Sir Alex
Ferguson is weighing up a summer move for James Milner, the Aston
Villa midfield player. Villa want to tie Milner, 24, to a new
long-term contract but Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, is
monitoring the situation and may look to take
advantage.
Martin O’Neill considers Milner integral to his hopes of taking
the club into the Champions League and would not want to sell. The
player has two years left on his present deal but Villa want to
extend the contract and are prepared to increase his wages from
about £45,000 a week to £65,000, giving him parity with Ashley
Young, his team-mate.
Ferguson is considering his midfield options amid concerns about
the long-term fitness of Owen Hargreaves and the form of Michael
Carrick and Anderson, while Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are coming
to the end of their United careers. Milner’s versatility appeals to
the Scot and he fits into the the policy of signing young players
with scope for improvement.
Although he was originally perceived as a wide player, Milner
has impressed in central midfield for Villa and can also play in
either full-back position. His form is expected to earn him a place
in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the World Cup finals in South
Africa this summer.
United have doubts over the fitness of Giggs and Rio Ferdinand,
who have hamstring and groin injuries respectively for tomorrow’s
Manchester derby. However, Wayne Rooney, the striker, is expected
to be fit to start despite missing the goalless draw away to
Blackburn Rovers on Sunday with a burst blood vessel just below the
right ankle joint.
After the problems off the pitch that blighted the two-legged
Carling Cup semi-final between the clubs in January, police will
adopt a zero-tolerance approach to hooliganism and drunkenness in
an attempt to avert possible flashpoints between rivals fans.
Supporters arriving drunk at the City of Manchester Stadium will
be refused entry and anyone caught with alcohol within a 2½-mile
exclusion zone between the city centre and ground will have it
confiscated as officers vowed to deal “quickly and robustly” with
troublemakers.
“We will have the appropriate number of officers and resources
within the ground and the surrounding areas to both deal with any
incidents and offer reassurance to the public,” Assistant Chief
Constable Ian Hopkins, who is in charge of the policing operation
for the match, said.