THE opening is there for Liverpool but they have to take it.

Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni, who will face Liverpool in the last 32 of the Europa League in February, have parted company with coach Dan Petrescu.

Rangers manager Walter Smith refused to be drawn into any mind games with Dan Petrescu ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash after the Unirea boss claimed his own players were unlikely to pick up any more points in the competition.

Rangers were without centre-back Madjid Bougherra for the Champions League meeting with Unirea Urziceni.

Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United face a stern test in this season’s Champions League after a tough-looking draw in the group stage.

AFTER the first 60 minutes at Middle Eastlands I had mentally crafted this column as a thesis on which set of supporters this weekend looked the biggest set of plums — the Manchester City fans swathed in tea-towels and Brazil shirts or those braying Geordies with their paranoid banners about “the Cockney Mafia.”

Celtic’s second match of their three-day pre-season tour of Poland ended in defeat tonight as they were beaten 2-0 by Wisla Krakow.

Poland international Marcin Baszczynski is determined to realise his dream of playing in the Premiership by winning a contract at West Ham.

Blackburn and Turkish rivals Genclerbirligi both insist there will be no security fears stemming from the clubs being paired in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

LEEDS defender Michael Duberry is out for eight weeks after fracturing a cheek bone in the pre-season friendly against Aston Villa.

FORMER Chelsea midfielder Dan Petrescu has lifted the lid on his painful fall-out with Gianluca Vialli that led to him being forced to leave the Blues.

Bradford this morning staved off the threat of liquidation when creditors voted to accept a rescue package to save the Yorkshire club.

Glenn Hoddle insists his new 'golden oldies' at Tottenham can help bring the glory days back to White Hart Lane.

Romanian international Dan Petrescu is facing a battle to recover from injury in time for Southampton’s game at Aston Villa tomorrow.

Benito Carbone is poised to end his Bradford nightmare and join Middlesbrough in a shock deadline day move today.

Former Liverpool star John Aldridge has refused to let the prospect of an FA

Southampton manager Glenn Hoddle believes Dan Petrescu's transfer from Bradford has revived the Romanian international's career.

Sir Alex Ferguson will check on the fitness of midfielder Nicky Butt before deciding on the line-up for Manchester United's clash with Bradford City at Valley Parade.

Southampton have completed the signing of Bradford's Dan Petrescu.

Bradford striker Dean Windass is set for clear-the-air talks with chairman Geoffrey Richmond in a bid to find out if he has a future at Valley Parade.

Bradford wing-back Dan Petrescu is set to join Premiership rivals Southampton.

Bradford outcast Stan Collymore could be poised to join fellow bad boy Nicolas Anelka at Paris St Germain.

Bradford boss Jim Jefferies has put Benito Carbone, Dan Petrescu and Stan Collymore up for sale believing the club has a better chance of survival without such star names.