Football: Liverpool in chase for pounds 5m Schwarzer

LIVERPOOL, TIRED of shipping unnecessary goals, are casting covetous eyes on Middlesbrough's Australian keeper, Mark Schwarzer.

Gerard Houllier and Roy Evans, the joint-managers at Anfield have decided to sign a No 1 because of the yo-yo form of David James and Brad Friedel.

It is understood that Liverpool could be persuaded to part with pounds 5m, should Boro be prepared to let go the keeper they bought from Bradford for pounds 1.5m. Schwarzer is under contract at the Riverside, but has an agreement that if an offer is made he has to be told about it.

James was recently dropped in favour of the American Friedel, who was then overlooked in turn after a poor display against Manchester United.

Newcastle's French international striker, Stephane Guivarc'h, has claimed he has been humiliated by the club's new manager, Ruud Gullit - and wants to leave St James' Park as soon as possible.

The 28-year-old, who has played just twice for Newcastle since his pounds 3.5m move from Auxerre in the summer, accused the Dutchman of a lack of respect while his agent said Gullit had "put a curse" on the World Cup-winning striker.

Guivarc'h said he had been astonished when Gullit, who replaced Kenny Dalglish as manager, had ordered him to train with the reserves. "If he told me to do it again I would refuse. To get me to train with the second team is not very classy behaviour on his part," Guivarc'h said.

"I have to leave because my two successive seasons as leading scorer in France, leading scorer in the European Cup in 1997-98 and my World Cup medal will change nothing in his eyes."

Benito Carbone has urged the Football Association to go easy on Paolo Di Canio, following his now infamous push on referee Paul Alcock.

"Everybody now knows Paolo made a mistake," Carbone, Di Canio's close friend and Sheffield Wednesday team-mate, said. "Paolo also knows that what he did was wrong. But there have been many other players who have made just as big a mistake in the past.

"It would be wrong if Paolo was severely punished by the FA. I don't think he should be given a long ban because it's important for his career and it's important for Wednesday."

Di Canio, who was immediately suspended by the club and later charged with misconduct by the FA, is at home in Rome awaiting a date for a hearing.

The postponed European Championship qualifier between Yugoslavia and the Republic of Ireland will now take place on 18 November, but a venue has not yet been arranged.

Manchester United are ready to create special areas where singing is encouraged behind each goal at Old Trafford and could return to the days when fans paid at the gate. Ideas being discussed by United's board for increased capacity to be created by the next development of the ground are revealed in the latest edition of the club's magazine. In the next three years, United will be extending Old Trafford to hold 67,400.

Hearts have lost their second appeal against the non-regulation dimensions of the Real Mallorca goalposts when Uefa again rejected Hearts' pleas to be reinstated into the Cup-Winners' Cup because of the club's failure to submit their protest in writing ahead of kick-off.