Sporting Briefs...

Gerrard: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, the subject of constant transfer speculation, has hinted he could stay at Anfield. "I didn't want any distractions before the game and it will be the same before the final," said Gerrard after his side's Champions League semi-final win over Chelsea on Tuesday. "But after the Champions League final I can say I'll be sitting down with (chief executive) Rick Parry and the gaffer (manager Rafael Benitez) and discussing the future," he said. The England midfielder said the victory over the newly-crowned Premier League champions had boosted the club. "Obviously a result like this helps everyone at the club and we (Gerrard, Parry and Benitez) will have a lot of positive things to talk about," said Gerrard.

Bochum: VfL Bochum coach Peter Neururer has agreed to leave the Bundesliga strugglers if they lose their fight against relegation. Bochum's 6-2 defeat at home to Mainz on Saturday left the club third from bottom of the table, five points behind Borussia Moenchengladbach in the last safe place with just three games left to play. Club president Werner Altegoer called the coach in for talks on Monday and the two men announced the potential split at a news conference yesterday. "I'll free up my position if we go down to the second division," Neururer said. "I'd only stand in the way."

Dunfermline: Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline have named former manager Jim Leishman as caretaker manager until the end of the season. Leishman returned to the club last year as director of football after guiding them to the top flight from the second division in the 80s. The 51-year-old has three games left to save Dunfermline from the drop, starting at home game on Saturday against fellow strugglers Dundee. Dunfermline are currently bottom with 28 points, three behind Dundee and Livingston.

Strike threat: Top Scottish players are discussing the possibility of going on strike in protest at missile-throwing thugs. Scottish Professional Footballers' Association president Fraser Wishart said he is to meet Premier League players to discuss the issue. He said: "There is a concern among players that it just takes one coin to strike a guy and that could be a career finished or someone maimed for life. I will be speaking to players at the bigger clubs to find out their views on this and I'm sure we will reach some sort of consensus on how we fight this. We've had games cancelled in Europe by referees and it may well be that games might have to be abandoned."

Corinthians: Goalkeeper Fabio Costa has become the first casualty at Corinthians after the newly-rich team's miserable start to the Brazilian championship. Coach Daniel Passarella told the keeper he was no longer part of his plans for the team, who have taken only one of the first six points available. "I didn't take this decision on the basis of one game," said former Passarella, adding that Fabio Costa was overweight. The goalkeeper was baffled. "If he doesn't like me, why didn't he say so," said Fabio Costa. "To say that I don't fit the profile is very vague."

English Premier League: Fulham 1 (Radzinski 86) Newcastle 3 (Ambrose 19; Kluivert 61; Ameobi 75).