New Year no cheer, the big freeze and United’s muted fans: Wednesday 2 January

A FATHER-OF-TWO was shot dead on New Year’s Eve in Cheetham Hill. The 26-year-old was killed after shots were fired at the car he was travelling in on Huxley Avenue at 5.30pm. Arif Iqbal was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Two other passengers were injured in the shooting. The driver suffered a bullet graze and the other passenger was shot in the spine. Greater Manchester Police are appealing for witnesses

THE NEW YEAR in Manchester was celebrated in a disappointingly minimal style as Manchester City Council decided against throwing a party on Albert Square. The City council chief’s decision to bypass New Years Eve celebrations meant that New Year in the city became a non-event with just one rocket firework over the town hall at midnight, to the dismay of many revellers.

THE BIG FREEZE is on its way today, according to weather predictions. Forecasters are expecting one of the coldest Januarys in 100 years with night time temperatures potentially dropping to as low as -17C in parts of Northern England caused by Siberian winds.

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has expressed his concern over the lack of enthusiasm amongst the 75,450 capacity crowd at Old Trafford on the New Years day 1-0 victory over Birmingham City. He told MUTV: “The crowd was dead. That was the quietest I’ve heard our crowd. We need the supporters to create a good atmosphere here because the players respond to that. At times it was like a funeral, it was so quiet.”