Jones makes Besiktas move

Besiktas have completed the loan signing of Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones until the end of the season. The 32-year-old United States midfielder will join Slaven Bilic's side until May as they bid to improve on a poor start to the Super Lig season that leaves them fourth in the table. Besiktas are already 14 points behind leaders Fenerbahce. The move appears to be the end of Jones' long stay at Schalke, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. "We are pleased that Jermaine has found a new club, in which he can realise his great sporting goals this year…he can lay the foundation for a successful participation at the World Cup in Brazil," a statement on Schalke's official website said.

Sunderland snap up Scocco

Sunderland have secured the signing of Argentina attacker Ignacio Scocco from Brazilian club Internacional. The 28-year-old has penned a two-and-a-half-year deal at the Stadium of Light and arrives for an undisclosed fee. A well-travelled forward, Scocco has only made one appearance for Argentina but marked the occasion with two goals against Brazil in November 2012. He began his career with Newell's Old Boys in his homeland and went on to enjoy spells at Pumas UNAM in Mexico, Greek outfit AEK Athens and Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates before rejoining Newell's and then moving on to Internacional last June. Scocco becomes Sunderland's fourth signing of the January transfer window as Gus Poyet seeks to lead his team, who climbed out of the relegation zone on Wednesday with victory over Stoke City, to Premier League survival. Sunderland have also brought in loanees Marcos Alonso and Santiago Vergini this month, as well as goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.

Norwich in talks with Yobo

Norwich are in discussions to sign Fenerbahce defender Joseph Yobo on loan for the rest of the season. The 33-year-old Nigeria international played for Premier League side Everton between 2003 and 2010 before moving to the Super Lig, initially on loan prior to a permanent switch. Chris Hughton is looking to bring the defender in on a temporary basis ahead of the transfer window closing on Friday. "City can confirm we are in talks with Turkish club Fenerbahce regarding a deal to bring experienced Nigerian international central defender Joseph Yobo to Carrow Road on loan until the end of the season," Norwich stated via their official website. "Yobo, 33, played for Standard Liege, Marseille, Tenerife and Everton before joining Fenerbahce in August 2010. "Initially joining Everton on loan from Marseille, he made a total of 258 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees and scored 10 goals."

Ramos could play on for another decade

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has not ruled out playing on for another 10 years a decade on from his La Liga debut. The Spain international made his first appearance in the top flight for Sevilla at the age of 17 in February 2004 and has since forged a hugely successful career at the highest level. Ramos became the most expensive Spanish teenager when he made a big-money move to Real Madrid the following year and has established himself as one of the best defenders in world football. The centre-back is a FIFA World Cup winner and has two UEFA European Championship medals as well as having won three La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey in his illustrious career so far.

Kvist completes Fulham loan switch

Fulham have signed William Kvist on loan from Stuttgart, with the option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. The Denmark midfielder will spend the remainder of the Premier League campaign at Craven Cottage. Fulham then have the opportunity to secure the services of Kvist for the long term when his loan runs out. A former team-mate of Fulham's Brede Hangeland at FC Copenhagen, Kvist joined Stuttgart in 2011. He told his new club's official website: "I'm very pleased to have got the deal done and I'm looking forward to contributing. "Of course I've heard a lot of good things from Brede and it's been a target of mine to come here, so I'm delighted really.

Illness forces Kvitova out in Paris

Second seed and world number six Petra Kvitova has withdrawn from the Open GDF Suez in Paris due to illness. The Czech player, who won the WTA Premier hard-court event in 2011, was due to face France's Alize Cornet for a place in the quarter-finals but after struggling with her breathing during practice she has withdrawn on medical advice. Kvitova was given a wild card for the event as a former winner and had been handed a bye into the second round by the tournament organisers. "I really wanted to play today but unfortunately I spoke with the doctor and I am not feeling well," she announced. "I have a sore throat and I tried to practice this morning, but after 10 minutes I realised I could not breathe so unfortunately I have to withdraw.

France and England call on new faces

Philippe Saint-Andre and Stuart Lancaster have put their faith in uncapped players for Saturday's Six Nations opener in Paris. France coach Saint-Andre has turned to Stade Francais fly-half Jules Plisson for the eagerly-awaited clash against England in the absence of Remi Tales and Camille Lopez. In a surprising turn of events, France suffered the humiliation of claiming the wooden spoon last year and the 22-year-old will be expected to hit the ground running as they attempt to restore some pride. England head coach Lancaster has handed debuts to wing Jack Nowell and centre Luther Burrell, with Brad Barritt starting on the bench. There is also a start for wing Jonny May, who made his Test debut on the tour of Argentina, as England seek to put the disappointment of finishing runners-up to Wales last year behind them.

Forest bring in Fox

Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Southampton defender Danny Fox on an initial loan deal. The 27-year-old had been at St Mary's Stadium since 2011 and will move to the Championship side on loan until the end of the season. Once the current campaign has finished, the former Celtic and Burnley left-back will be contracted to Forest for the next three years. Fox made 69 appearances for Southampton, scoring once, and will join a side fifth in the Championship under Billy Davies. "Danny was an extremely popular member of the dressing room, and leaves with the club's best wishes for his future career," Southampton said on their official website.

Shelvey: N´Gog will be a hit at Swansea

Swansea City's Jonjo Shelvey is confident recent acquisition David N'Gog can make a big impact at the Liberty Stadium. N'Gog has linked up with former Liverpool team-mate Shelvey at Swansea, after moving from Bolton Wanderers and penning a contract for the remainder of the season. Shelvey, who arrived from Anfield in the close-season, is confident N'Gog will be a success, explaining the Frenchman's future at Liverpool was always going to be under threat from "bigger names". "I worked with him for 18 months at Liverpool so I know what he can do," said Shelvey. "David had a good record at Liverpool. But, with no disrespect to him, there were a lot of far bigger names in front of him at Anfield like Fernando Torres.

Sri Lanka crush Bangladesh

Sri Lanka wrapped up their second biggest Test win with an innings and 254-run triumph against Bangladesh in the series opener in Dhaka. Angelo Mathews' side have now won 14 of their 15 meetings with Bangladesh and will be confident of securing a 2-0 whitewash when the second Test gets under way on Tuesday. Bangladesh began day four needing 463 runs to make Sri Lanka bat again after the hosts posted a daunting 730-6 in their innings, and they fell well short as Dilruwan Perera (5-109) and Suranga Lakmal (3-39) bowled superbly. The hosts began the day on 35-1, having already lost Tamim Iqbal for 11 before the close of play on day three, and suffered an immediate blow as Shamsur Rahman (9) was dismissed with the second ball of the day. Mominul Haque provided some resistance as he reached 50 off 57 balls, with several of his team-mates failing to build on solid starts.

Red Bull´s woes continue in Jerez

Red Bull's preparations for the new Formula One season are going from bad to worse after failing to complete a lap on day three of testing. The defending constructors' champions have struggled badly in Jerez with Sebastian Vettel only able to complete 11 laps in the first two days, and things got worse on Thursday as Daniel Ricciardo broke down in the eighth corner of his first lap out of the pits. Cars with Renault engines have found relaibility tough to come by as teams look to get to grips with anumber of new regulations. Ricciardo made it back on track just before 1300CET and managed three laps.

Millwall, Wednesday charged by FA

Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday have been charged by the FA after a mass brawl in their 1-1 draw on Tuesday. Shane Lowry and Giles Coke were sent off following the flashpoint, which occurred late in the Championship contest, while Stephen Bywater and Atdhe Nuhiu received yellow cards. The FA confirmed the charges for both clubs on Thursday. "Both Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday have been charged by The FA for failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour," read a statement on the organisation's official website. "The charge relates to an incident in or around the 88th minute of their match on Tuesday (28 January 2014).

Schumacher being brought out of coma

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is slowly being brought out of his induced coma, the 45-year-old's manager has confirmed. Seven-time F1 champion Schumacher was critically injured in a skiing accident on December 29 and has been in a coma at the University Hospital of Grenoble for the past month. However, in a statement released to the media on Thursday, Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm confirmed progress is being made. The statement read: "Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking up process which may take a long time. "For the protection of the family, it was originally agreed by the interested parties to communicate this information only once this process was consolidated. "Please note that no further updates will be given. "The family of Michael Schumacher is again requesting to respect their privacy, and to not disturb the doctors treating Michael in their work.

Premier League Preview: Hull City v Tottenham

Hull City have nosedived towards the relegation zone in recent weeks and will be looking to stop the rot against Tottenham on Saturday. Following a solid start to the campaign, Steve Bruce's men have won just once in their last 10 Premier League matches and sit only four points clear of the drop zone. The solitary victory in that run was a 6-0 demolition of Fulham, but Hull have not found the net in the league since that triumph, and recent defeats to fellow strugglers Norwich City and Crystal Palace could come back to haunt them at the end of the season. With that in mind, Hull will be hoping new signings Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, who are set to make their home debuts against Spurs, can open their accounts for the club. Tottenham had been on a six-match unbeaten run in the Premier League until Manchester City brought them crashing back down to earth by claiming a 5-1 victory at White Hart Lane on Wednesday. The result was Tim Sherwood's first league defeat as Spurs boss and the club's heaviest since Liverpool won 5-0 in at the Lane to seal the fate of former head coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Injured Marsh replaced by Hughes

Shaun Marsh's calf injury has ruled him out of Australia's Test series in South Africa, with Phil Hughes called up as his replacement. The batsman suffered the injury in Sunday's one-day international victory over England and was left behind when the squad flew to South Africa on Wednesday as he sought to prove his fitness. Cricket Australia confirmed on Thursday that the left-hander had failed to overcome the problem. National selector John Inverarity said: "As Shaun Marsh's calf injury has not improved as much as required over the past four days he has been withdrawn from the Test squad for the tour of South Africa. "Phillip Hughes had been placed on standby and now comes into the Test Squad as a replacement for Shaun.

Davies worried by Hull form

Curtis Davies admits Hull City "need to be concerned" by their recent slump in form. Steve Bruce's side have slipped to 13th in the Premier League, four points off the relegation zone, after a four-game losing streak in the top flight. Since beating Fulham 6-0 at the KC Stadium in late December, Hull have lost to Liverpool, Chelsea, Norwich City and Crystal Palace without scoring a goal. And, while they progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup with victory over Southend United, Davies believes their league form gives cause for alarm. "I think we need to be concerned because this has gone on too long now," he told the club's official website. "We beat Fulham 6-0 and have done nothing since. Those six-nils are all very well, but I would have happily taken a couple of one-nils along the way to be further out of sight. "We need to get it right and our next game is against Totten

Kompany tips Jovetic to shine

Vincent Kompany believes Stevan Jovetic could emerge as a key figure for Manchester City over the remainder of the campaign. The Montenegrin attacker has endured an injury-hit start to his career at the Etihad Stadium following a close-season move from Fiorentina. However, after returning to fitness, Jovetic has appeared in his club's last three games as a substitute and scored his first Premier League goal in the 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham on Wednesday. City saw Sergio Aguero limp off at White Hart Lane with an apparent hamstring problem, paving the way for Jovetic's arrival, while fellow forward Alvaro Negredo remained on the bench after injuring his shoulder in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against West Ham. Yet Kompany remains confident that Manuel Pellegrini's men, who have scored an astonishing 115 goals so far this season, have sufficient options with Jovetic available once again. Commenting on the setback for Aguero, who only recently overcame a calf problem, the captain told City's official website:

TRANSFER: D´Ambrosio joins Inter

Inter have confirmed the signing of defender Danilo D'Ambrosio from Torino on a four-and-a-half-year deal. The 25-year-old had been at Torino since 2010 and was a key part of the side that achieved promotion to Serie A under Giampiero Ventura in 2011-12. Talks over a contract extension at Torino recently broke down, however, and he will now ply his trade at San Siro. A statement on Inter's official website said:

Taarabt set to sign for Milan

Moroccan midfielder Adel Taarabt is close to completing a move to Serie A side Milan. The 24-year-old, currently on loan to Fulham from QPR, has landed in the city and expressed his excitement at playing for new Milan coach Clarence Seedorf. "I am honoured to be able to play in the best club in the world," he toldMilan Channel. "Seedorf and I talked. We were both happy. "I like to play behind the strikers.

Martinez relaxed on signings

Everton manager Roberto Martinez does not expect to make any further signings during the January transfer window. The Spaniard has brought in Aiden McGeady from Spartak Moscow and Lacina Traore on loan from Monaco this month, but has also seen his list of injury absentees grow. Romelu Lukaku suffered an ankle injury in the defeat to Liverpool that looks set to sideline the striker for several weeks, with the Belgian joining the likes of Gerard Deulofeu, Seamus Coleman, Sylvain Distin and Bryan Oviedo in the treatment room. However, Martinez claims he is happy with the squad he has.

Grenier not ruling out Newcastle move

Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier is in the dark as to whether he will join Newcastle United before the transfer window closes on Friday. The 23-year-old is reportedly the man Newcastle want to replace Yohan Cabaye following the latter's move to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. Grenier is not actively seeking to leave Lyon, but hinted that there is a chance he could leave the Ligue 1 club. He said at an awards ceremony: "Sometimes we do not have our own destiny in our hands." When asked if he was on the verge of a transfer, Grenier added: "I have not confirmed that, but you know very well that in football, everything goes very fast.

Costa Rica Primera Division Wrap: Herediano edge Alajuelense

Herediano assumed top spot of the Costa Rica Primera Division with a 1-0 win over fellow contenders Alajuelense. Jorge Arias scored the game's only goal, sending Marvin Solano's men top with 12 points from five matches and relegating Alajuelense to third spot three points back. Herediano also benefitted from Cartagines' slip up at Puntarenas, as the former league leaders lost 2-0 after conceding twice in the final 20 minutes. Roberto Wong and Diego Brenes were the goalscorers for Puntarenas as they struck eight minutes apart to knock their opponents off top spot. UCR also fell to defeat as their road trip to Carmelita saw them go down 2-1.

Flyers thrash Red Wings to end losing streak

The Philadelphia Flyers have thrashed a depleted Detroit Red Wings side 5-0 to end a four-game losing streak in the NHL. Scott Hartnell (two goals, one assist) and Claude Giroux (one goal, two assists) were critical to the Flyers' victory as they took advantage of Detroit's long injury list. The Red Wings were missing Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on Tuesday and they struggled to compete against the Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. While Detroit took five more shots and won four more face-offs than the home team, the visitors' nine giveaways to three underlined their lack of quality compared to Philadelphia. Hartnell opened the scoring for the hosts in the 14th minute of the first period thanks to assists from Giroux and Kimmo Timonen. In the ninth minute of the second period it was 2-0 when Hartnell again finished off

O´Driscoll focused on Six Nations

Ireland's most-capped player Brian O'Driscoll insists he is fully focused on his final Six Nations campaign rather than life after rugby. O'Driscoll confirmed in September that he will retire at the end of the 2013-14 season after another Six Nations with Ireland and a final club campaign with Leinster. The 35-year-old centre, who has played 136 international matches, has put all thoughts of what is next 'on the backburner', while revealing he may not be interested in working as a coach. "The coaching thing at the moment doesn't really float my boat," O'Driscoll told Irish radio stationNewstalk. "Before Christmas I started thinking too much about the

Nyanga demands ´no more excuses´ from France

Yannick Nyanga has declared France have 'no more excuses' not to be more successful in the 2014 Six Nations. France endured their worst ever Six Nations last year with Les Bleus claiming the wooden spoon with one win and one draw from five games. Their Six Nations campaign mirrored 2013 in general with France finishing the year with two wins and eight defeats, and Nyanga does not want to hear about good performances anymore if they are not converted into victories. "The cohesion off the pitch has always been good," the 30-year-old flanker said. "On the pitch it's true that we were lacking in certain matches the ability to convert our chances. "The top level is about winning and

Copa Libertadores Wrap: Oriente Petrolero, Morelia claim wins

Oriente Petrolero have stunned Nacional 1-0 in Bolivia to take a step towards the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. Gualberto Mojica gave Oriente victory in their first round first leg against Nacional with a scorching strike just after the half-hour. The side from Santa Cruz in central Bolivia have not qualified for the group stage of South America's premier club competition since 2011. But a one-goal loss or better next week in Uruguay would see Oriente clinch a spot in a second-round group and dump Nacional from the Copa Libertadores. Nacional have a strong history in the Copa Libertadores having won the competition three times and reaching the semi-finals as recently as 2009. On Tuesday in Santa Cruz, the home side scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute when midfielder Mojica ran onto Juan Quero's pass in the penalty area and thrashed the ball inside the far post. In the other first-round first leg, Morelia defeated Santa Fe 2-1 in Mexico, with the Colombian club's late away goal setting up an interesting second clash.

Clarke plans to attack South Africa

Captain Michael Clarke wants Australia to maintain the rage in next month's three-Test series against top-ranked South Africa. Clarke's team physically and mentally bullied England en route to a 5-0 Ashes series whitewash this summer. The skipper concedes he will need to employ different strategies in order to upset the Proteas on their home soil but says his side will not stray from the aggressive approach that worked so well against England. "I think our tactics will be different to a certain extent, they're different players and they have different strengths and different weaknesses, so we'll assess each individual player but I don't think our brand of cricket will change," Clarke said. "I think the way we played against England is how Australia has had success over a long period of time. "Growing up as a kid that's how I saw the Australian cricket team play and that's a big part of why I want to see this team play in the same manner.

Seahawks´ defence helping Wilson improve

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says training against the number one NFL defence has set him up for Sunday's Super Bowl. The Seahawks have conceded an average of just 273.6 yards and 14.4 points per game this season to be ranked first in the NFL for defence ahead of Super Bowl XLVIII in New York. Seattle's defensive ranking and the fact they are sixth for offence and Wilson is the ninth ranked QB for passing has led some pundits to question the Seahawks quarterback's importance to his team's success. But Wilson said that by coming up against Seattle's defence every week in training, he is ready to perform against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. "In terms of having the number one defence, that's a great thing to have, especially playing the quarterback position," the 25-year-old said on Tuesday. "Being able to go against them, it's only my second year but to be able to go against our guys on a daily basis, to go against Richard Sherman, to go against Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor,

India look to salvage pride in New Zealand

New Zealand will be looking to use Friday's fifth one-day international against India to prepare for February's Test series. Seventh-ranked New Zealand were long odds to secure the ODI series ahead of the tour against India, especially given their inconsistent showings in the 2-2 rain-affected series against the West Indies. But the hosts' adaptability with the ball on a variety of seaming, swinging and turning wickets laid the platform for a convincing 3-0 series lead with one match remaining. Most of the bowlers have contributed significantly in the series to date. Kyle Mills (1-42 from 10 overs) was superb once again for the hosts as his slower deliveries and ability to find the correct length for the Seddon Park surface strangled India in the fourth match on Tuesday. From there, Tim Southee (2-36 from 10) was able to beat batsmen on several occasions and bounce back from the third ODI in Auckland, where he conceded 74 runs in the sixth ever ODI tie.

Ancelotti unfazed by busy period

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti is confident his players have the fitness to get through a busy upcoming period. Having overcome Espanyol 2-0 on aggregate in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Tuesday, Real face five games in the space of 14 days with a two-legged semi-final mixed between La Liga games against Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Getafe. Real's league commitments would be tough enough on their own with Bilbao in fourth, Villarreal in fifth and a derby against Getafe, while the UEFA Champions League resumes later this month. But Ancelotti believes it is just a matter of rotating his squad. "The best way to train is to play football. The problem is that games we have are high intensity so you cannot rest, and for this reason I will make some changes in the team," the 54-year-old coach said. "I think at this point our physical condition is very good and we shouldn't have any problems during this month. "In February, we have a week where we can work and get ready for the Champions League. "Football is always changing and we have to be ready for this, I mean sometimes you have one month,

La Liga Preview: Big tests for top three

La Liga faces a potentially game-changing weekend as the top three clubs all prepare for tough clashes throughout Spain. Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid will enter round 22 of the season with a point between them and, while enough time will remain to rectify any slip-ups this weekend, their three fixtures have the look of season-defining matches. On Saturday, league leaders Barcelona (54 points, plus 44 goal difference) will host Valencia, while on Sunday, Atletico (54, plus 38) will welcome Real Sociedad to the Spanish capital and Real (53, plus 39) will travel to take on Athletic Bilbao. Valencia have been uncharacteristically poor this season and sit 10th heading into Saturday's clash with Barcelona, 29 points adrift of the Catalans. But with the likes of Jonas, Ever Banega and Sofiane Feghouli, Valencia still have the kind of players who could shock Barcelona with a bit of luck. History is against Valencia,

Manning ignoring ´legacy´ talk

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning says there is not much point talking about his 'legacy' until his career is over. At 37 years of age and in his 16th NFL season, Manning will undoubtedly finish his career as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the sport. But question marks remain about where Manning will rank, as he is generally considered not to have made the most of his opportunities in the NFL play-offs. Manning, however, does not think it is worth talking about what mark he will leave on the NFL when he feels far from ready to retire and is preparing for his third Super Bowl and his first with the Broncos. "I have been asked about my legacy since I was about 25 years old and I am not sure you can have a legacy at 25 years old or even 37," Manning said. "I thought you had to be like 70 to have a legacy so I am not 100 per cent sure what the word even means. "I am still in the middle of my career, let me rephrase that – the home stretch of my career – but I am still in it. "It is not over yet it is still playing out and this has been the second chapter of my career and it is an exciting chapter and I am excited to be back at the Super Bowl on behalf of Denver Broncos."

Eredivisie Preview: Vitesse face tricky trip to Feyenoord

Vitesse Arnhem will face a tough challenge to keep pace with Eredivisie leaders Ajax Amsterdam when they travel to Feyenoord on Friday. Peter Bosz's Vitesse side led the Eredivisie from mid-November until their 1-1 draw away to NEC Nijmegen last week saw Ajax move top of the Dutch top tier with their 1-0 triumph on the road at Go Ahead Eagles. Vitesse (41 points) are in danger of dropping further behind Ajax (43) when they travel to Rotterdam to play Feyenoord (36), who sit fourth in the league. The Arnhem-based club have not won at Feyenoord since 2005 and while Friday's hosts lost 3-2 away to struggling ADO Den Haag last week, they have won all but three home matches this season, including their past three. The past three matches have seen Vitesse stutter with Bosz's side giving up a lead each time to draw twice and win once. Vitesse's young midfield trio of Davy Propper, Marko Vejinovic and Christian Atsu will be crucial to their side's hopes having stepped up in the absence of Theo Janssen, who is out for the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in October. For Feyenoord, Italian striker Graziano Pelle will be the key man, having scored 15 goals in 18 games in the Eredivisie this season.

Clarke: Injuries a worry

Australia captain Michael Clarke says his side's injury setbacks are far from ideal ahead of their three-Test series against South Africa. Clarke fronted the media at Sydney airport on Wednesday before boarding a plane to South Africa with the majority of his 15-man squad. Paceman Jackson Bird (jarred back) and Shaun Marsh (calf) have not yet been cleared to travel as they battle to overcome injuries suffered on the weekend. Both injuries are reportedly minor and Clarke is confident the pair will be fit to join the touring party in the coming days. Australia will play their only warm-up game in Potchefstroom next week and Clarke wants all players available for selection for that match. "Yeah ideally I would (like them available for that match)," Clarke said. "I'd like them to be on this plane now but that's not realistic but I think you've got to give them every opportunity (to be fit).

Hughton bemoans Johnson red card

Norwich City manager Chris Hughton bemoaned the "soft" red card for Bradley Johnson in the 0-0 draw with Newcastle United. Johnson was sent off eight minutes from time following an altercation with Loic Remy, in which the Norwich midfielder shoved the Frenchman in the chest before Remy reacted by moving his head towards the 26-year-old. QPR loanee Remy was also shown a red card for his part in the incident, but Hughton did not believe that Johnson's dismissal was justified. "I had a very good view of the incident where Remy leant his head into Bradley Johnson," he said "But probably more for me to speak about is the Bradley Johnson sending off, which I thought was incredibly soft. "I presumed when I saw he'd been sent off that something else had happened, apart from what I did see, which was him push Loic Remy in the chest. But no,

Williams in doubt for World Cup

Australia may be without Rhys Williams for the World Cup after the defender suffered a potentially serious Achilles injury on Tuesday. Williams, 25, went down just before the break in Middlesbrough's 0-0 draw at home to Wigan Athletic, causing a lengthy stoppage. A leg brace was applied and he was provided with oxygen on the pitch, prompting fears of a serious tear. While Middlesbrough are yet to comment on the severity of the injury, it appears the versatile player – capable of operating at centre-back, full-back and in defensive midfield – is now in serious doubt for Australia's World Cup campaign, which begins against Chile on June 13. It would be a cruel blow for Williams, who also missed out on a place in the 2010 World Cup squad due to a pelvic problem. The former Wales under-21 international had been linked with moves to English Premier League club Swansea City and Scottish Premiership champions Celtic in recent weeks, but any chance of a switch to a higher level is likely to have now been scuppered. Adding to Ange Postecoglou's defensive woes is the fact that captain Lucas Neill is still

Rodgers issues Sturridge reminder

Brendan Rodgers urged Daniel Sturridge to keep his emotions in check after he questioned being substituted in the Merseyside derby. Liverpool striker Sturridge scored twice and missed a penalty in a 4-0 thrashing of Everton at Anfield on Tuesday. The England international was then brought off just after wasting another chance to complete his hat-trick and was clearly unimpressed with Rodgers' decision. The former Chelsea man apologised after the game and insisted he was frustrated with himself following his penalty miss. "I apologise for my reaction," he said onBT Sport. "I was disappointed by missing the penalty and felt I'd let myself down as well as the fans. "The hat-trick would have been the icing on the cake and it's unfortunate. "I was disappointed with myself.

Pochettino: We deserved victory

Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino felt that his side deserved victory from their 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal. Pochettino's men had much the better of the first half at St Mary's and led at the break thanks to a 21st-minute header from Jose Fonte. Goals from Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla in the opening seven minutes of the second half put Arsenal ahead, but Adam Lallana converted Jay Rodriguez's cutback just two minutes later to frustrate the London side. Mathieu Flamini was sent off for the visitors for a two-footed lunge on Morgan Schneiderlin in the 80th minute, but although Southampton pressed hard in the final stages, they could not claim the winner that Pochettino felt they merited. "I thought the result was good but we deserved to win the game," he said. "We deserved a bit more. Overall, I want to congratulate the players because they played really well.

Rossi escapes knee surgery

Fiorentina have revealed Giuseppe Rossi will not need surgery on his knee after it was examined in the United States. Rossi had travelled to Colorado to meet with Professor Richard Steadman, a specialist knee surgeon, and the American doctor believes he could be back training in two months. Earlier this month, the anterior cruciate ligament in Rossi's right knee was injured following a hard tackle from Livorno's Leandro Rinaudo and fears were the 26-year-old Italian striker would need another reconstruction. Rossi was out for 18 months after tearing the same ligament in October 2011 and needed three operations before returning to action. But according to Fiorentina, the same treatment will not be required this time. "The medical examination carried out on Giuseppe Rossi by professor Richard Steadman a short time ago revealed that the player's knee is

Meulensteen confirms Taarabt interest

Fulham head coach Rene Meulensteen has confirmed reported Milan target Adel Taarabt has been attracting interest. The Moroccan has been heavily linked with a switch to the Italian giants and was omitted from the Fulham squad for Tuesday's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Swansea City. And despite watching his side fall to a fourth defeat in five league matches, Meulensteen stressed that it was the right decision to leave Taarabt out. "There's been interest and we thought it'd be a wise decision to not include him," he toldSky Sports. "We'll see how it develops over the next few days." The Dutchman, meanwhile, would not be drawn on the club's apparent interest in Milan centre-back Cristian Zaccardo, and he admitted that he was in the dark over the progress of a reported £11.5million bid for Olympiakos striker Kostas Mitroglou. "I can't really discuss (Mitroglou) at this time,

Mata thrilled with "unbelievable" debut

Manchester United attacker Juan Mata hailed an "unbelievable" debut and believes the club can still qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The Spain international made the £37.1million switch to David Moyes' side from rivals Chelsea on Saturday, and made an immediate impact with a fine display in the 2-0 victory over Cardiff City at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Mata was not on the scoresheet, but United took all three points as Robin van Persie marked his return from injury with a close-range header to open the scoring, while Ashley Young's solo effort confirmed the points on 59 minutes. The 25-year-old also got to link up with England international Wayne Rooney,

Trio will improve United performances, says Moyes

David Moyes believes Juan Mata will only improve for Manchester United and was thrilled to welcome back Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. The Spain international completed a £37.1million move from rivals Chelsea on Sunday, and put in an assured performance in the reigning champions' 2-0 victory over Cardiff City at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Manager Moyes was also boosted by Van Persie's return from a thigh injury that has ruled him out since December, with the Dutchman opening the scoring with a close-range header. Ashley Young added the second with a superb solo effort, and Moyes was able to introduce Rooney for the final half-an-hour after he missed the last five games with a groin issue. The Scot was thrilled to have the trio at his disposal, and feels the side will improve their current position of seventh with them in the team. "It was good to get a team with Robin back on the pitch, give Juan his debut and great to get Wayne back on the bench and give him some minutes at the end," Moyes said.

Wenger confirms Ramsey setback

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Aaron Ramsey has suffered a further setback in his recovery from a thigh injury. Wenger was speaking following Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Southampton at St Mary's, in which his side were frustrated by Adam Lallana's equaliser after Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla had overturned Jose Fonte's 21st-minute opener that gave the hosts an interval lead. The visitors also saw Mathieu Flamini sent off for a two-footed tackle 10 minutes from time, as they missed the chance to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League. And with news that Ramsey could now face an extended spell on the sidelines, it proved to be a bad night for Wenger. "He had a setback yesterday in training," said the Frenchman. "I hope it's not for too long, but certainly not for Sunday's game

Pardew insists Cabaye money will be reinvested

Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is adamant that the money from Yohan Cabaye's move to Paris Saint-Germain will be reinvested in the squad. Pardew's men were left frustrated in their first game since news of midfielder Cabaye's imminent switch to the Ligue 1 leaders was revealed as Newcastle settled for a 0-0 draw at Norwich City in a game that saw striker Loic Remy and midfielder Bradley Johnson sent off in the closing stages. The 52-year-old was pleased with a performance in which the visitors dictated for large periods and insisted he has no ill-feeling towards Cabaye. "We were terrific. Hatem (Ben Arfa) and Sammy (Ameobi) were terrific," he said. "We hit the woodwork three or four times. I can't remember the last time we created so many chances and did not score away from home. We defended well and I'm very proud of the performance. "We looked a little bit different without Yohan Cabaye but in a good way. This club is never going to be

Ince will make up his mind eventually, says Laudrup

Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup has confirmed that Tom Ince has been at the club for talks this week. The winger has been linked with a number of clubs after Blackpool announced he was free to leave the club to a Premier League side on loan until the end of the season. But Laudrup insisted that, while Ince had held talks at the Liberty Stadium, he was under the impression the 21-year-old and father Paul were currently on a tour of interested clubs after he was also spotted at Stoke City's training ground on Tuesday. "He's looking at his options," he said. "He came here to talk to me. "I talked to him and his father, but I saw today on the news that they'd been to another club (Stoke), so in the end he will make up his mind - or they will make up their mind on what they think is best for him."

Bruce left infuriated by refereeing decisions

Hull City manager Steve Bruce launched a scathing attack on referee Roger East after his side's 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. Bruce was angry to see Hull have two penalty shouts waved away by the official, and could not understand why goalkeeper Allan McGregor had been dismissed in stoppage time. Hull felt that both Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long were fouled inside the area by Palace defenders, however neither were awarded a spot kick by Mr East much to the surprise of Bruce. To compound matters, Jason Puncheon scored Palace's goal moments after their second shout for a spot kick to condemn Hull to a fourth consecutive league defeat - in which time they have gone goalless for six hours of action.

Solskjaer confirms Fabio deal

Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that Manchester United defender Fabio will join the club on a permanent deal. The Norwegian is still searching for his first Premier League victory at the Welsh outfit after seeing his side lose 2-0 at reigning Premier League champions United on Tuesday, a club where Solskjaer spent 11 years as a player. But Solskjaer's unhappy homecoming was softened somewhat by the capture of full-back Fabio, who ends his six-year association at Old Trafford, for whom twin brother Rafael also features. And Solskjaer is excited at seeing the Brazilian in action. "Fabio is done, that was done late (on Monday)," he said. "Fabio is like his brother, an attacking full-back. He'll give us that little bit extra pace and he'll give us that Brazilian flair and enthusiasm. "You see Brazilians play football it's fantastic. I can't wait to see him at the Cardiff City Stadium." Solskjaer added Rafael had asked him to take care of his "older" brother in the Welsh capital. "He (Fabio) wanted to stay near his family and they've played in the same team they're whole life," he continued. "Rafael came to me after the game and asked me to look after his brother, his big brother, apparently Rafael was born a few minutes later. "I'll look after him, he's good for us." The Premier League's bottom side are also expected to sign United winger Zaha on loan, but Solskjaer confirmed that deal had yet to be completed.

Flyers thrash Red Wings to end losing streak

The Philadelphia Flyers have thrashed a depleted Detroit Red Wings side 5-0 to end a four-game losing streak in the NHL. Scott Hartnell (two goals, one assist) and Claude Giroux (one goal, two assists) were critical to the Flyers' victory as they took advantage of Detroit's long injury list. The Red Wings were missing Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on Tuesday and they struggled to compete against the Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. While Detroit took five more shots and won four more face-offs than the home team, the visitors' nine giveaways to three underlined their lack of quality compared to Philadelphia.

Costa Rica Primera Division Wrap: Cartagines move top

Cartagines earned outright leadership of the Costa Rican Primera Division after a 2-0 win over Uruguay on Sunday. Kevin Vega scored a goal in each half to seal the three points and top position in the standings after Herediano lost 1-0 to Santos de Guapiles on Saturday. A 32nd-minute goal to Jose Perez secured for victory for Santos de Guapiles and handed Herediano their first loss of the season. Alajuelense kept pace with the leaders after a comfortable 3-0 home win over struggling Puntarenas. Striker Jose Ortiz scored a brace with goals in the early and latter stages of the match,

Martino praises Barcelona´s work rate

Barcelona head coach Gerardo Martino was pleased with his side's work rate as they overcame Malaga 3-0 in La Liga on Sunday. Goals to Gerard Pique, Pedro and Alexis Sanchez from the 40th to the 61st minutes sealed victory for the Catalans as they reclaimed top position in the standings. Despite the seemingly comfortable victory, Martino was still disappointed with his side's profligacy in front of goal as they squandered an opportunity to improve their goal difference further. "The team had good work rate - they had rhythm and fast movement," Martino said. "The ball was running from one side to another with a lot of precision.

Stallings birdies 18th to win Farmers Insurance Open

Scott Stallings has claimed his third PGA title with a one-shot win at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in California. The American shot a final-round four-under 68 to finish on nine under, claiming victory from five players tied for second on eight under including South Korea's K.J. Choi, Canada's Graham DeLaet, American Pat Perez and Australian duo Jason Day and Marc Leishman. Stallings shot seven birdies and three bogeys, including picking up a shot on the final hole that proved crucial in lifting the trophy. Overnight leader Gary Woodland had a nightmare two-over 74 to finish tied for 10th,

Australia may test Muirhead in Hobart

Uncapped youngster James Muirhead could make his debut for Australia in the first Twenty (20) International (T20I) against England on Wednesday. Muirhead has only played two first-class matches for Victoria and five starts for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL) but will have a chance to play when the T20I series begins in Hobart. The 20-year-old shot to prominence late last year with a haul of 3-52 against England, while playing for the Prime Minister's XI. National selector John Inverarity said the squad was designed to give players, like Muirhead, an opportunity to put their hand up to be selected for the upcoming World Twenty20 in Bangladesh to be held March through April. "The NSP (National Selection Panel) is looking to develop spin bowling options for both the ICC World Twenty20 and

Pique: We were always in cruise control

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique felt his side were in complete control during their 3-0 La Liga win over Malaga on Sunday. Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga and ended a run of two successive league draws with the convincing home win. Alexis Sanchez hit the post as early as the sixth minute, but Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero was in inspired form and kept the hosts goalless until just before half-time. Pique finally broke the deadlock, scoring his second goal in as many matches, and Pedro and Alexis added goals of their own after the break. "It was a game that we dominated from

Double injury blow for Hamburg

Hamburg's Bundesliga survival hopes have been dealt a double blow with injuries to Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Zhi Gin Lam. Both players suffered the setbacks in the 3-0 defeat to Schalke on Sunday and it is still unclear how long they will be sidelined for. On-loan striker Lasogga, has scored nine goal in 14 league appearances, suffered a thigh injury midway through the first half, with defender Lam withdrawn seven minutes later with an ankle problem. "Pierre-Michel Lasogga has, as feared, suffered a torn muscle in his left thigh," the club confirmed in a statement on their official website. "This resulted in a detailed investigation on Monday, and the striker will definitely miss in the away match in Hoffenheim. "How long he will be missed with the injury total, however,

Heerenveen re-sign Lurling

Heerenveen have announced the return of striker Anthony Lurling on a deal until the end of the season. The Eredivisie side have a wealth of attacking options but coach Marco van Basten felt the need to add some experience, and the 36-year-old fits the bill. Lurling has made 17 appearances in the Dutch top flight for NAC Breda this season, scoring one goal, and makes a return to Heerenveen 12 years after leaving the club. The striker scored 36 league goals in his previous spell at the club and had no hesitation in going back to the Abe Lenstra Stadion. "Other clubs were interested," he told the club's official website. "Then I got a call from Heerenveen, the choice was not difficult. "Heerenveen has a young and talented team, I can help the team and especially want to be an example on the field. "I am fit,

Wenger's View - The Official Manager's Email to the Registered Fans

Wenger: 'It was a job well done' Dear Arsenal supporter, It was a job well done on Friday night against Coventry. In the second half we dropped our pace a little bit and Coventry had some chances, but we started the match very strongly and we were strong again in the last 20 minutes when Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla gave us a lift after coming off the bench. Lukas Podolski scored twice and you know that when you have a goal chance you want it to fall to him. He is a clinical finisher and he has an unbelievably quick backlift. He is very accurate in his finishing. He can be effective whether he starts or comes off the bench, he is always dangerous. We saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain make his first start since the opening day of the season and it was good to see him back. I liked what he did in the centre of midfield,

Jackson named Shrews´ caretaker boss

Shrewsbury Town have confirmed the appointment of Michael Jackson as caretaker manager for the next three games. Graham Turner's resignation on Tuesday has left the struggling League One club searching for a new permanent boss. However, to allow the board time to seek out the ideal candidate, they have asked Jackson, who worked as first-team coach under Turner, to step in on a temporary basis. A statement on the club's website read: "The Board of Shrewsbury Town FC has invited Michael Jackson to become caretaker manager of the first team for the next three matches whilst the recruitment for a permanent manager to replace Graham Turner. "John Trewick (senior coach) and Tony Ford (fitness coach) have left the club. We wish to thank them for the sterling work they have put in over the past three and a half years in support of Graham, and wish them success for the future. "No further statement from the club is expected to be made on this matter until we have resolved the manager position." Jackson will oversee the fixtures

Berardi agent rules out Werder Bremen switch

Sassuolo striker Domenico Berardi will not join Werder Bremen in the January transfer window, according to the player's agent. The 19-year-old has risen to prominence this season by scoring 11 goals in 15 league appearances for the Serie A strugglers. Berardi's stock climbed even further after a four-goal haul in the shock 4-3 victory over Milan on January 12. Reports have linked Berardi with a move to the Bundesliga, and Werder Bremen are thought to be among his suitors. But the player's representative, Simone Seghedoni, suggested that would not be the case as the player has no desire to depart the club, although he did not rule out an exit at the end of the season. "Werder Bremen? As far as I'm aware there is nothing concrete," he toldTuttoJuve. "But even if an offer did come in, it would not be considered until June. "If there is one certainty it's that Domenico will be at Sassuolo until the end of the season.

Trundle backs Swans to survive

Former Swansea City striker Lee Trundle believes Michael Laudrup's men have what it takes to pull away from trouble in the Premier League. A run of eight league matches without a win has left Swansea just three points above just the relegation zone. Yet Trundle, who scored 91 goals in 194 appearances during two spells with Swansea, is confident the team can emerge from their recent slump in upcoming matches against fellow strugglers Fulham, West Ham, Cardiff City and Stoke City. Trundle, now a club ambassador at the Liberty Stadium, has highlighted injuries to key players and a tough run of fixtures as factors in his old side's dip in form. "It's been a shame because the performances haven't been as bad as the results suggest;

Coleman diagnosed with ´soft tissue´ injury

Everton have confirmed right-back Seamus Coleman suffered a 'minor soft tissue injury' against West Brom on Monday. Coleman was substituted in the closing stages of Monday's 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns, with manager Roberto Martinez subsequently confirming the 25-year-old had felt pain in his hamstring. A further update from Everton's official website on Wednesday revealed the nature of Coleman's injury, but did not put a timescale on the Republic of Ireland international's likely absence. "Seamus Coleman has suffered

Simeone: Courtois cheap regardless of price

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone says Thibaut Courtois would be "cheap" no matter what price it would take to tie up a permanent deal. The Belgium international is currently enjoying his third consecutive year on loan at the Liga high-flyers from Premier League title contenders Chelsea

Anelka set to contest FA charge

Nicolas Anelka has suggested that he will contest the Football Association charge over his controversial 'quenelle' gesture. West Brom striker Anelka is facing a minimum five-match ban after the FA opted to act on the salute he performed when scoring in a 3-3 draw with West Ham last month. The Frenchman has repeatedly denied his celebration held anti-semitic connotations and he reinforced that point again in a message on his official Facebook page on Wednesday, which appeared to suggest that he is ready to contest the FA's decision. Referring to a video that he had earlier posted on Twitter,

Blisters causing Nadal problems on serve

Rafael Nadal has conceded he is under pressure when serving after advancing to the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday. Top seed Nadal saw off a spirited challenge from Bulgaria's 22nd seed Grigor Dimitrov 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 in three hours and 37 minutes on Rod Laver Arena, but not before experiencing more issues with blisters on his left hand. The Spaniard admitted that while hitting his heavy top-spin forehand gave him no issues, when it came to serving, it was another matter. "No, with the forehand it is not a big issue. With the serve, (it is a) little bit," said Nadal ahead of a blockbuster semi-final with Roger Federer on Friday. "I feel that with the tape I can lose the racquet when I'm serving. That's my feeling, no? The racquet can go (out of my hand). "That's a terrible feeling for a serve, because then when you have this feeling you are not able to accelerate at the right moment. You lose a little bit the coordination. Yeah, that's a big deal. "But right, I served slower. I served bad. I was able to win a match against a very difficult opponent, so that has much more value than when everything is great." Nadal refused to be drawn on the comparison of Dimitrov's backhand to that of his next opponent, 17-time major winner Federer, with the Bulgarian being compared to the Swiss great for some years now. "(It) is a difficult question to answer because if I say no,

Murray pragmatic about Australian Open exit

Andy Murray focussed on the positives as his Australian Open campaign ended and vowed to use it as a "stepping stone" to a successful 2014. In his first grand slam since undergoing surgery on a back injury in September, Murray progressed to the quarter-finals before exiting at the hands of Roger Federer on Wednesday, losing 3-6 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 3-6. Fourth seed Murray – a three-time finalist at Melbourne Park – struggled against a ruthless Federer, understandably so given the 26-year-old is battling to get back to his best. The Scot, ranked fourth in the world, is happy with the progress he has made since returning to action last month and is now focussed on continuing to improve. "Obviously that's the highest level I've played at in a long time," said the Wimbledon champion.

Schalke chairman urges Draxler to stay put

Schalke chairman Clemens Tonnies believes that Julian Draxler should snub offers from abroad and continue his development in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Premier League leaders Arsenal, who are thought to be in the market for attack-minded reinforcements after Theo Walcott was ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury. Draxler's impressive performances have earned him international recognition, and he has 10 caps to his name for Germany so far.

City release Ibrahim

Manchester City have released Norway midfielder Abdisalam Ibrahim from his contract at the Etihad Stadium. An FA Youth Cup winner with City in 2008, Ibrahim made just three senior appearances for the club.

Tiote targets Europe

Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote believes the club are capable of sealing a return to European competition this season. Alan Pardew's side qualified for the UEFA Europa League in May 2012 by finishing fifth in the Premier League. However, last term saw the club suffer a major decline in fortunes as they ended the season 16th. Newcastle have since returned to form and sit eighth, four points outside the top four, after winning half of their 22 matches in the current campaign. Tiote told theEvening Chronicle: "At the

Rennes complete Toivonen swoop

Ligue 1 outfit Rennes have completed the signing of PSV forward Ola Toivonen on a three-and-a-half-year deal. The 27-year-old joined the Dutch side in 2009 from Malmo, and became an integral part of the first-team set-up at the Philips Stadion. Toivonen collected the KNVB Beker in 2012, and has featured in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League for PSV. But the Sweden international has been on the periphery of Philip Coco's plans this term, starting just six Eredivisie matches and making a further seven appearances from the substitutes' bench. PSV had hoped to retain Toivonen's services, but he has decided to follow in the footsteps of fellow Sweden internationals Kim Kallstrom, Andreas Isaksson and Erik Edman, who have all donned the Rennes jersey. A statement on the club's official website read: "Looking for an attacking reinforcement, Stade Rennais FC have recruited for three and a half years Swedish striker Ola Toivonen. "He previously played at PSV Eindhoven since 2009. At ease in the passing game and skillful in front of goal, Toivonen has a different and complementary (approach) to other attackers (at) Rennes." Rennes will hope Toivonen can add attacking spark to a side that has scored just 22 goals in 21 matches this season. Philippe Montanier's charges will be keen to put distance between themselves and the relegation zone, with Rennes currently 15th in Ligue 1, six points above Valenciennes in 18th.

I built City´s team, says Mancini

Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini feels he is partly responsible for the club's success this season. City sit third in the Premier League under Manuel Pellegrini, reached the League Cup final on Tuesday with a 9-0 aggregate thrashing of West Ham, and remain in contention for both the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup. The recent form of Pellegrini's men has been nothing short of outstanding, with City recording 16 wins in an 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions, passing 100 goals for the season in record time in the process. Yet Mancini, who was relieved of his duties at the end of last season, is keen to take a share of the credit, pointing out that he signed many of the players who are currently serving the Etihad Stadium outfit so well. "I'm happy that Manchester City is one of the best teams in England because I built this team," Mancini toldthe BBC. "The players that score the goals are players that I bought - Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Samir Nasri." Mancini, now the coach of Galatasaray, reportedly fell out with several members of the City squad prior to his departure in May. However, he holds no bitterness towards the club and says he is happy to see the club back on the right track. "When you work, you know you can have some problem with the players," the Italian added. "This is normal because the manager wants the players to work hard, play well and the players should understand this. "When you change the manager, it is better maybe, because you change the way to work." Mancini is adamant City have not changed markedly since he was at the helm. "I think Pellegrini is doing a good job but what is happening now at Manchester City, we did three years ago. It's the same," he said. "I'm very happy about what I did in Manchester. I love the Manchester City supporters and I had a fantastic experience. "After four or five years, maybe the manager needs to change team. I did my job; I built a fantastic team; we played fantastic football and we didn't win (the Premier League) last year only because Manchester United bought Robin van Persie. "He was the difference, if not I think that would have changed the history in Manchester over the last three years. We played really good football and now they are continuing to do this."

Torino rule out D´Ambrosio Juve switch

Torino sporting director Gianluca Petrachi has refuted rumours Danilo D'Ambrosio will depart the club for rivals Juventus. The full-back is thought to be a long-term target for Inter, with suggestions the 25-year-old could make the switch at the end of the Serie A season. However, speculation has mounted that Antonio Conte may look to launch his own bid to snare the defender from their Turin rivals. But Petrachi insists D'Ambrosio will not make the switch to the Juventus Stadium. Speaking toTuttosport,he said: "D'Ambrosio to Juve? That's not on the cards." D'Ambrosio has featured on 14 occasions for Torino in Serie A this season, aiding the team's cause with two goals. Torino occupy seventh place in the league standings, having amassed 29 points from 20 fixtures.

Warburton expects to be fit to face Italy

Wales captain Sam Warburton is confident of winning his Six Nations fitness battle and featuring in next month's opener against Italy. Warren Gatland's men start their quest for a historic hat-trick of successive Six Nations titles - no side has achieved the feat - in Cardiff on February 1 and Warburton expects to be available as he nears the end of his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him since the end of November. News of Warburton's likely inclusion for the first game of the tournament is a major boost for Gatland, who this week lost the services of experienced flanker Ryan Jones for the opening matches against Italy and Ireland due to a hamstring problem. Centre Jonathan Davies is also likely to miss the first two matches as he recovers from a ruptured pectoral muscle. Openside flanker Warburton is set to discuss his progress with Gatland next week, but sees no reason why he cannot lead his team out at Millennium Stadium against an Italy side that Wales defeated 26-9 last year. "I think I'll be available for selection," said Warburton on Wednesday at the official launch of the Six Nations. "I need to have a chat with (head coach) Warren Gatland and the medics early next week to decide what's the best thing to do, whether that be go back to my club first to play a game." Italy have picked up the wooden spoon nine times in the 14 editions of the Six Nations since the competition was expanded in 2000, but Gatland has demanded a professional performance from his players. His warning comes after Italy stunned France 23-18 in their opening game 12 months ago. The New Zealander said: "That first game is crucial for us. "We've got the three blue teams (Italy, France and Scotland) at home and then two tough ones away with England and Ireland. "It's important that we take it one game at a time and not to look too far past that. And we’ve only got to be reminded what happened last year to France in the opening game against Italy in terms of Italy winning that game. "It's a banana skin for us and hopefully we can get off to a good start and create that confidence and momentum because it's a tournament about momentum. "You also need a bit of luck, whether it's a bounce of a ball or a couple of decisions or not picking up too many injuries. That can go a long way to having a successful campaign."

Southampton unsure over Lovren, Ramirez absences

Southampton are unsure how long Dejan Lovren and Gaston Ramirez will be sidelined for with ankle ligament damage. The Premier League club confirmed the nature of both players' injuries, which were sustained in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Sunderland, on Wednesday. However, Southampton are reluctant to put a timescale on either player's recovery, unlike the Croatian FA who announced on Tuesday that defender Lovren was facing three to four weeks out. A statement on Southampton's official website read: "Saints can confirm that Dejan Lovren and Gaston Ramirez both suffered ankle ligament injuries during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. "The pair both flew back to Southampton with the rest of the squad on Saturday evening, and have since been recuperating at Staplewood. "The players' injuries are still being assessed by the medical team, so we are reluctant to place a timescale on when the duo will be able to return to action. "We will keep supporters updated on the pair's recovery and, as soon as we are in a position to comment on their anticipated recuperation time, we will do so." Lovren and Ramirez were injured in quick succession at the Stadium of Light. Ramirez was hurt following a tackle by Wes Brown on the edge of the Sunderland area, with his team-mate suffering a similar fate after tangling with Craig Gardner when play switched to the other end of the field.

Federer through at Murray´s expense

Roger Federer bounced back from a third-set stutter to defeat Andy Murray and progress to the last four of the Australian Open. The Swiss sixth seed progressed 6-3 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3, with a spirited effort from Murray ensuring it was not a straight-sets victory. It sets up another chapter in Federer's rivalry with top seed Rafael Nadal, with the duo now set to set to meet on Friday. When Federer – who has now advanced to an 11th consecutive Australian Open semi-final appearance - stepped up to serve for the match at 5-4 in the third set, he had held serve 69 times out of 70 for the tournament, and had neither been broken for the evening, nor had he faced break point. But the fourth seed Scot showed his true colours, not only breaking back to force a tie-break, but then he saved two match points - one of which a 25-stroke rally - to pinch a set. However, a fit Federer had too much class, while Murray finally felt the wear and tear of his first post-surgery major, as his back twinged in the eighth game of the fourth set, one he would concede before the 17-time major winner served it out. Federer denied Murray a fifth successive spot in the semis at Melbourne Park, but the defeat was not a blight on the two-time major winner, who had a credible run given his recent injury. Four-times Aussie Open champion Federer grabbed the first break of the match in the fourth game, when Murray punched a forehand long. And he was already celebrating the set victory when he crunched a forehand winner for 40-0 in the ninth game, before converting the set lead moments later. In the second, Federer broke in the fifth game to take command. But there was to be the first real twist of the match in the 10th game of the third set. For the sixth time, Murray took a lead on the Federer serve, but for the first time, he converted it into two break points - and he won the second of those to prolong the battle. A tie-break ensued and Murray dug deep, reeling off four straight points after trailing 4-6 to take it into a fourth. But Murray's back started giving him significant grief as he served at 3-4, and he got himself into a 0-40 hole via three unforced errors - one he would not escape from.

Anelka reaffirms ´quenelle´ defence

West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka has again sought to clarify his controversial 'quenelle' goal celebration. Anelka is facing a minimum five-match ban after being charged by the Football Association on Tuesday for making a salute that has been linked to anti-Semitic connotations in his native France. Having previously defended the gesture by saying it was merely a dedication to his friend and comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala, Anelka took to Twitter in order to again play down the significance of his actions. The 34-year-old posted a link to a video, in which prominent Jewish leader Roger Cukierman, president of the Representative Council of the Jewish Institutions of France and vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, argues that Anelka's use of the 'quenelle' is not worthy of a hefty punishment. "It (the FA action) looks a bit severe to me," said Cukierman in the video. "It (the 'quenelle' gesture) would be reprehensible only in the case where the gesture was made in front of a synagogue or a Holocaust memorial. "When it is made in a place that has no Jewish specificity, it seems to me that it is a gesture of rebellion, a little anarchist, against the establishment. "And that, it seems to me, doesn't deserve a severe sanction." Anelka posted the video on Twitter with the message: "Nothing to add." He has until 1800 GMT on Thursday to respond to the FA's charge against him.

Kruse confident of World Cup spot

Borussia Monchengladbach forward Max Kruse is confident that his "flexibility" will ensure he makes Germany's FIFA World Cup squad. The 25-year-old has eight goals in 17 Bundesliga appearances this term, a return that has helped Lucien Favre's side to third in the standings. Kruse has six caps and one goal for the national side, and has been a regular member of Joachim Low's squad since August. He feels he is being rewarded for a series of impressive domestic displays and hopes to be among the 23-man squad for the showpiece event, which starts in Brazil later this year. Speaking toSport Bild,he said: "If one has been invited since August, always, that says something. "I think that the national coach rewarded my performance at the club. "I know we have 25 to 30 players that have hope (of going to the World Cup). At the end only 23 (can go). "I guess I am the type of striker that is most flexible. I am not a (Miroslav) Klose or (Mario) Gomez."

Everton fined for unauthorised approach

Everton have been fined £45,000 and warned as to their future conduct by the Football Association for breaching agent regulations. The Premier League club were deemed to have made an unauthorised approach to Jamaal Lascelles, who was then under a scholarship agreement at Nottingham Forest, in 2010. Andy Niedzwiecki, the agent who represented Lascelles at the time, has been fined £10,000. Lascelles himself has been "severely warned as to his future conduct". A statement on the FA's website confirmed the sanctions and added: "The time-frame for any appeal has passed." Lascelles, now 20, is still at Forest but has been linked with a number of leading top-flight clubs.

League One Preview: Brentford, Wolves face home tests

Brentford can return to the League One summit with victory against Gillingham at Griffin Park on Friday. Just seven League One matches will be played this weekend, with regular commitments disrupted due to the fourth round of the FA Cup, which Coventry City, Preston North End, Port Vale, Stevenage and Sheffield United are involved in. Current leaders Leyton Orient were scheduled to play Stevenage, but will not be in action, allowing Brentford a chance to overcome the one-point deficit and go top. Mark Warburton's men are unbeaten in their last 15 league matches – of which 13 have been wins – but were held to a 1-1 draw at Walsall last week. That result, coupled with Orient's 2-1 win at strugglers Crewe Alexandra, saw Brentford drop to second. But goalscorer Clayton Donaldson is positive his side will return to winning form at the first attempt against mid-table Gillingham. "Teams show us more respect and work harder off the ball with our current run," Donaldson told the club's official website. "It's natural that teams will do (that). You have done well to get where you are and earned the respect. "We are in a great position. It is in our hands. If we do the job, we will be alright." Donaldson has scored 14 goals this season and will hopeful of netting against a Gillingham side who have kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 league games on the road. Wolves will look to keep the pressure on the top two when they welcome a resurgent Bristol City outfit on Saturday. Kenny Jackett's side sit five points behind Orient but can close the gap with victory against a City side who are unbeaten in five, despite sitting 23rd in the table. Wolves won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Ashton Gate in August thanks to Matt Doherty's 85th-minute winner. Rotherham United and Peterborough United will look to consolidate their play-off places with wins over Crawley Town and Oldham Athletic respectively. Peterborough suffered a 4-3 defeat against Notts County in one of two games on Tuesday, with Crewe beating MK Dons 2-0 in the evening's other fixture. In this weekend's other games, Swindon Town host Shrewsbury Town, who will have Michael Jackson in caretaker charge following Graham Turner's departure, while Tranmere Rovers face Crewe and in-form Notts County meet Walsall.

Rummenigge praises Bayern finances amid excessive European spending

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has criticised excessive spending in Europe and hailed the Bundesliga's financial model. The Bavarian giants have enjoyed a period of sustained success in the past 18 months, claiming an unprecedented treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League last season, while also winning the FIFA Club World Cup in December. Rummenigge believes Bayern have accomplished those feats on the back of sensible spending, and feels the Bundesliga leaders are the only team in the world that can fund their success. "The Bundesliga's financial model works very well. We do not spend more than we receive," Rummenigge is quoted as saying byKicker. "The Premier League will remain the number one league, but even if we cannot catch them, the Bundesliga is still a great example of 'affordable football'. We have to stay on this sustainable path. "A club like Paris Saint-Germain have a €300 million payroll including taxes. It's impossible to finance that. "Bayern are the only top 10 club in Europe making a profit. We are the only team that can actually afford our success." Figures released by the club in November 2013 revealed a pre-tax profit of €22.5 million.

Oyston confirms Ince sacked by text

Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston has confirmed Paul Ince learned of his sacking as manager via text message. The former England international was relieved of his duties, together with assistants Alex Rae and Steve Thompson, on Tuesday after a dismal run that saw Blackpool pick up one point from nine Championship games. It had been reported that Ince was informed of the club's decision through a text message and this has now been corroborated by Oyston. However, Oyston feels he was left with little choice due to Ince being away on a coaching course, which he had not informed the chairman he would be attending. Oyston toldSky Sports: "Following a meeting on Sunday, I told them (Blackpool's management team) in no uncertain terms that things had to change. Paul promptly went off on a coaching course and I heard nothing from Alex (Rae) or Steve Thompson. "We couldn't get hold of Paul so we relayed the message that we had decided to make a change and obviously informed him in writing. "It was done by letter but obviously I informed them that we were making changes via text because I couldn't get hold of them. "I don't want to get into mud-slinging. It's a case of priorities and I'd have liked our management team to have placed player recruitment as their priority. We all agreed that was the only way of arresting our slide. "I wasn't made aware by Paul that he was going on a coaching course and would be disappearing off the face of the earth for two days. I was disappointed about that." Oyston claims the decision to dismiss Ince was taken with a heavy heart. "It's very unpleasant and only the second time I've had to make managerial changes in my 15 years at Blackpool. We've always majored on stability and trying to keep managers. "It's never pleasant to put people out of work. You don't get into football to do that. On a personal level, I get along with all three of them and I think they're all good people, but you've got to do what's best for the football club."

Mallya anticipates rules impact

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya believes that Formula One is set for a revealing few weeks as teams adjust to the sport's new rules. With the 2014 season set to begin on March 14 in Australia, F1's major players are in the process of finalising their driver line-ups and unveiling their new cars. Mallya was present for the launch of Force India's new VJM07 on Wednesday, which gave a first glimpse as to how teams will manage to accommodate the significant technical rule changes this year. The 2014 campaign will bring with it some of the biggest developments in more than a decade, with the introduction of new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engines, as well as tweaks to the rules concerning aerodynamics and a far greater emphasis on energy recovery systems. Mallya admits that meeting the new requirements has created plenty of headaches for his design team, and he is intrigued to see how others have interpreted them. "The new rules have presented us with a huge challenge, but I'm very proud of the approach we have taken and the direction of the technical team," said Mallya. "It will be fascinating to see how different teams have interpreted the rules and at this stage it's impossible to predict who has done the best job." Technical director Andrew Green added: "Almost every single part is a new design, from the front wing right back to the diffuser. "The genetics of the VJM07 still lie in the 2013 car, but we've had to achieve the same results in a slightly different way." Despite the uncertainty over the impact of the new changes, Mallya feels that Force India are still well placed for a strong campaign - with Sergio Perez set to partner Nico Hulkenberg on the grid after making the switch from McLaren. "It’s been a busy winter for us on the technical and commercial front," Mallya continued. "When I founded the team my first ambition was to launch the first Indian team on the grid, but the next stage in our evolution is to develop a global brand. "I think that ambition is reflected in the partners we are working with and our world-class driver line-up. It certainly feels as though there is the potential for 2014 to be our strongest season yet."

Hoolahan still eager to leave Norwich

Wes Hoolahan has urged Norwich City to reconsider their rejection of his transfer request. The Republic of Ireland international is a reported target for Aston Villa, managed by former Norwich boss Paul Lambert, and eager to leave Carrow Road after making just five Premier League starts this season. Norwich confirmed on Tuesday that a transfer request from Hoolahan had been turned down, with the midfielder contracted to the club until June 2015. However, in a statement released toSky Sports, Hoolahan has reiterated his desire to move on. "Following a meeting with the club chief executive, I felt I had no option but to hand in a transfer request," the statement read. "I have noted that request has been turned down - however, I believe it is in the best interest of Norwich, for whom I have the greatest respect, and myself that I am allowed to move on and play my football elsewhere." An integral figure in Norwich's rise from League One to the Premier League, Hoolahan has made over 200 appearances for the club since joining from Blackpool in 2008.

Totti: Roma at same standard as Juve

Roma captain Francesco Totti feels Tuesday's Coppa Italia victory over Juventus shows the sides are evenly matched. Rudi Garcia's side sit second in Serie A, eight points adrift of Juventus who are gunning for a third consecutive league title. Juventus' hopes of a league and cup double were curtailed on Tuesday, however, as Gervinho's 79th-minute winner saw Roma book their place in the last four of the Coppa Italia. The win was particularly sweet for Roma, who lost 3-0 to Antonio Conte's charges in the league earlier this month, and Totti believes there is little to choose between the two. "This was a win that we wanted to get at all costs," Totti said. "We want to bounce back from our defeat in Turin and we proved to be at the same standard as Juve. "In my opinion, there is not much difference between us and them even though they have a good lead in Serie A. "We are having a fantastic season but they are doing better than us." Goalscorer Gervinho was thrilled with his match-winning goal, and reckons the victory represented revenge for the league loss. He added: "I am truly happy, because I scored and because we played well. "It was very exciting for me and it wasn't easy to play against Juve, as they were well-covered. "We avenged the game played on January 5."

Change in wing all right for Oviedo

Bryan Oviedo is happy to play on the right wing for Everton more frequently after doing so against West Brom on Monday. A left-sided player, Oviedo was deployed in an unfamiliar position in the 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns. However, the Costa Rica international has revealed he was comfortable with his new role on the right flank. He told Everton's official website: "I'm happy to play games. To play as a right winger, for me, is a good position, because I can have many chances to get in on goal. "I had two good chances against West Brom, but unfortunately sometimes it's difficult (to score)." Everton missed out on the opportunity to return to the Premier League's top four when giving up a lead at West Brom. Next up for Martinez's men is an FA Cup trip to League One outfit Stevenage, before a crucial Merseyside derby against Liverpool, who currently sit fourth, on January 28. "We are disappointed with the draw (against West Brom) because we had many chances in the first half and we need to score those to win important games," Oviedo added. "We wanted to get back into the top four, so we are disappointed. "We need to work for the next game now because it's very important for us to win in the next cup game and also at Anfield next week."

New Zealand knock India off top spot

New Zealand knocked India off the top of the world one-day rankings with a 15-run Duckworth/Lewis win in Hamilton on Wednesday. The result saw Australia move to the top of the table, one point ahead of India, as New Zealand went 2-0 up in the five-game series after rain ended the game three balls short of the end of the 42nd over. The hosts had built a powerful position in spite of the two rain breaks during their innings. Coming back from an extended second delay they resumed at 170-2 and managed to add 101 runs off eight overs to ensure that India's Duckworth/Lewis adjusted 42-over target was a daunting 297. India still gave it everything in a superb chase, which saw New Zealand's fielding put under rare pressure as they posted 277-9. Virat Kohli was once again the key to the chase, batting effortlessly to post his 50 off 41 balls, but Tim Southee cut him down when he was 78 (from 65 balls), having him caught at mid-on with the score 164-4. Southee had earlier achieved his 100th ODI wicket when bowling Shikhar Dhawan (12) with a swinging yorker and then added Rohit Sharma (20) caught behind when wafting at a short ball. He finished with 4-72. After Kohli left, MS Dhoni was joined in a productive stand with Suresh Raina (35) as they added 62 runs in six and a half overs, but the pressure to score at more than 11 an over mounted. In taking a risk against Kyle Mills, Raina skied a catch to deep mid-wicket where Southee held on to leave India 226-5. Dhoni rode his luck before he mis-timed a ball from Southee that still went for six over wide long-on to bring up his half-century off 42 balls with seven fours and a six. However, Dhoni's fortune ran out when Corey Anderson induced another miscue, which was held by Kane Williamson at backward point, before Anderson swept through the tail and took 3-67. Earlier, India had pulled back the situation through New Zealand's last overs to pick up wickets and prevent an even higher target. That was largely courtesy of Mohammed Shami, who removed Ross Taylor (57) and Brendon McCullum (0) within three balls and ended up with 3-55 from seven overs. However, the damage had been done earlier by Williamson and Anderson, and to a lesser extent Taylor. Anderson was six runs, and one ball, away from adding a share of the world record for the fastest ODI half-century, to complement his fastest ODI century record, when he was caught in the deep for 44 from 17 balls. Williamson, meanwhile, provided a lesson in compiling a superb 77 from 87 balls before being beaten by the spin of Ravindra Jadeja (1-46 off eight overs) to be stumped. Earlier, Jesse Ryder again made a positive start but having hit 20 from 11 balls he caught a bottom edge from Shami's bowling, which Dhoni took with ease.

Casillas targets treble

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas believes the squad has enough quality to complete the treble this season. Carlo Ancelotti's charges are in superb form, winning nine consecutive games across all competitions, and the Liga giants have not tasted defeat since losing 2-1 at rivals Barcelona on October 26. The gap to leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is now just one point, and Real are also primed for a UEFA Champions League quarter-final showdown with Schalke. Real remain in contention for a Copa del Rey triumph, too, after Karim Benzema's strike ensured a 1-0 first-leg victory at Espanyol on Wednesday. And Spain international Casillas is confident of mounting a challenge on all fronts. "We have a chance in all three competitions and depend on ourselves and our own results," he said. "We have made up a lot of points in La Liga, which is good for team morale. "We have Schalke in the Champions League and we will take things a step at a time in the cup to try to make it to the final." Casillas broke his personal record for the longest consecutive spell without conceding a goal when he reached 592 minutes in the victory over Espanyol. The 32-year-old was thrilled with the achievement but also with the team's overall progression this term. He added: "We did the necessary, which was to score and not concede. We had more chances to score. Now, back in Madrid, we'll try to seal our place in the semi-finals. "I am pleased about the personal record and about how the team are doing as a whole because we are really focused, working hard and doing very well in defence."

Juve will ´embrace´ Vucinic, Barzagli insists

Juventus centre-back Andrea Barzagli insists there will be no ill-feeling towards Mirko Vucinic after his move to Inter fell through. The Montenegro international striker had been set to join Walter Mazzarri's side, with Fredy Guarin heading to the Juventus Stadium in an exchange deal. However, Inter owner Erick Thohir pulled out of talks on Tuesday claiming the transfer did not meet "technical and financial conditions". Barzagli revealed the squad had said their farewells to Vucinic, but says the team will have no issue with the 30-year-old. "He had emptied his locker," Barzagli said. "We said goodbye to Mirko and he was an integral part of two and a half fantastic years. "If he returns we'll embrace him again." Barzagli was speaking after seeing Juventus exit the Coppa Italia at the quarter-final stage in a 1-0 defeat to Roma thanks to Gervinho's 79th-minute winner. And the Italy international conceded the team failed to make the most of their opportunities. "We're disappointed to go out of the Coppa Italia, as this was one of our objectives," he added. "What did we get wrong? The goal. We knew it would be a balanced encounter that would be decided on incidents. "We had a few chances, but the goal came late and we didn't have time to turn it around."

Smith aims to prove his point

Steve Smith wants to prove the Australian selectors wrong when he makes his first one-day international outing in over 12 months on Friday. Smith was left out of the Australian ODI squad in the first three matches against England before being recalled for game four, but the 24-year-old felt that he had done enough in the domestic Ryobi Cup and through the Ashes Test series to warrant a spot from the start. He was one of the top five run-scorers in the first half of the Australian domestic 50-over competition, scoring 321 runs at an average of 53.50, while he notched two centuries as Australia demolished England 5-0 in the Ashes. Australia already lead England 3-0 in the five-match ODI series and while Smith has one eye on another whitewash, he clearly wants to cement a spot in his country's 50-over team. "I guess you're always disappointed when you're left out,'' Smith said. "I was pretty happy with the Ryobi Cup that I had at the start of the year and

Chelsea progress pleases Eto´o

Samuel Eto'o has expressed satisfaction with Chelsea's progress in his first season at the club. The Cameroon striker, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Anzhi Makhachkala in August, doubled his tally of Premier League goals last weekend with a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United. Chelsea's 3-1 victory over the reigning English champions kept Jose Mourinho's men hot on the heels of league leaders Arsenal. And with Chelsea also still competing in the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup, Eto'o is hopeful of tasting success come the end of the campaign. "At the moment we are still in practically all the competitions," the 32-year-old told Chelsea's official website. "If Chelsea are not the best club in the world then they are one of the best clubs in the world, so I don't know if we are going to win everything but the season is going well so far. "The season is long,

FFA raise concerns over potential World Cup stadium change

Football Federation Australia (FFA) have voiced concerns over the lack of progress on the construction of Curitiba's FIFA World Cup stadium. The Brazilian city faces the prospect of losing its status as a World Cup venue, with FIFA secretary Jerome Valcke describing the situation as reaching a "critical point" ahead of a revised February 18 deadline. Stadiums for the tournament were supposed to be completed by December 31 and Valcke suggested that the four group matches set to be held in Curitiba could be moved unless "rapid progress" is made by the next FIFA visit. Australia are due to play defending champions Spain in Curitiba in the final Group B game on June 23, and the FFA plan to talk to FIFA in order to safeguard the interest of supporters. "FFA has noted FIFA's comments that Curitiba's World Cup stadium is only 90 percent complete and missed the initial December 31 deadline and will seek advice from FIFA on the issue," an FFA spokesperson said.

Nadal into last four after first-set scare

Rafael Nadal came from a set down to beat the impressive Grigor Dimitrov and book a last-four spot at the Australian Open on Wednesday. The number one seed and 2009 champion, who defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori in three tight sets in the fourth round, dropped his first set of the tournament as Dimitrov started far better. However, after eventually taking the second set in a tie-breaker and then surviving another tie-breaker in the third, the 13-time grand slam champion ran away with the contest to record a 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 win in just over three-and-a-half hours. It was far from a vintage performance from Nadal but the victory nonetheless sets up either what would be the 35th instalment of his epic rivalry with 17-time major winner Roger Federer or a match against Scot Andy Murray, with that pair to meet on Wednesday night.

Nadal into last four after first-set scare

Rafael Nadal came from a set down to beat the impressive Grigor Dimitrov and book a last-four spot at the Australian Open on Wednesday. The number one seed and 2009 champion, who defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori in three tight sets in the fourth round, dropped his first set of the tournament as Dimitrov started far better. However, after eventually taking the second set in a tie-breaker and then surviving another tie-breaker in the third, the 13-time grand slam champion ran away with the contest to record a 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 win in just over three-and-a-half hours. It was far from a vintage performance from Nadal but the victory nonetheless sets up either what would be the 35th instalment of his epic rivalry with 17-time major winner Roger Federer or a match against Scot Andy Murray, with that pair to meet on Wednesday night. Nadal also had to receive further treatment on a large blister on the palm of his left hand that has been troubling him during the tournament. Dimitrov will be left to rue one that got away after he squandered two set points in the third-set tie-breaker.

Manchester United must make changes, says Mancini

Roberto Mancini insists Manchester United must make changes if they are to compete with the best in the Premier League. The Galatasaray coach believes his former club Manchester City, along with the likes of Chelsea, have overtaken United by bringing in new players to bolster their respective squads. And the league table underlines that fact, with David Moyes' side 14 points off top spot, having lost as many top-flight games as City and Chelsea combined. "Chelsea changed and bought some new players, City bought four or five new players," Mancini toldBBC World Service. "After many years, it's the time (for United) to refresh the team." United's title defence is proving to be one of the most meek in Premier League history but Mancini refused to lay the blame at the feet of their Scottish manager. Moyes was widely praised for the job he did at Everton over the course of more than a decade, although he never won a trophy, and

Ranieri blames ref for Falcao´s injury

Monaco head coach Claudio Ranieri blasted referee Philippe Kalt for failing to protect his players during their 3-0 win against Chasselay. Rademal Falcao suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the Coupe de France win, which could keep the £50million striker out of the rest of domestic campaign, and the World Cup. A fuming Ranieri questioned why no cards were shown to their lower league opponents, having complained about poor tackles aimed at the Colombian before he was injured. "If Rademal Falcao is seriously injured, it's on the referee," Ranieri said on Wednesday. "I just want to say one thing, I know that when you play a 'smaller' team, they will play really hard,

Inter call off Guarin, Vucinic swap deal with Juve

Inter have decided not to pursue the controversial swap deal between Mirko Vucinic and Fredy Guarin with Juventus. Colombia attacking midfielder Guarin had appeared set to leave San Siro and join defending Serie A champions Juventus in an agreement that would have seen Montenegro striker Vucinic go the other way. However, the news that the double transfer was in the offing caused anger among Inter fans, with the Curva Nord supporters group blasting new owner Erick Thohir on Monday for attempting to sell one of the club's best players. And Thohir, who secured a majority stake in the club back in October, has now called off the deal, citing unsatisfactory "technical and financial conditions". A statement on Inter's official website read: "FC Internazionale has decided not to continue negotiations with Juventus regarding the transfer of Fredy Guarin and Mirko Vucinic.

Swansea pair present ´united´ front

Swansea City defenders Garry Monk and Chico Flores have moved to play down their recent training-ground row. The duo were involved in a heated exchange on Friday that led to police being called to Swansea's training ground. However, a club statement confirmed no action was taken by police and both Monk and Flores have now presented a united front, denying reports that the Spaniard had threatened his team-mate with a brick. Swansea club captain Monk said: "I have been playing in the professional game for 20 years and training rows are nothing new in a competitive and pressurised environment. "Recent media reports have blown everything out of proportion. Yes, we had words, but at no time was I threatened with a brick by anyone.

Liebherr rules out Southampton sale

Owner Katharina Liebherr has assured Southampton supporters she has no intention of selling the Premier League club. Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese resigned last week following a reported fall-out with Liebherr, sparking fears that manager Mauricio Pochettino could follow. Pochettino eased those concerns when he insisted he had no intention of quitting, but speculation has mounted that Liebherr, whose father Markus owned the club prior to his death in 2010, is eager to sell. Liebherr, who took over as non-executive chairman following Cortese's departure, is adamant that is not the case. In an open letter to fans on the club's official website, she has called for a period of stability following the recent off-field upheaval. Liebherr said: "The past week has been a period of transition for the club. I wanted to address you directly to clearly set out my position and