What the back pages say - April 14 - Sport - Evening Standard
       

What the back pages say - April 14

DAILY MAIL: Rafa Benitez was considering his Liverpool future last night after claiming that he has been undermined by chief executive Rick Parry. Read the story here

Also: Manchester United are two wins away from retaining the Barclays Premier League title after beating Arsenal 2-1 on what Sir Alex Ferguson called a 'traumatic day'. Read the story here

THE SUN: Alex Ferguson has ordered his players to win the title at Stamford Bridge. Also: Rafa Benitez's Liverpool future is in doubt again - after he claimed his role as boss was being undermined by the Anfield boardroom split.

DAILY MIRROR: Sir Alex Ferguson challenged his Manchester United players to clinch the title at Chelsea in a fortnight's time after watching an epic win over arch rivals Arsenal. Also: Rafa Benitez's future has again been thrown into doubt as he argued last night that his position as manager is being undermined.

DAILY STAR: Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he had gone through "torture" - then looked forward to sweet title revenge at Chelsea. Also: Raging Rafa Benitez yesterday demanded showdown talks with the Liverpool board.

DAILY EXPRESS: Sir Alex Ferguson endured an afternoon of self-confessed torture before telling his relieved Manchester United players: "Win the next two and we're champions again." Also: Rafa Benitez's future is in doubt once again after he called Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry's conduct into question and claimed he had been "undermined" by the club's tawdry ownership saga.

THE GUARDIAN: Manchester United were not allowed to be fussy about the way they approached the Premier League title. Also: Rafael Benitez has demanded an urgent meeting with Liverpool's warring owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, along with the club's chief executive, Rick Parry, in order to clarify his position at Anfield.

THE TIMES: Sir Alex Ferguson called it "torture", but by the end of Manchester United's gripping 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford yesterday, he was already making plans for a Barclays Premier League title celebration at Stamford Bridge on April 26, leaving Arsene Wenger to a familiar lament that the best team in the country will end up empty-handed. Also: The gossamer-thin credibility of elite sprinting was stretched to breaking point after Maurice Greene, a double Olympic gold medal-winner and outspoken advocate of life bans for dopers, was accused of cheating.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Rafael Benitez last night demanded an immediate showdown with Liverpool's American co-owners and said he felt his position had been "undermined" following revelations of chief executive Rick Parry's presence in a meeting with Jurgen Klinsmann. Also: Maurice Greene, the Olympic 100 metres champion at the 2000 Sydney Games, fears he is being smeared because of allegations linking him to a doping scandal in the United States.

THE INDEPENDENT: It takes a certain kind of confidence to tell Cristiano Ronaldo to stand aside when there is a potentially crucial free-kick to be hit, but then there has been a certain kind of confidence about Manchester United all season. Also: Arsene Wenger last night conceded his title hopes were extinguished yesterday, although he hinted that his next assault on the title will be with the same group of young players.

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