D Tuesday, February 16, 2010 SPORT 23 League One Bristol Rov ..2 Charlton ......1 RESULT FIXTURES SOCCER (7.45 unless stated) UEFA Champions League First Knock-Out Round First Leg AC Milan v Man Utd ......................... Lyon v Real Madrid........................... UEFA Europa League Round of 32 - First Leg Everton v Sporting..................... 5.45 Barclays Premier League Stoke v Man City.............................. Coca-Cola League Championship Blackpool v Middlesbrough.............. Bristol City v Leicester...................... Cardiff v West Brom ......................... Derby v Preston................................ Nottm Forest v Sheff Utd ................. Peterborough v Ipswich ................... Plymouth v Swansea........................ QPR v Watford........................... 8.00 Scunthorpe v Barnsley..................... Sheff Wed v Doncaster..................... Coca-Cola League One Carlisle v Huddersfield ..................... Leeds v Walsall................................. Yeovil v Colchester........................... Coca-Cola League Two Hereford v Aldershot ........................ Lincoln City v Accrington Stanley .... Morecambe v Burton Albion............. Scottish Cup Fifth Round Replay Aberdeen v Raith.............................. HORSE RACING Newcastle, Southwell, Folkestone Rooney retains respect for the Beckham factor By Chris Stocks EXCLUSIVE WAYNE ROONEY fears Manchester United old boy David Beckham could come back to haunt his former club in the San Siro tonight. Beckham will take on United for the first time since he left Old Trafford in July 2003 in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie. Rooney moved to Old Trafford a year after the former England captains de- parture for Real Madrid but knows from international duty just what the 34-year- old is capable of doing. David has changed the way he plays from when he was younger, but is still a quality player, and you know when he gets the ball out wide more often than not it is going in the box and players can get on the end of it, he said. We will have to beware his free-kicks and corners, those can be brilliant. Like Ryan Giggs, David is an inspira- tion for how he has played at the top for so long. He is a very professional lad, hes done well, hes still a player young lads look up to and want to emulate. Hes had a great career and is still going. Rooney expects a tough night against the seven-times European Cup winners, who eliminated Sir Alex Fergusons men from the competition in 2005 and 2007, and he knows Beckham, who is likely to start on the bench, is not the only player who could hurt United. It is going to be a difficult game, Milan are a very experienced side, the England striker added. I have already played them twice in the Champions League and each time they knocked us out, so we know it will be tough, but hopefully this time we can come out on top. Theyve got quite a few [top] players like Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Watch Rooneys new Powerade advert at half- time tonight on Sky Sports or go to www. youtube.com/ poweradegb Beckham from set-pieces, and Alexan- dre Pato is quality too. All their players can produce something special, so we have to be careful. Milan will be equally wary of Rooney, who has 24 goals to his name already this season. And the 24-year-old, who stars in a new advert for Powerade tonight, admitted: I would have to say this has been my best season so far. Im playing well, and scoring more goals. Im just working really hard in training, each day my aim is to try and get a little bit better. David is still a player young lads look up to Uniteds new hero is the key for Fergie SIR Alex Ferguson has declared world-class Wayne Rooney the king of his current crop as Manchester United prepare to meet up with old-time hero David Beckham again. Uniteds encounter with Beckhams AC Milan has been built to such a degree that Ferguson timed the first question about his former star at three seconds at a pre- match press conference. But Ferguson was clearly happier talking about Rooney, whose 21 league goals this season have kept United just a point behind Chelsea in the table. Manchester United builds up heroes very quickly, said the United boss. Although he came from Everton, the fans will always look at him as one of the players who has grown up with us. Hes been fantastic this season, his form has brought him to the high point of his career. He is getting to the point where he is now one of the best in the world. Picture: Action Images PREMIER LEAGUE Morgan: Id have erased Reds debt THE Premier League is believed to be considering a proposal to introduce a play-off for the fourth Champions League spot. Currently the teams finishing in the top four positions are handed entry to Europes elite competition, but now it has been proposed only the first three be decided on league position and the fourth by a play-off. Teams finishing fourth to seventh would play a mini-knockout competition, potentially injecting renewed competition into the top flight. A Premier League spokesman said: We look at all sorts of ideas and rarely make comment until we have decided something definitely. Top flight set for talks on Euro play-off WOLVES owner Steve Morgan claims Liverpool would now be free from debt if they had accepted his investment offer before George Gillett and Tom Hicks eventually took charge at Anfield. Morgan abandoned his bid for Liverpool in 2004 because of indecision from the board. Gillett and Hicks took control three years later but the Americans reign has been criticised by fans for the debt taken on by the club. The saga has taken its toll on boss Rafa Benitez and his team this term as they battle to secure a crucial Champions League spot. I was going to put at the time up to 70million investment into the club, said Morgan. It would have been cash into the club. It would have pretty much got the debt down to nil. Liverpool have been estimated to owe 237million and the clubs chief executive Christian Purslow has been working on securing outside investment. Morgan has since bought Wolves and is optimistic about the future. He said: Our plan this year and hopefully next is to establish ourselves in the Premier League and then to take the club forward. But again, its a step at a time. ARSENAL will be without Andrey Arshavin for tomorrows Champions League game in Porto because of a hamstring strain. The Russia forward picked up the injury in last weeks Premier League victory over Liverpool but does not expect to be sidelined for a lengthy spell. If all goes well I get back on the pitch as early as the next Premier League match against Sunderland, said the former Zenit St Petersburg player, who has scored nine times this season for the Gunners. However, the next game against Porto I will miss, he added. Midfielder Alex Song is also struggling to make the trip to Porto, after injuring a knee against Liverpool. Injured Arshavin to miss Porto tie SOCCER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE One of us: Rooney has taken on the mantle of Old Traffords favourite son Cork win licence lifeline CORk CITY have been given another lifeline from both the High Court and the FAI, despite yesterdays deadline for the issue of licences for this seasons League of Ireland. Cork had a winding-up petition adjourned for another week in the High Court yesterday. Judge Mary Laffoy ordered that the clubs bank account, which had been frozen, be re-opened to enable them to receive 158,000 from the sales of kevin Long (Burnley) and David Meyler (Sunderland). The club owes the Revenue Commissioners 115,906 in outstanding tax and hopes to pay the debt by tomorrow. Quintas Group, on behalf of Peter Gray, Michael OConnell and Foras, the Cork City supporters trust, are hoping to buy out current owner Tom Coughlan pending verification of net liabilities and the club getting a Premier Division licence. The FAI stated last night that the Independent Club Licensing Committee has deferred its decision on Cork City until after they come before the High Court again next Monday. The committee noted that one of the fundamental principles of licensing is the protection of creditors such as club employees, other clubs and the Revenue. The committee was made aware of a potential takeover which may see commitments to creditors being honoured. All other 21 current league clubs were given licences for the coming season. LEAGUE OF IRELAND index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html