Football: Chapman back at Leeds

Football

CATHERINE RILEY

Leeds United will today make one of the most surprising transfers of the season by re-signing Lee Chapman. The 36-year-old striker, top scorer in the club's championship-winning season of 1991/92, will join on a month's loan as cover for Howard Wilkinson's depleted attack. His move from Ipswich comes almost six years to the day after his first arrival at Elland Road.

Chapman is in line for a debut against one of his previous clubs, West Ham, on Saturday, when Brian Deane will be suspended and Tony Yeboah and Phil Masinga are on African Nations' Cup duty. "We find ourselves in a situation where we are down to the bare bones in terms of strikers. Lee offers us insurance, and given what's at stake, that's important," Wilkinson said.

Rick Parry, the Premier League chief executive, is to go to Brussels on Thursday to meet European Commissioners in an attempt to clarify the situation regarding the "three foreigner rule" with Uefa.

Sunderland fans unable to get a ticket for the FA Cup third-round replay with Manchester United will at least be able to watch the game live on television. The all-ticket Roker Park replay has been brought forward 24 hours to Tuesday 16 January for screening by Sky Sports.

Sheffield United's replay with Arsenal has been moved to Wednesday 17 January and the fourth-round match between the winner of the Bramall Lane game and Aston Villa on Sunday 28 January will be screened live by the BBC. Sky's fourth-round game the following evening is between Queen's Park Rangers and the winners of the replay between Newcastle and Chelsea.

Everton could be boosted by the return of Daniel Amokachi for their Premiership match with Chelsea at Goodison Park on Saturday. The striker has been in limbo in Nigeria since his country withdrew from the African Nations' Cup.

Ian Bennett, the Birmingham City goalkeeper, has broken a bone in his hand and will miss tomorrow's Coca-Cola Cup quarter-final with Norwich.

Millwall's new Russian imports, Sergei Yuran and Vasili Kulkov, look set to make their debuts this weekend against Port Vale, although the pair, signed on loan from Spartak Moscow, are still waiting for full international clearance.

Queen of the South, struggling in the Scottish Second Division, have sacked their manager, Billy McLaren, after their Scottish Cup elimination by Queen's Park. Ian McChesney has been named caretaker manager.