EPL news 30th Oct.

Manchester United have suffered a huge blow with the news that Paul Scholes will be out for three months.

The 32-year-old midfielder has been diagnosed with damaged knee ligaments and will have an operation on Thursday.

Scholes picked up the injury in training ahead of the Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev last week.

The former England midfielder will miss at least 13 Premier League games, including Saturday's visit to Arsenal and the trip to Liverpool on 16 December.

He should return in time for the Champions League knockout stage at the end of February.


Spurs have appointed their former player Gus Poyet as first-team coach under new boss Juande Ramos.

Poyet arrives from League One side Leeds United, where he was assistant to Dennis Wise, after a compensation package was agreed over the weekend.

The 39-year-old joins the club as one of two first-team coaches, alongside Marcos Alvarez, who worked with Ramos at former club Sevilla.

Poyet played at White Hart Lane for three seasons between 2001 and 2004.


New chairman Adam Pearson has promised to hand Derby boss Billy Davies a cash injection to keep the Premier League's bottom-placed team in the top flight.

The former Hull chief will run the club on a day-to-day basis in place of out-going chairman Peter Gadsby.

He said: "The board and I will continue to offer Billy full support in our quest to remain in the Premier League.

"We will be exploring all possible options available to ensure a successful transfer window in January."

Davies' side are on a miserable run of one win in 11 league matches, but Pearson believes the former Preston boss is still the right man to lead to club out of trouble.

He added: "We firmly believe we have the manager and backroom team in place to continue the remarkable progress achieved on the pitch by Billy and his squad over the last 18 months."


Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has been ruled out for three weeks with an adductor injury, the club has said.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso is also facing a spell on the sidelines after X-rays revealed he had fractured the fourth metatarsal in his left foot.

Both players were injured during Sunday's 1-1 draw against Arsenal, along with team-mate Javier Mascherano.

However, the Argentine midfielder has suffered only extensive bruising and no bone injury, scans have revealed.


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has declared for the first time his side are ready to mount a serious title challenge after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

Cesc Fabregas' late equaliser earned a point, but Wenger believes the resilience Arsenal showed proves they are genuine Premier League contenders.

He said: "We have come out of our first big test this season stronger. We played without the handbrake on.

"We have the talent to fight up there for the championship."

Wenger added that the quality his side showed against Liverpool sets them up perfectly for their clash with closest rivals Manchester United at The Emirates next Saturday.

"We will go into the Manchester United as another big test, but after this performance we will be facing United much stronger."

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