ALAN SMITH will not allow the mindless acts of a few supporters to affect the gratitude he feels towards Liverpool for their compassion and swift action in dealing with his horrific injury.

FOR Liverpool, and in particular their hardman defender Jamie Carragher, a week of soul searching is not over yet.

NEWCASTLE manager Glenn Roeder has ruled Shay Given out of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro qualifier with San Marino next month.

MANCHESTER United fans’ groups have called on departing directors Nick Humby and Andy Anson to “come clean” about life at Old Trafford under new owner Malcolm Glazer.

The Examiner’s football correspondent Liam Mackey likes a good argument when he hears it, and he’s got strong views of his own. Today, and every Tuesday, he will be acting as referee on your opinions on the Premiership. Let him know what you think and he’ll argue the toss with you. We’ll be offering a free sports prize to the star contribution each week.

CELTIC defender Gary Caldwell believes Benfica can cause him more problems than he recently faced playing for Scotland against Thierry Henry and Andriy Shevchenko.

SPANISH champions Barcelona sent out a warning shot to Champions League opponents Chelsea last night as they opened up a three-point lead at the top of the Spanish Primera Liga after their nearest rivals all faltered.

MANAGER Alan Pardew admits he fears for his job after West Ham suffered their sixth consecutive defeat at Portsmouth.

STEPHEN HUNT had waited 26 years to realise his dream of starting a Premiership game; within as many seconds of its kick-off he had also achieved notoriety.

ADRIAN BOOTHROYD is a Champions League contender when it comes to positive thinking, but there are occasions when even his unique brand of corporate pep-talks will not do, and a trip to Arsenal is one of them.

CRAIG BELLAMY is not a footballer who normally elicits sympathy — too many on and off field indiscretions over the years have made sure of that.

CHELSEA chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed the club would be willing to consider an offer from West Ham for unsettled winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

IT IS not the match of the century, as the ludicrous hype in some quarters has suggested.

WEST HAM boss Alan Pardew has revealed he will lecture his players on the pitfalls of modern football.

MANCHESTER UNITED winger Cristiano Ronaldo says Chelsea are ‘about the same as they were last year’ and ‘just do enough to win’ games while the Reds have got better.

TOTTENHAM boss Martin Jol will make a late decision on winger Aaron Lennon ahead of the UEFA Cup meeting with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

MARK HUGHES is calling on his players to rise to the challenge in Rotterdam tonight — just as he did 15 years ago.

CELTIC chief executive Peter Lawwell insists comparing the current Hoops team with great sides of the past is futile.

RYAN GIGGS has admitted Manchester United only have themselves to blame for allowing their Champions League dream to go right down to the wire.

CESC FABREGAS believes fellow teenager Theo Walcott is as good as Barcelona’s young star Lionel Messi after watching his team-mate inspire Arsenal to move within touching distance of the Champions League knockout stages.