LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Paul Scholes played the last time Manchester United lost at Aston Villa and 17 years on the midfield maestro was there again as his team summoned the spirit of the late 1990s to avoid a new defeat on Saturday.

The reverse in August 1995, when United boss Alex Ferguson decided to throw in fresh-faced youngsters including Scholes, David Beckham and Gary Neville, was famously derided at the time by television pundit Alan Hansen.

LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rebuilt successful teams time and again but fans fear he has been found wanting in all departments of late, a feeling which can only have intensified after Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Fulham.

Olivier Giroud, a marquee close-season signing, has taken until mid-November to score his first home league goals but even two excellent headers were not enough to ease Arsenal’s continued pain as they wallow in seventh in the Premier League.

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rebuilt successful teams time and again but fans fear he has been found wanting in all departments of late, a feeling which can only have intensified after Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Fulham.

Olivier Giroud, a marquee close-season signing, has taken until mid-November to score his first home league goals but even two excellent headers were not enough to ease Arsenal’s continued pain as they wallow in seventh in the Premier League.

LONDON (Reuters) – Arsenal’s topsy-turvy season took another turn for the worse when they let slip a two-goal lead and missed a late penalty to draw 3-3 at home to a Dimitar Berbatov-inspired Fulham on Saturday.

Olivier Giroud’s double – his first home Premier League goals – could not prevent Arsenal staying seventh in the table, sliding four points behind fourth-placed Everton who came from behind to beat visiting Sunderland 2-1.

LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Arsenal’s topsy-turvy season took another turn for the worse when they let slip a two-goal lead and missed a late penalty to draw 3-3 at home to a Dimitar Berbatov-inspired Fulham on Saturday.

Olivier Giroud’s double – his first home Premier League goals – could not prevent Arsenal staying seventh in the table, sliding four points behind fourth-placed Everton who came from behind to beat visiting Sunderland 2-1.

LONDON (Reuters) – Barcelona wasted their first chance to reach the Champions League last 16 after a surprise defeat by Celtic but Manchester United edged through and six-goal Bayern Munich rocketed closer to progression on Wednesday.

Favourites Barca lost 2-1 in Glasgow after Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt struck in a famous win for the modest Scottish champions, who exposed the continued defensive frailties of the slick passing Catalans with non-stop energy and physicality.

LONDON (Reuters) – Barcelona wasted their first chance to reach the Champions League last 16 after a surprise defeat to Celtic but Manchester United edged through and six-goal Bayern Munich blasted their way closer to qualification on Wednesday.

Favourites Barca lost 2-1 in Scotland after Victor Wanyama netted with a first-half header and Tony Watt stroked home on 83 minutes in a famous win for the modest Scottish champions who almost shocked the Catalans last time out.

LONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) – Barcelona wasted their first chance to reach the Champions League last 16 after a surprise defeat to Celtic but Manchester United edged through and six-goal Bayern Munich blasted their way closer to qualification on Wednesday.

Favourites Barca lost 2-1 in Scotland after Victor Wanyama netted with a first-half header and Tony Watt stroked home on 83 minutes in a famous win for the modest Scottish champions who almost shocked the Catalans last time out.

LONDON (Reuters) – Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and AC Milan suffered painful Champions League defeats on Wednesday which complicated their chances of progressing from an increasingly intriguing group stage.

German sides shone the brightest as Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund downed nine-times European Cup winners Real 2-1 at home while local rivals Schalke 04 pulled off a 2-0 victory at Arsenal thanks to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s second-half opener.

LONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and AC Milan suffered painful Champions League defeats on Wednesday which complicated their chances of progressing from an increasingly intriguing group stage.

German sides shone the brightest as Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund downed nine-times European Cup winners Real 2-1 at home while local rivals Schalke 04 pulled off a 2-0 victory at Arsenal thanks to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s second-half opener.