Brown adds to Fergie's woes

Alex Ferguson will wait anxiously for the results of an X-ray on Wes Brown's injured ankle knowing his defensive resources are badly stretched ahead of Saturday's Premiership opener with West Brom.

Brown lasted just six minutes of last night's shock 1-0 Champions League qualifying defeat to Hungarian unknowns Zalaegerszegi in Budapest after coming off worst in a challenge with Igor Budisa.

With Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville and Fabien Barthez already set to miss the visit of the newly-promoted Baggies, Ferguson has little option but to stick with the back four which failed to keep out the Hungarian minnows.

Ferguson said "Wes was in a lot of pain and there is definitely tendon damage.

"He will have an X-ray to see if there is a break, but at this stage we don't know the full extent of the problem."

Ferguson, however, was in magnanimous mood after Bela Koplarovic's last- minute winner created the biggest story in Hungarian football since the national team qualified for the World Cup in 1986.

He added: "I'm not thinking about the financial side. I'm looking at the football.

"The Champions League is a fantastic competition and it's one we want to be playing in.

"But, it's part of the romance of football that smaller teams should have a big day and I'm pleased for them. Their fans have travelled a long way and they had a great night."

England midfielder Kieron Dyer handed Newcastle a firstleg lead over NK Zeljeznicar with a 56th-minute winner at the Olympski Kosevo Stadium, in Bosnia.