Hermann Hreidarsson, the Portsmouth defender, said no one is panicking at the club, despite Pompey asking the Premier League to be allowed to sell players outside of the transfer window. The BBC reported yesterday that Fifa, world football's governing body, would look favourably on the request, although no official decision had yet been made. "The people behind the scenes are working hard to sort the situation out," he said. "We just have to try to do our job. That's all we can do. The club has to stay alive. There's a lot at stake. "The players will stay professional and keep trying to do our job." Meanwhile, Brian Laws, the Burnley manager, said it would be "ridiculous" to allow Portsmouth to sell players. "We all work within rules and regulations," he said. "That is the way the Football League or Premier League has worked for hundreds of years. "Why should we have to change that for one particular club who are finding it very difficult with their finances? "Allowing them to get a player out of the door, get some money and finances in, and then he goes and scores a goal against us that could be the goal that takes us down - that's ridiculous." Pompey v Stoke, KO 9.30pm, ShowSports 1 & 2
David Gold, West Ham United's co-owner, said yesterday he was prepared to lend debt-ridden Premier League rivals Portsmouth £10million (Dh56.5m) to prevent them from going into liquidation. "I am prepared to lend them £10m. "The people who caused their problems are no longer there," he told the British radio station TalkSPORT. "So you can't take it out on the people who are left, the major people left are the fans. "I am not trying to prevent them fromgoing into administration. "I am trying to be there in the event there would be a likelihood of them going into liquidation. "I'd expect to get my money back - which would be an advance on their parachute payment if they get relegated - in August," added Gold, who took control of West Ham last month with business partner David Sullivan after the pair owned Birmingham City for 17 years. "By that time, the transfer window would have opened and they could also sell some players," he added. "I would expect they would have been deducted points for going into administration. "They might be on their way to the third tier, but the important thing is they would still be in existence." West Ham v Hull, KO 7pm, Show Movies Kids