ACCORDING to exotic reports, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was drenched in pea soup in the tunnel after his side’s fractious encounter with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.

RYAN GIGGS has not abandoned hope of featuring in Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Newcastle on Sunday — but the odds remain heavily against the Wales skipper making the Millennium Stadium encounter.

US financier Malcolm Glazer would consider making a hostile bid for Manchester United if talks over a friendly £800 million (€1.1 billion) approach fall through, sources close to the process said yesterday.

HARRY KEWELL will not “chase money” as he weighs up his future options.

LIVERPOOL manager Gerard Houllier has defiantly brushed off reports linking skipper Steven Gerrard with a move to Arsenal and Manchester United by declaring: “You would have to cut off both my arms before I let go of him.”

BLACKBURN ROVERS have beaten Chelsea in the race for one of Irish football's brightest young talents.

LYN OSLO and Manchester United are to report agents Rune Hauge and John Shittu, plus Barclays Premiership champions Chelsea to FIFA over the John Obi Mikel transfer wrangle.

MANCHESTER UNITED’S all-American hero Tim Howard is ready to man the barricades on Sunday as Arsene Wenger’s Gunners attempt to storm the Old Trafford fortress.

VILLARREAL flew into murky Manchester on their latest Champions League mission, declaring: “We are more frightened of the weather than United.”

REPUBLIC of Ireland manager Brian Kerr has described the loss of the inspirational Roy Keane for next month’s critical World Cup qualifier against Switzerland as “a blow.”

CHELSEA have joined the chase for the signature of in-demand Brazilian Ronaldinho, who is also wanted

STEVE MCCLAREN has enjoyed his fair share of big games.

DAVID O’LEARY has installed a ring of steel at Aston Villa that is making the team difficult to beat.

IRELAND manager Brian Kerr called up three new players yesterday to plug some of the gaps left by the withdrawal of seven of his original squad for Wednesday's friendly international against Poland.

MANCHESTER UNITED are now expected to complete the signing of £6 million-rated defender Gabriel Heinze today.

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY is set to become the first victim of the ‘Battle of Old Trafford II’ but probably not the last after the FA launched an investigation into Sunday’s ‘soupgate scandal’.

DAMIEN DUFF is set to hold talks with Chelsea over a £17 million transfer after pulling out of a pre-season tour to the United States at the last minute following a club record bid.

John Chambers

PATRICK VIEIRA and Thierry Henry united to insist that Arsenal have become The Untouchables both on and off the pitch.