Collymore cleared by Evans

Stan Collymore will be in Liverpool's first-team squad for tonight's Coca-Cola Cup third-round replay against Charlton Athletic at Anfield, after being cleared of swearing at reporters during a reserve team match.

Roy Evans, the Liverpool manager, said yesterday: "He will be in the squad. Stan Collymore is an important member of our set-up."

Evans also issued a statement after investigating allegations that the pounds 8.5m striker had screamed abuse at reporters after scoring a goal during Saturday's reserve-team game. The comments were said to have been overheard by children.

Last week Liverpool fined Collymore pounds 20,000 after failing to appear for a reserve match last Wednesday.

"After talking with people present, including supporters, the club have decided no action needs to be taken. That is the end of the matter," Evans said. "I'm not saying anything else as I do not want to make any more fodder for the newspapers."

Arsene Wenger, still smarting at having to deny rumours last week that he was about to quit Arsenal, yesterday cancelled his usual pre-match press conference.

Wenger, whose team are on Coca-Cola Cup replay duty against Stoke City at Highbury tonight, has been the subject of unfounded rumours about his private life.

"I know who I am and what I am trying to achieve," the Frenchman said. "At the moment I just want to be left to get on with that."

An Arsenal spokesman said: "Mr Wenger is still very very angry. What he is doing amounts to putting the press in the sin-bin for a period of time."

Wenger will end his protest after the Stoke game and relations with the media should be back to normal for Saturday's Premiership match at Manchester United.