SOUTHAMPTON’S players have despaired over the failure to overturn striker Peter Crouch’s ban for the crucial final match of the season but goalkeeper Antti Niemi has urged the team to play their way out of trouble.

PATRICK VIEIRA last night delivered a damning assessment of Arsenal’s Champions League exit, admitting: “We weren’t good enough — we have to improve.”

CHARLTON boss Alan Curbishley has paid tribute to Arsene Wenger for taking Arsenal to the brink of dominating the Premiership on a cut-price budget.

ONE minute he’s deified, the next he’s crucified. So what makes one of soccer’s most controversial figures tick?

BOBBY ROBSON admitted Lomana LuaLua was "the last player we wanted to score against us" after the on-loan Newcastle striker grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser for Portsmouth against the Magpies at Fratton Park yesterday.

THE death of soccer legend George Best marks the poignant end of an era that produced one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY intends to extend his stay at Manchester United as long as possible.

THE Premier League have replaced referee Andy D’Urso for next Monday’s match between Manchester United and Everton.

LEEDS chairman Trevor Birch yesterday demanded a united front from all within Elland Road after securing the club's future until the end of the season.

JOSE MOURINHO is adamant there is no chance of Chelsea suffering a post-Old Trafford hangover like Arsenal did last season.

THE incoming chief executive of the Football Association, Brian Barwick, yesterday distanced himself from claims made by the former BBC director general Greg Dyke that he “hates” Manchester United.

PORTSMOUTH chairman Milan Mandaric’s chances of bringing in Neil Warnock as manager have been hit after Sheffield United signalled their intentions to keep him at Bramall Lane.

POTENTIAL punishments for England international defender Rio Ferdinand, who missed a drugs test in September, will be one of the topics discussed by FIFA’s sports medical committee later today.

MANCHESTER UNITED’s recent scoring record in the Champions League hardly inspires confidence ahead of their decisive match against Benfica in a fortnight - but Rio Ferdinand insists the team’s strikers bear comparison with any in the world.

MANCHESTER City striker Jon Macken and Bolton midfielder Kevin Nolan are still on the wanted list of Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr.

REAL MADRID president Florentino Perez is an expert businessman, but he still has a lot to learn about football.

CELTIC insisted last night that Liam Miller has turned his back on a deal which would make him one of the best-paid young players in Scottish football history to go to Manchester United.

ALEX FERGUSON has admitted he did have a row with skipper Roy Keane at Manchester United’s pre-season training camp in Portugal last month.