Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have guaranteed the Premier League that they will put on hold any plans to sign up to a breakaway European Super League until next month.

However, the three clubs have been warned that if they go back on their word they will face disciplinary action including the ultimate sanction of expulsion from the Premiership.

The Premier League is determined to resist a breakaway by persuading potential rebels to work for changes in European club competition from within.

To that end the Premier League last Thursday asked the three clubs for written assurances that they were not about to break away.

In response, the trio agreed not to make any decision or take any action on the matter until it could be discussed by all 20 Premiership clubs at their meeting on September 3rd in London.

This, of course, does not guarantee the breakaway project's demise. Yesterday in London, the sports management group behind the planned launch of the Super League in 2000, Media Partners, met the law firm advising on the venture, Slaughter and May, to further work on the £2 billion proposals.

The three English clubs have also signalled their seriousness by arranging to meet European Commission officials on September 7th to discover if the governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA, plus the English Football Association, have the right to carry out their threat to ban any rebel clubs.

By gaining the undertakings from the three clubs, the Premier League has won some breathing space. "We have received written assurances from those clubs who have been at the forefront of recent speculation," said the Premier League spokesman Mike Lee, "and our clubs have pledged to work together to take forward a discussion on a future shape of European club competitions.

"The meeting of clubs in September will discuss this issue and we will look then at any further representations we need to make to UEFA. We want to see this resolved with proper and constructive dialogue."

However, if the September 3rd meeting discovers that any of the three clubs have already committed themselves to a Super League, disciplinary action will almost certainly follow.