Sven-Göran Eriksson has launched a High Court action against the News of the World over a sting in which the newspaper tricked the England head coach into making unguarded comments about his future and the national football squad.

Eriksson is alleging a breach of confidence over articles published on Sunday in which the investigative journalist Mazher Mahmood, posing as a wealthy Arab sheikh, hoodwinked Eriksson into a string of the embarrassing admissions during an expenses-paid trip to Dubai.

During a series of meetings he made unflattering comments about Premiership stars. He described the Manchester United defender Leo Ferdinand as lazy, attributed Wayne Rooney's short temper to his poor family and said that David Beckham was eager to leave Real Madrid and return to English soccer.

The Swede, who has been at the helm of the England football team for five years, also said that he would step down if England wins the World Cup this year and suggested that he would be interested in becoming manager at Aston Villa.

Eriksson, who has not contested the paper’s account of his remarks, was today reported to have said that he expected to be sacked if England fail to reach the World Cup semi-finals and accepted that he would quit should the team win.

The Daily Mail quoted the coach as telling a private meeting of BBC employees:"If we win the World Cup I will say goodbye and thank you. I think people will understand me doing that."

"If we fail in the World Cup I have to pay the price, that’s fair. If we don’t get to the semi-finals, it’s fair that I don’t stay in the job."

In the legal submission, however, he alleges that his confidential statements were taken out of context and were distorted to give an impression that they were in the public interest.

In a statement, Eriksson's lawyers, Charles Russell, said that the publication of confidential discussions "must be remedied".

It added: "The resulting articles were a gross invasion of privacy, and the discussions, which our clients were expressly asked to keep confidential, were reported out of context in a distorted and sensationalised manner."

A News of the World spokeswoman said: "We stand by the publication of our story 100 per cent. Our investigation uncovered facts about Sven- Göran Eriksson which we believe fans and players had a right to know.

"There will be further revelations published on Sunday," she added.

Dan Sabbagh, Media Editor for The Times, said: "Mazher Mahmood is known for his unusual and distinctive methods of obtaining exclusives. Some might say it is appropriate that Sven is is now using an unusual and distinctive legal approach in his attempt to seek redress."

Eriksson was ridiculed for falling for Mahmood's sting. The reporter has already fooled a host of public figures including the Countess of Wessex, the England rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio and Princess Michael of Kent.

• The News of the World was facing further legal trouble this evening after it emerged that one of its reporters had been caught faking details on an application for a job at Buckingham Palace.

Bethany Usher, 25, was arrested at the Palace by the royal and diplomatic protection squad on suspicion of attempting to obtain pecuniary advantage by deception.

A spokeswoman for the paper said: "Bethany Usher was engaged in a legitimate journalistic exercise investigating security at Buckingham Palace." Usher was released on police bail until February 9.

The incident mirrors the case of Daily Mirror reporter Ryan Parry, who worked as a footman at the Palace for two months in the run up to President George Bush’s state visit in 2003.

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