SOHAM-ACCUSED Ian Huntley cut off Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman’s clothes as their bodies lay in a remote ditch, his lawyer said yesterday in the first of a series of “admissions”.

CONTRARY to earlier reports about the player's fitness, Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr says he expects Steve Finnan to join up with the squad in advance of the World Cup qualifiers against Israel and the Faroe Islands.

IRELAND football manager Mick McCarthy displayed flashes of passion yesterday when he lashed the use of landmines as cruel weapons that maim and kill innocent Bosnian children.

COVETED Barcelona midfielder Xavi has said he is in talks with the Catalan giants over a new contract.

A LEADING Scottish businessman has dismissed reports that it is looking to buy Dermot Desmond’s stake in Glasgow Celtic football club.

WAYNE ROONEY insists there is no crisis at Manchester United.

FREDDIE Ljungberg has admitted Arsenal’s title chances ‘do not look that great’ ahead of their “must-win” clash with Premiership leaders Chelsea at Highbury on Sunday.

MANCHESTER United Plc is bigger than David Beckham.

JOSE MOURINHO yesterday urged Scott Parker to be patient and promised the unsettled England international he would soon be given his chance to shine in Chelsea’s midfield.

MANCHESTER UNITED have rejected reports that winger Cristiano Ronaldo is stalling on contract talks.

RAFAEL BENITEZ insists he is focused on Liverpool ending the season in style rather than on securing a new deal.

THE FAI are involved in a tug-of-war with German authorities over the availability of Borussia Dortmund player Patrick Kohlman for Monday’s U-21 friendly international between Ireland and Germany in Turners Cross.

JENS LEHMANN’S penalty save will rightly earn him the glory and the headlines but Arsenal’s progress to the Champions League Final could not have been any sweeter for their under-pressure defender Sol Campbell.

ARSENE WENGER has never been one to mix his words, but admits sometimes they get lost in translation.

PAUL SCHOLES has banished the demons that haunted him for seven months and Ryan Giggs believes Manchester United’s “ginger prince” could now give Chelsea and Arsenal a severe scare.

Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 0

MANCHESTER United’s new owner Malcolm Glazer is set to hike ticket prices by more than 50% over the next five years.

ALEX FERGUSON is convinced the potent combination of youth and the predatory powers of Ruud van Nistelrooy can turn Manchester United into a European force once more.

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill insists outward-bound midfielder Liam Miller still has an important role to play for the Parkhead club before he leaves for Manchester United at the end of the season.

ALEX FERGUSON will keep Wayne Rooney straining at the leash today as Manchester United look to maintain the winning habit at Tottenham.