Building work begins on Manchester's massive new indoor music and sports arena

straight to your inboxManchester City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes appears to be a doubt for Sunday's match against Chelsea and the Manchester Derby on Wednesday.Pep Guardiola 's men face Manchester United at Old Trafford during the week in a Carabao Cup semi-final clash, and they could be without their number one. Ederson has said he is self-isolating, putting him at risk of missing the clash with Manchester United in just four days' time.

direct to your inboxFive years ago, a photograph taken outside the Arndale in Manchester city centre became an internet sensation.The image, taken on Well Street by Joel Goodman captured in the early hours of New Year's Day 2016, captured something quintessentially Manc.A man, later identified as Mike Deveney, stole the show.Sprawled in the street reaching for a bottle of lager with his belly out, he would soon be recognised by people around the world.Nearby, police grapple with a reveller,

direct to your inboxThe streets were empty as Greater Manchester said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in a new year - but many were determined to keep alive at least one tradition.Our video from Werneth Low shows how many parts of Greater Manchester were ablaze with colour as people set off fireworks at midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2021.Around 200 socially distanced people gathered on the popular spot to watch the moment our region said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in the New Year.Car horns

direct to your inboxIt has been a year like no other.However Great Mancunians have still made headlines across the world, for all sorts of reasons.Here we look at those who have put the region on the map in 2020, a year we will never forget.2020 has undoubtedly belonged to Manchester United and England star Marcus Rashford.However it is his incredible work off the pitch which has made the headlines, even more than his impressive goal-scoring feats on it.The Withington-born and Wythenshawe raised

direct to your inbox"It's absolutely gut-wrenching."Hair salon owner Jane Nixon describes how she felt as Matt Hancock announced that Greater Manchester would be moving into Tier 4.And it's a feeling thousands of business owners across the region will be familiar with.A change in restrictions, businesses finally being allowed to open then being forced to shut again just a few weeks later.

straight to your inbox every day for freeMatch of the Day pundits Ian Wright and Micah Richards heaped praise on three Manchester United players after their 1-0 win over Wolves.The Reds edged a tight game thanks to Marcus Rashford's last-gasp deflected goal, with the victory moving them up to second in the table and just two points off Liverpool.Rashford's performance on the wing after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer switched the forward's position gained praise from Ian Wright.The popular pundit also

direct to your inboxDoctors and paramedics say they are bracing themselves for a new tide of Covid patients to hit Greater Manchester's hospitals within weeks. Speaking as plans for the region's move to Tier 4 were announced and the return to school for secondary pupils was delayed, Dr Carole Gavin, a consultant in Greater Manchester, said concerns were growing as hospitals in the south battle to find beds as infection rates - largely found to be caused by the new mutant strain - rise.

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United are set to trigger the one-year extension in Edinson Cavani's contract and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is open to keeping him beyond the end of next season.Cavani, 33, joined United on deadline day in October on a deal until the end of the current campaign with the option of an additional year that rests with the club.The Uruguayan came on at half-time to assist Bruno Fernandes at Leicester on Boxing Day and lashed in United's winner in

direct to your inboxTwo men from Greater Manchester who won £20,000 on the hit BBC show Race Across the World have donated their prize money to charity.Emon Choudhury, 36, from Stockport, beat four other teams to win the race alongside his nephew Jamiul Choudhury, 25, from Oldham.The pair beat the odds to complete an epic 54-day journey from Mexico City to the south of Argentina for the second series of the BBC2 show.On their travels, the men were visibly moved by the number of homeless children

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United fans believe that the club could potentially win the Premier League title if they sign David Alaba in the January transfer window. Although United's Champions League campaign ended in disappointment with an early exit, their form in the league has been excellent in recent weeks.

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan has sent a message to Kai Rooney upon his signing for the Reds. Kai is the son of United great Wayne Rooney, who starred for the club from 2004 to 2017.Rooney's son may only be 11 years of age but he is already on the books at United after signing this week, with the former England international sharing a picture on Twitter of himself with Kai and his wife Coleen at Old Trafford."Proud day.

straight to your inboxManchester City have given a Christmas present to every primary school kid in East Manchester and every child in in care across the whole city.Staff, players and coaches have paid for, wrapped and delivered more than 5,500 gifts.And with the coronavirus pandemic meaning the traditional Christmas visits to hospitals are off the cards, stars including Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne have been video calling patients on children's wards at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital,

straight to your inbox every day for freeOle Gunnar Solskjaer accepts he may have to temporarily break up the defensive partnership of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof to protect them from injury.Maguire, 27, became the first Manchester United outfield player since Gary Pallister in 1994-95 to play every minute in a Premier League campaign last season and he has not missed a minute in their 12 league games this term.Lindelof, 26, has partnered Maguire in all but one league match - the 6-1

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United will play Aston Villa at 8pm on New Year's Day after all five of their Premier League fixtures in January were moved for live TV coverage.The Premier League have confirmed that every fixture in January will be shown live on Sky Sports, BT Sport or Amazon Prime.United bring in 2021 with that clash against Villa at Old Trafford, one of only two games on New Year's Day, and could have a Carabao Cup semi-final in the following midweek if

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United players will be "taking the p***" out of Paul Pogba over the latest transfer speculation surrounding his future, according to former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch.Pogba has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with his agent, Mino Raiola, recently confirming that the France international wanted to leave the club.

straight to your inbox every day for freeBrandon Williams put himself forward to play in Manchester United's Under-23s derby against Man City to build his own match fitness. That was revealed by U23s boss Neil Wood after United and City played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday.

direct to your inboxBrilliant footage shows how Manchester was transformed into 1980s New York for The Crown. Parts of the latest installment of the award-winning  Netflix  series were filmed at locations in the city centre back in February.