Becks in tug-of-war
Manchester United are on a collision course with England again over David Beckham. National boss Sven Goran Eriksson wants skipper Beckham for the friendly with South Africa in Durban on May 22. But United manager Alex Ferguson believes his £38million-rated midfielder must rest as soon as the domestic season finishes on May 11. The difference of opinion comes just 24 hours after clear-the-air talks between Fergie and Eriksson designed to ease the club versus country row. Ferguson does not see the point of Beckham flying to South Africa for what he regards as a meaningless friendly and money-making exercise.
Mark Irwin, The Sun
I´ll do Gunners a favour
Scott Oarker´s dream of giving the title race another twist sees him running around Old Trafford like a headless chicken. In the Charlton midfielder´s mind he has just gone one better than two years ago and hit the back of Manchester United´s net from 40 yards. Charlton have a big say in the destiny of the Premiership crown as they take on United in their own back yard tomorrow. And the former Tottenham nut, 22, will be busting a gut to do bitter North London rivals Arsenal a big favour - as long as it is his name on the scoresheet. He said: " Two years back, I thought I had done keeper Fabien Barthez from way out but the shot cracked against the bar. Tottenham were my boyhood team but I wouldn´t mind too much if I did Arsenal a bit of a favour and squeezed things a bit more at the top of the table by hitting the target."
Pat Sheehan, The Sun
Vieira out for season
Patrick Vieira is out for the rest of the season. Arsenal´s skipper will miss the climax of their title challenge and the FA Cup Final. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had hoped his inspirational midfielder would be back for the last Premiership game of the season at Sunderland on Sunday week and the Cardiff date with Southampton on May 17. But Vieira´s knee injury is taking longer to overcome than he hoped, despite intensive treatment back in France. Now Wenger has told French chief Jacques Santini that Vieira´s season is over and he will also miss international fixtures this summer while he recovers. Santini said: " I talked with Arsene and he has confirmed Patrick will not be able to play the last games with Arsenal. It´s also 99 per cent sure he will not be with us at the Confederations Cup next month."
Vikki Orvice, The Sun
Double bubble
Alex Ferguson happily toasted a paltry £4,500 UEFA fine last night. Manchester United´s boss had claimed the Champions League quarter final draw was fixed. Uefa have responded by finding Ferguson guilty of making improper statements. They were expected to crack down on Fergie. who swigged champagne at a management meeting on Merseyside yesterday.INstead the multi-millionaire escaped with a slap on the wrist. Fergie, who earns £2m a year, must hand over less than a day´s pay.
Mark Irwin, The Sun
Not again
Gary Neville will be out for up to three months after surgery on the injury which kept him out of the World Cup. The Manchester United and England defender underwent an operation yesterday to remove a screw which had remained in his left foot following the break he suffered towards the end of last season. It means Neville, 28, will spend a second successive title run-in on the sidelines, missing the final two Premiership games with Charlton and Everton, as well as England´s Euro 2004 qualifier with Slovakia. The news is a bitter blow to Neville, who was looking to re-establish himself as a first-choice at United after being replaced at right-back by Wes Brown. And the recurrence of the injury means Neville will also miss United´s money-spinning tour of America.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
£4,600? Surely that´s a fix, Fergie
Sir Alex Ferguson made a grovelling apology to UEFA but was still fined £4,600 last night. The Manchester United manager had accused UEFA of fixing the Champions League quarter-final draw after his side were paired with Real Madrid. Fergie said that he believed the draw had been designed to prevent United reaching the final at Old Trafford on May 28. He was suspicious because the draw threw up no matches involving clubs from the same country, despite threeItalian and three Spanish sides qualifying for the last eight. The United manager was forced into a public apology within 36 hours but was still charged with making improper statements. He was fined after being found guilty. Ferguson and United lawyer Maurice Watkins replied to the charge with a ten-page submission described as " humble" by UEFA sources. UEFA spokesman Mike Lee said: " We received a very full apology. Sir Alex made it clear that the draw was fair and honest. We accept his assessment."
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
Fergie makes a meal of revenge
Only Sir Alex Ferguson could do it. As a football writers´ lunch in the north west came to an end yesterday, the Manchester United manager rose from his seat, thanked the sponsors for their largesse and headed for the door. Behind him, the artichoke and wild mushroom soup was deemed a success, the fillet steak tender enough and I am told there was much back-slapping and laughter among the assembled company, not least from Blackburn boss Graeme Souness and his Bolton counterpart Sam Allardyce. Then, as the assembled journalists sipped their coffee, they absent-mindedly reached for their mobiles to check for messages. It was then that Ferguson served dessert - and it wasn´t creme brulee. On the phones of carefully selected hacks there was a curt message from the club informing them they had been " banned". You have to admit, it´s quite brilliantly petty.
Des Kelly, Daily Mirror
Becks set for book row
David Beckham´s fragile relationship with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be pushed to the limit with the revelation that My Side, the England captain´s forthcoming autobiography, will not be vetted by the club before it hits the bookshelves. A decision has been taken by Beckham and representative Tony Stephens at SFX to avoid showing the final manuscript to Ferguson or anyone else at Old Trafford to avoid delays in the September 15 publication date. But it is increasingly likely te book will contain details of the player´s dealings with Ferguson, the infamous dressing-room bott incident and the speculation about Real Madrid.
Harry Harris, Daily Express
Euell is gunning to sink United
Life-long Arsenal fan Jason Euell promises Charlton will go all out to do their neighbours a favour at Manchester United tomorrow. United have one hand on the Premiership trophy after winning 12 and drawing three of their last 16 league games. But Euell insists the title race is not dead. " Although our game with United might not appear to many a foregone conclusion, let me tell everyone we won´t be rolling over or letting it turn into a procession," he said.
Mark Fleming, Daily Express
Becks´ blond ambition tour
America will be next to fall. The campaign has been orchestrated for months. A coalition of the willing and the not so willing, some of the most powerful forces on earth, are going to play a part in the conquest. Yes, David Beckham is heading west. And with Pepsi, Time magazine and mighty ABC television´s biggest name presenter Barbara Walters landing the softening-up strikes, it remains only for Manchester United to turn up with the funny, round balls for their pre-season tour in July and the USA will be shaded in blond like the rest of the world map.
John Dillon, Daily Express
You toe the line too, Fergie
A 10-page letter of apology saved Sir Alex Ferguson from a Champions League touchline ban as the Manchester United manager was fined £4,500 for claiming the quarter final draw of Europe´s elite club competition had been fixed.
Ian Ladyman and John Edwards, Daily Mail
Fergie bans us for telling the truth
Manchester United yesterday banned Starsport from Sir Alex Ferguson´s weekly press conference. And all because we reported the facts. The United boss is apparently furious because we told you he had responded to a radio reporter´s question about David Beckham with a four-letter blast. Ferguson lost his cool a week ago when asked about the speculation linking Beckham with a move to Real Madrid.
Sports staff, Daily Star
