WAYNE Bridge is due to equal a new Premiership record at Elland Road today.

Assuming he lines up against Leeds it will be his 108th consecutive league game, equalling the tally of former Saints Alan Shearer during his Blackburn days.

It is an even greater achievement for the Saints defender though as, amazingly, he has played every minute of that run of games.

Bridge, pictured right, has been an ever-present for the full 90 minutes of every match since the 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough in March 2000.

If he comes through tomorrow's game without injury, he will break Shearer's record in the Boxing Day clash at Chelsea.

Striker Marian Pahars, meanwhile, is out of plaster following his ankle injury and hopeful of resuming training early next week.

l SAINTS fans might be in the unusual position of cheering on Liverpool or Manchester United to win the Worthington Cup this season.

For providing both teams finish in the top four of the Premiership, an extra UEFA Cup place will be available. And that could be of interest to Saints providing they maintain their superb form of the last three months.

It's conceivable that the clubs finishing fifth, sixth and seventh in the Premiership could all qualify for the UEFA Cup.

This is how qualification for Europe next season works:

The top four in the Premiership enter the European Champions League, with the third and fourth placed sides having to go into a final qualifying round.

The fifth placed team will enter the UEFA Cup.

The Worthington Cup winners will enter the UEFA Cup. If the Worthington Cup winners finish in the top four of the Premiership, the sixth placed team will get the place instead. The Worthington Cup runners-up do not get a UEFA Cup spot under any circumstances.

The FA Cup winners will enter the UEFA Cup. If the FA Cup winners and runners-up have already qualified for Europe, the seventh placed team will get the place instead. That is how Chelsea got into the UEFA Cup this season, as runners-up to double winners Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

In addition, there are two places available to Premiership clubs via the Inter-Toto Cup. One will enter the pre-season competition - which eventually feeds into the UEFA Cup - at the second round stage, and one at the third.

Any Premiership club can choose to enter but the two highest placed clubs at the end of the season will get the two spaces.

There is also the possibility of the leading Premiership club in the Fair Play League entering the UEFA Cup.

Ipswich topped the league last season but that in itself did not ensure a UEFA Cup place. The Tractor Boys had to go into a hat along with other European Fair Play League winners, and only three names were drawn out.