Berger pays price for tapping-up Barry

Patrik Berger, the Aston Villa midfield player who is expected to move this summer, has played his last game for the club after advising Gareth Barry that it would be beneficial for the England midfield player to leave Villa Park for Liverpool. “If I was in Gareth’s position, I would go there tomorrow,” Berger, the former Liverpool player, said. However, Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, was not amused.

“I was really disappointed and surprised that Patrik would make such an inappropriate comment,” O’Neill said last night. “He won’t be playing any part from here on in. He apologised, but the harm’s been done.”

McLeish backing

Karren Brady, the Birmingham City chief executive, has stated that Alex McLeish, the manager, will not be dismissed if the team are relegated on Sunday. “There is no way we are going to sack Alex,” she said. “Alex has style, no whingeing or falsehoods in the wake of defeat.” Damien Johnson, the Birmingham captain, echoed Brady's sentiments. “Alex needs to be given time,” he said. “Chopping and changing managers isn't the way to go forward.”

Adebayor challenge

Arsène Wenger has warned Emmanuel Adebayor, the Arsenal striker, not to rest on his laurels after scoring 30 goals this season. “There is some room for him to improve and that makes me very positive,” the Arsenal manager said. “We have seen players before, when they start getting the recognition, they ease off in their teamwork. If you lose that desire, you quickly become a nobody. But if he keeps his work ethic, there is 20 per cent more to come from him.”

Spurs take stock

Tottenham Hotspur have delayed unveiling plans for a new stadium. They are exploring several options, including rebuilding White Hart Lane and developing an adjacent site that was a petrol station. The club have commissioned plans for a 50,000-seat stadium. “The difficulties include low residual land values within the Tottenham area, which in turn makes development less feasible,” Daniel Levy, the chairman, said.