West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has apologised to Chelsea rival Avram Grant over comments that he "would raise a glass" if Manchester United won the title.

The Daily Mail says Curbishley spoke at length to Grant at the funeral of Frank Lampard's mother Pat last Friday in a belated attempt to clarify his comments.

It is understood that Grant, whose side must win at Newcastle to keep alive their pursuit of Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League title race, reluctantly accepted Curbishley's version of events, having initially insisted he had been wrong to align himself with United and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Curbishley is also believed to have spoken to some of the Chelsea players at the funeral to explain his words in a newspaper column.