Mark Hughes Out;Roberto Mancini In

City's chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, and owner, Sheikh Mansour, had grown increasingly disillusioned with City's poor form, having watched Hughes' side win just twice in eleven league games.

In giving reason for the decision on City's website, Al Mubarak said: "Prior to the current season beginning, with significant investment in players and infrastructure in place, the consensus between the board and coaching staff was that appropriate agreed targets should be set for the 2009-2010 season.

"The targets were agreed as a result of the player acquisition strategy of the club being radically accelerated in the summer as a result of very favourable conditions for any buying club. It was also based on the fact that the infrastructure of the club had been overhauled completely at great cost in order to create the best possible environment for the team.

"A return of two wins in 11 Premier League games is clearly not in line with the targets that were agreed and set. Sheikh Mansour and the board felt that there was no evidence that the situation would fundamentally change. This is a particularly difficult announcement given the personal investment over the past 15 months on all sides and we would like to put on record our respect for and thanks to Mark Hughes and we wish him the best in his future career."

The statement also confirmed the appointment, with immediate effect on a permanent contract, of Roberto Mancini, while Brian Kidd joins the team as assistant manager.

"Roberto is a hugely experienced manager with a proven track record of winning trophies and championships,'' it read. ''His experience and track record speak for themselves. What is absolutely clear is that Roberto believes in Manchester City's potential to achieve at the highest level and importantly in his own ability to make this happen. My hope is that our incredible fans will join us in welcoming Roberto to the football club."

Hughes oversaw City's 4-3 victory over Sunderland on Saturday but he is thought to have known about his sacking before the game, and appeared emotional at the end of the match, apparently waving goodbye to the home supporters.

City are up to sixth in the table but the 3-0 midweek drubbing by Spurs was the final straw for the owners, who are keen on an overhaul in order to keep the club's Champions League qualification hopes alive.

The agent of Guus Hiddink revealed on Friday that City had been in contact with the Dutchman, while Jürgen Klinsmann and Jose Mourinho had also been linked with the job.

Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki, Kevin Hitchcock and Glyn Hodges have also left the club and further appointments will be announced in due course.

Another Bad Weekend For Liverpool

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez suffered a disastrous trip to Portsmouth after Javier Mascherano was dismissed during a miserable defeat at Fratton Park.

Pompey's victory, with the goals coming from Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne, will ignite hope of survival in the Premier League.

However, Liverpool's chances of finishing in the top four are uncertain - they missed a chance to record back-to-back league wins for the first time since September.

It means Avram Grant maintains his unbeaten record against Benitez after recording two wins and two draws during his time at Chelsea in the 2008 season.

Back then he ended the Spaniard's Champions League hopes at the semi-final stage - this time he has dented their chances of even qualifying for the competition.

Benitez was furious with Lee Mason, who sent two Liverpool players off during the defeat to Fulham earlier in the season, for his straight red for Mascherano, who will now miss four games through suspension.

The defeat also meant there was no celebration to mark Jamie Carragher's 600th appearance for Liverpool - until Belhadj's strike he would not have enjoyed an easier 30 minutes in his previous 599.

In truth, both sides needed time to find their footing in a game played under tricky conditions. The match was able to go ahead due to the pitch being covered during the week, although there were traces of snow on the shaded areas of the turf meaning passing was sometimes hindered.

Benitez was boosted by the return of Fernando Torres after the Spain striker rested his troublesome groin in the midweek win over Wigan - but he was limited to half-chances.

Torres had a sight of goal early on but Hermann Hreidarsson was back in time - his sliced clearance could have gone anywhere but ended up in Asmir Begovic's hands.

Torres then got closer midway through the half after collecting a pass from Andrea Dossena and curling just over the bar, then he was inches from Steven Gerrard's cross.

Dossena's selection was a curious decision, especially with Yossi Benayoun relegated to the bench and Ryan Babel back after an ankle complaint.

And any plans Benitez had of his changes ensuring a simple victory were blown away just after the half-hour mark when Pompey took the lead.

Belhadj started the move himself by nutmegging Emiliano Insua to set up the attack. When the ball was cleared, Kevin-Prince Boateng forced Pepe Reina into a save with a powerful volley, former Pompey full-back Glen Johnson cleared the ball only as far as Belhadj and the Algerian lashed in at the near post.

Belhadj has been out of favour under Grant, this was his first game since October and resulted in his first goal of the campaign.

Daniel Agger should have levelled before the break. Gerrard's free-kick found him unmarked but the centre-back headed over from close range.

To make matters worse, Mascherano's dismissal came shortly before half-time.

The Argentina midfielder recklessly crashed into Tal Ben Haim, although his feet did not leave the ground. Nevertheless, Mason consulted the fourth official before giving a straight red card.

It was a decision that infuriated Benitez, who had chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning'' aimed at him from home fans.

Benitez made his move eight minutes after the break, introducing Benayoun for Dossena to the delight of Liverpool fans, many of whom had set off at unsociable hours for the lunchtime kick-off.

Michael Brown made himself busy in midfield, winding up his opponents and when Torres snapped and fouled the Pompey skipper it earned the striker a yellow card. The Spanish striker may have been fortunate to stay on the pitch when he led with his arm in a challenge on Ben Haim.

Johnson also earned a booking for tripping Jamie O'Hara when the on-loan Tottenham midfielder robbed him deep in Liverpool territory.

Begovic needed to be at his sharpest to deny Gerrard after the England midfielder's shot struck Brown and Hreidarsson. The Pompey goalkeeper was falling the wrong way but managed to palm the ball away.

Piquionne doubled the lead with eight minutes remaining, latching onto Boateng's cross, spinning around Carragher and finishing crisply.

Tottenham to Snatch Arsenal to striker Marouane Chamakh

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly looking to snare Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh, who is fast approaching the conclusion of his contract with Ligue 1 side Girondins de Bordeaux.

Following the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City in a £25 million deal, there was much press speculation as to who Arsene Wenger would replace the Togolese targetman with, and Chamakh headed the list of likely candidates.

However, Wenger negated the notion.

Chamakh, a Morrocco international, is available on a Bosman transfer at the end of the season, and Harry Redknapp, according to The Daily Mail, is keen on signing the player as a replacement for Russia misfit Roman Pavlyuchenko.
The striker, 25, is reportedly eager to seek an exit from the Stade Chaban Delmas and is alleged to welcome the interest.

He has scored seven goals in 14 appearances in all competitions this season, including five in Ligue 1.

I failed Zola: Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that his errors during his days at Parma prompted Gianfranco Zola to move to Stamford Bridge in 1996, ultimately igniting an largely successful and respectful career in the British Isles.

The Blues head has strolled down memory lane before his men face Zola's West Ham on Sunday, stating that his managerial mistakes included playing the former forward out of position and putting him up for transfer.

The 50-year-old told the The Guardian: "Probably, I made a mistake with him because I wanted to play 4-4-2 and I put the players in the right positions but he [Zola] wanted to stay in the centre like a striker."

"In that period, when there was this discussion, Chelsea offered him a good contract and he decided to go. I think it was a mistake. It was my first experience in Serie A and I was not able to change the system."

Despite West Ham's low position on the Premier League standings, Ancelotti is refusing to undermine his match-day opponents, insisting they shouldn't be taken lightly.

"I think that Gianfranco Zola is not living a good moment but he has quality to improve."

"West Ham have had a lot of problems with injuries, but we have to pay attention to this game. It's a derby and they will put a very good spirit into this game," he said.

Arsene Wenger: Move to Manchester City Not Unlikely

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stirred the speculation pot by declaring that a move to Manchester City in the not-too-distant future could always be on the cards for him.

With Mark Hughes' position in danger, it seems Wenger has turned into the new frontrunner to take over City, with Guus Hiddink now relegated to the backup choice.

Wenger, whose contract at Arsenal expires at the end next season, has stated that whilst he will honour his commitment to the Gunners, there is no telling where he could end up afterwards.

Telling the press: "I live every day thinking I will stay my whole life where I am, but somewhere I know it can end."

"It's funny because the older you get the more you're conscious of that."

But when pressed on the matter at hand, Wenger went coy, stating that if it were his time to move on from Emirates Stadium, then so be it.

"If Arsenal say to me, ‘You’ve got to go,’ I will say I’d still like to work in football, of course," he said.

Wenger's men will look to exact revenge against Phil Brown's Hull City on Saturday night, after the Tigers' 2-1 win over the Gunners last year, .

Van Persie out for Five Months

Arsenal have suffered a further injury blow as they have learned striker Robin van Persie's ankle injury is actually worse than was first thought.

The club had previously been advised that the injury, sustained while playing for Holland, would keep him out for approximately six weeks, and with the controversial 'horse placenta treatment' some thought he might even be back sooner.

However, Arsenal have issued a statement on their official site which indicates the striker could be facing as many as five months out of action.

“Robin van Persie returned to Arsenal on November 22nd following an ankle injury sustained whilst on international duty with Holland. The injury was expected to keep him out of action for between four and six weeks," read the statement.

“Upon his return, the Arsenal medical team conducted a thorough review of his scans, his early injury management and the treatment he had received. Having scrutinised these in detail and assessed the response of his ankle, the Club’s medical team concluded that further investigation and opinion was required.

“Advice was sought from the leading ankle specialist Mr Niek van Dijk, who confirmed that more extensive damage had been suffered than was first diagnosed. In order to repair his ankle, Robin will undergo surgery next week in Amsterdam to reconstruct the ligaments. The Club’s medical team anticipate that a full recovery will take between four and five months.”

Joe Cole showing his talent again

Injuries have already cost this likeable Londoner an FA Cup winner's medal and possibly even his place in England's World Cup squad for next summer's jamboree in South Africa, yet Cole may well be able to place such mammoth setbacks as minor road humps in his career after the misery he has lived through.

Cole readily admits he didn't even feel like a footballer for long spells of his time on the sidelines nursing a knee ligament injury that required lengthy rehabilitation, but this gifted No.10 has impressed and made a steady return to the first team fold in the last few weeks.


After so long away, Cole's return to frontline action was always likely to be a gradual process and so it has proved as boss Carlo Ancelotti has eased him back into the first team with the care that might be expect for a precious commodity that has been prone to break in recent times. Yet as he buzzed around the Stamford Bridge pitch in what turned out to be a horrible mismatch between Chelsea and Wolves, Cole must have felt that his every stride brought him an inch closer to the dream he was in danger of losing not so long ago.


Looking comfortable at the head of Ancelotti's midfield diamond, his return to form and fitness is a massive boost to a Chelsea side riding high at the top of the Premier League and yet neither Chelsea nor their midfield comeback kid needed to be at their best to overcome a woeful Wolves side who surrendered with all too much ease at a rain-soaked Stamford Bridge.
Despite the lack of genuine opposition, Cole's determination to make an impact in this game was evident from the off, with his constant pleading for the ball a sign of a player keen to make up for lost time. The twinkled-toed qualities that made him a star in his youth at West Ham were back in abundance and the beleaguered Wolves defence confirmed their were all too willing to lay down and die.


Then, with 56 minutes of the game gone and the game already won for Chelsea, the moment he has worked so hard for arrived. First-half goals from Florent Malouda and a brace from Michael Essien exposed Wolves' alarming defensive deficiencies, but Cole was one of the few on the pitch who refused to take their foot off the gas as the second half wound its way towards an all-too predictable conclusion.


He was given too much space on the edge of the box as the Wolves defence clung on to preserve their dignity and flapping keeper Wayne Hennessey was unable to keep out a shot that he really should have done better with. The lavish celebrations that followed were not typical for the fourth goal of a one-sided game, but Chelsea knew what this moment meant to a player who has suffered so much.

I was pleased for Joe Cole to score and he is getting better with each game he plays," said Chelsea boss Ancelotti as he met the media. "Every day in training and with each match he has played since his first match back for the team, we have seen signs of improvement and he moved forward again in this game.

"What pleased me today was we had a team that had to deal with a lot of injuries and yet the performance of the team was not affected. This says to me that we may not need to sign any more players in January after all."

Mick McCarthy's side may have been up against the Premier League favourites at sodden Stamford Bridge, but the least the former Ireland boss could have expected was a bit of dogged resistance from players who should have been keen to prove they could play on the big stage.
What he got was a shambles of a defensive effort that saw Chelsea take the lead through Malouda after the Wolves defenders backed off and invited him to shoot at goal. He accepted their invitation by thumping a blistering shot into the top corner and without the need to move into second gear, Chelsea doubled their advantage six minutes later and a curling corner from Maluoda picked out an unmarked Essien, who rose highest in the box to convert with ease.
It was all too easy and the Wolves boss confirmed his side had contributed to their own downfall at Stamford Bridge. "We were happy to get nil today, even though we created some really good chances in the game," said an honest McCarthy.


"The first goal was a wonderful strike, but we didn't deal well with the second goal and at 2-0 down so early, it was going to be a long day. We looked great going out in our nice white shirts, but then the referee blew the whistle to start the game and it went down hill.
"The positives? Our fans were brilliant, but there were not that many good performances out there for us. The spirit and work rate was fine, but we weren't expected to get anything out of this game and we cannot let this result does not affect our hopes of staying in this league. We all know we are in a relegation fight from here on in and there is no point in trying to hide from that reality."


The second half was notable for the appearance of Gael Kakuta, the player whose contentious transfer saw Chelsea handed a transfer ban by the game's authorities a couple of months ago. Kakuta is eligible to play once again as the appeal against the case is under consideration, and he showed flashes of magic on the ball that suggests he may be worth all the hassle he has caused.
However, this game merely ended up tarnishing the notion that the Premier League is the most competitive in world football. On this evidence, the gap between top and bottom has never been bigger and that must be a concern for McCarthy and Wolves.

Not that Joe Cole was worried as he added another building block to a comeback that is gathering momentum towards South Africa at a rapid pace.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Joe Cole. The little Chelsea No.10 has suffered an injury nightmare in the last year so it's little wonder he looks like a player reborn now that he is back to his best. His second-half goal in this game was a fine reward.

http://www.complete-sports.blogspot.com

Clubs to miss African players

Following the weekend's World Cup action, the full list of qualifiers for January's African Cup of Nations is now known.The 2010 event takes place in Angola from January 10-31 (the group stage ends on January 21), meaning many of the Premier League's top stars will be missing for some crucial domestic fixtures - not only during those dates, but also in the week or so leading up to the event.As always, the tournament is bad news for many top-flight managers and fans alike. But how bad?


Wanting to find out who will be most affected, we've taken a club-by-club look at who will be hit most due to the call-ups and what they can do to combat the withdrawals.



Arsenal - Alex Song (Cameroon), Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast)
Arsenal have a rich history of African players playing at the Emirates, but only have two who will be away in January this time around - Alex Song and Emmanuel Eboue. Song, who helped Cameroon to the final in 2008, will be the bigger miss for the Gunners and he looks set to miss key games, including a home clash with Manchester United and trips to Goodison Park and Villa Park - a tough month for the Gunners. Denilson will likely come in to replace him, but does he have the quality to be as influential?


Aston Villa - Moustapha Salifou (Togo)
Villa are only missing one player in Moustapha Salifou when he represents Togo in January. Considering Salifou is not in the Martin O'Neill's first-team plans, the African Cup of Nations should have little impact on their season. Habib Beye's Senegal have not qualified.


Birmingham - None
With £40million to spend, Alex McLeish will be able to focus on transfers safe in the knowledge that none of his current squad will be involved in Angola.


Blackburn - None
Blackburn have several African players but Sam Allardyce won't have to worry. Christopher Samba's Congo have not qualified and neither have Benni McCarthy's South African side. El-Hadji Diouf has quit internationals but his Senegal haven't qualified in any case.
Bolton - Danny Shittu (Nigeria)Shittu won't be a big miss for Bolton given he's been unable to hold down a first-team place. Gary Megson therefore won't be too concerned - unless he suddenly sees his other centre-backs such as Gary Cahill and Zat Knight heading to the treatment room after the festive action.


Burnley - Andre Bikey (Cameroon)
Newly-promoted Burnley have made an impressive start to their season in England's top tier but they will be without the Cameroonian Andre Bikey come January. The defender will miss games away to Manchester United and at home to Chelsea. Perhaps more importantly to Owen Coyle's side, he will also be unavailable for the matches against Stoke and Bolton. Michael Duff should deputise in Bikey's absence.


Chelsea - Michael Essien (Ghana), Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (both Ivory Coast), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria) Chelsea are arguably the side who most fear the arrival of the African Cup of Nations every other January. As was the case in 2008, they will be missing four key players. Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou will represent the much-fancied Ivory Coast, so could well be missing all the way to the final, while Michael Essien (Ghana) and John Obi Mikel (Nigeria) will also be unavailable. The early-season form of Drogba and Essien has been impressive and they will be sorely missed, but the Blues' January schedule looks to be reasonably favourable. A home clash with Sunderland followed by away matches to relegation contenders Hull, Birmingham and Burnley mean Carlo Ancelotti should be able to have adequate cover. The recent lifting of a transfer ban will also help should they need replacements.


Everton - Joseph Yobo, Ayegbeni Yakubu, Victor Anichebe (all Nigeria)
The Toffees are another side, like Chelsea, where their squad will take a big hit come January because of the Nigerian contingent at Goodison Park. David Moyes has been without Victor Anichebe since February due to injury, but Joseph Yobo has played virtually every game so far this season and will be badly missed. Striker Yakubu will also be pined for if Louis Saha finds himself with another injury. The one piece of good news for Toffees' fans is that South African captain Steven Pienaar will be going nowhere - his side have failed to qualify.


Fulham - John Pantsil (Ghana), Dickson Etuhu (Nigeria)
Fulham are affected due to Nigeria and Ghana's participation. Nigerian midfielder Dickson Etuhu is an important part of Roy Hodgson's team and so is full-back John Pantsil, who will represent Ghana. The pair will miss crucial home games against Portsmouth and Villa along with trips to Spurs and Blackburn so Hodgson may have to rejig his squad to cope with the losses. However, South Africa aren't involved so Kagisho Dikgacoi will be available. Likewise, Diomansy Kamara's Senegal won't be in attendance in Angola.


Hull City - Kamel Ghilas (Algeria), Daniel Cousin (Gabon), Seyi Olofinjana (Nigeria)
If Phil Brown is still in charge come January, his team will be severely depleted by participation in Africa. He would probably have always expected Kamel Ghilas and Seyi Olofinjana to be heading off, but Gabon's surprise qualification means he will also be robbed of Daniel Cousin's services too. All three will be absent in a demanding month, which includes games against Manchester United and Chelsea. The home match with Wolves is probably of higher importance and Brown will hope to have some of his men back for that. Better news is that Kamil Zayatte's Guinea have missed out, while Ibrahima Sonko's Senegal are also not taking part.


Liverpool - None
At least the African Cup of Nations is not going to add to Rafa Benitez's woes. His transfer policy has been questioned in many quarters, but what he has not done is sign players who leave for a month biennially. Even Nabil El Zhar, very much a fringe player at Anfield, will be around as Morocco have not qualified.

Manchester City - Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Kelvin Etuhu (Nigeria) One suspects Mark Hughes would have had his finger crossed for a Togo defeat last weekend. That could have seen them miss out. However, Emmanuel Adebayor will now join Kolo Toure in Angola. At least Hughes knows the money is there if he wants to buy a replacement. Toure will be a bigger miss in defence than Adebayor due to the number of attacking options Hughes possesses. Perhaps he will turn to Benjani Mwaruwari, whose Zimbabwe team have not qualified.


Manchester United - None
There will be no re-jigging required for United come January as they have no African players. Given they face Arsenal away at the end of January, that is good news for Red Devils fans. It could be a key period, especially given title rivals Chelsea who, in contrast, will be badly hit by international call-ups.


Portsmouth - Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana), Nadir Belhadj, Hassan Yebda (both Algeria), John Utaka, Nwankwo Kanu (both Nigeria), Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast) Financially-stricken Portsmouth are the most affected in terms of numbers and could see as many as six players depart for Angola now that Kevin-Prince Boateng has declared himself available for Ghana. Pompey look sure to still be involved in a dogfight and games against West Ham, Fulham, Manchester City and Birmingham could be vital in the relegation scrap. At least Aaron Mokoena (South Africa) and Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal) will be around due to their nations not qualifying. With a transfer embargo still in place at present, it could be a tough time for Pompey. The likes of Danny Webber and Tommy Smith may have to step up in what will be a depleted forward line.


Stoke - Mamady Sidibe (Mali)
The Potters have dodged a bullet, mainly because their African contingent is almost enitrely made up by Senegalese players. Salif Diao, Amdy Faye, Abdoulaye Faye and Ibrahima Sonko (the latter currently on loan at Hull) are all Senegal internationals but the 'Lions of Teranga' have failed to qualify. That means striker Mamady Sidibe is the only player in question here - and even he may not be jetting off given he's recovering from a long-term injury. In any case, Stoke's squad is much stronger than it was so they should be able to cope - perhaps Tuncay Sanli will actually get to start a game!


Sunderland - John Mensah (Ghana)
Steve Bruce will see John Mensah leave for Angola to represent Ghana, but he has only started one game so far this season. He looks set to miss the home games versus Bolton and Stoke and away trips to Chelsea and Everton. Unless injuries mount up in the New Year, the tournament should have limited impact on Sunderland.


Tottenham - Sebastien Bassong, Benoit Assou-Ekotto (both Cameroon)
Harry Redknapp's rejuvenated squad could be without the Cameroon internationals Sebastian Bassong and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, the latter having made his debut earlier this year, something which could disrupt their top-four push. The pair will miss the crunch clash at Anfield, plus games with Hull, Fulham and Birmingham. Spurs have a big squad though, and the likes of Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson should be able to provide adequate cover.

West Ham - None
No hammer blow from Africa for the Hammers. They will even get to keep Herita Ilunga, whose DR Congo have not qualified. That's all good news for Gianfranco Zola as his side continues to battle against the drop.

Wigan - Richard Kingson (Ghana)
There are plenty of South Americans in residence at the JJB but few Africans. In fact the Latics will only lose back-up keeper Richard Kingson, a key member of the Ghana squad, in January.
Wolves - George Elokobi (Cameroon) Wolves would appear to have little to fear from the African Cup of Nations. Defender George Elokobi has declared his interest in playing for Cameroon but so far he's yet to be capped by the Indomitable Lions.

http://www.complete-sports.blogspot.com

Egypt Leader enters into football saga

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has stepped into a row with Algeria, vowing he will not tolerate the "humiliation" of Egyptian nationals abroad. The dispute was triggered by violence following football World Cup qualifying matches between the two north African Arab nations.
Algeria won the crucial play-off, but each side has accused the other's fans of attacking their supporters.

The governing body of world football, Fifa, is investigating the violence.
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says in a country where political demonstrations are usually heavily suppressed this is an unusual site and a further sign of how strained Egypt's relationship with Algeria has now become.

In the televised statement to a joint session of parliament, President Mubarak said his country will not be lax in defending the rights and integrity of its citizens. "Egypt does not tolerate those who hurt the dignity of its sons," he said. Although he did not mention Algeria by name, our correspondent says it was clear he was referring to the row that has occurred following violence that spilled over following the matches on 14 and 18 November. Mr Mubarak said: "We don't want to be drawn into impulsive reactions. I am agitated too, but I restrain myself." Algeria has demanded that Egypt stop what it describes as "a media campaign" against it following the violence.

On Friday, riot police had to quell a violent demonstration near the Algerian embassy in Cairo. Egypt's interior ministry said 35 people were injured. A day earlier, around 1,000 Egyptians burned Algerian flags in a street near the Algerian embassy. Algeria beat Egypt 1-0 in a play-off in Sudan on Wednesday. Protesters were incensed by reports that Egyptian fans at the match had been attacked as they left the stadium. Egypt has threatened to quit international football for two years after complaining to Fifa about Algerian fans' behaviour in Khartoum.
If Egypt does not go through with its threat, there is a chance the teams could meet again in less than three months, in the Cup of African Nations, hosted by Angola. The two teams were drawn in different groups at Friday's ceremony but could meet each other in the later stages.

Egypt's foreign ministry had summoned the Algerian ambassador to hear complaints about reports of attacks on Egyptian fans in Khartoum and on Egyptian businesses in Algeria.
The Egyptian ambassador in Algiers was than recalled "for consultations". Sudan has also summoned the Egyptian envoy in Khartoum, angry at Egyptian media coverage of the game's aftermath.

The Egyptian government alleges 21 of its citizens were attacked after the match, but Sudan says far fewer were injured. The teams needed the play-off in a neutral country to decide on qualification after the final group match between them on Saturday saw Egypt win 2-0, meaning the two teams finished tied at the top of the group with equal points and identical goal difference.
Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings against Egypt after the Algerian team bus was pelted with stones before the 14 November match in Cairo. Three Algerian players were injured by rocks thrown as they arrived.

Sam Allardyce to undergo heart surgery

Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is due to undergo heart surgery, his club has revealed.
Allardyce will not attend the Reebok Stadium clash between Blackburn and his old club after complaining of chest pains.

He has been diagnosed as having a narrowing artery and will need Coronary Angioplasty to repair it, Sky Sports reports.

"Sam is very disappointed, particularly at missing the Bolton fixture, but his well being is of prime consideration," said Rovers chairman John Williams.

"We all appreciate that Premier League football is a stressful business and prevention is always better than cure."

Allardyce is also expected to miss the matches against Fulham and Stoke, but is expected to return for Blackburn’s Carling Cup clash with Chelsea at the beginning of December.
Assistant manager Neil McDonald will take charge of the first team during Big Sam’s absence.

MURRAY SET TO OPEN TOUR FINALS

Home star Andy Murray will open the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday by taking on US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the first match in London.

Murray and Del Potro will take to the court not before 1415 GMT on Sunday for the first singles match of the season-ending event.

Murray leads their head-to-head record 4-1, although they have yet to face each other on an indoor hardcourt.

World number one Roger Federer will tackle Fernando Verdasco in the second Group A match later in the day at the O2 Arena.

Organisers have also announced the order of play for Monday's action, which will see the players in Group B enter the fray.

Rafael Nadal will take on Robin Soderling in the afternoon before title favourite Novak Djokovic faces Nikolay Davydenko.

Nadal will be seeking his 400th career win on the ATP Tour against a player who stunned the tennis world by beating him in the last 16 of this year's French Open.

Djokovic is much fancied for the title having won back-to-back tournaments this month in Basle and Paris, beating both Federer and Nadal in the process.

Group A will continue on Tuesday and Thursday, with Group B matches on Wednesday and Friday.

The top two in each group qualify for Saturday's semi-finals with the final on Sunday, November 29.

Barca's tough trip to Lions' den

The intimidating roar of San Mames awaits Barcelona in La Liga as Pep Guardiola's side start a critical week of action with a testing trip to face Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

The league leaders are just a point ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid, who host struggling Racing Santander, and the build up to next weekend's 'clasico' at the Nou Camp has already begun.

To complicate matters, preparation time is short after the break for internationals and Barca also have to host Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday in a game where defeat could end the defence of their European crown.

"It's vital to win in San Mames to give us confidence," Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes told a news conference.

"It's always important to hang on to the top spot, not only because the following week we play Real, but because San Mames has always been a tough place for us to visit."

Guardiola will be without the injured Eric Abidal and also have a doubt over Carles Puyol, who picked up a knock while on duty with Spain.

Bilbao, eighth, were hammered 4-1 by Barca in the King's Cup final last May, but the 'Lions' always provide opponents with a tough challenge built around the powerful figure of striker Fernando Llorente.

Real look to have an easier task at home on Saturday (1900) when they host 17th-placed Racing, who have only one league win to their name this season.

After sacking coach Juan Carlos Mandia last week, Racing have yet to appoint a full-time replacement but the visitors could benefit from a restless Bernabeu crowd as Pellegrini's side continue to struggle with inconsistency.

Real were booed from the pitch in their last home game after being knocked out of the King's Cup by third-tier Alcorcon.

Pellegrini received positive news when Cristiano Ronaldo passed a medical on his ankle during the week, and he could make the squad for Saturday after sitting out for over a month.

"It's great news for everyone. His presence is vital and we have missed him," Real sports director Miguel Pardeza told sports daily AS. "We need him."

Third-placed Sevilla are away to promoted Tenerife on Saturday and fourth-placed Valencia, who are unbeaten in 11 matches in all competitions, visit Osasuna on Sunday (2000).

Atletico Madrid, who are in the relegation zone, will try to resurrect their season with a tough away fixture at fifth-placed Deportivo Coruna on Saturday (1700).

Their preparations have been hindered by new coach Quique Sanchez Flores contracting the H1N1 flu.

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Novak Djokovic wins Paris Masters

PARIS (AP)—Third-seeded Novak Djokovic scrambled to a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3) victory over local favorite Gael Monfils on Sunday to win the Paris Masters for the first time.

The victory gave Djokovic back-to-back ATP Tour titles after his win over top-ranked Roger Federer in the Swiss Indoors final last Sunday.

The third-ranked Djokovic also beat World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in Paris and will be a strong favorite when he’ll try to defend his title at the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals from Nov. 22-29 in London.

“Winning back to back titles at this level is a huge achievement for me, and adding to that, beating the World No.1 and No. 2,” Djokovic said. “I really feel that I’m in great form right now.”

The Serb looked set for a comfortable triumph after winning the first set in just 30 minutes, but then struggled to stay at the same level.

“It was unbelievably difficult,” said Djokovic, who has won a record 76 matches on the tour this season and claimed his first Masters 1000 tournament of the year following defeats in four finals.

“Gael was very unpredictable and he was hitting the ball very good,” said Djokovic, who is 4-0 against Monfils.

Djokovic will defend his title at the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals from Nov. 22-29 in London.

The former Australian Open winner fell on his knees and screamed on the center court when Monfils—who was chasing his third career title— double-faulted on the first match point to give Djokovic his 16th career title.

“I didn’t find any solution in the beginning, I was playing too defensive”, Monfils said. “But I didn’t lose faith in my chances and I almost overturned the match.”

Losing only three points on his serve in the first set, Djokovic pumped his fist when he took a 5-2 lead with a forehand winner down the line. He won the set in the next game when Monfils hit his first double-fault.

But Djokovic made 21 unforced errors in the second set and Monfils finally gave his supporters something to cheer by converting his first break point of the match in the fifth game after Djokovic missed an easy backhand volley.

Monfils then leveled at 3-3 and kept the pressure on Djokovic, failing to convert three other chances to break before taking the Serb’s service with a return winner for a 6-5 lead.

In the final set, Djokovic broke in the fourth game with a little help from Monfils, who lost his serve with his third double-fault of the match. Djokovic also double-faulted on Monfils’ break point in the seventh game and the 15th-seeded Frenchman leveled at 4-4 and eventually force a tiebreaker.

“The support of the crowd was one of the probably crucial things of today’s match in his favor,” Djokovic said. “So that makes my success even bigger.”

Federer, Del Potro in same group for ATP Finals

LONDON (AP)—Top-ranked Roger Federer will play U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Murray in the round-robin phase of the ATP World Tour Finals.

After Wednesday’s draw, Federer also faces Fernando Verdasco in Group A. The Swiss star lost to Del Potro in the U.S. Open final.

“Obviously, I look forward to playing Roger,” Murray said. “I’ve played Juan a few times on the tour recently and also had a close match recently with Verdasco indoors in Valencia.”

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal was drawn into Group B with Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Robin Soderling.

The top two players in each group will advance to the semifinals of the season-ending tournament, which starts Sunday at the O2 Arena in London. The final is set for Nov. 29.

The tournament, which could earn an undefeated champion $1.63 million, features the top eight players in the world. Each round-robin match is worth $120,000, while the semifinal winners earn another $380,000 each. The champion will get an extra $770,000.

Federer, who regained the No. 1 ranking from Nadal this season, could still be overtaken by the second-ranked Spaniard because an undefeated winner of the tournament will claim 1,500 points in the rankings. Federer has 10,150 points while Nadal trails with 9,205.

Federer rebounded from a disappointing year in 2008 and completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open for the first time. He then reclaimed his Wimbledon title while breaking Pete Sampras’ career Grand Slam record with his 15th major title.

In the other two Grand Slam tournaments, Federer lost in five sets in the finals—to Nadal at the Australian Open and to Del Potro at the U.S. Open.

Despite winning the Australian Open, Nadal struggled with injuries throughout the 2009 season. He lost to Soderling in the fourth round at Roland Garros and then pulled out of Wimbledon, where he was the defending champion. He made the semifinals at the U.S. Open, but again was hampered by injuries and lost to Del Potro.

Djokovic, who won the ATP World Tour Finals in Shanghai last year, seems to be in the best form heading into this year’s tournament. The third-ranked Serb beat Federer in the Swiss Indoors final early this month, and then defeated Nadal in the Paris Masters semifinals en route to winning the tournament last Sunday.

Sixth-ranked Andy Roddick had been expected to play in London, but the Wimbledon finalist withdrew late Tuesday with a left knee injury. Ninth-ranked Soderling, who lost to Federer in the French Open final, is Roddick’s replacement.

In doubles, Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, Frantisek Cermak and Michal Mertinak, and Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram are in Group A. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes, Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach, and Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski are in Group B.

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IAAF: Semenya tests incomplete

Gender tests on South African athlete Caster Semenya are yet to be completed, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) revealed.

The 18-year-old had been expected to find out if she was eligible to compete as a woman on Friday.

But the IAAF said it will not discuss the case at its meeting in Monaco.

Semenya won the 800m at the World Championships in Berlin in August, only for her achievement to be overshadowed by the gender test revelations.

Depending on the test results, she could be suspended, told to have surgery or cleared to run as a woman.

The IAAF statement read: "The IAAF, the South African ministry of sport and recreation and Caster Semenya's representatives have been and still are in discussions with a view to resolving the issues surrounding Caster Semenya's participation in athletics.

"The IAAF will not comment upon the medical aspects of Caster Semenya's case. The medical testing of the athlete is still to be completed.

"There will be no discussion of Caster Semenya's case at the forthcoming IAAF council meeting to be held in Monaco on 20-21 November 2009. No further comment will be made on this subject until further notice."

BBC Sport understands the tests are likely to reveal Semenya, who is currently training at the University of Pretoria, has an intersex status.

Semenya burst on to the world scene when she ran one minute, 56.72 seconds for the 800m in July, smashing her previous personal best by more than seven seconds. 606: DEBATE
Give your thoughts on the Semenya controversy

She also broke Zola Budd's long-standing South African 800m record before arriving in Berlin as the newly crowned African junior champion. 

The teenager then left her rivals trailing in Berlin to win by 2.5 seconds from 2007 champion Janeth Jepkosgei in 1.55.45, the fastest time of the year.

Before the race, it was revealed that the IAAF demanded Semenya take a gender test before the World Championships amid fears she might not be able to run as a woman.

Following the findings of initial tests, the IAAF asked South Africa to withdraw her from their team for Germany but Athletics South Africa (ASA) insisted she should run and has since said it is certain she is female, a claim backed up by her family.

Earlier this month, South Africa's Olympic governing body suspended ASA president Leonard Chuene after he admitted that he lied about whether Semenya had been gender tested before Berlin.

The ASA board and its members have also been suspended pending a disciplinary investigation into the matter.

Wenger: Secrets of Our beautiful Game

In an in-depth interview, the Gunners boss uncovers how he teaches his young side to play what is universally regarded as the best football in the land.

For many purists, only European champions Barcelona are as pleasing on the eye as Wenger's Arsenal.

Spectacular combinations based on speed of body and mind, together with technical ability and power, have made the North Londoners the nation's favourite second team.

This season, more than any other since the Invincibles of 2003-04, Wenger's Gunners seem to be mounting a quietly confident title challenge - lying in the slipstream of leaders Chelsea.

With 36 League goals in 11 games they have scored seven more than the Blues and 13 more than Manchester United - even though they have played one game less.

Wenger's blueprint is based on intelligence, class, technique, and fitness. But the key ingredient is confidence, which makes individuals comfortable on the ball.

His players must always have choices and alternatives, which provide "solutions".

The legendary French boss has revolutionised the English game since arriving from Japan 13 years ago, changing dietary and training habits as well as the lifestyle of the top professionals.

But it is Arsenal's brand of football that is Wenger's biggest achievement.

The 'Arsenal way' is based on off-the-ball movement, with the main objective being to give the man on the ball as many alternatives as possible. Those solutions, as Wenger calls them, mean endless problems for Arsenal's rivals.

When he teaches his charges, Wenger uses what he calls "green lights" and "red lights" to show where his players must be when Arsenal are in possession.

Of course, like any teacher, he wants his pupils to stay well clear of the "red light" districts on the pitch.

Essentially, when an Arsenal player has the ball there must at least two possible passes he can make - the so-called green lights - and so on and so forth.

He said: "We work a lot on the potential of combinations between players. We plot it on the pitch and, once a player has the ball, there are red lights or green lights.

"The collective goal is to create the most possible green lights.

"That is to say to give passing solutions to the man with the ball and to leave the responsibility with that man to make the best choice possible, allowing the team to keep possession but at the same time - if possible - make the game progress towards the attack.

"So you must always offer the player solutions that allow him to utilise his intelligence around the game to the maximum."

The Arsenal boss, 60, accepts his biggest challenge as boss of a team that plays the 'Wenger way' is to prepare his team mentally. 

Over the last few years, a lot has been made of the mental fragility of his Gunners side.

Critics have argued that, while they may be easy on the eye, they are also easy to disrupt.

The way Arsenal collapsed in last season's Champions League semi-final against Manchester United is a case in point.

Their confidence was shattered after the Red Devils grabbed a two-goal lead inside 10 minutes in the second leg - and one of the biggest games in Arsenal's history turned into a procession for United.

Speaking on French radio, Wenger continued: "For it to work, players must make themselves available and we work on that in training.

"That's where top-level sport becomes really interesting, in finding a way to have the team in a position of psychological comfort so that they can offer solutions.

"Because you know that, when doubt creeps in, the green lights become red lights.

"Because each player takes fewer spontaneous initiatives and, all of a sudden, it's absolutely unbelievable at what speed all those lights become red and the player with the ball finds himself in the s***.

"Doubt is the key enemy of our game but, eventually, we must at the same time give our team the sense of availability.

"And, on a psychological level, we must give them a taste for audacity and for developing connections between each other."

Wenger insisted that to maintain the quality of Arsenal's game, he simply cannot afford to make too many changes or bring in too many players at once.

During the summer, only Thomas Vermaelen was brought in to bolster the Gunners' first-team squad.

He concluded: "When you change more than three players from game to game you take a technical risk.

"The balance of a team doesn't depend on one player but if you change three it's a grave risk, not only in a game but also in signing players.

"You change three players and bring in three or four new faces who do not know your playing philosophy and it can hit your team like the flu.

"Sometimes when the players are extremely intelligent they adapt very quickly and it can also click very quickly. But it's rare."

Eduardo pens new deal at Arsenal

 

Arsenal striker Eduardo has signed a new long-term contract at the club.

"Eduardo is a special player with huge talent," manager Arsene Wenger said. "We're so happy he has committed his future to Arsenal."

The 26-year-old Brazil-born Croatian joined the Gunners in July 2007 and has scored 18 goals in 48 appearances.

He has been a regular in the squad this season following his recovery from a badly broken leg, which sidelined him for almost a year.

"Eduardo is a human being full of courage, bravery and commitment," Wenger added.

"His full recovery from this injury is a testament to Eduardo's character. We all look forward to enjoying Eduardo's performances in an Arsenal shirt for a long time to come."

Eduardo has scored three times in 13 games this season, often featuring as a substitute.

But with Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott all sidelined by injury, Eduardo could be set for a run in the side.

"I am very pleased to have signed a new long contract with the club," he said.

"I'm very happy and I hope to stay at Arsenal for as long as I can. This period is good for me now. I feel strong in my body and I feel ready to play 90 minutes every three days if it's needed."

Eduardo showed off his match sharpness by scoring two goals in Croatia's 5-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein on Saturday. 606: DEBATE

"I went to Croatia last week and everybody was telling me Arsenal play the best football in Europe at the moment," he said.

"I agree with that. We feel we are strong now this season and we're all going to give everything to win trophies."

Eduardo suffered a fractured left fibula and an open dislocation of his left ankle after a tackle by Birmingham's Martin Taylor in February 2008. One year later, he marked his return with two goals against Cardiff in the FA Cup.

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Fighting Kalou Dropped by Ivory Coast

Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou and West Bromwich Albion defender Abdoulaye Meite were dropped for Ivory Coast's win over Guinea at the weekend as a punishment for fighting in training.

The Elephants had already qualified for next summer's World Cup in South Africa but went on to win the game in style anyway, triumphing 3-0.

The pair have drawn a line under the incident but could also be omitted from the friendly with Germany in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday night.

"Things got a little heated but we are human and these things can happen to us," Meite said, according to The Sporting Life.


"But in the end we understood that we have to preserve the spirit in the squad and so it's all forgotten now."

Kalou added: "Meite is a big brother, I have apologised and he has accepted it.


"It's a pity that it was between Abdoulaye and myself. We were punished and I have accepted that and that's how we move on.

"You recognise your mistake and you learn - we've talked and it's over."

Is Bernabeu The Right Place For Mourinho?

Italian journalist Nando Sanvito has suggested that current Inter boss Jose Mourinho's next move will be to Real Madrid, and that the Nerazzurri will replace him with current Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc.

'The Special One' is currently tied to the San Siro outfit until 2012, but he is frequently linked with moves elsewhere. Sanvito has hinted that the Portuguese could be on his way to the Santiago Bernabeu when he is finished with the Nerazzurri.

"Watch what happens in Madrid - we know what was happening ten days ago with [coach Manuel] Pellegrini," Sanvito said to ilsussidiario.net.

"I understand [Florentino] Perez has spoken to [Luiz Felipe] Scolari, but the Madrid president considers him a temporary solution. If he does not win the Champions League, Perez will turn to Mourinho."

Meanwhile, the journalist is confident that Inter have someone in mind to replace the Portuguese tactician.

"How will [president Massimo] Moratti deal with a farewell from Mourinho? He is not unprepared," he claimed.

"I understand they are courting Laurent Blanc, the Bordeaux manager, and the interest is reciprocated."

Forty-three-year-old Blanc is familiar with Inter, having featured for the Beneamata in the latter stages of his playing career.

Enough of The Nonsense

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has repulsed press calls for Antonio Cassano and Amauri to be included in the World Cup squad, claiming it's all nonsense.

Lippi has become bored with the same old mundane questions being fired at him. As ever, he was on hand to retaliate the provocations from local media in Italy.

"I don't think there is much to say. I have no intention to talk about Amauri, Cassano, of Lippi going back to Juventus. I don't want to talk about this nonsense," Lippi told the press.

Having showed rapid parlance to diffuse the moment of tension, the coach was more relaxed as he turned minds towards the friendly clash with Sweden.

"It's an important game and there will be some changes. I want to bring some modifications to the side in a contest that seems set to maintain a balance."

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Wenger: No Nasri Switch For Song

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not switch Samir Nasri to a defensive midfield position whilst Alex Song is away on African Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon in January.

Speculation has mounted as to who will fill in the holding role in Wenger's 4-3-3 formation, with many mooting a deeper role for Nasri.

However Wenger feels that the Frenchman is too offensively minded to do the job - not that he doesn't possess the talent for it.

"No, [he is not a replacement]. I do not say that he could not, Samir is very tactically astute, but he is attracted forwards. He loves the offensive game," Wenger told the Gunners' official website.

"We have Denilson who can fill that role. He is more suited than Samir at the moment. Samir is more a player who has pace, is versatile around the box and can finish.

"It would be a sacrifice to put him down there. Also he has a little handicap in the air.

"He likes [that defensive role] and certainly, technically and tactically, he can do it but I believe he can be more efficient up front."

Ronaldo Ready For a Come Back

Real Madrid fans can breathe a little easier after the club announced that Cristiano Ronaldo's comeback from his ankle injury is on track.

Los Blancos announced via their official website that 'CR9' was thoroughly examined by their medical staff and Dutch doctor Niek van Dijk on Tuesday, and all parties are happy that the player can resume training by the end of the week.

"After being observed throughout the day by Real Madrid's Medical Services and Dr. Van Dijk, as well as undergoing a clinical examination that included x-rays, it was decided that Cristiano Ronaldo should continue his recovery protocol until the final pre-established date which is next Friday, at which point he can resume group training."

Given his lack of fitness, it is highly unlikely that he will be risked by Manuel Pellegrini against Racing Santander this weekend.

However, he could feature against FC Zurich in next week's Champions League tie as he looks to gain match practice before the trip to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona in 'el Clasico' in 10 days time.

Jade Curtis is through to the semi-final

As the Caversham International AEGON Pro-Series draws to a close there is still British representation at the event in Jersey.

Jade Curtis is through to the semi-final of the $10k Women’s event after defeating tournament No.7 seed Kiki Bertens (NED) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. The tournament No.2 seed showed great character to come back from a set down to earn her place in the semi-final draw.

The British No.8 will meet No.6 seed Matea Mezak (CRO) as she hopes to go one better than her semi-final finish at the $10k AEGON Pro-Series event in Sunderland last week.

Curtis said: “I think I went walkabout in the first set but recovered my composure to take the second and thirds set and now looking forward to meeting Mezak in the semis.”

If Curtis does reach the final she could face Timea Babos (HUN), the player who defeated her in the semi-finals in Sunderland. Babos went on to win the event in Sunderland and the 16 year old Hungarian, who recently announced that she will train at the Gosling IHPC, will be hoping to defeat No.3 seed Kinnie Laisne (FRA) to reach her second British final in two weeks.

Meanwhile in the women’s doubles, Jennifer and Jessica Ren were defeated 2-6, 2-6 by the in form Babos and her partner Malou Ejdesgaard (DEN) whilst Curtis was unable to replicate her win against Bertens in the singles, losing with partner Kelly Anderson (RSA) 6-7(2), 1-6 to No.3 seeds Bertens and Danielle Harmsen (NED).

In the men’s doubles event Josh Goodall and his partner Pierre-Ludovic Duclos (CAN) took part in the most entertaining doubles match of the day, taking the first set 7-6(1) before losing the second set and championship tie break and with it, the match 7-6(1), 1-6, 5-10 against the Finnish pairing Henri Kontinen and Jarkko Nieminen.

In the other semi-final Dan Smethurst and Marcus Willis were defeated 1-6, 2-6 by tournament No.4 seeds Frederik Nielsen (DEN) and Joseph Sirianni (AUS).

Elsewhere the European University Team Tennis Championships got underway yesterday at the Gosling IHPC. With 15 men’s and women’s university teams from all over the UK and Europe going head to head, the tournament has already providing some major upsets.

The men’s 4th seeded Dublin City University bowed out to Stirling, in a hotly contested play off whilst in the women’s event, Bath crept through against 4th seeds DCU 2-1 in the pro tie break shoot out.

The men’s semi finals see Rouen face Stirling and Leeds Met play Loughborough today and in the women’s, Loughborough play Rouen while Bath take on Leeds Met.

This is the 3rd year that the European Collegiate Tennis Association has run a European University Tennis league but it is the first time it has been held at Gosling.

Yasmin Clarke has won the AEGON British Tour in Hull after defeating fellow Briton Yvanna Kurlak 6-1, 6-1, whilst David Brewer secured the men’s title after Robin Goodman was forced to retire through injury.

Nick Jones has beaten tournament No.3 seed Nathan Pasha after recovering from a set down to secure a 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 at the Grade 4 ITF Boys’ singles event in Florida (USA). Jones will now meet his doubles partner and No.1 seed Micke Kontinen (FIN) in the semi-finals.

Jones and Kontinen pair up in the final of the doubles event after 6-2, 6-3 victory over Americans Connor Farren and Mitchell Polnet. The duo face another all-American pairing Alex Robles and Bjorn Fratangelo.

Djokovic and Monfils reach final

Novak Djokovic extended his run of fine form by hammering Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3 in the Paris Masters semi-finals.

The Serbian world number three produced a near-flawless display to end Nadal's hopes of a first title since May.

Djokovic, who beat Roger Federer in the Basle final last week, will now face France's Gael Monfils after he battled past Czech Radek Stepanek 6-4 5-7 6-4.

Monfils served for the match in the second set before Stepanek broke twice to level, but battled on to go through.

Djokovic took control of Saturday's semi-final as he earned three break points in the sixth game, firing a backhand winner on the first.

Nadal, struggling on his serve, went on to offer his opponent three set points with an unforced error two games later.

Djokovic hit a return winner on the first, wrapping up the set in 33 minutes.

The 22-year-old stayed on top in the second, winning the first two games to love and breaking Nadal in the second with a forehand winner.


Four-time French Open champion Nadal, who has yet to win the Paris indoor crown, never looked like challenging Djokovic's superiority.

The Serb sealed victory with a superb forehand on the first match point after just 76 minutes.

"There's not much to say about today's performance, except that it was perfect," said Djokovic.

"It went exactly the way I wanted. Tactically, I did everything I wanted to do before the match. I was very aggressive, took early control of the match and it paid off.

"Today was one of those days when you feel everything is going right, everything is working for you."

Nadal said: "I've never played against Djokovic when he's been at this level before," said Nadal. "He played very well, unbelievable in my opinion.
Monfils made the most of the home support to battle past Stepanek


"When Novak plays at that level it's very difficult to play him, especially on a hard, fast court."

Monfils had to work much harder to secure a place in his first Masters Series final during a tense match against Stepanek.

The home favourite lost his serve in only the second game but fought back to take the opening set 6-4.

The 15th seed then served for the match at 5-4 in the second but saw Stepanek break, with the Czech then producing some inspired strokes to break again and take the set 7-5.

But Monfils was not to be denied, breaking in the ninth game of the final set and then winning his service game to provoke wild celebrations from the partisan home supporters.

"I was maybe thinking too much about the final and I lost my concentration at times but I never really doubted," said Monfils.

"Playing a final in France is a special occasion. Now I have to live up to it."

Brazil's Class Out beat England

An under strength England team were no match for Brazil as they went down 1-0 in Qatar to a Nilmar header.

England, playing with determination, held out until half time against a slick Brazilian outfit.

For all their domination of the first forty five minutes Brazil were restricted in their chances as England were forced back on the defensive for long periods.

The winner came just after the break when Nilmar headed Elano's pass beyond Ben Foster after 47 minutes.

The victory could have been more comfortable had Luis Fabiano not missed a penalty in which Foster was fortunate only to see yellow after bringing down Nilmar.

Lucio then stuck the woodwork from distance, while James Milner volleyed England's best chance over the top in the second half.

Brazil were rarely troubled by the Three Lions, though coach Fabio Capello will have been pleased with how his makeshift side coped in the heat.

Mourinho Dreams of England Return

Inter coach Jose Mourinho is clearly missing English football as much as many feel it misses him.

The former Chelsea coach is certainly not lacking success as boss of the Italian champions who currently lead Serie A, but he believes English football is more conducive to development.

"Clearly it is unrealistic to expect to stay at a club as long as Sir Alex Ferguson - but I am ready for the next phase of my career. I want to work with a different perspective,” he said, according to the Guardian.

"I want to build something."

The always outspoken coach went on to say he did not consider his former club Chelsea to be one that epitomises what he expects from an English club.

He added, "At Porto my objective was to win to earn the right to go abroad. At Chelsea my ambition was to create a bit of history.

"But I always knew Chelsea lacked the normal English culture of stability.

"I was never under any illusions. I understood the personality of [owner] Roman Abramovich and the culture of the people around him. I knew it was not a job for 10 years."

Martin's Double Strikes Helps Nigeria Through

Second placed Super Eagles went into this match with one eye on the Harambee Stars and the other on the simultaneous encounter between group leaders Tunisia (nicknamed Carthage Eagles) and Mozambique. The millions of desperate Nigerians watching the match knew that the team's destiny was not in their hands, and they needed a favour from Mozambique in order to book a spot in South Africa at Tunisia's expense.

Nigeria began the match brightly, with an early free kick falling to the visitors, but Osaze’s effort was blocked out for a corner. The Nigerians were visibly in control from the start, but the Kenyans fought back and the less than full house at the Kasarani Stadium willed their heroes forward.

In the 12th minute of the match Yakubu Ayegbeni missed a chance that he should have converted, after Osaze did well to get him the ball. On the opposite side of the pitch and against the run of play it was Kenya that bulged the back of the net with the opening goal in the 15th minute, piling more misery onto the dejected Super Eagles. Dennis Oliech had promised to score against the Super Eagles, and he did just that, with Everton's Joseph Yobo unable to clear the ball off the goal line as the Kenyan star sent the watching crowd into fits of happiness.

The Nigerians responded immediately, as Yobo, the captain, attempted to equalise but his effort was cleared off the line before the resolute Harambee Stars stopped another Nigerian attack minutes later. The visitors were throwing everything forward, and opening themselves up to be attacked on the counter, winning a number of corners but failing to convert attacking pressure into goals.

At this point in the match, the Tunisian game remained goalless, and the Nigerian coach must have been praying for a miracle. Oliech would have made it 2-0 for Kenya after he drove into the Nigerian defence but Enyeama saved from close range to deny him.

The pace of the game slowed towards the end of the first half, with a number of injuries for both national teams forcing a slower passing game to emerge from the ashes of the frantic early attacks, but Nigeria suddenly found themselves with one half left to play and in a very difficult position considering what they needed from both their match and that of Tunisia.

The second half began with more frustration for the Nigerians, as constant pressure in attack reaped little reward. In the 56th minute a Yobo header off Mikel’s corner was well saved by goalkeeper Willis Ochieng, as Nigeria pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Time was not on Nigeria’s side, but they finally found the breakthrough in the 62nd minute, shortly after a shot from the extremely busy Yobo banged against the cross bar. The man who brought them level was none other than former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins, with a typical effort from the talented front man to give the visitors hope.

The side would soon celebrate their second of the game as they took the lead through Yakubu Ayegbeni in the 67th minute. The sudden urgency displayed by the Nigerians allowed them to score the goals needed, and they knew that the result in the Tunisia match would be the deciding factor. The two goals in quick succession prompted fans to throw things onto the pitch, delaying the game momentarily.

Nigeria seemed destined to win the encounter, but Kenya threw a spanner into the works, as Allan Wanga equalised with a header in the 79th minute. The football gods were as playful (or cruel if you side with Tunisia of course) as can be, as a late winner for Mozambique gave them the win in the other match, which put the Super Eagles' fate in their own hands. Suddenly a hero emerged for Nigeria, giving them the goal that would send them to South Africa. In an incredible twist of fate, a second goal from Martins in the 83rd minute handed the Super Eagles a hard fought win in Nairobi.

The dramatic result lifted Nigeria to top the group, having leapfrogged Tunisia on the final day, thus qualifying for the World Cup finals while Tunisia miss out. The loss for Kenya means that they did not qualify for the African Cup of Nations in Angola, as Mozambique take that honour thanks to their win.

Chelsea transfer ban is suspended

Chelsea's transfer ban has been suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final review.

Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract.

But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said on Friday: "Such sanctions are now stayed until a final decision."

The decision means Chelsea can sign players in January, though manager Carlo Ancelotti stated he is happy with the players currently at his disposal.

"Now, thanks to this decision we have time to look for new players," said Ancelotti, who will lose Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and John Mikel Obi to the African Nations Cup in January.

"We don't want to take a decision in this moment. At the moment, I'm very happy with the squad, these players, and it's not necessary at the moment to take new players.

"I know we will lose four in January but if we maintain the players' fitness we can do a good period also without the African players.

"Now our focus is on the game on Sunday. We can buy players in January, but now we have other questions to answer. It's not important now what we can do in January."

No date has been given for a final decision from Cas but the case is not expected to be concluded until spring of next year.

Fifa had banned the Premier League leaders in September from any activity during the next two transfer windows after they were found guilty of inducing Kakuta, now aged 18, to breach his contract with French club Lens in 2007.

Under the terms of the original Fifa punishment, French teenager Kakuta was ordered to pay compensation of 780,000 euros (£710,000), for which Chelsea were "jointly and severally liable".

Chelsea were also told to pay Lens "training compensation" of 130,000 euros (£118,000).

Success is consistency and quality: Wenger

"Four years without a trophy." It's a refrain which permeates much of what is written and said about Arsenal and it won't stop until Arsène Wenger adds another pot to his bulging collection.

The Frenchman is convinced that his team will end its wait for silverware this season and many would agree with him on the evidence of their flying start in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Carling Cup.

Wenger has already brought three League titles and four FA Cups to north London but, although an eighth major trophy would look good on paper, he insists that success should be judged on a much broader scale.

"Success is measured by consistency and quality," said the manager ahead of the trip to Wolves.

"I don’t deny that it is measured by trophies, it is a part of it, what I deny sometimes is the comparison of the trophies. For example, when people say, 'is winning the Carling Cup more difficult than to go to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League?' I say no.

"But to win the championship or Champions League, that is of course a trophy that you measure the success of a team by.

"When people say 'you have no trophy for four years', I say ‘yes, you are right’ but in these four years we were in the final of the Champions League and the Semi-Final of the Champions League too. Had we won the Carling Cup, people would not say that.

"For example you go out in the first round of the Champions League and you win the Carling Cup, you have one trophy. But for me it’s worse."

CHELSEA must beat Manchester United if they are to reclaim the Premier League crown

CHELSEA must beat Manchester United tomorrow if they are to reclaim the Premier League crown.

The title is never awarded in November, but it could be decided in January - when the Blues will lose four key men to the African Nations Cup.

Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, John Obi Mikel and, perhaps most importantly, Didier Drogba will all ride off into the Angolan sunset with their respective countries.

That will give rivals United a massive advantage going into the second half of the season.

Never mind that Chelsea were yesterday handed back their licence to bring in players when the transfer window opens in January.

Alex Ferguson knows that even if the Blues were given December to buy players as well, they would never be able to replace their African quartet.

That is why Chelsea must try to press home their advantage now.

They are currently two points ahead of the Red Devils going into tomorrow's crunch. But that gap will not be enough come January.

And if the Londoners are to have any chance of winning back the title they need to create more distance between themselves and the team who will ultimately challenge them for the crown come May.

United have hardly been firing on all cylinders since Cristiano Ronaldo departed for the Bernabeu in the summer.

But worryingly for Carlo Ancelotti - not to mention Arsene Wenger and Rafa Benitez - Alex Ferguson's side are still hard on the Blues' heels in the title race.

And they will surely fancy their chances of clawing back any deficit when Chelsea's African stars are called away on international duty.

You might have thought that Ronaldo's departure would have caused Fergie's men to lose some of their mojo. And there is no doubt United are a shadow of the team they were with the Portuguese star in their ranks.

But when the going gets tough, it seems they still know where to pull out a point or three. You have to admire their tenacity and resilience.

Any other club would have thrown in the towel long ago. After all, look at Liverpool without Torres. Or Arsenal without Fabregas.

But not United. Like a Duracell battery, they keep going on, and on, and on, and on...

They are hardly steamrollering teams, but you simply cannot bet against them for the title.

Even without Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic at the heart of their defence, you know they are not done for. Jonny Evans and Wes Brown are more than capable understudies and I expect the latter to be in England's World Cup squad next summer.

And the displays of Darren Fletcher, Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney this season - along with Michael Owen's cameos - have gone some way to glossing over Ronaldo's absence.

Any team would miss a player like Ronaldo - even Barcelona would struggle without Lionel Messi. But I suspect they would not fare as well as United have without Ronaldo.

Nor Chelsea without their African foursome.

One plus for Ancelotti is the return of Joe Cole. The England star's enthusiasm and skill have been sorely missed. His return will be like a new signing for the team that has been noticeably weaker in his absence.

Cole is getting stronger and stronger with each week back in the first team. And that is just as well for he will have to carry the load when Essien and Co head for Angola.

It is a lot to ask of any player, let alone one that has just returned from injury.

And that is why you have to fear for Chelsea's title chances if they do not win tomorrow.

Ancelloti Rules Out Liverpool's Premier League Title

CARLO ANCELOTTI last night piled more pressure on Rafa Benitez by ruling out Liverpool's title chances.

The Chelsea boss reckons Manchester United and Arsenal are Blues' only serious rivals for the Premier League crown.

He said: "We can't think about Liverpool at this moment because they are behind."

Table-topping Chelsea face United at Stamford Bridge tomorrow with a two-point advantage over Alex Ferguson's men. Liverpool are nine points off the pace in sixth spot.

Ancelotti insisted: "The title is not just between Chelsea and United. No, I think Arsenal have good possibilities to arrive in first place. Arsenal have a very good team.

"But we must concentrate on United. It's an important game. We will play the second team in the Premier League but it's just a game that carries three points like the others.

"We know very well that it will be a very difficult match but also a very interesting match.

"I think we are doing very well at this moment, we are in good condition. We have a very good mental attitude at this moment."

Ancelotti has been boosted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to lift the Chelsea transfer ban pending further investigation into Gael Kakuta's move from Lens.

But the Chelsea boss says he does not need to splash the cash.

He said: "We now have this possibility to sign players but, at this moment, I'm very happy with the squad."

Nominee For FIFA Award

Premier League stars have been nominated for the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year, which also includes six players from Barcelona's all-conquering side, and also six from the Spanish national camp.

The winner of the coveted annual award will be announced at the 19th Fifa World Player Gala, at the Zurich Kongresshaus, on Monday December 21.

Full details of the nominees have been disclosed below.

NOMINEES FOR 2009 FIFA WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Michael Ballack - Germany, Chelsea
Gianluigi Buffon - Italy, Juventus
Iker Casillas - Spain, Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal, Real Madrid
Diego - Brazil, Juventus
Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast, Chelsea
Michael Essien - Ghana, Chelsea
Samuel Eto'o - Cameroon, Inter
Steven Gerrard - England, Liverpool
Thierry Henry - France, Barcelona
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden, Barcelona
Andres Iniesta - Spain, Barcelona
Kaka - Brazil, Real Madrid
Frank Lampard - England, Chelsea
Luis Fabiano - Brazil, Sevilla
Lionel Messi - Argentina, Barcelona
Carles Puyol - Spain, Barcelona
Franck Ribery - France, Bayern Munich
Wayne Rooney - England, Manchester United
John Terry - England, Chelsea
Fernando Torres - Spain, Liverpool
David Villa - Spain, Valencia
Xavi - Spain, Barcelona


NOMINEES FOR 2009 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Nadine Angerer - Germany
Sonia Bompastor - France
Cristiane - Brazil
Inka Grings - Germany
Mana Iwabuchi - Japan
Simone Laudehr - Germany
Marta - Brazil
Birgit Prinz - Germany
Kelly Smith - England
Abby Wambach - USA

Kimi named F1 Richest

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen has been named Formula One's biggest earner, pocketing nearly three times as much as the next best-paid driver.

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The Finn's 2009 salary is £27.35 million, according to a list published by Arabian Business magazine, dwarfing the £10.9m paid to outgoing world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Another former world champion, Renault's Fernando Alonso took home £9.1m, with Williams' Nico Rosberg surprisingly fourth ahead of Raikkonen team-mate Felipe Massa.

Raikkonen leaves Ferrari at the end of the season, when Alonso replaces him, and his massive pay demands explain his difficulty securing a drive for 2010, with McLaren and Toyota interested in his services.

Newly crowned world champion Jenson Button earned 'just' £3.05m after taking a 50 per cent pay cut to drive for Brawn in 2009.

The Briton is in negotiations over a new deal with Brawn, and has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if the team cannot restore his salary to its 2008 level.

Four drivers went unpaid - Kazuki Nakajima (Williams), Romain Grosjean (Renault) and Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi (both Force India F1) - went unpaid.

Total salaries for F1 drivers totalled £81.9m, an average of £3.9m per driver.

List compiler Tom Rubython said: "There may be a global recession going on but being an F1 driver means you earned a fortune this year. These figures are just basic salaries, and don't include sponsorship and other income, which can often be three times that amount."

Full list of F1 2009 driver salaries:

1. Kimi Raikkonen £27.35m

2. Lewis Hamilton £10.9m

3. Fernando Alonso £9.1m

4. Nico Rosberg £5.15m

5. Felipe Massa £4.85m

6. Jarno Trulli £3.95m

7. Sebastian Vettel £3.65m

8. Mark Webber £3.35m

9. Jenson Button £3.05m

10. Robert Kubica £2.75m

11. Heikki Kovalainen £2.1m

12. Nick Heidfeld £1.7m

13. Timo Glock £1.2m

14. Giancarlo Fisichella £0.9m

15. Sébastien Buemi £0.9m

16. Rubens Barrichello £600,000

17. Jaime Alguersuari £300,000

18. Vitantonio Liuzzi £0

19. Adrian Sutil £0

20. Romain Grosjean £0

21. Kazuki Nakajima £0

What the F1 teams spent on drivers in 2009:

1. Ferrari £32.2m

2. McLaren-Mercedes £13.05m

3. Renault £9.1m

4. Red Bull Racing £7m

5=. Toyota £5.15m

5=. Williams £5.15m

7. BMW-Sauber £4.45m

8. Brawn GP £3.65m

9. Scuderia Toro Rosso £1.2m

10. Force India £900,000