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.

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.

DANNY SIMPSON is hoping a few training ground tussles with Cristiano Ronaldo will help him cope with Coventry in the Carling Cup tonight.

AVRAM GRANT has voiced his disappointment at the FA’s decision to reject Chelsea’s appeal against Mikel John Obi’s sending off against Manchester United on Sunday.

ARSENAL CHAIRMAN Peter Hill-Wood has dismissed Chelsea’s plans to become Britain’s biggest club as “fantasy”.

There was an onus on the Taoiseach to explain all the circumstances to the tribunal, but this did not happen, writes Political Editor Harry McGee.

MICHAEL CARRICK believes defence could turn out to be the best form of attack for Manchester United this season.

AS CHELSEA try to contain the fall-out from Jose Mourinho’s shock departure, Manchester United chief executive David Gill has confirmed Alex Ferguson will remain at Old Trafford for a few years yet.

ALEX FERGUSON has launched a bitter attack on Joe Cole for the tackle he felt should have seen Chelsea reduced to nine men at Old Trafford yesterday.

STICKING two fingers up at one with such a fearsome reputation as Roy Keane would be, you might imagine, a foolish move.

THE COMPUTER that spits out the Premier League fixtures was cruel to Portsmouth, who have already faced the big four of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.