* The NOTW quote a Sunderland 'insider' who claims that Nicky Butt will swap Newcastle for Sunderland. £1m apparently.
* Reuters:
Muslim and Christian leaders in Oslo scrapped a soccer match meant to foster understanding between religions on Saturday after the imams refused to play a team that included women priests.
The imams said physical contact with women would be inappropriate, NRK public television said, and the Norwegian Christians refused a proposal of a male-only clash. The match was to have followed talks meant to build bridges between faiths in Norway.
"Some say that bodily contact is the problem. It leads to special feelings that can lead to something forbidden," imam Senaid Kobilica told NRK public television in explanation.
A woman priest from Norway's Lutheran state church, who was part of the Christian team, said that barring women from the pitch would be discrimination.
"It's disappointing because it means deciding to sacrifice someone from one's own side -- women, who historically are those who have had to give way," priest Kjersti Oestland Tveit said. "It's a setback for sexual equality in 2007."
Her objection prompted the Christian captain to cancel the match. "There are both men and women priests in Oslo, and you can't have a dialogue in which everyone can take part and then have a game where only men are allowed," Trond Bakkevig said.
* Steve Coppell, after Reading lost to a Watford side in Ben Foster starred:
"I don't want to talk about Europe. In fact, I don't want to talk about anything.
"Yes, Ben was fantastic, but I'm all against the loan system. The whole thing is wrong. You should start and finish a season with the same players. The system plays into the hands of the big clubs. If you have to have loan players they should only be those without first-team experience." Despite that unusual outburst, Coppell said he had great respect for Watford "who have remained competitive despite their defeats". It was certainly so yesterday.
* Mr Pot, meet Mrs Kettle:
RI fave Ashley Cole calls Arsenal fans 'stupid':
"At the Carling Cup final I was getting stick from the Arsenal fans, but hopefully I had the last laugh. It's stupid that they're still going on about it."
* Vieira praises Keane:
"I don't know whether I want to go into club management because of all the time you spend away from home, but what he has done is fantastic.
''He has this presence, this passion for the game, and he has the charisma that is essential when you start as a manager. All the fights we had in games were about respect as well as rivalry. All the papers and the fans loved it as well. I liked to play against him because he was tough and you always want to play against the best in your position. So I was always excited when I played against Manchester United and I expect he was the same when he played against Arsenal."