Urawa Red Diamonds 0 Manchester United 2

NIALL QUINN believes the exit of former Republic of Ireland team-mate Roy Keane from Manchester United was proof that Sir Alex Ferguson still rules the roost at Old Trafford.

MANCHESTER UNITED chief executive David Gill has predicted Ryan Giggs will see out the remainder of his career at Old Trafford, even though the Welshman’s contract dispute still rumbles on.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND international Colin Healy has opened talks with Aston Villa and Sunderland and his legal representative Mel Stein has warned clubs that they are looking to conclude a deal quickly.

METZ have appealed to FIFA for help to reclaim money they say they are owed by Fulham from the sale of Louis Saha to Manchester United.

ALL the talk may have been about the troubles surrounding French football but a visit to Clairefontaine is a sobering reminder that Ireland are visiting one of the great powers of world football.

ARSENE WENGER confirmed last night he is "days away" from signing a new contract that will ensure he remains Arsenal manager for at least two years after the club moves to its new Emirates Stadium.

DENIS IRWIN admitted a mouth-watering return to Old Trafford in August helped him to change his mind about retiring and to continue playing with Wolves in the Premiership.

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.

LEEDS chief executive Trevor Birch has won his latest battle with the club’s creditors by gaining a further extension of the standstill period until next Friday.

HOW many times will this be said throughout the season: where would Manchester United be without the key quartet of Keane, Nistelrooy, Scholes and Howard?

BRIAN KERR yesterday confirmed that Celtic's Liam Miller and Cardiff City's Alan Lee will be the immediate beneficiaries of the many withdrawals from the Irish team for today's match against Poland in Bydgoszcz (5.00pm Irish time).

MANCHESTER UNITED can be optimistic of landing Ronaldinho later this week but their hopes of keeping assistant-boss Carlos Queiroz appear doomed if Real Madrid confirm him as their leading managerial target.

MANCHESTER UNITED are unlikely to enter the market for a new striker before the transfer window closes - despite their injury problems.

ROY KEANE has warned that young Premiership stars should be concentrating on football rather than commercial opportunities.

ALEX FERGUSON has vowed he will not be panicked into making wholesale changes at Manchester United this summer.

GOT the summer blues following Euro 2004? Never fear, Manchester United are here. Another Premiership season is on the horizon, accompanied by another new jersey, launched in all its scarlet splendour in Dublin yesterday.

GEORGE BEST’S death yesterday will kick start a certain type of eulogy. There’ll be plenty of obituaries to read for the next few days, with the usual interchangeable ingredients: Belfast, El Beatle, Matt Busby, Miss World, Fulham, America.

THE unlikely figure of Phil Neville has emerged from a posse of Manchester United midfield hopefuls to become the natural successor to captain Roy Keane.