David Beckham

England captain David Beckham (Pic. right, Reuters) has denied rumours of a player rift splitting Manchester United. An off-field love triangle which saw United winger Ryan Giggs and Dave Gardner, who is Beckham's best friend, swap ex-girlfriends threatened the friendship of all three.

It was alleged Beckham and Phil Neville had snubbed the Welsh winger. But Beckham says the United players do not take notice of rumours. "What happens outside the game doesn't affect what we think of each other," he told the Sun newspaper. What people have to try to remember is that most of us have been together for 10 years.

We know each other inside out. Rumours never upset us. People try to upset the bond we have, but that won't happen. Whatever people think, we all get on very well with each other. No one has a problem with anyone else."

Giggs went through a bad patch in mid-season and had to appeal to the fans to stop booing him.