live streaming Chelsea vs Burnley

Chelsea

Vs

Burnley

Saturday 29th August 2009
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 12:45

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Zhirkov close to Blues return

Summer signing Yuri Zhirkov is back in training after a knee injury but will not be considered by Chelsea for their Premier League home game against Burnley.

England midfielder Joe Cole, also back in training after knee ligament problems, is still a few weeks away from a return to action.

Juliano Belletti has recovered from his Achilles injury but defenders Alex (groin) and Paulo Ferreira (knee) both miss out.

Chelsea, second in the table, have a 100% record with wins over Hull, Sunderland and Fulham but boss Carlo Ancelotti is well aware of the task ahead - predicting an open game in the early kick-off at Stamford Bridge.

"In these last three matches we played very well," said Ancelotti.

"For sure, we can improve. But I didn't find in these matches a lot of mistakes.

"The team played very well in these games. It's important to continue and maintain a very good motivation.

"With Burnley, it's important to take control of the game. They have good quality in attack and can use the wings, the long ball, and the quality of their midfielders. It will be an open game.

"They have had a very good start to the season - they beat Manchester United and Everton. I watched these games and they like to play football.

"It will be a very good match, a spectacular match. They will not come to Stamford Bridge just to defend and I am impressed with the quality of their play."

Burnley defender Richard Eckersley will sit out the game.

Eckersley is serving a one-match ban after being sent off in the Carling Cup victory at Hartlepool in midweek.

Michael Duff could come into contention after an ankle problem but Steven Caldwell remains sidelined with a groin injury.

Clarets boss Owen Coyle has smiled at the suggestion he was on an equal footing with Ancelotti - managers enjoying a debut season in the Barclays Premier League.

Burnley's Scottish boss knows full well he and his Italian counterpart at Chelsea have vastly different goals.

"There is a huge discrepancy between me and Carlo in terms of budget and everything else that goes with it," said Coyle as he prepared to take his team to Stamford Bridge.

"Our priority is to stay in the Premier League, his priority is to win trophies. They are going to be at the business end come May.

"Carlo is a world renowned coach and the great thing for me is I am now coming up against some of the best people in the game.

"There is no doubt he will have his team well drilled, organised and effective. It will be a difficult afternoon."

result Wigan 0-5 Man United

Wigan

VS

Man Utd

Saturday 22nd August 2009
Venue: The DW Stadium
Kick-off: 15:00
Score: 0-5

Rooney made the breakthrough in the 56th minute and got his second nine minutes later in a fine second half show.

In between Dimitar Berbatov found the target in the 58th minute as United bounced back from their humbling by newly-promoted Burnley in midweek.

Owen made his mark in the 85th minute after replacing Rooney 13 minutes earlier and Nani completed the scoring in stoppage time with a superb free-kick.

The day, however, belonged to Rooney, such an unselfish worker, as he scored his 100th and 101st goals for the club.

Yet United found it hard going in the first half even though they had plenty of possession.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson looked concerned at the break after making seven changes to his side in a bid for victory at the DW Stadium.

He was looking for an immediate response after what happened at Turf Moor and his side almost took the lead in the fourth minute with a swift break.

Nani cut the ball back into the area and Darren Fletcher was the first to react but saw his effort cleared off the line by Titus Bramble.

Three minutes later Paul Scholes hoisted a shot high over the bar following a clever flick from Berbatov after Fletcher had carved out the opening.

Wigan were again on the back foot after 16 minutes when Rooney strode forward but his effort was deflected wide.

Rooney then made time and space in the area only for goalkeeper Chris Kirkland to smother his close-range shot.

United were looking menacing every time they poured forward and Berbatov headed into Kirkland's arms following a cross from Nani four minutes later.

Wigan, however, almost took the lead with their first real attack in the 26th minute.

Jason Koumas showed good skill to work his way to the edge of the penalty area. He tried to curl the ball beyond Ben Foster only for the goalkeeper to react superbly and divert it to safety.

United responded in the 32nd minute and Rooney got away from Bramble only to rattle a shot against Kirkland's legs.

Then Fletcher's effort was cleared in the 39th minute after he had been set-up by Scholes.

Wigan, however, came close to opening the scoring in the 49th minute when Charles N'Zogbia won a free-kick off Patrice Evra early in the second half.

N'Zogbia dusted himself down and and picked out Paul Scharner in the area. He peeled away from his marker only to head narrowly wide of the post.

Antonio Valencia, such a cult figure during his time at Wigan, had to endure catcalls and jeers after going to ground in the 54th minute.

The Ecuador winger, however, was smiling two minutes later when he supplied the cross that led to the opening goal.

It came from Rooney - a fine header into the corner - and a landmark one as well. He savoured the moment and the goal was his reward for another typically hard shift.

That was the cue for United to turn the screw and Berbatov added a second two minutes later.

He started and finished the move cheekily chipping the ball over Kirkland before finding the net with his second touch after Scholes supplied the through ball.

United made it 3-0 in the 65th minute thanks to Rooney's second goal of the game. There was touch of luck about this effort as his shot took a slight deflection off Mario Melchiot to wrong-foot Kirkland after Berbatov had supplied the opening.

Rooney was given a rousing reception by the visiting fans when he was replaced by Michael Owen in the 72nd minute.

It was damage limitation now for Wigan, who had lost at home to Wolves in midweek.

However Owen made it 4-0 to United with his first goal for the club, a cool finish into the corner in the 85th minute after he had been set up by Nani.

Nani had the final word with a superb free-kick in stoppage time from 25 yards that sailed over a stranded Kirkland's head.

Man United Vs Birmingham result,

Man United 1-0 Birmingham

Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game to give Manchester United their first win of the season against Birmingham.

Sir Alex Ferguson has repeatedly claimed this summer that United will prosper without the world's best player, sold to Real Madrid for a world record £80million.

For that to happen, Rooney must become United's main man.

And, after playing second fiddle for so long, and spending too much time on the wing for his liking, Rooney returned to centre stage in every sense, rising to meet Nani's cross, then tapping home when his 34th-minute header bounced back off a post.

The sense of change around Old Trafford was made even more obvious by the absence of Rio Ferdinand with a thigh injury, meaning a first Premier League start for Fabio and the captain's armband for John O'Shea.

It seemed a strange decision by Sir Alex Ferguson, who in the past has extolled Rooney's leadership virtues.

Maybe the United boss felt on such a big day for the England man, it was unnecessary to give him the added burden of leading his team. And, in fairness, as skipper or not, Rooney was at the centre of his side's most inventive moments.

Ronaldo's absence will be felt for some time. There was none of that magical trickery the Portugal superstar has provided for the Old Trafford faithful for six stellar years and none of that edge-of-your-seat anticipation either.

Yet in terms of chances, the hosts created plenty, fuelling a belief that they will be a more rounded team.

Nani in particular looks to have been injected with a fresh dose of confidence. The winger was not quite as effective as he was during last week's Community Shield encounter with Chelsea but his direct running caused Birmingham problems, as did Antonio Valencia on his debut as he drifted in from the other flank.

If the Portugal international had got his shooting boots on, United would have been in front before Rooney struck.

As it was Nani scooped a disappointing shot over from Patrice Evra's cut-back and set the stage for Rooney to make his mark.

The striker was involved in the build-up, as he linked up with Dimitar Berbatov to release Nani down the left.

Rooney climbed above Franck Queudrue to reach the teasing cross and although his header bounced back off the post, he was perfectly positioned to tap home the rebound.

Birmingham's response was spirited and after Cameron Jerome's shot had flicked off Paul Scholes, Gregory Vignal thought he had equalised from the corner, only for Evra to nod his header off the line.

It was a sporadic flurry of attacking play from the visitors, who were thankful not to be further behind at the break given Evra set up Fletcher with a clear chance in stoppage time, only for the new Scotland skipper to steer his shot wide when it looked easier to score.

Having come so close in the final seconds of one half, United nearly doubled their lead in the opening moments of the next.

When the ball bounced invitingly 30 yards out, Rooney could not resist the temptation to let fly, drawing another good save out of Hart.

United's first decent post-Ronaldo free-kick was taken by Ryan Giggs after Vignal had caught Rooney late on the edge of the area.

The veteran's effort would not have been far off either if it had not flicked wide off Jerome, who had worked tirelessly as a lone striker at the other end without threatening.

A similar statement could not be made about his replacement Christian Benitez, who found himself streaking down the left with 13 minutes to go and, after stepping inside Wes Brown, with a clear sight of goal.

Some pundits wonder why Fabio Capello keeps faith in Ben Foster given the number of times he has been unavailable for England duty. In a split-second he provided the answer.

As Benitez opened out his body out and went for the far corner, Foster flung himself in the same direction, flicking the ball away to let United breathe again.

Substitute Michael Owen did have the ball in the net once, only to be flagged offside. He was most certainly on when he raced onto Rooney's chested through ball in stoppage time.

This time, Hart made the save.