Roy Keane has distanced himself from speculation that he could be returning to Old Trafford, saying that he feels “lucky” to be the assistant manager of Ireland and is focused on helping the national team qualify for the finals of Euro 2016.

Having rocked them in the Dáil, as the Sawdoctors had it, Michael D certainly rocked them in the Guildhall, and beyond, when he announced during his visit to London that he would be supporting England at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Tomorrow’s meeting of Liverpool and Manchester City is probably the most eagerly anticipated Premier League game for neutrals this season, as England’s two highest-scoring teams meet in a game which will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the 2014 title race.

RTÉ’s Tony O’Donoghue is on a bit of a roll at the moment. First, there was his interview with Roy Keane in their native Cork, a stand-up affair in front of an invited audience in the august surrounds of the Aula Maxima in UCC.

As the faithful and the unfaithful look to the skies above Old Trafford today, it’s sobering to think that Martin O’Neill could have been ‘The Chosen One’, the man to manage Manchester United when Alex Ferguson retired.

A break from the norm for a bit of light relief this week, if only to mark David Moyes’ sudden change in fortunes on Wednesday night.

The temptation to bill tomorrow’s meeting of Manchester United and Liverpool as a clash of red empires is almost irresistible — with no prizes for guessing which red empire is on the rise and which in decline.

If you could cash a reality check you’d be up to your eyeballs in folding stuff this weekend.

They say you should be careful what you wish for, something which the FAI delegation in Nice last weekend must have had reason to ponder on the back of a testing Euro 2016 qualifying draw.

Just what on earth was going through the minds of all those Gooners who booed long and loud at the final whistle in Arsenal’s scoreless draw with Manchester United at the Emirates on Wednesday night?