ANDY REID will not be available for Steve Staunton's first Irish squad, after the Spurs winger suffered the recurrence of a knee ligament injury at Fulham on Tuesday night.

NEW Newcastle boss Graeme Souness will enlist the help of Alan Shearer and his senior team-mates as he attempts to get to grips with the St James’ Park “Brat Pack.”

JERZY DUDEK has tried to banish thoughts of last season’s disastrous game against Manchester United at Anfield from his memory.

SOL CAMPBELL could make a dramatic return for Arsenal in time for tomorrow’s crucial Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven in Holland, even though manager Arsene Wenger has vowed not to rush him back.

ALMOST two years ago to the day, under the closed roof of the Millennium Stadium, Manchester United launched their latest star signing on an unsuspecting domestic audience. Typically he marked his entrance with a goal.

TO QUOTE that master foot-mouthist Samuel Goldwyn: this Christmas is like déjà vu all over again.

MILLWALL assistant manager Ray Wilkins insists the side can pull off the greatest shock in FA Cup final history in Saturday’s final against his former club, Manchester United.

STEVEN GERRARD has finally signed a new contract at Liverpool which will keep him at Anfield until the summer of 2007.

CHELSEA’S French defender William Gallas believes he will never be considered one of the best central defenders in the world because he is being played out of position by coach Jose Mourinho.

CARLOS QUEIROZ has shrugged off the personal criticism he has attracted for Manchester United’s below-par start to the season and insisted it is the day people stop talking about the club he will start to worry.

The Republic of Ireland Under 19s will face England in a friendly international at Turner’s Cross, Cork on Thursday, September 9.

ROY KEANE says the current Manchester United squad is the strongest he's known at Old Trafford.

Celtic and Rangers aim to emulate Manchester United by launching their own TV channels.

ALEX FERGUSON will hand Wayne Rooney his Manchester United debut tonight knowing he has blown his entire 2005 transfer budget on the £27m England striker.

FIFA PRESIDENT Sepp Blatter yesterday promised he will not let a celebration match between France and Brazil in May interfere with preparations for the FA Cup final — but he signalled his belief there are too many domestic games in England.

RED, not blue, is the colour if you want to win, according to anthropologists from the University of Durham in England, who claim that wearing red gives contestants in competitive sports a distinct advantage.

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