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Last Updated: Sunday, 19 October, 2003, 03:57 GMT 04:57 UK
The back pages
England's World Cup win over South Africa is the big story on Sunday morning, despite the increasingly bizarre speculation that surrounds Chelsea Football Club.

And the newspapers are almost unanimous in their choice of the perfect image to capture just how tough a battle it was in Perth.

Blood is the theme and Neil Back the man who will be putting people off their breakfasts across the country, his battered features dominating most of the back pages.

"Not pretty," is how coach Clive Woodward describes the match in the Sunday Express, although he may have been referring to the Leicester forward.

BACK PAGE HEADLINES
Sunday Times: On top, Down Under
Observer: Bloody marvellous
Sunday Telegraph: Bravo Jonny
Independent on Sunday: Jonny restores order with the boot
News of the World: Dopes - armed police raid Leicester
Sunday Express: Bloody heroes
Mail on Sunday: Roman plans swoop for Rio
Daily Star Sunday: Cock-up Carlo
Sunday Mirror: Fergie backs Rio
The People: Bloody great!
Eddie Butler in the Observer says "England did not play well" but goes on to note they they still won by 19 points, which he describes as "remarkable".

Paul Ackford in the Sunday Telegraph goes further, saying the match was "England's worst performance in months" and suggesting Woodward's men have lost some momentum.

But for all the worrying in the broadsheets, The People hits the spot with the headline "A real good kicking".

Closer to home, this week's Premiership saga was expected to surround Rio Ferdinand returning to action at Leeds.

But while the Sunday Mirror reports Sir Alex Ferguson saying his defender was "magnificent" in the 1-0 victory, it is not all good news for the champions.

The Daily Star highlights two penalty appeals from Cristiano Ronaldo, describing the resulting row as a "diving bust-up for fall guy Ron".

Meanwhile, Ferdinand attracts more headlines in the Mail on Sunday as Chelsea apparently consider a �20m move for the England player.

Bearing in mind the Daily Mail claimed on Saturday that Chelsea are also eyeing a �33m bid for David Beckham, some sort of bench extension will surely be required soon.


SEE ALSO
The gossip column
19 Oct 03  |  Football



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