He’s got tremendous talent and scoring ability.”On paper, United should have little trouble beating Leeds, whose defensive problems have deepened with each defeat. Two days later, England play Hungary at Wembley, and within 48 hours Terry Venables takes his squad on a Far Eastern tour to prepare for the European Championship finals.By tomorrow, of course, the situation may have altered radically United look to have the less arduous task. Southampton, striving for points to avoid relegation, tackle Newcastle buoyed by the 3-1 rout of United. Leeds, already past the 40-point safety mark, have been playing as if mentally they are already on the beach.Ferguson put it succinctly: “Southampton are the one club we’re confident about in terms of trying their best. It’s either that or go down.” Perhaps mindful that one flash of inspiration from Matthew Le Tissier could break Newcastle – and that he thrives on appreciation – he added: “He was superb against us. United meet Liverpool in the FA Cup final on 11 May, with the following Thursday set aside for a replay.

“It won’t come to that,” he said, “but we do know that goals are very important.”
Despite Ferguson’s confidence, FA Premier League officials will discuss the matter with the clubs tomorrow. The rules provide for a play-off if two clubs finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored. Newcastle are two goals behind the leaders but, as things stand today, they would be level on all three counts if they won their game in hand 2-0.Agreeing a date for such a match could be awkward. On the eve of United’s game against Leeds – in which Gary Pallister is set to make a long-awaited comeback – Alex Ferguson played down the idea that they might be forced to play off for the championship with Newcastle, who face Southampton. The top two are at home to lowly opposition tonight, yet now face the added pressure of needing to pile on the goals. Like the newly binned Manchester United away strip, the destination of the Premiership trophy is a grey area again. A Swedish ice-breaker was yesterday accompanying the yacht out of Stockholm..

The training boat joins the other training yacht, the former Galicia Pescanova, in Falmouth at the end of this month. Two new yachts are scheduled to be built.Crafer joins Whitbread veterans Mikaela von Koskull of Finland, Leah Newbold of New Zealand, and Marleen Cleyndert of the Netherlands, all of whom crewed Heineken in the last Whitbread. Although Nesdale is a non-European national, his new club say he will be eligible to play from the start of next season.The First Division to which Newcastle aspire will move nearer its denouement tonight when Leicester, two points behind Bath with a game in hand, play Sale at Welford Road. If Sale sensed a better chance of an upset in the absence of John Liley and Rory Underwood the feeling evaporated when their own inspiration, Paul Turner, withdrew with a rib injury.. Sailing

STUART ALEXANDER
A bronze medal at the Laser World Championships in Simonstown, South Africa, was almost a disappointment for Ben Ainslie, Britain’s representative at the Olympics.The 19-year old was unable to recover in the final two races yesterday from a disqualification on Monday for putting on a top which meant his weight was seven ounces over the limit.The gold medal went to Robert Scheidt, of Brazil, and the silver to Karl Suneson, of Sweden. Another Briton, Ian Percy, was pleased to finish fifth, behind Stefan Warkala, of Germany.In Murcia, Spain, all the British contenders for the Olympics are doing well enough to go through in the European qualifiers for the women’s doublehanded 470, the women’s singlehanded Europe, and the men’s singlehanded Finn.After six races Bethan Raggatt and Sue Carr were 10th of 17 with 16 to qualify, Shirley Robertson was ninth of 26 with 19 to qualify, and Richard Stenhouse was 14th of 24 with 18 to qualify.The Round the Isle of Wight Race, which is expected to attract a record entry of more than 1,500 yachts for its diamond jubilee on 29 June, is to be sponsored for the next three years by the Japanese-owned opthalmics company Hoya Lens UK, who will also back Eddie Warden Owen’s 1996 campaign on the Ultra 30 circuit.Britain’s Sue Crafer is one of five women named as the initial core crew of Sweden’s all-women EF Education entry in the 1997 Whitbread Race.