Arbitration to decide on Sheffield United claim

LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) Sheffield United's hopes of playing in the Premier League next season will come before an arbitration panel tomorrow with the relegated club pointing the finger of blame at the league and West Ham United.

The Blades were sent down on goal difference on the final day of last season, having finished with 38 points, just below Wigan Athletic, Fulham (39 points) and West Ham (41).

Their appeal centres on the decision not to dock points from West Ham for breaking ownership rules over the signings of Argentine pair Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

An independent Premier League commission decided in April to just fine the club a record 10.84 million dollars.

Though it found West Ham guilty of ''dishonesty and deceit'', it made allowances for them being under new ownership and said a points deduction would have condemned them to relegation.

United believe that decision has simply condemned the Blades in West Ham's place and are seeking redress from arbitration, which is expected to last two days.

INELIGIBLE PLAYER Though Mascherano moved to Liverpool in January, United argue the breaches meant West Ham fielded an ineligible player in Tevez, whose performances and goals were key to their late revival, and that a points deduction had to be applied.

Instead, the Blades face a year in the second-tier Championship, with all its financial consequences.

Asked what he expected from arbitration, United chairman Kevin McCabe told Sky Sports today: ''I'd like to believe it will be reinstatement of Sheffield United in the Premier League.

''The first decision was wrong, it should have been points deducted and not a monetary fine.

''West Ham have then to be sorted out by the Premier League, they have their own board and that's their decision.'' But he added: ''If the arbitration goes against us, and we firmly believe it won't, then we have to accept next season we will be in the Championship and we'll prepare for that.'' Asked if United's relegation was simply down to them not winning enough games, McCabe said: ''If we'd have had Carlos Tevez, we'd have won enough football matches.

''That really is the nub of this sad lack of integrity of English football and that's what's got to be sorted out tomorrow and Tuesday.'' McCabe has previously mooted the idea of a 21-team Premier League next season with four clubs relegated at the end.

REUTERS BJR RN1900