Manchester United's crucial Premiership clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford next Wednesday is to be screened live by Sky television. It will kick off at 8.0 p.m. rather than 7.45 p.m. as originally planned and will be one of two live matches on the same night, with ITV also covering the second leg of Leicester and Sunderland's Worthington Cup semi-final.

United, meanwhile, aim to reward manager Alex Ferguson for his success by making him the best-paid manager in Britain. The United board has opened preliminary negotiations with Ferguson's advisers over a three-year deal worth a reported £5 million.

This deal would eclipse the £1 million-a-year Ferguson currently earns at Old Trafford, including his bonuses, and make the 57-year-old the highest-paid boss in the country. United chairman Martin Edwards had said that contract talks would not begin until the summer, but the club has moved now after the English FA identified Ferguson as a contender for the England manager's job.

Peter Reid has signed a two-year extension to his contract as Sunderland manager. The new deal will tie him to the runaway first division leaders until June 2001. Former Everton and England star Reid took over on Wearside in March 1995 and guided the club to promotion to the Premiership in his first full season.

Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy is set to return to his former club Crewe on a month's loan this week. The 21-year-old has been unable to break into the Anfield first team since his £1.5 million move from Gresty Road in August 1997.

Italian striker Alessandro Melli has joined Nottingham Forest on trial and will line up for the Premiership strugglers in today's friendly at Scunthorpe. The 29-year-old former Parma and AC Milan player is spending a few days at the City Ground and hopes to persuade boss Ron Atkinson he is good enough to make the grade.

Danish striker Bo Hansen has agreed to join Bolton from Brondby for £1 million, pending a successful medical. The 26-year-old, leading scorer for the Danish champions with 12 goals, has been a long-term target for Bolton boss Colin Todd and impressed on a week's trial last month.

PFA Brendon Batson has defended Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore and urged his critics to show sympathy as he battles to recover from stress-related problems. Collymore has been readmitted to the Priory Clinic at Roehampton for a further week of stress counselling.