NEWCASTLE chairman Freddy Shepherd has warned off potential suitors of their Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given as the January transfer window approaches.

Birmingham 2 Arsenal 1

Crystal Palace 0 Chelsea 2

OLE Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping to extend his Manchester United career beyond the end of his current contract in 2006.

GARY NEVILLE fears the ‘diver’ taunt, levelled at him by referee Graham Poll, has turned him into a marked man among the men in black.

THE FIRST day of Rio Ferdinand’s disciplinary hearing ended in a wall of silence at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium last night.

West Brom 2 Man Utd 0

KEVIN NOLAN is Merseyside’s new hero, but he doesn’t believe the adulation will last until the weekend.

NEWCASTLE boss Bobby Robson last night confirmed that the club has launched a double bid to take Jonathan Woodgate and Kleberson to St James’ Park.

GARY NEVILLE has lashed out at the Football Association, claiming Soho Square chiefs want robotic players who are devoid of passion.

GABRIEL HEINZE could be back in training with Manchester United by the beginning of April.

MANCHESTER UNITED will face the biggest challenge of their footballing lives trying to rescue a Champions League semi-final place at Old Trafford in 13 days.

FIVE days to the start of the Premiership season and already the mud is flying like a muck-spreader on overtime.

ALEX FERGUSON sat with arms folded in the dugout, a look of utter bemusement on his face.

Manchester Utd 1

ANDY O'BRIEN believes that Newcastle United will miss controversial striker Craig Bellamy whose very public falling-out with manager Graeme Souness resulted in his departure on loan to Celtic.

ALEX FERGUSON let the transfer deadline pass without adding to his vast array of Manchester United stars but happy that everyone else was sharing the same playing field.