Sbragia wants safety secured on Monday

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia is eager to avoid a nerve-jangling Barclays Premier League finale against Chelsea.

The Black Cats face an anxious wait to see where they will sit in the league table by the time they run out at Portsmouth on Monday night. If all goes well for them over the weekend, a point at Fratton Park could effectively secure their top-flight status. However, wins for Newcastle over Fulham at St James' Park and Hull at Bolton would send the Wearsiders into the relegation zone.

Sbragia said: "This is the big one for us. I would hope not to go into the last game of the season and need something. It's possible, you can always do it, but at the present we are just thinking about this Portsmouth game." Sunderland started the weekend in 16th place, two points better off than the Magpies and the Tigers, and two adrift of Portsmouth in 15th, with Paul Hart's side themselves not yet mathematically safe.

However, the Black Cats have won only one of their last 11 games and taken just six points from a possible 33 in the process, and they have collected a meagre two points from the last 18 they have contested on the road.

That particular failing is one Sbragia has blamed in part on his own naivety.

He said: "We have not been consistent and the league shows that. We went to clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool and played a formation.

"Maybe in my naivety, I thought we could go to some clubs and play 4-4-2.

"I thought we could beat West Brom with a 4-4-2, but on the day, it didn't work for us.

"Maybe we have to address that and look at it and be a little bit more difficult away from home to beat and be much more solid, and in some cases, just try to steal a goal."

Pompey may see big-name exits

Portsmouth have admitted big-name players may have to be sold this summer whether or not the club remains in the Premier League for a seventh successive season.

Pompey's executive chairman Peter Storrie says their uncertain future hinges on the ownership issue - with current supremo Alexandre Gaydamak having made it clear he wants to sell and will no longer invest.

With the club reportedly £65million in debt and due to pay off a large chunk of that to a South African bank at the end of the season, Storrie admits: "I'd like to keep all our good players but a lot depends on the ownership issue." He added: "We can bring in a new owner but it has to be one who can put finance in because that's what is required for the club to go forward again.

"At this moment in time what happens in the transfer market depends entirely on the ownership of the club.

"Sacha (Gaydamak) has made it perfectly clear that although he's done some fantastic things in the past he cannot now put in any more finance.

"At the moment various discussions are happening on that and I'm hopeful something will happen sooner rather than later."

Meanwhile, caretaker-manager Paul Hart has a clean bill of health - apart from injured Kranjcar - from which to choose his team to face fellow strugglers Sunderland on Monday and will be odds-on to keep the job with a new contract for next season should he keep Pompey in the top-flight.

But he could soon be plunged into major negotiations with no fewer than 15 players out of contract this summer including skipper Sol Campbell, 34, Pompey's top earner.

Colly wobbles over Freddie blow

England's World Twenty20 plans may be thrown into disarray if Andrew Flintoff does not, as he fears, win his race to be fit in time following knee surgery.

Flintoff delivered his bombshell on Friday, during a washed-out second day of the second npower Test against West Indies - leaving Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood already considering a campaign without his most obvious match-winner.

Following Flintoff's revelation his schedule might prove "too tight", Collingwood said: "I think we're still waiting on how his fitness will be over the next couple of weeks. It would obviously be a big blow if he's not in it, but we'll have to overcome it." Collingwood acknowledges Flintoff's absence would leave a big hole.

"He's very much two players in one - as I've always said," he explained.

"It would be a huge blow if he wasn't going to be fit, but we certainly have the players in the squad to overcome that in many ways."

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier, meanwhile, was confirming talks with Pakistan to play a four-Test series in this country next summer - with the possibility of those tourists also 'hosting' two more Tests against Australia here in 2010.

Collier confirmed: "Yes, we are talking to Pakistan. We anticipate that that agreement is very close.

"We've still got to tie up the details with Pakistan, but the schedule is feasible.

"I think we've also got a broader responsibility to the global game. We all recognise that Pakistan are having an issue in terms of being able to stage their home matches."

Bruce: Reds will have to wait

Liverpool have been warned that it could take them years to break Manchester United's stranglehold on the Barclays Premier League.

The warning over Liverpool's future ambitions comes from a Manchester United legend, their former captain Steve Bruce. Bruce's Wigan could not halt United's progress on Wednesday, and he feels Liverpool will also struggle to get on terms with the current European and world champions in the foreseeable future.

He said: "When we were chasing for the title back in the 80s and 90s, it was always Liverpool we were chasing because they always seemed to win it. Now Liverpool are in the same position, and they have got to overtake a really young, vibrant Manchester United to win the title. They may look at that team and wish there was some old ones in it!" He added: "But they will keep trying, Liverpool demands that, but it will be very, very difficult for them to overtake United again.

"United tried for 26 years without winning the title, and now they have won it so many times since and look likely to do it again now. The first time is always the most difficult after so long."

Xabi Alonso will return from an ankle injury on Sunday to face West Brom at The Hawthorns, where Liverpool can all but condemn the midlanders to relegation with a win.

The Spain international missed last week's win at West Ham with the injury, where Fernando Torres was withdrawn in the second half following concerns over his hamstring problems.

But Torres will also feature against relegation-haunted Albion, while Javier Mascherano has also shaken off an ankle problem.

Wenger laments Arsenal criticism

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he feels hurt by the criticism his side has come in for this season. The Gunners have again failed to claim a major trophy this term, having to settle for a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League and being knocked out by Manchester United in the last four of the UEFA Champions League.

Wenger, though, insists his side's season should not be regarded as a failure. "When you look now at people assessing the situations of the clubs, it has become ridiculous," he told The Guardian. "It is unbelievable. If you do not take a distance with it, you think: 'What kind of world do we live in?' "We lose against Man United who have ten times more resources, it's not a shame. They are the best in the world. Congratulations to them. If you play tennis tomorrow and you lose against (Rafael) Nadal, you can still say you are a good player."

Indeed, far from looking back on the campaign with regret, Wenger believes it has been full of positives as his side overcame a tough start go on a fine run. "For me, it's one of the best seasons for a long time considering where we were in November," he said.

"It's not like we lost against Cardiff (City) in the FA Cup, we have lost against Chelsea in the semi-final and we have lost against Manchester United in the Champions League semi-final. It hurts, believe me, but it's not like we have lost against nobody.

"I believe as well we have to keep a little bit of common sense. Our average age in midfield is 22. Normally, you play not to go down in the Premier League with a team like that."

Wenger believes the fans at the Emirates Stadium are not getting behind the team. "There is a massive difference between the away fans, who are absolutely fantastic, and the home fans," he added.