MLS warned of Beckham threat

Updated 14.39 Thu Jul 19 2007
Keywords: England, LA Galaxy, David Beckham, football, sport, Euro 2008

Major League Soccer defenders have been warned not to give away cheap free-kicks to David Beckham.

The 32-year-old former England skipper is battling to overcome an ankle injury in time to turn out for his new club Los Angeles Galaxy for the first time in a friendly against Chelsea on Saturday.

"You'd be panicking, especially with a guy like Beckham on the pitch, who's so dangerous" - David Beckham

And his reputation as a devastating free-kick specalist has been spelt out by the likes of New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol.

Former Liverpool defender Nicol said: "If you're sat on the bench as a coach you're just telling people 'don't give a free-kick away on the edge of the box'.

"You'd be panicking, especially with a guy like Beckham on the pitch, who's so dangerous.

"You have to be aware of who you're up against and if you're playing against a team who from 25 yards in is deadly then you don't want to be giving a stupid free kick away."

Beckham, who picked up his ankle injury while on international duty last month and aggravated it as he helped Real Madrid to the Spanish title, is rated as '50/50' to be fit in time to face Chelsea.

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