Lamps flies to horse doc

FRANK LAMPARD has flown to Serbia for treatment by the Belgrade 'miracle worker' who cures injuries using horse placenta.

Now the Chelsea star, sidelined with a thigh injury, is hoping he will be fit for next weekend's derby with Arsenal.

Lamps yesterday jetted out to see Marian Kovacevic, who has fled her clinic in the Serb capital due to the media attention and reports she is not licensed to practise.

But SunSport can reveal she continues to work.

During the week she has been treating Arsenal ace Robin van Persie and Liverpool stars Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Fabio Aurelio and Glen Johnson.

All have been attracted by claims the treatment gets players fit quicker than conventional methods.

Lampard was accompanied by Chelsea club physios for the treatment.

Van Persie hailed his treatment 'a miracle' after having horse placenta massaged into his ankle.

As he left her home he told Serbian newspaper Alo: "It's good, I'm happy. The woman is a miracle."

Jenson Button leaves Mercedes GP and joins Lewis Hamilton at McLaren

World champion Jenson Button will drive for McLaren alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-British Formula One dream team.

Button announced on Thursday morning (EDT) that he had ended his long association with Brawn, with whom he won his first driver's title this year, to team up with 2008 champion Hamilton in a combination of two of the hottest properties in motor sport.

Button said it had been a tough decision to leave Brawn but admitted the lure of McLaren and its illustrious history, had proved too strong to resist.

"I've followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it," he said.

The deal marks the first time in Formula One history that a team has started the new season with a line-up featuring the most recent two successive world champions.

It is also the first pairing of two British world champions since Graham Hill partnered Jim Clark at Lotus in 1968.

Brushing aside predictions of an Alain Prost/Ayrton Senna-style battle to be top dog within the team, Button insists he was looking forward to working with Hamilton.

"Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and he's a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula One driver," Button said.

"I'm sure there's plenty that we can learn from each other, and I'm really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push the team forward."

Hamilton added: "I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together. We both really want our team to succeed. Although we'll be pushing each other hard, I'm sure we'll very quickly establish a great working relationship."

Ross Brawn, the boss of Button's former team, had urged the 29-year-old not to jump ship. But there was uncertainty over the extent to which Mercedes, which acquired a 75 percent stake in Brawn GP earlier this month, was committed to keeping him.

Brawn will be rebranded Mercedes GP for the 2010 season and German Nico Rosberg has already been lined up as one of their drivers. Another German, Nick Heidfeld, is the favourite for the second seat.

Button's move to McLaren became possible after the team decided not to retain Heikki Kovalainen and then failed to reach an agreement with former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who has decided not to race in Formula One next year.

McLaren are expected to have one of the fastest cars next season after finishing this year strongly.

After emerging from the ashes of the Honda GP team following the Japanese manufacturer's withdrawal from the sport, Brawn dominated the early races while McLaren and Ferrari struggled but faded towards the end of the season.

British racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart said Button was making the wrong move and predicted tensions as McLaren attempted to accomodate him and Hamilton.

"If I had been him I would have wanted to do a deal with Brawn," Stewart said.

"The McLaren car will be one of the best, if not the best, on the grid next season.

"But it will be difficult for him to take on Lewis Hamilton. It is like walking into the lion's den.

"Lewis will want to retain his position of prominence in that team and will be a tough guy for Jenson to marry into.

"What we are looking at is two guys that want to be number one and that, in one team, sometimes does not make for perfect bed partners."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh insisted that Button had not quit Brawn because his former team had not met his salary demands, as had been reported.

"We'll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere," Whitmarsh said.

Cantona: I’d have hit Henry

ERIC CANTONA says he would have HIT Thierry Henry if he was one of the Republic of Ireland players cheated of their World Cup spot.

The former France and Manchester United star said: "What shocks me the most quite frankly, is not the hand-ball.

"What shocks me the most is that this player, at the end of the game, in front of the TV cameras, went to sit down next to an Ireland player to comfort him - when he had just screwed him."

Cantona could not believe Henry chose to sit and chat with Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne after his handball set up William Gallas for the goal which ended Ireland's World Cup dream in Paris.

Cantona, infamous for his kung-fu kick at a fan, added: "If I had been an Irishman, he wouldn't have lasted three seconds."

Former Arsenal striker Henry has finally done the decent thing and admitted that the World Cup qualifying play-off should be replayed.

Henry said: "The fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control."

The incident has destroyed Henry's reputation as a football ambassador.

There was a feeling that if Henry and the French had asked for it, the Irish may have had a chance.

But FIFA have already said they will not order a replay and the French Football Federation last night insisted they do not want to play the game again.

Henry admitted: "I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who deserve to be in South Africa.

"But I am not a cheat. If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was instinctive."

Repulsive

THE world turned on Thierry Henry last night - with even his own country France branding him a CHEAT.

Irish football chiefs have written to FIFA demanding Wednesday's World Cup tie is replayed after the striker's blatant handball led to William Gallas' decisive goal.

The game's governing body insists there will be no replay.

But Henry's former Arsenal and France team-mate Emmanuel Petit said: "The feeling among the French public is one of embarrassment.

"More and more often we see people cheating to reach their targets so Thierry's handball will not send out a good message."

French legend David Ginola added: "I do not feel very proud to be French at the moment. Something should be done. The whole world saw it was handball. I am very embarrassed."

Henry's stomach-turning act meant France won the World Cup play-off 2-1 on aggregate to reach next summer's finals.

Petit and Henry were team-mates when France lifted the World Cup in 1998. Another '98 winner, Bixente Lizarazu, slammed France coach Raymond Domenech on live radio.

Domenech refused to answer questions about the handball and invited Lizarazu to attend a qualification party hosted by the French FA.

But the former defender replied: "France have done nothing. I'm in no mood for a party."

A FIFA spokesman dashed hopes of a replay, saying: "The rules of FIFA are absolutely clear and the referee's decisions in the game are final."

Dzeko rules out United switch

EDIN DZEKO has ruled out a switch to Manchester United by insisting he wants to join AC Milan next season.

The Bosnian striker was linked with the Red Devils after his 26 goals helped fire Wolfsburg to the Bundesliga title last term.

But the 23-year-old claims he will snub their advances to move to the San Siro instead.

He said: "I recently spoke to Wolfsburg executives about it and they know that I would like a transfer next summer.

"The story with AC Milan is not over."

He added: "Manchester United have also shown an interest but I have been a fan of Milan since I was a child, when I watched their games on TV.

"It's for that reason that I really hope I can play next season there."

Dzeko is under contract with the German outfit until June 2013.

Evra Reddy for Final Chance

FRENCH FLIES ... Patrice Evra is desperate to jet out for World Cup finals

PATRICE EVRA is prepared to see red tonight if it means France reach the World Cup finals.

The Manchester United full-back was in the thick of it as his team-mates clashed with Republic of Ireland players at Croke Park on Saturday.

And he will not be worried about getting sent off - as long as he is on the plane to South Africa in the summer.

Evra said: "You have to be willing to sacrifice yourself in these circumstances, you have to think about the team.

"If I had to pull someone's shirt in the last minute when they are through on goal, I would have done it in Dublin, even if it meant missing the return leg."

The French hold a 1-0 lead in this World Cup qualifier play-off.

Evra reckons he was brought down in the box by Irish keeper Shay Given in the first leg - and a second goal would have given France some breathing space.

The defender added: "The referee had a great game, he let the play go a lot. But I had both my feet taken away from me during that move while I still had the ball.

"I'm sure it was a penalty. I asked myself why he hadn't booked me if I thought I had dived.

"He must have thought I'd dived just because I jumped up just before the contact because I was scared to get hurt." Should France fail to book a finals place, coach Raymond Domenech troubled spell in charge would come to an end.

But he does not want to consider that possibility.

Domenech said: "The only feeling I have now is impatience for the game. This games opens the door to the World Cup.

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"I know I can die and it could be my last game. But we will play to win the game on the night. We have quality players and can play positive football. What will I tell them? I will invite them to go out there and win."

Domenech insists the storm surrounding Lassana Diarra's row with the Irish at full-time on Saturday will not disrupt the focus of Les Bleus.

Diarra has denied making an obscene remark to midfielder Keith Andrews.

And Domenech added: "It's not a problem. Me and the players are used to side-shows and they never interfere with the main show.

"Lassana never said those things.

"We need cold blood, patience, intelligence and enthusiasm. I trust the fans to show the will to go to the World Cup.

"I don't need to motivate these players. I actually need to quieten them so they dont get over-excited."

MANCHESTER UNITED CLUB STATISTICS

• Fixtures
• Results
• Squad
• Table
• Stats

Sat	21/11/09	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Everton	17:30	November
Wed	25/11/09	Champ Lg Group B	Man Utd	v	Besiktas	19:45	November
Sat	28/11/09	Eng Prem	Portsmouth	v	Man Utd	15:00	November
Tue	01/12/09	Carling Cup Qrt-Fin	Man Utd	v	Tottenham	20:00	December
Sat	05/12/09	Eng Prem	West Ham	v	Man Utd	15:00	December
Tue	08/12/09	Champ Lg Group B	Wolfsburg	v	Man Utd	19:45	December
Sat	12/12/09	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Aston Villa	17:30	December
Tue	15/12/09	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Wolves	19:45	December
Sat	19/12/09	Eng Prem	Fulham	v	Man Utd	15:00	December
Sun	27/12/09	Eng Prem	Hull City	v	Man Utd	16:00	December
Wed	30/12/09	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Wigan	20:00	December
Sat	09/01/10	Eng Prem	Birmingham	v	Man Utd	15:00	January
Sat	16/01/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Burnley	15:00	January
Tue	26/01/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Hull City	19:45	January
Sat	30/01/10	Eng Prem	Arsenal	v	Man Utd	15:00	January
Sat	06/02/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Portsmouth	15:00	February
Wed	10/02/10	Eng Prem	Aston Villa	v	Man Utd	19:45	February
Sat	20/02/10	Eng Prem	Everton	v	Man Utd	15:00	February
Sat	27/02/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	West Ham	15:00	February
Sat	06/03/10	Eng Prem	Wolves	v	Man Utd	15:00	March
Sat	13/03/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Fulham	15:00	March
Sat	20/03/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Liverpool	15:00	March
Sat	27/03/10	Eng Prem	Bolton	v	Man Utd	15:00	March
Sat	03/04/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Chelsea	15:00	April
Sat	10/04/10	Eng Prem	Blackburn	v	Man Utd	15:00	April
Sat	17/04/10	Eng Prem	Man City	v	Man Utd	15:00	April
Sat	24/04/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Tottenham	15:00	April
Sat	01/05/10	Eng Prem	Sunderland	v	Man Utd	15:00	May
Sun	09/05/10	Eng Prem	Man Utd	v	Stoke	15:00	May