Major shareholders of Manchester United may take control of the club, the Observer newspaper reported, citing unidentified bankers.

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 1 (Man Utd win 4-3 on penalties)

MOST everything Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have said over the last few days about the Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is correct.

SHARES in Manchester United fell yesterday after rumours of a possible meeting between its Irish investors JP McManus and John Magnier and the club's second-largest shareholder to discuss a potential takeover were dismissed.

CHARLTON striker Darren Bent was handed his first senior England call-up after Alan Smith turned down the chance of being selected — to play for Manchester United reserves.

CELTIC skipper Paul Lambert has vowed that the Scottish side’s humbling loss to Manchester United will not affect their preparations for the new season.

LIVERPOOL had to call on skipper Steven Gerrard as they struggled to break down a brave TNS side in the second leg of their Champions League first qualifier last night.

NORTHERN IRELAND manager Sammy McIlroy has been given permission to talk to Second Division Stockport County about taking over the vacant manager’s position at Edgeley Park.

Cobh Ramblers are hoping to raise in excess of €50,000 from the club’s fixture with a Roy Keane Manchester United XI at Turners Cross on July 17.

GRIEVING but dignified, the family of George Best faced the world’s media only moments after he died.

NEWCASTLE manager Graeme Souness will re-live some of his most bitter football memories when he sends his team out against Dinamo Tbilisi in the UEFA Cup tonight.

Wigan 1 Tottenham 2

Arsenal 1 Tottenham 0

NEWCASTLE chairman Freddy Shepherd has pulled out of a trip to Madrid after his hopes of signing Michael Owen appeared to recede.

Sven-Goran Eriksson is hoping Rio Ferdinand will have his drugs ban cut so he can play for England at Euro 2004 this summer.

MANCHESTER UNITED manager Alex Ferguson yesterday confirmed he is weighing up whether to sign another striker before the transfer window shuts at the end of August.

IT WAS a good week to be German, less enjoyable for the Italians.

DAMIEN DUFF last night put Ireland’s concerns at rest when he reported to play in Wednesday’s challenge game against Bulgaria at Lansdowne Road.

THE man himself may have headed further north but the producers of I, Keano are confident that enough of his aura lingers in Manchester to ensure the musical’s success when it hits the boards in the city in just over a month.

IT’S hard to comprehend all the whingeing about the takeover of Manchester United.