Silvestre focuses on football

MIKAEL SILVESTRE has insisted Manchester United's players will not be deflected from the Barclaycard Premiership title drive by the off-field headlines that have swamped the club over the past fortnight.

United's board of directors are waiting for the response of major shareholders John Magnier and JP

McManus after they replied to a series of corporate governance issues raised by the Irish duo a fortnight ago.

The reaction of Magnier and McManus, who between them own over 25% of the club, is bound to have far reaching consequences for United's future. They are said to have spent Wednesday scrutinising United's first response to their 99 questions into the club's financial dealings. The seven-page reply, with six attachments, is understood to not go far enough for Coolmore's satisfaction.

As a result, Magnier and McManus are set to step up their demands for greater transparency in United's financial dealings and will push for an independent audit of the club's recent transfers.

Nevertheless, Silvestre confirmed that, while the United squad were aware of the arguments rumbling round the club, they are concentrating solely on getting three points from Saturday's trip to Everton.

"Obviously we have all been watching the TV and reading the papers so we are aware of what is happening on the outside, but we have to stay focussed on our job, which is winning football matches," the France international told MUTV. "We have Everton on Saturday and Middlesbrough the following Wednesday, so we don't have time to think about the other stuff."

Silvestre has been a virtual ever-present this season and, for the first time, is recognised as an automatic selection in his preferred position at centre-half. However, after cementing a bond with Rio Ferdinand during the first half of the season, the 26-year-old is getting used to playing alongside Wes Brown.

The uncharacteristic hesitation that was evident in United's defensive display against Southampton last weekend was a sign that Brown was still rusty from his six-month cruciate knee ligament lay-off.

Ferdinand is due to hear from the Football Association over the next few days about the latest stage of the appeal against his eight-month ban for a missed drugs test. However, Brown is likely to be Silvestre's central defensive partner for the foreseeable future and the former Inter Milan player is confident there will be no lasting problems.

"I thought it went okay with Wes on Saturday," he said. "We played a couple of big games together last season and we are capable of playing well together.”

Meanwhile, United have announced a significant number of their plc’s shares have been traded. The Old Trafford club announced to the Stock Exchange that Legal & General Group "and/or its subsidiaries" have acquired over eight million shares, a stake of 3.11%. The club have been beset by takeover rumours in recent months with the likes Magnier and McManus and American football supremo Malcolm Glazer increasing their stakes.

Further movement of shares, especially in the light of a row between McManus and Magnier, and manager Sir Alex Ferguson over racehorse Rock of Gibraltar, is likely to heighten that talk.

United's share price rose markedly immediately before and after the announcement.

Elsewhere, Manchester United fans have stepped up their campaign against John Magnier by taking their battle all the way to the European Parliament. Thousands of angry United supporters have vowed to write to Euro MPs to complain at the lucrative tax breaks enjoyed by racing tycoon Magnier and his business partner JP McManus who are the biggest United shareholders.

It is the latest proof of how far the fans are prepared to go to support manager Sir Alex Ferguson in his legal battle with Magnier over the stud rights to Rock Of Gibraltar. United fans are fed up with what they see as a dirty tricks campaign designed to undermine Fergie and have decided to try to turn the tables on Magnier and McManus.

"You can't expect to shine a spotlight on something as big, famous and loved as Manchester United without that spotlight inevitably being shined upon you," said Shareholders United spokesman Oliver Houston.

In a separate development, Fergie and his lawyers dismissed the threat of a counter legal action from Magnier and McManus.

United's major shareholders are said to have demanded transcripts of interviews conducted by Fergie as they explore the possibility of a claim for defamation. Sources close to Fergie said they were "hardly quaking in their boots" at the prospect of a libel writ.