Football news

Arsene Wenger insists Sol Campbell can cope with the challenge of facing in-form Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in tomorrow's showdown at the Emirates.

Wenger will hand Campbell his first league start since rejoining the Gunners if centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is unable to recover from a knee injury.

"Sol can cope with Rooney. He is ready if he has recovered well. I have to assess him but normally he will play if Vermaelen doesn't play," Wenger said.

"He has experience and he likes the big games. He can turn up if needed and experience helps in these kind of games. It was certainly not expected a few months ago when he signed for Notts County that he would be playing a game like this."

Barca glory prompts 'Iniesta' baby boom

The week when Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid and sealed their place in the Champions League final has prompted a surge in births in the Catalan capital of almost 50 per cent, according to a survey.

Nine months since Barca's 6-2 home win over their arch-rivals and Andres Iniesta's stunning late strike which took them through to the final at the expense of Chelsea, maternity hospitals are struggling to cope with demand for beds.

A survey by COMRadio showed that births this week and those expected next week are 45 per cent higher than the average.

"When we notice some sort of surge we look for the reason and it's evident that the cause of the increase this week is the euphoria of Barca fans thanks to the huge win and Iniesta's goal," El Mundo said.

Mutu's second doping test positive

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) provisionally suspended Fiorentina's Adrian Mutu for alleged drugs use yesterday and revealed that the Romania striker had failed a second doping test.

Traces of appetite suppressant sibutramin were found in samples Mutu gave after Fiorentina's 3-2 win over Lazio in the Italian Cup on Jan. 20, when he scored twice to help take his side into the semi-finals.

CONI said on Thursday that Mutu had given a positive sample for the same drug on Jan. 10 at the Serie A game between the Florence club and Bari.

Fernandes 'to join Inter'

Portuguese midfielder Manuel Fernandes is on the verge of joining Inter on loan from Valencia until the end of the season, according to media reports in Italy and Spain.

The 23-year-old, who played on loan at Everton last season, could be Inter's second signing in the winter transfer market following the arrival of former Lazio striker Goran Pandev to the San Siro.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho admitted earlier this week his club had been tracking Fernandes as a possible candidate to replace Patrick Vieira.

Fernandes has failed to make an impact at the Mestalla stadium since landing at the Che club from Benfica in 2007.

Palermo to go for West Ham's Behrami

Palermo are already looking to bolster their squad for next season with the acquisition of Valon Behrami, the West Ham wing-back.

Behrami, 24, was already linked with a move to Palermo in this month's transfer window but the Serie A club are more likely to start negotiations at the end of the season.

"He doesn't interest us for

January," Maurizio Zamparini, the Palermo supremo, said.

"We have a balance in the changing room that we don't want to affect. We'll see in June. He's a good player who we like but we'll have to wait for now. It will also depend on what the player himself wants."

Swiss international Behrami played for Verona and Lazio before moving to London.

Magpies strengthen Hughton's squad

Championship leaders Newcastle have signed QPR defender Fitz Hall on loan until the end of the season as cover for injured centre-back Steven Taylor, who is out for two months with knee ligament damage.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is also hoping to sign a left-back and a striker before the transfer window closes on Monday as he seeks to bolster his squad for the final push for a return to the Premier League.

The Magpies are one of a number of clubs hoping to sign Crystal Palace's 19-year-old forward Victor Moses, who has been put up for sale following Palace's move into administration earlier this week.

England line up Mexico date

England will face Mexico at Wembley in their penultimate friendly before heading to the World Cup in South Africa.

Although the FA are yet to officially confirm the May 24 contest, Mexican officials have included it in a six-match tour that also incorporates matches against Holland and Italy.

Mexico were Fabio Capello's preferred choice of opponents as a warm-up for England's opening Group C game against the United States on June 12.

Capello's belief is that, coming from the same region, Mexico will offer England the best possible guide to what they are likely to face from the United States.