Soccer: Ferguson says he's staying

Sir Alex Ferguson will continue for at least one more season at the helm of Manchester United, yesterday dismissing the latest suggestions to the contrary as "rubbish, absolute rubbish" ahead of a hugely challenging match against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

"That's a laugh, if I've ever heard one. Absolute rubbish. I've no intention of retiring," Ferguson said.

Having harboured such regrets about publicly announcing his departure nine years ago and then retracting, his thoughts will remain a secret until a planned announcement and nothing can be ruled out.

The strength of the rebuttal suggests he is undeterred by the fact that United - relying on their oldest warriors to maintain pressure on Chelsea - are facing fresh need for renewal and an escalating scale of protests against their owners.

"As I've said, the only thing that determines my staying here is my health," added the manager. "Unfortunately for you lot, I'm in rude health. You'll be gone before I'm gone, don't worry."

United, seeking a fourth consecutive Premier League title, had the chance to move two points above leaders Chelsea when they faced Tottenham at Old Trafford overnight.

Meanwhile, the campaign against the club's owners was stepped up with the extraordinary spectacle of giant anti-Glazer images projected across a corner of their stadium.

The slide show, devised by Manchester United Supporters Trust, projected messages urging corporate sponsors to back the campaign to secure a change of ownership by withdrawing commercial support for the club.

The messages included: "It's time to choose sides: the fans or the Glazers" and "The Glazers are damaging MUFC".

MUST wants to raise £15,000 for scarves and cards to turn the season's last game, against Stoke in a fortnight, into a mass protest.

Following the leak of a full list of hospitality clients this week, Anglo Irish Banks has come under criticism in Ireland for spending £28,000 on Old Trafford facilities when it has only survived because of a taxpayer-backed guarantee and needs to find some £6.5bn this year.

Controversy is also playing out at Anfield, and Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has still not met the club's new non-executive chairman Martin Broughton, in whose hands the club's financial destiny lies.

Benitez was more relaxed about Manchester City's belief their financial muscle can lure Fernando Torres to Eastlands.

Benitez expressed frustration two weeks ago about the absence of an explanation why Liverpool's owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, had rejected a £100m investment from Rh ne Group, which would have helped pay the club's £237m debt.

Rh ne's offer was turned down in favour of bringing in Broughton to sell the club. But though the British Airways chairman was at the win over West Ham, he is yet to meet the manager to offer any assurances about the future.

"I haven't spoken to the chairman yet, hopefully next week," Benitez said yesterday. "At the end of the day, I have to prepare for games, so it's not a big thing for me."

He seemed similarly unconcerned about Torres' future and did not respond to City manager Roberto Mancini's declaration of intent on Friday, which left little grounds for doubt that a £60m bid will be made this summer.

- INDEPENDENT