What The Sports Pages Say

[sarahmic]

DAILY MAIL: Australia coach Darren Lehmann slammed his side after they were skittled for a pathetic 128 in the second Test at Lord's and England took a firm grip on the Ashes. Also: Lee Westwood is convinced he can make his contribution to the great British sporting summer of success - thanks to an invaluable tip from an Australian

DAILY MIRROR: Lee Westwood insists he is ready to finally end his Major drought after turning up the heat at scorching Muirfield. Also: Graeme Swann fulfilled a childhood dream at Lord's by getting his name on the honours board in an Ashes Test.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Sir Ian Botham's reputation as a tipster lags well behind those he acquired with bat and ball, but his prediction of 10-0 double whitewash by England no longer looks like the ravings of a misguided patriot after another abject batting performance by Australia. Also: Lee Westwood earned himself a Saturday shootout with Tiger Woods as the big names rode into contention at the 142nd Open Championship.

THE TIMES: Graeme Swann refused to gloat over Australia's woeful batting or the luckiest wicket of his career as he moved into the top ten England wicket-takers of all time, and helped his side into another dominant position in the second Ashes Test at Lord's. Also: For many years now, Lee Westwood has talked a good game when it has come to assessing his chances in the major championships.

THE GUARDIAN: Rory McIlroy has been left clinging to the hope that a busy run of tournaments will turn around his fortunes, after comprehensively missing the cut at the Open Championship. Also: Darren Lehmann has laid the blame squarely with Chris "Buck" Rogers for Australia's continuing problems in coming to terms with the technology that has become so important in the 21st century.

THE INDEPENDENT: Curiouser and curiouser. Australia's batsmen disappeared down the rabbit hole into a pool of tears, and Alastair Cook is in Wonderland. This is Ashes cricket scripted by Lewis Carroll rather than Neville Cardus. Also: Chris Froome is now just one obstacle away from claiming his first Tour de France title in Paris: one short, and particularly vicious Alpine stage today.

THE SUN: Arsenal are facing a double whammy from Real Madrid. Also: Manchester United's chances of landing Cesc Fabregas dramatically increased last night.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Jose Mourinho has warned Frank Lampard he will get no special treatment at Chelsea this season. Also: Gareth Bale reported back for training with Tottenham yesterday but - surprise surprise - was too 'injured' to take part.

DAILY MAIL: Real Madrid believe they have finally persuaded Tottenham to sell Gareth Bale for a world-record £87million. Also: The next five days at Old Trafford are a great chance for England to finish Australia off.

DAILY MIRROR: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is ready to admit defeat over Gareth Bale - after the Wales star told Andre Villas-Boas that he wants to leave. Also: Aussie bad boy David Warner could find himself a prime sledging target after being given the green light to pick up his duel with Joe Root and England.

DAILY EXPRESS: England have a teetering Australia on the ropes in this Ashes series and recent painful memories are telling them exactly what to do at Old Trafford today. Also: Gareth Bale met Andre Villas-Boas yesterday but tomorrow at Stansted Airport could be the acid test of whether he will move to Real Madrid this summer.

DAILY STAR: Tottenham are ready to sanction a £95m cash-plus-player deal after Gareth Bale last night told them he's desperate to join Real Madrid. Also: Alastair Cook won't let England forget about past Ashes agonies as they pursue their whitewash dream.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: While talk of a whitewash by England is not even being countenanced by the players, Alastair Cook's side can still retain the Ashes with a flourish this week by winning their third successive match of the series - the first time they will have defeated Australia over the opening three games for 85 years. Also: Gareth Bale's departure from Tottenham Hotspur looked increasingly likely on Wednesday night after it emerged that he had told Andre Villas-Boas he wanted to join Real Madrid.

THE TIMES: Kevin Pietersen will be given the final say on whether he plays in the potential Ashes decider today, with England determined to avoid the mistake of four years ago by thinking they already have their fingers on the little urn. Also: Real Madrid expect to sign Gareth Bale within days after moving close to a £100million deal for the Tottenham Hotspur forward last night.

THE GUARDIAN: Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to sell Gareth Bale to Real Madrid and they will tell the Spanish club that the prospect of a deal would increase if the striker Alvaro Morata were included as a makeweight. Also: Kevin Pietersen looks set to win his battle to be fit for England's attempt to secure a third consecutive Ashes series win - while David Warner will be recalled from disgrace to make his Ashes debut in Australia's increasingly desperate efforts to keep this series alive.

THE INDEPENDENT: Steven Gerrard has revealed he has told Luis Suarez he should only leave Liverpool for Real Madrid or Barcelona, but that first the Uruguayan striker should experience Champions League football at Anfield rather than compromise with a move to Arsenal. Also: Britain will have just two of its three athletics gold medallists in action at this month's World Championships in Moscow after Jessica Ennis-Hill admitted she had lost her battle to be fit in time to compete.

 

[sarahmic]

Latest Paper Talk
Friday August 2

Manchester United are locked in advanced talks to clinch the stunning return of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford.
Gareth Bale will not play for Tottenham again.
Liverpool have tabled a bid of around £22million for Atletico striker Diego Costa.
Back-up goalkeeper Hilario has signed a new one-year deal to stay at Chelsea for a seventh season.

Wayne Rooney is ready to walk away from Manchester United - if the fans turn against him.
New Tottenham buy Roberto Soldado last night pleaded 'don't let Gareth Bale go'.
David Moyes' hopes of buying Leighton Baines look doomed - because Everton are furious at the manner in which he left for Manchester United.
Brendan Rodgers is ready to splash out £22million to land Brazilian striker Doego Costa.
Saint-Etienne are preparing a move for Bolton's David Ngog.
Middlesbrough are closing in on Bristol City ace Albert Adomah.
Wigan have signed Norwich central defender Leon Barnett.
Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer is trying to talk Sunderland winger James McClean into a season's loan.

Real Madrid have agreed to pay £105million for Gareth Bale.
Manchester United have writtn to Everton apologising for the way they recruited David Moyes as their manager.
Liverpool are about to sign rising Brazil star Diego Costa.
Luis Suarez is refusing to give up on a £40million move to Arsenal after angrily claiming Liverpool agreed to let him go.
Roberto Soldado has promised to fire 'sensational' Spurs into the Champions League.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has scared Barcelona off by putting a £40m price tag on David Luiz's head.
Alan Hutton has turned down a return to Real Mallorca after they were relegated.
genoa have made a £5million bid for QPR bad boy Adel Taarabt.

Liverpool have launched a bid to make Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa one of their most expensive players in history.
Wolves defender Roger Johnson is a loan target for Sheffield Wednesday.
Sunderland winger James McClean is a loan target for Blackburn.
Cardiff City have resumed interest in West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie.
Papiss Cisse of Newcastle is the latest target for Trabzonspor in Turkey.
West Ham are interested in a deal for Werder Bremen striker Marko Arnautovic.
Tottenham have been told to forget the idea of signing Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Morata as part of the Gareth Bale transfer.
Arsene Wenger insists he is happy to start the season with his current squad if Arsenal cannot complete the signing of Luis Suarez.

Liverpool have tabled a bid of around £22million for Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa as manager Brendan Rodgers seeks to bolster his attacking options.
David Moyes' pursuit of a new midfielder received a fresh blow yesterday as Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti warned the Manchester United boss off making a move for Luka Modric.

 

[sarahmic]

THE INDEPENDENT: The Ashes are coming alive again. Australia spurned the opportunity to roll over and have their tummies tickled yesterday and instead stood tall and proud to provide a brand of assertive Test cricket which they seemed to have left behind in their golden age. Also: Hats off to David Warner. How many other cricketers could inspire an Old Trafford crowd to feel protective towards a Yorkshireman?

DAILY STAR: Gareth Bale hopes his Real Madrid move will be clinched by Tuesday. Then the Spanish giants will follow that up with the capture of Luis Suarez. Also: Graeme Swann last night backed England's batsmen to steer them to safety... Struggling Coventry have been deducted 10 points and warned to get their house in order.

THE SUN: Spurs players asked Gareth Bale to autograph their shirts in an emotional farewell yesterday. Also: Arsene Wenger has warned Luis Suarez that more bad behaviour will not be tolerated if he signs for Arsenal this summer.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Alastair Cook moved into sixth place in England's pantheon of run-makers in Test cricket, but on a day when only one of five centurions was a batsman, his team will need him to leap another place if they are to avoid the follow-on target of 328. Also: Real Madrid are ready to step up their world record bid for Gareth Bale, with his future is likely to be decided next week in Miami.

DAILY EXPRESS: Steven Gerrard rejected interest from Bayern Munich last summer in favour of trying to help Liverpool rub shoulders with Europe's elite again. Also: Alastair Cook will have to shake off the effects of a back injury today as he sets about denying Australia the victory they need to keep the Ashes series alive.

THE TIMES: Shane Warne has gone on record as saying the Old Trafford crowd are among the most knowledgeable he has experienced. They know their cricket up here. Yesterday they were certain of three things: That they had witnessed the strongest of statements from the Australia captain; that they dislike David Warner; and that England are in a dogfight. Also: David Warner bookended the most eagerly awaited innings in the Ashes series by making what is probably a little piece of cricketing history. He contrived to be booed to the middle by one set of supporters, then booed all the way back by the other.

THE GUARDIAN: Fortunes can change rapidly in a Test series. Match to match, session to session. Also: Arsene Wenger believes that Real Madrid's world record move for Gareth Bale stands to make a mockery of the incoming financial fair play regulations as he pointed out that Arsenal's continuing pursuit of Luis Suarez was driven by self-generated funds.

DAILY MAIL: Arsene Wenger has described Real Madrid's world record £87million bid for Gareth Bale as making a 'joke' of financial fair play regulations. Also: England are facing a battle to save the third Ashes Test after an amazing blunder yesterday by nightwatchman Tim Bresnan.

DAILY MIRROR: Arsene Wenger last night branded Gareth Bale's £105million move to Real Madrid a 'joke'. Also: Harry Redknapp is planning a surprise move for Jermain Defoe to shoot QPR back into the Premier League.

 

[sarahmic]

SUNDAY MIRROR

Wayne Rooney will ask Manchester United for a transfer this week. Also: Manchester United are tracking Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger.

SUNDAY PEOPLE

Wayne Rooney is furious that his Manchester United future is still up in the air with just 13 days to go before the new Premier League season. Also: History man Kevin Pietersen put England within sight of retaining the Ashes with a blistering hundred at Old Trafford - then revealed he could have missed the entire series.

SUN ON SUNDAY

Arsene Wenger has told a close pal 'I'll get Luis Suarez' - even though Liverpool remain adamant the clubs are way off a deal. Also: Andre Villas-Boas hit out at Real Madrid last night for publicly trying to drag Gareth Bale out of Spurs.

MAIL ON SUNDAY

Chelsea are preparing an 'imminent' second bid of around £40million for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney - and the England striker will leap at the chance to become Jose Mourinho's No.1 striker at Stamford Bridge. Also: Kevin Pietersen was back in English cricket's good books yesterday after hitting a superb 113 on another enthralling day at Old Trafford - and revealed that he delayed knee surgery to play in the Ashes.

DAILY STAR ON SUNDAY

Wayne Rooney does not want to leave Man United - despite Chelsea preparing to offer £40million for the England striker this week. Also: Kop boss Brendan Rodgers last night blasted Arsene Wenger for trying to buy Luis Suarez on the cheap.

SUNDAY TIMES

Kevin Pietersen's 23rd Test century, his fourth in Ashes matches, could not prevent Australia having the better of the third day of the third Investec Test at Old Trafford as they fought to keep the series alive. Also: Tottenham are considering a bid for unsettled Liverpool striker and Colombia international Jackson Martinez as they plan to reinvest the income from Gareth Bale's pending transfer to Real Madrid.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

Tottenham Hotspur will refuse to hold further talks with Real Madrid over the sale of Gareth Bale until they substantially increase their world record offer for the Wales international. Also: Kevin Pietersen admitted his superb hundred in the third Investec Ashes Test yesterday had been the first bright spot in a miserable year marred by injury.

OBSERVER

Kevin Pietersen admitted that England are still in "a spot of bother" despite his first Test century in Manchester, in which he restricted himself to the odd moment of brilliance in an innings characterised mostly by discipline and restraint. Also: Liverpool have poured scorn on Arsenal's £40m bid for Luis Suarez, claiming it was ridiculous when compared with the £86m Real Madrid are prepared to pay for Gareth Bale.

SUNDAY EXPRESS

Kevin Pietersen conceded England were "still in a spot of bother" as they face a nervy battle to avoid the follow-on in the Old Trafford Test. Also: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers last night remained insistent Luis Suarez is not for sale, but admits if he were the price tag would be closer to the £100million being touted for Gareth Bale.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Perhaps death and taxes have the edge, but there was something inevitable about England's fourth century in the Ashes series yesterday. Also: Real Madrid are expected to offer Portuguese defender Fabio Coentrao as part of a proposed world-record transfer deal for Gareth Bale.

 

[sarahmic]

DAILY MAIL: Australia last night accused England of time-wasting as their hopes of staging an astonishing Ashes comeback look to have been scuppered by the Manchester weather. Also: Wayne Rooney will submit a formal transfer request after Chelsea last night had a second bid for the striker rejected.

THE TIMES: Australia's attempts to stay in the Ashes series became mired in frustration last night as they complained about alleged time-wasting from England and the application of bad-light regulations from the umpires. Also: Fran Halsall finally ended Great Britain's drought at the World Championships last night with a bronze medal in the 50 metres free-style.

THE SUN: Manchester United have rejected a near-£30million bid from Chelsea for Wayne Rooney. Also: Arsene Wenger last night admitted to Arsenal fans they will have to play their massive Champions League qualifier this month without any new signings.

THE GUARDIAN: England are one day's batting away from retaining the Ashes and may well be required to do a good deal less than that if the rain which intervened yesterday returns as forecast. Also: Brendan Rodgers has accused Arsenal of lacking class with their attempt to activate a disputed clause in Luis Suarez's contract by one pound.

THE INDEPENDENT: England will attempt to secure the Ashes today for the third time in succession. There are several ways in which this happy and unusual state of affairs may be reached. Also: Negotiations between Tottenham and Real Madrid over the sale of Gareth Bale have been stepped up in the past 24 hours, but with Spurs insisting on the inclusion of Spain's Under-21 international Alvaro Morata in the proposed £87m transfer.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: A draw will be enough for England to retain the Ashes on Monday and history suggests that they are at the right venue to achieve it. Old Trafford has hosted 29 Ashes Tests prior to this one and 14, almost 50 per cent, have ended in deadlock, the highest percentage of all the main Test grounds at home. Also: Barcelona's sporting director has claimed Manchester United have given up on their attempts to sign Cesc Fabregas.

DAILY STAR: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has told Arsenal they lacked class in their pursuit of Luis Suarez. Also: Aussie bad boy David Warner last night accused England of time wasting as they closed in on Ashes glory.

DAILY MIRROR: Gareth Bale is facing a club fine if he does not turn up for training tomorrow. Also: Luis Suarez will try to force his way out of Liverpool this week.

DAILY EXPRESS: Wayne Rooney has dropped a transfer bombshell by telling manager David Moyes that he wants to quit Manchester United. Also: Michael Clarke was left angry and frustrated last night as his team's hopes of regaining the Ashes dangled by the slimmest of hopes.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Wayne Rooney fears he is being made an outcast as Old Trafford as his bitter feud with Manchester United deepens. Also: England toasted their quickest Ashes success in 84 years yesterday - and left Aussie skipper Michael Clarke admitting his side had been outclassed.

DAILY MAIL: England retained the Ashes in Manchester yesterday after surviving an early Australian onslaught memorable for the controversial dismissal of Kevin Pietersen. Also: BBC Sport could break one of the great male bastions by having a female voice replace James Alexander Gordon reading the classified football results on Radio 5 Live at 5pm on Saturday afternoons.

DAILY MIRROR: Wayne Rooney is facing a players' revolt over his attempts to force his way out of Manchester United. Also: Alastair Cook hailed his Ashes-retaining heroes at a soggy Old Trafford - then demanded a series win to follow.

DAILY EXPRESS: Stewart Downing is set to be the next high-profile departure from Anfield with Liverpool prepared to take another huge hit in the transfer market by letting him move in a cut-price deal. Also: Wayne Rooney is facing a dressing-room revolt from his team-mates over his desire to quit Manchester United.

DAILY STAR: Wayne Rooney's Manchester United team-mates have told David Moyes to get him out of the club. Also: Gareth Bale's proposed move to Real Madrid turned nasty when an anonymous caller issued a death threat against the Tottenham star.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Alastair Cook described the feeling after England emphatically retained the Ashes as "very pleasant" and the captain now wants to win the series in style. Also: Gareth Bale made an unexpected return to Tottenham's training ground yesterday ahead of a potentially decisive round of talks over his prospective world-record move to Real Madrid.

THE TIMES: Alastair Cook targeted an outright series victory last night after England retained the Ashes by drawing the third Test at Old Trafford. Also: Manchester United maintained that Wayne Rooney will not be sold to Chelsea after a dramatic 24 hours that exposed the conundrum facing David Moyes, the United manager, over the player's future.

THE GUARDIAN: Alastair Cook chose the perfect two words to describe the mood in the England dressing room after his team had retained the Ashes. Also: Wayne Rooney is prepared to take on Manchester United and issue a formal transfer request to try to force the club to change their mind and allow him the move he wants to Chelsea.

THE INDEPENDENT: The relationship between Wayne Rooney and Manchester United, which began with the starry-eyed 18-year-old being granted a personal tour of the Carrington training ground by Sir Alex Ferguson, while a grinning Gary Neville tried to persuade him to buy one of his houses, is drifting into a deep and irretrievable state of estrangement. Also: At 4.39pm yesterday, England officially retained the Ashes.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Barcelona will bid £35million for Chelsea's David Luiz. Also: Tottenham last night shot themselves in the foot when a club director admitted they cannot keep Gareth Bale.

DAILY MAIL: Joe Root, Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann were photographed smoking just hours after England retained the Ashes. Also: Wayne Rooney will look to move abroad if he cannot engineer a move to Chelsea this month.

DAILY MIRROR: David Moyes has launched a bid for Marouane Fellaini - signalling the end of Manchester United's pursuit of Cesc Fabregas. Also: Luis Suarez has told Liverpool he does NOT want to play in any pre-season friendlies until his future is resolved.

DAILY EXPRESS: The Tottenham board have shown their first public sign of wilting in the face of Real Madrid's interest in Gareth Bale after Sir Keith Mills admitted "player power" was likely to win the day. Also: John W Henry has reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool by insisting that neither want-away talisman Luis Suarez nor the club will be sold.

DAILY STAR: Liverpool owner John W Henry last night insisted that Luis Suarez will NOT be sold. Also: Wilfried Zaha wants a Wembley hat-trick next week to cap his meteoric rise from the Championship.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Luis Suarez last night told The Daily Telegraph he will hand in a transfer request before the end of the week if Liverpool do not clear the way for him to move to Arsenal. Also: Real Madrid's proposed world-record signing of Gareth Bale will cost the Spanish club around £200 million in the transfer fee and player wages.

THE TIMES: One of the leading figures within cricket's governing body will head from Dubai to Durham today in an attempt to restore player confidence in the Decision Review System (DRS) before the Ashes series resumes on Friday. Also: David Moyes suffered another headache on the eve of the new season last night when the Manchester United manager lost Nani and Jonny Evans to injury during a friendly match in Sweden.

THE GUARDIAN: Luis Suarez has pleaded with Liverpool to fulfil the promise they made a year ago and let him leave Anfield. Also: The International Cricket Council has responded to the disquiet that has developed over the use of the decision review system, by sending Geoff Allardice, its Australian director of cricket operations, to Durham to meet with both teams before the start of the fourth Test.

THE INDEPENDENT: Real Madrid and Barcelona could soon be forced by the European Commission to relinquish their privileged status as member-owned clubs. Also: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney would consider a move abroad if the transfer to Chelsea which he cherishes falls flat.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Brendan Rodgers will tell rebel striker Luis Suarez to bog off to Liverpool's reserves. Also: Wayne Rooney will give David Moyes a headache by declaring himself fit for Rio Ferdinand's testimonial tomorrow.

DAILY MAIL: Luis Suarez has been sent into exile for his astonishing attack on Liverpool with manager Brendan Rodgers accusing the striker of treating the club with 'utter disrespect'. Also: Kevin Pietersen yesterday condemned an Australian TV accusation that he had cheated during the Ashes as 'hurtful lies'.

DAILY MIRROR: Luis Suarez has been banished to the Anfield wilderness for what his boss Brendan Rodgers called "a total lack of respect". Also: Gareth Bale is facing a potential Real Madrid dressing room backlash which could turn his dream move sour.

DAILY EXPRESS: Kevin Pietersen yesterday furiously denied accusations he cheated in the Old Trafford Ashes Test by using silicone on his bat to disguise nicks. Also: Luis Suarez's attempts to force a move from Liverpool have backfired with the striker set to be banished to train on his own and warned that any legal moves to quit the club are likely to fail.

DAILY STAR: Arsenal are set to smash the English transfer record by offering up to £51m for Luis Suarez. Also: Wayne Rooney is on another collision course - this time over England.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been ordered to train alone for several weeks after being accused by manager Brendan Rodgers of showing "a total lack of respect" to his club with his public demand to join Arsenal. Also: Tottenham and Real Madrid have held a fresh round of talks over a proposed world record transfer deal for Gareth Bale, although the two clubs remain £18? million apart in their respective valuations.

THE TIMES: Luis Suarez's attempt to force a transfer to Arsenal has backfired spectacularly, with Brendan Rodgers banishing the forward to train alone and Gordon Taylor warning him that Liverpool's interpretation of his contentious contract clause appears to be watertight. Also: Paula Radcliffe says that drug cheats should be locked up and has called for guilty nations to be banned from the World Championships.

THE GUARDIAN: Manchester United are in talks with Everton over a deal for Marouane Fellaini, as David Moyes fears that his top midfield target, Cesc Fabregas of Barcelona, could prove out of reach. Also: Luis Suarez will be told by Liverpool to train away from the squad until he shows a better attitude in training and more respect for the club and his team-mates, with the move signalling that the striker has become an outcast because of his desire to depart for Arsenal.

THE INDEPENDENT: Liverpool have banished Luis Suarez to train away from the first-team squad until he is ready to show respect to his club and team-mates - a move which underlines their refusal to be cowed by a player whose contract leaves them under no obligation to sell. Also: England, holders of the Ashes, were engulfed by crisis yesterday. A mere two days after the primary business of the summer was completed they were assailed on three fronts.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Luis Suarez has been told categorically that he will NOT be sold to Arsenal - or any other clubs who come calling. Also: Chelsea stars have been banned from talking to Wayne Rooney about a move to the Blues while on England duty.

DAILY MAIL: England captain Alastair Cook has asked for clarification from the ICC over the controversial Decision Review System. Also: Jose Mourinho insists he will fight until 'the last day' to sign Wayne Rooney.

DAILY MIRROR: Luis Suarez has been brutally brought to order by Liverpool, with owner John Henry warning him: "You're going nowhere." Also: Roy Hodgson last night told Wayne Rooney not to talk about Chelsea when he meets up with his Stamford Bridge pals on England duty this weekend.

DAILY EXPRESS: John W Henry has warned Luis Suarez he will not be sold to any club at any price in the transfer window and denounced the notion of the striker leaving Liverpool to join Arsenal as "ludicrous". Also: Alastair Cook is sure his England side can show their critics just how classy they are by winning the Ashes in style on and off the field in the fourth Test at Durham.

DAILY STAR: Roy Hodgson yesterday admitted he is worried Wayne Rooney will lose the plot against Scotland. Also: The Gareth Bale transfer saga took a new twist last night when it emerged Tottenham had snubbed a meeting with Real Madrid.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Such is the sensitivity over Wayne Rooney's broken relationship with Manchester United and interest in joining Chelsea that the England manager, Roy Hodgson, will instruct his players to avoid discussing club matters when they gather at St George's Park on Sunday evening before next week's friendly with Scotland at Wembley.

THE TIMES: A defiant John W. Henry has warned Luis Suarez that he has no chance of leaving Liverpool during the present transfer window, having come to the conclusion that selling the forward to Arsenal would be "ludicrous" and counter-productive.

THE GUARDIAN: John W Henry has dealt an emphatic blow to Luis Suarez's hopes of leaving Liverpool by stating the striker will not be sold to Arsenal or to any other European club - for any price - this summer. Also: Alastair Cook has ramped up the rhetoric in England's row with the Australian broadcaster Channel 9 which is now set to rumble into the return Ashes series this winter.

THE INDEPENDENT: Luis Suarez is not going to any other club at any price and the notion of Arsenal, a potential Champions League rival, being permitted to buy him was "ludicrous", declared Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry last night.

 

[sarahmic]

Latest Paper Talk
Saturday August 10

Wayne Rooney's future was thrown into even more doubt last night as he remained an Old Trafford outcast.
Brendan Rodgers last night told Liverpool contract rebel Luis Suarez: "You'll be back."
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is delighted to have left his rivals in transfer limbo.
Leicester have signed Arsenal's Ignasi Miquel on a season-long loan.
QPR are eyeing up a move for Leicester's Paul Konchesky.
Keith Andrews has moved to Brighton on a season-long loan from Bolton.
Stoke have signed USA star Juan Agudelo from New England Revolution.

Arsene Wenger insists he has not given up on signing Luis Suarez, despite Liverpool owner John W Henry's refusal to sell his star striker to Arsenal.

Luis Suarez began rebuilding his reputation with Liverpool fans yesterday, signing autographs for youngsters outside the club's training-ground gates.

Wayne Rooney took a thinly disguised dig at David Moyes last night, as his deteriorating relationship with Manchester United threatened to hit rock-bottom.
Luis Suarez has been left out of Liverpool's squad to face Celtic in Dublin as manager Brendan Rodgers continues to banish him to the periphery.
Kelvin Wilson has completed a £2.5million move from Celtic back to Nottingham Forest.
Hannover have warned Stoke they will have to pay £17million for Mame Biram Diouf.
Chelsea's Nathan Ake has signed a new five-year deal - and will now be shipped out on loan.

Wayne Rooney took a swipe at David Moyes last night as his relationship with the new Manchester United boss threatened to hit rock bottom.
West Ham are on the verge of agreeing a £6m deal with Liverpool to sign Stewart Downing.
Gareth Bale has been left in limbo at Tottenham after Real Madrid admitted they were unable to pay the £85million asking price.
Wigan striker Grant Holt has told Manchester United it is time they let Wayne Rooney join Chelsea.
Michael Laudrup is refusing to set Swansea a target in this season's Europa League.
Chelsea are sweating on the fitness of David Luiz and Frank Lampard ahead of the big kick-off next weekend.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Wayne Rooney has declared himself available for England's match against Scotland on Wednesday, with Chelsea now also facing renewed interest from Arsenal in their bid to sign the unsettled Manchester United striker.

David Moyes is considering a bid for Luka Modric now that Manchester United's pursuit of Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas appears over.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN SUNDAY: Robin van Persie last night urged Wayne Rooney to remain at Manchester United and revealed: "He was one of the reasons I joined." Also: Arsenal have made an £18million bid for Bayern Munich tough guy Luiz Gustavo.

SUNDAY MIRROR: Tottenham have launched an audacious £15million double bid for Ajax stars Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld. Also: Stuart Broad knows England will need to get rid of Chris Rogers early today if they are to wrap up an Ashes series win this week.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Arsene Wenger is set to revive his interest in Wayne Rooney - as Liverpool stand firm over refusing to sell Luis Suarez to Arsenal. Also: Spurs have made Luis Suarez their top target to replace Gareth Bale.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Manchester United boss David Moyes has given Wayne Rooney the green light to play for England - even though he won't play in today's Community Shield. Also: Manchester United boss David Moyes is preparing an increased bid for his former Everton player Leighton Baines.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Traditional enemies Liverpool and Manchester United have made a pact to try to stop Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney leaving for Premier League rivals. Also: Double Olympic champion Mo Farah made it another Super Saturday for British athletics by storming to 10,000 metres World Championship gold in Moscow yesterday.

SUNDAY TIMES: Wayne Rooney returned to first-team training with Manchester United yesterday and will play for England on Wednesday with David Moyes' blessing - scotching rumours of a fall-out between the two. Also: Mo Farah furthered his claim to be the greatest distance runner of all-time by winning the 10,000m title at the world championships in Moscow last night.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: David Moyes has moved to counter claims of a growing rift with unsettled striker Wayne Rooney by declaring he is pleased that the player has been selected for England and revealing he took part in first-team training yesterday. Also: Luis Suarez must apologise to Liverpool and his team-mates before he plays for the club again.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: The double double for Mo Farah remains on. Also: Slowly, carefully, skilfully the craft of batting was restored yesterday.

THE OBSERVER: At last, 16 days into the Ashes series, the much-maligned decision review system has a player who will surely never hear a word against it.

THE PEOPLE: Roy Hodgson wants to start Wayne Rooney against Scotland on Wednesday. Also: Mo Farah stormed to World Championships glory - then dedicated his 10,000m triumph to his twin daughters.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: David Moyes insists he has not had a bust-up with Wayne Rooney. Also: Frank Lampard is happy England face Scotland just days before the Premier League kicks off.

DAILY MAIL: David Moyes' first trophy as Manchester United manager was overshadowed by an angry outburst over his handling of Wayne Rooney. Also: Ian Bell's Ashes heroics continued yesterday with a third century of the series to propel England towards a winning position against Australia on another absorbing day at Chester-le-Street.

DAILY MIRROR: David Moyes won his first Manchester United trophy - then hit out at claims that absent Wayne Rooney was actually fit to play. Also: Luis Suarez is refusing to apologise to Brendan Rodgers - and insists there is no way back for him at Liverpool.

DAILY EXPRESS: Ian Bell admitted he is in the best form of his life after his third Ashes century of the summer put England on the verge of a series victory. Also: Usain Bolt launched his campaign against the drug takers last night with World Championship gold.

DAILY STAR: David Moyes last night admitted he cannot afford to become over-reliant on Robin van Persie. Also: Jose Mourinho is looking at making a shock move for Samuel Eto'o - if Chelsea fail in their bid to land Wayne Rooney.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As the flashes and fireworks went off, Nemanja Vidic lifted the Community Shield, waving it towards the jubilating Manchester United fans. Also: If Usain Bolt was under any pressure at being hailed as track's last hope-cum-saviour at these 14th World Championships, evidently nobody had bothered to tell the great Jamaican as he reasserted his majesty and mastery as the world's fastest man with considerable facility here amid a Moscow downpour.

THE TIMES: Ian Bell joined the elite ranks of England's great Ashes batsmen with his third hundred of the Investec series to rescue his side from trouble and put them in a strong position at Emirates Durham. Also: Usain Bolt has made a habit of provoking gasps of amazement, but it was a collective sigh of relief that greeted his latest trick.

THE GUARDIAN: Ian Bell carved himself a place in Ashes history with his third century of the series and transformed England's position from flimsy to something approaching formidable in an increasingly absorbing fourth Test in Chester-le-Street. Also: We have grown used to Usain Bolt the imperious dominator, Usain Bolt the record breaker, Usain Bolt the showman.

THE INDEPENDENT: Lightning really does strike twice. Just as the Moscow night sky was lit up by a thunderstorm, the lightning Bolt once more left the rest of the world trailing in his wake. Also: Manchester United may offer competition to Real Madrid in the pursuit of Gareth Bale this week, with Tottenham Hotspur seemingly more receptive to the English champions, having become deeply frustrated by negotiations with the Spanish side.

 

[sarahmic]

The Independent: Jamie Carragher has added his weight to the debate on England's struggle to develop world-class players for Roy Hodgson's national side by declaring that academies should be prevented from buying in any foreign players. Also: However much success an England player may have in his career, there is nothing quite like beating Australia.

Daily Star: Stuart Broad last night called on England's Ashes heroes to make history this winter by winning in Australia. Also: Roy Hodgson yesterday revealed that Wayne Rooney has been fit for days.

Daily Mail: Stuart Broad produced one of the most devastating spells of fast bowling in modern Ashes history last night to clinch this series - and immediately set his sights on winning again in Australia this winter. Also: Christine Ohuruogu dipped into the history books last night as she won the world 400metres title by four thousandths of a second in a photo-finish ahead of Botswana's Amantle Monthso.

Daily Mirror: Wayne Rooney sent out a defiant message yesterday after making a mockery of David Moyes' claims that he is not fit. Also: Stuart Broad hailed an "amazing" spell of bowling and a "special" era for English cricket as he ripped Australia's line-up to shreds to secure a hat-trick of Ashes series wins.

The Guardian: England won the Ashes late into the evening in front of a full house at Chester-le-Street. Also: Such is Christine Ohuruogu's knack of timing her finish to the millisecond it would come as little surprise if Who Do You Think You Are? discovered she had Swiss ancestry.

Daily Telegraph: The grouse might disagree but the Glorious 12th at least lived up to the billing for Stuart Broad and England, after the fast bowler bagged six wickets to clinch both the fourth Investec Test and series for his team. Also: Wayne Rooney put in a prodigious shift in England training at St George's Park yesterday.

The Times: Stuart Broad hailed a "special era" in English cricket after the best bowling in his international career propelled England to a third consecutive Ashes series win. Also: First on to the training field at St George's Park yesterday morning, 28 minutes before the session was scheduled to start, Wayne Rooney gave a plausible impression of a man who has been suffering from a cold shoulder.

The Sun: Roy Hodgson has publicly declared: Wayne Rooney is not injured. Also: Stuart Broad powered England to a third straight home Ashes series victory and beamed: "This is a special era."

Daily Express: A remarkable six-wicket burst from Stuart Broad sealed an Ashes series victory for England last night. Also: Wayne Rooney has been told he is so integral to England's World Cup hopes he will continue to be picked even if his stand-off with Manchester United means he remains on the periphery of their plans.

 

[sarahmic]

THE SUN: Gareth Bale has told Wales team-mates: "I'll not wear a Spurs shirt again". Also: Steven Gerrard insists troubled Wayne Rooney is ready to smash Scotland.

DAILY STAR: Steven Gerrard has hinted he will quit England after next summer's World Cup - and nominated Jack Wilshere to succeed him as skipper. Also: David Moyes has pleaded for patience from Manchester United fans as he gets set to defend the Premier League title.

THE GUARDIAN: Manchester United have taken the top-level decision that Wayne Rooney will not be sold to Chelsea no matter how much money is offered or whatever the potential risks of keeping an unhappy player. Also: Christine Ohuruogu plans to carry on until the Rio Olympics and has set herself the target of winning more gold medals and lowering her new British 400m record before she retires in 2016.

DAILY EXPRESS: Jack Wilshere last night admitted that he wants to become England's next captain - and he was backed as the perfect man to wear the armband by Steven Gerrard. Also: Andy Flower will ask for one last push from his England stars in a bid to complete a 4-0 Ashes series victory at the Oval next week.

DAILY MIRROR: Steven Gerrard last night insisted Jack Wilshere will succeed him as England captain. Also: Wayne Rooney is fired up to release his summer of frustration on the Auld Enemy at Wembley tonight.

THE INDEPENDENT: Steven Gerrard said he had no fears over Wayne Rooney's state of mind ahead of tonight's England friendly against Scotland, adding that the Manchester United striker's first game of the season - in front of a crowd - would be a "release" for the player. Also: In a moment of reflection yesterday, Jack Wilshere said that by his own estimation the injuries and operations of the past two years had cost him the opportunity to win 25 caps.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: The oldest international fixture in the world suddenly provides a glimpse of the future for England with Steven Gerrard anointing Jack Wilshere as his eventual successor as captain. Also: Harry Redknapp was last night on the verge of completing a £3million deal for Scott Parker and will now step up attempts to sign another of his former players, Jermain Defoe.

DAILY MAIL: Wayne Rooney is ready to take the frustration over his future at Manchester United out on Scotland this evening, claims England captain Steven Gerrard. Also: Andy Flower yesterday hit back at Shane Warne's criticism of England captain Alastair Cook.

THE TIMES: Steven Gerrard last night predicted that Jack Wilshere will succeed him as England captain. Also: The surfeit of nothing that has been a feature of the Barclays Premier League this summer has spilt westwards, with Chris Coleman spending much of his pre-match press conference yesterday dissecting the future of a player who will not feature for Wales this evening.

 

[sarahmic]

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dreams can come true. The look of unrestrained joy on the face of Rickie Lambert as he sprinted away from the Scotland goal, his first touch in international football having almost broken the net, spoke of football's ability to conjure up fairytales. Also: Arsenal still have not given up hope of signing Luis Suarez and are considering a final bid of £49million following another day of confusion over the Liverpool striker's future.

THE INDEPENDENT: Rickie Lambert hailed his winning goal for England as a dream come true after he scored just two minutes into his debut against Scotland last night. Also: Martin Paterson's first-half header gave Northern Ireland one of the best results in their history and seriously weakened Fabio Capello's chances of taking Russia to next year's World Cup finals in Brazil.

THE GUARDIAN: As England-Scotland fixtures go, this was threatening to be one remembered with greater affection north of the border until that moment when Rickie Lambert announced his arrival on the international scene with a goal that seemed to belong to a different era. Also: Brendan Rodgers will seek clarification from Luis Suarez on his future intentions in the next 48 hours, with Liverpool hopeful the striker has come to accept he will not be sold this summer.

THE TIMES: England had to come from behind twice last night to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Scotland on an entertaining night that will still have left many of their fans anxious about the side's prospects of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals. Also: On the basis that you would miss it if it were not here, the daily Gareth Bale update is as follows: suited and booted, he watched the match between Wales and Ireland last night from the substitutes' bench.

DAILY EXPRESS: Rickie Lambert wasted no time after finally getting his chance for England, coming off the bench to score the winner in a 3-2 victory over Scotland last night. Also: Luis Suarez is set for top-level talks with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers amid a growing acceptance that he has no choice but to stay at Anfield.

DAILY MAIL: Rickie Lambert described his debut winner against Scotland as a dream come true after carving his name in English football history last night. Also: Luis Suarez's bitter transfer saga descended into farce yesterday when the Liverpool striker was quoted in a Uruguayan newspaper declaring he would stay ay Anfield, only to then deny saying anything of the kind.

DAILY MIRROR: Rickie Lambert spared England's blushes with a dream winner against the Auld Enemy. Also: Gareth Bale hogged the headlines, but Boaz Myhill stole the show here to deny the Republic of Ireland last night.

DAILY STAR: Luis Suarez is ready to perform a shock U-turn and stay at Liverpool. Also: Supersub Rickie Lambert scored with his first touch in an England shirt to cut down the Auld Enemy at Wembley.

THE SUN: Rickie Lambert took just 166 seconds to show Wayne Rooney the way and spare England's blushes. Also: Luis Suarez's Liverpool future has descended into further farce.

 

[sarahmic]

DAILY STAR: Gareth Bale is giving Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas the silent treatment as he waits for his big move to Real Madrid. Also: Chelsea are just days away from giving up on Wayne Rooney.

DAILY MAIL: David Moyes took a leaf out of Sir Alex Ferguson's management book and last night criticised the Premier League over Manchester United's opening fixtures. Also: Lord Coe believes Mo Farah will become the greatest British athlete in history if he wins 5,000m gold at the World Championships in Moscow tonight.

DAILY MIRROR: Gareth Bale is giving Tottenham the silent treatment to force a move to Real Madrid. Also: Brendan Rodgers has told Luis Suarez: "You won't sabotage our season."

THE GUARDIAN: Brendan Rodgers fears Luis Suarez's efforts to force a move from Liverpool could "sabotage" the club's start to the Premier League season. Gareth Bale, in limbo over his proposed transfer to Real Madrid, will not play in Tottenham Hotspur's opening three matches of the season.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Gareth Bale's frustration with Tottenham Hotspur is threatening to boil over after Andre Villas-Boas revealed he is unlikely to play again this month as the stand-off intensifies. Also: Brendan Rodgers insists Luis Suarez will not be allowed to "sabotage" Liverpool's attempts to qualify for the Champions League after claiming the time has come to stop discussing the transfer-seeking forward.

THE TIMES: Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that Gareth Bale could have played his final game for Tottenham Hotspur after saying that he has become an isolated figure at the club as Real Madrid continue their efforts to sign him.

THE INDEPENDENT: Andre Villas-Boas yesterday revealed that Gareth Bale will not be fit to play until Tottenham Hotspur's derby game against Arsenal one day before the transfer window closes on September 2, raising the possibility the Welshman has already played his last game for the club.

THE SUN: David Moyes has accused the Premier League of a fixture conspiracy. Also: Roy Hodgson has warned blunder keeper Joe Hart: I'll be watching you.

DAILY EXPRESS: Joe Hart's status as England's undisputed number one is under threat for the first time after Roy Hodgson admitted he would monitor his form in the aftermath of his high profile error against Scotland. Also: Tim Bresnan faces a battle to be fit for the Ashes in Australia this winter after being ruled out of the rest of the summer with a stress fracture in his back.

 

[sarahmic]

THE TIMES: In the final furlong, Mo Farah had a mix of fear, hope and excitement scrawled over his face. This was pain and pleasure wrapped up into a double-double display. Forget the debate about being the greatest in history, this latest world-title triumph was all about the bloody, glorious moment. ALSO: Wayne Rooney is in line to make his hotly anticipated return this evening in David Moyes's first competitive game in charge of Manchester United.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jose Mourinho has marked his long-awaited return to the Premier League this weekend with the contentious claim that the past two champions, Manchester United and Manchester City, were significantly inferior to his old Chelsea team. ALSO: Mo Farah keeps elevating himself to dizzying and dazzling new heights in the British athletics pantheon.

THE INDEPENDENT: There is a tendency in Jose Mourinho to wrap up his most provocative statements with a compliment or a kind observation that confuses the target and then other times he just lobs them in like the proverbial hand grenade. It was to the latter category that yesterday's performance belonged. The last two titles, won by Manchester City last year and Manchester United in May? These were not, Mourinho said, the work of great teams. ALSO: It was on Super Saturday that Mo Farah first truly made his name, the first leg of the double double. This time in Moscow, it was Feel-good Friday, the quartet of gold medals completed a year after his world dominance had truly begun in London.

THE GUARDIAN: This was Mo Farah's immortal race: the victory he called "the sweetest by far", the triumph that thrust him deeper into the realm of athletics' gods. ALSO: Jose Mourinho returns to the Premier League this weekend convinced Chelsea can regain the championship and stamp authority on a title race that, in his opinion, has lacked an outstanding team over the last few seasons.

DAILY EXPRESS: What is left for Mo Farah now? ALSO: Jose Mourinho announced his return to the Premier League in typical style last night by telling the Manchester clubs their recent league titles are worthless.

DAILY MAIL: Jose Mourinho exploded back on to the Premier League stage yesterday with a swipe at David Moyes before dismissing the quality of the last two Manchester title-winning teams. ALSO: Mo Farah celebrates his 5,000m World Championship win in Moscow - a feat Lord Coe believes makes him the greatest British athlete in history.

DAILY MIRROR: Arsene Wenger has made a sensational new move for Wayne Rooney. ALSO: They had plumped up his cushion and ordered him a drink. And last night Mo Farah took his seat at the table of all-time track legends.

DAILY STAR: Luis Suarez has finally apologised to Liverpool. ALSO: Mo Farah was crowned king of the world when he completed his dream 'double double' in Moscow last night.

THE SUN: Jose Mourinho lit the fuse on the Premier League kick-off with a dig at his Manchester rivals. ALSO: Luis Suarez made his grovelling apology to Liverpool yesterday and returned to first-team training.

 

[sarahmic]

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Wayne Rooney has publicly told David Moyes that he needs a run of games to regain "100 per cent" fitness even though he is still pushing for a move to Chelsea. Also: Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, criticised referee Anthony Taylor and again defended his transfer policy after coming under fire from supporters following a surprise 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.

SUNDAY TIMES: Wayne Rooney betrayed his continued determination to leave Manchester United by refusing to celebrate with his team after helping to create the second of two brilliant Robin van Persie goals as United eased to a 4-1 win at Swansea in David Moyes' first Premier League match in charge. Also: Perhaps in his sleep, Adam Gemili will hear the big man coming. He certainly felt him go by in the 200m final last night. "It was like 'whoosh'," the teenager said later.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he is prepared to strengthen his squad before the end of the transfer window after facing a hostile reaction to yesterday's 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa. Also: If anything is predictable in the world of athletics, this was surely it. Usain Bolt, a model of confidence and experience, strode to his seventh world title.

THE OBSERVER: Arsene Wenger was left lamenting a "huge, huge blow" as Arsenal were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa in their opening home game of the Premier League campaign. Also: This time, there was no need for lightning to provide a surge of electricity over the Luzhniki stadium. Usain Bolt did it all by himself. The Jamaican, who had looked unusually sluggish in grinding to 100m victory last Sunday, was simply serene as he glided to 200m gold in 19.66sec.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Wayne Rooney has finally accepted that he will not be allowed to leave Manchester United to join Chelsea and has had to settle for another season at Old Trafford. Also: Luis Suarez declined the opportunity last night to tell the world that he wants to stay at Liverpool. But his manager Brendan Rodgers declared himself "very satisfied with how everything has been resolved".

THE SUN SUNDAY: David Moyes got off to a flying start in his first Premier League game as Manchester United boss. Also: Arsene Wenger last night faced a furious fans' backlash on the very first day of the new season.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Wayne Rooney's Man United return was overshadowed by Robin van Persie who hit two super goals to sink Swansea. Also: Arsene Wenger suffered a disastrous opening Premier League day as two-goal Christian Benteke fired Aston Villa to a sensational 3-1 Emirates victory.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: David Moyes reckons the returning Wayne Rooney moved a step closer to staying at Manchester United after his "incredibly committed" display in their romp at Swansea. Also: Britain piled up two more medals at the World Championships and new sprint sensation Adam Gemili showed he is a star of the future.

SUNDAY MIRROR: Manchester United will launch a bid to sign Marouane Fellaini on the cheap this week. Also: Arsene Wenger insisted Arsenal did not suffer a humiliating opening-day defeat because of his lack of spending.

SUNDAY PEOPLE: Jose Mourinho will make a final bid of £40million for Wayne Rooney within the next 48 hours. Also: Gareth Bale is fuming at claims he is giving Spurs the silent treatment.

 

[sarahmic]

THE INDEPENDENT: Jose Mourinho tried hard to keep it low-key when he finally emerged from the tunnel to take his seat yesterday. The problem is that when more than 40,000 people are singing your name, some of whom are wearing masks bearing your likeness, the situation requires more than just a cursory wave. Also: Andre Villas-Boas believes that Roberto Soldado, Tottenham's record signing, could provide the cutting edge the club have been missing, after the Spaniard marked his Premier League debut winner with the winner against Crystal Palace.

THE GUARDIAN: Jose Mourinho's long anticipated return to the Premier League was preceded by a rare visit from Roman Abramovich to the home dressing room to address the players as Chelsea presented a united front after all the ******* and rancour of last season. Also: The David Moyes show is up and running and but Rio Ferdinand has invoked the siege mentality made famous by Sir Alex Ferguson in a show of defiance at the club's critics.

DAILY MAIL: Jose Mourinho issued two stark warnings yesterday as he returned to the Premier League. Also: Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be facing a season on the sidelines with damaged knee ligaments in a devastating blow to his club and England.

DAILY MIRROR: Jose Mourinho last night thanked Stamford Bridge for the "fantastic" homecoming and promised Chelsea can be even better than during his first spell. Also: Crisis-hit Arsene Wenger's troubles mounted last night with fears Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain faces six months on the sidelines......Tottenham are trying to hijack Liverpool's bid to capture Brazilian playmaker Willian.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jose Mourinho revealed that Roman Abramovich made an unprecedented pre-match visit to the players' dressing room yesterday to show his support for the supposed new era of stability and unity at Chelsea. Also: Tottenham Hotspur are to make a dramatic late bid to hijack Liverpool's attempts to sign the Brazilian attacking-midfielder Willian for £30million.

THE TIMES: Jose Mourinho made the Stamford Bridge return that Chelsea fans had dreamt of as they opened their Barclays Premier League season in sometimes scintillating style with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hull City yesterday. Also: Sir Bradley Wiggins will compete for one more year with Team Sky and retire from professional road racing next summer.

DAILY EXPRESS: Roman Abramovich appeared in the Chelsea dressing room to usher in Jose Mourinho's new era as the Special One warned his team: "We must get better." Also: Rio Ferdinand has dismissed Jose Mourinho's taunts and vowed to silence the critics who have predicted Manchester United's demise.

DAILY STAR: Jose Mourinho last night hailed Chelsea's fantasy football - and then challenged his players to reproduce it every week. Also: Michael Carrick has urged Wayne Rooney not to quit Manchester United after insisting his team-mates are right behind him.

THE SUN: Jose Mourinho celebrated a dream start and then insisted he has not given up on Wayne Rooney. Also: Arsene Wenger has accused Arsenal fans of crushing his players with jeers on Saturday.