* Ferguson on prospect of spot kicks:
"If you look at my record in penalty shoot-outs, it's diabolical, so I won't be looking for penalties."
* The Times claim that United and Chelsea could have another Obu Mikel style tussle on the cards:
Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are at the centre of a tug of war for Nathan Porritt, a young talent who has been dubbed "the next Ryan Giggs".
Porritt's future is expected to be decided in the next fortnight after the 17-year-old Middlesbrough winger rejected the offer of a professional contract at the Riverside Stadium. Newcastle United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus, who recently sent scouts to Kosovo to watch Porritt in the England Under-17 team's 5-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, have also shown interest, although Chelsea are thought to be the favourites to sign him.
Porritt came to the wider public's attention in September last year, when Frank Arnesen, the Chelsea director of youth development and scouting, was secretly filmed by the BBC's Panorama programme making an alleged illegal approach for the player. Arnesen was quoted offering Porritt a package of £150,000 over three years, while Peter Harrison, Porritt's agent, was recorded claiming that Newcastle officials had also shown interest in signing the winger. Liverpool were also implicated, with a club official quoted as saying: "I think we could sign him and then bring him here at 17."
Whoever succeeds in luring Porritt will have to pay Middlesbrough at least £500,000 in compensation and possibly much more. Middlesbrough were eager to keep Porritt, but after the player rejected the offer of a professional contract when he turned 17 in January they reluctantly accepted that his future lay elsewhere.
* Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan has called for PL Chief Exec Richard Scudamore to resign in the wake of the West Ham furore.
* Scouser sets out his excuse here as Joey Barton makes a counter claim against Dabo:
The Guardian:
Joey Barton will be on his way out of Manchester City this summer but it promises to be anything but a quiet exit after the midfielder "strenuously denied" allegations that he had beaten up his team-mate, Ousmane Dabo, and filed a counter-claim of assault to the police.
Barton has hired the specialist sports lawyer Mel Stein to fight accusations he attacked Dabo and knocked him unconscious during an incident at the club's training ground on May 1. He claims Dabo was the aggressor and the disparities in the two stories mean the police will seek witness accounts from other players and, very possibly, the sacked manager Stuart Pearce. It also throws up the possibility of a court case in which City's players may have to give evidence.
The officers investigating Dabo's allegations arrested Barton at Stretford police station on Tuesday. Barton and his legal team had gone to the station to make a complaint against Dabo. Barton was told on his arrival he would be arrested. He was questioned and, after giving a statement, released on bail until July 11.
* It seems that Bryan Robson is in the frame for the manager's position at Sheffield United.
* Chelsea's Richard Carvalho:
"I now need a miracle to play. I am human, not a machine. [to be fit foe Saturday]
"This season I have suffered a lot physically, but I have pushed myself to the limit.
"It hurts me to miss the final. I never want to miss a game, but I will go to support my team-mates.
"To play at the new Wembley was a dream for me, but now I have to forget it. And I will suffer enormously.
"I don't know Jose Mourinho's plans, but it will be hard to stop Cristiano Ronaldo - that is our biggest task."