Roy Keane is to resume full training this week, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said yesterday. Keane has not played since being sent off in United's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on August 31st.
He has since undergone surgery on a hip problem and his absence through injury coincided with a five-game suspension given by the English FA for controversial comments made in his autobiography.
"Roy will be starting full-time training this week," Ferguson told MUTV. "From then on we will monitor how he is coming through that part where he has to twist, turn and kick the ball."
United have denied Lazio's claims to have stumped up the £12 million they owe as part payment of the transfer fee for Jaap Stam. United recently reported the Serie A leaders to FIFA for failing to keep up repayments on the transfer.Lazio director Massimo Cragnotti said they had settled their debt with United and denied rumours that the club, which has been put up for sale, was in financial crisis.
Rupert Murdoch, the News International owner, has been linked with a bid for Lazio but Cragnotti denied reports that any talks were planned.
United's assistant coach Carlos Queiroz has dismissed as "pure speculation" claims linking the Old Trafford club with Sporting Lisbon prodigy Ricardo Quaresma. United were reportedly keen to bring the 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder, who has been labelled "the new Luis Figo", to the Premiership when the transfer window re-opens in January.
Gerard Houllier has told goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek to "be strong" as he plans to give rookie Chris Kirkland his chance to win the Liverpool's number one jersey. And the Anfield chief revealed that Polish international Dudek was in tears in the dressing-room after the error that put Liverpool on the road to defeat against United.
Houllier said: "He was very tearful after the game. But I will tell him not to think about it and to get on with things because we will help him."
But now England under-21 star Kirkland will play against Ipswich tomorrow night in the League Cup at Anfield. Kirkland has the opportunity to convince Houllier to include him in Saturday's Premiership trip to Charlton.
Houllier clearly wants to help Dudek rebuild his confidence, and said: "The game is about mistakes and sometimes these things happen. Nobody will blame him. We finished second last season and that was partly down to his work and talent."
Chelsea and Nigeria defender Celestine Babayaro will serve a three-match ban for his sending off against Bolton Wanderers after the FA rejected his appeal yesterday. Babayaro was dismissed for elbowing Youri Djorkaeff in an off-the-ball incident during a 1-1 draw at the Reebok Stadium on November 23rd.
Alan Shearer will miss Newcastle's Champions League trips to Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen after deciding not to appeal against his two-match ban. Newcastle last night confirmed the 32-year-old has decided to take his medicine after being convicted on video evidence of elbowing Inter Milan defender Fabio Cannavaro during last Wednesday night's 4-1 Group A defeat.
Arsenal suffered a double disciplinary blow yesterday when Ashley Cole was charged with misconduct by the FA following the 3-2 defeat against Southampton on November 23rd.
Sol Campbell also had his appeal against suspension after a red card in the same match, the cause of Cole's alleged outburst, rejected by the FA.
Campbell, meanwhile, will definitely miss the Premiership showdown between Arsenal and Manchester United following the rejection by the FA's video advisory panel of his appeal.
