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National football coach Edson Silva Dido on Friday named a 23-member squad for the AFC Challenge Cup Group A qualifiers starting on April 26.
   Dido omitted two players, midfielder Pranatosh and defender Ariful, from the 25-member preliminary squad and opted for his forward duo Robin and Emily along with attacking midfielder Zahid Hossain, who are yet to gain full match-fitness.
   Assistant coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, however, is hopeful of playing the trio in the matches. ‘Robin has already played a practice match today (Friday), Zahid and Emily look almost fit and we have included them with the hope that they will be fully fit before the second match, if not the first,’ said Manik.
   Reliable goalkeeper Aminul Haque will lead the team. Mazharul Haque Himel, the third-choice keeper, was the surprise inclusion in the squad.
   Two key attackers, Emily and Robin, were given rest by physio Dalilur Rahman in order to save them from aggravating their injuries when Bangladesh went to Nepal to play a warm-up match. Robin suffered a knee problem, Emily had a hamstring strain and midfielder Zahid Hossain picked up an ankle injury. All of them have recovered fully but only Robin is likely to play. Bangladesh shot-stoppers Aminul and Biplob are the reliable names under the bar and Rajani, Shujon, Wali Faisal, Shaikat, Nasir, Mishu, Rashed and Mamun Miah form the strongest defence line.
   The midfield comprising Mamun, Sharif, Motiur Munna, Arman Aziz, Zahed Parvez Chowdhury, Emon and youngster Manik possess the attacking flair as well as the defensive proficiency.
   Emily, undoubtedly the number one striker of the country, and Robin both were struggling to regain fitness and if they pass fitness tests Dido will have the lively attack as he desires. Enamul Huq and Mithun Chowdhury, the other two forwards, are relatively inexperienced.
   Bangladesh will compete with Myanmar, Cambodia and Macau from April 26-30 for a place in the eight-team finals. Bangladesh hosted the inaugural AFC Challenge Cup in 2006 and were eliminated from the quarter-finals by eventual winners Tajikistan. They failed to qualify for the finals in the second edition when India lifted the title.
   Squad
   Goalkeepers: Aminul Haque, Biplob Bhattacharjee, Mazharul Islam Himel; Defenders: Rajani Kanta Barman, Nasir Hossain, Mofazzal Hossain Shaikat, Mohammed Shujan, Wali Faisal, Atiqur Rahman Mishu, Mamun Mia, Mesbahul Rashed; Midfielders: Arman Aziz, Enamul Haque Sharif, Zahed Parvez, Zahid Hossain, Mamunur Rahman, Matiur Munna, Emon Babu, Mohammed Manik; Forwards: Hedayetullah Robin, Enamul Haque, Mithun Chowdhury, Zahid Hasan Emily.

The local organisers of the AFC Challenge Cup group A qualifiers hoped that the football lovers will enjoy the international flavour after two years. The four-team competition kicks off at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday.
   Myanmar meet Macau in the opening match at 3:30pm and Bangladesh face Cambodia in the second match of the day at 6:00pm. Bangladesh hosted the inaugural edition of AFC Challenge Cup in 2006 but since then except one World Cup pre-qualifier and one Asia Cup qualifier Bangladesh have not played any international matches at home.
   Anwarul Huq Helal, chairman of the organising committee, hoped that Bangladesh team wins the group to boost BFF’s bid to host the final round in 2010. ‘We have tried our best to prepare the venue up to international standard, the AFC match commissioner has expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, and the lights are more than the required criteria, now we hope the footballers do the rest,’ said Helal, who is also a member of the BFF executive committee.
   The tickets will be available at Tk 20 each for the eastern gallery, Tk 30 for the western gallery and VIP box at Tk 100. School students will be will be eligible for free entrance providing they are in school uniforms and have the identity cards.
   The two TVCs at Farmgate and Gulshan showed the advertisement of the meet and horse caravans roamed the city distributing the leaflets. Short street dramas will be staged at the TSC, Kamalapur stadium and outer stadium today.
   The BFF will merchandise the national team jersey for Tk 300 each and all the spectators will be given a national-colour head band and a flag for free at the entrance.
   The BFF general secretary Al Musabbir Sadi hoped for an uninterrupted power supply during the matches. ‘The power authority has assured us of uninterrupted power supply during the matches,’ said Sadi.
   They organisers also decided that the mini truck which was offer for the Super Cup viewers and which taken by anyone will be available for the spectators of the opening day’s match. The lottery will take place at the end of the Bangladesh-Cambodia match.

Players from the rebel Indian Cricket League and some big names from the sport’s past are to take part in an as yet unauthorised Twenty20 tournament in New York in October, the event organiser told Reuters on Thursday.
   Jay Mir, president and CEO of American Sports And Entertainment Group, said the tournament, to be called the American Premier League, has signed up players from the major cricket nations with the majority coming from the ICL.
   But the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council , which has not recognised the ICL, has warned its members against taking part in an event which has not, as yet, received endorsement from the USA Cricket Association.
   ‘Most of those involved are ex-players and ICL players. Some would be affected (if the tournament was not recognised) but that is the choice of the players,’ Mir said.
   ‘Sixty to seventy percent of the tournament’s players are ICL players
   Mir said former England spin bowler John Emburey, a coach in the ICL, had agreed to be coach of a ‘Premium World’ team in the competition with ex-West Indies captain Richie Richardson coaching a Caribbean XI.
   The ‘Premium World’ team is made up of players from England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka said Mir, who declined to name any of those contracted.
   He added, however, that former New Zealand all-rounder Richard Hadlee has signed up as an ‘executive board member’ of the event and former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has agreed to play.
   Many countries ban ICL players from official cricket under pressure from the influential Indian board which runs the big-money Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.
   The ICC issued a memo to members last week, a copy of which has been received by Reuters, which warns against involvement in the American venture.
   ‘Members are... precluded from releasing their players to play in this event until such time as ICC confirms that the event has been approved,’ read the memo.
   A spokesman for the USA Cricket Association said Mir had last contacted the body on the phone a month ago but had yet to make a formal application for authorisation.
   Mir said he was confident of getting that authorisation but that the tournament, which was no longer recruiting players, would go ahead with or without the blessing of the sport’s official bodies.
   ‘APL will go down all avenues to work in conjunction with USACA, but in case that does not happen, it will not affect APL from hosting this historic event,’ he added
   The tournament will feature six sides. Teams of Indians, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, American and West Indians, along with the World team, will play each other once with the top four going through to a knockout stage.
   ‘I want to bring this great game of cricket to America,’ said Mir, ‘We have had a phenomenal response and what we have achieved in one month no one has achieved in 20 years.
   ‘The business model is very unique. The name is unique and is helping the success. I believe cricket and USA are at a historic crossroad and it is the right time for this great sport to flourish in America,’ he said.
   The tournament will be held at a baseball park on Staten Island, home to the minor league Staten Island Yankees and run from October 6-26.

Australian bowlers unleashed tight line and length to fold Pakistan’s innings at 207 in 46.2 overs in the second day-night international here at the Dubai Stadium on Friday.
   Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz took 3-41, while pacemen James Hopes and Andrew Symonds chipped in with two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s batsmen struggled on a slow paced pitch after captain Younus Khan won the toss and decided to bat.
   Pakistan leads the five-match one-day series 1-0 following their four-wicket win in the first match on Wednesday.
   Opener Salman Butt top-scored with a resolute 57 while Shahid Afridi hit a 40-ball 41 to anchor the innings after Hauritz removed the middle order with some accurate off-spin.
   Butt held one end intact after Pakistan lost debutant opener Ahmed Shahzad (four) in the third over. Younus (28) helped Butt add 53 for the second wicket before edging paceman Ben Laughlin to wicket-keeper Brad Haddin.
   Hauritz further derailed the Pakistan innings by dismissing Shoaib Malik (seven) and Misbah-ul-Haq (12) in quick succession before removing a dangerous looking Butt in the 34th over.
   Butt hit six boundaries during his snail-paced 112-ball knock.
   Hauritz could have had a fourth wicket and blown away Pakistan for a much lower total had Ben Laughlin held on to a high catch from Afridi when the batsman was on only three.
   Afridi, who was man-of-the-match for his career-best 6-38 on Wednesday, fully capitalised on the chance and hit five boundaries and a six to help Pakistan score 39 in the batting power play.
   Shoaib Akhtar used the long handle effectively, hitting four boundaries and a six off to make a firey 14-ball 25.
   Australia made three changes from their Wednesday line-up, leaving out pacemen Stuart Clark and Ben Hilfenhaus, and opener Shaun Marsh. They brought in David Hussey, Doug Bollinger and Ben Laughlin.

Yusuf Pathan slammed 18 runs off four balls as the Rajasthan Royals snatched victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders in a ‘super over’ after their Indian Premier League match ended in a tie at Newlands Thursday.
   Kolkata needed only seven to win off the last over of the normal match, bowled by teenaged left-arm fast bowler Kamran Khan.
   After starting the over with a wide, Khan, 18, dismissed former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly for 46 with his fifth ball.
   With two needed to win off the last ball, Ishant Sharma hit a fierce drive which was parried by Royals captain Shane Warne at cover. The batsmen ran one but Sharma was run out attempting the winning run.
   Khan was entrusted with the ‘super over’ and was struck for three successive fours by Chris Gayle as the Knight Riders scored 15 for one, with Gayle caught off the last ball.
   Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, who took two for 19 in four overs in the match, bowled the ‘super over’ for Kolkata but Pathan hit him for 6, 2, 6, 4.
   ‘Yusuf Pathan was fantastic,’ said Warne whose defending champions celebrated their first win of the 2009 tournament.
   ‘To have walked out and clubbed two sixes like that, was well done.’
   Warne said he had been happy to see Kamran bowl the ‘super over’.
   ‘We thought about Yusuf and myself as spin options,’ said the Australian.
   ‘But I thought if a couple of deliveries went, then the ball would have got wet because it’s pretty dewy.
   ‘Kamran gave six runs off the last over (of the scheduled 20) and I thought he did well to hold his nerve.’
   Kolkata skipper Brendan McCullum was disappointed with the outcome.
   ‘We thought we had got ourselves across the line. In the super over we thought we had a reasonable score, but Yusuf came out and took it away from us,’ said the Kiwi.
   Chasing a modest total of 150 for six, Kolkata twice seemed headed for victory. Gayle was in imperious form as he hit 41 off 33 balls before falling to Warne.
   The pendulum swung to the Royals with 44 needed off 25 balls.
   But Ganguly slammed a no-ball from Munaf Patel for six, then made use of the free hit off the next ball to thrash another six.
   With the target reduced to 31 off 24 balls, Ganguly seemed set to take Kolkata home before chasing a wide ball from Khan to be caught behind.
   Pathan, who top-scored with 42 in his team’s full innings, was named man of the match.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is to undergo surgery on his right knee, ruling him out of the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies.
   Flintoff has returned from South Africa, where he was playing in the Indian Premier League, to undergo the surgery but England cricket chiefs expressed confidence that their star player would recover in time for the World Twenty20 in June and the Ashes series starting in July.
   That will be greeted with scepticism in some quarters however, given Flintoff’s long history of injuries.
   And the fact that Flintoff suffered the injury while playing in the IPL will inevitably spark debate about whether a player with his injury record should have been taking part in the competition rather than concentrating on preparing for England’s summer Tests.
   The Lancashire star, England’s outstanding performer in their 2005 Ashes win over Australia, tore the meniscus in his right knee while playing for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
   Scans at a Durban hospital detected a slight medial meniscal tear and after they were viewed by the England and Wales Cricket Board’s medical supremo Nick Peirce, it was decided that Flintoff should return to London.
   He will undergo a keyhole operation early next week and Peirce put the recovery period at three to five weeks.
   Peirce said: ‘Clearly this is a huge disappointment for both the player and the IPL team. This sort of degenerative injury though is one that could have happened at any time anywhere.
   ‘The procedures we put in place meant that the ECB medical staff were alerted about the problem immediately and we thank Chennai for their cooperation.’
   Hugh Morris, England Cricket Managing Director, added: ‘Andrew has been extremely unlucky with injuries but if there is one saving grace it is that the injury has occured now rather than on the eve of either the World Twenty20 or the Ashes.

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said Friday international cricket authorities should swap the 2011 and 2015 World Cup venues, rather than deprive Pakistan of its matches in the earlier tournament.
   ‘Pakistan should have gathered the support of its Asian partners and swapped the 2011 World Cup with Australia (and New Zealand) because the situation could improve by 2015,’ Khan said in an interview with AFP.
   The 2011 event was scheduled for India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but the International Cricket Council has stripped Pakistan of these matches because of the country’s ‘uncertain security situation.’
   Khan’s appeal for a swap with 2015 co-hosts Australia and New Zealand echoes a call made this week by Javed Miandad, the director-general of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
   Miandad made the call for a swap with the 2015 hosts after the PCB filed a protest against the ICC’s decision to deprive Pakistan of its World Cup matches.
   However, Khan, who is in Dubai for the relocated Pakistan-Australia limited overs series, said there was no question of Pakistan hosting international cricket in the near future, because it was now caught up in someone else’s war.
   ‘I would blame the governments of (former military ruler) Pervez Musharraf and (current president) Asif Zardari for the situation,’ said Khan, who heads his own political party—Tehrik-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice).
   ‘We are fighting the United States’ war in the region and Musharraf dragged us into it... Investors and sportsmen are not willing to come, so we are bearing the loss,’ he said.
   ‘Until it’s finished there is no chance of cricket.
   ‘Why was Pakistan was dragged into the war, because no Pakistani was involved in the 9/11 attacks on the US,’ said Khan.
   ‘But we have become involved in it and now there is an enormous loss of life, finances and cricket.’
   Khan, who in 1992 captained his country to its only World Cup title, said Pakistan was also paying the price for failing to provide adequate security for the Sri Lanka team, which was attacked in Lahore last month.
   ‘Had we provided the presidential level of security we promised the Sri Lankan team we would definitely have been hosting more cricket, but that event hit us badly,’ said Khan.
   The attacks on the team as it approached the Gaddafi Stadium for the second Test, killed eight Pakistanis and injured seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.
   After growing concerns about the safety of cricket tours to Pakistan, the attack prompted the ICC to reallocate Pakistan’s 16 World Cup venues to the tournament’s other South Asian hosts.
   ‘Pakistan is left with no opportunity,’ said Khan.
   ‘The players have been suffering because of poor first-class structure and, with no international cricket, the revenues are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Macau was the first team to arrive in Dhaka to play for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers on Friday.
   The Macau football team reached the capital early hours of Friday and Cambodia was the second team to arrive in the evening.
   Myanmar was scheduled to arrive late Friday night.

A three-day match between visiting Sri Lanka Under-19 team and BCB Under-19 team ended in a draw at Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah Friday.
   Resuming the third day today with overnight score of 286 runs for eight wickets in 96 overs, the Sri Lanka Under-19 team in their first innings were all out for 291 runs in 98.1 overs.
   The visitors added only five runs losing their last two wickets of night watch batsmen Madushan Ekanayake (18) and Sameera Weeerasinghe (1).
   Noor Hossain grabbed five wickets for 70 runs while Tajul Islam captured two wickets for 71.
   In reply, riding on opener Amit Mujumder brilliant unbeaten ton, the BCB Under-19 team in their second innings scored 236 runs for two wickets in 57 overs at stumps on the day.
   Amit scored 129 runs off 179 balls with 17 fours and a six while two down Asif Ahmed made 50 runs off 89 balls with four fours to remain unbeaten as the bails were drawn for the day.
   Chathura Paries and Rushal Jaleel took one wicket each conceding 39 and 65 runs respectively.

The Women’s Club Cup Cricket Tournament 2009, organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s women’s wing, starts today.
   BCB president Lt Gen Sina Ibn Jamali will inaugurate the tournament at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur in the morning.
   A total of eight clubs will play in the competition, which will end on May 6.
   The eight teams will be divided into two groups and will play 35-over matches.
   Group A – Abahani Limited, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Dipali Jubo Sangha, Victoria Sporting Club.
   Group B – BKSP, Ansar & VDP, Khulna Women’s Cricket Academy, Indira Road Krira Chakra.

Arguably cricket’s biggest icon, Sachin Tendulkar turned 36 on Friday and said he still feels like a boy of 16.
   The right-hander, bracketed in the same league with the legendary Don Bradman, is currently leading the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League in South Africa.
   ‘I feel like 16. I think it’s the good wishes and blessings that count,’ he said.
   ‘It’s not about breaking records. It’s about winning matches. It’s a terrific feeling to win and that’s what matters,’ Tendulkar said after cutting the birthday cake in company of his Mumbai Indians teammates.
   Worshipped in India and equally revered across the world, Tendulkar made his debut at 16 against Pakistan before growing into a batsman who has given nightmares to bowlers across the cricketing globe.
   Tendulkar said his career stats, which show more than 12,000 Test and over 16,000 ODI runs don’t matter much in comparison to being part of a winning team.
   ‘Stats are merely a reflection of an individual’s contribution to the team. Ultimately it’s a team sport and though individual performances matter, it’s more about winning matches,’ he said.
   Tendulkar will be joined by his wife and kids in the birthday celebrations here.
   Tendulkar’s birthday celebrations here were also attended by his India teammates like Yuvraj Singh.
   The left-hander joined off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in smearing Tendulkar’s face with the cake during the party.

Rafael Nadal eased past Belgium’s Christophe Rochus 6-2, 6-0 at the Barcelona Open on Thursday to claim his 23rd consecutive claycourt win before being handed a free pass into the semi-finals.
   The Spanish world number one was due to take on David Nalbandian in Friday’s quarter-finals, but the muscular Argentine was forced to withdraw with a right hip injury.
   ‘I’ve never played Nalbandian on clay, this would have been a good challenge,’ said the top seed. ‘It’s a pity that this had to happen to him.’
   The top-seeded Nadal had no trouble with the 61st-ranked Rochus, whom he beat in the Australian Open first round in January on his way to the title.
   ‘It was a comfortable match for me,’ said the Spaniard.
   Nadal, bidding for a fifth straight trophy at his home Real club in the Catalan capital, to match the fifth on the trot lifted last weekend in Monte Carlo, advanced in style on the regional St Jordi holiday, celebrated by red roses given by men to women and books the other way around.
   The world number one was not in a giving mood as he blasted Rochus off the court in 55 minutes after the Belgian had upset 13th seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the previous round.
   Thursday’s victory was also the 23rd in Barcelona for Nadal, who lost his lone match at the venue against Alex Corretja in 2003 as a 16-year-old.
   The top seed improved to 140-4 on clay since 2005 and stands 23-1 in clay court finals.
   Fellow Spaniards David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo also went through.
   Fourth seed Ferrer defeated Italian Potito Starace 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in what he called ‘a very physical match’ while 2004 champion Robredo overhauled Russian Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
   Czech Radek Stepanek upset in-form Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 with the Swiss eighth seed falling to 12-7 for the season after taking six weeks off after the Australian Open to work on strength and fitness.
   Wawrinka’s hopes of building on the clay form which took him to the semi-finals in Monte Carlo last week, where he was ousted by Novak Djokovic, came undone in the final set.
   The loss to 19th-ranked Stepanek has also thrown a spanner into Wawrinka’s preparations for next week’s Rome Masters where he was runner-up in 2008.
   Stepanek now owns a 3-0 record in the series with Wawrinka, including a Barcelona win in 2005 and 2007 Davis Cup success.

So what’s wrong with a tie?
   Arguably, the Super Over is far less unsatisfactory than the farce of a Bowlout. It is at least a contest between bat and ball. But do we really need it?
   The tie is the rarest result in cricket and, in many ways, the most beautiful. And just. Often it is the true measure of how close the game had been, and how equal - good and bad - the teams were.
   I am not a fan of tie-breakers in football either. It reduces the game to a skill of sharp-shooting. But often they happen to the most exciting part of a dreary match, as drawn football games are, with defensive teams playing for the tie-breaker.
   The tie is different from a draw. A drawn cricket match can be exciting too, but a tie is invariably thrilling. And the finish often leaves the spectator emotionally spent. Fulfilled but spent. It’s a unique combination of regret, relief and exhilaration. For a while you replay that moment that could have won your team the match, and then realise that it could have been lost too. And then you come to the realisation that you have seen the perfect finish, and the rest of the evening, or night, can be spent in that warm glow.
   The tie-breaker feels like a charade, a contrived climax after the grand climax. It can produce a high for fans of the winning team but it’s a temporary one. I watched India and Pakistan play out a tie-breaker in the World Twenty20 in 2007 and it left me cold. It had been a dramatic match with plenty of twists and turns. Batting first, India had managed only 141 but reduced Pakistan to 103 for 6 in the 18th over. Misbah ul-Haq and Yasir Arafat then belted 27 off the next eight balls to leave Pakistan needing 12 off the last six. The match ended with a dramatic run-out in the last ball with the scores level.
   Or so I would have liked it to end. But then a Bowlout ensued, and Robin Uthappa, Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag proceeded to earn India a win by hitting the stumps after all three Pakistani bowlers - Umar Gul, Arafat, and Shahid Afridi - failed to the find the target.
   Thursday’s match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders was the best of the tournament so far. It had all the elements that make a great Twenty20 match: dramatic fluctuations, outstanding individual performances, excellent tactical manoeuvres, a couple of stirring human stories and a great finish.
   Rajasthan stumbled at the start, recovered through an adventurous innings by one of their heroes of last season, were pegged back again by a mystery spinner playing his first match of the season and finished the innings with a flourish with an IPL debutant thrashing two sixes and a four in the final over with his charismatic captain looking on approvingly from the other end.

The jury is still out on whether the IPL Season II has lived up to its hype but one thing is for certain, the Fake IPL Player, a blogger who identifies himself as one of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad member, has quickly become a cult figure.
   With thousands of followers over the blogosphere and a millions more over the Internet, the ‘mole’—who for all one knows could just be an opportunist cashing in on the IPL buzz—has certainly added colour to the Great Indian Tamasha which otherwise has been struggling to match up to its Season I entertainment quotient.
   Kolkata Knight Riders had initially tried to laugh off the controversy but has now quickly realised that the situation could go out of hand. With the electronic and print media taking the issue up (the report was first published in DNA), KKR, already plagued with a thousand off-field problems, are desperate to put an end to the controversy.
   It could not be confirmed, but reports emerging from South Africa and some from the blogger himself indicate access to Internet in the players’ rooms have been restricted, laptops banned and the team management has been meeting frequently to figure out who the shadow boxer could be. If the blogger is to be believed, former India captain Sourav Ganguly was apparently quizzed by the team management about the posts and the meeting ended in rather unpleasant circumstances.
   It could be right, it could well even be a complete hogwash, but Shah Rukh Khan isn’t a man at peace with himself these days.

Four players jointly shared the lead with two points at the end of the second round matches in the Prime Bank 4th International Rating Women’s Chess at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hall-room on Friday.
   The players are IWM Rani Hamid of Titas Club, National women’s champion Sharmin Sultana Shirin of I2 Soft Solution, WFM Shamima Akter Liza of Overseas School of Chess and WFM Zakia Sultana of Metropolitan Chess Club.
   In the second round matches, Rani Hamid beat Nazrana Khan Eva, Shirin got a walk-over, Liza beat Mehnaz Ahmed Mithila, Zakia beat Jahanara Haque, Amena Khatun beat Ayesha Kabir Siddique, Tasmin Sultana beat Yeon Sarkar, Tahmina Akter Tisha beat Shamima Akter Mukta and Tanzina Akter Tani defeated Nilufar Yasmin.

Manches-ter United can take a huge step towards retaining their Premier League title on Saturday but first they must do what none of their rivals have managed this season—take all three points from a meeting with Tottenham.
   Harry Redknapp’s side may have spent the first half of the season struggling near the bottom of the table, but a defeat of Liverpool, a win and a draw against Chelsea and two draws with Arsenal underline their ability to raise their game against top level opponents.
   Liverpool’s 4-4 draw with Arsenal in midweek has increased United’s margin for error.
   But although Sir Alex Ferguson’s men capitalised with a 2-0 win over Portsmouth 24 hours later, their performance was sufficiently jittery to suggest Tottenham could pose a tougher challenge at Old Trafford.
   Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate is anticipating a tight encounter and does not expect United to rest any of their big names ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal.
   ‘We haven’t been beaten by any of the top sides in the league this season and we have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea,’ Woodgate said.
   ‘Our record against the top four is impeccable but United will put out a strong side and it will be very tough.’
   The early evening match will see Michael Carrick come up against his former club and the midfielder believes United just need to hold their nerve for the final month of the campaign.
   ‘Liverpool’s draw was a big boost and we’re in a decent position now,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we can keep the momentum going until the end of the season and put the league to bed as quickly as we can. There are big games coming thick and fast and we need to be at our best in all of them.’
   Liverpool, who have been scoring freely but also leaking goals of late, cannot afford to dwell on their midweek setback as they prepare for what is likely to be a ferociously contested meeting with Hull.
   Phil Brown’s side are fighting for their Premier League lives with only a three-point cushion between them and the relegation zone.
   Sunderland, who are only a point better off than Hull, will be desperate to take all three points from their trip to bottom side West Brom, who could be relegated as early as next weekend if results go against them.
   Middlesbrough, who travel to Arsenal on Sunday, could benefit if Arsene Wenger opts to rest some of his big names ahead of the Champions League clash with Manchester United.
   Gareth Southgate’s side, who entertain United next weekend, desperately need to start picking up some points and the Boro boss believes the fact that his side have been in trouble for so long could actually help them beat the drop.
   ‘In a strange way, we have got less tension about us because we have faced the worst possible scenario being where we are, and we have realised we can handle that,’ Southgate said.
   ‘If you can handle that, you can look forward and see what we can go on and achieve.’
   With West Ham entertaining Chelsea, Fulham will be hoping for a win over Stoke that could see them leapfrog their London rivals into seventh, the final qualifying spot for next season’s Europa League, the successor to the UEFA Cup.
   Blackburn will see their home encounter with Wigan on Saturday as a golden opportunity to pull clear of the drop zone at the expense of opponents with little left to play for this season.
   Everton’s meeting with Manchester City looks to be the match with least at stake this weekend but Everton’s on-loan Brazilian striker Jo will at least have a point to prove to the club that paid 18 million pounds to bring him to England before the start of the season then offloaded him in January.
   

   Fixtures

   Saturday
   (1400 GMT unless stated)
   Bolton v Aston Villa, Everton v Manchester City, Fulham v Stoke City, Hull City v Liverpool, Manchester Utd v Tottenham (1630 GMT), West Brom v Sunderland, West Ham v Chelsea
   
   Sunday
   Arsenal v Middlesbrough (1230 GMT), Blackburn v Wigan (1500 GMT)
   
   Monday
   Newcastle v Portsmouth (1900 GMT)

Barcelona will be desperate to maintain their six-point cushion over Real Madrid on a crucial weekend in the Spanish League before the two giants meet in the ‘El Clasico’ at the Santiago Bernabeu.
   Barcelona have one of their toughest remaining fixtures on Saturday with a trip to Champions League chasing Valencia.
   Real also have a difficult task as they travel to the intimidating Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Sunday to tackle third-placed Sevilla who defeated the champions earlier in the season.
   It is coach Juande Ramos’s first return to Sevilla who he guided to back-to-back UEFA Cup wins in 2006 and 2007 before an ill-fated move to Tottenham Hotspur.
   ‘I love the city and the fans were always marvellous with me,’ said Ramos. ‘This match is Sevilla against Real Madrid not Sevilla versus Juande Ramos.’
   Barcelona play first on the Saturday hoping to open a nine-point gap at the top.
   It is the clash of the ‘Pichichi’ contenders as the top two scorers in the league – Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o and Valencia’s David Villa – face off at the Mestalla Stadium.
   Eto’o leads the goalscoring charts with 27 while Spanish international Villa, who has been linked with a summer move to Barcelona, has 25.
   ‘We have to play the way we do and Madrid theirs,’ said Eto’o. ‘It does not bother me where we win the league, it only bothers me that we win it.
   ‘I hope that we do not pick up any injuries and that we can continue like this until the end of the season.’
   Barcelona need Eto’o and company at their best with a make-or-break sequence of four games in 11 days.
   The Valencia test is followed by two Champions League semi-final legs against Chelsea with ‘El Clasico’ sandwiched in between.
   Valencia were thrashed 4-0 by Barcelona earlier in the season so will want to set the record straight and maintain their Champions League push.
   Unai Emery’s side are trying to hold onto fourth, but must breach a Barcelona defence that have not conceded in the league since March 1st with Victor Valdes keeping seven clean sheets.
   Real fans are still recovering from their rollercoaster 3-2 win over Getafe on Tuesday but coach Ramos has been left with several selection problems ahead of Sunday’s trip to Sevilla.
   Portuguese centre-back Pepe will be missing through suspension following his red card against Getafe and could be hit with a long ban for violent conduct after kicking out at midfielder Francisco Casquero and then palming Juan Albin in the face.
   Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, the hero against Getafe, is also suspended for the Sevilla trip and Dutch winger Arjen Robben sustained a leg injury that will also sideline him for the crunch duel against Barcelona.
   Add Wesley Sneijder’s month lay-off to that list and it is down to the bare bones for Ramos at a crucial time of the season.
   Villarreal achieved direct qualification to the Champions League last season with second place but are struggling just to get in the top four this season.
   A 2-1 win over Recreativo Huelva on Thursday helped them close to within three points of Valencia and they face another relegation-threatened team on Sunday in Getafe.
   Getafe need to pick themselves up from the painful Real defeat as they fight to stay in the top divison.
   Francisco Casquero has been dropped from penalty duties after his embarrassing miss against Real when his poor chipped effort was held by Iker Casillas.
   ‘Looking at it again, the decision to try and chip it was not wise,’ explained Getafe coach Victor Munoz. ‘The next penalty will be taken by someone with more conviction.’
   Atletico Madrid have fallen six points off the Champions League places and need to beat Sporting Gijon on Sunday to keep their faint hopes alive.
   

   Fixtures

   Saturday
   Malaga v Deportivo La Coruna (1800GMT), Almeria v Numancia (1800GMT), Valencia v Barcelona (2000GMT)
   
   Sunday
   (1500GMT unless stated)
   Getafe v Villarreal, Recreativo Huelva v Real Mallorca, Valladolid v Osasuna, Athletic Bilbao v Racing Santander, Espanyol v Real Betis, Sevilla v Real Madrid (1700GMT) Atletico Madrid v Sporting Gijon (1900GMT)

Former World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is in talks to take over as coach of Angola less than two months after being sacked from English Premier League side Chelsea, a report said Friday.
   According to Portuguese weekly Sol the ‘Angolan federation has already agreed to the financial terms of the coach’, although it added that Scolari would only make a final decision after a fact-finding trip to the south-western African country.
   Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, was sacked by Chelsea in February and replaced by Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who is currently serving on an interim basis.

Atletico Madrid’s hopes of a second successive season in the Champions League are fading fast after a thumping 5-1 defeat at Racing Santander on Thursday left them six-points adrift of the top four.
   Atletico’s defensive frailties were on show again as Racing scored three times in the first half to condemn the Madrid side to their 11th defeat of the season.
   Racing centre-halves Christian Fernandez and Ezequiel Garay, on loan from Real Madrid, grabbed a goal apiece inside the first 16 minutes and Mohamed Tchite clinched the game with a 38th-minute strike.
   It was a morale-boosting win for Racing who moved seven points clear of the drop zone.
   The loss is particularly harmful for Atletico as rivals Valencia and Villarreal both won to stay on course for Europe’s flagship competition.
   Valencia defeated Real Betis 2-1 on Wednesday and Villarreal stayed in touch with their rivals, lying three points behind, but needed a dubious goal to overcome Recreativo Huelva 2-1 at home on Thursday.
   Cani scored a controversial 67th-minute winner for Villarreal for their first win in six games, but relegation-threatened Recreativo were furious claiming Cani’s chip hadn’t crossed the line.
   ‘For me both of our goals were legal and also the third goal we scored that was disallowed,’ said Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini.
   Recreativo coach Lucas Alcaraz fumed: ‘I think we have the right to complain because the referee awarded a goal that he couldn’t see. He took a while to give it and there is no way he could see it from where he was.’
   Villarreal will now hope Barcelona can turn over their Champions League rivals this Saturday.
   Recreativo took the lead after just 56 seconds following a terrible mix-up in the Villarreal defence and Javi Camunas was alert, stealing possession before poking home his ninth goal of the season.
   Villarreal were struggling but Joseba Llorente raced onto a great pass from Ariel Ibagaza and produced a great chip over the goalkeeper to equalise in the 40th minute.
   Giuseppe Rossi almost put the hosts ahead close to half-time but a heroic goal-line block denied the former Manchester United man.
   Recreativo threatened to go back in front in the second period but fell victim to Cani’s controversial goal.
   The winger used his quick feet to get in behind the defence and his chip looked to have been cleared off the line but the referee awarded a goal.
   Recreativo, convinced it wasn’t a goal, continued to play on and appealing Villarreal players had to wait several seconds before knowing whether the goal had been awarded.
   Several protesting Recreativo players were booked as they vented their frustration at the referee who then angered the home players by disallowing an in-swinging free-kick from Nihat.
   Recreativo drop to second from bottom following the defeat with Espanyol climbing above them courtesy of a 3-0 win over relegation rivals Sporting Gijon on Thursday.
   Espanyol have put a fine run together at the right time with 10 points from the last 12 and are now just one point behind Sporting, who are clinging to the final safety spot.
   Brazilian Nene, on a season loan from Monaco, opened the scoring before Roman Martinez and Jose Callejon scored twice in as many minutes to wrap up the points.

Sir Alex Ferguson wants to see his veteran Ryan Giggs reach a double milestone this weekend with his 800th Manchester United appearance followed by the PFA’s Player of the Year Award.
   Giggs, 35, can reach the remarkable 800-game landmark when United aim to move a step closer the Premier League title against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
   Twenty-four hours later, the players’ union announce their choice as Player of the Year, an accolade which Giggs has never collected during one of the most illustrious careers in the history of British football.
   ‘I hope he wins it,’ said Ferguson. ‘I think he has played 31 games this season, which the way you use your squad today, is good. So, hopefully, he is rewarded for his contribution to the game and he thoroughly deserves it.
   ‘In Moscow, after the Champions’ League Final, the players made a presentation to him and it was very emotional and represented how the players feel about the boy.
   ‘He is the most respected player in the club because of what he has achieved and he is an example to anyone. When you think of (Frederico) Macheda and (Danny) Welbeck, who played in the semi-final last week, they weren’t even born when Ryan made his debut. That’s unbelievable and whatever accolades he gets, he deserves them.’
   Giggs will become the second player to reach an impressive career mark this week after Paul Scholes reached the 600-game plateau.
   ‘We are a very special club that way,’ added Ferguson. ‘We are lucky with the players we have and them being local boys does help. But they are not there in the team on sentiment, they are there on ability.’
   Events of this week, and a Liverpool home draw against Arsenal appear to have put United firmly in control of the Premiership title race, and Ferguson wore the look of a man comfortable in his team’s situation.
   Certainly, the latest outbreak in his on-going war of words with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, quoted in Spain this week as saying his team was superior to United’s, had little impact on Ferguson.
   ‘He’s definitely saying a lot,’ said Ferguson.
   ‘I’m happy he carries on with it because I trust my players.
   ‘I’ve got good enough players to trust and I’ve done that for years now. That’s why I picked them. They’re a good bunch of lads, too, people we’re happy to put our trust in, so we will carry on that way.’
   United have lost defender Gary Neville for two weeks with a foot injury although John O’Shea’s ankle problem is not as bad as first feared and the Irishman will be available for the Champions’ League semi-final first leg against Arsenal next week.
   England defender Wes Brown is also poised to re-join the first team squad for the closing weeks of the season after two successful reserve team outings this week.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has admitted he could be interested in bringing local boy David Beckham back home in the run-up to next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
   The 33-year-old is on track to make Fabio Capello’s squad for the finals and will need somewhere to remain match sharp during Major League Soccer’s off season between December and March.
   Beckham is spending the second half of this season at AC Milan, who are believed to be keen to repeat the loan deal for part of the 2009-10 season, but Redknapp has indicated that Tottenham could also be an option.
   ‘I have not thought about David Beckham, but it would be disrespectful of me to say I would not be interested in him, were he to become available,’ Redknapp said.
   ‘David Beckham is a fantastic player, but he is also a terrific role model and a terrific professional. If the opportunity was there to sign him, any club would have to think about it. He would still be a terrific player.’
   Tottenham may be an attractive option for Beckham as the club is based close to his English home north of London, as well as being the closest Premier League club to where he grew up.

Serie A leaders Inter Milan were knocked out of the Italian Cup on Thursday when a 1-0 semi-final second leg win over Sampdoria fell short of overturning a 3-0 deficit from the teams’ first meeting.
   In the May 13 final in Rome, Sampdoria will face Lazio who completed a 4-2 aggregate win over Juventus on Wednesday.
   It will be Sampdoria’s first cup final appearance since 1994 where they defeated Ancona while, for Inter, defeat meant their run of four successive final spots came to an end.
   Inter were champions in 2005 and 2006 and runners-up in 2007 and 2008.
   With three goals to make up, Inter coach Jose Mourinho played three strikers with Mario Balotelli, Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all starting.
   It was Ibrahimovic who was to score the only goal of the second leg with a superb 27th-minute volley although the Swedish international was unfortunate not have celebrated a second when he saw a 37th-minute lob come back off the post.
   Sampdoria had their chances with Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini both denied by good saves from Julio Cesar.

The chanting by Juventus fans at Inter Milan’s Ghana-born Mario Balotelli was not of a racist nature, AC Milan’s Clarence Seedorf insisted on Friday.
   Seedorf, the Dutch-Surinamese midfielder, said: ‘You have to stop saying it was racism, because it wasn’t.’
   In comments reported by the ANSA news agency Seedorf added: ‘There are some people who provoke and then there are reactions. The two types of behaviour are unjustifiable.’
   Seedorf was making reference there to Balotelli who irked the Juventus faithful with his controversial on-field behaviour during last Saturday’s 1-1 drawn with Inter with Balotelli scoring Juve’s goal.
   For Seedorf the chants directed at the 18-year-old were ‘identical’ to those directed at two other provocative players, Inter’s Marco Materazzi and AC Milan’s Gennaro Gattuso, both of whom are white.
   ‘When I hear things said about mothers (of the players), it’s just as bad,’ he claimed.
   Juve have been hit with a supporters ban for their next home match against Lecce after Italian football authorities acted swiftly to the chants at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico.
   The club are appealing that decision.

Arsenal’s Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky, sidelined with a knee injury since January 2008, will miss this season despite signs of improvement, a Czech sports daily wrote Friday citing his agent.
   ‘If Tomas increased the intensity of his training, he would make it for the last two matches (of the season), but it doesn’t pay off to take the risk because of that,’ Rosicky’s agent Pavel Paska told the Sport daily.
   Rosicky said on his website earlier he expected to return around the turn of March and April.
   The 28-year-old Czech Republic captain, who played 68 matches and scored 19 goals for the national team before missing Euro 2008 because of the injury, underwent two operations on the knee tendon last year.
   Rosicky was last seen in an Arsenal shirt on January 26 last year when he hobbled off after nine minutes of an FA Cup tie with Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.
   The Czech Republic are now struggling to squeeze into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after several lacklustre performances sent them to the fourth place in qualifying Group 3.

As Inter Milan chase a fourth straight title in Serie A, the focus has now centred on the battle for Champions League places with a weekend of intriguing fixtures on the agenda in Italy.
   Jose Mourinho is on the verge of winning a domestic crown in a third country after Portugal and England as Inter travel to lower table Napoli with a 10 point cushion over AC Milan and Juventus.
   While AC Milan stepped into second courtesy of goal difference with a David Beckham-inspired 5-1 win over Torino in their last outing, Juventus have been tipped into turmoil with rumours swirling that coach Claudio Ranieri is once again ‘dead man walking’ and on his way out.
   The club were knocked out of the Italian Cup in midweek by Lazio 4-2 on aggregate as angry fans shouted ‘Get out, Get out’ to the beleagured 57-year-old and some fans even spilled onto the pitch in order to vent their anger with the club’s shortcomings.
   Juventus have also been ordered to play a match behind closed doors after sections of their home fans abused Inter Milan’s black player Mario Balotelli during the 1-1 draw last Saturday.
   Mourinho, however, played down the scandal: ‘It’s not racism. It’s just an ignorant way to vent their anger against an unpleasant opponent because he scored a goal,’ said the outspoken Portuguese.
   ‘If I can speak up for Juve, what happened on Saturday wasn’t the first time. It’s happened in many stadiums and also in our own.’ he added.
   Ranieri was recently given the dreaded vote of confidence by club president Giovanni Cobolli but reports say Italy boss Marcello Lippi is being lined up to replace the former Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea handler.
   ‘Nothing is true but the coach is always the last to know like a husband who has been betrayed by his wife,’ said a philosophic Ranieri.
   Only a victory away to basement dwellers Reggina will keep the wolves at bay, while Milan host a Palermo side who are three points behind AS Roma in the battle for sixth place and an automatic spot in next season’s UEFA Cup.
   Genoa are currently fourth, but just two points ahead of Fiorentina as they dream of a first ever appearance in the Champions League, although both teams are coming off defeats last weekend against Lazio and Udinese respectively.
   Genoa, who only returned to Seria A in 2007 and were on the brink of slipping into Serie C only four years ago, can keep their target within reach with a win at Bologna.
   Bologna are fighting for their Serie A survival and a point behind Torino in a dogfight to avoid the drop.
   Fiorentina meanwhile host Roma who are a further three points back in what promises to be an explosive encounter at the Stadio Artemio Franchi with just six matches left in the season.
   

   Fixtures

   Saturday
   Chievo v Udinese, Fiorentina v AS Roma
   
   Sunday
   Sampdoria v Cagliari, Napoli v Inter Milan, Reginna v Juventus, Lazio v Atalanta, Bologna v Genoa, Torino v Siena, AC Milan v Palermo, Lecce v Catania

Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni says his side must defend their Bundesliga title or risk being part of a lost generation as they look to over-haul leaders Wolfsburg starting today against Schalke.
   ‘We will only be remembered if we win the title,’ said Italy’s Toni, who has scored 12 league goals this season.
   ‘If we do not do it, it will have been a lost year.’
   The defending champions are second in the table and level with Hamburg, who are also three points behind leaders Wolfsburg.
   They host Schalke, who are sixth in the league and on the verge of a European berth for next season, at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday and with six games left Bayern can ill afford to drop any more points.
   ‘This is the best part of the season,’ said Bayern defender Philipp Lahm.
   ‘Every goal and every point really counts, and you’re punished for every mistake.’
   And with Schalke, Moenchengladbach, Cottbus, Leverkusen, Hoffenheim and Stuttgart as their remaining games, Bayern are targeting a maximum 18 points.
   ‘We’re aiming to win all our remaining games,’ announced Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
   In the preparation for the Schalke game Bayern welcomed back Ze Roberto, Breno, Lukas Podolski and Massimo Oddo while only goalkeeper Michael Rensing (torn finger tendon) and ankle-injury victim Miroslav Klose are still unable to train.
   League leaders Wolfsburg are in action on Sunday at relegation-candidates Energie Cottbus.
   Energie may be currently in the drop zone but, particularly at home, they are hard to break down and coach Felix Magath is taking nothing for granted.
   ‘I’m neither interested in records which have been seen nor any other numerical games,’ said Magath.
   ‘Cottbus will without doubt do all in their power to pick up points against us.’
   Wolfsburg have by far the deadliest attack in the the league with Brazil striker Grafite having scored 22 while his forward partner Edin Dzeko is only just behind on 16.
   

   Fixtures

   Saturday
   Bayern Munich v Schalke 04
   Borussia Dortmund v Hamburg
   VfB Stuttgart v Eintracht Frankfurt
   Bayer Leverkusen v Karlsruhe
   Werder Bremen v VfL Bochum
   Hanover v Cologne
   
   Sunday
   Energie Cottbus v VfL Wolfsburg
   Borussia M’gladbach v Arminia Bielefeld

Bora Milutinovic, who has made a career of engineering football shocks by taking five different countries to the World Cup, believes his Iraq side can clinch the Confederations Cup in June.
   ‘My dream is always to be the champion,’ Milutinovic told AFP.
   ‘When I think back to the atmosphere of 2007. Iraqis were never as happy as they were when beat Saudi Arabia (in the Asian Cup final). I will be the happiest man in the world if we can repeat that.’
   Milutinovic, who took over as coach in April, has a contract which takes him up to the Confederations Cup in South Africa from June 14-28.
   Iraq were shock Asian Cup winners in 2007, a victory which briefly brought unity to the country’s battling factions.
   Despite failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Milutinovic is convinced that he can bring success back to the Iraqi team.
   ‘We have to be aware that this is an enormous event for Iraq. It’s a rare chance to shine in the sports world,’ said the 64-year-old Serbian, aware that Iraq haven’t qualified for the World Cup since 1986.
   In his widely-travelled career, Milutinovic has taken Mexico to the World Cup quarter-finals in 1986, before also guiding Costa Rica (1990), USA (1994) and Nigeria (1998) to the second round.
   He remains proud that he was in charge of the China side which played in its first World Cup in 2002.
   There isn’t a great deal of time for him to wave his magic wand with Iraq before the Confederations Cup gets underway.
   But he points out that he took over the Costa Rica team just 17 days before the 1990 World Cup began in Italy.
   ‘We don’t have a lot of time, but we’ll use it well. It’ll be enough,’ said Milutinovic, who will oversee his first friendly on June 9 against Poland in Cape Town with another lined up against African champions Egypt at a date to be confirmed.
   ‘The best-prepared team isn’t the one which plays the most matches,’ he added. ‘It is the one which trains the best.’
   Milutinovic refused to be drawn on the brittle security situation in Iraq, claiming the subject is too ‘sensitive’. On Thursday, at least 70 people died in suicide bomb attacks in the country.
   One thing is certain - he will not travel inside the country to supervise the players; only Baghdad is on his programme.
   This weekend, he was planning to see two matches at the city’s main stadium. For the rest, he will rely on reports from his assistants and watch videos of other Iraqi league games.
   Training sessions for the Iraqi squad will take place in Jordan or in Qatar where many of Iraq’s top players make a lucrative living competing in the domestic league and where Milutinovic lives when he is not in Mexico.
   At the Confederations Cup, Iraq will face hosts South Africa, European champions Spain and New Zealand.
   If they qualify for the next round, they could meet Brazil or world champions Italy.
   ‘We are the champions of Asia,’ said Milutinovic. ‘Why can’t we be the equal of the champions of other continents? We just have to believe in ourselves.’

Robin van Persie, Arsenal’s leading scorer this season, has been ruled out of next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester United.
   The Dutch striker, who has hit the net 17 times in the current campaign, is struggling to recover from the groin injury which forced him to sit out the 4-4 draw with Liverpool this week and manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed he will not be available for Sunday’s Premier League match against Middlesbrough or the trip to Old Trafford three days later.
   There was better news for Wenger on the fitness of Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togo striker has recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to feature as Arsenal seek to extend their unbeaten league run to 20 matches against relegation-threatened Boro.
   First-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and defender Johan Djourou are also ready to return following ankle and knee injuries respectively, which will come as a relief for Wenger who made no secret of his frustration at the defensive errors that contributed to all four of Liverpool’s goals in midweek.
   ‘We will rotate a little bit again, but we have no major injuries from the Liverpool match,’ the Frenchman reported. ‘Manuel Almunia was in full training on Thursday and we will see how he responds. Djourou was in full training also so we will see how he is too. Both could come back into the squad.
   ‘Emmanuel Adebayor should come back into training on Saturday but Robin van Persie is definitely out for Sunday and for Manchester United.’
   Wenger also revealed that France left-back Gael Clichy will have a scan on his back injury on Monday and could be involved in the Champions League match if the results are positive.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez claims Sir Alex Ferguson is ‘nervous’ because he can see the Anfield outfit are better than Manchester United.
   Benitez has been involved in a war of words with his Old Trafford rival since the turn of the year as the pair scrap for the Premier League title.
   Benitez, provoked by a prod from Ferguson regarding an ability to handle pressure, sparked the mind games in January with his infamous assessment of his counterpart’s alleged influence over referees and the fixture list.
   On Monday, Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee claimed the club were not interested in exchanging words with United, and Benitez insists he is not involved in a verbal conflict with Ferguson.
   But the Spaniard has again spoken about his rival boss, telling Madrid-based paper ABC: ‘I’m not having a battle of words with Alex Ferguson.
   ‘But I believe that he can see that we are the better side, and that we are very close to United.
   ‘He has been accustomed to playing these types of mind games for many years.
   ‘Nobody has ever said anything against him, or stood up to him.
   ‘It seems like he has a licence to do these sorts of things.
   ‘I try not to talk too much. But all I do when I speak is to defend my own team.
   ‘I did not say that he seems frightened. I said that he looks nervous, as he can see that we are very close to his team.’
   Benitez, who saw his side drop points in Tuesday’s 4-4 draw with Arsenal, is also adamant his side will not throw in the towel in their bid to secure a first league title in 19 years, despite trailing United by three points having played a game more.
   He added: ‘It is essential for us to try to keep the pressure on United. We must not slacken off, and if we keep going that will make them feel under pressure.
   ‘They have an advantage and if they don’t slip up there is nothing we can do. But we must stay as close to them as possible in case they slip up.
   ‘In any case, we will go after the title as long as it is still a possibility for us.’

Italian league leaders Inter Milan said on Friday they had rescinded the contract of Brazilian striker Adriano, who recently returned to his homeland citing depression and the need for a break from football.
   The club said the player’s contract would be terminated as from April 1 while stressing it was passing on ‘all of Inter’s affection for eight years together and 74 goals.’
   The 27-year-old forward was last seen in public on the Brazil bench during an April 1 World Cup qualifying win over Peru.
   Adriano joined Inter in 2001 though he had three loan spells - with Fiorentina for the first half of 2002, then Parma (late 2002 to January 2004) and finally Sao Paulo (in the first half of 2008).
   He played 177 times for Inter, scoring 48 goals in 123 league appearances and 18 in 35 European matches and won the Serie A title in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as two Italian Cups.

Roy Keane has demonstrated that five months out of football have not mellowed him with a withering dismissal of the managerial achievements of his old Manchester United team-mates.
   The former United enforcer also showed that he is still capable of the verbal equivalent of a two-footed tackle with a put-down of his former Ireland team-mate Tony Cascarino, who had questioned whether Keane would ever get another job after quitting Sunderland in December.
   ‘I would not give him the time of day,’ Keane said of Cascarino. ‘I am quite happy to comment on people’s opinion in football I respect, but Tony Cascarino I certainly do not respect for a lot of reasons, and if I told you, you would be shocked. So the day I worry about Tony Cascarino will be a very sad day in my life.’
   Keane’s capacity to ruffle the feathers even of people he considers friends was reflected in his response to a request to assess why he and former team-mates like Steve Bruce, Bryan Robsons, Mark Hughes and Paul Ince had gone on to become successful managers.
   ‘Who are the good managers you are talking about?’ he asked. ‘Sparky (Hughes) and Brucey have not won a trophy, have they? They have potential but anyone can have potential.’
   Keane stressed that he would judge himself on an equally demanding standard.
   ‘I have done nothing in the game yet. I did OK at Sunderland, but I want to do better than OK.’

Cesc Fabregas was Friday charged with improper conduct by the Football Association over allegations he spat at Hull assistant boss Brian Horton, it emerged on Friday.
   The Arsenal captain has denied spitting at Horton after an FA Cup tie between the two clubs at the Emirates Stadium on March 17, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said he was confident the midfielder would be cleared.
   ‘Fabregas has been charged for improper conduct on the night,’ Wenger said.
   ‘I always said we are always very open to co-operate with any investigation. I personally looked at the reports, at the video evidence and there is nothing in there against Cesc.’

Chelsea’s Nigerian international midfielder John Obi Mikel was banned from driving for 15 months on Friday after he admitted to being drunk behind the wheel in London.
   Mikel, 22, was found to be almost twice the limit when stopped by police in his black Range Rover near Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium in west London in January.
   District Judge Jeremy Coleman banned him from driving for 15 months and ordered him to pay 1,580 pounds (1,750 euros, 2,300 dollars) at West London Magistrates’ Court.
   Mikel joined Chelsea in a controversial deal in June 2006, with the London club paying four million pounds to Norwegian club Lyn Oslo and a further 12 million pounds to Manchester United, who had a prior agreement to sign him.