Good afternoon, all. We’ve had our first Premier League result of the day, as Manchester City claimed a 3-1 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park to narrow the gap at the top to three points.

There are five more fixtures under consideration this afternoon including league leaders Manchester United welcoming the visit of Sunderland and Aston Villa’s trip to Anfield.

United have influential defender Nemanja Vidic back – but he can only make the bench. Here are the team line-ups:

Man Utd: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Cleverley, Young, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Lindegaard, Giggs, Hernandez, Vidic, Welbeck, Scholes, Fletcher.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Cuellar, Colback, O’Shea, Bramble, Larsson, Gardner, Johnson, McClean, Sessegnon, Fletcher. Subs: Westwood, Campbell, Wickham, McFadden, Kilgallon, Vaughan, Saha.

QPR: Green, Traore, Hill, Nelsen, Onuoha, Faurlin, Mbia, Wright-Phillips, Taarabt, Cisse, Mackie. Subs: Julio Cesar, Diakite, Derry, Ferdinand, Granero, Da Silva, Hoilett.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Riise, Duff, Sidwell, Baird, Richardson, Berbatov, Rodallega. Subs: Etheridge, Kelly, Senderos, Petric, Karagounis, Dejagah, Kacaniklic.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Downing, Gerrard, Lucas, Allen, Shelvey, Suarez, Sterling. Subs: Jones, Cole, Henderson, Coates, Carragher, Fernandez Saez, Wisdom.

Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Baker, Clark, Lichaj, Westwood, Herd, Holman, Bannan, Benteke, Weimann. Subs: Given, El Ahmadi, N’Zogbia, Albrighton, Delph, Bowery, Bennett.

Stoke: Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Cameron, Walters, Whelan, Nzonzi, Etherington, Adam, Jones. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Whitehead, Upson, Kightly, Crouch, Jerome.

Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Naismith, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar, Fellaini, Jelavic. Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Barkley, Vellios, Duffy.

Norwich: Bunn, Whittaker, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, Snodgrass, Tettey, Johnson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Holt. Subs: Rudd, Martin, Howson, Jackson, Morison, Elliott Bennett, Barnett.

Wigan: Al Habsi, Boyce, Lopez, Figueroa, Stam, McArthur, McCarthy, Beausejour, Kone, Gomez, Boselli. Subs: Pollitt, Jones, Di Santo, Maloney, McManaman, Fyvie, Golobart.

Here we go then. We’ll be keeping a close eye on Old Trafford but keeping you abreast of all the goals an incidents from the remaining four games.

Two minutes played and United have already got numbers into Simon Mignolet’s box. Antonio Valencia plays in Phil Jones, operating at right back, and the English defender cuts back but Sunderland’s goalkeeper gets down well.

Over at Anfield, there’s been a good chance for Liverpool with Villa stopper Brad Guzan having to save the blushes of Eric Lichaj after good work from Stewart Downing.

Wayne Rooney turns the ball back to Ashley Young and his effort is tipped over by Mignolet. Should really do better from 15 yards out.

It’s been all United in the opening 10 minutes. Steven Fletcher can only clear as far of Patrice Evra and the Frenchman skies his shot over wastefully.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland (Robin van Persie)

It was coming. Great work by Young and it drops to the Dutchman, who puts it into the roof of the net. John O’Shea had the chance to clear but completely missed the ball.

GOAL! Norwich 1-0 Wigan (Anthony Pilkington)

A powerful finish from the winger, his third league goal of the season, puts the Canaries ahead.

GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland (Tom Cleverley)

After RVP’s header is kept out by Mignolet excellently, they double their lead thanks to a brilliant link-up between their two midfielders. Cleverley passes to Carrick, who completes the one-two before Cleverley sweeps home. Confident finish from a player who has been criticised for his quality in front of goal.

Wayne Rooney could easily have added to United’s lead in the past few minutes with two real opportunities but it remains 2-0. Down the other end, Rio Ferdinand gets himself in a bit of trouble by taking down the ball and allowing James McClean to rob him of possession. From an acute angle, the Derry winger tries to beat David de Gea but the Spaniard stands strong.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Aston Villa (Christian Benteke)

It’s been all Liverpool so far but Villa have taken the lead against the run of play – Benteke smashing past Pepe Reina from the edge of the box.

GOAL! Stoke 0-1 Everton (Ryan Shawcross o.g.)

Steven Pienaar the architect as the Toffees go ahead. He cuts inside and crosses into an area where Ryan Shawcross can only head into his own net.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-2 Aston Villa (Andreas Weimann)

Two Villa breaks, two goals. Again involved, Benteke back-heels to Weimann and the midfielder drills a strike past Reina.

Half-time scores around the grounds:

• Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
• Liverpool 0-2 Aston Villa
• Norwich 1-0 Wigan
• QPR 0-0 Fulham
• Stoke 0-1 Everton

Benteke celebrates Villa’s first. Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Some half-time viewing:

Van Persie’s opener…

Cleverley doubles United’s advantage…

YouTube credit: CopadelReyHD

And we’re back. Paul Scholes is on Michael Carrick while Steven Fletcher has been forced off and Conor Wickham comes in.

It could easily be 3-0. Valencia down the right, pulls back to Rooney, whose shot takes a nick off Bramble and comes back out at the bar. Young puts the second shot over.

De Gea then saves from the new man Wickham.

Liverpool have been denied a penalty. Ciaran Clark has a pull at Daniel Agger but referee Neil Swarbrick doesn’t give it.

GOAL! Liverpool 0-3 Aston Villa (Christian Benteke)

Oh dear, a second for the Belgian after Joe Allen gives the ball away.

GOAL! QPR 1-0 Fulham (Adel Taarabt)

There’s a sight, QPR are ahead. Taarabt’s run ends in a shot which takes a deflection of Brede Hangeland and goes in.

GOAL! Stoke 1-1 Everton (Kenwyne Jones)

Equaliser for the Potters. Jones rises highest to power a header beyond Tim Howard.

GOAL! Norwich 1-1 Wigan (Shaun Maloney)

Kone lays off to the Scot and he scores from 20 yards out to draw the Latics level.

GOAL! Manchester United 3-0 Sunderland (Wayne Rooney)

Super goal to make it three. Young and Van Persie exchange passes and the striker skips inside Bramble to put it on a plate for Rooney, who has the simple task of tapping in from close range.

GOAL! Norwich 2-1 Wigan (Wes Hoolahan)

A rare header from the Dubliner and Norwich are back in front.

GOAL! QPR 2-0 Fulham (Adel Taarabt)

And it looks like the Premier League’s basement club might actually get a win at last. Moroccan attacker Taarabt makes it two with a stunning individual goal. ‘Arry will be pleased.

GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Sunderland (Fraizer Campbell)

Nemanja Vidic has made his return but the big Serb can’t prevent another substitute, Fraizer Campbell, from pulling one back for the Mackems. A cross makes it way to the opposite flank, where Sessegnon crosses to the United youth product, who makes good contact with the header.

As Neil has mentioned in the comments section, Marouane Fellaini could find himself in hot water for an apparent headbutt on Ryan Shawcross.

Watch a GIF of the incident here.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa (Steven Gerrard)

The Reds have got one but it’s too little too late. Gerrard directs a Glen Johnson effort over the line.

GOAL! QPR 2-1 Fulham (Mladen Petric)

It’s likely to be a nervy final moments at Loftus Road as the Cottagers are just one behind now thanks to the Croatian.

Full-time scores:

• Manchester United 3-1 Sunderland
• Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa
• Norwich 2-1 Wigan
• QPR 2-1 Fulham
• Stoke 1-1 Everton

That’s that then. Big wins for QPR, their first of the season and first under Harry Redknapp, Aston Villa and Norwich. A Manchester United victory never looked in any doubt at Old Trafford, even if they did take their foot off the pedal somewhat in the second half.

At the Britannia Stadium, Stoke and Everton played out a 1-1 draw but the main talking point is likely to be Fellaini’s headbutt on Shawcross, which referee Mark Halsey failed to spot.

From an Irish perspective, meanwhile, Norwich’s increasingly indispensable Irish pair Wes Hoolahan created and scored both goals at Carrow Road.

Thanks as always for joining me, there will be Premier League analysis live on the site shortly.

QPR’s match-winner Adel Taarabt. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/Press Association Images