With just days to go before the next edition of the Premier League kicks off, there’s a betting special bonanza being put on by some of the United Kingdom’s top bookmakers.

Paddy Power, for example, is offering a number of mouthwatering betting specials ahead of the Premiership opening weekend.

One not to miss is the Zero Tolerance Premier League betting special, which will return all stakes on the Win-Draw-Win, Correct Score, 1st-last-anytime Goalscorer, Scorecasts and Half-time-Full-time markets if a match ends in a 0-0 draw.

Paddy’s also looking to add value to the outright betting markets for top scorer in the 2009/2010 Premier League. If a selection scores more than 30 goals on the way to becoming Premier League top scorer, Paddy Power will double the odds on that selection.

Boylesports is getting in on the act too, and is looking to trump Paddy Power by offering to return any losing single on a Premiership match this weekend if that match ends in a 0-0 draw. All qualifying bets will be returned in the form of a free bet.

If you’re looking for top odds ahead of the weekend’s matches, don’t miss our odds comparison service. A comprehensive guide to all this weekend’s Premier League odds and betting opportunities.

Chelsea emerged triumphant from the 2009 Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday, defeating Manchester United in a penalty shootout to draw first blood in the 2009/2010 football season.

Chelsea coach Carlos Ancelotti couldn’t have been happier with his managerial debut, as his team dominated their opponents for long periods of play, and looked to be coasting to victory at 2-1 before an unlikely Wayne Rooney injury time equalizer sent the match to penalties.

There was to be no reprieve for United in the penalty shootout, as Chelsea once again demonstrated their superiority by outscoring Manchester United 4-1 on penalties.

Following the match Sir Alex Ferguson threw his expensive rattle out of his red and gold pram, blaming the referee for permitting Chelsea to score their second goal following a foul by Michael Ballack on Patrice Evra.

“The referee, I think he saw it, he clearly saw it, he’s elbowed him in the face,” Ferguson said after the match. “He’s clearly in line with the actual incident and I’m disappointed because he stopped the game twice before that for fouls when players were lying down. But that incident cost us the game really.”

Manchester United will begin its 2009/2010 football season with a packed casualty list, as the Premier League reigning champions kick-start the new season with a match against arch-rivals, Chelsea, in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday.

Manchester United learnt on Thursday that Serb defender, Nemanja Vidic, will be forced to sit out Sunday’s match with a calf injury. Nemanja joins Wes Brown, veteran Gary Neville and first choice ‘keeper Edwin van Der Saar on the sidelines.

“Vidic is another week or two away and Edwin’s injury is a bad one,” Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, told the BBC. “He’s out for 8-10 weeks, of course. So my first selection dilemma for Sunday is in goal.”

Ferguson have to draw on the skills of either Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak in the goal, with both having played in a midweek game against Valencia.

Manchester United’s match against Chelsea this weekend will serve as a tune-up for the forthcoming Premier League season, with hostilities set to commence next weekend.

Find the top prices and a full selection of markets for this weekend’s Community Shield on our odds comparison channel. Keep in mind that Boylesports and Paddy Power are both offering money back specials for best on the match.

Manchester City’s latest star signing, Kolo Toure, is backing his new club to put in a strong challenge for top honours in the Premier League this season.

The Ivorian striker joins a star studded cast at Manchester City that includes new signings Gareth Barry, Stuart Taylor, Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor.

“The target is to be as far as we can,” Toure told Sky Sports News. “Last season we were in the middle of the table. If we can make the top six or four that would be fantastic. We need to work for it.”

“The team want to progress and everything the club do is to make sure the club plays at the top of the league. That is a really good objective.”

“That is why I am here. The project is big. There are some great players here and we want to be near the top. It is going to be difficult and we will need to work at it.”

“They have a really great project and I want to do something. The future is big and it is a big challenge for me.”

Chelsea captain, John Terry, has ended speculation over his proposed move to Manchester City by pledging his future to Stamford Bridge.

City had been courting Terry with a bid rumoured to be worth over £30 million in their attempts to build the strongest Premiership team money can buy. However, Terry’s loyalty to the Stamford Bridge faithful won out as he suggested he’d be ending his career at Chelsea.

“It’s a nothing from day one, I got a phone call from Peter when I was on holiday telling me about the offer from Man City and the club said they didn’t want to sell me and from then on it was never an issue for me to leave Chelsea Football Club,” Terry told Sky Sports News.

“I am very flattered and honoured by the bid Man City put in for me. I have huge respect for Mark Hughes and people around Man City, but at the same time I have been at Chelsea for 14 years now and I aim to spend the rest of my career with them.”

Terry did, however, admit to being concerned about the prospect of Chelsea losing top players and failing to replace them with quality signings for the forthcoming Premiership and European campaigns.

“I just wanted reassurances that key players around me like Ashley and Didier, who are in contract talks at the moment, are going to be staying and that was a key factor for me, so I am pleased about these players and the ambition at the club is in the right direction and where I want to be.”

Icelandic international, Eidur Gudjohnsen, is contemplating a return to Premier League football after spending three seasons warming the bench for Barcelona.

The 30 year old forward enjoyed success in the Premier League during tenures with Bolton and Chelsea, and is said to be increasingly dissatisfied with the marginal role he plays in operations at the Camp Nou.

“I can’t confirm whether I’m staying or leaving. I think it’s a matter of time and only time will tell what will happen. My future is a little bit uncertain,” Gudjohnsen told Sky Sports News.

The Icelander’s comments will have feelers twitching in Premier League clubs, with managers on the hunt for transfer bargains following weeks of financial carnage in the football transfer markets.

Gudjohnsen will be given the opportunity to market his skills in frontof English crowds this weekend, when Barcelona competes in the pre-season Wembley Cup against Tottenham Hotspur and Egyptian side Al Ahly.

“I’m only thinking about getting myself fit for the new season, whether that be with Barcelona or another club,” Gudjohnsen concluded. “We will see.”

Mark Hughes has taken mild exception to Sir Alex Ferguson’s suggestion that Manchester City will pose little threat to Manchester United in the Premier League this season.

City have been on a spending spree during the transfer window, purchasing the services of Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Barry and Carlos Tevez. With Brazilian striker, Robinho, already in the mix Manchester City will field a potent strike force in the coming season.

“I have huge respect for him but that does not mean I have to agree with what he says,” Hughes told reporters in response to Ferguson’s provocations. He then played down the Manchester United’s boss’s comments by adding: “I don’t think this is a mind game.”

City are currently on a tour of South Africa. The club lost to local heroes Orlando Pirates on the weekend before scuttling Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday evening. The latter match saw Gareth Barry make his much anticipated debut for the club.

“I was delighted to get out,” Barry said after the match. “The main aim was to have the fitness for 60 minutes. I have only been training for a week with City. There are new faces and the training is different, but I am getting used to it.”

Sunday, 24 May 2009
Arsenal 4-1 Stoke (Stoke are relegated)
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle (Newcastle are relegated)
Blackburn 0-0 West Brom (West Brom are relegated)
Fulham     0-2 Everton
Hull 0-1 Man Utd
Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham
Man City 1-0 Bolton
Sunderland 2-3 Chelsea
West Ham 2-1 Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough are relegated)
Wigan 1-0 Portsmouth

Monday, 18 May 2009
20:00 Portsmouth v Sunderland

Sunday, 24 May 2009
16:00 Arsenal v Stoke
16:00 Aston Villa v Newcastle
16:00 Blackburn v West Brom
16:00 Fulham v Everton
16:00 Hull v Man Utd
16:00 Liverpool v Tottenham
16:00 Man City v Bolton
16:00 Sunderland v Chelsea
16:00 West Ham v Middlesbrough
16:00 Wigan v Portsmouth

Sunday, 17 May 2009
Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn
West Brom 0-2 Liverpool

Saturday, 16 May 2009
Bolton     1-1 Hull
Everton 3-1 West Ham
Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal
Middlesbrough 1-1 Aston Villa
Newcastle 0-1 Fulham
Stoke 2-0 Wigan
Tottenham 2-1 Man City

Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Wigan 1-2 Man Utd

Monday, 11 May 2009
Newcastle 3-1 Middlesbrough