Toure was not impressed by the small celebrations that the club produced including presenting him with a cake for this 31st birthday during the flight to Abu Dhabi.

United turned to Netherlands manager Van Gaal, who guided Ajax to a Champions League triumph over AC Milan in 1995, this week having sacked Moyes in April.

Builder Josh Gillibrand, 23, has alleged Moyes grabbed him around the neck and threw him to the floor in a during a bar-room brawl in Clitheroe

The Manchester match-up shows Nicky Butt, brothers Phil and Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes donning their hi-vis jackets to go steel toe-to-toe with the workmen on top of the high-rise Hotel Football near Old Trafford.

Football-mad fans got a chance to play the part of a Premier League player for the day in the Christie Dream Team Cup at Old Trafford yesterday.

Reportedly Moyes had been drinking at the Emporium wine bar in Clitheroe when the alleged incident occurred at around 10pm on Wednesday evening.

The supporter-owned club launched a two-month campaign, called Kit-It-Out, to raise an initial £26,000, which has almost doubled to £51,395 after a huge wave of support

John Patrick Acquaviva, twice Venezuelan national freestyle football champion, now lives in Manchester

Will Manchester United spend the funds they need to in order to get back to the top of the Premier League or will their owners think twice about spending so much?

Louis van Gaal has been appointed as Manchester United manager after weeks of speculation following David Moyes’ sacking.

The 40-year-old has made 963 appearances for United in a career spanning more than 24 years