Sport: The week in review

BRITISH clubs entered an elongated European week - TV dictates a three-day spread nowadays - with varying degrees of confidence. Manchester United and Blackburn faced Swedish teams. The champions came through against IFK Gothenburg, 4-2, but Rovers had a disastrous debut, losing 1-0 to Trelleborgs.

The performance of the week came from Newcastle, who overwhelmed Royal Antwerp 5-0 in Belgium.

Arsenal scored a goal, almost seven hours after their last, and added two more against Omonoia Nicosia. Chelsea returned to European competition after 23 years away and won 4-2. Dundee United had to come from behind to beat Tatran Presov, from Slovakia, 3-2.

Jack Rowell decided that being a full-time chief executive of Dalgety was incompatible with being the unpaid, part-time, manager of England's rugby union side - so he left the massive food conglomerate.

Baseball's negotiations stalled, ensuring there would be no World Series for the first time since 1904.