Viewers on ITV voted with their feet in poll over starting berth with Sterling winning by a landslide.

Roy Hodgson’s side go into the campaign with lower expectations than usual, although optimism is starting to creep in alongside the increasing appearances of the St George’s Cross and Adrian Chiles.

The Dutch captain is expected to start at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador in a repeat of the 2010 final which saw the men in orange beaten in extra-time.

Manchester divorce and family lawyer Ros Bever said fans who spend too much time watching the tournament in Brazil could find themselves without a teammate come its conclusion in July

With World Cup fever gripping the nation, Greater Manchester Police are bracing themselves for the ‘inevitable’ number of alcohol-related city centre incidents the tournament will cause.

Manchester City Council are turning a flowerbed outside the Etihad red to raise awareness of National Blood Week.

Manchester City’s partner club Down Under Melbourne City are continuing to add star quality to their squad with the signing of Damien Duff.

Welshman Giggs envisages good times under the new regime though it may well be a few years yet until he takes on a management himself after a career that included a record 963 appearances for the Old Trafford club.

TitanBet are offering one lucky fan the chance to travel to Brazil for the World Cup this summer.

Manchester ensemble X England Managers are looking to score with Brazil or Bust ahead of the 2014 tournament which kicks off next week.

Louis van Gaal, who in nine days time will watch on as the Dutch take on Spain in their World Cup opener, heads to Brazil hoping to land the 1988 European champions their first Jules Rimet trophy.