Liverpool Boss Plans £35m Triple Premier League Swoop: Dalglish Targets Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Blackpool Stars

Anfield boss lines up trio of new additions.

Liverpool are planning a triple Premier League swoop as they look to improve his Anfield squad this summer. The club’s new owners are ready to hand boss Kenny Dalglish significant funds and the Scot will make moves to sign Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam, Birmingham City defender Scott Dann and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing.

Dalglish is hoping to add more natural wide options to his attack having seen the likes of Maxi, Milan Jovanovic and Joe Cole fail to make an impact and will therefore look to lure England international Downing to Merseyside and given the poor season the Midlands club have had this season could help to tempt the former Middlesbrough man to make a move to Liverpool.

Kenny Dalglish is also keen to beef up his defensive options and given that Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Jamie Carragher are both over 30 and that Daniel Agger is plagued with knocks a move to bring in further central defensive options makes a great deal of sense and the Liverpool manager has identified Scott Dann as a potential target.

The 24 year old England hopeful has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since January and has for the past season and a half formed a solid partnership with Roger Johnson and the Liverpool born defender would surely be tempted by a move to his home-town club.

The third target on Dalglish’s radar is Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam who is likely to leave Bloomfield Road this summer regardless of whether the Tangerines avoid the drop but Liverpool will have to fight the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham who are also both keen on the Scottish international.

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Chelsea 3-1 Birmingham

Chelsea leapfrogged above Arsenal and moved into second place in the Premier League after brushing aside Birmingham.

Florent Malouda converted a Didier Drogba flick-on after three minutes while Salomon Kalou finished a solo run with a thunderous strike.

Malouda scored his second with a near-post header after the break.

Sebastian Larsson scored a penalty for Birmingham after David Luiz fouled Matt Derbyshire but Chelsea held on to move six points behind Manchester United.

Arsenal were held 3-3 by Spurs across London at White Hart Lane, allowing Chelsea to move above the Gunners on goal difference.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have won six of their last seven top-flight fixtures and are the form team as the season moves towards its conclusion.

Chelsea have five league games left - including a trip to Old Trafford to face United on 8 May - while Sir Alex Ferguson's team also face a match against Arsenal.

However, although Wednesday's results might have given Chelsea a glimmer of hope that they can retain their Premier League trophy, it was not a perfect evening for Ancelotti's team.

Fernando Torres came on as a second-half substitute for his 13th Chelsea appearance but did not really have a clear sight of goal and has now gone almost 900 minutes without scoring.

There were no such problems for Malouda, who converted Chelsea's first meaningful attack with a finish from three yards.

The goal came from Paulo Ferreira's right-wing cross after he controlled a raking pass from John Terry.

The home team were in total control and almost doubled their lead when Ben Foster struggled to deal with a long-range strike from Drogba that the keeper just managed to tip over his crossbar.

The visiting side did threaten to force their way back into the contest but Terry made a superb covering tackle to deny the recalled Alexander Hleb, who was poised to shoot, while Petr Cech saved Cameron Jerome's strike from a tight angle.

Drogba went close with an audacious attempt at a lob and drew a good save from Foster with a precise strike that threatened to find the bottom corner.

But Foster was powerless to prevent Kalou doubling Chelsea's advantage after the Ivorian capped a fine mazy run that left Roger Johnson and Stuart Parnaby trailing in his wake with a crisp shot from 20 yards that clipped the inside of the post.

If there was any doubt about the outcome of the match, the London side appeared to have made sure of three points when they scored a third just after the hour mark.

Malouda lost marker Liam Ridgewell at the near post and had plenty of time to head substitute Ryan Bertrand's cross beyond Foster.

The visiting side pulled a goal back when Larsson drilled a penalty into the top corner after Luiz had needlessly fouled another substitute, Matt Derbyshire, on the edge of the penalty area as the two players headed away from the danger zone.

And Derbyshire might have pulled another goal back - and in the process set up an exciting climax to the contest - but after bearing down on goal the former Blackburn Rovers player snatched at the chance and his low strike went wide of goal.

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Bolton And Newcastle United To Scrap Over Birmingham City Striker

St Andrew’s star could be on his way to the Reebok Stadium or St. James’ Park.

Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers are fighting for the signature of Birmingham City striker James Mcfadden.

The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has attracted interest from a string of clubs in England and Scotland.

He has struggled with injuries this season, which has restricted his appearances to just eight games in the whole campaign.

The Scotland international is set to make his return from a cruciate knee injury he picked up in September.

Newcastle sources suggest they are very keen on bringing McFadden to St James’ Park but any deal rests on whether they sign Bolton hit-man Johan Elmander.

The Swedish international is also a free-agent this summer, and was the subject of interest from Magpie boss Alan Pardew in January.

Trotters manager Owen Coyle has been a long-term admirer of McFadden and wants his fellow Scot to replace the Swede.

Coyle does not want to lose Elmander but knows he cannot do anything to stop him leaving as he cannot offer European football.

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Liverpool To Make Move For £9.5m Birmingham City Defender

St Andrew’s hero could be on his way to Anfield.

Sky Sports reports Dalglish is keen to reshape the Reds’ defence and wants Dann to be at the heart of it.

The 24-year-old has worked his way up through the leagues with Walsall, Coventry and excelling at Birmingham City.

He has established himself as one of the best English centre-halfs in the Premier League but has been ruled out for the season following hamstring surgery.

The former England U21 player is rated by Birmingham at £9million, after spending £3.5million to bring him to St Andrew’s in 2009.

A number of clubs have Dann on their radar, most notably Manchester United and Arsenal, but Dalglish is determined to get his man.

But the new director of football Damien Comolli believes there are better options available on the continent but the Scot wants a Premier League proven player.

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Birmingham City And West Ham United Chase £5m Newcastle Midfielder

St James’ Park talisman could be on his way to St Andrews or Upton Park.

Birmingham City and West Ham United are set to battle for the signature of Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton this summer. The 28-year-old’s contract with the Magpies expires in 2012 and negotiations have broken down regarding an extension. Barton is back playing his best football following a controversial few years both on and off the pitch.

Both the player and his manager Alan Pardew say they want the contract to be signed but talks stalled as Barton is questioning the ambitions of the board. If the stalemate continues, the club will cash in on the England international rather let him leave for free in a year’s time. Hammers manager Avram Grant thinks Barton is the ideal replacement for Scott Parker, who may leave the club at the end of the season.

Similarly Birmingham boss Alex Mcleish wants Barton to come to St Andrews as Sebastian Larsson is out of contract in the summer. Bidding would start at £5million but any deal will hinge on the two clubs avoiding relegation.

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[EPL] Birmingham City 1-3 West Bromwich Albion

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[EPL] Birmingham City 0-2 Newcastle United

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Birmingham 3-2 Coventry

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Birmingham City 3–1 West Ham United

0-1

1-1

2-1

3-1

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Manchester United 5 – 0 Birmingham City

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Birmingham 1-1 Aston Villa

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[EPL] Arsenal 3-1 Birmingham City

Arsenal 3
16' van Persie
18' Diaby 18’
85' Arshavin

Birmingham City 1
38' Bowyer

SHORT HIGHLIGHTS


LONG HIGHLIGHTS
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[EPL] Highlights Week 3~5/10/2009

Hull City 2-1 Wigan


Burnley 2-1 Birmingham City


Wolves 0-1 Portsmouth


Bolton 2-2 Tottenham


West Ham 2-2 Fulham
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[EPL] Highlights week 29/08/09-04/09/09

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Birmingham City



Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Hull City



Stoke City 1-0 Sunderland



Blackburn Rovers 0-0 West Ham United



Aston Villa 2-0 Fulham


Everton 2-1 Wigan
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