City on top in England as money talks in Europe
Manchester City took top spot in the English Premier League with a 3-2 win at Bolton while fellow European big spenders Paris Saint-Germain registered their first league win of the season in France.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: August 22, 2011 01:31 PM IST
Manchester City took top spot in the English Premier League with a 3-2 win at Bolton while fellow European big spenders Paris Saint-Germain registered their first league win of the season in France.
ENGLAND
- Manchester City showed their Premier League title credentials with a 3-2 win over Bolton thanks to goals from David Silva, Gareth Barry and Edin Dzeko. There was also a substitute appearance from Carlos Tevez, the unsettled Argentine striker who hopes to leave City before the transfer window shuts on August 31.
Unfashionable Wolves also maintained their 100 percent start to the season as goals from Kevin Doyle and Matt Jarvis secured a 2-0 win over Fulham.
Champions Manchester United can join City and Wolves at the top with a victory over Tottenham on Monday.
On Saturday, Arsenal's poor start to the season hit a new low as a freak own goal from Aaron Ramsey put Liverpool on course for a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
That bad break came in the 78th minute, soon after the dismissal of teenage midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong, and Luis Suarez added Liverpool's second goal in stoppage time.
Chelsea manager Andres Villas-Boas got his first win as the Blues recovered from Shane Long's early goal to beat West Brom 2-1 thanks to second half strikes from Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.
GERMANY
- Borussia Moenchengladbach hammered Wolfsburg 4-1 to stay top of the Bundesliga on goal difference from Hanover who drew 1-1 with Hertha Berlin.
Bayern Munich are third after a 5-0 rout of Hamburg as champions Dortmund earned a 2-0 victory over Nuremberg.
Bayern raced into a 2-0 lead inside 17 minutes through Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten and French winger Franck Ribery. Arjen Robben, Mario Gomez and substitute Ivica Olic were also on target.
Schalke 04 scored four second-half goals to come from 2-0 down to seal a 4-2 victory at Mainz 05 after Spanish striker Raul had earlier committed his future to the club.
Schalke's win took them to fourth.
FRANCE
- Paris Saint-Germain registered their first win of the Ligue 1 season by beating Valenciennes 2-1 as French record signing Javier Pastore made his home debut.
PSG still trail early pace-setters Montpellier by five points after Rene Girard's side secured a third straight win by crushing Rennes 4-0. Champions Lille recorded their first win of the season with a 2-1 success at Caen.
ITALY
- AC Milan beat Juventus 2-1 victory to win the pre-season Berlusconi Cup. Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and Dutchman Clarence Seedorf gave the Milanese a two-goal lead at the break before Mirko Vucinic pulled one back in the second period.
The new Serie A season starts next weekend.
NETHERLANDS
- Twente have the only 100 percent record left after a 5-1 mauling of Heerenveen while champions Ajax were held 2-2 at VVV-Venlo and Feyenoord finished 1-1 at Heracles Almelo.
Luuk de Jong, Willem Jansen, Emir Bajrami and a Marc Janko brace gave Twente a third win in three matches.
Ajax were 2-0 down at VVV-Venlo before Theo Janssen and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson ensured a point for the champions. Feyenoord also needed a late goal to avoid defeat when Guyon Fernandez cancelled out Glynor Plet's opener for Heracles.
PORTUGAL
- FC Porto are top with two wins in two matches, the latest a 3-1 victory over Gil Vicente with prolific striker Hulk grabbing two goals. Academica Coimbra beat Rio Ave 1-0 to go second on goal difference while Benfica are third after seeing off Feirense 3-1.
SCOTLAND
- Rangers moved top on goal difference after a 3-0 win at Motherwell as Celtic slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone.
Anthony Stokes won a penalty for Celtic at Parkhead when he was brought down by Peter Enckelman, but the 'keeper redeemed himself by saving Kris Commons' spot-kick.
St Johnstone grabbed the winner on the hour mark when Dave Mackay's volley was deflected past Fraser Forster for the Perth side's first goal of the season.
Rangers' goals at Fir Park came from Steven Naismith, Kyle Lafferty and Gregg Wylde.