Neville could escape Cup final ban

Gary Neville, the young Manchester United defender, may not necessarily be suspended from the FA Cup final after reaching 41 disciplinary points with a booking against Coventry on Monday.

The Football Association said yesterday it would entirely depend on the discretion of a special committee who are set to interview the 19-year- old full-back tomorrow or Friday, depending on when they receive the report of the referee, Philip Don.

An FA spokesman said: "Suspension is not automatic for 41 points and some players have been given just a warning after reaching that total right at the end of previous seasons.

"There are a number of matters to consider, including the player's disciplinary record for not only this season but the last five years."

Neville, in fact, has incurred just five bookings in 19 first-team games this season, but yellow cards in reserve games have increased the total and he has also served an automatic ban for a sending-off. Any ban would certainly cover the 20 May FA Cup final date with Everton - and there is no mechanism for an appeal.

"It would be very hard on the boy, but the matter is in the hands of the FA," Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said. "I had considered not playing Gary because of his situation, but had to do so in the end because the match was so important and we were already without Bruce, Ince and Giggs."

Sheffield Wednesday have denied reports that they plan to sell keeper Kevin Pressman to Newcastle for £2.2m at the end of the season. Pressman, 27, recently lost his place to the former England No 1 Chris Woods.

Nottingham Forest will offer their transfer-listed winger Kingsley Black and defender Carl Tiler new contracts this summer.

n Arsenal, who beat Liverpool to win the FA Womens Challenge Cup last Sunday, completed the double last night by beating Red Star Southampton 3-1 to take the Premier League title.