Gareth Barry makes the back page of the Mirror today but City's popular England midfielder will wish he was just another name on Fabio Capello's flight list for South Africa.

"Barry's on knife-edge" is the headline that tells all as savvy Mirror man Martin Lipton reveals that injured Gareth is "facing World Cup heartache" in his bid to beat the clock.

Lippo writes: "Barry will have a make or break scan next Monday on the ankle ligaments he damaged in the defeat by Tottenham ... but although (he) is refusing to give up the ghost, the odds are stacked against him."

He adds: "Barry, who is sleeping in an oxygen tent in a bid to speed up his recovery  programme, is still wearing a protective boot on his injured foot and is unable to walk properly."

Complete with a snap of Gareth on crutches, it paints a gloomy picture for a player who would usually be in the manager's starting XI.

But Martin reckons: "England boss Capello will give the 29-year-old every chance to prove his fitness and is still hoping the medical tests will indicate Barry would be available to play by the second group game against Algeria in Cape Town on June 18."

There's still a little room for transfer talk, of course, and the Mail and the Sun both claim exclusives with a story that City are interest in Benfica's Brazilian defender David Luiz.

Real Madrid are keen on the highly-rated left-sided defender, say the Mail team of Simon Jones, Neil Moxley and Ian Ladyman, who reckon City will "swoop" to ambush that deal. Neil Custis, covering the story solo in the Sun, chucks in Barcelona and Chelsea as well.

Still with the Mail, their football writers choose their season's highlights, and a good few plump for the 4-3 Old Trafford derby while their favourite quote involves somebody complaining about noisy neighbours. Time to turn the telly up next season?