Sporting briefs...

Sommeil: Manchester City defender David Sommeil has been suspended for three matches after being found guilty of violent conduct, the English Football Association said on its website yesterday. The charge relates to the Frenchman's studs-up challenge on South Korean international Lee Young-pyo during the 2-0 Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at the City of Manchester Stadium on January 4. Lee, who was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury, described the tackle as the worst he had ever suffered and was fortunate to escape with deep bruising.

Treviso: Anderlecht midfielder Walter Bassegio has signed a six-month loan deal with Serie A strugglers Treviso, the Belgian club said. "We have reached an agreement with Treviso who will take Walter Bassegio on loan for the next six months with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season," Anderlecht said. The 27-year-old Belgian international, whose appearances have been limited this season, has Italian roots. Both parents are Italian with his father a native of Treviso. Bassegio is their third signing this month following the acquisitions of Marco Borriello from Sampdoria and Siena's Gianni Guigou.

Espanyol: Espanyol have suspended two fans who abused Cameroon goalkeeper Carlos Kameni during Saturday's league game against Barcelona and are attempting to identify two more who were involved in an attack on two Japanese spectators. The club said that they would decide whether or not to expel the fans permanently at a board meeting later this week. Kameni has been a regular victim of racial abuse from a section of the club's radical fans as well as opposing supporters at other grounds in Spain.

Niemi: Fulham have signed Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi from second division Southampton for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club said yesterday. Niemi, who played in Scotland for Rangers and Hearts before joining Southampton in 2002, signed a contract until the end of the 2007-08 season after meeting Fulham's coaching staff. Niemi made history in 2003 as the first goalkeeper to be substituted in an FA Cup final, being replaced by Paul Jones after 66 minutes following an injury in Southampton's 1-0 defeat by Arsenal.

Dundee United: Manager Gordon Chisholm was sacked by Scottish Premier League club Dundee United yesterday after less than a year in the job. United, Scottish FA Cup runners-up last season, crashed out of the tournament on Saturday 3-2 at home to Aberdeen after being 2-0 up. The club are fourth bottom of the league with just 21 points from 21 games and have lost four of their last five matches. Player-coach Billy Dodds, the former Rangers and Scotland striker, will take charge of the first team on a caretaker basis.

Ayala: Valencia's Argentine international defender Roberto Ayala says he is making a good recovery from knee surgery and believes he will be able to return to action for the club in March. "I'm feeling good and more relaxed after the operation because it showed that the knee was in good shape," the 32-year-old centre back said. Ayala, who is a fixture in Jose Pekerman's Argentina squad, said that his number one priority was to recover his form for his club and that he was not thinking about his return to the national side. After making a shaky start to the season, Valencia are in third place in the Primera Liga, six points behind Osasuna and 10 adrift of leaders Barcelona.