Injuries mar England's soccer season start

By Vic Mills

LONDON (JP): The new English soccer season kicks-off this weekend with a trio of top strikers already sidelined through injury, a veritable foreign legion of multi-million dollar transfers on show and three managerial changes at Premiership clubs.

Reigning champion, Manchester United, begins its post-Cantona era with an away game at Tottenham Hotspur. The meeting brings an early return to White Hart Lane for Teddy Sheringham. Bought to assume the Frenchman's role, Sheringham will be keen to make an early repayment on his US$6 million transfer fee.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer out for six weeks with ligament trouble and David Beckam on the bench, manager Alex Ferguson is likely to pair Sheringham with Andy Cole in attack and play four across the middle with new captain Roy Keane joining forces with Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and a fit once more Ryan Giggs.

The problem area for United remains defense. With Brazilian Celio Silva refused a work permit, United must rely on Ronnie Johnsen and Gary Pallister in the center with Dennis Irwin and Philip Neville out wide. A capable enough formation, yet one that conceded 44 goals last season.

Les Ferdinand and David Ginola, signed from Newcastle in the summer, provide the first test for United's defense. Tottenham manager, Gerry Francis, will hope that his dynamic duo can return the glory days to the north London club.

Liverpool -- second favorite behind United -- also journeys south to the capital for a difficult opener against Wimbledon. With Robbie Fowler out for a month, Karl Heinz Riedle will make his debut in attack most probably alongside Michael Owen.

The game will see a first outing in midfield for Paul Ince and Wimbledon old boy Oyvind Leonhardsen. However, as with Manchester United, Liverpool's problems stem not from midfield but central defense. A weakness that Wimbledon will look to exploit with the aerial power of Robbie Earle, Efan Ekoku and Marcus Gayle.

Having invested heavily in overseas talent, Arsenal takes its foreign legion north to Elland Road for a meeting with Leeds United. Of those to arrive at Highbury, winger Marc Overmars is the most glittering. Like Bergkamp, his compatriot, he has skill in abundance, not to mention pace.

The signing of Overmars, along with that of pacy winger Luis Boa Morte from Sporting Lisbon, will give manager Arsene Wenger the width to switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 whenever he likes. Add the predatory Ian Wright to the various forward permutations and Leeds could spend this first Saturday of the season chasing shadows.

As indeed could Coventry City which entertains Chelsea. Able to find an entire side of foreign players, manager Ruud Gullit will introduce his new players gradually to the pace and physical challenge of the Premiership.

Elegant

One man set to make his debut at Highfield Road is Gustavo Poyet. Bought from Read Zagaroza, the Uruguayan impressed alongside Roberto Di Matteo at Wembley last weekend. His elegant performance in behind Mark Hughes and Gianfranco Zola should herald an improvement in Chelsea's Premiership fortunes.

Fortunes of a different kind have occupied Newcastle United in the days leading up to the new season. On the very weekend that Les Ferdinand was sold to Tottenham, for financial rather than footballing reasons, Alan Shearer was stretchered off with an ankle injury likely to keep him out of soccer until at least the new year. The injury wiped $20 million of the club's valuation on the London stock market.

The replacement target is Sampdoria's Vincenzo Montella, with Newcastle set to mount an $8 million bid. The 23-year-old was second top scorer in Seria A last year with 22 goals.

Sheffield Wednesday travels to Newcastle on Saturday having just signed Italian Paolo Di Canio from Celtic for $5 million with Reggie Blinker moving to Parkhead in part exchange. Di Canio will link up with fellow compatriot Benito Carbone.

Leicester City opens its Premiership campaign with a local derby against Aston Villa. Unable to match the purchasing power of other clubs, Leicester looks set to struggle, starting perhaps on Saturday, as Villa arrives with a strike force of Stan Collymore, Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic.

With new manager Roy Hodgson installed, Blackburn Rovers opens its season with a home game against Derby County. The continental influence will again be much in evidence as new signings Martin Dahlin and Stephane Herchoz do battle against Stefano Eranio and Francesco Balano.

The remaining games feature those clubs newly promoted. Barnsley plays host to West Ham United which, although without defenders Julian Dicks and Tim Breaker, has Paul Kitson and John Hartson up front and new signing Eyal Berkovic pulling the strings in midfield.

Crystal Palace looks set to parade its new signing Attilio Lombardo at Goodison Park against Everton. With Howard Kendall back in charge, the Merseyside club gives a home debut to $6 million defender Slaven Bilic.

There is a new man in charge at the Dell, too, with Dave Jones of Stockport County replacing Graeme Souness. Southampton, missing the injured Matthew Le Tissier, entertains a lively Bolton Wanderers side. The ambition of both sides, however, runs little beyond that of preserving their Premiership status.