Manchester United may have finished only sixth in the table last season but they comfortably retained their position as the leading developers of Premier League talent.

It is part of Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer’s much-vaunted “DNA” for the club to do everything with a healthy pinch of drama and, based on the way his 10 men toiled in defeat at Molineux last night, the chase for the Champions League this season will be no different.

Liverpool bowed out of the FA Cup on an evening when Jurgen Klopp, via his 21st century boys, signalled that this season it is one competition too many.

Chelsea slipped 10 points behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race after a shock defeat at feisty Wolves.

European champions Portugal got the victory they required over Switzerland to book their place in next year’s World Cup in Russia.

PORTUGAL 0 - CHILE 0 (Chile win 3-0 on penalties AET): Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was the hero of the hour as Chile reached the Confederations Cup final by beating Portugal on penalties last night.

Juventus secured their place in the Champions League final after coasting to a 2-1 win over Monaco in Turin last night.

Dortmund 2 - Monaco 3: Borussia Dortmund head coach Thomas Tuchel criticised Uefa’s decision to make his side play their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Monaco last night.

The Champions League scripts department has been doing some clever rewrites lately.

Always prided yourself on knowing your Hamez from your James Rodriguez; your Molby from your Jan Molby, your Sol-shire-ah from your Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Monaco 2 Tottenham 1: Hugo Lloris’ penalty heroics could not rescue Tottenham’s Champions League campaign as Mauricio Pochettino’s men slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Monaco last night.

Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed suggestions Tottenham could struggle with the transition to Wembley when they host Monaco in the Champions League tonight.

There was a time when Portugal were considered the Brazil of Europe, for the flair with which they played football more than the commonality of language.

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty - and spurned a hatful of other chances - as Portugal were frustrated at Euro 2016 yet again and held 0-0 by Austria.

Chris Smalling sent England to Euro 2016 on the back of another win, but the late header could not mask an underwhelming display against Portugal.

Apart from the two Irish groups, what else was decided last night?

Monaco 0 Juventus 0: Juventus moved into the last four of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years after playing out a goalless draw with Monaco in the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

Euro 2016 qualifier round-up          

Monaco 0, Arsenal 2:

Three key moments from the game and what we learned from them.

Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov returned to haunt Arsenal as Monaco secured a 3-1 win in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie at the Emirates Stadium.

In a week that sees Barcelona in Manchester, Juventus taking on Dortmund and Liverpool’s return to Istanbul, tomorrow night’s match between Monaco and Arsenal might seem like a sideshow, writes David Shonfield.

Tottenham 4 Newcastle 0

Ghana 1 Portugal 2

WORLD CUP GROUP G:

Portugal suffered a major scare yesterday after Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to cut short a training session.

Sweden 2 Portugal 3 (Portugal win 4-2 on aggregate)

Sebastian Larsson claims Sweden will be able to give Cristiano Ronaldo a rough ride in tonight’s World Cup play-off in Stockholm because English referee Howard Webb will not fall for his “tricks”.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are not the world’s favourite footballers.

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Norwich City 0

Liverpool have agreed a deal in principle to sign Manchester City defender Kolo Toure.

Radamel Falcao is set to have a medical with Monaco today before moving to the Ligue 1 club for €60m, according to reports in Spain.

ON the face of it, there is little reason for optimism about English or Irish football after last week’s internationals.

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini is worried the fevered build-up to tonight’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Porto could get the better of his side.

Porto 1 Malaga 0

Benfica and Porto are once again locked in mortal combat at the top of the league in Portugal.

Andre Villas-Boas insists he still has no plans to enter the transfer market next month despite seeing his team fail to break down a stubborn Stoke side at White Hart Lane.

Jan Vertonghen turned down a move to Arsenal after hearing that Arsene Wenger wanted to deploy him in midfield, the Tottenham player has revealed.

Jan Vertonghen turned down a move to Arsenal after hearing Arsene Wenger wanted to deploy him in midfield, the Tottenham player has revealed.

German champions Borussia Dortmund made sure of their place in the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time since 2003 with a comprehensive dismantling of Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA last night.

Portugal 1 Northern Ireland 1

Portugal 1 Northern Ireland 1