ROY KEANE knows from bitter personal experience that good teams do go down. How good his Sunderland side are, languishing third from bottom in the Premier League, is open to debate.

JOSE MOURINHO yesterday called on his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson to help make Saturday’s FA Cup final a classic one.

TREVOR BROOKING believes Michael Ballack’s presence at Chelsea has dulled Frank Lampard’s predatory instincts and claims the Germany midfielder has been a flop at Stamford Bridge.

ALEX FERGUSON has revealed he knew record-breaker Ryan Giggs was ‘a certainty’ to make it when he first saw him as a 13-year-old.

ENGLAND’S top four clubs in the Premier League are in a financial league of their own and earned at least £14 million more than fifth-place Tottenham from television cash and prize money in the 2006-07 season.

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Alex Ferguson has set his Barclays Premiership champions the task of conquering Europe next season.

MANAGER Rafael Benitez may be turning his attention to winning the Champions League for a second time in three seasons, but he is intent on making sure Liverpool are genuine Premiership contenders next term.

SOFT furnishings from Brown Thomas; €2,116, a swanky new conservatory: €12,000; a sympathy surge after a sad-eyed statement when you’re sliding in the polls: Priceless.

MICHAEL OWEN should be fit to play in England’s B international against Albania on May 25 despite suffering mild concussion in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Watford.

MARTIN JOL believes the fifth-placed finish in the Premiership is the best season for the club in 20 years – but has targeted more improvement next season.

MUCH was made of Liverpool topping the table for the first time in five years after this romp, but it was the manner with which Derby were dispatched that does more to suggest they can end their 18-year wait for the league title.

CHELSEA winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has been backed by his club to solve England’s problems on the right flank for the crucial double-header.

STEVE McCLAREN is facing the very real possibility of heading into the biggest week of his short reign as England coach without Steven Gerrard and David Beckham.

SUNDERLAND boss Roy Keane insists he will not lose any sleep over his £35 million summer spending spree.

ENGLISH clubs will dominate the pot of top seeds in today’s Champions League draw, but before the names are drawn out of the hat UEFA are due to announce sweeping changes to the format of the competition.

ROY KEANE will take his Sunderland squad back to basics before he takes them back to his former stamping ground Old Trafford on Saturday.

NEMANJA VIDIC is determined to hit the goal trail for Manchester United.

NORTHERN Ireland’s football authorities have once again questioned Darron Gibson’s right to play for the Republic of Ireland, despite the fact that the Derry-born Manchester United midfielder made his senior debut for Steve Staunton’s team in Denmark last week.

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has brought the curtain down on his glorious playing career with Manchester United – but his Old Trafford days are far from over.

THE Irish Examiner’s chief soccer correspondent Liam Mackey is judge, jury and executioner (Bad news for you Cork Blue) as Angry Fans — like Manchester United — begins to wake from its summer slumber.