Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson confirmed yesterday that winger Ryan Giggs will miss Sunday's Premiership showdown against second-placed Arsenal because of a hamstring injury. Giggs' faces another spell in the treatment room after he came off just 17 minutes into United's 1-1 Champions League draw with Valencia on Tuesday night.
The 27-year-old Wales international, who has already missed four weeks this season because of his troublesome hamstrings, felt a twinge in training, but wrongly thought he would be all right to play against Arsenal.
"He actually felt it a bit in training, but thought he'd be okay," said Ferguson. "It's difficult to say with Ryan's hamstrings how long he'll be out. Sometimes they recover quickly, but he won't be playing on Sunday."
Aston Villa manager John Gregory has dismissed reports that club record signing Juan Pablo Angel is to return to Argentina with his family. There was speculation that Villa's £9.5 million capture was to be loaned back to River Plate. Angel has experienced a difficult time since arriving in England last month with his wife Paula ill after undergoing an operation and his one-month-old son Geromino also unwell. In addition Angel has struggled to find his form and after five appearances for Villa is still searching for his first goal.
Chelsea are planning to take legal action over an article which appeared in a tabloid newspaper earlier this week. Tuesday's Sun newspaper claimed that several Chelsea players were involved in a bust-up with their manager Claudio Ranieri at half-time during Sunday's FA Cup defeat at Arsenal.
The Premiership League chairmen will today discuss the bids to win the overseas TV rights for top-flight games and which could raise up to £150 million over the next three years.