Sir Alex Slams power of TV

Sir Alex Ferguson has launched a stinging attack on the power of TV broadcasters - claiming they have jostled clubs into a corner.

The Manchester United boss has spoken out at what he perceives are the tough conditions teams have to work under given the huge power of television companies. 

In a clear swipe at the likes of Sky Sports, Ferguson has even suggested that clubs are ripped off when it comes to the huge payments they receive for broadcasts.

Claiming Premier League coverage is sold to around 200 countries, he told BBC North West Tonight: 'When you think of that I don't think we get enough money.'

In a hard-hitting interview, Ferguson criticises the control that TV companies have over the national game. He said: 'When you shake hands with the devil you have to pay the price. Television is God at the moment.'

Opportunity knocks: Dimitar Berbatov (centre) and Michael Owen (right) are set to play against the Swiss side with Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez missing

Ferguson now believes that clubs have been backed into a corner over the fixture list that is decided by live TV games - and that this has a negative impact on the teams competing in Europe.

The 69-year-old added: 'It shows itself quite clearly because when you see the fixture lists come out now, they can pick and choose whenever they want the top teams on television.

'You get some ridiculous situations when you're playing on Wednesday night in Europe and then at lunchtime the following Saturday. You ask any manager if they would pick that themself and there'd be no chance.' 

The Premier League's TV deal was renewed in February 2009, with Sky paying over £1.6billion to show five 23-game packages.

One-time rivals Setanta paid £159m for 69 matches over the three years before the package was taken over by ESPN. 

On average, clubs earning £4.3m for each game shown on live TV.

Last season United were paid just over £60m due to the amount of times their games were televised, and also for winning the Premier League. 

So far this season all six of United's league games have been broadcast live on television. Next Saturday's home game against Norwich will be the first time this season the Red Devils will have kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday. 

United are scheduled to appear live three more times by the end of November.

You're on camera: United striker Wayne Rooney (centre) was reprimanded for swearing into a SKY camera after scoring at Upton Park last season

In contrast to the veteran manager, former Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick suggested that United owed much of their success under Ferguson to TV money.

'Sir Alex's comments always have to be taken seriously, he is a very wise and experienced football man,' Barwick told the BBC. 

'But on this one, I do think Manchester United have almost had a lions share of TV revenue over a period of time and it has helped build a fantastic stadium in Old Trafford and helped build Sir Alex's teams with star players.

'Manchester United will always do well in the television market because a lot of people follow them.

'The Premier League should be applauded for the number of countries it has got the game to. It has been a massive success story.'

Bills Reverse New England Record

Ryan Fitzpatrick and the new-look, resilient, win-in-the-clutch Buffalo Bills are showing they're for real after producing their second consecutive stunning comeback victory -- this time against their AFC East nemesis, the New England Patriots.

Rian Lindell hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired to cap a 34-31 win over the Patriots in which the Bills overcame a 21-0 second-quarter deficit and snapped a 15-game losing streak against New England.

It was a win for the new generation of Bills, who don't know any better. And the victory was particularly cherished by senior members, such as linebacker Chris Kelsay, one of four Buffalo players still on hand since the team's last victory over New England, in the 2003 season opener.

"It's the biggest win of my career. I can't think of any bigger," Kelsay said. "To beat these guys at home, in front of our fans, with the way they're behind us despite being down early, it's huge. I'll never forget it."

Former Bills lineman Ruben Brown hugged Buffalo players as they ran up the tunnel. Running back Fred Jackson ran around the field carrying a Bills flag. And stadium workers took no chances, first guarding the goal posts before lowering them on their own before fans got any ideas.

It was that kind of euphoric win for a team attempting to turn around a dreadful past in which it has gone 11 seasons without making the playoffs.

The Bills (3-0) won courtesy of yet another Fitzpatrick-led rally. And it was reminiscent of what the Bills did in a 38-35 win over Oakland a week earlier, when they scored touchdowns on their final five possession to overcome a 21-3 deficit.

Fitzpatrick went 27 of 40 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson once again provided a spark with 72 yards rushing and a touchdown, and 87 yards receiving, including a 38-yard catch that set up Lindell's decisive kick.

The Patriots (2-1) had a 10-game regular-season winning streak snapped and suddenly find themselves looking up in the standings at Buffalo. Aside from their 15-game win streak, third-longest in NFL history for one franchise against another, the Pats had won 20 of the past 21 over the Bills.

"Obviously, it was a disappointing loss for us today," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "We've just got to do a better job."

Wes Welker had 16 catches for a franchise record 217 yards and two scores, and Rob Gronkowski also scored twice. Tom Brady went 30 of 45 for 386 yards and four scores for New England, but uncharacteristically unraveled.

Despite setting a league record for most yards passing over a three-game stretch, Brady matched a career worst with four interceptions. That included Drayton Florence's 27-yard interception return for a touchdown with 10:22 left that came 14 seconds after Jackson tied the game at 24 with a one-yard plunge.

"We played a good football team and made too many mistakes," said Brady, whose four interceptions against Buffalo matched the number he had all of last season. "It's never easy. ... We had too many turnovers, too many penalties that allowed them to get some easy plays. ... I just wish we would have made a few less mistakes."

Dating to 1950, the Bills became the only team to overcome deficits of at least 18 points to win in consecutive weeks, according to STATS LLC. In fact, only five teams had previously won twice in one season when trailing by 18 or more points.

The last team to do so: the Patriots in 1996.

The game wasn't decided until the final four minutes, and after Brady led the Patriots back to tie the score at 31 on a six-yard touchdown pass to Welker -- on fourth-and-goal, no less.

Back marched the Bills, who got the ball back with 3:25 left.

Fitzpatrick needed only three plays to get the Bills into scoring position.

Facing first-and-10 at the Patriots 39, Fitzpatrick hit Jackson on a short crossing pattern over the middle. Jackson broke loose and was attempting to dive into the end zone before being tackled from behind by Devin McCourty.

Officials initially ruled Jackson had scored before having it overturned on video review.

That wound up an advantage to the Bills, who ran down the clock by kneeling. The Patriots ran out of timeouts -- and composure as an unsportmanlike conduct penalty against Vince Wilfork gave Buffalo another set of downs at the 1.

All it took was Lindell to line up and hit a chip shot with the crowd cheering and standing on its feet.

"That's the loudest I've ever heard it in here," Lindell said. "Certainly they've been the team to beat. It's definitely a step in the right direction."

Stevie Johnson had eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo. Tight end Scott Chandler also scored on a three-yard catch.

Perfect Vettel made wait for title

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel crushed his opposition to score an easy victory in Singapore on Sunday, despite major late-race pressure from McLaren's Jenson Button, whom he had outrun early on. And it was Button's presence in second place that prevented Vettel from confirming his second consecutive world championship by a mere point. 

To put the title beyond doubt he needed to be 125 points clear, but Button remains a tantalising 124 behind and takes the battle to Japan at the very least.

Mercedes' Michael Schumacher played a key role in the race, but for the wrong reasons. An accident involving him and Sauber's Sergio Perez brought out the safety car on the 29th lap, and that was the first bit of good news that McLaren's Lewis Hamilton had enjoyed all race.

Hamilton's race strategy was compromised from the start after he had lost a set of super-soft tyres to the puncture in the right rear he suffered during the second qualifying session. It meant he had to switch to the less grippy soft compound tyre sooner than his rivals who still had three sets of super-softs.

Vettel blasted into the lead from Button at the start, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso snatching third, but Hamilton's day got worse when he got blocked by Red Bull's Mark Webber and lost places, dropping from fourth to eighth. He climbed quickly to sixth, passing the Mercedes of Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, but a brush with Ferrari's Felipe Massa on Lap 12 damaged his front wing just after they had both stopped for new tyres, and a lap later Hamilton pitted again for a new nose and dropped to 16th. He then received a drive-through penalty for causing a collision, dropping to 19th.

Up front, Vettel owned the race, lock, stock and double barrel, building a lead of 11.4s by the 16th lap after a flurry of fastest laps distanced him from Button, who in turn had dropped Alonso. After losing time behind third placed Force India's Paul di Resta, who moved up temporarily on his harder tyres as faster runners switched to replacements for their soft compounds, the Spaniard was back in third place by Lap 20, but further behind Button than Button was behind Vettel. 

Webber was running three seconds further back, but soon began to challenge Alonso until their second pits stops. Then came the incident on lap 29 that changed the complexion of the race.

Rosberg had overtaken Sauber's Sergio Perez for seventh place on the 28th lap, but got on the marbles in the last corner and Perez pounced again. But Rosberg retaliated and they touched going into the first corner, pushing the Mexican wide. That gave Schumacher the chance to close in, but he then misjudged things and crashed into the back of the Sauber. As the Mercedes crashed head-on into a safety wall, thankfully without injury to Schumacher, Vettel's near-20s lead was neutralised as the safety car was deployed. Schumacher was subsequently reprimanded for the incident.

The safety car's presence triggered a rash of pits stops, and when they were done the order was now Vettel, Button, Alonso, Webber - then Di Resta, Rosberg, Force Indias Adrian Sutil, Perez and Hamilton, who had fought back to ninth and had now been thrown an unexpected lifeline.

When the race went green again on Lap 34 Vettel had lapped cars between him and Button and was still 8.9s ahead of the McLaren driver at the end of the lap, but in a key move Webber removed Alonso's championship hopes by passing the surprised Spaniard, as further back Hamilton moved past Perez for eighth. The McLaren driver then overhauled Sutil, Rosberg and Di Resta. So now it was Vettel, apparently cruising home, Button doing likewise in second, Webber and Alonso, and Hamilton finally stalemated in fifth.

The final stops only temporarily shuffled the order, leaving Hamilton behind Di Resta. He caught and passed him again on Lap 53 to regain fifth, leaving the Scot to take a career-best sixth after another superb drive. Hamilton and Button were flying in the closing stages, the latter slashing Vettel's advantage until he was frustrated by the duelling Williams drivers right at the end, but the spotlight was deservedly focused on Vettel.

In the closing laps there was also a huge fight for seventh, which Rosberg just won from Sutil, as Massa was right with them after snatching ninth from Perez on the last lap. Pastor Maldonado beat Williams team mate Rubens Barrichello, as Sebastien Buemi also slipped ahead of the Brazilian late in the race to take 12th. His Toro Rosso team mate Jaime Alguersuari had a tough race, clashing early on with Kamui Kobayashi, and crashing in the late stages.

Kobayashi was 14th following a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags, ahead of Bruno Senna who had an up and down race for Renault but caught and passed team mate Vitaly Petrov, who was 17th. Renault's day went from bad to worse after the race when they were fined 7,500 Euro for a communication error at the safety-car restart that had led to Senna colliding with Perez, the Brazilian thinking he was battling for position when in fact he was a lap down on the Mexican.

Between the black and gold cars, Heikki Kovalainen was 16th, his Lotus team picking up a 10,000 Euro fine for unsafely releasing him into Vettel's path during their final stops.

Behind Petrov, Jerome D'Ambrosio drove tidily for 18th for Virgin, with Daniel Ricciardo recovering for 19th for HRT after needing a new nose and front wing on the first lap, while team mate Tonio Liuzzi later ran into trouble and dropped back to 20th.

The other Lotus, Jarno Trulli's, joined Schumacher, Alguersuari and early spinner Timo Glock's Virgin on the retirement list, when its gearbox broke.

LaCava Accepts Tiger Task

Tiger Woods has hired Joe LaCava as his new caddie as a replacement for New Zealander Steve Williams.

LaCava was the long-term bagman for Fred Couples, but the pair split in the summer after the veteran decided to reduce his playing schedule.

LaCava has since been with Dustin Johnson, with whom he was working at this week's Tour Championship.

"Joe is an outstanding caddie, and I have known him for many years," said 35-year-old Woods.

"I've personally seen the great job he did for Freddie. I'm anxious for us to be working together."

Tiger and I have been friends for a very long time, and I know what he can doJoe LaCava

LaCava informed Johnson - who finished tied 23rd - of his decision after the final round of the Tour Championship on Sunday.

Woods, who has been without a caddie since severing ties with Steve Williams in July, also spoke to Johnson and Couples to alert him of the decision.

LaCava's first tournament with Woods will be the Frys.com Open from 6-9 October.

"I'm excited to be working with Tiger," LaCava said. "Tiger and I have been friends for a very long time, and I know what he can do.

"I want to thank Dustin for the opportunity to work with him, and I wish him nothing but the best."

New Zealander Williams carried Woods's bag for 13 of his 14 major wins, after joining the former world number one in 1999.

Woods's world ranking has slipped to 50th and he has not won a tournament since the 2009 Australian Masters.

Haas Wins FedEx in Hunter Shootout

Bill Haas captured the FedEx Cup in Atlanta after beating Hunter Mahan in a play-off at the Tour Championship.

The Americans were tied on eight under after 18 and then shared pars on the first two extra holes before Haas parred the third as Mahan made bogey.

Luke Donald, runner-up last year, finished third in the race for the $10m (£6.4m) prize after a one-under-par 69 to end on seven under.

Donald tied for third in the Atlanta event with Aaron Baddeley and KJ Choi.

The Englishman carded four birdies, including a two on the last, but fives on four, 10 and 12 checked his progress.

He said: "Every shot counts, especially in this last tournament. At least I gave myself a chance with that birdie at the last."

The world number one earns a $1.8m (£1.2m) prize for his efforts but winner Haas takes home $11.4m (£7.4m) for clinching the season-ending Tour Championship as well as the FedEx Cup.

The 29-year-old had looked to have blown his chances of victory at the second play-off hole.

He found a bunker with his tee shot and then water with his second, but a shallow enough lie allowed him to play the ball from its resting place and he superbly pitched to within three feet and halved the hole in four.

Mahan found the greenside bunker in the third play-off hole and then allowed his escape to run 15 feet past the hole.

Haas, putting from the back fringe of the green, rolled his ball just four feet past and, after Mahan missed, he found the centre of the cup to clinch the win.

The North Carolina man entered the 30-player event 25th in points but finished on top, 15 points ahead of American Webb Simpson, who led entering the tournament.

The champion admitted at the post-round presentation he had no idea upon holing his final putt that victory brought with it the FedEx Cup bounty.

On his escape at the 17th, Haas said: "The second shot, I actually thought I hit a pretty decent shot, I just overhit it a little and maybe pushed it a bit.

"I got an unbelievably fortunate lie, it was basically a bunker shot and it was all or nothing. There was a bit of luck involved - I got some spin on it, I didn't know that - I was very lucky.

"I hung in there, I was very fortunate and it's pretty unbelievable."

Englishman Justin Rose, who won the BMW Championship in Chicago last week, finished fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.