FORMER world champion Lewis Hamilton stayed upbeat despite crashing his new Mercedes racer after 18 laps on day one of pre-season testing at Jerez in Spain.

     

The accident was caused by a front-wing failure, according to his team, who had only unveiled the car earlier in the day.
“It’s unfortunate to end the day early when everyone has worked so hard," said Hamilton.
"But we’ll make that track time back and it’s better to have these things happen now than in Melbourne.”
The new season gets under way in Australia on 16 March.

CARL FROCH and George Groves will come face-to-face again this week after agreeing to a rematch.

     

Four football venues – The Etihad Stadium, The Emirates Stadium, Old Trafford and The City Ground - as well as England Rugby HQ Twickenham are being considered to stage Froch-Groves II on May 31 after their first thrilling clash ended controversially.

Froch, 36, stopped Londoner Groves, 25, in the ninth round after being decked in the first – but the decision to halt the scrap has left fight fans calling for a rematch.

Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn now plans to get the bitter rivals in the same room for crunch talks to seal a deal before the February 4 deadline set by the IBF.

Hearn said: “We are planning to sit down this week to try and iron out this deal because at the moment we are just going back and forth.
“George thinks he should get this much and Carl thinks George should get this much. I’m just going to get them in a room and let them go at it. Not literally I hope.
“It’s about closing the nitty gritty of the deal now. I think we need a capacity of at least 60,000 for this fight.”
IBF-WBA world super-middleweight champion Froch already has an offer to fight Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez in Las Vegas.   
   

Hearn said: “The IBF have ordered the rematch to take place and ordered a split of the purse of 85-15 for a rematch and George Groves has appealed that decision.
“We have until February 4 to agree a deal between Groves and Froch and if that doesn’t happen there could be a purse bid 30 days after that.The problem we have is the very lucrative offer from Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and HBO in America to hold a fight with him in Las Vegas.
“We’re under a little bit of pressure time-wise, to make our decision whether we fight George Groves, which is absolutely our priority at the moment.
“But if the contract situation drags on and on, then we may be forced into exploring the other option.”

      

Two countries intensely familiar with each other cross swords once more at the semi-final stage of the 2014 CHAN. Who wins? 

Traditional rivals Ghana and Nigeria contest an all-west African semi-final at the ongoing African Nations Championships on Wednesday in what promises to be a high-octane thriller.
Nigeria's debut at the CHAN has been somewhat underwhelming, although Stephen Keshi's team have won all but one game, namely, a 2-1 loss to Mali in their Group A opener. In front of goal, the Super Eagles have been absolutely prolific, firing in goals at will. Twice at the tournament, Nigeria have put four past their opponents - the latest coming in a rousing comeback from three goals down against Morocco in the quarter-finals stage - and have racked up a total of 12 strikes.
At the other end, though, Nigeria have disappointed, letting in eight goals and giving little promise of improving in that regard.
It is hard to imagine the Black Stars exploiting Nigeria's defensive frailties, however, if the Ghanaians' own attacking deficiencies are anything to go by.
Ghana, in quest of a second appearance in a CHAN finale, has recorded just a goal in each of their four games in South Africa but have been more than impressive in preventing the opposition from scoring, having conceded only once.
Local Black Stars trainer Maxwell Konadu would be eager to have injured stars Godfred Saka, Kwabena Adusei and Sulley Mohammed return to shore up an already well-knit unit.
With each side's fortes and weaknesses almost perfectly balancing the other's, this could prove no ordinary game between these eternally feuding regional cousins.

BAYERN MUNICH boss Pep Guardiola has given Manchester United hope of landing midfielder Toni Kroos.

     

Kroos, 24, is under contract until 2015 but has been watched by David Moyes as talks over a new deal stall.
United still need to improve their midfield ranks, despite the signing of Juan Mata.
Guardiola has used Kroos in all but one of Bayern's games this season but admitted anything can happen.
Guardiola said: "He [Kroos] is an important player.

     

"But it can go fast in football. Here today, there tomorrow."
Kroos yesterday hinted he would be open to a move to Old Trafford.
The German said: "I am unable to rule anything out.
"I am under contract with Bayern Munich (until June 2015). Actually there are yet no further talks (regarding a new contract) scheduled."

     

Aulsports look at who's looking good for the Super Eagles' squad in the summer and who risks being left on the outside.

As January draws to a close, the World Cup pulls ever closer. The beginning of February means that Nigeria’s opening match against Iran is only a month-and-a-half away.
In this article, in light of the Super Eagles’ encouraging performances at the CHAN tournament in South Africa, Goal Nigeria look ahead to the potential World Cup 23, assessing who is a ‘near-certainty’ and who is merely a ‘possible’ for the Brazil squad.
Naturally, this selection will chop and change as the coming months unfold and the tournament draws closer.

Goalkeepers

Vincent Enyeama may have missed out on the Ligue 1 record for consecutive clean sheets, but the Lille man’s fine form has established him firmly as one of the globe’s most-accomplished stoppers. As things stand, Keshi would be mad to install anyone else as Number One within the squad. Enyeama, in particular, will relish the prospect of renewing his acquaintance with Lionel Messi—the ‘keeper was in fine form against Argentina in South Africa four years ago.
Austin Ejide & Chigozie Agbim Ejide has been a steady reserve for a long time now, and his recent showing against Italy (before injury struck) has confirmed his place as a worthy back-up to Enyeama.
For Agbim, the road is much murkier. The sturdy goalkeeper has been responsible for numerous goals conceded by Nigeria during the CHAN tournament. Keshi has backed his man, but how long will his faith endure?
Could Agbim’s errors rule him out of the Super Eagles’ World Cup party?

Defenders

Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe & Kenneth Omeruo This quintet have established themselves as Keshi stalwarts. Egwuekwe is often the man left out of the starting line-up, but he has had the chance to prove himself to the Big Boss during the CHAN competition and was called-up during the Confederations Cup six months ago.
The other four should be confident of retaining their starting berths, but Elderson needs to usurp Layvin Kurzawa since moving to Monaco and Kenneth Omeruo needs to receive playing time in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

Solomon Kwambe, Francis Benjamin, James Okwuosa, Joseph Yobo
The domestic-based pair of Francis Benjamin and Solomon Kwambe look set to earn themselves squad places due to their consistent call-ups under Keshi and the sustained absence of the likes of Taye Taiwo and Onyekachi Apam.
Kwambe, however, may need to improve, having endured a mixed CHAN tournament to date.
Many Goal Nigeria have questioned whether Joseph Yobo should be recalled to the Super Eagles squad. The Fenerbahce centre-back brings experience and defensive stability, but is he over the hill and, perhaps more importantly, what effect may he have on the morale within Keshi’s collective?

Midfielders

John Obi Mikel, Ogenyi Onazi, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Sunday Mba, John Ogu
John Obi Mikel and Ogenyi Onazi have, over the last 12 months, proved themselves to be an irreplaceable pairing within the heart of the Nigeria midfield. Mikel is the side’s emotional heartbeat, while Onazi is his foil, the goods out back, as it were.
The competition for the ‘Third Man’ role in midfield, should Keshi opt to play 4-3-3, 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1, will continue until the finals. Three names who will look to be in a good position to make the squad are Sunday Mba, Nnamdi Oduamadi and John Ogu.
All three have been squad regulars since the Cup of Nations.
 
Fegor Ogude, Lukman Haruna, Joel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Reuben Gabriel, Ejike Uzoenyi
Nosa Igiebor remains a great hope for Nigeria, but few of us have seen much from him over the last 12 months to suggest that he can be the kind of playmaker the Super Eagles crave.
Joel Obi, eternally injured, is looking like a fantasy option at this point in time. The midfielder may have all of the raw materials, but his record of one start and three substitute appearances since arriving at Parma does not bode well.
Lukman Haruna’s name has been tossed around by fans, and even referenced by Keshi, but it won’t be until the next international friendly that we can learn whether or not the box-to-box midfielder is genuinely being considered as an option.
Fegor has been out of the squad since the Mandela Challenge, squeezed out of contention by Onazi and John Ogu. It may well take an injury to either of those two, or a genuine revival in Russia, with Amkar Perm, for him to find a spot in the World Cup squad.
Ejike Uzoenyi’s superb performances at the Cup of Nations have seen the former Rennes trialist thrust right back into the limelight—he clearly has the quality to thrive in a tournament setting, but can he find the consistency to forge a spot on the plane to Brazil?

Strikers

Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ideye Brown, Victor Obinna
All five look in a good position to make the World Cup squad at this point in time.
Emenike surely must travel. The explosive forward is a big-game player, who thrived at the Cup of Nations, and could be a star in Brazil.
Musa, also, is a lethal weapon whose pace and ingenuity should guarantee him a spot on the plane, if not the first XI.
Moses’s inactivity at Liverpool, where he has been edged out of the first team by the likes of Danny Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, is of concern and the former Crystal Palace man is struggling for momentum.

Victor Obinna has looked like a good fit for the squad since being recalled by Keshi for the Mandela Challenge. He is a versatile option who fits comfortably into the Super Eagles’ fluid forward line. His goal against Ethiopia in the second-leg of the World Cup Qualifying has put him on the plane—for now at least.
Ideye Brown may have his detractors as a non-goal-scoring forward, but he is a favourite of Keshi and missed only one squad throughout 2013. His influence in the first XI may have waned as 2013 drew on, but he should make the squad.
Bright Dike, Shola Ameobi, Joseph Akpala, Mohammed Gambo, Anthony Ujah
Dike and Ameobi clearly interest Keshi, who has experimented with ways of trying to get one or both of them into the team. There are issues, however. Ameobi remains remarkably goal-shy at Newcastle, while the signings of Jermain Defoe and Gilberto throw doubt on the Nigerian’s future at Toronto FC.
Competition for places makes it unlikely that both of the big men will travel to Brazil.
Surely, only injuries, severe injuries, would see Keshi turning to any of the troubled trio of Joseph Akpala, Mohammed Gambo and Anthony Ujah.

    

It might seem a little odd considering the course, but Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho of Portugal claims there are too many foreign managers in the Premier League.

He feels more British managers should be given a chance to prove themselves and adds that perhaps they should go abroad to get experience. Of course, the problem is that no overseas clubs are going to want to gamble on an unproven manager, let alone an English one.

Mourinho stated,

“In this moment in the Premier League - and I'm speaking against myself - I disagree with so many foreign coaches in this country. I don't see a reason for that because I don't feel the English managers are in any point behind the foreign ones. But I think if there are no jobs in the country as a manager or a player then you have to go abroad because this is a short professional life. So go and enjoy. You always have the chance to come back as a manager and a player.”

Mourinho’s probably right when he says English managers aren’t behind foreign ones, but most English managers in the Premier League are usually saddled with weak or mediocre teams. This means we usually don’t see any of them winning trophies and league titles and they never get the chance to manage a big club. There are nine non-British and Irish managers in the Premier League at the moment with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being hired this week to take over from the sacked Malky Mackay.

When the Premier League kicked off back in 1992 there were no foreign managers. There may soon be 10 from overseas as reports say West Brom may hire Jose Luis Mendilibar of Spain to take over for the sacked Steve Clarke of Scotland.

Mourinho said many of the foreign Premier League managers are top quality and they deserve their jobs, but revelaed, “I just feel sorry that in a football country like England, that is the country of so many managers, British managers are not getting enough jobs in this country.”

He added that Britain can learn from other cultures, but the main culture in British football should still be British. The Chelsea boss pointed to Derby County manager Steve McClaren as somebody who went abroad to gain experience and work. But as I mentioned, if you were the owner of an overseas football club would you hire the likes of a Sam Allardyce?

  

   

Andy Murray's Australian Open tilt over after Roger Federer rolls back the years in thrilling quarter-final

 
Chelsea are reportedly set to join Real Madrid in trying to lure Wayne Rooney away from Old Trafford in a cut-price deal in the summer.

The Mirror have reported that the Stamford Bridge hierarchy believe that Rooney's expiring contract will allow them to sign the England striker on the cheap.

Chelsea are the second club to be linked with a serious chase for United's 28-year-old striker, with reports surfacing yesterday that Real Madrid are lining up a £25m summer swoop.

Madrid seem to be in the driving seat as United have insisted that they'll never sell Rooney to another Premier League club, but Chelsea management are said to think that United will have little choice but to sell to the highest bidder if Rooney doesn't sign a new contract in the summer.

Chelsea have chased the former Everton striker for some time now, having two bids rejected for him as recently as this summer, and he is reportedly "very much in Jose Mourinho's plans for next season".

Rooney's future may well depend on how United fare in the second half of this season. If they finish outside the top four and Rooney faces the prospect of no Champions League football, it's hard to see him remaining in Manchester

Real Madrid are set to enter the race for Wayne Rooney's signature this summer, with the Spanish giants reportedly eyeing a £25m bid for the Manchester United star.

The Telegraph report that Madrid are abandoning their pursuit of Sergio Aguero in favour of Rooney, who they reportedly see as a more realistic target.

United seem determined to keep hold of Rooney, but the 28-year-old's refusal to sign a long-term deal at Old Trafford has opened the door for Europe's biggest clubs to make a move for him.

It seems that Madrid have a good chance of tempting Rooney away from Manchester, especially if United's poor league form continues. The club currently lie six points adrift of Champions League football, which would surely be a minimum requirement for Rooney to sign a new deal.

Another factor in Madrid's favour is Rooney's rocky history with the United management, most recently this summer when he indicated that he wanted to leave Old Trafford for good. He was eventually convinced that a move wouldn't be in his best interests and he didn't hand in a transfer request despite multiple offers from Chelsea.

He's also reportedly interested in the idea of linking up with his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.

This seems to be a saga that could run and run.

Should he stay or should he go? Would United even miss him? Carry on the discussion in the comments

 

Sunderland booked their place in the Capital One Cup final, sealing victory after extra time with a 1-2 penalty shootout victory. Johnny Evans and Javier Hernandez scored for the hosts, while Phil Bardsley scored for the visitors.

Manchester United, reeling from their comprehensive 3-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea, were looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit against the Black Cats and set up a juicy final with neighbours Man City at Wembley on March 2.

With reports stating the £38 million bid for out-of-favour Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata was at an advanced stage with the Spaniard's medical happening tomorrow, the Red Devils lined up once again without strikers Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, and had difficulty opening up Gus Poyet's dogged side in the early stages of the tie.

Vito Mannone, the former Arsenal keeper, was drawn into a two handed low save from a Hernandez header that connected with an Adnan Januzaj free kick. The visitors responded with 1st leg match winner Fabio Borini unable to keep an inviting chance to hit a volley down but De Gea looked to get nowhere near the effort.

Ten minutes from halftime, Kagawa found space in the Sunderland area after picking the ball up in the middle from a Januzaj through ball and the Japanese midfielder floated a ball to the back post that Fletcher struck against the post before the rebound was smothered by a charging Mannone. United earned a corner from this pressure and the young Belgian's whipped delivery found Welbeck on the turn, who diverted the ball into the path of Jonny Evans. Evans peeled off O'Shea in the process and made no mistake from 5 yards to head it in for 1-0. Both players have had loan spells at tonight's opponents.

The second half saw United continue to press their advantage and grow in confidence but their efforts never tested Mannone, as Januzaj and Rafael shot high and wide respectively. Sunderland knew that they only needed a goal to force a reaction from the Champions but they had not created a shot on target going into the last 15 minutes of normal time. Adam Johnson did bring a cross down in space but his volley was blocked by Buttner. Marcos Alonso agonisingly watched a swerving volley shave De Gea's far post.

Extra time saw both sides huddled, Poyet animated and Moyes less so. It was Sunderland that were knocking on the door with set pieces but a gambling run on the right flank saw Januzaj ghost past Colback and set Hernandez off on a one-on-one but his early effort on his weaker side went harmlessly wide.

                                                                             

                                                                Hernandez' added time equaliser for pens

Fatigue began to play a part as the pitch was stretched but when United did break, Januzaj opted to go for goal himself more often than not he did find his support as the score remained the same since the first half.

Sunderland kept trying and trying, Phil Bardsley pounced on a second ball and flashed a cross dangerously wide with 5 minutes left to play. But with a minute left to play Bardsley, who left Manchester United 6 years ago today, had the ball 20 yards out and let fly to watch De Gea hopelessly palm the ball into his own bottom corner with the Black Cats surely going to the new Wembley for the 1st time.

But no. Manchester United drove on from the restart and star man Adnan Januzaj played a one-two with Smalling, drove to the byline and his low cross evaded Sunderland legs for the poacher Hernandez to strike the bottom of the bar on its way in to set up a penalty shootout. The Mexican almost missed but luck was on Moyes' side after the mistake of his goalkeeper.

Craig Gardner went up first and blazed it over. Welbeck shot over the opposite post. Steven Fletcher's penalty went low to the left but De Gea palmed it away. Darren Fletcher, captain on the night went the same way as his namesake but had the pace to beat Mannone: 1-0. Marcos Alonso struck a real confident penalty to De Gea's right before Januzaj's penalty was saved easily: 1-1. Ki showed a cool head and sunk his penalty, then Phil Jones skied his: 1-2. Adam Johnson had the chance to win the shootout but De Gea guessed right and got two strong hands behind a penalty that was not finding a corner. Rafael had to score his penalty to keep United in it but Mannone was Sunderland's hero and kept the shot out.

Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Buttner (Evra 83); Januzaj, Carrick (Jones 94), Fletcher, Kagawa (Valencia 61); Welbeck, Hernandez.

Sunderland: Mannone, Bardsley, Alonso, Brown, O'Shea (c), Cattermole (Gardner 82), Colback, Ki, Johnson, Borini (Altidore 85), Fletcher.

TONY CONQUEST will swap a gas ring for a boxing ring next month as he bids for the first of two titles in his sights this year.

     

The Romford gas fitter meets Australian Daniel Ammann for the vacant Commonwealth cruiserweight title at York Hall on February 22.
Conquest has got his career back on track with two wins following the only loss on his record against Neil Dawson in December 2012.
A first round stoppage of David Vincena last September was followed by a points win over Wadi Camacho the following month.
Now the 29-year-old Conquest, who has a record of 12 wins and one defeat, says: “Yes, I really have turned my career back around lately.
“Losing to Dawson was a real blow but I have buckled down and got my act together and everything is working out just fine.”
Conquest is hoping to pick up the Commonwealth belt and then target a showdown with Jon Lewis Dickinson for the British title.
But, before that happens, he has to overcome Ammann, from Stockton in New South Wales, who has won 29 out of 35 fights with one draw and holds the Australian title.
Ammann was due to face Nathan Cleverly at the Copper Box Arena next month, but the Welshman will now feature on a bill at Aintree in his cruiserweight debut.
Conquest, meanwhile, is looking forward to facing his rough and tough Aussie opponent and said: “It promises to be a cracking fight.
“He was confident enough to fly around the world to fight Cleverly and he’ll be thinking that he’s got the beating of me as well.
“I’ve got my career back on track now and I’m looking to end the year with the British and Commonwealth belts around my waist.

     

“That’s what’s motivating me to beat Ammann, win the Commonwealth title then it could be Dickinson for the British later this year.
“It’s down to me do a good job on the night against Ammann and show that I’m back and mean business.”
Featuring on an action-packed undercard at York Hall will be super-featherweight Mitchell Smith who takes on Holyhead’s Mark Evans over eight rounds.
All-action Mitchell, who’s unbeaten in seven, holds the Southern Area title but is looking to step up this year and has targeted the English and British titles.
Undefeated super-middleweight prospect Tom Baker will lock horns with experienced Welshman Jamie Ambler in a six-rounder.
Enfield brothers Chris and Andreas Evangelou both feature on the show, welterweight Chris taking on Trowbridge’s Dan Carr and light-heavyweight Andreas tackling Tichford’s Sam Cozens.
* The show will be shown live on BoxNation (Sky Ch 437/Virgin Ch 546). Tickets from Ticketmaster on 0844 844 0444.

  

  

PATRICK BAMFORD paid an emotional tribute to late Nottingham Forest chairman Nigel Doughty after a dream home debut for Derby.

     

The on-loan Chelsea striker was the businessman’s god son and came through the Reds’ youth ranks.

And after scoring the winner on his first appearance back in the East Midlands he raised his hands and head above to remember the man who helped him become the player he is today.

Doughty died in 2012 after 12 years as Forest’s chairman.

Bamford said: “I don’t know if the fans will like me saying this but I was really close to the ex-chairman of Nottingham Forest Nigel so that was just to say thank you.

“I was his god son. Him and my dad were best mates ever since they grew up. I’ve grown up with his son Michael who is on loan at Stevenage.
“It was a sad loss when we lost him, that was just me saying thank you.
“We were very close. He lived down in London and I lived in Nottingham but in the holidays we always just spent time together.”
Bamford left the City Ground shortly after Doughty had departed as chairman two years ago after Chelsea gave him an offer he could not refuse.
He starred on loan at MK Dons earlier in the season with Championship clubs coming flocking to capture him for the second half of the campaign. But those sides did not include Forest.

      

The 20-year-old said: “It was a little difficult to leave Nottingham Forest but I think I had to for my career. Chelsea gave me an option and I had to do that.
“I’m loving it here so far and the players have made it easy for me to settle in.
“Steve McClaren made it clear he wanted me, he spoke to me in mid-December and asked me to come. Hopefully I can repay him with some goals.

“I think there were three leading the race for me - Burnley, Wigan and Derby. Chelsea gave Steve permission to speak to me in the middle of December and he was the first to call me.
“I know what Steve is about, the way he played and the way he trained and what his coaching was like. It was always my preferred option.
“The main aim is to try and get Derby promoted. But it has to be a stepping stone to get into the Chelsea first team.”
This was a disappointing affair but super sub Bamford eventually gave the game its only good moment when he powered in from the edge of the area 14 minutes from time.
Without Liam Bridcutt who is set to leave the Amex Stadium after several bids were rejected from Sunderland, Brighton looked lifeless.
Now boss Oscar Garcia will target new signings.
He said: “We are looking to strengthen the squad. The club is working on a list of targets."

  

Despite signing Nemanja Matic from Benfica, it seems Jose Mourinho will push to make more major signings this January as he is looking to push forward with his pursuit of Atletico Madrid star Diego Costa.

According to a report in the Daily Star, Mourinho is set to tempt Costa with a move away by bidding a fee £32 million to trigger his buy-out clause.

The 25-year-old has been phenomenal this season as he has scored 23 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions.

With former strike partner Radamel Falcao leaving for AS Monaco this past summer, Costa has risen to prominence as he has emerged as one of the most in-form strikers in the world currently.

One thing that can be helpful in securing Costa's signature is that José Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, also represents Diego Costa.

If Chelsea do acquire Diego Costa, it would be very beneficial for them as many would argue that their strikers has been their weakest link of late. Chelsea's trio of strikers have struggled to consistently find form this season and Mourinho has previously stated that he is looking to boost his attack.

Even though this might be a summer signing for them as Diego Costa is cup tied for the Champions League, it's speculated that José Mourinho will contemplate signing him already this January.

DAVID MOYES has been handed a sensational £150m transfer budget and has made superstar-striker Edinson Cavani a top target.

     

The Man United boss was informed of his spending power at a top-level transfer summit with chief executive Ed Woodward and other directors.

And the Daily Star Sunday can reveal that Uruguay’s Cavani is eyeing a move to the Premier League, placing United on alert for a summer swoop.

Cavani, 26, only joined PSG last summer from Napoli for £55m.

But while he is happy in Paris and with the club, he is not impressed with the French League and wants to be a star in the Premier League – like his Uruguay team-mate at Liverpool, Luis Suarez.

      

Cavani is also wanted by Chelsea – United’s opponents today – and possibly Arsenal and Manchester City.
But he would be a ready-made replacement for Wayne Rooney if United lose the England striker – who only has a year left on his contract – in the summer.
Another potential target for United is Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler, who has a £37m buy-out clause in his contract.

Draxler, 20, is already an Arsenal target but the Germany international is unlikely to move in this transfer window as he has a ruptured muscle and is out until March.
Moyes is eyeing a host of midfield players, including Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan, 23, and Marco Reus, 24, plus Atletico Madrid’s Koke, 22.
And he is also tracking Porto’s £40m-rated France centre-half Eliaquim Mangala, 22.
A left-back is a priority with Southampton’s Luke Shaw, 18, and Everton’s Leighton Baines, 29, in the frame.
Moyes confirmed he is poised to spend on a major scale, either now or in the summer, when he said: “The amount of big players wanting to join Manchester United is incredible.
“Maybe players want to go to other clubs for the money but if you ask them where they really want to be, what club they really want to wear the badge of, they want to wear the badge of Manchester United.
“It’s because of the club and what it stands for in world terms.”

  

It has been revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo has promised new cars to members of the Real Madrid medical staff as a thank you for their work in keeping him fit over the last few seasons. Spanish newspaper Marca reported that it was a long standing pledge from the player that he would come good on if he won the coveted Ballon d'Or at FIFA's annual award ceremony this week.

Many argue that it was Lionel Messi's injury troubles in the closing months of 2013 and Ronaldo's accelerated form that gave the Real Madrid player the edge. As Barcelona's diminutive Argentine struggled with fitness, Ronaldo stepped up his performances to another level with a goal spree for Real, while also near single-handedly dragging Portugal into the World Cup finals.

Had Ronaldo missed out on being named the world's best player, Marca also reported the medical team would have been in for a treat if Real finally won their Decima, the much anticipated 10th European Crown that has long eluded the club since winning the 9th title back in 2002. It is apparently not the first time that Ronaldo has made these types of promises, with expensive jewellery and new phones having been dished out by the player as gestures of gratitude in the past.

Ronaldo is an individual who is extremely committed to fitness and training, a dedication that is one of the many attributes that make him one of the greatest players of all time. After watching Messi walk away with the Ballon d'Or in each of the last four years, finally being recognised as the best player in the world for the second time clearly meant an awful lot to the Portuguese superstar as he broke down in tears upon being presented with the award.

By generously thanking those who have worked hard to help him back to the pinnacle of the sport, Ronaldo might finally win over the numerous football fans and onlookers who constantly lambast him, choosing to see the player as arrogant and greedy compared to Messi, whose perceived humble persona has made him more widely popular.

  

Lacina Traore is set to have a medical at Everton today, ahead of a loan move from Monaco.

It had been thought that Traore would go to West Ham, with the London club having agreed a deal with the Ligue 1 club and even applied for a work permit for the Ivory Coast international, according to BBC Sport.

However, West Ham boss Sam Allerdyce has now said that there's little chance of Traore joining the Hammers, saying "[Everton] can apply for the work permit now."

Traore only signed for Monaco from Anzhi Makhachkala at the start of the month, the latest victim of backer Suleiman Merimov's tightening of the purse strings at the Russian club.

The Ivory Coast man would be the tallest outfield player in the Premier League, at a towering 6 foot 8 inches. The only man on these shores to match him would be Costel Pantilimon, City's backup keeper.

Traore's height would add an extra dimension to Everton's strike force in their bid to bring European football to Goodison Park.

He would also be the fourth loan player at the Merseyside club, joining Gareth Barry, Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku. Some Everton fans are questioning the sustainability of the tactic, but it's certainly working well for them this season, as they lie 6th in the league with the chance to go 4th if they win their game in hand.

  

 
Chelsea took on Manchester United at Stamford Bridge as both sides were looking to strengthen their title credentials, with the Blues five points off the top before kick-off while David Moyes saw his side an incredible 14 points away from Arsenal at the top.

United made their trip to Chelsea without their two main stars Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie available, while the Blues had returning signing Nemanja Matic on the bench.

The game start of the game was tight with United looking decent. United were unbeaten in seven away league games and they took the front foot in the match with Ashley Young having an early effort saved by Petr Cech.

Chelsea kept the game at 0-0, and on the 16th minute received a bit of luck as man of the match Samuel Eto'o took a shot just inside the box and his well connected effort took a huge deflection of Michael Carrick, looped over David De Gea and found itself in the United net. The opening goal proved crucial as the Blues took a lead which Mourinho sides rarely lose.

The game was a bit back and forth after the first goal with Hazard and Willian looking good for Chelsea and Januzaj causing problems at the other end.

Then on the 37th minute United missed a great chance.

Danny Welbeck was played it in from the left and he found himself with lots of room, but his shot was struck straight at Cech when the striker really should have done better. It was becoming very apparent how much David Moyes would have been missing Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

The Red Devils were punished for this wasted opportunity just before the break.

United cleared the ball from a Chelsea corner, but only as far as Ramires, who played a fantastic pass into the box for Hazard and the Belgian played the ball in for Eto'o who really couldn't miss for his second goal of the game with a nice finish.

When the second half begun it was clear the second goal had deflated United somewhat, but any real chance of a comeback was shattered with the third goal.

Just a few minutes into the second half and from another Chelsea corner Gary Cahill found himself with a free header, after more poor defending from United, and although his header was straight at De Gea the ball came back out to Eto'o who had a tap-in to complete his hat trick..3-0 was a little flattering for Chelsea, but United only had themselves to blame.

Following, the game petered out as in typical Mourinho fashion he was happy to settle and see the game out, although some bizarre keeping from Cech almost gifted United a way back in.

David Moyes didn't really have any options on the bench to change the game, but his side did show some fight when in the 77th minute the ball fell into the path of a just onside Javier Hernandez who tapped home, giving United a glimmer of hope and making the game a lot more interesting.

United pressed with Smalling and Hernandez having half chances to score a second, but nothing really came of it and Chelsea held their ground, and when Vidic was harshly sent off on the 91st minute the game was over.

Iin the end, Chelsea picked up the big 3-1 victory, leaving them just two points off Arsenal in first place and looking more like real title challengers as each week passes, even if Jose says winning the league isn't all that important yet.

For Moyes and Manchester United though this defeat effectively ended any chance of a title challenge. 14 points from the Gunners with just 16 games to go, and now the former Everton boss must surely be targeting a top four finish in what has not yet been a fantastic first year in charge at Old Trafford.

 

  recently attended a bridal shower for a girlfriend I hadn't seen in eight years. There were other friends in attendance that I had not seen for an even longer period of time. "Oh, my God! What happened to you?" "Where did you go?" These were some of the responses I got. Some had put on a few pounds - and some even more than that. I, on the other hand, had shed considerable useless pounds and was looking as fit as a fiddle.
"I knew that you worked out a lot. I could tell by your arms," was another remark I had gotten. Nearly 30 pounds had come and gone since I had last seen these people, and as they tried to force-feed me cookies and other sweets, I was also barraged with questions on how I lost the weight.
Pushing 30 is a rough time for us women. Our metabolisms begin to slow down, but not our love for yummy foods and bar hopping. Not a good combination. We get trapped into sedentary jobs and lifestyles, and exercise usually takes a back seat to new challenges and responsibilities. Was gym class the last time you ran a quarter mile? I get asked constantly what I eat, how often I work out, do I lift weights, and how do I find the time.
Ladies, there is no simple solution. No magic bullet. I work hard to remain in my present shape and I sacrifice a lot. But I am living proof that if you're willing to follow some - I mean all - of the 10 tips provided in this simple beginner's guide, better fitness and a more pleasing body shape can be yours.

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Nutrition

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1. Take charge of your caloric intake
This is the hardest part of all the guidelines I am about to present to you. When I got started in my quest for physical improvement I didn't even really know what the following meant. I used a basic formula to create a caloric deficit. It worked like a charm.
Note: An auto-calculator is down below for your convenience!
Bodyweight x 10 = total calories per day

Example: 125 lbs. x 10 = 1250 kcal / day

I then broke this caloric intake down into a 40 / 40 / 20 split. This means that I broke the 1250 calories down into 40 percent carbohydrates (CHO), 40 percent protein sources (PRO) and the rest from fat (FAT). It looks like this:

• 40 percent CHO / 1250 = 500 calories
• 40 percent PRO / 1250 = 500 calories
• 20 percent FAT / 1250 = 250 calories

And since there are four calories per gram of CHO and PRO, and nine calories per gram of FAT…

• CHO 500 kcal / 4 = 125g
• PRO 500 kcal / 4 = 125g
• FAT 250 kcal / 9 = 28g (or < 28g)

Calculate Your Macronutrients Intake!

Enter Your Bodyweight In The Appropriate Box Below:
Your Bodyweight In Pounds: OR In Kilograms:

This all seems simple on paper, but how do you really know how many calories you're consuming, and how many grams of each are in the foods you are eating? Initially, this can be difficult. I chose to consume foods providing nutrition fact labels, thus enabling me to calculate how much of each was in what. You'll be amazed how easy this becomes after awhile, and how much you learn about nutrition in doing so. You can use the Bodybuilding.com nutrient database to find out what is in your foods as well.
2. Exercise portion control
Another tactic I used - and still use - is measuring a portion of food to the equivalent size of your fist. I believe "portion control" to be the biggest obstacle to overcome and the biggest threat to a sound nutrition and exercise program. How many of us truly eat just one serving of pasta? I mean, really.
3. Break it up into five small meals throughout the day
If our daily caloric intake is 1250 kcal with 125g CHO, 125g PRO and minimal FAT, by breaking up this daily allotment into five meals spaced evenly throughout the day, each meal should consist of no more than 250 kcal with approximately 25g CHO and 25g PRO. By doing this you'll be providing your body with consistent energy throughout the day without overloading your system. You will keep your metabolism burning smoothly without allowing your body to switch into "starvation" mode. This is very important.
4. Drink tons of water
Eliminate all sugary drinks from your diet. They are useless. Sugars - especially refined, simple sugars - elevate insulin levels dramatically (a storage hormone) and turn into fat when not used immediately for energy. This is exactly what we are trying to prevent. I believe sugar to be just as much an enemy in the war against body fat as fat itself.
Try to keep your intake down. Use sugar substitutes in coffee and tea, drink diet colas (keep it to a minimum. They rot your GI tract), or just drink water. Good old water clears the system of toxins and hydrates cells, which is especially important. And it's good for the skin, too!
5. Concentrate on nutrient-dense foods as opposed to empty calories
Okay, so we're restricting calories now, right? It is therefore important for us to get the most out of what we do eat. So would it make more sense to consume a 150 kcal sugary soda or 150 kcal can of tuna fish containing protein? My belief is that the closer foods are to their natural state, the better they are for you.
With this in mind, I recommend foods such as brown rice, plain oatmeal, potatoes (not mashed!), tuna fish, chicken breast, turkey, steamed vegetables, and fruit. I realize this sounds boring, but you'll be surprised how much better you feel eating these types of foods and how much more sustained energy you'll have throughout your day.

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Training

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6. Do cardio
Doing cardio is essential but need not be as tedious as you may think. First of all, you do not need to perform hours and hours of cardio each and every day like a lot of the girls I see at my gym. Thirty-40 minutes, four or five days each week, will do the trick. Do your cardio sessions first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (or later in the evening after not eating for a few hours) to maximize the results.
Thirty minutes of moderate cardio burns approximately 300 kcal in an average-sized female. Therefore, doing this five days each week will further your caloric deficit by an additional 1500 kcal (a little shy of half a pound). Cardio will also boost your metabolism post-exercise (increasing calorie expenditure significantly) and turn your body into a fat-burning machine!
7. Lift weights
I find this to be the hardest part of the equation for most women, and it baffles me. Weight training is the easiest and most enjoyable part of the program, in my opinion. You will not "bulk up". You will not get big. By lifting weights - really lifting weights - you will firm the muscles underneath the fat and build new muscle tissue (and remember that muscle is the "furnace" of the body). Therefore, the more muscle you have, the faster and more efficiently you will burn fat and develop the body you really want.
Muscle gives us shape and contour. Here is an easy-to-follow beginner's program that I used when I got started. Consult a qualified trainer if you are unsure of proper form on any of the following exercises.
Day One (legs / lower body)
Leg extensions - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Leg curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Lunges - 3 sets of as many repetitions a side as you can! If you can perform 20 reps then increase the resistance by holding dumbbells. Start with 10 pounds in each hand and add more as the exercise becomes easier.
Leg press - 3 sets of 20 reps (Try different foot positions of this to target different areas - toes pointed in, pointed out and straight forward.)
Glute / Butt kickbacks - 3 sets of 15-20 reps - Really concentrate on getting a good squeeze at peak contraction by maintaining a moderate speed through the whole range of motion and holding at the top for a second or two.
!
Day Two (back, biceps and abdominals)
Seated row - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Lat pulldown - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Back extensions - 3 sets of as many as you can do - extend through the whole range of motion and squeeze the glutes and hams together to kill two birds with one stone!
Seated biceps curls - 3 set of 12-15 reps
Hammer curls - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Crunches - 3 sets of 25 reps
Decline reverse crunches - 3 sets of 25


Day Three (shoulders, chest and triceps)
Push ups - 3 sets of as many as you can do - and not the knee-on-floor style!
Shoulder press (Dumbbells or machine) - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Lateral raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Front raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Single bench dips - 3 sets of as many as you can do!
Rope pulldowns (or with a straight bar) - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
!

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Motivation

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8. Challenge yourself
There's nothing I hate more than seeing women in the gym using weights a fraction of what I know they can really lift. Give me a break. Challenge yourself! If you don't, you're never going to see the kind of results you want. My general rule of thumb is, when you feel like you can't do any more reps, do two more.
9. Stop making excuses and find the time
Everyone loves to make excuses as to why she can't do this, and why she can't do that. If someone asks me for help and in the same sentence tells me they don't have the time, I stop right there. I value my time in the gym; it's the one time during the day that I give solely to me. It's my time. It is as much a priority as going to work or to school. There are so many benefits to exercise other than getting into shape, that depriving yourself of this journey would be a shame. So stop making excuses.
10. Mind over matter
And, finally, this is where I truly get on my soapbox. There are so many obstacles to overcome when attempting to adhere to this program. I'm not going to lie; it isn't easy. You must be strong and stay focused on your goals. As my mother always likes to say, nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Well, I don't know about that. But surely there is a powerful message here. Sticking to your goals and following through with the plan has its merits, and the benefits far outweigh all the little cheats along the way. I know when I succeeded with my program, and I was standing on stage at my first fitness show, there was no better feeling in the world.
When I meet with friends I haven't seen in eight years and they're amazed at how much better I look, I feel great. And when I can help others attain the same goals, feel as good as I do, and make lifestyle changes for the better, I know I did the right thing.
Thanks,

ANTHONY JOSHUA has had his first fight of a busy year - separating Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta!

 
BREAK IT UP BOYS: Anthony Joshua met Sylvester 'Rocky' Stallone and Robert 'Raging Bull' De Niro [Joshua met the fictional Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and the real-life LaMotta (played by Robert De Niro) at a film launch yesterday.

The two actors star in a new movie called 'Grudge Match' and Olympic super-heavyweight champion Joshua met them in London.

“They are both Hollywood superstars and it was very enjoyable to chat with them”

Anthony Joshua

Stallone and 'Raging Bull' De Niro had a pretend fight, with Joshua stepping in to break it up.
Sly said: "Rocky Balboa beats Jake LaMotta - there's no doubt. Why? Because I wrote the script!" Joshua said: "It was great meeting both of them. They are both Hollywood superstars and it was very enjoyable to chat with them."
Joshua is heading into what he hopes will be a very busy year as he attempts to move up the heavyweight rankings. The 24-year-old said: "I want to fight eight to 10 times this year. I aim to keep very busy. When I competed in the London Olympics, I wasn't half the fighter I am today."

 
 
Top of the table Arsenal welcomed relegation threatened London rivals Fulham to the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal having been nothing short of sensational so far this season, but it remains to be seen whether they can continue that till the end. Fulham are still adapting to life under a new manager, but some good signs are there.

René Meulensteen would have been very pleased with his side's performance in the first 45 minutes, with Fulham showing their ability to keep possession. The home side started the stronger, demonstrated their trademark slick and sharp passing to slice defences open. Serge Gnabry had several distance shots off target while Santi Cazorla's was blocked well. Olivier Giroud found a small amount of space inside the box, but his shot went high and wide.

After the Arsenal failed to capitalise on their quick start, Fulham started to play simple passes to keep possession. This forced Arsenal to chase the ball, creating space for the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Alexander Kačaniklić and Scott Parker. Fulham failed to put in quality crosses from good positions, but they did test Wojciech Szczęsny between the sticks. Steve Sidwell hit a brilliantly struck volley from outside the box which appeared to be going in until Arsenal's number one stuck out a strong hand to palm it away.

Fulham became more confident with the ball and started to force the home side back, although Arsenal did put up a fight, with Bacary Sagna forcing a solid save out of  Maarten Stekelenburg from inside the box. Arsenal pushed hard late in the first half, which almost allowed Fulham to hit them on the counter attack. Dimitar Berbatov received the ball in Arsenal's half and played it to Alexander Kačaniklić running into the box. A shooting chance was wasted because of Kačaniklić poor touch allowing Szczęsny to intercept the ball.

Second half was a complete turnaround for Arsenal, who started strongly once again, but turned the high pressure and possession into goals. Serge Gnabry showed why Arsène Wenger entrust him with his starting position when he cut inside from the right, dancing through several defenders and got a shot off testing Fulham's keeper.

Shortly after, Arsenal had three consecutive shots cleared off the line or blocking an open goal. They did not dwell on this missed opportunity long with Santi Cazorla getting his first. The Spanish midfielder started with the ball on the left, passed in inside to Olivier Giroud who reversed passed to Jack Wilshere inside the box. The English midfielder then cut a pass back into the centre of the box, where Cazorla. who had continued his run, smashed the ball into the net.

It was only three minutes later that Cazorla got his second. This time, he picked the ball up outside the box, shifted it to his left foot and hit a shot across the floor into the bottom right corner. It went through several people meaning that Maarten Stekelenburg saw it late, but was a cool finish. Arsenal dominated the possession from this point on, with Lukas Podolski coming on and almost having an immediate impact when his powerfully hit close range shot was blocked.

Fulham did have one great chance to get on the score sheet when substitute Darren Bent beat Szczęsny to a lobbed through ball, but missed the open goal. In the Englishman's defence, he was running away from goal and was under pressure from Laurent Koscielny.

Arsenal's form continues, as does their run at the top of the table. With every positive result the gunners will become more confident about staying there till the end, and today was a solid second half display. For René Meulensteen, his side's first half showing would've given him great confidence that they can stay safe this season and will just have to write off the second half loss as simply being beaten by the better side.

the in-form Manchester City were able to score their 100th goal of the season as they easily came away the victors over Cardiff.

It took only 13 minutes for the hosts to score, thanks to a goal converted expertly by Edin Dzeko.

This was what was needed to inject life into Manuel Pellegrini's team as Alvaro Negredo was close to scoring in the 20th minute and again in the 23rd minute.

However, it was Cardiff City who found the goal next as a left footed shot by Craig Noone in the 29th minute saw the sides go level.

In the 33rd minute, Manchester City midfielder Jesus Navas scored to make it 2-1 much to the delight of the home fans.

As the first half went on, Man City were looking the more lively out of the two teams as
the Citizens were close to scoring several times. Alexsandar Kolarov was especially important as he was causing Cardiff's defence fits from his left-back position.

The second half opened well for Man City as Alvaro Negredo came close to making it 3-1 for, but his finish was just off target.

Just a few minutes later and David Silva came close to scoring, but his effort was kept out by the Cardiff City defence.

For a couple of minutes Cardiff City had a good spell, but were not able to score as the Manchester City defence and Joe Hart had a very good match.

The next couple of minutes brought a Manchester City onslaught as they had several opportunities to score, but Cardiff held strong.

In the 61st minute Alvaro Negredo was substituted out for their top goal scorer, Sergio Aguero.

Straight after Sergio Aguero was substituted on to the pitch, he made his presence felt as he assisted just a few minutes after entering the match. He assisted Yaya Touré who was able to make it 3-1 for the Citizens by scoring a well placed shot past Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall.

In the 79th minute, Yaya Touré decided to repay the favour and assisted Sergio Aguero who scored an amazing goal where he showed his dribbling ability as he dribbled past three players and scored a well placed finish.

In the 92nd minute, Cardiff City were able to pull one back as Fraiser Campbell scored to make it 4-2 in favour of City.

Manchester City are now one point behind Arsenal, who are at the top of the table, while Cardiff sit bottom of the table on goal difference.

It's interesting to think that Cardiff City manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær never won as a player against Manchester City and he kept the tradition by not winning against them as a manage

Chelsea hosting Manchester United is the pick of the weekends fixtures, but with the bottom half of the table being so tight there are some equally important match-ups with relegation implications.

Like-wise, the Championship has proved to be just as close, making it increasingly hard to nail an accumulator. Hopefully we can help you with this guide to some of the weekend's games

1. Bankers

Chelsea to beat Manchester United - It seems extremely rare that betting against United would be seen as a banker, yet that is what this season has brought. The constant ups and downs of David Moyes' side seems inevitable to take another trajectory south as the Red Devils make a literal journey south to Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho's side are currently striking the right balance between attack and defence, with Eden Hazard shining and even Fernando Torres scoring, well once, anyway. From the defence's standpoint, they have kept three clean sheets in their last three games in all competitions. It seems to have helped to move the mercurial animated-mop David Luiz in to central midfield and leave the defending to those who can, well, defend.

United shocked the world over when they won last weekend at home to Swansea, ending a run of three defeats. David Moyes has since done his best Sir Alex impression by receiving a charge from the FA for misconduct towards an official. He won't be looking forward to this game, especially with Robin Van Persie definitely out and Wayne Rooney's chances of being fit looking more 30/70 than 50/50.

Chelsea are favourites at 4/5, but it seems like a good banker to have on your accumulator.

Additional tip: Sideshow Luiz came close on a couple of occasions against Hull and this feels like the kind of game he might just find the top corner in. Odds of 25/1 feel worth a speculative punt.

Reading to beat Bolton- After a spell of five games without a win, Reading got back to winning ways with an impressive win away at Italian side Watford last weekend. They are one point off the play-offs and will see this weekends game at home to Bolton as the perfect game to move back in to the top six with.

With the spectre of debt totalling £165 million looming over Bolton, their performances on the pitch have offered little distraction. One win in five leaves Wanderers in 18th place. While not in immediate danger of slipping in to the relegation zone, Dougie Freedman must be peering over his shoulder a little. Losing Jermaine Beckford for around three weeks is a further blow.

Things look unlikely to get better this weekend at the Madejski with the Royals on a high after their success last weekend.

Additional tip: With Bolton's main source of goals on the sidelines, they might find getting on the scoresheet a difficult task. Putting this down as a No for both teams to score might be wise.

2. Wildcards

Swansea to beat Tottenham- It's been a disappointing Premier League season so far for Swansea, with most of their best performances and results coming in their cup campaigns. Wins over Manchester United and Valencia being particular highlights.

In the league, however, they haven't quite been able to replicate last season's form. Injuries have played a part, with Michu the biggest casualty currently. Fit-again Wilfired Bony has shown flashes of why Michael Laudrup paid big money to bring the striker to Wales.

Spurs have been in a good spell since Tim Sherwood took over as manager, winning four out of the five games he has overseen in the league. The defeat to rivals Arsenal in the Cup has been the only blot on their copybook of late.

Last weekend, however, Spurs were thankful to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and arguably the worst penalty in existence from Jason Puncheon for not finding themselves behind in the first half at home to Crystal Palace.

This has the potential to be a season turner for Swansea and they will have been encouraged by how Palace found moderate success from taking the game to Spurs. With the home crowd behind them, the Swans could come away from this one with somewhat of a surprise win. At around 21/10 they may be worth putting on an accumulator.

Additional tip: Jonjo Shelvey has been one of Swansea's more consistent performers this season and always looks capable of producing a moment of magic. With odds of being first goalscorer at roughly 12/1, he might be worth backing to get the goals flowing this weekend.


Doncaster to beat Wigan- Wigan have made a real turnaround in form since Uwe Rosler took over at the DW. A side that previously seemed scared to find the net have suddenly found their shooting boots and the addition of Nicky Maynard on-loan from Cardiff, someone who has been prolific in the Championship priorly, can only be a boost to the Latics play-off push.

Doncaster have been on a very poor run, one that has seem them slip back in to the bottom three. Five points from a possible thirty is relegation form. They have conceded 21 goals in the first half of games this season and have sought to stem that with the somewhat familiar face of former Bolton and West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite.

Last weekend Rovers went down 1-0 at Blackburn, but their second half performance showed they have some fight in them and they were unlucky not to find an equaliser.

If Paul Dickov's side can access the same performance as they brought out in that second half, then at 7/2 they would be a sound bet to come out of this game victorious, especially as Wigan had to work through extra-time in their FA Cup replay in the week.

Additional tip: If you fancy backing the visitors instead, you could also back them to extend their current run of four clean sheets in a row in the league

3. Draws

Norwich vs Hull- After a 3-0 cup thrashing by Fulham in the week, Norwich will be looking to bounce back on their own patch against this seasons surprise package, Hull. Chris Hughton is coming under increased pressure from fans, with many calling for his tenure to be brought to an end as his team drift closer to the relegation places, just two points clear of 18th placed Cardiff. Home games like this are crucial if the Canaries are to survive this season.

Hull are ticking along nicely and have got through a tough run of games without even slipping out of the top half. This week they have added to their ranks with the once-prolific Nikica Jelavic. If he can find some semblance of the form he hit on his arrival in this country, and with the potential of Shane Long partnering him up front, the Tigers could be on course to secure another season in the top tier. However, they know losing a game like this could be a serious dent in achieving safety.

Steve Bruce knows all about setting a team up cautiously and, while the opportunity is definitely there to come away with three points, the Hull boss will appreciate the need to not lose. With this in mind, a draw at odds of around 11/5 could be a good shout.

Additional tip: A change of club often brings a change of fortune, double up your draw bet with Jelavic scoring anytime and you may come up smiling.

Barnsley vs Blackpool- They may come from rival counties, but these teams have been in sync as of late, with neither seemingly capable of even buying a win.

Hiring former boss Danny Wilson has had little effect on the Tykes fortunes and if recent signing Liam Lawrence is anything to go by, the Yorkshire side are already preparing for life in the countries third tier. Indeed, the best news as of late has probably been the fact that they avoided further misery last weekend when their game at Charlton was postponed due to safety reasons.

Blackpool's end of 2013 misery has continued into 2014 as Paul Ince continues to show he has little clue on how to pull a team out of a slump. If several rumours are to be believed, Ince's son Tom's Blackpool career may be coming to an end imminently and this could, in fact, be his last game. His loss would be huge to a team who have shown little creativity from the other ten players in tangerine.

Expect a close game between two teams devoid of confidence. More than likely this one will end in a draw that does absolutely nothing for either of these floundering teams.

Additional tip: If this is Tom Ince's last game, you would expect him to sign off in typical fashion. Should you feel Blackpool could actually win a game, have a look at a Tom Ince score cast with the tangerines winning by one goal in some form.