Manchester United and Everton recorded contrasting results as their pre-season tours of the US continued on Wednesday.United were rampant in their 7-0 defeat of MLS outfit Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink field, with substitute Wayne Rooney the hero after netting a second-half hat-trick.

Michael Owen scored the only goal of the first half with a header, but United’s superiority showed as the match wore on with Rooney’s three goals complemented by strikes from Ji-Sung Park, Mame Biram Diouf and Gabriel Obertan.

The result followed United’s 4-1 rout of another MLS outfit, New England Revolution, a week earlier.

United’s English Premier League contemporaries Everton began their US tour with a loss after going down 1-0 against the Philadelphia Union.

David Moyes’ side were on top for a majority of the 90 minutes but could not break the deadlock, and were made to pay when Union teenager Christian Hernandez stole a winner in the 87th minute.

Elsewhere, Stoke City thrashed Newcastle Town 6-0, Queens Park Rangers beat Plymouth Argyle 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Heidar Helguson, while Sunderland was beaten 3-1 by Bundesliga outfit Hannover.

From the Championship, Fred Sears scored as West Ham beat FC Copenhagen 1-0, Leicester drew 0-0 with Turkish side Bursaspor and Cardiff City were beaten 1-0 at home by Scottish powerhouse Celtic.

Jardel scored with two minutes remaining as Portuguese outfit Benfica snatched a last minute 1-0 victory against Ligue 1 side Toulouse, while Serie A sides Inter Milan, Lazio and Udinese all recorded victories.

Newly promoted Queens Park Rangers may be on the verge of a change of ownership.QPR, who won the Championship last season to win promotion to the English Premier League, released a statement on their official website on Thursday announcing that the club was in talks with a potential new buyer.

Current owners Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore have received much criticism from the club’s support during the off-season, with the pair seemingly reluctant to spend on the squad.

The only new arrivals at Loftus Road have been striker Jay Bothroyd and midfielder Kieron Dyer, who were both free transfers.

Ecclestone and Briatore also markedly raised the club’s ticket prices in a move which further angered the fans.

But that might all be about to change, with the Italian duo entering into negotiations over the club’s future.

The statement confirmed that the potential buyer was not the same one that had showed interest in March.

“The Company has entered into preliminary discussions with a different party,” the statement said.

“Accordingly the Company confirms that is it no longer in an offer period. We will be making no further comment at stage.”

The deadline-day sales have caused discontent in the blue half of Merseyside and the unwillingness to strengthen has left the squad looking thread-bare. After their opening day clash against Tottenham was postponed, Everton suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to QPR at Goodison Park, before they survived two Blackburn penalties misses as the soon-to-be departed Arteta sealed all three points with a penalty of his own.

Villa have once again added to their squad bringing in Tottenham pair Jermaine Jenas and Alan Hutton before the window shut last week and both could feature in the game. Villa fans will be hoping that Darren Bent who is a doubt after missing England’s Euro 2012 qualifiers with a groin-strain is able to start.

Everton’s attacking stocks are also depleted after the deadline-day sales of Beckford and Yakubu, while Louis Saha is another fitness concerns. They have added Real Madrid’s midfielder Royston Drenthe and Argentine forward Denis Stracqualursi to their squad, with both expected to make their debuts on Saturday but Leighton Baines is a doubt with a hamstring injury while Seamus Coleman is still ruled out with a long-term injury.

Alex McLeish has got his Villa side playing some great football to start the season and they have already picked up five points from a possible nine. I think they could continue this fine start on Saturday against an under-strength Everton team who will be low on confidence piling more pressure on Kenwright and the Everton owners to bring in some loan players.

Key Player

Tim Cahill: After losing a number of their attacking outlets on deadline day Cahill will now have the big task of stepping up for the team to give them some sort of threat up-front.

Richard Dunne: Dunne who was so impressive for his national team in mid-week and he is enjoying a fresh-start under McLeish, he will be an important player if Villa want to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Verdict: 0-1

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Arsenal and Manchester United still have intentions to sign target Michel Bastos despite the Brazilian recently signing a new deal at current club Lyon talkSPORT understands.

Bastos has been the subject of interest from the Premier League giants in the past only for Lyon’s refusal to sell causing the duo to halt their pursuit of the 28-year-old.

However recent reports indicate that both clubs remain keen to secure his signature which has prompted the Ligue 1 side to offer the left sided player a new contract.

That deal was duly signed keeping Bastos at the Stade de Gerland until 2015 and putting an end to any speculation over his future in France.

Since moving Les Gones in 2009 Bastos, who can play in defence or midfield, has been linked with a switch to England with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly keen to utilise his versatility on the left.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger also considered a bid for the Brazil international after losing Gael Clichy in the summer but opted to sign fellow countryman Andre Santos from Fenerbahce instead.

Despite Bastos penning a new deal at Lyon both clubs haven’t been perturbed in their efforts to secure his services.

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It was an exciting weekend of action in the Premier League, with an end-to-end game at Old Trafford resulting in a 3-1 win for Manchester United against Liverpool, Tottenham scored four against Liverpool as the Reds ended with nine men at White Hart Lane, and Swansea scored their first goals and secured their first win of the season against West Brom. Football FanCast also made another appearance on Match of the Day as a Premier League goal was scored while FFC were on the boards at one of the country’s stadia, but which one?

There were 38 goals in the Premier league last weekend, with every match containing at least two goals, while all four Sunday matches saw four goals scored. But it was at one of Saturday’s top flight games that kicked off at three o’clock at which Football FanCast made the weekend highlights. But was it Villa Park, the Reebok Stadium, Goodison Park or the Liberty Stadium at which we made our mark?

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For a clue head to the Football FanCast Facebook Page

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has admitted that he would be happy to bring Carlos Tevez to White Hart Lane on a loan deal, should the opportunity arise in January.

The Argentina international’s time at the Etihad Stadium looks all but finished after he refused to come off the bench for Roberto Mancini’s team against Bayern Munich in the Champions League back in September.

With a January departure from the Premier League leaders looking likely, Redknapp has stated that despite the attacker’s off-the-field problems, he would love to have him in North London.

“I would take him if he were available for sure, warts and all. Who wouldn’t?” he told The Daily Mail.

“If Manchester City want to let me have him on loan and massively subsidise it, I’ll take him tomorrow.

“Say what you like, but he’s a world-class player and you can’t say he doesn’t work his socks off when he plays. When he gets on the field he’s a right handful.

“It’s all right people refusing to condone his behaviour but, to be honest, I’m only interested in what he does when he plays. And world-class players are in short supply,” he concluded.

The likelihood of Tevez moving to Spurs is low, as City look to sell their wantaway forward in the new year rather than send him out on loan.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas has confirmed that Didier Drogba and Jon Obi Mikel have not travelled with the squad to Belgium to take on Genk in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Ivory Coast international has been left back in London and will undergo surgery to removed screws from the arm he broke last year in the build up to the World Cup.

“We took the risk based on his domestic suspension and the forthcoming international break to remove six of the eight screws from his arm,” the Portuguese coach told reporters at a press conference.

“So he’s out of this game and the Blackburn game, and should be ready to return for the team when the others go away for international fixtures,” Villas Boas confirmed.

The ex-Porto trainer also stated that Mikel was being rested for the trip, and maintained that The Blues were on track despite consecutive league defeats.

“There’s always a learning curve in winning and in losing,” he continued.

“I think you have to be frank and say that our progress was stopped in a disastrous week for us in terms of results. But you cannot say it’s all gone to ruins. That’s not true.

“There is, of course, back-to-back defeats in the Premier League, which take their toll in terms of the league table.

“But that doesn’t mean that what’s being built is wrong, that the philosophy is wrong, and that we’re not on the right track. We are on the right track. What we are building is still right.

“We have been punished in the last week in terms of the results, but it’s up to us to take on the challenge.

“We represent a massive club and we’re not running away from the mistakes, but we have to move on,” he concluded.

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Chelsea beat Genk 5-0 in the corresponding fixture in England two weeks ago, and know a win can leave them in a very strong position in Group E.

By Gareth McKnight

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Schalke have joined Arsenal in the race to sign Koln striker Lukas Podolski as they look for a long term replacement for veteran forward Raul according to talkSPORT.

Arsene Wenger had recently sent scouts to watch the in-form German striker who has scored 11 goals in 13 league games so far this season. Wenger’s need to add a striker to the squad is evident as Marouane Chamakh and Park Chu-Young can’t find any sort of form and Niclas Bendtner is happy on loan at Sunderland.

Robin Van Persie has been the main man this season at the Emirates but the Gunners will not be able to rely on him throughout the second half of the season and will look for a January deal for Podolski.

Podolski is set to leave Koln in January but he has confirmed that he has not yet spoken to Arsenal and that there are other interested parties. The Polish born striker has scored 43 goals for Germany and will look to continue that at Euro 2012 but should be playing for a different club before that tournament comes around.

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Raul’s contract expires next summer and it is widely expected that this could be his last season playing in Europe.  Arsenal may have to outbid their German rivals for the striker’s signature but Wenger is definitely interested and a deal could be confirmed sooner rather than later.

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West Brom know they could move into the Premier League top half with victory over Everton after ending 2011 unbeaten in three games.

Roy Hodgson’s side became the first to stop league leaders Manchester City from scoring this season making it seven points from a possible nine in the last three games. Victories on the road against Blackburn and Newcastle eased the pressure building on Hodgson’s shoulders after a run of one win in six saw the Baggies slide perilously close to the drop zone. However the return of Peter Odemwingie from a knee injury to partner Shane Long up front has been a godsend with the duo linking up to devastating effect in the latter half of December. Albion supporters will be hoping both players can continue their good form and help their side improve a home record that has seen them win just two of their nine games at the Hawthorns scoring just seven goals in the process.

It will be difficult against an Everton side who are unbeaten in their last three and are right back in the hunt for a top seven charge in the New Year. A slow start to the season saw the Toffee’s moved to within inches of the bottom three and a run of one win in six games. However their form and performances have improved considerably since the end of October losing just two of their last seven and putting a six-point buffer between themselves and the relegation zone. The form of Leon Osman has been a particular highlight during the last two months whilst captain Phil Jagielka has tightened up the back four. Scoring goals remains a big problem with David Moyes’ men hitting the net just 18 times in their 17 games this season and that will need to be addressed in 2012 if the club are to achieve their goals.

West Bromwich Albion 11th : 22 points 

Team news: Jonas Olsson looks likely to miss the game after picking up a knock whilst Steven Reid and Youssuf Mulumbu are also out.

Key Player: Shane Long

It’s been a marvellous year for Long who scored goal after goal for Reading before his move to the Hawthorns. The striker has become a key figure for Albion and he’ll be looking to start 2012 with a goal against Everton.

Everton 12th : 21 points 

Team news: Everton are without three key players with Royston Drenthe, Seamus Coleman and Marouane Fellaini all absent from their trip to the Midlands.

Key Player: Phil Jagielka

The Everton skipper has been a tower of consistency this season and wll be vital to keeping Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie at bay. Jagielka will be hoping to maintain his solid form with Euro 2012 just around the corner.

PREDICTION 

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West Brom struggle at home but have ended 2011 in tremendous form will need to start winning at the Hawthorns in the New Year if they are to finish in the top half. Everton are also on a good run after going three unbeaten and travel to the Midlands a point and a place behind the Baggies.

Score: 1-1

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Believe it or not, Liverpool are said to be after Real Madrid ’s talented German Mesut Ozil . The source may well be The People, but there’s no reason to write off the rumour just yet. Various reports are suggesting that Jose Mourinho has handed the midfield dynamo an ultimatum.

Apparently Jose has made it clear that if he doesn’t find some form – and quick, then his Real Madrid days are numbered. After a wildly successful first season at the club (wherein he picked up 28 assists in all competitions) where he was at the heart of everything Real Madrid did, he has slowly found himself squeezed out this year.

The nadir of his season came following the barrage of criticism he received from fans after Madrid’s El Classico defeat. He has found himself warming the bench more often than he’d like this season and when he does play he looks a far cry from the player he was a year ago.

There’s every chance that he’d be keen to seek new horizons and a chance to reignite a faltering career. There’s no doubt that if he could get back to his best, he’d soon establish himself as one of the League’s best midfielders. Whether he has already peaked is anybody’s guess, but you can’t help but feel that he could do a great job for Liverpool.

But is any Liverpool interest likely to be genuine? In reality, it’s highly doubtful. Liverpool spent big this summer and already have a midfield that is flowing pretty well. If anything, following Lucas Leivas’ season-ending injury Liverpool should be looking out for a defensive midfielder, not a dynamic offensive presence like Ozil.

Still, it would be the kind of transfer that would act as a real statement of intent for Liverpool. After all, isn’t the thought of Gerrard and Ozil together in the centre of midfield an attractive one?

Ozil has spoken before of desiring a move to Barcelona, but seeing as they signed Cesc Fabregas last summer, I doubt that they’ll be too interested in bringing in a player who hasn’t looked himself recently in La Liga. Perhaps a move to a different League would suit the German International perfectly and spur him on to further success.

Whilst I doubt that there’s much to this story, you can’t help but feel excited at the prospect of Ozil joining the Premier League. If there’s any truth to the ‘Jose Mourinho ultimatum’ story, then surely Liverpool should consider testing the water?

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Article courtesy of Harry Cloke from This is Futbol

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