Rumors about the winter transfer market were flying around.
The Premier League saw a notable breakthrough as Fulham once again made headlines—this time by breaking the Division Two transfer record, signing defender Chris Coleman from Blackburn Rovers for £2 million.
Tottenham's relegation worries grew heavier after a crushing 5–0 home defeat at the hands of Manchester City. Meanwhile, Manchester United's title hopes suffered a blow with a 1–0 away loss to Liverpool—a result sparked by a costly mistake from Czech winger Karel Poborský.
Mistakes like that—especially in a fierce Manchester derby—would not be tolerated. Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking in the post-match press conference, publicly offered his support for Poborský. But behind his measured words, Ferguson knew exactly what awaited the winger in the days ahead.
And sure enough, it didn't take long for the media to catch the scent of a fresh headline.
