Hull City 2 Manchester City 4

Crystal Palace 0 Leicester 0

West Brom 4 Burnley 0

Rolling north through the pleasant greenery of Tipperary, Laois and er, the other counties you pass getting to Dublin gave me a chance to catch up on my reading.

Cody and Shefflin

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has rubbished claims Cristiano Ronaldo may return to Manchester United.

Louis van Gaal thinks he may have bamboozled his players with too much information in the opening two months of his reign as Manchester United manager.

You know, of course, that Henry Shefflin, 35, has an autobiography coming out soon, a traditional indication that a player is approaching the end of his career.

Louis van Gaal admits reviving Manchester United’s fortunes could be the hardest job of his 23-year management career.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell displayed all the signs of being star-struck by Team Europe’s evening with Alex Ferguson, but not so much as to ignore the potential benefits for this weekend’s Ryder Cup defence.

Radamel Falcao hopes to bag his first Premier League goal against Leicester next weekend after drawing a blank on his Manchester United debut.

Almost exactly 40 years after their first ever European tie at Anfield, Liverpool’s much-awaited return to the Champions League group stage tonight when they face Ludogorets Razgrad of Bulgaria, is, despite unfamiliar and unglamorous opposition — and despite a self-confessed obsession to end their Premier League drought — a crucial moment in the club’s bid to return to former glories.

Welcome to your Monday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Manchester United: Our Angel ensures Christmas comes early

Manchester United 4 QPR 0

Stoke City 0 Leicester 1

Arsenal 2 Man City 2

PREMIER LEAGUE:

Shortly after the 2011 season kicked off Niall Quinn came to terms with Premier League boardrooms no longer being a place he wished to inhabit.

PREMIER LEAGUE: