Briefs

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Turkish club opens talks with Sneijder

Galatasaray have opened talks to try to sign Inter Milan’s out-of-favour Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder, the Turkish league leaders said yesterday. The 28-year-old has not played for the Italian side since negotiations aimed at getting him to accept a cut in wages broke down in November.

“Galatasaray have begun talks with Inter for the transfer of Wesley Sneijder,” a statement from the Turkish champions said. “The public will be informed of developments.”

Sneijder, who inspired Inter to their 2010 treble before helping the Netherlands to finish runners-up at the World Cup, has been linked with a move to the Premier League but his large wages have been seen as a stumbling block.

Scholes says Liverpool fixture is still United's 'biggest game'

Paul Scholes has taken a swipe at Manchester City and started the build-up to Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford by claiming that matches against the Anfield club are “always the biggest games and the best atmospheres” for Manchester United.

City are the reigning Premier League champions and the Manchester derby has intensified in recent years, whereas Liverpool are eighth in the league, 21 points adrift of United, but Scholes insists Sunday’s fixture remains a key one.

“Whether Manchester City have overtaken Liverpool now [as United’s biggest rivals], I don’t know; it’ll probably take years for City to create what Liverpool have done,” United’s veteran midfielder told Inside United magazine.

“Liverpool historically are our biggest rivals, they’re always the biggest games and the best atmospheres. But I’m sure City will run them close.”

“Liverpool probably haven’t done as well as they’d have liked over the last few years and they’d probably be the first to admit that,” he said.

“But it’s definitely still right up there – it’ll always be right up there.”

Guardian Service

Cabaye's return delayed as injures add to Pardew pressure

There was more bad news for Newcastle United yesterday when it emerged Yohan Cabaye is unlikely to have recovered from a groin injury in time to return to Alan Pardew’s team for their vital Premier League game at Norwich on Saturday.

With the club having lost nine of their last 11 League games, Pardew, admits the club’s season is “on a knife edge” and had hoped his France playmaker would be fit for the weekend. Newcastle’s manager is also likely to be without Steven Taylor, who is struggling with a hamstring injury, at Carrow Road, as well as Hatem Ben Arfa and the suspended Shola Ameobi.

While Ben Arfa is set to return next month, Cabaye and Taylor had been pencilled in to face Chris Hughton’s team but Pardew is not prepared to gamble on rushing them back too soon.