What the back pages of the papers say - February 22

The Premier League proposed 39th game was given the last rites by the Football Association at Soho Square yesterday.

• Read CHARLES SALES' report here

Also: Gary Megson's UEFA Cup outsiders put up a brave barrier to keep out Champions League chasing Atletico Madrid last night.

• Read PETER FERGUSON'S report here

• Today's HATCHET MAN - bonehead Spurs and Chelsea fans out to ruin Carling Cup Final

• Read JEFF POWELL'S Gazza tribute here

THE SUN

Roman Abramovich has spent £578million trying to make Chelsea the world's bigest club.

• Read CHARLES SALES' report here

Also: Everton and Bolton roared into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after a night of glory...Wes Brown's Manchester United future is in doubt after Alex Ferguson hit out at his wage demands.

• Everton run riot - match report here

DAILY STAR

The FA last night killed off the Premier League's plan for a 39th match.

Also: Yakubu was Everton boss David Moyes' hat-trick hero last night as they beat Norwegian side SK Brann 6-1 (and 8-1 on aggregate) to sweep into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup...Gareth Southgate last night urged Paul Gascoigne's former team-mates to rally behind the stricken Geordie.

• Read Southgate's Gazza plea here

DAILY MIRROR

Sir Alex Ferguson is furious Wes Brown has refused to accept Manchester United's final contract offer and accused modern players of "living in the pockets of their agents".

• Fergie's fury at Wes - report here

Also: Angry Bolton fans last night accused Spanish riot police of clubbing them with batons - without warning or provocation...Paul Robinson last night justified his dramatic Tottenham recall in superb style - after being axed for the last 10 games.

DAILY EXPRESS

Premier League boss Richard Scudamore's plan for an extra round of matches - nthe 39th step - was officially dumped last night.

Also: Fabio Capello says that England matched "80 per cent" of his demands in his first match against Swtzerland.

• Read Fabio's thought's here

THE INDEPENDENT

Sir Alex Ferguson's mounting frustration at Manchester United's failure to agree a new contract with Wes Brown has led him to launch a trenchant attack on the role of agents in the game.

Also: The Football Association said yesterday that the Premier League's plans for an "international round" of matches are unsustainable in their current format.

THE TIMES

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, came under intense pressure last night to withdraw his invitation to Linford Christie, a convicted drugs cheat, to be part of the Olympic torch relay in the build-up to the Beijing Games.

• Read Sportsmail's report here

Also: Tottenham Hotspur limped into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup last night, seeing off the stubborn challenge of Slavia Prague at White Hart Lane.

• Tottenham match report here

THE GUARDIAN

The Football Association's chairman, David Triesman, yesterday set himself and his organisation on collision course with the Premier League by shooting down plans to take fixtures overseas.

Also: A large majority of the British public believe it would be wrong for sportsmen and women from this country to boycott the Beijing Olympics despite China's human rights record and links to the Sudan.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Tottenham Hotspur made increasingly heavy weather of reaching the last 16 in the UEFA Cup; at times last night it seemed that, as feared, their minds had been diverted by thoughts of Sunday's Carling Cup final against Chelsea.

Also: Bolton made club history last night with a draw in the Spanish capital ensured their progress to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.