Friday Night EPL Transfer Update:

Hello everyone, and welcome to my latest installment of my blog posts. 
Tonight, with 2 weeks and 1 day left until the official start of the 2012-13 English Premier League, I will continue with the EPL Transfer Update which includes rumours, friendly results over the past few days and much more.

Let me begin this update with:

Liverpool starting their 2012-13 Europa League adventure with a 3rd round qualification match against Gomel.

FC Gomel 0 Liverpool 1


Liverpool kick-started their Europa League adventure this season after winning against Gomel abroad in Belarus. 

Midfielder Joe Cole was subsituted in the 23rd minute due to an injury knock on his professional return from being on-loan at French club Lille last season. 

He had a hamstring injury and it was a precautionary measure.

Ouch: Joe Cole recieves a knock on his professional return to football for The Reds.

Winger Stewart Downing scored the only goal of the match in the 68th minute.

Powerful: Liverpool winger Stewart Downing scores the only goal of the match against FC Gomel.

That winning feeling: Downing 'high fives' 17-year-old team-mate and fellow winger Raheem Sterling after his goal.

It's a start: Liverpool players including new signing Fabio Borini and Steven Gerrard celebrate their slender win.

FACT: Manager Brendan Rodgers has won his first match in charge of Liverpool after being appointed in June.

First European match, first European win: New Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers watches his team win 1-0.

FACT: This is only Stewart Downing's 2nd goal in an Liverpool shirt excluding (penalties) 

London Olympics:

Team GB 1 Uruguay 0 - Group Stage Match, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge scored the only goal of the match, as Team GB moved into the quarter-finals of the Olympics. 

Scrappy goal: Sturridge slots the ball into the net just on the stroke of half-time to give Team GB the lead.

Pure releif: Sturridge (2nd left) celebrates his goal with his team-mates against Uruguay in a tough match.

It was a tense match with Liverpool striker Luis Suarez asnd Napoli striker Edinson Cavani both pressing to score for Uruguay.


TOMORROW:
Team GB vs South Korea - Quarter-Final, LIVE from 19:30pm

EPL Transfer News and Rumours:

Malaga winger Santi Cazorla is set to become Arsenal's record signing with £16.5million pounds being accepted after undergoing a medical last night.

In the next few days: Malaga winger Santi Cazorla is set to become Arsenal's £16.5million record signing.

He is set to be unveiled very soon. 

PSG are ready to make a move to sign Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole. 

Manager Carlo Ancelotti used to manage at Chelsea, so he would like having one of his former players at his new club.

Join the French Revolution! Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is wanted by 'moneybags' PSG.

Interesting, somehow though I doubt Cole would leave unless he got a massive pay package wage each week, higher than at Chelsea.

Arsenal young striker Benik Afobe has joined Championship club Bolton Wanderers on loan for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Adventure: Arsenal startlet Benik Afobe has joined Bolton on a loan deal to gain more first-team experience.

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has completed his £7million move to Italian side Fiorentina.

He has moved on a three-year contract deal, and his agent said that he will fight for a place in the Italian national team again before he retires.

Wasted talent: Aquilani has moved to Fiorentina after being left out of the first-team squad over the past 3 years.

Spanish giants Real Madrid have been heavily linked today with a £20million swoop for Manchester United winger Nani after admitted their interest in the Portugese international. 

Interest: Manchester United winger Nani is wanted by Real Madrid, and Shinji Kagawa is reportedly his replacement.

Chelsea have confirmed that midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has moved to German side Werden Bremen on a season-long loan deal to gain more first-team experience, as he is not ready for the first-team just yet.

First-team experience: Chelsea's young midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has moved to Werder Bremen on a loan spell.

West Ham have made a £1.5million bid for Moussa Konate after his impressive showing with 4 goals so far in the Men's London Olympic Football. 

Impressive: Moussa Konate has scored 4 goals in 3 matches in this Olympics tournament so far and is wanted by West Ham.

Chelsea are ready to raise their offer for Marseille defender Cesar Azpilicueta to around £7million after having a £5million bid rejected.

Striker Romelu Lukaku has said that if he is shipped out on loan by Chelsea, then he ONLY wants to play in the EPL.  

Here we go again: Lukaku has been linked with lots of loan spell moves after a slow start to his Chelsea career.

Aston Villa have been given a double injury blow after it was confirmed that striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and defender Richard Dunne will miss the start of the season.

West Ham have confirmed the re-signing of Aston Villa defender James Collins.

Re-united with West Ham United: Defender James Collins has left Aston Villa for around £3-4million.

Everton have confirmed that they are in talks with Turkish club Fenerbache over a transfer fee for their defender Joseph Yobo.
If the deal is accepted, it would be around about £2.5million.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has said that midfielder Nuri Sahin
can leave the club, because he will not have a starting 11 place next season.

We want you: Arsenal want Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan to strengthen the squad.

Arsenal are ready to sign him on a season-long loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Today's EPL Results, plus Analysis and the LATEST News:

Today's EPL Action:

(All 15:00pm)

Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 4

This match was played at Villa Park, as 15th placed Aston Villa hosted 5th placed Chelsea in an important match for both teams. 
Midfielder Stiliyan Petrov was seen in the stands after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia yesterday lunchtime.

Retirement beckons? Aston Villa captain Petrov watches on at Villa Park as his side face Chelsea.

Striker Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring for the away side after 9 minutes to make it 1-0 to Chelsea.

10th of the season: Daniel Sturridge celebrates opening the scoring for Chelsea against Villa in the 9th minute.

Centre-back Branislav Ivanovic doubled their lead, in the 51st minute to make it 2-0.

Defender James Collins halved Chelsea's lead in the 77th minute, to give Villa hope of salvaging something at home.

James Collins' header flew past Petr Cech to give Aston Villa a chance of equalising against Chelsea at home.

Fellow defender Eric Lichaj also scored for the hosts, three minutes later in the 80th minute to equalise.

False hope: Eric Lihaj equalises for Aston Villa to make it 2-2, but it was not enough to beat Chelsea.

Ivanovic scored his second of the day in the 83rd minute, before striker Fernado Torres capped off a 4-2 win for Chelsea in the 90th minute to put the icing on the cake and take Villa out of the match.

Striker Fernando Torres scores his first goal in the EPL for six months to end his drought and give Chelsea a 4-2 win against Aston Villa.

£50million man starting to shine: Torres celebrates scoring against Villa for his 3rd goal in 3 matches.

Everton 2 West Bromwich Albion 0

This match came from Goodison Park, as a morale boosted Everton side who moved into the semi-final of the FA Cup on Tuesday, faced 14th placed West Brom who are 11 points away from the relegation zone. 

Defender Gareth McAuley broke the deadlock in the 18th minute for Everton - with an own goal after it took a deflection from Leon Osman's shot.
Striker Victor Anichebe doubled the hosts lead in the 68th minute, to end the match with a 2-0 win at home for Everton.

Everton players celebrate striker Victor Anichebe's goal to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute against West Brom.

Fulham 2 Norwich City 1

This match was played at Craven Cottage, as 13th placed Fulham faced Norwich who are in 11th place.
Midfielder Clint Dempsey gave the hosts an early 1-0 lead in the 2nd minute.
Fellow midfield man Damien Duff scored for Fulham to make it 2-0, in the 13 minute.
Andrew Wilbraham made it 2-1 after half-time, in the 77th minute but it was too late for them to win or earn a point at Craven Cottage.

Fulham move into 11th place, 4 points off 7th place, while Norwich drop down a place into 12th but stay on the same points as Fulham.

Manchester City 3 Sunderland 3

2nd placed City faced 8th placed Sunderland in an important match for the future of the EPL title this season. Rivals United face Blackburn on Monday, and they need a win to move back into 1st.

Midfielder Sebastien Larsson broke the deadlock for the visitors in the 31st minute, to give Sunderland a shock lead at The Ethiad Stadium.
Striker Mario Balotelli equalised for the home side in the 43rd minute, from the penalty spot after Dzeko was obstructed by Craig Gardner.

Striker Mario Balotelli equalises for Manchester City in the 43rd minute from the penalty spot.

Nicklas Bendtner scored just before half time (45) to make it 2-1 to Sunderland.
Larsson scored his second of the match in the 55th minute to give them a 3-1 lead.

Midfielder Larsson celebrates scoring his second goal of the match against Manchester City in the 56th minute.

Balotelli inspired a comeback for City in the 85th minute after scoring his second, with 5 minutes left to give City a chance to equalise.
Alexsandar Kolarov equalised for City in the 86th minute to complete the comeback against Sunderland.

 

The comeback is sealed: Kolarov equalises for City against Sunderland in the 86th minute to make it 3-3.

This is how the match finished in the end, with City dropping points in the race for the title although they made a sudden comeback to keep their unbeaten run at The Ethiad alive.
Sunderland are now 9th and will be upset that they blew a 3-1 lead against City and could have moved into 7th place but thankful they took a point away from home.

QPR 2 Arsenal 1

Today, Loftus Road was the stadium where 3rd placed Arsenal looked for their 8th win in a row. QPR were the team in their way, having comeback from 2-0 down to beat Liverpool 3-2 last week.
Striker Adel Taarabt gave the hosts the lead in the 22nd minute to make it 1-0.

Adel Taarabt breaks the deadlock for QPR against Arsenal at Loftus Road in the 22nd minute.

First goal in the EPL for the former Tottenham striker, against his London rivals Arsenal.

Theo Walcott equalised for The Gunners, 15 minutes later.

Winger Theo Walcott scores his 10th goal of the season for Arsenal to level at Loftus Road against QPR.

Another camera angle view, of Walcott's equaliser against QPR at Loftus Road.

Midfielder Samba Diakite scored his first goal for QPR to win the match for the home side in the 66th minute.

There was a hint of timewasting by QPR, with three players geting booked in the last minute (Barton, Ferdinand and Diakite), but Rangers took the three points. 

Wigan Athletic 2 Stoke City 0

Relegation calling for Wigan who are in 19th place against an unpredictable 12th placed Stoke.
Wigan captain and defender Antolin Alcaraz opened the scoring for the home side after half-time in the 54th minute to make it 1-0.

Defender Alcaraz towers to head the ball the past past the Stoke defence to break the deadlock at The DW.

Striker Victor Moses doubled the hosts lead in the 90th minute to seal Wigan's first win at the DW Stadium for 7 months.

Long time coming: Victor Moses scores the winner for Wigan to give them their first win at the DW in 7 months.

They are still in 19th place though as results did not go their way with QPR and Bolton both winning today.
Stoke have moved 1 place down to 13th place, 2 points away from the magic 40 point barrier which almost certainly seals next season's place in the EPL.

Wolves 2 Bolton Wanderers 3

Terry Connor looked for his first win as caretaker manager against Bolton. 2 relegation fighting teams going head-to-head, with Bolton looking to win for Fabrice Muamba who is currently in hospital.
This match was a thrilling 5 goal thriller at Molienuex.

Midfielder Michael Kightly broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute to make it 1-0 to Wolves. 

Deadlock broken: Kightly celebrates scoring against Bolton in the 51st minute

Midfielder Martin Petrov equalised, 10 minutes later from the penalty spot.

A placed penalty is the best penalty: Petrov equalises from the penalty spot for Bolton against Wolves.

Marcos Alonso made it 2-1 to the visitors, in the 80th minute to give them the lead for the first time in the match.

Jubilation: Marcos Alonso celebrates his 1st goal of the season to make it 2-1 to Bolton.

Captain Kevin Davies made it 3-1, 4 minutes later before Matthew Jarvis pulled a goal back in the 88th minute to make it 3-2.
This was not enough for Wolves to save the match, and they lost eventually.
They will be disappointed that they lost all three points at home, especially as they were in-front. 

The LATEST EPL News:

Arsene Wenger slammed UEFA after vowing to appeal a three-match European ban and a £33,000 fine after he reportedly abused a referee during their 3-0 win (4-3 loss) against AC Milan.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all interested in  cut-price £6million Athletic Bilbao midfielder Markel Susaeta.

Jose Mourinho has distanced himself from a shock move to Manchester City.

Real Madrid are ready to launch a £10million bid for Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois, who has been on loan with Atletico Madrid.

Courtois: Been on-loan at Atletico Madrid from Chelsea, but Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho are interested.

Arsene Wenger's first priority this summer is tying Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie to new long-term deals at Arsenal.

Manchester City's title hopes have suffered a new blow following a bizarre injury to star striker Sergio Aguero.  

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers, strongly linked with taking over at Tottenham should Harry Redknapp become England boss, says he is ready for a top job.

Brendan Rodgers: Ready for the big job call-up to Tottenham?

Everton manager David Moyes has credited Nikica Jelavic with helping to transform Everton's season.

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has expressed anger and disappointment at the decision to stage Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at 6pm on Sunday, April 15.

Defender Rio Ferdinand is considering an offer to move to  China when his contract at Manchester United finishes at the end of next season.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp suggested yesterday that key midfielder Luka Modric could be interested in a lucrative move this summer, with Roberto Mancini admitting his admiration for the Croatian.

Modric: Manchester City calling the Croatian, on a possible £10million salary a year.

Thank you for reading my EPL Blog.
It means a lot to me, as you all read it.
This inspires me to write more often and better content.
I will speak to all of you tomorrow, in my next post where the race for a European place next season intensifies, as Liverpool face Newcastle and Tottenham play Swansea.