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Cool-hand Wenger facing Arsenal crunch

LONDON (Reuters) -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger faces a potentially decisive week that could make or break his side's three-pronged bid for silverware.

The English champions need a point from Wednesday's game in Valencia to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. They then face Everton in the premier league on Sunday and meet Chelsea in an FA Cup quarterfinal replay just two days later.

Home draws against Chelsea and AS Roma and a shock 2-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers have undermined Arsenal's confidence and Wenger will need all his experience to keep his team on course for a repeat domestic double and a first European Cup triumph.

"I feel the players will respond in the next game," Wenger told Arsenal's official Web site. "Since the defeat at Manchester United [on December 7] we had not lost for 20 games so the players have shown considerable strength in the past and they will again in the future.

"I don't think it is a problem of confidence, we were five points ahead before this game. The players were simply not as sharp as usual. We never found our flow in the game."

Arsenal looked jaded at Blackburn, lacking their usual attacking inspiration and looking vulnerable defensively after Martin Keown limped off to join Sol Campbell on the sidelines.

Keown and, almost certainly, Campbell will miss the game in Valencia, leaving Pascal Cygan, widely criticized for his performance at Blackburn, and Igor Stepanovs to face the physical challenge of the Spanish champions' leading striker John Carew.

Carew's headed goal knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage two years ago and he will be confident of taking advantage of the absent England defenders.

Unbeaten runs

The Blackburn defeat was as comprehensive as it was unexpected. The last two times Arsenal won the premier league title in 1998 and 2002 they went on long unbeaten runs after Christmas until the championship was secured.

Improving Everton, now fifth in the table, inflicted Arsenal's first defeat of the season at Goodison Park in October following Wayne Rooney's stunning late goal and they will be keen to consolidate their bid for a European place.

Arsenal are now just two points ahead of Manchester United and five clear of Newcastle with eight games each remaining.

The match on April 15 against arch-rivals United, who will top the table for the first time this season if they beat Fulham on Saturday, could well decide the destiny of the championship.

"We know now that if we win our last eight games we will win the title and we're quietly confident of doing that," said United utility player Phil Neville.

The Gunners looked to be heading for the FA Cup semi-finals after coming from behind to lead Chelsea 2-1 going into the dying minutes of the game at Highbury 10 days ago.

But Frank Lampard's scrappy equalizer gave their London rivals a lifeline and, with no other chance of silverware this season, Chelsea will be determined to win the replay to set up a last-four clash with first division Sheffield United.

It all adds up to a worrying few days for Wenger, who is renowned for his calm and analytical approach to adverse situations.

"In the next week or so we play Valencia, Everton and then Chelsea, so the fact we have so many defensive injuries is worrying," he said. "We will go for every trophy but right now the Champions League is on my mind."

England coach looks forward rather than back

LONDON (Reuters) -- England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson looked to the present and the future rather than the past on Monday after the prospect of striker Alan Shearer coming out of retirement to play for his country ended.

Eriksson, preparing for two critical Euro 2004 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Turkey, said he would obviously have considered picking Newcastle United's Shearer if he was available again -- but the story was now closed.

There were widespread reports over the weekend that Shearer, who played the last of his 63 matches for England three years ago was considering a return to the national side -- but the in-form striker said on Sunday he was not changing his mind.

"With the way he plays his football, he could maybe have been in the squad," said Eriksson. "But I can't pick a player who doesn't want to play. And the first thing you need to hear is a player saying he wants to play.

"But congratulations to Alan for what he did and what he's doing, but the future of England can't be Alan Shearer. If you are talking about Euro 2004 and the World Cup in 2006, the Alan Shearer story is over, there is nothing to add."

But he said there were a number of young players able to play in the England attack along with automatic first choice Michael Owen of Liverpool.

"I think at this moment Emile Heskey is doing better and better, he scored yesterday," said Eriksson, referring to the Liverpool forward's goal against Tottenham Hotspur.

"For the future there are a lot of players ... Shola Ameobi, Francis Jeffers, Wayne Rooney, Alan Smith, who played up front for Leeds on Saturday and did very well I thought.

Youngest player

"Of course, there is Robbie Fowler who is coming on, he scored yesterday, I am happy for him that he's scoring again. Jermain Defoe -- he is on my list for the future.

"As far as Rooney is concerned for me it's a pity he plays so little, but every time he comes on he makes things happen. For him maybe it's good he plays so little, he is only 17."

Rooney became the youngest player to represent England when he came on as substitute for the second half of their friendly against Australia last month aged just 17 years and 111 days. But playing him in a competitive match is a different matter.

Eriksson was also enthusiastic about Newcastle's young attacker Ameobi, who plays alongside Shearer.

"As far as Ameobi is concerned I think he is improving. His first touch is improving. I first saw him almost two years ago and he's a much better football player today."

Eriksson also said he deserved the criticism that came his way after England drew 2-2 with Macedonia in their last European qualifier and lost 3-1 against Australia at Upton Park.

"I accept the criticism about both games," he said. "I didn't expect people to congratulate me and tell me everything was great.

"Failing to beat Macedonia was worse as that was a competitive match. But I am certain we will still qualify for Euro 2004 -- and I hope we qualify automatically."

England are in second place in Group Seven with four points from two matches, while Turkey top the standings with a maximum haul of nine points from their three games.

England should easily beat Liechtenstein in Vaduz on March 29, before the key came against Turkey at Sunderland on April 2.

Eriksson will name his squad for the two games on Sunday.

The England coach also dismissed claims originally made two weeks ago by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson that he had been lined up as the Scot's replacement when he was considering retirement at Old Trafford 18 months ago.

"I never had any dealings with Manchester United at all and neither did my agent," Eriksson said.

Diouf dropped, Sutton injured for UEFA Cup tie

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -- El Hadji Diouf of Liverpool and Chris Sutton of Celtic will both miss Thursday's UEFA Cup quarterfinal second leg match for different reasons on Thursday.

Liverpool will drop striker El Hadji Diouf after he spat at home fans in the first leg in Glasgow last week.

Sutton is out after colliding with team mate Bobo Balde during Sunday's League Cup final against Rangers. He crashed to the ground, broke his wrist and is also likely to miss the next six weeks of the season.

Sutton was carried off on a stretcher and spent the night in hospital. Rangers won 2-1 after John Hartson missed a late penalty.

Diouf fined

Senegalese international Diouf was fined two weeks wages and faces further UEFA punishment after television cameras clearly showed the Reds player spitting at Celtic fans last Thursday.

But Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has already moved to avoid a potential flashpoint in the return leg at Anfield this Thursday.

"We'll have to wait and see what UEFA say first," Houllier told the club's official Web site on Monday.

"They will make a decision at some point this week -- but either way, I don't think I'll be playing Diouf in this game."

UEFA, who have requested a copy of the match video from the 1-1 first leg meeting at Parkhead, are expected to announce the results of their investigation on Tuesday.

If found guilty, Diouf could receive a four-match European suspension following a precedent set when Celta Vigo's Peter Luccin received his ban for spitting at Celtic striker John Hartson earlier this season.

Houllier was also involved in a row with Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle after Liverpool beat Spurs 3-2 at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Houllier accused Tottenham's Mauricio Taricco of trying to provoke Diouf into retaliation and confronted him in the players' tunnel at halftime.

Houllier said: "I was getting quite angry during the first half because it looked as though Taricco wanted to get Diouf sent off. I spoke to John Gorman [Spurs deputy manager] about it because I would never have a player who would try to do that."

Hoddle said afterwards: "Houllier is talking rubbish. For him to attack our player in the tunnel verbally is not on, but I will not report him to the FA."

Di Canio stays as Reading apologizes to Hammers

LONDON (Reuters) -- Italian striker Paolo Di Canio will not be leaving West Ham United, the English premier league club insisted on Monday.

Reading's approach to sign the unsettled forward was swiftly rebuffed and the first division club have apologized to West Ham for making their interest public.

"I inquired about Paolo and they [West Ham] are not interested," Reading boss Alan Pardew said.

"He's very much a West Ham player and the interest is dead as far as we are concerned," Pardew told the club's Web site.

Pardew had made public his interest in the player earlier on Monday -- a move that infuriated West Ham manager Glenn Roeder.

"I shouldn't have spoken to the press about Di Canio this morning, but it was a genuine mistake," Pardew said.

"Glenn Roeder is very upset and has made his feelings clear to me, and I apologize to both Glenn and West Ham United."

Ill feeling

Reading Chief Executive Nigel Howe added: "I've spoken to Paul Aldridge, Chief Executive at West Ham, who says there's no possibility of Di Canio joining Reading, and he will not be leaving West Ham in the foreseeable future.

"I'd like to assure West Ham that we will always make a formal approach if we are interested in a player and I hope this issue has not created any ill feeling between the clubs."

Reading, who have never played in English soccer's top flight, are third in division one and set to qualify for the end-of-season promotion playoffs.

Di Canio, back in England after undergoing treatment on his injured knee in Bologna last week, is thought to be unhappy that relegation-threatened West Ham had not offered him a new contract.

His contract expires at the end of the season. The 34-year-old has a stormy relationship with Roeder, reacting furiously to being substituted during his last appearance, a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion on February 23.

Derby's Ravanelli offers to play for free

DERBY, England (Reuters) -- Derby County's Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli would play for free next season if it was in the best interests of the English first division club.

The 34-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, has told the club's official Web site that money is not important and playing is his main priority.

"Maybe I will play for free," he was quoted as saying on Monday. "The money is not important to me -- staying in Derby is because it would be good for me and my family, who are very settled here.

"If the chairman, the manager and the fans want me to stay in Derby then I will," he added. "I feel fit and well but I want to continue working very hard because I love Derby County, I love the city and I love the fans.

Cash-strapped Derby, who have had to sell many of their best players this season to cut the wage bill, are only two places above the relegation zone.

Ravanelli has scored twice since his return this month from Italy, where he had treatment on an Achilles injury, and the former Juventus and Lazio forward has set himself a target of another eight goals in their remaining games this season.

"It is not easy when you come back from an injury, but I will put my heart and my body forward for this club because I want to stay in Derby for a long time," he said.

"I am very disappointed with the situation we are in which is catastrophic and I want to apologise to the fans because it is very bad for everybody.

"But I think if we can all pull together as a club and if we work as hard as possible and you, the fans, stay behind us, it is possible to improve the situation."

Ravanelli, who scored eight goals in 22 games for Italy, joined Derby from Lazio on a free transfer in July 2001.

Derby manager lands five-game touchline ban

LONDON (Reuters) -- Derby County manager John Gregory was given a five-match touchline ban and a 7,500 pounds (US$11,860) fine on Monday for verbally abusing match officials.

The Football Association announced its relatively harsh punishment after finding the former Aston Villa boss guilty of using "abusive and/or insulting words" towards the fourth official during Derby's 6-2 defeat at Portsmouth on February 8.

Gregory's ban comes into force on March 31 and is the latest blow to the cash-strapped club who have endured a torrid time in division one following relegation from the premier league last season.

Derby, who have had to sell many of their best players to cut their wage bill, are only two places above the relegation zone.

 

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