CARLO ANCELOTTI insists Roman Abramovich is satisfied with Chelsea’s progress so far this season.

ALEX FERGUSON feels his old Manchester United warhorse Steve Bruce is taking the right path to managerial stardom.

ARSENE WENGER admits he has questioned himself every day of the 13 years in charge of Arsenal in a quest to become an even better manager.

WAYNE ROONEY faces a dilemma over whether to travel to Manchester United’s next Champions League fixture against CSKA in Moscow after revealing wife Coleen is due to give birth three days later.

SKIPPER Steven Gerrard and young team-mate Lucas have led the call for a vastly improved Liverpool display when they face Chelsea on Sunday in a key Barclays Premier League clash.

The FA have accused Arsenal fans of provoking Emmanuel Adebayor after giving the Manchester City striker a two-match suspended ban and £25,0000 (€27,500) fine for his controversial goal celebration.

CRISTIANO RONALDO added another two goals to his growing Real Madrid collection as the Spanish giants continued their barnstorming start to the season by seeing off 10-man Marseille with a 3-0 win at the Bernabeu.

THE opening weeks of the season have been full of thinly veiled challenges from Alex Ferguson towards Michael Carrick and the England midfielder responded with a well taken winner to beat a stubborn Wolfsburg team.

ARSENE WENGER has just about done and seen it all during his 13 seasons at Arsenal.

RECENT Champions League winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka have sought to temper the growing anticipation that this is going to be Real Madrid’s year in Europe as their side prepare to host Group C rivals Marseille tonight.

ALEX FERGUSON has tipped Wayne Rooney to gatecrash theelite trio currently monopolising world football.

ARSENE WENGER reckons Robin van Persie is right to highlight when he has been unfairly challenged by defenders – but accepts it is increasingly hard to win penalties in Europe.

MANCHESTER CITY striker Craig Bellamy was pleased to keep the pressure on the leading sides in the Barclays Premier League following a 3-1 win at home to West Ham last night.

JUST about the only thing being drawn in the Premier League this season are conclusions as to why the spoils have so far been so rarely shared.

DIMITAR BERBATOV still believes Bulgaria are in with a chance of pipping Ireland to second place in World Cup Group 8.

THEY’LL talk the talk with Bill O’Herlihy on Saturday night, but John Giles and Eamon Dunphy walked the walk for Ireland the last time Italy played for points in Dublin.

MANCHESTER UNITED supporters opposed to Malcolm Glazer’s ownership do not believe the American will still be in control at Old Trafford in five years’ time.

IT’S only when Sean St Ledger points out that he has yet to play for his country in Croke Park that the astonishing rapidity of his rise from relative obscurity and through the Irish ranks really hits home.

WE ARE, in so many deeply challenging ways, at a crossroads and tomorrow’s meeting of the Green Party to consider a revised programme for government represents just one of the many ongoing exercises to try to decide which path we might take.

ANDY REID was again overlooked by Giovanni Trapattoni for the Italy and Montenegro games but the midfielder believes he’s got a lot to offer Ireland and he’s “loving” his football at the moment.