Saturday 1 Steve Coppell is back as Palace manager. "I've been around here on and off for quite some time," he says, while Ron Noades reopens an old, unresolved mystery: "I don't think his leaving Maine Road was to do with ill health. I think that's something Man City put out." "If we do not receive an apology Mr Noades will reap the consequences of what he said," replies a City spokesman.
Sunday 2 Man Utd take a four-point lead at the top after a 3-1 win over a vaudeville troop from Coventry, who chip in with two own goals in the first five minutes. A Shearer-less Newcastle are beaten at home by Matt Le Tissier's goal for Southampton, but Arsenal keep their Champs and Runners-Up League hopes alive by winning at Everton, back on the slide again. West Ham and Middlesbrough tighten their hold on the bottom two places, following defeats at Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday. Meanwhile, Irving Scholar's Nottm Forest boost their survival hopes by beating Spurs 1-0 at White Hart Lane. "We are slipping into a bad area," says Gerry Francis, as though he'd never been 13th before.
Tuesday 4 The Grobbelgaate (copyright WSC) match fixing trial finishes with the jury being discharged after failing to reach a verdict. The Crown Prosecution Service will press for a re-trial. "Maybe we should decide this on penalties," says Bruce, in a clown-prince-of-soccer sort of way. Newcastle, unrecognizable with four forwards missing and Robert Lee up front, lose 1-0 at home to Monaco in their UEFA Cup Quarter Final first leg. Still, at least they won't be facing an intimidating crowd in the return.
Wednesday 5 Man Utd, with Ryan Giggs outstanding, put in one of their best home displays in Europe beating Porto 4-0 in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter Final. "I would have been happy with 1-0 if we kept Porto at bay but 4-0 is just fantastic," says Alex Ferguson looking as close to cherubic as he'll ever get. Earlier in the day Alex confirmed that he would not be allowing Man Utd players to take part in England's Summer tournament in France which begins three days after the World Cup tie in Poland. Liverpool and Newcastle are expected to follow suit. Looks like a Spurs XI, then. Mike °ÆMr Controversy' Reed is taken off the Chelsea v Leicester League match which he was due to referee next week, "after careful consideration of the factors involved," according to a League spokesman, although neither club objected to Reed being in charge.
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England's next opponents, South Africa, have problems that go further than the football pitch, says John Perlman