MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes South African international Quinton Fortune will become a key figure at Old Trafford next season and beyond.

MANCHESTER United are considering whether to report Chelsea to the Premier League for poaching Peter Kenyon.

FORMER Man United and England captain Bryan Robson yesterday emerged as favourite with the punters to succeed Mick McCarthy as Republic of Ireland manager.

Mícheál Lehane,

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed Fabien Barthez as ‘the best goalkeeper in the world’ after his brilliant display against Aston Villa on Saturday.

MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gary Neville has questioned whether leaders Chelsea will be able to hold their nerve in the second half of the Premier League season and says his own club are still in the race.

MANCHESTER UNITED commercial director Andy Anson yesterday revealed Alex Ferguson has been armed with a “significant” transfer kitty to rebuild his midfield - but confirmed no new funds would be made available from the club’s new sponsorship deal.

IF only all council meetings were like this. Roy Keane and Sonia O’Sullivan were hailed by their own at a lavish ceremony in Cork City Hall yesterday afternoon and for once there wasn’t a dissenting voice to be heard.

MANCHESTER United’s 14-year reign on the London stock market ended without fanfare yesterday as US tycoon Malcolm Glazer had the soccer club de-listed.

JOHN O’SHEA made his comeback from fractured ribs in Manchester United’s reserves match against Everton last night.

IRISH rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll is facing a loss of over €40,000 after a British sports media agency went bust.

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CLAUDIO RANIERI last night urged his players to keep righting the wrongs of last season over the Christmas and new year stretch of their hugely-promising Premiership campaign.

LAURENT BLANC believes he will be learning from Rio Ferdinand this season rather than the other way round.

MANCHESTER UNITED have declared surgery on Alan Smith’s horror injury to be ‘a success’.

MAN United's Rio Ferdinand has called on his team-mates to show a winning mentality if they are to stand any chance of landing the Premiership title this season.

CELTIC and Republic of Ireland midfielder Colin Healy is determined to put the disappointment of the World Cup behind him as he aims for the European Championships.

RUMOURS linking Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan with a £7 million move for Robbie Fowler continue to rumble on, although it appears the Leeds striker’s wages may prove an immovable stumbling block.