JOSE Mourinho and Alex Ferguson have been given an immediate opportunity to resume their war of words as the new Barclays Premiership season threatens to kick off in explosive fashion.

KIERAN RICHARDSON and Zat Knight were yesterday called up to the England squad to tour the USA later this month after Shaun Wright-Phillips and Matthew Upson withdrew with injuries.

DAMIEN DUFF has dismissed claims that he is angry with Blackburn Rovers as speculation surrounding the Premiership’s most coveted talent continues to mount.

BELEAGUERED Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan admitted he was feeling the pressure after the club's 13th Premiership match without a win.

CAMEROON international footballer Marc Vivien Foe died in Lyon yesterday after playing for his country in the Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia.

ROY KEANE is worried that unless Manchester United sign a striker during the January transfer window it could fatally undermine their defence of the Premiership title.

JOHN Obi Mikel climbed off the bench to inspire Nigeria to a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe in the African Nations Cup in Egypt last night.

OUTSPOKEN FIFA president Sepp Blatter has blocked Rio Ferdinand’s path to civil action over his eight-month ban imposed for missing a drugs test.

FORMER France international Jean-Pierre Papin has claimed he held discussions about becoming Manchester United’s assistant manager.

LEEDS yesterday rejected two offers from Manchester United for star striker Alan Smith.

RIO FERDINAND has two weeks to decide whether to appeal against the eight-month ban imposed on him by an independent three-man disciplinary commission for failing to take a drugs test.

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1

GEORGE BEST flew back to England yesterday and, after a meeting with his mother-in-law, checked into a health spa.

Sparta Prague 0 Man Utd 0

ROY KEANE'S future with the Irish soccer squad lies firmly between himself and Mick McCarthy after Football Association of Ireland (FAI) management ruled out intervening in the dispute between the two in their upcoming inquiry into the association's World Cup preparations.

JOHN Terry has warned the chasing pack at the top of the Barclays Premiership to prepare themselves for the slow realisation they will not stop Chelsea from lifting the title for the second successive season.

TWO OF European football’s most famous defenders made their presence felt at the other end of the pitch with two goals apiece in Spain and Italy.

IF Manchester United’s latest league win has sent them into their Old Trafford showdown with Real Madrid in confident mood, it also emphasised how difficult it will be trying to cope without the influence of suspended Paul Scholes.

ARSENE WENGER has warned his Arsenal side not to allow their double ambitions to be wrecked by over-confidence ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United.