Football: Dibble's dismissal stays on record

Manchester City were beset by a goalkeeping crisis yesterday when the referee, Gary Willard, decided to uphold his dismissal of Andy Dibble in the game at Queen's Park Rangers earlier this month.

Brian Horton, the City manager, had urged the official to look again at video evidence which appeared to show Dibble playing the ball cleanly before Les Ferdinand fell.

Dibble will miss Saturday's trip to Coventry, the home game against Southampton and the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on 10 November.

Simon Tracey, of Sheffield United, may be moving to Maine Road on loan. The Blades' regular goalkeeper for five seasons, Tracey has been out of the side with back trouble and has been unable to dislodge Alan Kelly. City's first-choice keeper, Tony Coton, still has a shoulder injury, while the No 3, Martyn Margetson, begins a three-match suspension.

Bruce Rioch, the Bolton Wanderers manager, sought to end speculation yesterday over the future of his Republic of Ireland midfielder, Jason McAteer, who missed Tuesday's Coca-Cola Cup win over Sheffield United.

The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester City and eyebrows were raised at his absence from Bramall Lane, but Rioch explained: 'I just rested Jason. I always said that when he came back I'd give him a breather when we could find a period.'

Celtic are to pay the pounds 100,000 fine imposed by the Scottish League after they were found guilty of poaching their manager, Tommy Burns, from Kilmarnock. The club had been fighting the punishment but they confirmed yesterday that they will pay the fine tomorrow.

Milan have lost their appeal against Uefa's decision to deduct two Champions' League points for a bottle-throwing incident in their home win over Casino Salzburg last month. add to their troubles, the European champions were knocked out of the Italian Cup by Internazionale last night, losing the second leg of their second- round tie 2-1, 4-2 on aggregate.

Fifa will decide today on the distribution of the eight additional World Cup places for France in 1998.