Gordon Brown fears for England's 2018 World cup bid after violence mars final

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the fan violence that marred the UEFA Cup final as a "disgrace" and expressed concern it could harm England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

Forty-two people were arrested and 15 police officers injured in clashes in downtown Manchester before and after Russian side Zenit St.

Petersburg beat Scottish club Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday night.

The worst violence occurred after the game as hundreds of Rangers fans -described by police as a "pack of baying wolves" - went on the rampage.

An estimated 100,000 Rangers fans - most without tickets - traveled to Manchester from Scotland for the game. Beer and alcohol were on sale all day, and fans were allowed to drink in the street.

A Russian fan was stabbed outside the City of Manchester Stadium before the match, and five people later arrested. The fan's injuries were described as non life-threatening.

"We do have laws that enable us to control drinking in public places where there is a risk of disorder," Brown said. "We will have to look at these laws for the future."

Manchester City Council defended its decision to relax its rules to allow fans to drink alcohol in the street. Bars served alcohol from 10 a.m. and local shops selling alcohol opened at 7 a.m - 18 hours before the start of the game.

"Do you really think we were going to stop 100,000-plus Glaswegians wanting to have a drink?" city council leader Richard Leese said. "It was not possible. Trying to enforce that would have created a public order problem."

Trouble initially flared when one of the giant television screens set up in the city center to show the game went blank 15 minutes before kickoff, but the most serious disturbances occurred after the game.

Closed-circuit video footage released by police Thursday showed mobs of fans surging toward riot police, who were forced to retreat. The footage shows one policeman, who was separated from the other officers, being tripped to the ground and then attacked by about 20 people.

Police said the officer suffered a broken arm.

"A minority of thugs have overshadowed what should have been a great occasion," Manchester Police's assistant chief constable Justine Curran said.

"I've watched them commit damage, assault my officers and I'm really sickened and disappointed." Another policeman was hit so hard his electronic earpiece was embedded in his head and later removed by doctors. Another lost his front teeth after being headbutted.

Other injuries included bruised and cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken finger and arm, and cuts needing stitches. A police dog was also injured.

Fans also abused and threatened ambulance crews racing to the scene to help the injured.

A full inquiry began Thursday as city workers picked their way through broken glass, litter and debris.

The city council has now banned any outdoor screenings of next Wednesday's Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea from Moscow.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond called for a wide-ranging inquiry and denounced the behavior of "a small minority of fans" as "completely unacceptable."

Sapa-AP