LIVERPOOL can only do what they have been doing – winning their matches – but the chances of Manchester United slipping up are getting slimmer and I’ll be very surprised if the title hasn’t been reclaimed by them by this time next week.

YURI ZHIRKOV last night flew to London in order to undergo a medical with Chelsea as his £18 million (€21m) switch to the London outfit moved a step closer according to reports in his native Russia.

PAUL INCE has returned to MK Dons for his second spell as manager little more than a year after leaving for Blackburn, the club have announced.

BOBBY CHARLTON yesterday led the tributes at the funeral of fellow “Busby Babe” and Manchester United legend Albert Scanlon.

PATRICK VIEIRA has wasted little time in antagonising the red half of Manchester following his move to Manchester City after claiming champions United are ‘on the wane’ and can be caught by their local rivals.

BSkyB has not ruled out entering the broadband market in Ireland, but will keep plans to roll out its Sky Broadband product here on ice until significant changes are seen in the market.

SUNDAY’S Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United will be the world’s first live 3D TV sports broadcast, Sky said yesterday.

BARCELONA winger Alexander Hleb insists he has no regrets about moving to the Nou Camp but admits he is not playing as well as he did at Arsenal.

TOTTENHAM defender Jonathan Woodgate has declared himself fit for Wembley this weekend and believes his side are poised to upset the odds and defeat Manchester United in the Carling Cup.

INTER MILAN have denied allegations that coach Jose Mourinho assaulted a fan after Wednesday night’s Champions League tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

CARLOS TEVEZ has dropped his clearest hint yet he will leave Manchester United when his two-year “loan” expires next month.

A COLLECTION of medals and trophies awarded to footballing genius George Best are going under the hammer.

BARCELONA have short-listed their summer transfer targets and have targeted Manchester United’s Republic of Ireland defender John O’Shea, according to Spanish media reports.

PAUL TIERNEY is out of the Republic of Ireland’s European U21 Championship qualifier against Albania this afternoon.

LIVERPOOL striker Milan Baros believes the Reds can still overtake rivals Everton for a place in the Champions League and is confident they will challenge the ‘big three’ for the title next season.

SAM ALLARDYCE believes that if players run up huge gambling debts their career can go downhill “no matter who you are”.

SUNDERLAND striker Stephen Elliott is gunning for Arsenal tonight after grabbing his third goal in four games.

RIO FERDINAND is adamant that Manchester United supporters “deserve a lot more” from the team next year after a season of underachievement.

THE seemingly endless debate over whether Nicolas Anelka should be recalled to the France squad took another twist yesterday with Les Bleus coach Jacques Santini accusing the Manchester City striker of damaging his side’s bid to win Euro 2004.

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger maintains gambling is a matter purely for the individual, but accepted it can become a “negative” influence on players if taken to extremes.