Giggs must face two disciplinary hearings in one week

Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo will appear before a Football Association disciplinary panel in Heathrow on Monday to answer charges of improper conduct.

The allegations relate to the stormy Premiership game with Arsenal at Old Trafford on 21 September, which saw Martin Keown, Ray Parlour and Lauren all pick up bans for a post-match fracas with Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Both Giggs and Ronaldo have requested personal hearings to contest the charges for their involvement in the incident and are likely to claim that they were merely acting in defence of Van Nistelrooy, who had missed a last-minute penalty which would have given United a 1-0 win.

However, even if found guilty, it seems unlikely that either man would receive a suspension - with a heavy fine being the predicted outcome.

It will mark the start of a busy week for Giggs on the disciplinary front as he also faces a Uefa inquiry on 4 December into his conduct during Wales' Euro 2004 play-off match with Russia in Moscow on 15 November. Giggs appeared to elbow Vadim Evseev during the first leg, when the Welshman appeared to be targeted by some of the Russian players.

The Bolton Wanderers manager, Sam Allardyce, is negotiating with the agents of the Russia captain, Viktor Onopko, about signing him on a free transfer. Allardyce had a meeting with the veteran defender's advisers in Bolton and wants a short-term deal for the 34-year-old.

Onokpo, who plays for Alania Vladikavkaz, can move for nothing in January and wants to come to the Premiership in the build-up to the Euro 2004 finals next summer.

The Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann wants to stay at Anfield beyond 2005. "I've still got a season left after this one, so there's no point in beginning negotiations at this stage," he said. "But I've always been happy here, and I have no intention of leaving so long as the club wants me."

Everton's Nick Chadwick has joined Millwall on a month's loan to help ease their striker shortage. The 21-year-old becomes Dennis Wise's first signing as player-manager and is set to make his debut at Bradford this weekend.

Millwall have no senior recognised strikers available with Neil Harris, Noel Whelan, Bob Peeters and Mark McCammon injured.

The Ipswich Town manager, Joe Royle, is set to launch a move to keep the on-loan Charlton player Chris Bart-Williams at Portman Road on a permanent basis.

Royle, who also wants to keep Blackburn's Alan Mahon and Sheffield Wednesday's Shefki Kuqi, said: "We may be out of administration but things are still tight. We have to be very careful. We definitely want to do something. I'd love to keep all three at the club, but it will have to be one at a time.

"It's all about money. There's a pot we are trying to put things in - gate receipts, savings and hopefully the proceeds from the current share issue - and the board of directors are doing all they can to be supportive."

The on-loan goalkeeper Paul Gerrard wants to stay at Sheffield United if a deal can be completed. Gerrard's three-month spell at Bramall Lane comes to an end after the match with Preston this weekend.

The Sheffield United manager, Neil Warnock, has spoken to other clubs regarding another possible loan keeper to provide cover for the injured Paddy Kenny, but Gerrard said: "I love the club, the fans have been great and it is a great club to play for, so why not stay?"

The Nottingham Forest manager, Paul Hart, is hopeful Stephen McPhail has not played his last game for the club despite the midfielder returning to troubled Leeds United. The Republic of Ireland international has been recalled to Elland Road 24 hours ahead of the expiry of his three-month loan spell.

But Hart said: "It's as disappointing for me as it is for Stephen but I sincerely hope it's not the end of the matter.

"We were working to bring him here permanently and I will be continuing to monitor the situation with a view to doing that in the future."

The Blackburn Rovers manager, Graeme Souness, is ready to give the teenager Paul Gallagher his big chance - with a first Premiership start. The young Scottish striker has done enough in a couple of exciting cameo appearances as a substitute to encourage Souness to consider him for the match against Tottenham on Saturday. Gallagher could come in for either Dwight Yorke or Matt Jansen against Spurs.

Souness has been enthusing about Gallagher and said: "The biggest thing he has got going for him is his football brain. He sees the picture quickly.

"He knows where to run and when to pass and that is something instinctive - not something you coach into a player."