Manchester United

Chelsea and Manchester City are highlighting matchday two in the Premier League and it will surely be a match not to miss. The two English giants have squads that would make anyone salivate over the sheer power and strength they share. Even the players themselves get nervous lining-up across the field from those who are considered the most elite in the sport, and Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany is looking for any possible way to stop Eden Hazard.  

Aston Villa will host Manchester United this weekend in their first home opener match at Villa Park and will look for a second win despite many pivotal players leaving the club. At least Christian Benteke will start for Villa as a striker, right? As far as Neil Warnock is concerned, Tim Sherwood will play Benteke up front with Fabian Delph right behind him in central midfield. 

Sergio Ramos is set to sign a new contract with Real Madrid, according to reports featured by ESPN, after negotiations take place on Thursday.  

Ramos has been the subject of repeated rumors linking him with a move to Manchester United. In fact, the cavalcade of gossip this month has been so much that anyone not initiated with tittle-tattle of a transfer window might actually believe that a transfer to the Red Devils is closer to happening than not.

While the brain trust at The18 has long argued that Manchester United have more pressing personnel matters to deal with at the other end of the pitch, Louis van Gaal has been insistent since United’s pre-season tour of America that what he needs most is “speed and creativity” up front.

Yaya Toure's second goal against West Brom Monday was nice, but he didn't get Manchester City's best goal of the week. That went to Toni Duggan, who became the first woman to win Manchester City's "Goal of the Season" award with this volley against Chelsea last year:

Angel Di Maria has written an open letter to Manchester United after having completed his big money move to Paris Saint-Germain, ostensibly in order to smooth things over with a fan base that holds him in just slightly higher regard than Radamel Falcao, which is to say it doesn’t like him. 

The letter is professional, and makes it clear that he is really sorry for failing to live up to expectations. 

To Manchester United:

Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid was without a doubt one of the greatest and most drawn-out transfer sagas in football history, and it all began shortly after Manchester United rise to the top of the world as newly crowned 2008 European Champions.

It’s a great time to be VfL Wolfsburg’s Kevin De Bruyne, shocking misses aside. He has just won the German Supercup for the second year running, beating Bayern Munich both times, no less. He is arguably the most sought after attacking midfielder in the world, and his play each and every week seems to only increase interest in him. He is the top dog in a very good team, and it seems that he is also aware and responsible for his actions, or at least that is what his latest words imply. 

While he’s yet to dot his two I’s, it’s as certain as low wages at Walmart that Angel di Maria will sign a contract with Paris St Germain in the coming days. Less than 12 months after shelling out a British record £59.7 million for the Argentine Champions League winner, Manchester United are expected to agree to a fee of around £45 million that will see the former Real Madrid midfielder cross the English Channel.