Manchester United captain Roy Keane admitted yesterday his below-par performances have been a major factor in his side's indifferent form as he battles to regain full fitness following a knee injury.

The 30-year-old Corkman said: "I've not been training properly and I've not been playing well. And by not performing well I feel I've let down myself, the manager, the fans and most of all my team-mates.

"I think the lads have been carrying me," he said. "In games I need to play on the edge and if I missed training it would take its toll. Eventually I would get found out against the good players."

PEP GUARDIOLA: Spanish international Pep Guardiola has become the second Serie A player to test positive for nandrolone within the space of a week.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) announced that the former Barcelona captain, now playing with Brescia, had tested positive after a league match against Piacenza on October 21st.

Last week, Lazio's Dutch international Jaap Stam tested positive for the controversial steroid.

STEVE BRUCE: Crystal Palace have won a temporary High Court injunction preventing manager Steve Bruce from leaving the club without serving nine months' notice.

The order, imposed in London, will run until a full three-day hearing on January 14th. But it emerged, just as the judge was about to give his ruling, that Bruce might be willing to stay on "garden leave" on full pay until August 1st next year after all - just as the club wished.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE: France's Zinedine Zidane, the world's most expensive footballer, yesterday was presented with the Onze d'Or award for being Europe's top player for the third time in his career.

AUSTRALIA: The Australian government is to send a top-ranking police officer to oversee increased security for the Australian Socceroos in Uruguay after players received a hostile reception in Montevideo yesterday.

Several players were spat on by a volatile crowd waiting at the airport when the Australian team arrived for the final leg of their World Cup football playoff with Uruguay. Australia are taking a 1-0 lead to Montevideo after the home leg.

DEAN STURRIDGE: Leicester striker Dean Sturridge has joined Wolves on a month's loan after being told by boss Dave Bassett that he was "surplus" to requirements at Filbert Street.

Sturridge, who is Leicester's top scorer with three goals, spoke to Wolves manager Dave Jones yesterday morning and has chosen to accept the move.