watt (loan, Crawley Town); Wellington (loan, CD Alcoyano); Sead Hajrovic (loan, Barnet); Rhys Murphy (loan, Preston North End); Ryo Miyachi (loan, Bolton Wanderers)

Aston Villa

In: Enda Stevens (undisclosed, Shamrock Rovers); Robbie Keane (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy)

Out: Nathan Delfouneso (loan, Leicester City); Shane Lowry (undisclosed, Millwall); Fabian Delph (loan, Leeds United); Elliot Parish (undisclosed, Cardiff City)

Blackburn Rovers

In: Anthony Modeste (Bordeaux, loan), Bruno Ribeiro (Grêmio Barueri, free); Marcus Olsson (free, Halmstads BK); Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Queens Park Rangers)

Out: Jason Roberts (undisclosed, Reading); Keith Andrews (free, West Bromwich Albion); Ryan Nelsen (free, Tottenham)

Bolton Wanderers

In: Tim Ream (£2.5m, New York Red Bulls); Ryo Miyachi (Arsenal, loan); Marvin Sordell (£3m, Watford)

Out: Gary Cahill (£7m, Chelsea); Jack Sampson (loan, Southend United)

Chelsea

In: Gary Cahill (£7m, Bolton Wanderers); Kevin de Bruyne (£6.7m, Genk), Patrick Bamford (£1.5m, Nottingham Forest)

Out: Nicolas Anelka (undisclosed, Shanghai Shenhua); Alex (£4.5m, Paris Saint-Germain); Rhys Taylor (loan, Rotherham); Sam Walker (loan, Yeovil); Ben Gordon (loan, Kilmarnock); Patrick van Aanholt (loan, Vitesse Arnhem); Josh McEachran (loan, Swansea City); Gaël Kakuta (loan, Dijon)

Everton

In: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Manchester United); Landon Donovan (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy); Nikica Jelavic (£6m, Rangers); Steven Pienaar (loan, Tottenham)

Out: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (£5m, Spartak Moscow); Aristote Nsiala (loan, Accrington Stanley); James Wallace (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Tottenham)

Fulham

In: Jack Grimmer (£200,000, Aberdeen); Pavel Pogrebnyak (£3m, VfB Stuttgart); Ryan Williams (undisclosed, Portsmouth)

Out: Alex Kacaniklic (loan, Watford); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Queens Park Rangers)

Liverpool

In: Jordan Ibe (£500,000, Wycombe Wanderers); Danny Ward (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Danny Wilson (loan, Blackpool); Martin Hansen (undisclosed, Viborg FF)

Manchester City

In: David Pizarro (loan, AS Roma)

Out: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Queens Park Rangers); Ben Mee (undisclosed, Burnley); Kieran Trippier (undisclosed, Burnley); Harry Bunn (loan, Preston North End); Alex Nimely (loan, Coventry City); Chris Chantler (loan, Carlisle United); Wayne Bridge (loan, Sunderland), Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester United)

Manchester United

In: Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester City)

Out: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Everton); Daniel Drinkwater (undisclosed, Leicester City); Mame Biram Diouf (£1.5m, Hannover 96); Joshua King (loan, Hull City); Féderico Macheda (loan, Queens Park Rangers); Ravel Morrison (£650,000, West Ham United); Oliver Norwood (loan, Coventry City); Scott Wootton (loan, Nottingham Forest)

Newcastle United

In: Papiss Demba Cissé (£10m, SC Freiburg)

Out: Alan Smith (loan, MK Dons); Philip Airey (loan, Gateshead); James Tavernier (loan, MK Dons)

Norwich City

In: Jonny Howson (£2m, Leeds United); Ryan Bennett (undisclosed, Peterborough United)

Out: George Francomb (loan, Hibernian); Oli Johnson (loan, Oxford); Korey Smith (loan, Barnsley); Chris Martin (loan, Crystal Palace)

Queens Park Rangers

In: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Manchester City); Taye Taiwo (loan, AC Milan); Féderico Macheda (loan, Manchester United); Samba Diakité (loan, AS Nancy Lorraine); Djibril Cisse (£4m, Lazio); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Fulham)

Out: Matt Connolly (loan, Reading), Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Blackburn Rovers)

Stoke City

In:

Out: Danny Pugh (undisclosed, Leeds United); Florent Cuvelier (loan, Walsall); Ben Marshall (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Soares (loan, Hibernian); Ryan Brunt (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Matthew Lund (loan, Bristol Rovers); Michael Tonge (loan, Barnsley); Danny Higginbotham (loan, Nottingham Forest); Ben Marshall (undisclosed, Leicester City)

Sunderland

In: Wayne Bridge (loan, Manchester City); Sotiris Kyrgiakos (loan, VfL Wolfsburg)

Out: Trevor Carson (loan, Hull City); Louis Laing (loan, Wycombe Wanderers); Blair Adams (loan, Northampton Town); John Egan (loan, Crystal Palace); Billy Knott (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Jordan Cook (loan, Carlisle United); Ryan Noble (loan, Derby County); Nyron Nosworthy (loan, Watford)

Swansea City

In: Darnel Situ (£250,000, Lens); Josh McEachran (loan, Chelsea); Gylfi Sigurdsson (loan, Hoffenheim); Curtis Obeng (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Vangelis Moras (loan, Cesena); Lee Lucas (loan, Burton Albion)

Tottenham

In: Iago Falqué (undisclosed, Juventus); Ryan Nelsen (free, Blackburn Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Everton)

Out: David Button (loan, Doncaster Rovers); Dean Parrett (loan, Yeovil Town); Andros Townsend (loan, Leeds United); Iago Falqué (loan, Southampton); Harry Kane (loan, Millwall); John Bostock (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Carroll (loan, Derby County): Sebastien Bassong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Vedran Corluka (loan, Bayer Leverkusen); Roman Pavlyuchenko (£8m, Lokomotiv Moscow); Steven Pienaar (loan, Everton); Adam Smith (loan, Leeds United)

West Bromwich Albion

In: Scott Allan (£300,000, Dundee United); Keith Andrews (free, Blackburn Rovers); Liam Ridgewell (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Roman Bednar (free, Blackpool); James Hurst (loan, Chesterfield); Romaine Sawyers (loan, Shrewsbury Town); Lateef Elford-Alliyu (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Chris Wood (loan, Bristol City); Gonzalo Jara (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Joe Mattock (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion)

Wigan Athletic

In: Jean Beausejour (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Daniel Redmond (loan, Hamilton Academical); Nouha Dicko (loan, Blackpool); Jordan Mustoe (loan, Barnet)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Eggert Jonsson (£250,000, Hearts); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Arsenal); Sebastien Bassong (loan, Tottenham)

Out: David Davis (loan, Chesterfield); Sam Winnall (loan, Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Jamie Reckord (loan, Scunthorpe United); Sam Vokes (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Adlène Guedioura (loan, Nottingham Forest); Matt Doherty (loan, Hibernian); Andy Keogh (undisclosed, Millwall)

Premier League Transfer Archives:

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For the latest transfer rumours and transfer lists for other leagues, see our transfer news section.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Man United is in danger of slipping to third as Spurs step up their game as Newcastle and Chelsea face-off for the UEFA Champions League spot. The Gunners are expected to cruise to victory in their visit to 19th place Wigan.

Newcastle United v Chelsea

Premiership surprise package Newcastle United take on Chelsea in the big game of the weekend (12.45pm KO Sat, Live on Sky Sports 2) and the draw looks he most likely outcome at odds of 3.4.

Alan Pardew’s side have suffered just one defeat in their last 16 English Premier League games to give them the best start to a season since 1996-97.

They were fortunate to get a share of the spoils at Old Trafford last week after they were awarded a controversial penalty, but they are proving tough nuts to crack and it won’t be easy for Andre Villas-Boas’ side to come away with all three points in the cauldron that is St James’.

I find it surprising that the bookies make Chelsea clear favourites at around 2.1 to bag all three points, as Andre Villas-Boas’ side have been really struggling of late and didn’t have to be at their best to register a much needed 3-0 success over Wolves last weekend.

The stats do however slightly favour Chelsea and that’s probably why the bookies have come down on their side.

The Magpies have won none of the last eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea (D4, L4) and have managed to keep just one clean sheet in their last 9 PL matches.

However do have a red-hot striker in the shape of Demba Ba who has netted 16 goals so far this season and snuffing him out will not be easy given the frailties of the Chelsea defence which have been exposed so many times so far this season.

I think Newcastle are good enough to get a share of the spoils here, and at 3.4 with bet365, Boylesports and Paddy Power the draw looks a fair bet.

1-1 is my idea of the outcome of what promises to be a fiercely fought battle, and you can get 7 about that scoreline with Boylesports.

Aston Villa v Manchester United

Manchester United may not have had the best of weeks but they are still odds-on at a top price of 1.73 to bounce back and notch an away victory over Aston Villa.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s young guns were frustrated in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle last weekend, as Javier Hernandez’s opener was cancelled out by Demba Ba following a controversial penalty decision that the gaffer described as “shocking”.

They then slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday to bow out of the Carling Cup at the quarter-final stage, after which Ferguson apologised to supporters for the performance having rested several senior players and relied on inexperienced young blood to deliver the goods.

It will be back to the first-choice starting XI for the trip to Villa, and that should be enough for United to land odds of 1.73 with bet365, Betfred and Paddy Power and bag all three points.

The stats are certainly in United’s favour as far as this clash is concerned.

Villa have won none of their last 15 Premiership home games against United, drawing six and losing nine, and overall they have won just one of 31 meetings between the two sides.

United have also won 11 times at Villa Park in the PL, and with Wayne Rooney, Chicharito, Nani and Nemanja Vidic all expected to start it would take a brave man to back against them not notching another win over Alex McLeish’s men.

I certainly expect them to prove too strong for the Villans, who have made their worst start to the season since 2005/06 and were very poor in their 0-0 draw at Swansea last weekend.

With Villa struggling to score I fancy United to win this to nil, and the 2.8 on offer with Paddy Power about that outcome looks huge.

Wigan v Arsenal

Arsenal are a top priced 1.57 to beat Wigan at the DW Stadium, and at those odds I rate them the banker bet of the whole weekend.

Wigan have won only one of their 12 Premier League meetings with the Gunners and have the worst conversion rate in the top flight having scored with just 9% of their shots.

Prior to their 2-1 away win against struggling Sunderland last weekend they had looked in dire straits, and it will be a major surprise if Arsene Wenger’s boys do not put them to the sword.

What is a surprise however is that Arsenal are 1.57 for victory given that they were 1.5 in the same fixture last season and come into the game on a terrific unbeaten league run which has seen them climb into seventh and put themselves in contention for a top four finish.

They are going for their third successive away win on the bounce, and goal scoring exploits of Robin van Persie have been nothing short of phenomenal.

I can see the Dutchman, who has done us bags of favours in the goal scorer markets this season, wreaking havoc and at 3.75 to net the opener with bet365 he looks worth another investment.

In the last four meetings between the Latics and the Gunners where both sides have scored, so the 1.67 with Betfred and Paddy Power about both teams netting also looks worth a wager for those that like to play at odds-on.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Liverpool once again take centre stage this weekend when they play host to Premiership leaders Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday (4pm KO, Live on Sky Sports 1), and they look decent value at 2.63 with bet365 to emerge victorious.

Liverpool v Manchester City

Kenny Dalglish’s side continued their unbeaten run with a good solid performance to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge last weekend and ran out easy 3-0 winners over the Citizens when the two sides met in this fixture back in April.

It was a tactical triumph for Dalglish at The Bridge, and Craig Bellamy, Maxi Rodriguez and Luis Suarez linked together well and always looked capable of scoring.

There must be a chance however that he will change things around a bit for this one and give Andy Carroll a start given that he netted two in the aforementioned 3-0 win over City. He is an 8.5 shot with Boylesports and Paddy Power to open the scoring and that looks a bit of value as does the 3.5 on offer with Boylesports for him to score anytime in the 90 minutes.

This does look like a game that has goals written all over it, and City are sure to be keen to bounce back from their 2-1 midweek defeat at Napoli in the Champions League where Roberto Mancini admitted they let in “two stupid goals”.

However for the first time this season they looked to run out of ideas when things didn’t go according to plan, and if Liverpool can keep it tight early doors and frustrate them a similar scenario could be on the cards.

Betfred go a standout 1.67 about both teams scoring and that looks a really solid bet for those that like to play odds-on.

Manchester United v Newcastle United

Manchester United have an unbelievable record against Newcastle, so it’s no surprise to see then chalked up at a top priced a top priced 1.4 to beat the magpies and bag another three points to keep the pressure on league leaders City.

The visitors have never won at Old Trafford in the English Premier League, losing 11 of their 17 visits.

It’s a similar story overall, with United having won 13 and lost none of their last 17 matches against Alan Pardew’s side.

Those are ominous stats indeed and makes Sir Alex’s side look a solid bet at the odds on offer despite the fact that the visitors have lost just on of their last 15 matches in the PL.

However for those that don’t like to play odds-on, Wayne Rooney makes plenty of appeal in the goals scorer markets.

He is due a goal and has scored 9 goals in 12 games against the Magpies. Paddy Power go a standout 4.5 about him netting first looks a massive price as does the 1.83 with the same firm about him scoring anytime.

Also, given the fact that Newcastle have scored just two goals and failed to score on five of their last seven visits to Old Trafford backing United to win to nil seems a logical punt.

bet365 and Paddy Power both offer 2.2 about that outcome and that looks a fair in my eyes.

Chelsea v Wolves

Chelsea desperately need a win to get their season back on track, and face the perfect opponents this weekend in the shape of woeful Wolves to do just that and land odds of 1.25.

The Blues may have lost their last two at the Bridge, but Mick McCarthy’s men are in total disarray and look cherry ripe for a thrashing by Andre Villas-Boas’ side.

Wolves 2-1 defeat against Everton last weekend was their fourth loss in six away games and they have scored less on their travels than either Bolton or Blackburn who currently sit in the bottom three.

They have also won just one of their last 10 Premier League matches and face a Chelsea side who will be desperate to give their under pressure manager a much needed boost and three vital points.

Bookmakers understandably make Chelsea worthy long-odds favs but rather than back them at 1.25 I would much rather play them at the 1.67 on offer with Paddy Power in the HT/FT market.

Wolves have only managed to keep one clean sheet in the opening 45 minutes in their last 8 league games, and Chelsea are sure to be quick out of the blocks and piling relentless pressure on the McCarthy’s men.

They also have a whole host of players capable of getting on the score sheet – most notably Drogba, Sturridge and Lampard to name but three.

Drogba looked much more like his old sharp, terrorising self when scoring in their midweek Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen and makes plenty of appeal at the 5 on offer with bet365 to score first and fire his side to a comfortable wide margin win.

I am expecting plenty of goals in this encounter, so AVB’s men to win 3-0 or 4-0 is my idea of the outcome and split stakes on both score lines should hopefully net some decent profit.

The former can be backed at a top priced 8 with Boylesports and Paddy Power, while the latter is a juicy looking 12 shot with Paddy Power.

Arsenal v Fulham

Arsenal are long odds-on at 1.44 to maintain their fantastic run of form by beating Fulham at the Emirates this weekend, and the stats suggest that they will have little difficulty in disposing of their London rivals.

Fulham have never won away against Arsenal in any competition in 25 attempts, losing on 22 occasions, and the have won just one of their last nine PL games against the Gunners.

The Cottagers have also won just three out of 45 Premier League London derbies away from home and none of the last 34 since they beat Tottenham in August 2003.

No surprise then that Arsenal are considered bankers by the bookies to secure another 3 points and continue their ascent up the table.

It really is impossible to envisage anything other than a comfortable victory for Arsene Wenger’s men – particularly given the unbelievable form of Robin van Persie.

The Dutchman has done Arsenal plenty of favours in recent weeks thanks to his goal scoring exploits and has now scored 31 goals in 29 Premier League games in 2011 and seven in his last four appearances at the Emirates.

He has also scored in five of his seven Premier League starts against Fulham, and backing him to score anytime at 1.67 with bet365, Boylesports, Betfred and Paddy Power is arguably better value than backing the Gunners in the outright market.

I certainly wouldn’t want to desert a winning formula by not backing him to net, and also fancy a small punt on him to score first as well at a rather large looking 4 with bet365 and Paddy Power.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United have been a dominant force in the English Premier League era, winning an amazing 12 titles in 19 seasons. Four of those titles have come in the last five seasons, including last season, when they beat out Manchester City and Chelsea by nine points.

So, it was no surprise that coming into this season, Premier League odds had United installed as favorites for the title, and a hot start only served to strengthen that position. However, for at least the time being, they’ve relinquished top spot and favorite status to archrivals City, who are currently five points clear at the top of the table.

But while City look almost unstoppable at the moment, there’s still a long, long way to go yet, and as the past has shown, an early deficit doesn’t mean all is lost.

Manchester City (Odds to Win Title: 10/11)

City have forced any and all to stand up and take notice in the first few months of the season, as they’ve mercilessly dominated many a foe early on.

For a while, City and United all but matched one another blow for blow, but Roberto Mancini’s side pulled ahead in mid-October and then consolidated their place at the top with a stunning 6-1 win at Old Trafford a few weeks ago.

Saturday’s 3-2 win at QPR was the ninth time that City have scored at least three goals in a game this season, and it was only their second league victory that wasn’t by multiple goals. With how they’ve tossed so many opponents aside and the talent that they have all over the pitch, City are certainly looking the part. If there’s any season for them to end their title drought, it’s this season.

However, for all that they’ve proven thus far, City haven’t faced too many tests yet, and they must prove that they can handle this added pressure and grind out results in tense situations – as they did at QPR – over the course of a long season. Also, there’s a fair chance they could have the added commitment (or distraction?) of European football for quite a while.

Questions about their mental makeup will be answered in time, but their quality depth in a number of areas, with or without Carlos Tevez in the picture, is certainly a positive for their title chances.

We’ll get a good chance to see what City are made of over the next month-plus, as they face tough ties at Liverpool and Chelsea and at home against Arsenal, who appear to gaining more and more confidence by the game.

Manchester United (Odds to Win Title: 7/4)

So, United are five points back through only 11 matches and already have a head-to-head defeat at home against the league leaders.

Yes, those are strikes against them, but if anyone is counting United out at this point, they are only asking for history to repeat itself. United have a fairly favorable fixture list for the next couple of months, which could give them a chance to close the gap on City before they go up against Arsenal (away), Chelsea (away), and Liverpool (home) over the course of a few weeks in late January and early February.

They have the mentality to be counted on to grind out results in key situations, but do they have the horses? They’ve been bitten by the injury bug quite a bit early on, they’ve once again made a habit of living dangerously, and there’s still a big question mark in the center of midfield. Of course, those things were all an issue last season, but they still went on to win the title and reached a third UEFA Champions League final in four seasons.

But the defeat to City could and should serve as a real wake-up call, and don’t be surprised if they elect to add a reinforcement or two in January. Without reinforcements, you should still expect them to be there at the end, especially if they can put their spate of injuries behind them, but the right addition(s) could make all the difference.

Newcastle (Odds to Win Title: 500/1)

If you made a bet before the season with a friend that Newcastle would be unbeaten in November, they’d have had a good laugh then. But you’d be the one laughing now, with a little extra money in your pocket.

As crazy as it sounds, Newcastle are alone with City in the lofty ranks of the unbeaten, and their surprising start sees them currently sit third, only one point behind United. Alan Pardew deserves a lot of praise for getting as much as he has out of a team that wasn’t expected to do much this season. There aren’t any stars in the side, but Demba Ba has scored as many goals himself as the Magpies have allowed all season (8), a total that’s fewer than City, United, and anyone else in the Premier League.

But can they keep this up? Newcastle’s next three matches are United away, Chelsea away, and City at home, so the odds are in favor of their unbeaten run ending very soon. However, you can guarantee that those three sides will be taking them far more seriously than they might have before.

It’s hard to fathom Newcastle making a serious title run, and the top four might well be beyond their reach in the end, but why not take a punt at those odds? At the very least, this start could convince Mike Ashley to open the coffers a little in January to ensure that European football returns to St. James’ Park for the first time since the 2006/07 season.

Chelsea (Odds to Win Title: 7/1)

You know Roman Abramovich doesn’t stand for being second-best, so it was no surprise to see him shell out big money on a hotshot new manager and some new additions this past summer after Chelsea fell short last season.

Juan Mata has had a fine start to his Chelsea career, but it looks like the honeymoon period is over for boss Andre Villas-Boas. After coming out on the short end against two city rivals, as they were blanked 1-0 at QPR and shipped five at home in a 5-3 defeat to surging Arsenal, Chelsea squeaked by woeful Blackburn 1-0 at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Chelsea currently sit fourth, nine points back of City, which is far from the ideal position to be in this early. Along with the obvious bumps that can occur when a new manager comes in (or when there’s seemingly a managerial revolving door), an aging core and inconsistent performances individually and collectively could be to blame for Chelsea‘s early stumbles.

But remember, they were 15 points back of United last season before mounting a furious late charge, and with the talent they have, they’re quite capable of making a run at any time, especially if Fernando Torres can start to deliver on a consistent basis. And there is the opportunity to trim some of that deficit soon, as three of their next four matches are at Stamford Bridge, including their tie against City next month.

Given what they’ve achieved in the last several seasons, you certainly can’t dismiss the Blues as title contenders, but they need to work out their kinks at both ends before their hole gets any deeper.

Tottenham (Odds to Win Title: 40/1)

Bad start? What bad start? Since losing to United and City by a combined 8-1, Spurs have been on fire, and were it not for allowing a late equalizer at Newcastle United, they’d have eight wins in a row.

As it is, with a 7-1-0 mark in their last eight matches, Spurs are level on points with Chelsea with a game in hand, thanks to the riot-related postponement of their scheduled opener against Everton. Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale have played big roles in their run, Luka Modric has put his summer of discontent fully behind him, and Scott Parker has already proven to be a fantastic addition.

But are Tottenham capable of thrusting themselves into the title conservation? You look like at their slate for the next few months leading up to a visit to Manchester City in late January, and it’s completely possible that they could if they continue to play at the level they have been.

And after a run of several tough games from late January to late March, Spurs’ toughest game in the last few months could be… a trip to Aston Villa, as they don‘t face any of the Premier League‘s big boys after a visit to Stamford Bridge on 24 March. With such a favorable run in, don’t count them out if they happen to survive that January-March stretch still within striking distance.

They could do to add another striker and bolster the defense a tad (Gary Cahill, perhaps?) in January, but with top, top talents in Van der Vaart, Bale, Modric, and Parker, they have a solid core that could lead them far.

Liverpool (Odds to Win Title: 33/1)

Liverpool might have been a popular outsider pick at the start of the season after making two big additions in January (three, if you count Kenny Dalglish) and spending big in the summer, but their odds might now be going in the wrong direction, even though they’re unbeaten in their last six after consecutive defeats to Stoke City and Spurs.

A home draw against United isn’t an unrespectable result, but if you want to be a contender, or even finish in the top four, you need to win the ones you’re supposed to. Liverpool have failed to do that in their last two home matches, drawing against promoted sides Norwich and Swansea.

Had they picked up maximum points in those two matches, they’d be in fourth, a point ahead of Chelsea, but alas, they’re in sixth, three behind Chelsea and a dozen adrift of City. That margin could only increase, with their next two matches being at Chelsea and at home against City. Getting a result from both of those matches would not only boost their position in the table but would also serve as a massive confidence boost.

The owner’s expectation wasn’t to contend for the title, and that looks to be well beyond their reach, but his expectation for a top-four finish is far from unreasonable. The talent is certainly there to still achieve that, especially if Steven Gerrard can avoid another long spell on the sidelines. But it seems that talent hasn’t fully gelled yet, and there’s also a glaring issue with making the most of the mass of chances they’ve been creating and turning dominance into valuable points.

Arsenal (Odds to Win Title: 33/1)

Had their current excellent form not been preceded by a disastrous start, we could be talking about Arsenal as title contenders. But that disastrous start, in which they picked up only seven points in their first seven matches, might well have been what was required to bring the best out of the Gunners, as they’ve recorded four league wins on the trot, including their stunning win at Chelsea.

With their confidence now high and the schedule in their favor – they’ve already faced United, Chelsea, and Tottenham away, and they’ll visit Manchester City next month – is there still a chance for Arsenal to jump back into the thick of the title race?

Their terrible start put a severe dent in those chances, but anything is possible. If they’re to keep this up, it would help to get a little more scoring assistance, because as hot in the zone as Robin van Persie is right now, he can’t be expected to do it all alone. Also, their back line is still a question mark, and that can’t be ignored.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Newcastle United as the race for fourth spot in the Premier League heats up. The Magpies have enjoyed a promising start to the season and sit proudly where the London club is desperate to be.

Last December many in the media were proclaiming the end of Newcastle as a Premier League club. They fired manager; former Spurs full back Chris Hughton and a few weeks later, sold goal scoring sensation Andy Carroll, without a ready replacement.

New boss Alan Pardew was given a cold welcome and his popularity didn’t rise over the summer as influential central midfielders, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, departed for smaller teams.Newcastle also failed to sign an established striker, meaning the coveted number nine shirt was not going to see the light of day. The Magpies seemed destined for a calamitous season.

However, an unbeaten run of form has seen them take three points away at Wolves, collect a point at Aston Villa and QPR, whilst at home they have beaten Blackburn and drawn with Arsenal and Fulham.

Critics may point to the fact that Newcastle have yet to play a “Big Team” but the Magpies deserve credit for the points they have taken. An away victory against Wolves and taking points against Villa and Arsenal is clear proof that the Geordies have developed a steely side that they previously lacked.

The Newcastle manager has endured his fair share of criticism since arriving in the north east, but Pardew must be congratulated for his astute summer signings. Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Gabriel Obertan have shown themselves to be willing to workers, but even more importantly they all have a point to prove.

Two years ago Obertan was a promising winger signed by Man United, this summer he was discarded at a cut price with his reputation in tatters. French midfielder, Cabaye who starred for 2010/2011 French double winners Lille; was overlooked by a host of Champions League bound clubs. Ba meanwhile, despite scoring 7 goals in 12 games for West Ham, suffered the ignominy of being relegated out of the Premier League.

The Magpies resurgence as possible Champions League contenders can also be attributed to emerging Dutch keeper, Tim Krul. The stopper who has been at Newcastle for five years, stepped in for the injured Steve Harper last season and has made the number 1 jersey his own. Against Wolves, Krul pulled off a string a top class saves and was quite rightly the Man of the Match. This young Dutch international looks destined to be the Geordies keeper for many years to come.

For Tottenham, who have defeated top four rivals Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, this fixture is a test to see if they deserve the title “Top Four Favourites”. Manager Harry Redknapp collected the Manager of the Month award for September, but the international break may have knocked Spurs out of their stride.

On loan striker, Emmanuel Adebayor, looks set to miss the clash with a hamstring injury, so Redknapp will undoubtedly play Jermain Defoe, with Rafa Van der Vaart in his favoured floating role. The other selection decision for Redknapp is who to play across the middle?

Aaron Lennon has recently returned to full fitness, but the solidity of playing Sandro, alongside Scott Parker will be too tempting for Redknapp to dismiss. This will mean Luka Modric will take a wider role on the right, with a rampant Gareth Bale playing down the left.

In defence Spurs will be counting on captain, Ledley King, to continue defying his body and for the fourth game in a row play alongside French international Younes Kaboul.

Newcastle may not have been the obvious contenders to challenge the Lillywhites for a top four position, but the table doesn’t lie. Spurs face a stern challenge at St James Park, a ground where they have won only one of the last six Premier League encounters.

The fixture promises to be a crucial one. With Liverpool entertaining Man United and Arsenal still suffering a defensive crisis, there is a big opportunity for the winner to pull away from the top four chasers.

Anthony Lombardi regularly contributes to Soccerlens. You can follow him on Twitter @arlombardi.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Queens Park Rangers have pulled off something of a major coup after Joey Barton was snapped up on a free transfer from Newcastle United. The midfielder had had surprisingly announced the move on Twitter late on Wednesday night and now he looks set to make his debut for QPR on September 12, against his old team Newcastle.

A surprisingly honest Barton spoke quite candidly when asked about the transfer and spoke of his sadness at leaving Newcastle.

“It is disappointing times and it’s sad when Newcastle’s best players are leaving to go elsewhere.”

Barton was also keen to pay tribute to the Toon Army, Newcastle’s fans.

“I’ve an incredibly special relationship with the Geordie nation,” he added.

“Unfortunately they weren’t the decision makers at the football club…”

Barton, so often a dividing figure throughout his career, fell out of favour with the hierarchy at the club after a number of outbursts during the summer. With one year left on his contract and with the club having just sold his midfield partner Kevin Nolan and striker Andy Carroll, the Liverpudlian questioned the ambition and transfer policies of the club.

The club, seeing his comments as little more than a tool to further his wage demands, immediately placed Barton on the transfer list and intimated that he would be allowed to leave the club as a free transfer should any other team contact them about his availability. Such was their desire to remove his presence from the training ground and dressing room.

The midfielder then began something of a war of words with the club on Twitter where his comments had further impact as clubs began banning and censoring their players from the social networking site.

Newcastle’s refusal to give in to Barton’s wage demands and remove him from the transfer list caused something of a transfer frenzy amongst the media, especially as Liverpool had just signed Jordan Henderson for £20 million with many feeling that Barton was a much better option.

Clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Everton, Aston Villa, Malaga, and Paris St. Germain were all immediately linked with potential moves for the player. However, only newly promoted Queens Park Rangers would contact the North East side over Barton’s availability and with Newcastle still refusing to offer him a new contract. It looks as if the midfielder could become Neil Warnock’s first major signing of the season.

As the Premier League season kicked off, Barton was sensationally returned to the team by Alan Pardew as Newcastle readied to face the latest crisis club in the EPL, Arsenal.

True to form, Barton was never too far from controversy.

Alex Song should have been sent off for stamping on the midfielders calf as he lay prone on the ground, but the referee missed the incident. Then new Gunners signing Gervinho was tripped in the box as the referee waved play on.

In something of an ironic twist, an irate Barton ran over to the prone Arsenal forward and dragged him up off the floor for diving. Gervinho then brushed his hand across Barton’s cheek with a very feint slap but the Newcastle player immediately hit the ground as if he had been shot by a sniper.

Considering his actions just ten seconds prior, this was an extremely bad show of form by the QPR-bound player.

Many cynics believe that the entire episode at Newcastle was expertly orchestrated to get the player a free transfer to a larger club but as the potential move to QPR nears it looks as if the player could well be fighting in the relegation trenches come the end of the season.

The move comes as a huge surprise and has moved at such a pace that very few journalists had time to find out about the potential move. In the end, it was Barton’s Twitter account, so often a well for stories, which revealed how far the move had gone.

“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.”

As far as QPR is concerned, they are getting an above average player who just had, most likely, his best season of all time. His previous footballing record, on and off the pitch, ruled that European chasing clubs had little or no interest in the player, but he will definitely bring a certain bite to Warnock’s midfield as they look to remain in the Premier League come May.

One of the biggest stories this summer was not the actual fact that Barton was available for transfer. No, it was his use of social media and in particular Twitter.

There is little doubt that the midfielder is a dividing figure and his us of quotes by Morrissey, George Orwell and Nietzche have opened up this complicated personality in ways never seen before.

For once he has become a fully rounded character with a mind of his own rather than the oft called lunatic chasing a bag of air around a field.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the transfer he did little to dispel the growing interest in the thoughts of the enigmatic player.

“I think footballers are massively well placed to make decisions because they are in the heat of the battle,” he said.

“For me the most important thing is, if someone asks me a question, I tell them the truth.

“For some people they don’t want people to know the truth.

“Ultimately people pay to come and watch the football. They don’t come and watch how people run the football club.

“We are the performers, the artists.”

Barton is obviously hurt by his treatment at Newcastle and perhaps other clubs. And by his treatment he also means his team’s treatment. Having a good side dismantled right in front of you for nothing more than profit is one of the most demoralizing things any player can go through.

As a professional footballer you accept that players will come and go that they will move on when better money is on the table and that they will take the best deal that suits them at the time. It’s the game within the game. But when that game is twisted and perverted and players are allowed to leave without replacing them the remaining players feel abandoned. Not from the players who have left but from the owners who have pocketed the money and not filled the resulting hole.

This move was an important one for Barton. The 28-year-old has just signed his last major contract and with it he gains a reported £80,000 per week and all the guarantees and security that a four year contract can bring. In short, it will set his family up for life.

“My decision was to join an exciting emerging football club that has very exciting short-term ideas and really exciting long-term ideas,” he said.

“I’m in the prime of my career and to make a move of this magnitude you have to be excited.

“I had to make decision in the best interests of myself and my footballing career.

“I felt it was a fantastic opportunity and one I had to take.”

In a side story to the Barton move, but one that could have far more significance as far as QPR is concerned, the clubs new owner Tony Fernandes has announced “significant reductions and refunds on ticket prices throughout the club.”

The size of the reductions have yet to be finalised, but many feel the price of a season ticket at Loftus Road, which had increased by 40 percent, will be reduced dramatically.

The clubs newly appointed CEO, Phillip Beard, announced that;

“These changes show how serious we are about taking the fans’ views on board.”

“Ticket prices are imperative to the business structure and we are confident our supporters will react positively to the news and help make Loftus Road a fortress on match-days.”

Beard then went one step further by announcing that match day tickets would also be reduced and that in certain sections of the ground children under 8-years-of-age would now gain entrance free of charge as long as they were with a paying adult.

All in all it has been a very good day for your average QPR fan.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It’s been a strange summer. Given that last season saw the Premier League’s top teams treat first place like a hot potato, and given that Manchester United’s relatively turgid trudge over the finishing line ahead of a resurgent but technically limited Chelsea, a cautious-bordering-on-paranoid Manchester City and Arsenal’s theatre de l’absurd, one might have expected the world’s richest league to have buzzed with transfer activity.

Alas, the great yawn that is Barcelona’s yearly pursuit of Cesc Fabregas began in earnest way back in May and is still far from over. Like a besotted celebrity mistress, the Catalan club’s desperate overtures – to a player who would certainly count amongst their best subsitutes were he to finally nod a cheeky Hispanic acquiescience – have been systematic, repetitive and very, very public. It has made for excrutiatingly dull reading for neutrals but there simply hasn’t been much else to supplant it.

We could discuss the finer points of FIFA’s new financial fair play regulations and their effect on the spending habits of England’s richest clubs but that’d all be a bit boring for a Premier League season preview, so, in an effort to cut straight to the chase, here is my prediction for the Premier League table with a special focus on The Top Six:

1. Chelsea – No new playmaker to light up last year’s dull-as-dishwater midfield, but a return to the grinding, mechanical victories under Mourinho allied to the subtle and full integration of stars like David Luiz and Ramires.

2. Manchester United – A very close second, but David de Gea cannot be expected to replace Edwin van der Sar, nor can Tom Cleverley replace the vision of Paul Scholes. Ashley Young doesn’t seem to add much to an already strong front line.

3. Manchester City – The squad could compete for the title were Mancini to allow them just a little more freedom going forward. As it stands, they are now consistent enough to displace Arsenal, as they proved last season.

4. Liverpool – I’m basing this on the assumption that Kenny Dalglish is smart enough to know that Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing are great options for Fulham at home, less so for Chelsea away, where they’ll need their Lucases and Meireleses.

5. Arsenal – Didn’t sign any of the players they needed. Even if they keep Cesc, it’s hard to see them mounting a serious title challenge once those frosty December nights in Stoke kick in. A good bet to win one of the cups, though.

6. Tottenham - Fantastic team, not such a great squad. Little was done in the transfer window to boost the depth of the squad. Expect them either to fall away late on or have an inconsistent start.

7. Fulham - Martin Jol has a solid record of turning OK sides into decent ones. Expect the same this time around, though it’ll be a bumpy ride.

8. Stoke - Their consistency, physicality and inhospitable home ground are unchanged under Tony Pulis. They have the right ingredients to finish near the top of the mediocrity once again.

9. Everton – Expect the usual ‘David Moyes has taken them as far as he can’ comments around December, before the usual resurgence before the end of the season hoists them within touching distance of Europe before one or two other teams get their act together and they have to settle for top-half respect.

10. West Brom – Peter Odemwingie not leaving the club is already fantastic news and should ensure a full season (mostly) free of the stress which accompanied Roberto di Matteo’s reign.

11. Bolton – The usual dourness. Fabrice Muamba finally breaking into the England squad and the occasional superman performance from Kevin Davies will be about the most exciting things to happen here.

12. Sunderland – Expect the freebies from United to blend inconspicuously into an infuriatingly inconsistent side. Never a worry for relegation, but will never quite mount a challenge for Europe either.

13. QPR – The three promoted sides all play open, attractive football. QPR look the most likely to adapt to a more robust attitude when the situation requires it and should do quite well.

14. Newcastle – The usual ups and downs. The Alan Pardew era should be one of relative financial restraint, meaning less broken dreams, but perhaps less fun along the way too.

15. Blackburn – Just about strong enough to avoid a last-day battle like last season, but they will teeter.

16. Aston Villa - The loss of their star player, Young, and their star performer, Downing, has not ben offset by investment in a mediocre squad. They could really struggle, with the quality of youngsters like Marc Albrighton being enough to keep them up.

17. Wigan – They’ve lost Charles N’Zogbia and Tom Cleverly, but with Ali Al-Habsi and Hugo Rodallega remaining at either end of the field, they should have just enough to carry on in the Premiership for another year.

18. Wolves – Lucky to have stayed up last year, this time around they will probably be just edged out.

19. Swansea - It’s a fantastic achievement for them to even be here – there will be some great highs but ultimately we can expect another Blackpool here.

20. Norwich – As above, although relegation for a club which has the taste of Premier League football still relatively fresh on its lips might hurt more than for their Welsh companions from the Championship.

Analyzing The Top Six

• 1. Can Arsenal Survive In The Top Four?
• 2. Can Chelsea Topple Manchester United?
• 3. Liverpool Plot Return To Champions League
• 4. Manchester City can’t stop Manchester United or Chelsea
• 5. Are Manchester United Good Enough For The 20th League Title?
• 6. Another Disappointing Season For Tottenham?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Talk is cheap, or so the old cliché goes. In footballing reality, it is absolutely vital: the communication between the holy trinity of club, players and fans is integral to team morale, which is in itself a major contributing factor to success. With this firmly in mind, one casts a sceptical eye over the increasingly tense situation at Newcastle United. The ongoing transfer sagas, contract disputes and Twitter comments reveal just how important communication is within any football club, and how potentially devastating the impact can be when dialogues between the different groups break down, or are absent altogether.

The catalyst behind the unrest is undoubtedly the lack of sufficient reinvestment in the squad following the sale of Andy Carroll and, to a lesser degree, Kevin Nolan. The club’s transfer dealings should be the topic of a slightly different debate, and will not be discussed at great lengths here. If anything, the club’s ambition (or, in some quarters, perceived lack thereof) in the transfer market has shed light upon a far more dangerous issue: a distinct lack of communication between the players and management.

The Twitter debacles concerning both Barton and Enrique are understandably cause for concern.  Whilst expressing their dissatisfaction with the club’s board and management cannot be condoned – no employee could hope to get away with criticising their employer so blatantly – the source of the frustration should be taken into account. These players are seeking assurances that the club is moving forward: instead, they have to watch as key assets are sold one by one around them. These assurances are evidently not forthcoming, not from the manager or the boardroom, which may have resulted in the somewhat desperate measures that the players in question have taken. Cynical fans claim that the players in question are using Twitter to engineer moves away from the club whilst maintaining a false sense of loyalty, but this is simply not the case. Barton and Enrique, like Nolan before them, have simply found a (somewhat inappropriate) platform upon which to air their worries with the men and women they play for: not the executives lining their pocket, but the thousands of fans who share similar reservations.

Jose Enrique makes his first foray into the world of social media.

In some respects, the Twitter comments are a plea for more interaction between the player and the club. As a response, Llambias and company have hit Enrique with a one-week fine, and have sensationally fined Barton two weeks of wages, placed him on the transfer list for free and forced him to train alone. The treatment of both players, similar yet markedly different, speaks volumes about the club’s motives. If anything, the club have used Barton’s Twitter rants as justification for his transfer away from Tyneside. The treatment of Enrique, meanwhile, has been somewhat more lenient, at least in part due to Newcastle’s hope that he will sign a new contract. Or, perhaps, in order to make some money from any potential sale. What has this taught anyone? It has taught the players that any comments regarding the club’s motives will be severely punished, but has also taught the fans that the club’s man management skills are definitely lacking. If Pardew truly wanted Barton and Enrique to stay, surely a conversation, or series of conversations, may have gone some way to allaying the players’ concerns? In some instances, a disciplinary warning would suffice. If the United manager believes Enrique will sign a new contract after being disciplined and essentially ignored with regards to his apprehension, then he has another thing coming. Fining players who wish to stay at the club only exacerbates any existing problems, shows a complete lack of understanding on the board’s part, and pushes the best players closer to the exit doors.

Of similar importance in the snowballing predicament is respect. Enrique and Barton, the latter in particular, have shown a flagrant lack of it towards the men that, when all is said and done, sign their paychecks every week. Whilst the inflammatory comments aimed towards their employers are disrespectful, one could argue that, conversely, the players feel undermined by decisions taken by the Magpies’ board. As far as working relationships are concerned, many players may consider the board untrustworthy. Nolan’s recent comments about Llambias going back on an offer of a contract despite a gentleman’s agreement being in place add the finishing brushstrokes to an already grotesque public image of Ashley and his associates. The squad cannot trust the club to retain their key players and invest in future success, whilst the club cannot trust the players to stay silent about the internal business dealings at St. James’ Park. It is a perilous impasse.

Now at West Ham, Nolan is free to shout the truth about his contract negotiations from the rooftops.

What is most striking is that players and club officials seem to communicate with each other almost exclusively through the media. Second-guessing what is said behind closed doors is a dangerous game to play, but the fact that four key members of the Newcastle United squad past and present have had to resort to comments via various forms of media to get their point across does suggest that those in charge are simply not listening to their employees. If Barton is to be believed, these four are not alone: the midfielder called the discontent expressed by Enrique “the tip of the iceberg”. Is it indicative that only the likes of Taylor and Ameobi, squad players at best, have praised the new intake, whilst United’s top players have remained relatively quiet? If Pardew et al opened up a dialogue with the existing squad members, reaffirming their ambition and allaying any fear of stagnation, this media whirlwind and unsettling speculation could have been avoided.

For a reasonable comparison highlighting the vitality of personal interaction, look no further than Arsenal. The situation at the North London club is more severe than that on Tyneside, with a collective sense of frayed desperation to lift silverware, and simmering player discontent at the Gunners’ transfer reinforcements. Arsene Wenger and Peter Hill-Wood wouldn’t dream of fining a player for expressing concerns. Instead, Wenger takes the time to sit down with integral players like Fabregas and Nasri and discuss his vision, his ambition and his goals in the market. It is this approach that has kept Fabregas in London for longer than feasibly expected amidst interest from Barcelona. Pardew is evidently not from the Arsene Wenger school of man management. His seemingly impersonal style is worlds away from that of Hughton, Keegan and even Kinnear. This, coupled with the untrustworthy and isolated board, cannot bode well for the club’s relationship with its players, which in turn will affect any projected forward progression.

In this kind of situation, are there any winners? Yes, to some limited extent. The lack of communication in these areas is compensated by extensive and often excessive use of media outlets by both player and club, equally desperate to plead their respective cases to the supporters. In one sense, the fan reaps the benefits, for he/she sees both sides of the story, and can come to his/her own conclusions. In another sense, of course, the fan is hit the hardest, as if this breakdown in communication is allowed to engender ill feeling around the club, performances will suffer. Players can move on, executives can sell up, but fans are often fans for life, and Barton is right in his assertion that the fans will be the ones to suffer.

This conclusion is drawn by one such fan. Simply put, it seems as though the players would like to discuss issues with the club and, when not satisfied with poor responses, take to social media websites to inform the fans of the situation. The club responds to the players via newspaper headlines, reassuring fans in article columns. The integral link between player and club is not non-existent, but it is severely frayed. Some will suggest that Twitter is indirectly to blame, but banning players from the social network would only exacerbate the underlying issues regarding poor communication. Until Newcastle United candidly reveal their plans to their own players rather than the media, squad discontent will continue to cast its dark and perilous shadow over Tyneside. If players and the club alike can communicate with each other with the same frequency as they communicate with the fans, the situation could possibly be remedied.

"Don't answer it; it could be one of the players!"

A lot of Joey Barton’s Twitter quotes are pretentious, bigoted and/or foolish, but he is on the money when he says that a house has to be build on strong foundations. Because of these protracted and escalating controversies, the foundations at Newcastle United, the solid squad that toiled to a respectable mid-table finish last season, get weaker by the minute. It remains to be seen whether Ashley and his acolytes will take any criticism from the playing squad or the fan base on board. At a football club where everybody’s talking, it seems that the occupants of the director’s box, soundproofed by their ignorance, have no real intention of listening.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Last week we analysed the first half the 2011/2012 Premier League fixtures list, looking at the key clashes through August to December.

Here we look at the second half of the season and try to pick where the best action is likely to be.

Remember, you can watch the best of the 2011/2012 Premier League season with Sky Sports HD. Click here to find out more.

January 2012

Monday, 2nd January sees the final act of the holiday season fixtures, 10 matches scheduled a mere two days after the 10 for Saturday 31st. Villa’s pain lets up with a home game to Swansea but there’s no respite for Liverpool or Manchester United, who visit Manchester City and Newcastle United respectively. Arsenal and Chelsea are away from home as well.

With a weekend break devoted to FA Cup action, Premier League football returns mid-month with the headline fixture being Aston Villa v Everton and Chelsea v Sunderland (odds on a repeat from last season are astronomical, to say the least).

The third week sees Arsenal host Manchester United – it was a similar game two years ago that more or less decided (ended) Arsenal’s title challenge, and it could be a similarly decisive match this time around as well. Manchester City and Tottenham square off at the Etihad stadium as well.

FA Cup (and rescheduled fixtures) will decidedly take precedence this month, with the final set of fixtures on the 31st, the highlight being Chelsea’s trip to Swansea and United hosting Stoke.

Six To Watch: Manchester City v Liverpool (2nd), Newcastle United v Manchester United (2nd), Aston Villa v Everton (14th), Chelsea v Sunderland (14th), Arsenal v Manchester United (21st), Manchester City v Tottenham (21st).

February 2012

1st February sees Everton and Manchester City square off but all eyes will be firmly on Saturday, 4th February, when the two teams who have shared the last seven Premier League titles square off at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea and United are joined by Liverpool hosting Tottenham in making this a entertaining weekend, which is the second is a series of crucial games for Liverpool. After playing away to Wolves on 31st January, Liverpool host Tottenham on the 4th, play away to Manchester United on the 11th before playing hosts in the Merseyside derby on the 25th. Incidentally, that match is then followed by Arsenal’s visit to Anfield on 3rd March, before Liverpool are on the road to Sunderland the week after.

But while Liverpool at Old Trafford on the 11th of February, Chelsea are away to Everton, Manchester City away to Aston Villa and Arsenal away to Sunderland, while Tottenham host Newcastle. And on the same weekend as the Merseyside derby, we also see the North London derby as Arsenal host Tottenham.

Eight To Watch: Everton v Manchester City (1st), Chelsea v Manchester United (4th), Liverpool v Tottenham (4th), Manchester United v Liverpool (11th), Everton v Chelsea (11th), Aston Villa v Manchester City (11th), Liverpool v Everton (25th), Arsenal v Tottenham (25th).

March 2012

European commitments will start to take their toll on the top sides by March and April. With Liverpool hosting Arsenal on the 3rd, we also have Tottenham hosting Manchester United on the same date. The next weekend sees Everton v Tottenham and Norwich v Wigan as standout matches, while Everton host Arsenal and Manchester City host Chelsea on the 17th. The next two weeks have no ‘massive’ games but several tricky fixtures, with Arsenal v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Tottenham and Aston Villa v Chelsea the standouts.

Eight To Watch: Liverpool v Arsenal (3rd), Tottenham v Manchester United (3rd), Everton v Tottenham (10th), Everton v Arsenal (17th), Manchester City v Chelsea (17th), Arsenal v Aston Villa (24th), Chelsea v Tottenham (24th), Aston Villa v Chelsea (31st).

April 2012

As the jostling for league positions cranks up several gears, April kicks off with a few crackers. Arsenal host Manchester City, there’s a potential relegation 6-pointer between QPR and Swansea, United have an away trip to traditional whipping boys Wigan, Fulham host Chelsea, Chelsea and Manchester United host Newcastle and Aston Villa respectively.

The second half of April sees some crucial title-deciding matches – Arsenal v Chelsea and Manchester City v Manchester United, while Liverpool enjoy a relatively easy month with matches against Aston Villa (home), Blackburn (away), Fulham (home), West Brom (home) and Norwich (away). If Liverpool are going to serious contenders this season, for the champions league or for the title, these are 15 points they should be getting.

Five To Watch: Arsenal v Manchester City (7th), Liverpool v Aston Villa (7th), Manchester United v Aston Villa (14th), Arsenal v Chelsea (21st), Manchester City v Manchester United (28th).

May 2012

The last two gameweeks of the season (plus any rescheduled games thanks to domestic and continental cup commitments) could see the title decided if the contenders keep dropping points as they did last season. Aston Villa host Tottenham on the first weekend but that’s only a precursor to the big one, Liverpool v Chelsea at Anfield. On the same weekend Manchester City are also away to Newcastle United, while Arsenal and Manchester United enjoy home games against Norwich and Swansea respectively.

The final week sees some tough games, with Norwich hosting Aston Villa, Manchester United Reserves Sunderland hosting Manchester United and Swansea hosting Liverpool, while QPR are away to Manchester City and West Brom host the Arsenal.

Five To Watch: Aston Villa v Tottenham (5th), Liverpool v Chelsea (5th), Newcastle United v Manchester City (5th), Everton v Newcastle United (12th), Sunderland v Manchester United (12th).

Disclaimer: Please note that the fixtures are subject to change and Soccerlens is not responsible for any changes that may be made.

Watch Live Premier League Matches On Sky

This season Sky Sports will show 115 live Premier League fixtures with every match available in HD and selected matches in 3D. The confirmed TV listings are till end of November, with a guaranteed 39 live games.

ALL THE CLUBS: Every Barclays Premier League team will be shown live in the first set of Sky Sports HD fixtures with all three newly-promoted clubs shown live at least three times by the end of November.

BIG HEAD-TO-HEADS: Sky Sports will show 11 matches between last year’s top six teams, including Manchester United v Arsenal on August 28 and Manchester United v Chelsea on September 18.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPECIAL: Sky Sports will offer more than 129 live matches from the UEFA Champions League on Sky Sports HD2, Sky Sports HD4 and via the red button, including live coverage of the final qualifying round in August. Throughout the tournament Sky Sports will show up to 15 live matches per week across the Group Stage including every match on Tuesday nights.

SKY GO: Sky Sports is also available to view via Sky Go, a service that allows Sky TV customers with Sky Sports access across a range of devices at no extra cost. Sky customers will be able to watch live streaming of every Sky Sports channel on laptops, computers, tablet and mobile devices with Sky Go (watch the Sky Go ad).

Get started with Sky Sports Football and watch the best of the 2011/2012 Premier League season in HD.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Watch the best of the 2011/2012 Premier League season with Sky Sports HD.

The 2011/2012 Premier League season kicks off with a bang – a Manchester derby in the FA Community Shield as the curtain raiser for a fast start to the season that sees Arsenal host Liverpool and United host Tottenham and Arsenal – and all of this just in August.

With Manchester United spending upwards of 50m to replace retiring players and to strengthen the squad for a 20th league title, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are also strengthening their squads to catch up with the Premier League champions. And then you have Arsenal and Tottenham, both teams that are one or two signings (and some luck with injuries) away from a proper title challenge.

Here’s a look at the big league fixtures for the first half of the season and the matches that should be on your must-watch list. Part Two, looking at the second half of the season, can be found here.

August 2011

As teams wrap up their pre-season commitments (as much for commercial reasons as for preparing the players for consistently peak performance across 10 months), the season kicks off with the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners in the Community Shield clash on 8th August. City have a sedate start to the season after that, with their toughest fixture coming at the end of the month away to Tottenham. City rivals United on the other hand start off with a tricky away trip to West Brom before back to back home games against Tottenham and Arsenal.

Chelsea have a relatively easy start to the season but the same can’t be said for Tottenham, who host Everton and Man City either side of the aforementioned trip to Old Trafford. Arsenal will be cursing the luck of the draw as they kick off with a trip to Newcastle (the scene of THAT 4-4 draw), host Liverpool and then go back up north to play Manchester United.

Six To Watch: Manchester City v Manchester United (8th), Stoke v Chelsea (14th), West Brom v Manchester United (14th), Arsenal v Liverpool (20th), Manchester United v Tottenham (22nd), Manchester United v Arsenal (28th).

September 2011

After a 10 day international break the Premier League is back with Swansea playing away at the Emirates and Chelsea against United’s Sunderland’s defence, but the pick of the first week’s matches is Everton v Aston Villa. The second week sees Manchester United host Chelsea and Tottenham host Liverpool, giving United 3 home games against top-6 opposition in the first 5 matches (the other two are away games).

Five To Watch: QPR v Newcastle (12th), Blackburn v Arsenal (17th), Tottenham v Liverpool (18th), Manchester United v Chelsea (18th), Manchester City v Liverpool (24th)

October 2011

October sees another international break but not before derby fever hits the league, with Everton v Liverpool and Tottenham v Arsenal the headliners of the first weekend.

Arsenal and United continue with their tough starts, United away to Liverpool right after the international break and hosting City the next weekend, while Arsenal, after hosting Sunderland and Stoke are at Stamford Bridge at the end of the month to play Chelsea. United are also away to Everton on the 29th, while QPR play city rivals Fulham, Tottenham and Chelsea all in October.

Seven To Watch: Everton v Liverpool (1st), Tottenham v Arsenal (2nd), Liverpool v Manchester United (15th), Manchester City v Aston Villa (16th), Newcastle v Tottenham (16th), Manchester United v Manchester City (23rd), Chelsea v Arsenal (29th).

November 2011

At this stage of the season, international breaks, early season blues, injuries and European football has started to show its’ effects and you can generally see which teams are NOT going to win the title. Given the number of heavyweight clashes at the start of the season it’s likely that one or more of the top six will be out of the running as early as November, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t recover in time.

Another international break can’t hide the tricky fixtures at the start of November, the highlights being Newcastle v Everton and Fulham v Tottenham, as well a homecoming party for Sunderland’s ex-United players as they visit Old Trafford.

Once the players are back though, club football takes all the focus for the next four months as teams navigate through domestic cup competitions, European competitions and tricky winter ties. Mid November sees Arsenal away to Norwich and United away to Swansea, before Chelsea host Liverpool on the 20th and Tottenham host Aston Villa the day after. The next weekend sees United host Newcastle and Liverpool host Man City.

Five To Watch: Newcastle v Everton (5th), Fulham v Tottenham (6th), Chelsea v Liverpool (20th), Tottenham v Aston Villa (21st), Liverpool v Manchester City (27th).

December 2011

December is heavy on fixtures (a potential 6 per team) and in separating the pretenders from the real title contenders. It’s around this time that Chelsea fell away last year.

The first matchweek sees United, Chelsea and Liverpool away to Villa, Newcastle and Fulham respectively, tough matches that the home teams will go in believing that they can win. It’s London v North again the next weekend as Arsenal host Everton and Chelsea host Man City, alongside QPR’s first trip of the season to Anfield and Stoke v Tottenham.

The second half of December sees Villa v Liverpool, City v Arsenal, Tottenham v Chelsea, Villa v Arsenal (not a good month for Villa) and for the final day of the year, Liverpool v Newcastle, Arsenal v QPR and Chelsea v Aston Villa (amongst others).

Aston Villa, in December, are scheduled to play: Man Utd (home), Bolton (away), Liverpool (home), Arsenal (home), Stoke (away) and Chelsea (away). Two tough away games plus four games against the old top 4. Their season may be decided by the transfer window and the replacements (or lack thereof) for Young and Downing), but if they are to succeed in their targets this season, December will be their sternest test.

Ten To Watch: Aston Villa v Manchester United (3rd), Newcastle v Chelsea (3rd), Arsenal v Everton (10th), Chelsea v Manchester City (10th), Aston Villa v Liverpool (17th), Manchester City v Arsenal (17th), Tottenham v Chelsea (20th), Aston Villa v Arsenal (21st), Liverpool v Newcastle (31st), Chelsea v Aston Villa (31st).

Disclaimer: Please note that the fixtures are subject to change based on domestic and continental cup commitments.

Watch Live Premier League Matches On Sky

This season Sky Sports will show 115 live Premier League fixtures with every match available in HD and selected matches in 3D. The confirmed TV listings are till end of November, with a guaranteed 39 live games.

ALL THE CLUBS: Every Barclays Premier League team will be shown live in the first set of Sky Sports HD fixtures with all three newly-promoted clubs shown live at least three times by the end of November.

BIG HEAD-TO-HEADS: Sky Sports will show 11 matches between last year’s top six teams, including Manchester United v Arsenal on August 28 and Manchester United v Chelsea on September 18.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPECIAL: Sky Sports will offer more than 129 live matches from the UEFA Champions League on Sky Sports HD2, Sky Sports HD4 and via the red button, including live coverage of the final qualifying round in August. Throughout the tournament Sky Sports will show up to 15 live matches per week across the Group Stage including every match on Tuesday nights.

SKY GO: Sky Sports is also available to view via Sky Go, a service that allows Sky TV customers with Sky Sports access across a range of devices at no extra cost. Sky customers will be able to watch live streaming of every Sky Sports channel on laptops, computers, tablet and mobile devices with Sky Go (watch the Sky Go ad).

Get started with Sky Sports Football and watch the best of the 2011/2012 Premier League season in HD.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News