Premier League

Manchester United returned to the top of the table on Monday but not the one they were hoping for as they were named the club with the biggest transfer losses in the last decade, splashing out more than $1.14 billion on players.

A study published by Switzerland-based independent research group CIES Football Observatory revealed United had a net spend of $1.23 billion since 2012, spending $1.77 billion on transfers while making $538 million back in player sales.

Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said he was not prepared for the pressure that accompanied his rise to elite level soccer as a teenager and he turned to drink to cope with his problems.

Derby County manager Rooney began his playing career with boyhood club Everton, scoring his first Premier League goal in spectacular fashion as a 16-year-old against Arsenal in 2002.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank said on Thursday Christian Eriksen could be the club's "greatest signing" ever and he hoped the Danish midfielder would be able to make his Premier League debut within a few weeks.

The 29-year-old player joined Brentford as a free agent on Monday, seven months after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a European Championship match.

Eriksen's former club Inter Milan ended his contract in December because he is not permitted to play in Serie A due to the presence of a heart starter device (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator).

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill, the Greater Manchester Police said on Tuesday after accusations surfaced online that the 20-year-old forward had assaulted a woman.

Police said they had detained a suspect on Sunday after they were made aware of online social media posts by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence.

When Arsenal returns from a 2.5-week break on Feb. 10, Mikel Arteta’s side will focus solely on finishing in the Top 4 in the Premier League. Out of every other competition this season, the Gunners’ only goal now is returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17, or at the very least making it back into the Europa League. 

LONDON — Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen joined Premier League club Brentford on Monday, seven months after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a European Championship match.

Eriksen, who collapsed during the game against Finland in Copenhagen and was given life-saving CPR treatment in front of shocked fans and teammates, has signed for Brentford as a free agent for the rest of the season.

Having waited almost a year for another shot at top-level management, Frank Lampard has been tasked with as tough a challenge as it gets: resurrecting an Everton side in turmoil.

It is not the best time to be a Toffees supporter, and protests outside Goodison Park have become commonplace.

Fans have called for the board to be sacked, pleaded with the club last summer not to appoint former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, and made clear — in graffiti as well — their opposition to the proposed hiring of Vitor Pereira over Lampard.

British police said on Sunday they had arrested a man on suspicion of rape and assault, hours after Manchester United suspended footballer Mason Greenwood following online accusations that the 20-year-old had assaulted a woman.

Greater Manchester Police said in a statement that a man was arrested after social media images and videos were posted by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence.

"An investigation was launched and following enquiries we can confirm a man in his 20s has since been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault," the police said.