O'Leary in injury scare

Tomas O'Leary looks certain to miss the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa after suffering a serious ankle injury in Munster's 29-10 Magners League win over the Scarlets.

O'Leary's injury marred Munster's 10th straight win in all competitions at Musgrave Park, with early indications that the Ireland scrum-half has a suspected fractured ankle.

He was immediately ruled out of next weekend's Heineken Cup semi-final showdown with Leinster and will almost certainly miss the trip to South Africa.
Tries from Ian Dowling, David Wallace, Keith Earls and Denis Leamy helped Munster move onto 58 points, meaning the title will be theirs if Ospreys fail to gain a point against Edinburgh on Saturday.

The reigning European champions had seven of their eight Lions in action, with tour captain Paul O'Connell the only absentee as he rested a sore hip.

Tevez loan arrangement concerns Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United are in a position of weakness because of Carlos Tevez's complicated loan arrangement.

The South American's United days appear to be drawing to an end because of a perceived lack of opportunities. Ferguson has not given up hope of keeping him, but his bargaining position is not helped by the knowledge Tevez can walk away at the end of the season to take up any of the lucrative offers bound to come his way.

"We are vulnerable because of the loan situation, there is no question about that," said Ferguson.
"It is the weakness and when he is questioned by journalists it is loaded towards that," he added. "It can lead him into saying things he doesn't really believe or mean."

Tevez arrived under a loan arrangement with adviser Kia Joorabchian which was sanctioned by the Premier League.

An agreed price - believed to be around £30million - needs to be paid at the end of the season for United to seal Tevez's registration. But, while Ferguson still hopes it will happen, Tevez is seemingly resigned to leaving because he has not played in enough key matches.

"I don't want him to be unhappy that's for sure because he is an important player for us," said the Scot. "The difficulty is when you have the options I have got, it creates problems.

"All the good players want to play in every game but you can't do that in this league, it is impossible.

"I think he genuinely wants to stay and that is something we are trying to work towards. I have told him that repeatedly.

"Maybe at the end of the season if he has won something or achieved something, he will look at the overall picture and realise he has made a contribution. I think he will stay. I hope he does."

Shearer hoping for some Oz wizardry

Alan Shearer is hoping Mark Viduka's return to fitness will help to re-ignite his goal-shy team.

The Magpies head into Monday night's must-win clash with Portsmouth at St James' Park having scored just four times in their past eight Barclays Premier League games, a sequence of fixtures which has yielded only three points from a possible 24.

Asked what the returning 33-year-old Australia international might add to the team, Shearer said: "Hold-up play. When the ball goes into him, more often than not, it will stick."
He added: "That will give our players a chance to get up and support and make runs off him, knowing the ball will stick with him."

Newcastle have not scored more than once in a single game since their last win, a 3-2 victory at West Brom on February 7, and Shearer knows that with clean sheets at a premium - they have collected just one in their past 16 league outings - that situation will have to change if they are to rescue their season.

Viduka has managed only seven appearances all season because of a troublesome Achilles injury, and is yet to find the back of the net. But he showed enough during his 29-minute cameo as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham last Sunday to suggest he could have a major role to play during the remaining five fixtures of the campaign.

It was no coincidence that the Magpies belatedly started to fire at White Hart Lane after Viduka and Obafemi Martins had been introduced from the bench.

The pair, along with skipper Michael Owen, teamed up to fire the club to safety under Kevin Keegan at the end of last season, and Shearer has not yet ruled out the possibility of fielding all three in the same team.

He said: "We want all our big guns fit and certainly, Viduka is, Martins is, Michael Owen is. We want them all fit to give us options."

On Monday's opponents, Shearer said: "Without doubt, they will be a tough nut to crack. Paul Hart has gone in there and done a really good job. They will certainly be a threat from set-pieces, but I believe if we look at ourselves and do it right ourselves, then we will have a big chance."

Arsenal back up Fabregas

Arsenal remain confident Cesc Fabregas has no case to answer after their captain was charged with two counts of improper conduct following allegations he spat at Hull assistant boss Brian Horton after the FA Cup tie at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners were asked by the Football Association to provide their observations after receiving submissions from Hull.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels the case should be dropped, but said: "I always said we are always very open to co-operate with any investigation. I personally looked at the reports, at the video evidence and there is nothing in there against Cesc."
In accordance with the governing body's disciplinary procedures, Fabregas has been given until May 12 to respond to the charges, with the matter then likely to be decided by an independent commission who will consider all of the evidence before deciding what, if any, punishment is necessary.

Hull manager Phil Brown brought the alleged incident to light immediately after his side's defeat on March 17, but has also been charged by the FA following his outburst at referee Mike Riley.

Wenger continued: "I do not know if we will appeal - I will see what we can do about that. At the start, I am not a great fan of appealing because I said we are very open to co-operate and now I don't think we should stop that.

"I am very positive that there was enough evidence in what I have seen that the case should have been dropped."

Chairman Peter Hill-Wood concurred, telling the Daily Sport: "We have a video of the tunnel which we gave to the FA.

"I didn't see it myself, but Arsene has and so has (chief executive) Ivan Gazidis and they both said that the whole thing was innocuous. I think the whole thing is ridiculous."

Given the Gunners potential involvement in the Champions League final, the hearing could well not be scheduled until the end of the season. However, any ban could also be carried over into the next campaign.