The questions that will decide today’s Premier League fixtures

Manchester City v Everton

If City are really serious about a title race this year, can they immediately banish the doubts arising from last week’s dire 2-2 draw at Fulham?

But there’s an extra bit of spice to this one. Everton have one of the best records in the Premier League against both Manchester City and Roberto Mancini. Regardless of his problems, David Moyes clearly has some measure of the side since they’ve won their last four at Etihad Stadium. Can they keep it up?

And, in that, is this a good or a bad time to play City? Can Everton continue this run of two games without a win – particularly since they have a tough European game in midweek. Or will Everton face a backlash?

Will Sergio Aguero keep up his sensational form against an abrasive side?

Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers

This is a game that should tell us exactly where Arsenal are. Win, in whatever manner, and you can keep a certain amount of faith that these early-season problems are nothing more than a new squad’s continued teeth problems. Drop points, however, and it will be hard to escape the growing belief that this is something deeper at Arsenal. So what will they tell us?

How will Arsenal’s suspect defensive line handle the aggressive approach of Bolton’s forward line?

But, at the other end, how will an out-of-form Gary Cahill handle the increasingly impressive integration of Gervinho and Mikel Arteta? Arsenal’s attack, after all, hasn’t really been the problem in recent games.

Chelsea v Swansea City

With Andre Villas-Boas’s team beginning to find their style and their feet, will Swansea feel something of a backlash from last week at Old Trafford?

In what is likely to be a more open game in midfield, how will Frank Lampard fare – should he start? There are increasing concerns about his physique as he approaches his mid-30s and the suggestions are that is exposing the existing technical weaknesses in his game. Lampard has always been no more than a decent passer, with Fernando Torres’s runs demanding exquisite passes. Certainly, Villas-Boas’s withdrawal of Lampard at half-time appears a tacit approval of Torres’s recent comments.

Liverpool v Wolves

After a disconcerting series of results for Liverpool, will Wolves be “made to pay for the broken plates” as they say in Spain? Certainly, it appears a good time to play Wolves, with their early-season form having seemingly evaporated.

What will give? Can Liverpool keep only a second cleansheet in eight games? Or will Wolves score for the first time in four?

Newcastle United v Blackburn

Have Blackburn’s pre-season predictions been unfair? Does last week’s result against AArsenal prove there’s a bit more resolve to Steve Kean’s side than many had given them credit for?

Can Irish striker Leon Best continue his exceptional run of scoring form? Certainly, it helps overcomes Newcastle’s many problems in attack.

West Brom v Fulham

How low-scoring is this likely to be? Hodgson’s tight framework against Fulham’s relative frugality in front of goal?

Wigan v Tottenham Hotspur

And how many goals will we see in this one? Wigan are a notoriously open team while Tottenham are famously gung-ho in attack.

That element is only accentuated with the absence of Antolin Alcaraz, Emmerson Boyce and Steve Gohouri in defence for Wigan. How susceptible will they be to wide crosses for Emmanuel Adebayor’s head? Could be a feature of the day.

Can Franco Di Santo break a personal record and claim a fourth Premier League goal of the season.

Stoke City v Manchester United

Normally the sort of game in which you would see 100% records end. Except Stoke will hardly be confident after last season’s 4-0 reversal at Sunderland – especially not against the league’s top scorers. Can United continue that rate of scoring up against a notoriously robust defence?

Or can Stoke claim a result against Manchester United for the first time since returning to the Premier League? United have beaten them on seven successive occasions.

And we’re off at the City of Manchester stadium!

The team’s for today’s games. No Tevez or Hargreaves for City.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Nasri, Barry, Toure Yaya, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Neville, Fellaini, Rodwell, Osman, Coleman, Cahill

Good positive start for Everton who, remember, have a fine record against Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City.

Oh, real chance there for Dzeko. An atrocious header back from Phil Jagielka forces Hoard to come out of his box. There, Dzeko beats him to the ball with an outstretched leg. The Bosnian’s touch was a little too heavy, however, taking the ball wide and allowing Jaguelka to get back and recover.

With their first dropped points of the season last week – and particularly given they came after a European game – there is growing doubt about City’s adjustment to the demands of a title race at the first time of asking. In this piece,we ask if a team needs to have gone close once in a title race in order to learn the hard yards that bring a victory next time. Thoughts? Is it too much to ask a group of players to win a title at the first time of asking?

City beginning to turn the screw a bit now. First Silva unravels the Everton defence down the left, then Nasri shoots just wide from distance.

If you go to the Etihad this season, by the by, you’re highly likely to hear this:

Beady Eye – Blue Moon

It’s Liam Gallagher’s version of the club’s anthem. Thoughts? He seems to have made it even more maudlin.

Great stat from Infostrada Sports. Both Manchester United and Manchester City are the only two teams in the Premier League yet to go behind in a game this season.

Amusing moment on Soccer Saturday there apparently.

Phil Thompson: “Hold on, we’ve had one defeat”.

Jeff Stelling, “Well you’ve lost two in a row, actually”.

This, however, is probably the greatest Phil Thompson moment ever.

Booking for Rodwell, who cleaned Silva out of it. As Alan Smith rightly says, tht man-marking job has suddenly become a lot more difficult.

A tentative start to this game all the same. Twenty-two minutes gone and not too many sparks.

Yellow card for Phil ‘Fizzer’ Neville now for scraping Silva’s heels. Seems to be shuttle fouling going on here for Everton. There are predictable chants from City crowd.

Still 0-0 here.

Nasri finding it difficult to get a foothold in the game.

Yaya Toure is a supreme player. But I’m beginning to think he’s a problem in City’s midfield. He doesn’t provide much in the way of balance. All power and running. Not what you want when you need to patiently pick a team off.

Some more pinball around the Everton box. But none of Silva, Nasri or Aguero have yet managed to get close to unlocking Everton’s defence.

Aguero attempts to curl one around Howard with Dzeko lurking, but the keeper palms it away.

And now Barry with a drive. City beginning to get a bit of  ”breaking ball” at the edge of the Everton box.

Crunching tone-setting tackle from Leighton Baines on Aguero there.

Two minutes’ injury time and City very much toiling for an opening.

Half-time: MANCHESTER CITY 0-0 EVERTON

Everton fight. City frustrated.

This is a real test for City. At home, against a very frustrating side who they have a poor record against: although it’s early days, it will suggest how likely they are to kick on.

And second half is under way

Oh, Silva corner swings dangerously across the box. Aguero was actually free at the edge of the box but the ball whipped by him.

Same old, same old now. Everton abrasively spoiling. City vainly trying.

Elsewhere, Carroll and Suarez are apparently to start up front for Liverpool against Wolves.

Saha is warming up. This could be a chance to get back in Moyes’s good books.

Nasri chips in, Howard easily claims. Nasri has been ineffective today. For the third game in a row.

Oh… anxious moment for City. Fine cross from Coleman and Cahill just loops a header over.

Corner Everton.

Corner scrambled away but Everton keep up pressure and win another. Threatening moments in City’s box.

Nothing comes of it and City resuming slowly controlling the midfield.

Dzeko comes off for Balotelli with 60 minutes gone.

Essentially, City are top-heavy in terms of creativity. They’ve a lot of it in attack, but little in terms of getting it there.

Oh, Baoltelli went down there as ball appeared to break in box. Hint of a penalty. A much greater hint of a “streetwise” fall though.

Nasri fires one at goal. Well-struck shot but easy enough save for Howard

Saha comes on for injured Cahill after 65 minutes.

GOAL: Manchester City 1-0 Everton

Brilliant play from to draw four Everton defenders out, cuts back for Balotelli who curls a deflected strike past Howard.

City have problems in their midfield make-up. But, so long as Aguero is trying to solve them, they’ll always have a chance.

Oh and Silva hits the bar after a second shot!

Odd – and, frankly, bad – decision there from Howard Webb. Kompany body-checked Saha as he was about to break into the box.

Aguero comes off for Milner, 77 minutes.

Clever attempt from Roystin Drenthe but his lofted pass around City defence had a bit too much pace for Coleman.

Corner Everton, who have responded to the goal quite well.

Drenthe controls ball well but fires a difficult effort well over the bar.

Tevez doesn’t get on. Instead, Savic comes on for Nasri. A very defensive substitution for Mancini.

Toure forces a fine save from Howard with a curling effort from edge of box.

Goal ruled out for City. Balotelli drives ball across box but Silva is offside as he directs it in.

Some biggish team news at Stamford Bridge. Lampard dropped for Meireles.

GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Everton

No other word to describe it. An absolutely divine through-ball for Silva, allowing Milner to poke past Howard.

Drenthe, though – who Moyes brought on to save game – gifted it to City with an atrocious pass of his own.

Could have been 2-1 there as Coleman picked the pocket of Hart and Lescott and diverted the ball back to Fellaini. The goal wasn’t quite gaping though, as Savic cleared his low shot off the line.

Full-time: MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 Everton

Manchester City 2-0 Everton – review

Make no mistake, this was something of a statement from City.

After a difficult week in which they’d dropped their first points of the season, they now faced a difficult first fixture.

Everton, after all, have one of the best records against Mancini in the division and appeared to set themselves up in a similarly successful manner for the first hour of the game.

Given such a situation, City might have been forgiven for dropping the points.

Except, this season, the situation is meant to have changed for City. They’re no longer just chasing the Champions League. They’re trying to prove they can keep pace in what is likely to be a relentless title race with Manchester United.

As such, this was an impressive show of character.

It wasn’t quite an impressive show of quality for the team as a whole though. City, of course, have a hugely impressive array of creativity. The only problem is that it’s top-heavy. They have a lot in attack but not much in terms of getting it there. With both the powerful Yaya Toure and more prosaic Gareth Barry in the very centre, they don’t have a true passer behind the impressive front four. As such they can look disconnected when they encounter such rigid opponents.

In saying that, as long as they have Sergio Aguero attempting to solve such problems, they’ll always have a chance. His run across the box was of the highest quality given how he took four Everton defenders out of position in order to set up Mario Balotelli.

And, to finish the game, Silva’s through-ball was of equal excellence.

The one issue with this is that relying in individual ability to come through every time is risky. Rather, you need the team to be a cohesive system that offers its own array of angles – as opposed to just one or two players. This means you can cope when they are off form, injured or marked out of the game.

City are far from the finished article. But they’re lucky that both Silva and Aguero certainly are.

Today’s Premier League team news:

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Lucas, Adam, Downing, Carroll, Suarez
Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Henry, Hunt, Edwards, O’Hara, Jarvis, Doyle

The big news: Gerrard on bench, Carroll starts up front alongside Suarez.

Today’s Premier League team news:

Wigan: Al Habsi, Gohouri, Caldwell, Figueroa, Van Aanholt, Diame, Watson, McCarthy, Moses, Di Santo, Gomez
Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Parker, Sandro, Bale, Van der Vaart, Adebayor

The big news: McCarthy in the team for Wigan; Van der Vaart and Sandro back in for Spurs

Premier League team news:

Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best
Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Givet, Dann, Hoilett, Lowe, Nzonzi, Olsson, Formica, Yakubu

Premier League team news:

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Mata, Meireles, Ramires, Torres, Anelka
Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Gower, Allen, Dyer, Lita, Sinclair

The big news: Lampard is dropped/rested – following on from last week’s withdrawal at half-time – while Torres starts

Premier League team news:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Song, Ramsey, Gervinho, van Persie, Walcott
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Wheater, Robinson, Knight, Steinsson, Eagles, Reo-Coker, Muamba, Pratley, Petrov, Ngog

The big news: No Kevin Davies nor Gary Cahill for Bolton, which changes the usual dimensions of this fixture

Premier League team news:

West Brom: Foster, Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Shorey, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Brunt, Odemwingie, Long, Thomas
Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Grygera, Hangeland, John Arne Riise, Kasami, Sidwell, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, Orlando Sa

The big news: no Damien Duff for Fulham “for private and personal reasons”. Hopefully nothing serious.

In terms of just keeping a little bit of pressure off the backs, decent performances required today from:

Per Mertesacker

Jordan Henderson

Andy Carroll

Fernando Torres

Rafael van der Vaart

And we’re off

Wolves, however, have started well. Keeping ball very close to Liverpool goal for first three minutes. Liverpool can’t seem to clear!

And a great save from Szczesney at Arsenal already, from Pratley!

GOAL! Wigan 0-1 Tottenham

Van der Vaart. Figueroa howler allows him to take advantage.

Six minutes gone in today’s games and neither Arsenal and Liverpool have managed much time out of their own halves. Both Bolton and Wolves seemingly sensing opportunity.

Should be 2-0 Spurs. Having set up van der Vaart, Adebayor should have finished one himself there.

Robin van Persie sends a free-kick inches wide. Arsenal finally waking up

GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Wolves

Out of nothing, Adam attempts a speculative shot which takes two deflections – one wicked – which takes it home.

And looks like that Liverpool goal has – rightfully – gone down as a Johnson OG

Wolves players also complaining about what looked a Carroll foul in the build-up

Oh and an unchallenged Carroll meets Adam’s corner but can only head down at Hennessy.

Carroll certainly looks like he’s determined to make a bit more of an impact today.

15 mins gone:

Arsenal 0-0 Bolton

Chelsea 0-0 Swansea

Liverpool 1-0 Wolves

Man City 2-0 Everton (full-time)

Newcastle 0-0 Blackburn

West Brom 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 0-1 Tottenham

Chelsea dominating possession at Stamford Bridge but Swansea breaking well.

Torres, Anelka and Mata beginning to pick things up though by attacking in swarms. Chelsea starting to look much more cohesive

Newcastle having the better of affairs against Blackburn, with both Ba and Best going close.

Arsenal have taken command against Bolton too. Goal looks a matter of time given this control.

A Redondo-esque turn from Suarez who backheels past Henry to get around him but his pass is cleared.

Ngog has gone off injured after 20 minutes, which brings Kevin Davies into play for Bolton.

Carroll curls a lovely ball across the box for Suarez, but the Uruguayan can’t make contact. Open game.

Tottenham should be destroying Wigan by the by, which was exactly the case fro Roberto Martinez’s side at City a few weeks ago. But yet they’re still in it again.

GOAL! Wigan 0-2 Tottenham

Bale heads in at the near post from Modric’s corner.

Arsenal dominating possession, but lack a bit of pace in passing up front. Arteta needs to step it up.

GOAL! Newcastle United 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

Brilliant finish from Demba Ba, with his first goal for the club

Henry blazes a ball over the bar as they enjoy their best spell since Liverpool scored. Otherwise, the home side have been well on top.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Swansea

And it’s that man… Fernando Torres.

Fine ball from Mata and a brilliant finish from Torres.

Mata passes over Swansea defence; Torres chests it down, turns, shoots past defender & keeper.

GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

Ba again.

30 mins gone:

Arsenal 0-0 Bolton

Chelsea 1-0 Swansea

Liverpool 1-0 Wolves

Man City 2-0 Everton (full-time)

Newcastle 2-0 Blackburn

West Brom 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 0-2 Tottenham

At Newcastle, Ba headed home from just yards out after Blackburn failed to deal with a Taylor ball.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Swansea

This time Ramires. Torres started it, Ramires has an easy finish but does so in relative style

GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Wolves

Suarez shows lovely feet and patience in Wolves box then fires past Hennessy.

Unlike virtually every Premier League gameweek so far, all results today going according to the general predictions… except Arsenal.

GOAL! Newcastle 2-1 Blackburn

Hoilett pulls one back for the strugglers.

And Torres is sent off!!

A two-footed tackle and then backchat towards the referee. At the moment, his own worst enemy.

According to Opta, that’s Torres’s first red card since Atletico Madrid hosted Valencia on 9 September 2006

Half-time scores:

Arsenal 0-0 Bolton

Chelsea 2-0 Swansea

Liverpool 2-0 Wolves

Man City 2-0 Everton (full-time)

Newcastle 2-1 Blackburn

West Brom 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 0-2 Tottenham

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Bolton

Robin van Persie opens the scoring and ends the worries – for today – with a shot that beats Jaaskelainen at his near post.

GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Wolves

Steven Fletcher makes an instant impact after coming on as a sub, half-volleying into the roof of the net from eight yards.

Wolves score for the first time in four games while Liverpool, again, fail to keep a clean sheet.

GOAL! Wigan 1-2 Spurs

Diame pulls one back with a great finish

And Swansea hit the bar, they may fancy it with Chelsea down to 10.

GOAL! Newcastle 3-1 Blackburn

And Ba hits his hat-trick

According to Opta, that’s also Van Persie’s 20th goal in 23 games in 2011

Oh nervy moment for Liverpool as ball appeared to break for Doyle beside Liverpool six yard box. Suarez, Carroll and Downing have all been guilty of missing chances too.

This is end to end stuff at Anfield. And tackles flying in. You’d call it a ‘proper’ football match if you lived in the 1950s.

Red card at the Emirates as David Wheater sent off for taking down Walcott.

Bit of a role reversal from first half. After it looked like all games were going according to general form/position/predictions, many much more open-ended.

Doubt – and opposition goals – have crept into Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham’s respective leads.

Anelka hits the bar against Swansea

Great turn and cross there from Enrique down the lift for Liverpool. Carroll beaten in aerial one-on-one though.

And Wigan undo their good work. Gohouri gets sent off.

Gohouri given a second yellow for a rash tackle on Bale.

Dangerous crosses flashing across the Liverpool box, as they struggle to clear. They’re very open. Liverpool living on the edge having not taken chances.

Lucas shoots just wide. Nice move from Liverpool as Carroll tees up the Brazilian outside the box.

Another red card today. This time Martin Olsson for Blackburn

And Ramires misses a sitter for Chelsea. Meireles offers up chance six yards from goal but he fails to connect

Dirk Kuyt coming on for Jordan Henderson.

71 mins gone…

Arsenal 1-0 Bolton

Chelsea 2-0 Swansea

Liverpool 2-1 Wolves

Man City 2-0 Everton (full-time)

Newcastle 3-1 Blackburn

West Brom 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 1-2 Tottenham

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Bolton

Van Persie again, with his 100th goal for Arsenal.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have reasserted control at Anfield.

Demba Ba comes off for Newcastle to big ovation.

Hatem Ben Arfa comes on for a bigger one.

Van Persie, by the by, headed home Walcott’s cross at the near post.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Ramires

Ramires makes up for two misses with his second goal of the day.

Steven Gerrard about to come on for Liverpool… while Wayne Rooney is out of United’s visit to Stoke.

80 mins…

Arsenal 2-0 Bolton

Chelsea 3-0 Swansea

Liverpool 2-1 Wolves

Man City 2-0 Everton

Newcastle 3-1 Blackburn

West Brom 0-0 Fulham

Wigan 1-2 Tottenham

With Wayne Rooney suffering from a tight hamstring, Berbatov and Hernandez start up front for Manchester United at Stoke.

Nothing to report at moment as most games in the balance remain quite taut.

What did I just say? Kaboul rockets a free-kick off the bar for Tottenham at Wigan.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Swansea

Ashley Williams pulls one back with a free header on 86 minutes

GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Bolton

Alex Song makes up for many an error over the past few weeks.

FULL-TIME: Liverpool 2-1 Wolves

FULL-TIME: Arsenal 3-0 Bolton

FULL-TIME: Newcastle 3-1 Blackburn Rovers

GOAL! Chelsea 4-1 Swansea

Drogba pummels one home

FULL-TIME: Wigan 1-2 Tottenham

FULL-TIME: Chelsea 4-1 Swansea

FULL-TIME: West Brom 0-0 Fulham

We’ll be back shortly with a review of today’s games as well as Stoke City-Manchester United

Premier League review

Normal service resumed

For the first time this season, every fixture so far went according to the general predictions. Arsenal won, Chelsea won, Liverpool won, Manchester City won – heck, even West Brom and Fulham ended goalless. With both sides having pretty poor records in front of goal of late, a 0-0 was a good bet beforehand.

The question, of course, is how much we should read into that. This had looked like one of the most unpredictable seasons in some time – continuing last season’s trends. And, for all the caveats that you should never look at the league table before the 10^th game of the season, there did appear to be a rare volatility to the opening weeks.

City limits

The hardest fought of all of those results, though, came at the Etihad Stadium. Make no mistake, this was something of a statement from City.

After a difficult week in which they’d dropped their first points of the season, they now faced a difficult first fixture.

Everton, after all, have one of the best records against Mancini in the division and appeared to set themselves up in a similarly successful manner for the first hour of the game.

Given such a situation, City might have been forgiven for dropping the points.

Except, this season, the situation is meant to have changed for City. They’re no longer just chasing the Champions League. They’re trying to prove they can keep pace in what is likely to be a relentless title race with Manchester United.

As such, this was an impressive show of character.

It wasn’t quite an impressive show of quality for the team as a whole though. City, of course, have a hugely impressive array of creativity. The only problem is that it’s top-heavy. They have a lot in attack but not much in terms of getting it there. With both the powerful Yaya Toure and more prosaic Gareth Barry in the very centre, they don’t have a true passer behind the impressive front four. As such they can look disconnected when they encounter such rigid opponents.

In saying that, as long as they have Sergio Aguero attempting to solve such problems, they’ll always have a chance. His run across the box was of the highest quality given how he took four Everton defenders out of position in order to set up Mario Balotelli.

And, to finish the game, Silva’s through-ball was of equal excellence.

The one issue with this is that relying in individual ability to come through every time is risky. Rather, you need the team to be a cohesive system that offers its own array of angles – as opposed to just one or two players. This means you can cope when they are off form, injured or marked out of the game.

City are far from the finished article. But they’re lucky that both Silva and Aguero certainly are.

Spanish inquisition

At Stamford Bridge, the attention will understandably fall on Fernando Torres’s red card. In that, he almost seems to have become a tragicomic figure. Last week, a fine finish was followed by a worse miss. This week, another good goal and assist followed by a horrible two-footed tackle. At the moment, he can’t seem to take one step forward without taking another back.

Except, when you actually look at all of his other steps, there can be little argument that Torres is not returning to form. Sure, the miss and red card may hint at a character not fully content with his form yet. But then a player is never going to go from awful to exceptional in such a short space of time. There has to be an interim period.

And Torres’s is being enhanced by Juan Mata. Today, the Spanish midfielder fed his compatriot striker with a clever pass. It seems like it’s going to be a combination we hear a lot of this season.

What’s more, the move – and the dropping of Frank Lampard that effectively enabled it – were a tacit approval of Torres’s recent comments on Chelsea from manager Andre Villas-Boas. This is a shape of things to come.

Just like Torres, the team is nowhere near the best yet. But there were times were they hinted at real promise again – particularly in the way the attack swarmed all over Swansea.

With his energy and goalscoring prowess, too, Ramires will become a contender for team of the season if he can keep this form up.

Arsenal firing again

Crisis? What crisis? Arsene Wenger can now point to the one at vanquished Bolton.

At the very least, this 3-0 win illustrates that the effects of early-season form can be overstated. With clubs adjusting to transfers and squads having to take shape, problems can be amplified out of proportion.

As Wenger constantly points out, his experience does matter. And it will surely see Arsenal rise steadily up the table eventually.

All the same, today was a vital win in order to prove that and restore confidence.

But it also leaves one doubt: Robin van Persie is now Arsenal’s undoubted marquee player. He’s reported to have told teammates that he’ll give the club only one more season unless things improve. Ironically, it’s his form that could prevent that. He smacked in his 99^th and 100^th goals for the club today, putting a polish on a previously patchy performance.

But then the fact that those goals came in so few games perhaps explains some of theose problems. Had Van Persie not suffered so many injuries over the past few years, then Arsenal might have been in much better shape. At the least, that’s how they look after today.

Many happy returns for Liverpool

Luis Suarez back scoring, Andy Carroll back looking some way sharp, Steven Gerrard back on a pitch and Liverpool back winning after two successive defeats. The club should be very content tonight.

The only caveat, however, is that which has persisted throughout Kenny Dalglish’s second coming. We still don’t really know how good this team are. Yes, they were often exquisite and, yes, Suarez emphasised that more than anyone. But Wolves still made life very difficult for them and would have snatched a result on another day. Indeed, the suspicion remains that would have been the case were it not for Suarez. The quality gap between himself and the rest of the team (as well as, it must be admitted, much of the Premier League) is notable.

You also couldn’t help but notice the act of petulance as he got taken off for Gerrard 10 minutes from the end. We’ve seen that a few times from Suarez, often when he’s excoriating either Jordan Henderson or Carroll for a poor pass.

Certainly, Dalglish is going to have to continue to elevate the rest of the team to his level in order to banish those caveats.

Quick hits

• Newcastle seem to have at last solved their scoring problem. It took him a while, but Demba looked like there are a lot of goals in him during his brief period at West Ham last year. He was immense today.
• Tottenham suddenly look the most convincing side in the race for fourth. They should have been out of sight in the victory over Wigan today, with Gareth Bale – in particular – repeating some of last season’s Inter form.

And we’re under way at the Brittania

The teams:

Stoke: Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Woodgate, Wilson, Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington, Walters, Crouch. Subs: Sorensen, Huth, Whitehead, Upson, Shotton, Jerome, Palacios.
Man Utd: De Gea, Valencia, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra, Nani, Anderson, Fletcher, Young, Berbatov, Hernandez

The big news: Wayne Rooney out with a hamstring injury from training yesterday while Johnny Evans pulled up in the warm-up. That means Antonio Valencia has been dropped in at right-back with Phil Jones moving into central defence.

Early shout for a penalty! Hernandez was put clean through, Woodgate appeared to lean into him and the Mexican went down right in front of Begovic. Certainly, Woodgate made no contact with the ball.

Hernandez collided badly with Begovic, though, and is writhing in agony on the ground now. He’s been on the ground for about a minute. Doesn’t look great.

Hernandez is back on his feet but walking gingerly.

Hernandez is back on.

And Whelan is booked now for a two-footed tackle.

With those two challenges in mind, it’s worth recalling Gary Neville’s recent comments on Stoke. He said he couldn’t believe the likes of Arsenal complaining about their approach. “You may as well advertise your weakness”

Jones meets a Nani free-kick strongly in the Stoke box but header cleared away. Possibly going wide anyway.

And Hernandez looks to be going off.

Michael Owen on for Hernandez.

Stoke look threatening from two corners, but Crouch is all over Phil Jones for the second. For all the aggression, this is a very open game.

We said this stat a few weeks ago, but it’s worth a reprisal:

Since Stoke have been promoted, all of the three champions won there with a late goal.

2008-09: Stoke 0-1 Manchester United (Berbatov 83)

2009-10: Stoke 1-2 Chelsea (Malouda 90)

2010-11: Stoke 1-2 Manchester United (Hernandez 81)

Berbatov heads wide from an Anderson corner

This, of course, is a big opportunity for Berbatov too. Struggling for his place, he’d make a huge case with a goal in a game like this.

But then, he did exactly that on St Stephen’s Day 2008.

Pennant has now gone off injured too.

GOAL! Stoke City 0-1 Manchester United

That’s one response to aggression: evisceration. Nani plays a one-two with Fletcher before rolling the ball past Begovic cleanly.

Great response from Stoke as Wilkinson smashes the bar by coming late in the box. Great stop by De Gea though who diverted the shot onto the bar.

Almost a second for United as a Shawcross backpass puts Begovic under pressure. The panic left Nani with an open goal but, from outside the box, he lofted it over the bar.

Great save De Gea. Walters hits a shot across goal but the Spaniard saves it well.

Nani crosses over, but Berbatov can’t quite reach.

A swinging ball across the United box but evades both Crouch and Pennant – who came back on.

Four minutes of stoppage time at end of first half, what will all of the injuries and that

HALF-TIME: Stoke City 0-1 Manchester United

Stoke attempted to intimidate United early on but Nani just stepped it up and eviscerated them.

And we’re back under way

Ashley Young flashes the ball across the box but Owen can’t quite connect. It’s pedestrian at the moment other than a few United forays forward.

GOAL! Stoke City 1-1 Manchester United

Simple as you get. Corner in, Crouch got in between Ferdinand and Phil Jones – who lost him completely – and powers in a header.

Crouch becomes only the sixth man to score for six different clubs in the Premier League.

Berbatov strikes well at Begovic from 20 yards but the keeper holds well.

And that should have been 2-1 Stoke! This time it’s Ferdinand who loses Crouch, who has enough time to chest the ball down at the six-yard box. But, with De Gea, coming out Crouch can only shoot over.

What are United’s central defence at? And De Gea arguably should have come for Crouch’s corner.

Nani again shows his quality by weaving through the Stoke defence and playing an inviting ball across the box… but Berbatov can’t control it.

The trend of the last 10 minutes: players picking up the ball and surging 40 yards before losing it.

Hint of a penalty there as Pennant bundled over in the United box. Not given.

Berbatov controls the ball in the box and falls down as if looking for change in the grass.

Wilson hits a piledriver through the United wall from a free but it’s straight at De Gea. There’s another goal in this yet.

A fine counter from Manchester United ends with Young striking hard at  Begovic.

Confusion there as an Evra strike hits a hand in the Stoke box and the ball is called back… but only because Owen was offside. A curious decision. Really, that should have been a penalty.

Nani drives one over the bar but it took a deflection so it’s a corner.

Owen coming onto Giggs’s square ball in the box but he’s too slow to get there.

Meanwhile, in Spain, Real Madrid 1-0 down after 30 seconds against lowly Ray Vallecano

Sorry, still 1-0 to Rayo Vallecano

Again, could have been 2-1 Stoke from a corner, this time Crouch heading wide.

Crouch wastes another chance. This time does well to hold off Valencia but then shoots meekly wide.

Into the 89th minute… then four stoppage time.

What a miss from Giggs! Delightful, curling, inviting ball from Nani… Giggs charges into the box from nowhere but from four yards blazes it wide.

OFFSIDE! A lovely chip over the top from Anderson but Owen is inches ahead of the line.

Wasteful from Nani.

Full-time: Stoke City 1-1 Manchester United

Irish domination at the scrum sets a sequence of offensive runs in progress. They culminate in an Irish penalty, which is taken quickly by Isaac Boss.

Ireland are brought to ground just under the posts and, taking advantage of Russian indecision, pushes the ball against the base of the posts. Very clever.

The ref goes uptairs, but… it’s a try for Ireland! O’Gara makes the conversion.

Ireland 24- 0 Russia