Our headline read Manchester 2 London 0. But not even the most fervent Mancunian would have guessed the aggregate score would be 13-3.

And the aftershocks continued throughout the week as Arsene Wenger went from tightwad to lottery winner with a transfer deadline day spending spree.

But I fear his whole buying strategy had more than a whiff of panic about it.

Yossi Benayoun can be a great player on his day but has already been deemed surplus to requirements at rivals Liverpool and Chelsea.

Mikel Arteta is a proven performer but had a decidedly average season last year and looks to have been rumbled by Premiership managers.

And then there’s Per Mertesacker as the new defensive rock.

Pundits at the last World Cup feared for the Big German because of his lack of pace. And there are plenty of Premiership forwards who will be relishing the chance of taking him on.

Scott Parker was the obvious buy for Arsenal as a defensive screen in the middle.

Now they have got players like Benayoun and Arteta in without a regular enforcer I fear it will be a long hard season for Arsenal and we’ll look to take them on whenever the odds are right.

Man Utd didn’t get involved in the deadline day dealings having taken the sensible route of bagging players early and integrating them before the season started.

But the biggest bonus for Sir Alex Ferguson so far is the rejuvenation of Wayne Rooney.

He definitely seems to be benefitting from the reverse Samson effect.

Now Rooney doesn’t often remind me of a Biblical hero but he’s been unstoppable since that much publicised hair transplant.

And perhaps that form will carry on Friday night when England take on Bulgaria in a European Championship qualifier.

The injection of a bit of new blood, and an easing out of the old failures, has added a sense of optimism to the England camp.

They are still no world-beaters but should have enough to see-off the Bulgarians who can’t even persuade Dimitar Berbatov to play despite his lack of club action.

Now England are 4/7 on for this one which isn’t an attractive price so let’s have a go for goals.

If England get on top early they could put a few past their hosts and we are always liable to let one in so over 3.5 goals at 5/2 with Paddy Power looks the call in this one.

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