RAFAEL BENITEZ last night suggested Tottenham had one eye on their clash with his Inter Milan side when they lost at Manchester United on Saturday.

THE Champions League is known for its reunions but Barcelona managers Pep Guardiola might have wished for an easier trip to meet up with a former colleague.

A BALL hasn’t even been kicked yet and, already, we are in danger of exhausting the superlatives.

MANCHESTER UNITED winger Cristiano Ronaldo insists he will remain at Old Trafford next season.

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo insists he will remain at Old Trafford next season.

WHERE has it all gone wrong for Manchester United?

Manchester United have confirmed that midfielder Paul Scholes will be out for 10 weeks after suffering medial ligament damage in last night’s Champions League victory at Aalborg.

Alex Ferguson has accused Real Madrid of lacking morals over their dogged pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Alex Ferguson has declared Manchester United are not in the business of losing their best players – to Real Madrid or anyone else.

THEY thought it was all over — but it’s not just yet. After yesterday’s Milan derby defeat, Internazionale are still favourites to retain their title, but their lead over Roma has been cut to three points and they will now be sweating to win their next match in a way that seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago.

SEEN from the Continent, the English are an unpredictable lot. Apart from speaking loudly in restaurants and being inexplicably fond of bad lager, they have a tendency to deceive their allies, but they themselves are easily deceived by appearances.

Three big games at the top of Serie A left Inter the weekend’s big winners, with Milan once again struggling to make an impact in the league.

Sometimes you have to wonder what footballers understand by the word ’loyalty’.

Alex Ferguson has no intention of quitting the Old Trafford hotseat for at least a couple of years.

Liverpool will be expected to play promotional friendlies in Japan and China now they have been taken over by US sports moguls Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

ROY KEANE has evoked the memory of Sunderland’s fairytale FA Cup final triumph over Leeds United as he prepares to make his managerial bow in the competition at Preston today.

For 10 years Alessandro Del Piero has been hyped as the great hope of Italian football only to disappoint on the big stage.

The Barclays Premiership are poised for a showdown with FIFA after football’s governing body today voted in principle for all leagues across the world to have no more than 18 clubs per elite division.

Teddy Sheringham thought his chance of more FA Cup glory had gone, and so the veteran striker is planning to ‘cherish the moment’ again with West Ham in Cardiff this weekend.

MARK GONZALEZ is almost certain to be loaned out to a Spanish club until the end of the season, when Liverpool will again apply for a work permit for the youngster.

Liverpool will unveil new signing Jan Kromkamp tomorrow after the World Cup prospect successfully completed his medical.

NEWCASTLE boss Graeme Souness is hoping £17m striker Michael Owen will return to former club Liverpool on St. Stephen’s Day and remind the Anfield faithful of exactly what they are missing.

JAMIE CARRAGHER insists Liverpool have returned from the World Club Championship determined to mount a serious challenge to Chelsea’s grip on the Barclays Premiership.

Sunderland midfielder Liam Lawrence is hoping the Stadium of Light will help his side grab a Barclays Premiership lifeline over Christmas.

Liverpool chairman David Moores believes the Premiership crown is probably beyond the club this season, but insists they can push Chelsea all the way.

Sven-Goran Eriksson believes England fans will soon begin to understand why he has stuck by Peter Crouch.

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy is hoping for a triple injury boost as he prepares for the St Stephen's Day clash with Bolton.

RAFAEL BENITEZ believes beating Wigan is more important than facing Chelsea in the Champions League.

Rafael Benitez believes beating Wigan is more important than facing Chelsea in the Champions League.

Steven Gerrard is promising boss Rafael Benitez will sign some new “special players” in the transfer window as Liverpool inch their way towards a club record for successive victories without conceding a goal.

Liverpool still have doubts over the fitness of midfielder Xabi Alonso, who missed Saturday’s win at Manchester City with an ankle problem.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for clubs and countries found guilty of having racist fans to be deducted points instead of being fined.

Everton have wrapped up the £1.5m signing of Portuguese international defender Nuno Valente.

Portuguese international defender Nuno Valente is set to join Everton if he passes a medical, according to reports.

Liverpool are still to decide whether they will compete in the World Club Championships in Japan in December, according to chief executive Rick Parry.

Alex Ferguson will resist the temptation to fly Roy Keane to Japan for the last match of Manchester United’s Far East tour.

LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard has reiterated his desire to stay at Anfield and hopes talks over a new deal can be resolved quickly.

Liverpool have been “treated with contempt” by UEFA after being forced to play in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

Liverpool will today discover whether they will be allowed to defend their Champions League crown next season.

UEFA are expected to give Liverpool a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League today.

Rafael Benitez today insisted his Liverpool heroes should be allowed back into the Champions League next season.

Simon Stone

Ryan Giggs is determined to cram a few more medals into his personal trophy cabinet at the Manchester United museum after committing himself to Old Trafford for the remainder of his career.

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER believes Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal will provide the impetus for another end-of-season Manchester United charge.