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.

ARSENAL and Manchester United will avoid Spanish opposition in today’s draw for the Champions League group stage after retaining their place among the elite group of top seeds.

ROY KEANE yesterday stressed that his return to international duty after a two-year absence was to help Ireland qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006.

MANCHESTER UNITED remains the world’s largest football club off the pitch with annual revenues of e251m, according to a survey of sports businesses by Deloitte.

REPUBLIC of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane still intends to end his career in 18 months’ time - despite his recent impressive form for club and country.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal could be on a collision course over the rescheduling of their crucial Premier League fixture at Highbury.