WORLD CUP COMPENSATION

Manchester United's push for compensation for the release of their players for
international duty is certain to be strengthened by injuries sustained by Gary
Neville and Louis Saha while representing their countries on Wednesday night.
Both players returned to the club yesterday carrying knee injuries and it is feared that they will miss United's Barclays Premiership match away to Bolton
Wanderers tomorrow and the start of their Champions League programme next
week.

United have been among the prime movers in the campaign by G-14, the self-
elected forum of Europe's most powerful clubs, to demand payment for the
release of their players. David Gill, the club's chief executive, recently said that
the present system is "neither equitable nor fair".

Neville underwent a scan yesterday to ascertain the extent of a knee injury
sustained in the first half of England's 2-1 victory in Poland. To add to Sir Alex
Ferguson's ire John O'Shea suffered a similar knock during Ireland's 3-0 victory over Cyprus last Saturday, but most worrying of all was what is feared to be a
recurrence of Saha's knee injury, which has been causing considerable concern
at Old Trafford, in the opening minutes of France's 2-0 victory away to the
Faeroe Isles.

United are also without Wayne Rooney, who has not played since breaking a
bone in his foot during England's European Championship quarter-final tie
against Portugal in June, albeit as an Everton player, and Ruud van Nistelrooy,
who last played competitively for Holland in the same tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo also played twice in four days for Portugal despite Ferguson's
concerns that the winger risked aggravating a hernia problem sustained while
representing his country in two tournaments this summer.