Keane joins Beckham as MLS elite earner

IRELAND striker Robbie Keane has jumped straight on to the list of top five earners in Major League Soccer (MLS) headed by his LA Galaxy team-mate David Beckham, according to figures released by the league's players' union. Keane joined the Galaxy from England Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in August and has an annual salary of US$2.9 million, instantly putting him in fourth spot in the MLS, above the best-paid American, his team-mate Landon Donovan, who earns US$2.3 million.

Bardsley banned four matches over stamp

SUNDERLAND defender Phil Bardsley has been banned for four matches after deciding not to challenge a violent conduct charge following his stamp on Chelsea's Juan Mata, it was confirmed yesterday. Bardsley, 26, landed in hot water after video footage appeared to show him treading on Mata during Chelsea's 2-1 victoy over the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light last weekend.

'Even Bolt would not have caught Pato'

NOT even 100 metres world record holder Usain Bolt could have caught AC Milan's Alexandre Pato when he streaked through to score against Barcelona after 24 seconds on Tuesday, Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. The 22-year-old Brazil striker left the home defence for dead and stunned a packed Nou Camp to score the fifth-fastest goal in the Champions League since Europe's elite club competition was created in 1992.!

Liverpool reserve probed over 9/11 tweet

LIVERPOOL reserve team striker Nathan Eccleston is being investigated by the American-owned club after a controversial post on Twitter about the September 11, 2001 attacks. In a post on the micro-blogging site, Eccleston, 20, appeared to suggest terrorists weren't responsible for the attacks on New York and Washington 10 years ago which claimed nearly 3,000 lives.

Blues owner Yeung suffers court setback

BIRMINGHAM City owner Carson Yeung, who has been charged with money-laundering in Hong Kong, was on Wednesday denied permission to travel to Britain a day before his planned departure. The High Court allowed a prosecution appeal and reversed a ruling made by the district court last month which had given Yeung, a former hairdresser, permission to leave Hong Kong.

Agencies