ALEX FERGUSON has built his career on a ruthless competitive streak and the Manchester United manager made it clear that he will not let sentiment get in the way against Rangers, the team he supported as a boy and played for as a young man.

ALEX FERGUSON maintains Manchester United will not “run away” from the challenge of regaining the Barclays Premiership title.

Simon Stone hears ex-Ajax coach road test two Dutch vans.

ARSENE WENGER answered Alex Ferguson’s taunt that Arsenal would struggle to fill their new stadium by insisting the increased capacity would make them one of the richest clubs in the world.

Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were “loyal to each other”, very popular and good friends who would have felt secure in their home town, their murder trial heard yesterday.

PSV EINDHOVEN are one clean sheet away from their first semi-final in Europe’s premier club competition since 1988 when they host French champions Olympique Lyon tonight at the Philips Stadium.

ALEX FERGUSON headed back to Manchester on Saturday with his temper vastly improved, after Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes teamed up to dash Newcastle’s hopes of a famous victory.

ENGLAND skipper David Beckham will be in plaster for up to eight weeks following confirmation that he fractured the scaphoid on his right hand during England’s 2-1 friendly win over South Africa.

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger: “It is a big loss for United and it takes time for a team to adjust to the loss of a player like that. It was a complete surprise, although he looked recently more and more disenchanted with his partners in the team so maybe it’s not as big a surprise as it might look.

PHIL BABB will make his Sunderland debut in France tonight when Peter Reid's players take a break from their pre-season training programme.

SUPERSUB Diego Forlan is now providing Manchester United with the sweetest of dreams — for Chelsea the South American is a recurring nightmare.

ALEX FERGUSON has written off Gabriel Heinze’s chances of appearing in next summer’s World Cup Finals.

JOSE MOURINHO is determined not to become embroiled in psychological warfare with Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.

MANCHESTER UNITED striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has apologised to his Holland team-mates after he was involved in a skirmish with defender Ron Vlaar during a training session yesterday.

ARSENE WENGER still insists that Arsenal’s powers of recovery means the Premiership title race will go to the wire.

JOHN MAGNIER and JP McManus increased their stake in Manchester United just a week after reports said they were preparing to dispose their entire holding.

Man Utd 1 Tottenham 1

Birmingham 1 Manchester United 3

MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has applauded Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho for confounding the critics during his first few months in charge.