Champions League

MANCHESTER UNITED stars partied for days after winning the Champions League in 1999.Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt revealed they did not sleep for 48 hours after the Red Devils beat Bayern Munich in Barcelona.Paul Scholes did not sleep for two days after winning the Champions LeagueCredit: YouTube/Football’s GreatestNicky Butt also partied for daysThe pair were part of the famous Class of 92 that helped United win the TrebleCredit: Getty – ContributorUnited won the final at the Nou Camp in BarcelonaCredit: GettyAfter lifting the trophy the players travelled back to the hotel where they met friends and families before embarking on the biggest of all parties.Scholes revealed his partying continued into the morning – hours before he flew back to Manchester with the rest of the squad.Butt recalled the story on the Football’s Greatest show, saying: “From that minute we got into the party I think that was a two-day party bender.”Scholes then interjected, adding: “I was going to say I don’t think I went to bed…I was still walking around Barcelona until half seven in the morning the day after with my dad and his mate.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”We were in a bar around the corner from a hotel at 7:30am, we were flying in two hours.”Butt was in the same boat as his team-mate as the party took hold.He continued: “I didn’t go to bed either. I remember having the medal around my neck and my suit on for three days.”We must have been stinking. Champagne on you, we just didn’t go to bed.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe fun did not stop there as once back in Manchester they were greeted by hoards of supporters for the trophy parade.Scholes admitted he was “virtually asleep” sitting at the back of the bus during the parade while Butt continued celebrating for two more days as nobody wanted to stop.Paul Scholes reveals Sir Alex Ferguson had Eighties pop icon training with Man Utd More

MANCHESTER UNITED could be in for a nice surprise this season according to a supercomputer which has predicted the final Prem table.The Red Devils have had an inconsistent start to their campaign and find themselves 11th with just seven points from five matches.Erik ten Hag could lead Man Utd back into the Champions League this seasonCredit: AlamyArsenal are expected to dip following their impressive points tally last seasonCredit: PABut their fortunes could be about to change, despite being held to a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace in a match that could have ended in defeat.After the latest round of fixtures Bettingexpert’s supercomputer, BETSiE, ran it’s algorithm to predict how the final Premier League table will look.It placed United fifth, which could be enough to secure them Champions League football if England rise from third to second in Uefa’s co-efficient table.Italy and Germany grabbed the extra places for this year’s expanded Champions League, but a strong performance from English clubs in Europe could benefit whoever finishes fifth.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHowever it is set to be a closely run race with the supercomputer tipping United to beat Villa to fifth spot by just one point, and Tottenham by two.That means Chelsea could sneak into fourth spot, which would guarantee Champions League qualification.The Blues are unbeaten in four games after beating West Ham 3-0, with another result over the weekend leading to a startling prediction at the top of the table.Manchester City snatched a draw at home to Arsenal in a tight match that many anticipated.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWe thought games like this had been lostSunSport’s NEIL CUSTIS hails chaotic Man City vs Arsenal clash as a return to the Premier League of yesteryear.FOR two teams who have done so much to take the game forward this really was a tremendous throwback.We thought these games had been lost.Real feisty encounters between two rivals fighting for the top honours.How we used to love it when Manchester United came up against Arsenal when Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were in charge.When Roy Keane, watching on as a TV pundit here, used to clash with Patrick Vieira before a ball had been kicked.The Manchester derbies used to have it as well.In fact that were clashes everywhere throughout the league.Since then the emphasis on the beauty of the game, the tactical side, the ball playing centre-back, the false nine, the inverted full-backs have all come to the fore.But English football still loves something like this.Compare this to the two matches between this pair last season not least the really STALEmate here.Then along comes a blood and thunder classic.A match to set the tone for what we all hope will be a real title tussle to the end but with that added edge.While these two managers maybe good friends who knows we may even get the niggly comments in pre-match press conferences about each others teams.We knew we were in for something a bit different as straight from the kick-off Kai Havertz charged into Rodri and left him flawed.The first players’ melee ensued.Foreign coaches often scratch their heads as to why English crowds love stuff like this.Love a thumping tackle, or a bit of a barney.How that as much as any sweeping move gets them to the edge of their seats and there was plenty of that here.Jurrien Timber was employed on the right to combat the pace of Jeremy Doku.SO Doku just charged into him and floored him.Rodri was clearly seen as one of City’s key men so at a corner Thoams Party followed up Havertz’s early example and caught him behind the knee, and the player hobbled out of the action.Gabriel and Erling Haaland was a classic battle between a big centre-forward and an Arsenal centre-back who performs like greats of old like Tony Adams and Martin Keown.A player for whom a thumping tackle warrants the same high fives or celebrations as something defining at the other end of the pitch.Haaland did brilliantly to pull away William Saliba and slip behind Gabriel for his goal.Gabriel will have been fuming having kept the big Norwegian so quiet last season.He barely gave him another sniff of goal, barring a second-half header saved, as he stuck to him, the pair often pushing and shoving one another as Haaland became frustrated with his shadow.Leandro Trossard did not get his second yellow and therefore the only red for the actual barge on Bernardo as everyone first thought but for kicking the ball away after that.Both technical areas were a flurry of arm waving and shouting from the two managers.The staff on the two benches started having a go at each other and Guardiola had to intervene.In the press box one of Arsenal’s technical staff was losing it.As Arsenal players went down with cramp and played for time the boos went up.The fourth official was getting in the ear.Michael Oliver was being told he was not fit to referee by a large section of the home support.When Arsenal fans were spotted in the posh seats having been in the expensive tunnel club City fans shouted and pointed to try and get them ejected.Right at the end after City’s dramatic equaliser and the game restarted Haaland barged into Partey and every player on the pitch got involved even the two goalkeepers.At the final whistle the ref was harrangued.On the touchline Guardiola and Arteta hugged.The two sides have fought for the title in the last two years with City coming out on top twice, and the supercomputer thinks history will repeat itself.However unlike last year when the title race went down to the final day with City pipping Arsenal to top by just two points, this time around the Gunners are expected to finish eight points off.Man Utd Player Ratings vs Crystal PalaceMikel Arteta’s side managed 89 points last season but the supercomputer predicts they will get just 77 this campaign, finishing one point and one place above Liverpool. 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