SOCCER: Gabriel Heinze, Manchester United's reigning player of the year, has been pencilled in for his first match in seven months when Sunderland visit Old Trafford on Friday. The Argentina international had initially been ruled out for the season after rupturing cruciate knee ligaments in the Champions League tie at Villarreal on September 14th.

He returned to full training last month and Alex Ferguson has been so impressed with his progress that United's manager seriously considered including him in the first-team squad for Sunday's game against Arsenal.

"He's been back in full training for three weeks, he's been tigerish in his tackling and his enthusiasm is infectious, so we might give him a go against Sunderland," said Ferguson.

If United have a comfortable lead, Ferguson intends to bring him on in the second half. Heinze must then hope he can convince the Argentina coach Jose Pekerman to include him in their squad for this summer's World Cup.

The sight of empty seats at Old Trafford for Premiership games is inevitable, according to a leading supporters group.

United have confirmed an average season-ticket price rise of 12.3 per cent, with some seats going up as much as 16.7 per cent.

Although it is thought those with executive seats will be hardest hit, with a top-price ticket now £39, it is claimed many fans will be priced out or choose the less expensive option of watching games at the pub.

"Traditionally, there are three reasons for having a season ticket," said Mark Longden, chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association.

"You were guaranteed to see every home game, you could apply for tickets to away games and you could get a cup final ticket. But the capacity has expanded so much, United are pleading with people to buy season tickets now.

"There are so many, you would only have a one-in-two chance of getting a final ticket and less than a one-in-19 chance of getting into an away game.

"When you add in the amount of games that get switched, even the hardcore fan is going to think twice about spending £35 to watch Birmingham at 5.15pm on a Saturday. It is far easier, and cheaper, to go and watch the game on TV in a pub somewhere, where, it has to be said, the atmosphere is often better as well.

"The more prices go up, the more people fall off the edge and without a doubt there will be empty seats for league games at Old Trafford next season."

The club remain confident, however, that they will continue to play to 70,000-plus crowds. The club's finance director Nick Humby said United remain among the middle ranks of Premiership clubs for ticket prices. "We strongly believe the new prices still represent the best value in the Premier League," he said.

Meanwhile Sven-Goran Eriksson has been assured that Wayne Rooney's gambling debts, reputed to be around £700,000, have not caused a rift with Michael Owen, his England team-mate. The English FA, acting on the England manager's behalf, felt sufficiently concerned in the wake of weekend reports to contact representatives for both players yesterday and it has received categorical assurances there is nothing to worry about which will please Eriksson ahead of the World Cup.

Rooney's advisers at Proactive Sports Management, the company headed by Paul Stretford, began a damage-limitation exercise yesterday, releasing a statement to deny that Eriksson's first-choice strikers had fallen out. "Any suggestions of a rift or a dispute between Wayne and Michael are without foundation as far as Wayne is concerned. They remain the best of pals."

Eriksson will prefer to hear that from his players but is not thought to be overly concerned. Rooney's form has been so good in recent weeks, earning him the Premiership's player of the month award, it is clear that however huge his debts, they are not affecting his performances.

Rooney does not consider himself as having a gambling problem other than his apparent inability to pick a winner and Eriksson believes the case to be one of just another millionaire footballer with too much money. He will speak to the striker about the matter but does not intend to be overly paternal, accepting he can do what he likes with his own money.

Ferguson's thoughts on the matter remain private apart from his tirade against the newspapers at the weekend. However, the Manchester United manager will want to get to the bottom of reports that some of his players have been hiring out a city-centre apartment to run gambling schools.

Ferguson used to have high-placed associates at bookmakers' firms who would tip him off if one of his players was making large bets and he has collared, players in the past. It is likely that he would have spoken to Rooney about the issue, but Ferguson's biggest problem might be that the advent of many new companies through which players can place bets will restrict his ability to gain information about their habits.