Newcastle travel to Villa this Saturday with Toon boss Kevin Keegan still looking for his first win since taking over. Click here for the latest betting odds!

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has condemned the Premier League for not consulting him before revealing plans to stage some matches abroad.

All 20 clubs agreed to study a proposal to extend the English season by one game to 39 games from 2010-11.

“What disappoints me is Manchester United chief executive David Gill said ‘keep this quiet, we’re discussing it’ and then it’s in the papers.

“They can’t keep their mouth shut down there,” said United boss Ferguson.

“I think if they are going to do these things they should have been enquiring and having discussions with managers and players before they come out with all this stuff and make an issue of it.

“These issues should be discussed internally by clubs before they come to this position we are now in but until I speak to David Gill again I have nothing more to say about it.”

Earlier, Sunderland boss Roy Keane came out in favour of the Premier League plans.

Keane told the BBC: “It’s great. Change is good but that depends who you are playing in that extra game. If it’s one of the top four, I might argue.”

Keane added: “The Premier League has been brilliant and Richard Scudamore (Premier League chief executive) spoke brilliantly last night. They are looking at the proposals and do everything properly.

“It’s three years away and I think we should all be trying to be positive about it.”

Reading manager Steve Coppell was another to back the plan, claiming it would increase revenue for the Premiership clubs.

“It’s good, it’s innovative,” he said. “There is no point in shying away from saying that football is all about money because it is and the Premier League has been unbelievably successful in acquiring money for its member clubs. If their management thinks it is a good idea then fine. I know there are problems with it – the idea of having seeding is crazy – but to take our domestic game to the world is a good idea.

“There are 38 games in the league season anyway and this 39th is added on. We could be the world league – and we are very much that way inclined anyway with the players we have. This would be a way of confirming that. Why shy away from it? It is a way of getting more money in.

“The Premier League has no obligation now to nurture young talent or play English players. They have a mandate to go out and make money.

Newcastle travel to Villa this Saturday with Toon boss Kevin Keegan still looking for his first win since taking over. Click here for the latest betting odds!