Daily Mail are talking out of their ass again.

In a news item that barely filled up the page to create some space between the ads, the article reads as follows:

Gabriel Heinze has been advised by his lawyers to stay away from Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Reading at Old Trafford on Sunday as the dispute over his future goes on. The champions have refused to grant him a move to rivals Liverpool and the matter has been referred to the Premier League.

Now it has emerged that the injured Argentina defender is considering staying away from the club on Sunday after being advised that his presence could spark trouble. Heinze’s compatriot Carlos Tevez is also in limbo as the Premier League have yet to decide when he can make his Manchester United debut.

That’s it. That’s the whole article, where the DM hacks manage to make 3 points, 1 of them mindless speculation, 1 past history and the other not only fabricated but repeated.

The Heinze saga has been annoying enough as it is, but to be brutally honest, if Heinze wants to go, he can go, but if his departure is going to directly strengthen a league rival, especially a team that finished a point behind in two seasons ago, then it’s not on. The whole drama about signed documents and recorded conversations is a bit muddled and no one knows the full details so it’s pointless to speculate on that aspect.

The key in this is what Heinze thinks - I’d say that the fact that Fergie made him captain for a few games towards the end of the last season shows his faith in him and that Evra is NOT first-choice and it’s up to Heinze to fight for his place, which I’m sure he’s capable of doing, if he stays.

I also think that if Heinze stays there won’t be bad blood between him and Fergie - it’s not the first time a player has been lured by his agents and asked to move away from Old Trafford and it won’t be the last.

Two more things, and both of them have to do with the possible reasons behind Heinze ‘pushing’ for a Liverpool move.

One, how will he get more games for Pool? Riise, Aurelio, hello? It might be that Heinze’s presence allows those two to push up on the left flank and provide backup, but just last season Pool fans were vociferously rating Riise above Heinze, so where are they now? I agree that Heinze will improve Pool, but I still think that he would get roughly the equal number of games that he would have at United.

Two, is this about the money? Is Pool throwing a lot more money Heinze’s way? If that’s the case then Ferguson and Gill should just offer him a better contract and get on with it. As much as United fans might fancy Evra the fact is that Heinze is an invaluable member of the squad and one of the few people I’d trust to give their 110% every second of every game. That sort of commitment doesn’t come through training, it can’t be bought.

…..

Ok, rant over.

I think the DM piece is bullshit, Heinze has been in training and he’s talked to Fergie, we’ll see in the next two days if Ferguson names him in the squad or not.

Interestingly enough, here’s a quote from an interview Heinze gave a few days ago:

“I’ve fulfilled my duties by returning for training and I will now carry on like a professional. I will keep on coming to training and see what happens. I have a muscle injury in my leg but it is only minor and will not keep me out for long.

“I’ve spoken with the coach (Ferguson) and I have insisted that my wish is to leave the club if a big offer appears on the table.

“Today the only such offer is from Liverpool and it is this that is causing the problem. Earlier in the summer I received a promise from United that I could leave if the deal was good for both parties and at the moment there is an offer from Liverpool.”

Ummm….key phrase being I could leave if the deal was good for both parties - I’m sure Heinze understands the politics of a key player moving from Old Trafford to Anfield, right?

Also…good photoshopping job, the pic at the end of this article.