NEWS ROUND UP
From the MEN:
Liam Miller is itching for the chance to prove he is capable of making his United breakthrough.
So far he has made just three Premiership starts and his only appearance this season was as a substitute in the Champions League qualifying triumph over Debrecen in Budapest last month.
There have been suggestions Miller might be allowed to leave during the January transfer window, with struggling Sunderland among those believed to be interested in the 24-year-old midfielder.
The Cork-born star proved he is hitting form with a well-taken double on reserve team duty against Stockport on Monday and when his first-team chance does come, he is determined to seize it.
“There will be so many games this year, hopefully I will get an opportunity and then I have to take it,” Miller told MUTV.
“I am training with great professionals every day and am trying to take everything on board and learn from it
So far he has made just three Premiership starts and his only appearance this season was as a substitute in the Champions League qualifying triumph over Debrecen in Budapest last month.
There have been suggestions Miller might be allowed to leave during the January transfer window, with struggling Sunderland among those believed to be interested in the 24-year-old midfielder.
The Cork-born star proved he is hitting form with a well-taken double on reserve team duty against Stockport on Monday and when his first-team chance does come, he is determined to seize it.
“There will be so many games this year, hopefully I will get an opportunity and then I have to take it,” Miller told MUTV.
“I am training with great professionals every day and am trying to take everything on board and learn from it
From the Sun:
Freddie Flintoff has revealed how one rival all-rounder upstaged him at every turn when they played for the Lancashire youth team — England soccer star Phil Neville.
Neville was a fantastic cricketer before making his millions as a footballer with Manchester United and Everton.
And Freddie says he barely got a look-in when he joined the Under-13 team Neville dominated.
He said: “I was quickly brought down to earth. I was in the same side as Phil Neville and Mark Chilton, who became a team-mate of mine at Lancashire.
“They were so good I didn’t get much of an opportunity batting at No 5. Phil would bowl teams out and Mark would knock the runs off.
“Watching them play gave you an idea of what a good player looked like, especially Phil. He opened the batting and the bowling. But he was a passionate Manchester United supporter. I don’t suppose he regrets his decision.”
From the Mirror:
Liverpool last night vowed they would fight to keep Rafael Benitez out of Real Madrid's clutches. In a sign of their commitment to their Champions League-winning manager, Liverpool have promised him a £15million transfer kitty in January.
As exclusively revealed by Mirror Sport, Real are eyeing up Benitez to take over at the Bernabeu if coach Wanderlei Luxemburgo cannot turn around the club's faltering season.
And the end for the Brazilian could be imminent. Madrid president Florentino Perez will not tolerate any more poor results after losing two of their three opening three games and being thrashed 3-0 by Lyon in the Champions League.