NEWS OF THE WORLD: Roman Abramovich has authorised an astonishing £80million move for Lionel Messi. Chelsea's move for the Barcelona maestro would shatter the world transfer record of £46.5million that took Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid in 2001 and send shock waves through the football world. Also: Manchester United had 10 heroes and one nutter as they moved to within 90 minutes of retaining their Premier League title.

THE PEOPLE: Alex Ferguson hopes to cash in on the turmoil at Manchester City and sign Micah Richards. Manchester United boss Fergie is a long-time admirer of the England defender and is plotting an audacious £20million swoop while City are on the brink of civil war following owner Thaksin Shinawatra's decision to sack boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. Also: Manchester United will win the Premier League title today if Newcastle take points off Chelsea - and Sir Alex Ferguson would just luv it!

SUNDAY MIRROR: Frank Lampard is poised to sign a new three-year contract and stay at Chelsea. The England star had been widely expected to leave this summer. Also: Nani was sent off for headbutting Lucas Neill and will miss the climax to Manchester United's title campaign.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Fulham are poised to complete the greatest of escapes as the Premier League heads for one of its most exciting finishes. Goals from captain Brian McBride and substitute Erik Nevland in a 2-0 home victory over fellow strugglers Birmingham gave Fulham their first back-to-back league wins since September 2006 and moved a team which looked doomed to relegation out of the bottom three for the first time since December. Also: Sir Alex Ferguson last night backed his old enemy Kevin Keegan to upset Chelsea and present Manchester United with a 10th Premier League title.

SUNDAY TIMES: Sir Alex Ferguson threw a gauntlet down to Chelsea yesterday by following up a vintage display from his players, particularly the record-breaking Cristiano Ronaldo, with some vintage mind games. Speaking after United thrashed West Ham 4-1 to leave them just one win from retaining their Premier League title, Ferguson called on Newcastle United to "do their job honestly" when they host Chelsea today.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Fulham redrew the rules of engagement in the battle to avoid relegation with a crucial 2-0 win over Birmingham at Craven Cottage that took them clear of the relegation zone for the first time since late December. Having started the day second from bottom, Roy Hodgson's renascent side leapfrogged both Birmingham and Reading, who crashed to a 1-0 defeat at home to Tottenham, courtesy of second-half goals from Brian McBride and Erik Nevland. Also: London 2012 officials are aghast that Kate Hoey, the Labour MP who once declared that Paris deserved to host the 2012 Olympics more than London, could soon have a seat in the organising committee's boardroom.

THE OBSERVER: Roger Black claimed last night he has been made to feel "a fool" after the American who beat him to the world 400 metres title became the latest high-profile athlete to be linked with performance-enhancing drugs. Court documents released in San Francisco by the United States government said Antonio Pettigrew would be one of seven former athletes to testify against their former coach Trevor Graham when he goes on trial later this month.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Sir Alex Ferguson last night warned rivals Chelsea that they now have a mountain to climb to stay in the Premier League title race. After Manchester United's comfortable 4-1 win over West Ham at Old Trafford, Chelsea need at least a point against Newcastle at St James' Park today to retain a chance of the league title. Also: Two FBI agents were at Old Trafford yesterday - under orders from Manchester United owners the Glazers to stiffen security.

DAILY STAR ON SUNDAY: Javier Mascherano has angered Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by insisting he will miss the start of next season so he can go to Beijing and play for Argentina in the Olympics. Also: Man United went ahead again in the Premier League title race - despite having Nani sent off for butting Lucas Neill.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Chelsea conspiracy theorists may believe what they will. There was never any chance yesterday of West Ham United, with nothing to play for and a dozen players injured, pulling off one of their habitual upsets against a Manchester United side two wins from the title.