Tottenham manager Andres Villas-Boas rotated his squad and the strong performance showed how deep the squad is, although it was left to old hand Defoe to steer the visitors with his 21st goal in European competitions

Fabio Capello's team recovered from its surprise 1-0 defeat in Northern Ireland last month to move one point clear of Portugal, having both played seven games. Portugal was playing in Belfast later Friday.

In Group A, Swansea will take their growing contingent of Spanish players to face 2004 champions Valencia in their opening match. Europa League debutants Kuban Krasnodar and Saint Gallen are also in Group A.

Eto'o previously worked under Mourinho at Inter Milan and was a member of the team that claimed an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League titles in 2010. Willian and Eto'o are among a number of players to have been moved on by Anzhi after the Russian side's billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov decided to restructure the club and drastically...

Willian is still to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge, but if he signs it strikes a blow for Mourinho over his former staff member Andre Villas-Boas, once of Chelsea and now Tottenham boss.

Willian, 25, only joined Anzhi from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in January, but he is being moved on after the Russian club's billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov decided to restructure the club and drastically shrink their budget.

Dinamo Moscow have already signed a trio of Russian internationals from Anzhi -- captain Igor Denisov, former Chelsea midfielder Yury Zhirkov and striker Alexander Kokorin. Midfielder Oleg Shatov has also joined Zenit St Petersburg while Morocco international Moubarak Boussoufa made the same move as Diarra by joining Lokomotiv.

Anzhi had their sights set on a place in the Champions League in 2014 -- an achievement that would have been unthinkable for a squad from the violence-wrecked North Caucasus just a few years ago.

Stars including Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o, Brazil's Willian and Russian international Yury Zhirkov could all be looking for new clubs after oligarch Kerimov ordered Anzhi's most expensive players to go, Sport Express daily reported.

Hiddink, who had signed a one-year contract extension in June, resigned unexpectedly on Monday following a 2-1 loss to Dinamo Moscow

Hiddink, former Russia national manager, joined Anzhi on an 18-month contract in February 2012 and only last month decided to extend his stay by a year.

QPR were relegated from the English Premier League last season and manager Harry Redknapp is looking to reduce the club's wage bill as they prepare for life in the second-tier English Championship.

Arshavin was one of the stars of Zenit's 2008 UEFA Cup-winning side and Russia's Euro 2008 campaign. He then moved to Arsenal but his career failed to flourish despite a promising start and he spent most of the time on the bench.

Dutchman Guus Hiddink has extended his contract with Russia's big spenders Anzhi Makhachkala, the club said on Tuesday, after they achieved their best finish with third place in last season's championship.

Anzhi Makhachkala coach Guus Hiddink is hoping his side can end a promising season on a high by beating CSKA Moscow in the final of the Russian Cup on Saturday.

Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen were all on target in a one-sided Europa League last-16, first leg win at White Hart Lane which left the Italians with a mountain to climb in the return next week. Chelsea had slumped to a 1-0 loss at Steaua Bucharest while Newcastle carved out a 0-0 draw against Anzhi Makhachkala.

Dutch coach Guus Hiddink said in an interview published on Monday that he has not ruled out extending his time at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala -- despite saying that he would quit at the end of the season.

Anzhi coach Guus Hiddink has backtracked on an announcement earlier this week that he is to retire from coaching at the end of the season.