Sporting briefs...

Rooney: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who has not scored a competitive goal for England or a Champions League goal since 2004, has brushed off newspaper talk about his strike rate. "We are top of the League at the moment so I'm not really worried," he told MUTV. With 15 goals for United this season, he added: "I have always said I want to improve on my previous goal tally. I scored 19 last season and I'm just looking to beat that."

Zigic: Racing Santander striker Nikola Zigic has caught the eye of the big clubs not just because of his 2.02-metres height, but also because Sunday's hat-trick in the 5-4 win over Athletic Bilbao took his tally in the Primera Liga to ten. "I've never played in a game like that with so many goals although I have seen some as a spectator," the Serbian said. "I have read the stories linking me with other clubs but at the moment I am only thinking about Racing."

Lille appeal: Ligue 1 side Lille will appeal against a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs ($82,100) imposed by UEFA over crowd disturbances and player misbehaviour in a Champions League match against Manchester United. "We have decided to appeal against the UEFA ruling to protect our interests in the present and in the future," the club said.

Anti-hooligan law: The anti-hooligan measures formulated after the death of a policeman during rioting at a Serie A match passed into Italian law yesterday after being approved by the country's Senate. The Senate voted for the law by a landslide majority of 244 votes to one. There were 20 abstentions. Most of the measures contained in the law were included in the initial decree that was formulated in the days following the death of police inspector Filippo Raciti outside Catania's Massimino stadium on February 2 and are already in force at Italian football matches.

In England: Championship - Burnley vs Plymouth 4-0; QPR vs Preston 1-0. League Two - Rochdale vs Swindon 0-0; Shrewsbury vs Bury 1-3.

In Scotland: Premier League - Motherwell vs Kilmarnock 0-1. Division One - Queen of the South vs Hamilton 1-1; Ross County vs Partick 2-1. Division Two - Stirling vs Cowdenbeath 1-0; Brechin City vs G. Morton 0-1; Forfar vs Peterhead 1-2; Raith Rovers vs Ayr 0-1; Stranraer vs Alloa 3-4. Division Three - Dumbarton vs Arbroath 1-0; Queen's Park vs East Stirling 2-1.