Hasselbaink threatens to leave Leeds

THE LEEDS United striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink yesterday threatened to quit the club if the manager, George Graham, leaves to take over at Tottenham.

The Dutchman's shock declaration came on the eve of tonight's Uefa Cup first round second leg against Maritimo in Madeira - which is strongly rumoured to be Graham's last game in charge of the Elland Road club. It is believed that a compensation package of around pounds 2.5m is being negotiated by the Leeds chairman, Peter Ridsdale, and Spurs' Alan Sugar to allow Graham to be installed at White Hart Lane by the end of the week.

Hasselbaink, whom Graham signed for pounds 2m from the Portuguese side Boavista last year, said: "It will be a bad thing for me and for the team if George goes. He is very important to me, so I will be very sad if he leaves Leeds. If he does, then it will make me think about my future and what to do because of what he means to me."

Graham, refusing to be drawn on the link with Spurs, is determined to guide Leeds into the second round of the Uefa Cup. His side hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg, and he said: "It's a very important tie for Leeds. If we can put on a good performance and get the right result, then I will be delighted. Even if it's a gritty performance, I will still be pleased."

Maritimo's Canadian international Alex Bunbury, the former West Ham forward, could be the Portuguese club's danger man. "We respect Leeds," he said, "but after holding them to a one-goal margin on their own pitch we are confident that we can pull off a really good result in the second leg."

Robbie Fowler, is expected to continue his rehabilitation after his knee injury against Kosice at Anfield. Liverpool hold a 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Slovakia and seem assured of a place in the next round, but Fowler has his own targets to aim for. "I know that, when I play a few more games and get the match sharpness I need, I will be a better player," he said.

Liverpool are likely to rest Steve McManaman, who is still struggling with his Achilles injury, while Paul Ince and Steve Harkness may be left out as well. There is also a chance that David James could get a recall in goal in place of Brad Friedel, after the American international's mistakes in the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Blackburn Rovers' quest to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the home leg tonight at Lyons has hardly been helped by an injury crisis in attack. Chris Sutton (ankle) and Kevin Davies (illness) are definitely out. Kevin Gallacher and Martin Dahlin, who both have calf injuries, are very doubtful and face late fitness tests.

Damien Duff, normally a winger, is likely to play as a central striker in the Stade Gerland, while the 18-year-old David Dunn could make his full debut for Rovers after figuring for 11 minutes as a substitute at Everton on Saturday.

At Parkhead, also in the Uefa Cup, Celtic defend a 2-1 advantage from the first leg against Portugal's Vitoria Guimaraes. The Scottish champions' captain, Tom Boyd, should recover from a hamstring problem, but Jackie McNamara and Morten Wieghorst are both long-term injury absentees.