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A veteran coordinator, Chavis spent the last three years at Texas A&M.

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In three seasons at Penn State, Saquon Barkley had 5,538 all-purpose yards and 53 touchdowns.

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• Draws down to ill fortune, bad refereeing decisions and injuries, says manager • ‘We have lots of problems. We lost Lukaku, we lost Ibrahimovic for a month’ José Mourinho is becoming ever more desperate to explain Manchester United’s slump. Saturday’s torpid stalemate with Southampton at Old Trafford was the third consecutive game his side took only a point, following the 2-2 draws against Leicester City and Burnley . As Manchester City end the year with a 15-point advantage over United, Mourinho’s side are third and appear devoid of spark and creativity. Asked why, the Portuguese, who once bent title races to his will, cited ill fortune, bad refereeing decisions and injury. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Cy7qDL

• Liverpool forward likely to miss Monday’s trip to Burnley with injury • Virgil van Dijk to finalise £75m move to Anfield from Southampton Jürgen Klopp has said Mohamed Salah exceeds all the expectations Liverpool’s scouting department had of the Egypt international and has made his attack a more unpredictable force. No Liverpool player has scored more goals before new year than Salah, who equalled Roger Hunt’s record of 23 from 1961-62 with a match-winning double against Leicester City on Saturday . The 25-year-old missed several first-half chances against Claude Puel’s team before extending Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 15 matches and Klopp believes that recovery is the mark of a player brimming with confidence. He also admitted Salah has shown different qualities to what Liverpool had seen before signing him for £36.9m from Roma in the summer . Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CprvOI

• Spurs’ defender’s deal contains £25m release clause • ‘Toby still has two and a half years. It’s important the fans trust Daniel Levy’ Mauricio Pochettino has sought to reassure the Tottenham Hotspur support over the future of Toby Alderweireld, urging them to stay calm and put their trust in the chairman, Daniel Levy. Alderweireld’s contract contains a one-year extension option, which is scheduled to activate in the summer of 2019 and would see him contracted until 2020. But it also features a £25m release clause. In the summer of 2019, the central defender would be permitted to leave if a rival club were to pay £25m and complete the transfer at least 14 days before the closure of the window. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2zTJCY1

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The Tigers and Tide have built a mutual respect over the course of two national title battles. Now it's game recognize game for one more game.

A bevy of stops along Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney's career culminate in Monday's Rose Bowl. 

Our weekend roundup of the best photography from England’s top flight • Follow us on Instagram for more great sports photography Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CxNNLR

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A landmark game for Arsène Wenger ended in a mixture of anger and frustration as West Bromwich Albion salvaged a draw with a controversial penalty two minutes from time. Wenger, who was taking charge of a record 811th Premier League match, reacted furiously to Mike Dean’s decision to penalise Calum Chambers for handball only five minutes after Alexis Sánchez appeared to have helped win the game for Arsenal. The protests from the Arsenal players continued after the final whistle, two points having slipped through their fingers, yet Wenger’s side were their own worst enemy on an afternoon when they went through the motions at times. Sánchez hit a late free-kick that found the net via a heavy deflection off James McClean, who had turned his back in the Albion wall, and with only seven minutes remaining Arsenal should have been able to see the game out. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2q6tbaP

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Crystal Palace produced a masterclass in absorbing pressure and attacking the league leaders’ key weaknesses to bring Pep Guardiola’s winning streak to an end The technical areas were a study in difference. On one side was the pencil thin, shaven-headed figure of Pep Guardiola, arms folded, sleek in his black bomber jacket. In the other were two figures dressed in black but that was the only similarity between them. That football could have produced two such disparate groups, practically separate species, is testament to its infinite richness. There was Roy Hodgson, hands thrust in the pockets of his padded car coat, fretting and shrugging like an anxious owl, carefully wiping his feet every time he left the grassy area for the track. And beside him, behind him, around him, flapping about in a waterproof jacket, his assistant Ray Lewington, hair awry, arms thrusting with instruction. From behind he resembled some sort of demonic cross between Game of Thrones’ Alliser Thorne and Father...

A one-time Six Flags employee, WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown has starred during Oklahoma's thrilling rollercoaster season. 

It is a measure of Manchester City’s divine attacking rhythm of the last few months that a goalless draw away from home against Roy Hodgson’s improving Crystal Palace will be hailed as a minor triumph for the Premier League title race, such as it is. It was a fine afternoon for Palace, who produced a performance of energy and ambition to more than play their part in a thrilling goalless draw. They even managed to miss a penalty near the end, Ederson saving Luka Milivojevic’s poor kick with two minutes left on the clock. This would perhaps have been an injustice given the ease with which Wilfred Zaha tumbled like broken reed under Raheem Sterling’s challenge. More concerning for City fans was the sight of Kevin De Bruyne being carried off on a stretcher after Jason Puncheon’s crunching tackle towards the end of a bruising game for both teams. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lsTsvr

• Club say Bramley Moore Dock plan will cost ‘significantly more’ than £300m • ‘Ambitious capacity’ set to be a big increase on Goodison Park’s 39,572 Everton have confirmed the costs of their proposed new stadium at Bramley Moore dock have “escalated significantly” and they now intend to move for the start of the 2022-23 season. The Goodison Park club last month agreed a 200-year lease on the waterfront site with owners Peel Land and Property Limited, conditional upon planning consent and securing funding for the construction. Both the funding and planning permission are expected to be in place early next year, along with publication of the stadium designs by Meis Architects, but Everton will have to loan significantly more than the initial £300m projected costs of their new home. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2ElqnKd

• Young charge follows incident during Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Southampton • Swansea City defender Kyle Naughton also charged with violent conduct Manchester United’s Ashley Young has been charged with violent conduct following an incident in Saturday’s match against Southampton, the Football Association has announced. The 32-year-old England international appeared to strike Dusan Tadic with his elbow at a corner-kick during the second half of United’s 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. The incident was not seen by the referee Craig Pawson but was caught on video, prompting the FA to take action. Young has until 5pm on Sunday to respond to the charge. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Cosrmx

• Warburton leaves City Ground with team 14th in Championship • Renewed optimism around club not matched by faith in manager Nottingham Forest are looking for a new manager after losing faith in Mark Warburton and sacking him on the back of their 14th league defeat of the season. Warburton was informed on Sunday morning that the club, currently 14th in the Championship with only one win from their last seven games, wanted a change after a poor run of form that has featured back-to-back defeats against managerless Sheffield Wednesday and relegation-threatened Sunderland. Frank McParland, the director of football, has also left the City Ground and Gary Brazil, the academy director, will take charge of the first-team game at Leeds on a caretaker basis. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Cg993n

The winter window opens on 1 January with most clubs desperate to make signings. Here we look at the 20 clubs and the players they hope will arrive Arsène Wenger anticipates that he will be busier fielding enquires about fringe players in his squad – he would be open to moving a few out – but he would be interested in an addition if the opportunity presented itself. The want-away Alexis Sánchez will draw the focus. He might prefer to wait for a Bosman move in the summer but an offer from Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain would change the dynamic. Arsenal would be compelled to consider it. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2q48ahd

Led by its stoic head coach, Wisconsin pushed Miami astray from its winning ways in the Orange Bowl.

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Miami coach Mark Richt had to be restrained after grabbing an official late in the first half of the Orange Bowl.

The talented pair reminded college football how much they'll be missed.

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The Pac-12 had the worst bowl season ever for a Power-5 Conference, topping the Big Ten's 1-6 record in 2008.

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Saquon Barkley's run was the longest bowl run in school history for the Nittany Lions. 

• Angry Wenger says constant grilling on Sánchez’s future is ‘unbelievable’ • ‘It’s better we talk about Wilshere. To come back like he has shows character’ The warm glow of victory had disappeared as Arsène Wenger entered the cramped corridor next to the press room at Selhurst Park late on Thursday night. Arsenal’s manager had just spent a few minutes batting away questions about Alexis Sánchez’s contractual situation after the Chilean’s virtuoso performance in the win over Crystal Palace and he had a point to make to the reporters who were waiting to speak to him next. Normal interviewing procedure went out of the window. Fed up with being quizzed about Sánchez’s mindset, Wenger spoke before there was a chance to ask him anything. “When he plays well it’s a problem,” he said. “When is it not a problem? It’s unbelievable.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2DAUz2D

• Wenger to break record for number of Premier League games on Sunday • Pardew wants January attacking additions to haul West Brom out of trouble When Arsène Wenger breaks the Premier League record for number of games in charge on Sunday afternoon Alan Pardew will be the first rival manager to congratulate him. The new man in charge at West Bromwich Albion has had the odd run-in with his Arsenal counterpart in the past – “It was just the one run-in, there have been plenty of games before and since where nothing’s happened” – but has worked out a plan to acknowledge Wenger’s milestone . Related: Alan Pardew out to ‘free up’ West Brom by injecting flair and excitement Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CrcjOC

Baker Mayfield emerged from two days of public absences due to an illness, but his recovery remains the top story ahead of Oklahoma's Rose Bowl appearance.

Iowa State recorded its first lost fumble of the season at the worst possible time.

The Crimson Tide is acting like David taking on Goliath when it is actually the betting favorite.

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Ryan Bennett headed an injury-time winner to put Wolves 10 points clear at the top of the Championship as both sides finished the match with 10 men. The substitute pounced to convert a Barry Douglas free-kick from the right and delight the visiting fans behind the goal at the end of an action-packed game. Wolves had their captain, Danny Batth, sent off for a 14th-minute challenge on Hordur Magnusson when he slid in with studs raised 35 yards from Bristol City’s goal. Four minutes later their manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, was sent to the stands by the referee, Peter Bankes, apparently for words spoken to the fourth official. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CmFEvX

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By taking a stand over racial abuse he has received, Liverpool’s 17-year-old striker shames those who run the game but offers hope for the next generation It isn’t easy knowing whether the people occupying football’s ivory towers have actually noted what Rhian Brewster has had to say in the past few days. Unless I have missed it, the executives at Uefa and Fifa have not uttered a word in response and, frankly, that is no surprise whatsoever. Anyone calling Uefa since 22 December would get a cheery answerphone message saying its offices are closed and the lights are out until 4 January. Fifa, meanwhile, is on its own extended Christmas break. “Hope you are not in a hurry,” one of its press aides told me. Related: Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster: ‘When I’m racially abused, I just want to be left alone’ Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CdvzSN

Tua Tagovailoa would prefer everyone support Jalen Hurts during the Sugar Bowl, but the nature of Alabama demands that the two QBs be pitted against each other.

Manchester United again managed only a point when three is the requirement. This latest draw followed those with Leicester City and Burnley and means José Mourinho’s side slips to third in the table behind a resurgent Chelsea. United are becalmed and the downbeat mood is furthered by concern over Romelu Lukaku, the top scorer taken off early due to a clash of heads. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lpN0Ft

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A late contender for the worst game of 2017 illustrated just why a Newcastle United side without a home win since October will spend the first part of the New Year embroiled in a relegation skirmish. Brighton are far from safe but Chris Hughton looked somewhat happier than Rafael Benítez at the end of an afternoon when both sides could have been forgiven for wanting to turn back the clock and return to their former lives dominating last season’s Championship. The first half was almost as messy as the remnants of Friday’s snow which had left Tyneside’s pavements covered by a deceptively treacherous half-frozen sludge. It might have been different had Anthony Knockaert been able to use his right foot properly. Brighton’s French winger – who was deployed down the right here – proved the best attacking player on show, but his side’s heavy dependence on his left foot slowed their game down at vital moments, frequently permitting Paul Dummett, Knockaert’s marker, to reassert himself. Conti...

In Jürgen Klopp’s eyes the £75m that Liverpool are paying for Virgil van Dijk is “not nice” but Mohamed Salah represents “a catch” at £36.9m. It was not hard to agree with both assessments as the Egypt international continued his prolific form to inspire an outstanding Liverpool comeback against Leicester City. Salah struck two more superb goals to overturn Jamie Vardy’s early opener at Anfield and take his season’s tally to 23 in all competitions. In doing so, the summer signing from Roma equalled Roger Hunt’s record from 1961-62 as the most goals by a Liverpool player before the new year. Klopp celebrated wildly on the final whistle as Claude Puel suffered his first defeat in seven encounters with the Anfield club. The response was justified. This was a hugely impressive display and show of character from a Liverpool team that can surely only improve with Van Dijk on board. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CmeCEZ

With this simple victory Chelsea ambled a little closer to Manchester City at the top of the table and highlighted the weakness of Stoke City’s squad. At no point did this match seem like an authentic contest, Mark Hughes’ side seeming like ragtag underlings even before Antonio Rüdiger opened the scoring in the third minute. Danny Drinkwater, Pedro, Willian and Davide Zappacosta amused themselves by adding their names to score sheet after that. Chelsea omitted key players such as Eden Hazard and Cesc Fàbregas in advance of Wednesday’s showdown with Arsenal but that was probably an unnecessary precaution, since the hosts did not have to exert themselves to trounce these woeful visitors. Hughes was deprived of his first-choice central defenders and also chose to leave out other regular starters – thus increasing the pressure on him for Monday’s low-brow encounter with Newcastle –but the shabbiness of the side sent out against the champions spoke badly about the state of Stoke. Continue...

A sensational late turnaround gave Carlos Carvalhal victory over Watford in his first game as Swansea manager. Simple, close-range finishes from Jordan Ayew and substitute Luciano Narsingh in the final minutes of the match left Vicarage Road echoing to the sounds of Hymns and Aria, and visiting fans full of hope for another escape from relegation. For a long period, however, this seemed like a match Watford were destined to win without having to try. The home side took the lead in the 10th minute with a header from André Carrillo. The move began with a long clearance from Heurelho Gomes which was controlled by Stefano Okaka just inside the Swansea half. The striker, in for Andre Gray, then turned on the visiting defence, slipping Richarlison in behind Kyle Naughton. The Brazilian swept into the box and drove a shot at Lukasz Fabianski. The goalkeeper parried the ball awfully, right to winger Carillo who had all the time in the world to place his header back from where Fabianski was no...

Sometimes football can be a cruel game. Jordan Pickford had spent the afternoon showing just why he has every chance of going to next year’s World Cup as England’s No1 goalkeeper when a wicked deflection off Michael Keane’s heel sent Ryan Fraser’s shot spinning out of his reach and into the net. In one stroke, that ended Bournemouth’s nine-match run without a victory and lifted Eddie Howe’s side out of the relegation zone, while also condemning Sam Allardyce to his first defeat as Everton manager. Having dominated from the moment Idrissa Gueye equalised to cancel out Fraser’s first-half volley, it was probably no more than the home side deserved but the result still felt harsh on Pickford, with the £30m spent on him in the summer already looking like a bargain. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Cr3KDE

Honours and points were shared here, just as they were when the sides met at Turf Moor earlier in the season, though a second goalless game was not without incident. Burnley had a strong claim for a second-half penalty waved away when Jonas Lössl appeared to bring down Jeff Hendrick in the box, the goalkeeper clearly taking the midfielder’s leg after being rounded near the goal-line. Burnley had been the better side, in keeping with their league position, though it was not an afternoon of many chances. Huddersfield began quite promisingly, with Collin Quaner producing a stinging shot at the end of one of his surging runs for once to force Nick Pope into the first save of the game. Burnley gradually pushed their hosts back, however, and had so many men forward in support of a break from Johann Berg Gudmundsson that an out-of-position Mathias Jorgensen was obliged to flatten the Iceland winger at the expense of a booking. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.t...

Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield arrived late to Rose Bowl media day, after it was announced he would not attend due to sickness. 

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After an inconsistent night against a clear top-five team filled with future NFL talent, USC and its star QB have plenty to think about.

Washington will face Penn State in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl on Saturday. 

From Arsenal to West Ham, fans assess what they need most in the January sales Related: Transfer window January 2018 – every deal in Europe's top five leagues Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2zPjJZ4

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It is hard to predict anything other than Manchester City celebrating a 19th consecutive victory. The runaway leaders have won six of their past seven games at Selhurst Park in all competitions and will confront a depleted Crystal Palace side with Roy Hodgson sure to rest players before Tuesday’s trip to Southampton. Quite why that fixture could not have been moved back a day remains a mystery, but bBe braced for Hodgson’s pragmatism to prompt another round of knee-jerk accusations that the Premier League is becoming increasingly uncompetitive. Dominic Fifield Kick-off Sunday noon Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2pUHIX8

We look back at some of the best strikes of 2017, taking in those you may recall and highlighting a few that you may you have missed along the way Never mind us waffling on about this, here’s Arséne Wenger: “Any goalscorer is ready to take any part of his body, even if it’s the little toe, to score a goal and Olivier had that kind of reflex. He transformed that goal, I would say, into art. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2ltq47x

Saturday brings four more bowls, including Lamar Jackson's likely final college game, Memphis's powerful offense and New Year's Six showdowns between Washington-Penn State and Wisconsin-Miami.

Despite both teams featuring high-profile quarterbacks, the Cotton Bowl was about defense. And with Ohio State forcing three Sam Darnold turnovers, the night belonged to the Buckeyes.

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Kentucky's Benny Snell Jr. and Northwestern's Paddy Fisher were both ejected on questionable calls.

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• Liverpool manager hopes game’s rulers take heed • Guardian interview sparks immediate calls for action Jürgen Klopp has praised the courage of Rhian Brewster for speaking out about racial abuse and expressed his hopes that the people at the top of the sport will listen to the 17-year-old and realise more needs to be done in the fight against racism. Klopp said he could “100% understand” Brewster’s frustration that Uefa, in particular, was not doing enough after the teenager decided to go public, in an interview with the Guardian , in the hope that it might prompt the football authorities to take the problem more seriously. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lrHqSg

• Belgian apparently waiting to see if Real Madrid are likely to make bid • Chelsea close to securing Thibaut Courtois under new five-year deal Chelsea intend to resume contract talks with Eden Hazard in the new year aimed at extending his stay at Stamford Bridge but the player is apparently in no rush to commit his future while it is unclear whether Real Madrid will prioritise his signing this summer. Hazard, who does not operate with an agent, is contracted to 2020 but, with a new deal first mooted towards the end of last season, has held discussions with the Chelsea hierarchy over an extension on improved terms. No formal offer has been made despite claims to the contrary by Hazard’s father, Thierry, to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir . Hazard senior suggested his son had rejected an offer while he awaits an indication from the Bernabéu whether their long-standing interest is likely to prompt a bid. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2C9BR5T

• Liverpool pay £75m for most expensive defender in history • Klopp denies signing will necessitate January sale of a prized asset Jürgen Klopp has said he dislikes Virgil van Dijk’s £75m price tag but believes it reflects the reality of modern football at elite level. The Liverpool manager also denied he must sell next month to fund the most expensive defensive transfer in history . Van Dijk will officially become a Liverpool player on 1 January after the Anfield club met Southampton’s increased valuation of the 26-year-old on Wednesday. The fee is £15m more than Liverpool had hoped to pay in the summer and Klopp admitted the figure for Van Dijk is “not nice” and increases pressure on his team. However, he insisted the transfer market has changed beyond recognition in recent windows and Liverpool had to adapt. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lioBBO

• Defender played intermittently on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach • David Moyes: ‘I’m not keen on selling my best young players’ David Moyes has said West Ham United must not sell their best academy players after recalling Reece Oxford from his loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach. RB Leipzig and Mönchengladbach made attempts to sign the 19‑year‑old on Thursday. West Ham responded by cancelling the defender’s season-long loan after a day of deliberation and Moyes, who felt Oxford was not playing enough for the Bundesliga club, has told him he will be given an opportunity to impress in training. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2BY2ruR

How can a player who had exactly zero FBS scholarship offers play his best games on college football’s biggest stage against the absolute best opponent?

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Ohio State and USC will meet in the 2017 Cotton Bowl on Friday. 

Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is about to become Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, but there's a clear blueprint for juggling both duties.

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Carlos Carvalhal takes charge of his first game as Swansea City manager with the huge task of avoiding relegation on his hands. Lightning will need to strike twice for the Portuguese manager as Swansea were bottom at this stage of the season last year. Watford finally arrested their terrible run last time out and Marco Silva will want not want his reputation to take any further damage on Saturday. Graham Searles Kick-off Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2q0ivuH

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The world’s most expensive defender, Virgil van Dijk, is expected to observe proceedings from the director’s box at Anfield before officially completing his £75m transfer from Southampton on Monday. While all eyes strain for a sight of Liverpool’s statement of intent, however, Jürgen Klopp’s focus will be on breaking a barren run against Claude Puel. The Leicester City manager was unbeaten in four meetings with Liverpool while at Southampton last season and will be seeking defensive improvement after four games without a win. Andy Hunter Kick-off Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Du77Zy

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Northwestern and Kentucky will meet in the 2017 Music City Bowl on Friday. 

• Chilean confronted after Arsenal’s win against Burnley at Turf Moor • Some players did not celebrate with 29-year-old after goals at Palace Alexis Sánchez was at the heart of a dressing-room bust-up after Arsenal’s away win over Burnley last month and the tensions between the Chile striker and some of his team-mates – which have simmered for some time – were laid bare during the club’s victory at Crystal Palace on Thursday night. Sánchez was involved in a well-documented confrontation with Laurent Koscielny at Arsenal’s training ground last March, on the eve of the visit to Liverpool – a game for which Sánchez would be dropped – and the divisions in the team were there for all to see in the 3-2 win over Palace. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2limJJ6

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• Swansea City chairman responds to mounting unrest and personal criticism • 54-year-old says there is no spare money from Americans for player transfers Huw Jenkins has accepted that his position as Swansea City chairman will become untenable if the club is relegated this season and also revealed that he will consider standing down even if they manage to retain their Premier League status. In a wide-ranging interview that was conducted at his own request amid a backdrop of mounting unrest, personal criticism and growing fears that Swansea are heading for the Championship, Jenkins acknowledged he has to take responsibility for the club’s malaise over the last few years. He described his failure to reappoint Brendan Rodgers as manager 18 months ago as his “biggest regret” as chairman, said that he thought Paul Clement should have been sacked sooner and admitted that Swansea, who provided a blueprint for others to follow not so long ago, have lost their way to such an extent that they ...

• Refers to Klopp’s 2016 view that he would never wish to buy success • ‘I think the one that speaks about it in a specific way has to be Jürgen’ José Mourinho believes Jürgen Klopp should be asked about his view that he would never wish to buy success after Liverpool’s agreement this week to pay £75m for Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk. Manchester United’s manager pointed to the German’s comments, which came in summer 2016, following the centre-back’s acquisition, which is to be completed on 1 January. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Dx0whh

Stoke City, with a solitary away win to their name all season, travel to Stamford Bridge severely depleted defensively in the absence of Kurt Zouma, Ryan Shawcross and Bruno Martins Indi. The Premier League champions may be 16 points behind Manchester City, but their domestic season is now a sprint towards Champions League qualification. Antonio Conte’s slightly rejigged team are seeking a 10th win in 13 matches and an eighth in succession at home. Momentum must be maintained before next week’s visit to the Emirates stadium. Dominic Fifield Kick-off Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2DuK5BW

David Moss has been a player, an academy manager, overseen Celtic’s scouting division and been head of football operations at Huddersfield. Here he gives an insight into what awaits as the January window opens The scene was a meeting room in a plush Istanbul hotel. The president of a high-flying Turkish football club sat on one side of the table crunching the numbers while David Moss, the agent charged with negotiating his client’s personal terms, allowed himself a moment of self-reflection. “It was fascinating watching it all play out, the negotiations on fees and pitch on salary packages,” he said. “I found myself smiling a lot of the time because I know how it works. The club know what they can pay and what they can’t even before everyone gets round that table. It’s all a game. But a game I can now see from all angles.” Moss is in an almost unique position when it comes to the forthcoming transfer window, having filled virtually every role going in football’s recruitment business o...

Last season’s Championship top two have enjoyed similar fortunes in the Premier League thus far, with both starting well before fading and then steadying themselves with a victory just before Christmas. Newcastle, only one point above the bottom three at the start of the weekend, will climb above Brighton if they repeat their 2-0 victory from the last time they faced Chris Hughton’s side here. Rich Flower Kick-off Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2CjeUg1

The matchup is the same, but the X-factors have changed as Alabama and Clemson stand in each other’s way of a title for the third straight year.

Everyone knows how good Baker Mayfield is. But just how good is Jake Fromm? The answer to that may separate Georgia and Oklahoma in the Grandaddy of Them All.

It took a while but the Manchester City manager has conquered England with a football that is not merely beautiful but also dominant. The question for 2018 is: can he now do it in Europe? The year ends with Pep Guardiola ascendant, his juego de posición , evolved over time and amended and slightly repackaged for England , cutting a swathe through the Premier League, just as it overwhelmed all in La Liga and the Bundesliga. There will be the usual complaints about how much money has been spent and, more pertinently, about the origin of that money , but English football has never seen anything quite like this. When Guardiola was winning two Champions Leagues in three seasons at Barcelona, their style became hegemonic. There were refuseniks such as José Mourinho but the vast majority of elite clubs wanted to ape their way of playing. There was, briefly, a global obsession with possession stats, that probably ended the week in 2013 when Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectivel...

Eddie Howe will hope Bournemouth can build on Callum Wilson’s controversial late equaliser on Boxing Day against Everton, unbeaten since their last trip to the south coast – a harrowing 4-1 defeat at Southampton prior to Sam Allardyce’s appointment as manager. A Bournemouth team with severe injury problems have not tasted victory since November while Everton are looking for a first win in three before facing Manchester United and Liverpool next week. Ben Fisher Kick-off Saturday 3pm Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2zLhYwc

Alan Shearer’s was ‘delighted’ after Harry Kane erased his Premier League goal record but reactions to losing cherished marks were not always so magnanimous The day after Harry Kane had obliterated his r ecord for the most Premier League goals scored in a calendar year with yet another hat-trick, against Southampton, Alan Shearer wrote of his feelings at having the distinction snatched from his long-retired fist. “I was,” he claimed, “delighted.” It was an unusual record, in that it took just a particular period of top-flight football into account, and was measured over a time span across which British footballers never ordinarily judge themselves. It was akin to a 10,000m runner being told he had just become the fastest to complete laps 12 to 17 inclusive across all races contested during the month of April, and then being repeatedly interviewed about it. But it was nevertheless a record, a mark of significant sporting achievement, a footnote in which Shearer’s name will never agai...

All the moves in the top leagues of England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany as well as club-by-club guides for all the ins and outs in January Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2zLRPgK

Today’s fluff is just gathering pace With no Virgil van Dijk to worry about after the defender said his goodbyes to his Southampton team-mates at the training ground on Thursday morning, manager Mauricio Pellegrino has already moved on, rapidly funnelling through the shortlist of transfer targets in front of him. After the club lined their pockets to the tune of £70m up front, the Southampton manager wants to bring at least two signings through the door in January and at the top of the pile are no strangers to this parish. With Charlie Austin expected to be out until February, a loan move for another striker plagued by injuries has been mooted, Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge while Arsenal’s Theo Walcott , who left St Mary’s as a teenager in 2006, is another target. Saints are also keeping one eye on Moussa Dembélé’s whereabouts, with the striker wanted by Brighton & Hove Albion among those queuing for his services. Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend ...

Carvalhal needs immediate impact at Swansea, Schmeichel seeks redemption and Chelsea’s Azpilicueta-Morata combination threatens Stoke The wisdom of appointing Carlos Carvalhal as Swansea’s new manager is, to say the least, questionable: a man who was dismissed on Christmas Eve for underachieving with Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship does not inspire confidence. Still, he may prove successful: many doubted him when he arrived at Wednesday in 2015, and he started well there, reaching the play-offs in his first two seasons. But if he is to change things at the Liberty Stadium, he needs to do it immediately. After Saturday’s game at Watford, three of Swansea’s next four league games are against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool. If they do not beat the Hornets, they could soon be staring down the barrel of being shy of safety by double figures and of relegation looking even more inevitable than it does now. That new manager bounce needs to be pretty high. NM • Carvalhal sa...

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Betting odds and lines for the New Year's Six bowls, including Ohio State-USC, Washington-Penn State and Alabama-Clemson.

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Whether it's Kiffin or Sarkisian or Daboll, Alabama knows the coach signaling in the plays against Clemson isn't nearly as important as the decisions made after the snap.

The performance of the Arsenal midfielder against Crystal Palace was a reminder of why he has inspired managerial leaps of faith in the past – and may do so again Jack Wilshere was not short of admirers during Arsenal’s 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park. His first touch was a beautiful piece of velcro control as the ball dropped on to his left boot in the first minute, making everyone in the away end go weak at the knees, and the Arsenal midfielder even had a fan in the opposition’s technical area. It was Roy Hodgson, of course, who sent eyebrows rocketing skywards when he named Wilshere in England’s Euro 2016 squad. Wilshere had only just returned from one of his many injuries, but that misguided show of faith from Hodgson was easier to understand after watching him help Arsenal recover from a sticky spell in the second half to take Palace apart. Like Arsène Wenger, Hodgson is a believer, even though the 25-year-old has not produced much of note since that wonderful performance against P...

Figure out how to watch No. 13 Stanford vs. No. 15 TCU in the Alamo Bowl Thursday Dec. 28.

Figure out how to watch Washington State vs. Michigan State in the Holiday Bowl on Thursday Dec. 28.

How to watch Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech in the Camping World Bowl. 

Arsenal are back to counting this corner of south London as a home from home. Recent history had always suggested last season’s defeat here had been an aberration, a solitary loss suffered in 12 league visits, but on this first return to the ground since then they were restored to their effervescent best. Crystal Palace, with the exception of a brief period after they had equalised, struggled to cope and were swept aside. Prevailing in what must have felt an awkward occasion was a fine way for Arsène to celebrate his 810th Premier League game in charge, a tally to match that of Sir Alex Ferguson in the revamped topflight. The top four is a mere point away and some confidence has been restored in terms of this team’s away form. A trip to West Brom on Sunday, another venue where they had sunk without trace last year, suddenly feels like an opportunity. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2E7EL8N

• The former Italy striker and AC Milan manager replaces Eduardo Berizzo • Sevilla sit fifth in La Liga and are in Champions League last 16 The former AC Milan and Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella is set to take charge of Sevilla after reaching an agreement with the La Liga club on Thursday. Montella will replace Eduardo Berizzo who was sacked last Friday following a run of poor results, only a week after returning to work following an operation to treat prostate cancer. Related: Sevilla sack Eduardo Berizzo a week after returning from cancer surgery Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lkdYxo

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• Kick It Out presses FA to investigate incidents as matter of ‘urgency’ • Alleged Wolves players were abused in 2-2 Championship draw at The Den Kick It Out has urged the Football Association to act with “urgency” over alleged racist chanting during Millwall’s Championship match with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day. Football’s equality and inclusion organisation expressed “great concern” with the number of reports it received after the fixture, subsequently passing them on to the governing body. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2Ckad3g

Election commission says Weah defeated vice-president Joseph Boakai to win election runoff with 61.5% of the vote The former footballer George Weah has won Liberia’s presidential election, defeating vice-president Joseph Boakai in a runoff with 61.5% of the vote. Thursday’s announcement by the country’s election commission chair, Jerome Korkoyah, means Weah will succeed Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Liberia’s president next month, in what will be the country’s first democratic transition since 1944. It follows two devastating civil wars. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2lhaj4r

The four playoff teams will write the definitive history of the 2017 season, but don't forget about these stories that defined the fall.