George Best scored in '68 but United lost to City in that title duel. Denis Law back-heeled them down in '74. Ian Herbert savours the history

The Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has admitted he is not happy with his form despite closing in on his best-ever scoring return.

This is the time of year when leads are lost, fans cry and dreams die. As Manchester City approach their moment of truth, we examine five sides who should have won the league but didn't. They were all flair teams who dominated home games but had little experience of winning titles. Sound like anyone?

Scotland 17 France 23

Flying full-back related to football legend can make France drown sorrows

United have met Ajax only once before in Europe, in 1976. The key performers recall an electric occasion

News International hopes to settle claims - but lawyer says more victims emerge every day

Maybe, just maybe, he is the like of which we have not seen since the unforgettable George Best

He might just break a trend and say there are things more valuable than the pay packet

The outspoken star, who died yesterday, played the game with style. By Tim Rich

When Swansea entertain Manchester United next Saturday, their manager will be meeting his old boss of more than 20 years ago. Steve Tongue meets Brendan Rodgers

It is prurience that tempts you to reach for Celia Walden's Babysitting George from the bookshelves; an itch to know how the scion of a distinguished political family – and the Daily Telegraph – could have conspired to antagonise all those women George Best left behind to the point of uniting them.

By rights, your friends should never write books, principally because when they do you're a) expected to read them, and b) say exceedingly nice things about them. Which means you often have to lie. Which in the long run is no big deal, but if you know a lot of writers, that's an awful lot of lying.

Andrew Perloff, the eccentric chairman of Panther Securities, is known for his forthright opinions, which included predicting the financial meltdown. In the property group's full-year results yesterday, he vented fully in a section appropriately titled "Chairman's Ramblings". Mr Perloff aired his opinion on subjects from BP and bankers, to an anecdote about George Best, only failing to reveal how they related to his company.