George Best has had a "disturbed night" and had to be put back on a ventilator, the doctor treating him in a London hospital said today.
Prof Roger Williams
However, the Belfast soccer legend remains "alert", according to Professor Roger Williams, who has been overseeing treatment of the 59-year-old in the private Cromwell Hospital.
"He didn't have a very good night. He had a disturbed night and had to be put back on the ventilator," Professor Williams told reporters outside the west London facility.
Although Best will be kept on the ventilator today he is breathing partly on his own, Prof Williams added.
"He remains very ill and there is more of a problem with bleeding than we had before in the last week," he said.
"He moves in response to stimuli, he will move in response to somebody talking to him. He's not fully conscious...but he does respond and he is breathing partly on his own."
But Prof Williams warned: "I think the more time that goes on without him making a substantial
George Best in 1970
improvement is really very worrying."
Best's condition improved slightly yesterday when he partly regained consciousness and was able to move his head and eyes. Despite this, Prof Williams said he was "not confident about recovery".
The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland is in the intensive care unit after suffering a severe setback and a lung infection. He was initially admitted to hospital after having a reaction to the treatment he was receiving for his new liver and then suffered internal bleeding linked to a bowel infection.
Best's family have been maintaining a bedside vigil since his latest bout of illness. He has had an alcohol problem for much of his adult life and underwent a liver transplant in 2002 after years of heavy drinking.