Arsenal secured a 16th successive campaign in the Champions League group stage as two goals by Aaron Ramsey condemned Fenerbahce to a 5-0 aggregate defeat.

Ramsey’s strong start to the season continued with a goal in each half of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium, his 26th-minute opener putting the tie beyond doubt before his brilliant finish from Theo Walcott’s cross completed the rout.
The 22-year-old Wales midfielder has scored three goals in four appearances this season and impressed again as he sent Fenerbahce, overwhelmed 3-0 in the first leg in Istanbul last Wednesday, crashing out of Europe.
It was the Gunners’ 12th victory in the 12 play-off matches they have faced in the competition.
Now that Arsenal are guaranteed to be present in Thursday’s draw for the group stage, manager Arsene Wenger can step up efforts to make new signings before the transfer window closes on Monday.
Wenger stated on Friday that the biggest draw to any potential new arrival is Champions League football and the Frenchman’s hopes of capturing targets including Karim Benzema, Angel di Maria and Mesut Ozil will have improved.
The victory came at a cost, however, as Lukas Podolski limped off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, placing his involvement in Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham in doubt.
Jack Wilshere started at the expense of Tomas Rosicky after being rested on the bench for Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Fulham and Nacho Monreal replaced Kieran Gibbs at left-back.
There were worrying moments late in the game as Wilshere went down clutching his ankle – he has undergone repeated surgeries on the joint – and he was then viciously hacked down by Bruno Alves, but he finished the game.
Fenerbahce make six changes to the team taken apart at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium last Wednesday with striker Emmanuel Emenike selected ahead of Pierre Webo.
Arsenal’s start was lacklustre and after 12 minutes their defence was in a state of panic as Caner Erkin swept unchallenged into their area.
Carl Jenkinson arrived to break up play, but the ball squirted to Raul Meireles whose shot struck Bacary Sagna – once again operating as a makeshift centre-back – and found the arms of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Santi Cazorla, Wilshere and Olivier Giroud combined to create a chance for the Frenchman that was sent wide and high.
Pressure was beginning to build on Fenerbahce with Wilshere and Podolski spending more time on the ball and it was the Germany international that provided the initial burst that led to Arsenal’s opener.
Podolski found Walcott running across the area and when he was tackled, the ball slipped to Ramsey who drilled home an easy finish.
Ramsey, who has enjoyed a strong start to the season, then sought to turn provider only for Giroud to direct his pass straight at goalkeeper Volkan Demirel.
Alves sent a Fenerbahce free-kick narrowly wide, but relief from the pressure was only brief as first Cazorla saw a shot deflected out of play and then Demirel flapped at a corner.
A powerful shot by Emenike was pushed onto the left post, but the first half should have finished with Arsenal pushing further head only for Giroud to miss a sitter.
Podolski lasted just five minutes of the second half before his hamstring injury struck, forcing him to make way for Kieran Gibbs.
Cazorla forced a fingertip save from Demirel with 25 minutes remaining, but it had otherwise been a difficult spell for Arsenal as Fenerbahce enjoyed their strongest period.
The increasingly influential Spaniard then struck the crossbar, before the Gunners finally delivered a second.
Walcott found space down the left, sped into the area and picked out Ramsey who expertly steered the ball beyond the reach of Demirel to complete a comfortable win.

According to Foxsports

Manchester United and Chelsea ground out a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford that exposed both side’s shortcomings a week before the transfer window closes.

Although United had the better of David Moyes’ first home Premier League game in charge, they lacked the authority to exert the kind of sustained pressure which might have shaken John Terry out of his defensive superiority.

Last season’s Golden Boot winner Robin van Persie barely had a chance of note, his best opportunity coming three minutes from time when his goalbound volley deflected to safety off Gary Cahill and John Obi Mikel.

Jose Mourinho has made no secret of his desire to sign Wayne Rooney at some point in the next seven days.

Playing in a deeper role than Mourinho would use him for Chelsea, the England forward did well on his first start since April, and tested Petr Cech with one late strike.

If anyone looked likely to break the deadlock it was Rooney, who was cheered by both sets of supporters.

It did not happen though as both sides were forced to settle for a point which, under the circumstances, neither will be too unhappy with.

When United last played a Premier League game at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson told the club’s supporters they had a duty to get behind his replacement.

They heeded that clarion call, chanting Moyes’ name at regular intervals and baiting Mourinho for “wanting his job”.

It was part of an amusing exchange of crowd banter, that included Wayne Rooney being cheered by both sets of supporters, Chelsea’s adding a cheeky: “We’ll see you next week” after a run at Gary Cahill.

Chelsea have already had two bids for the 27-year-old turned down, with a third expected later this week.

The reason why was obvious from Mourinho’s team selection.
Evidently he does not believe Fernando Torres is good enough, preferring instead the ‘false nine’ concept he came up against when he faced Barcelona during his time at Real Madrid.
Amazingly, this did not include Juan Mata, who most United fans would happily exchange for Rooney, who made his first start since April.
As it turned out, the banter was better than the first half action.
The chances Chelsea created came courtesy of Oscar, who schemed intelligently in front of United’s four-man defence and twice brought good saves out of David de Gea.
United threatened more but with Terry producing a towering performance after shaking Rio Ferdinand’s hand prior to kick-off sights of Cech’s goal were equally rare.
Robin van Persie should have had a corner when his shot flicked off Branislav Ivanovic, then sent a header over before Tom Cleverley’s rising drive was watched on its way by Cech.
It all rather brought the focus back to Mourinho, who gave Moyes a hug prior to kick off but was soon prowling his technical area, often in animated discussion with fourth official Mike Dean.
Only once did he look like erupting though as he strode out, waving his arms furiously after Kevin de Bruyne had been booked for a challenge on Van Persie that left the Chelsea man with a cut lip.
The second period began in much the same unsatisfactory manner.
Terry made an important intervention as United pressed, then Welbeck curled an ambitious effort over before lifing a more delicate attempt just wide from Rooney’s short pass.
Amid that flurry of activity around the visitors’ goal, Eden Hazard fired goalwards from 30 yards but De Gea barely had to move to make the save.
Both sides had desperate penalty appeals, United when Cleverley’s shot struck Frank Lampard on the arm, Chelsea after Ashley Cole hit the deck under pressure from Jones.
In the first instance, Lampard was far too close to Cleverley for Martin Atkinson to award United anything. In the second, Cole was lucky not to get booked for diving, such was the minimal contact which preceded his fall.
The introduction of Torres failed to change much, so Rooney’s lung-bursting run back to a corner flag to rob Ramires brought a standing ovation.
It took Rooney some time to get forward after that but when he did, he brought a full length save out of Cech, before delivering the corner that Danny Welbeck should have threatened with rather than screwing a header back where it had come from.
Van Persie had one last shot before an unsatisfactory game was brought to its conclusion.

According to Foxsports