Sid Lowe in Spain

Sporting Gijón's 5-1 hammering by Sociedad raises real questions about the future of La Liga's longest serving manager.

Even great survivor Manolo Preciado may not be able to ride out this storm.

England: Tuesday's Premier League Preview & Predictions

Manchester City return to Premier League action against Everton on a key night in the title race, with Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea also taking to the field.

Preview

Paul Merson's Predictions

Lawro's Predictions

Americans Abroad

Landon Donovan, M/F, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on two goals in Everton's 2-1 victory over Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday. Donovan delivered a left-footed cross from the right side that found Denis Stracqualursi in the 27th minute, and the Argentine striker headed it in from the center of the box to level the score. Donovan then sent in a right-footed cross from the right to find Marouane Fellaini, who headed home the winner in the 73rd minute. SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts

Oguchi Onyewu, D, Sporting Lisbon -- Started, played 90 minutes, picked up a yellow card and scored both goals in Sporting's 2-0 victory over Beira Mar on Sunday. Onyewu scored on nearly identical plays in the 18th and 27th minutes, first heading home a corner kick from the edge of the 6-yard box and then doing the same off a free kick taken from the same side of the field nine minutes later. SEASON: 23 games, 23 starts, 5 goals

The Rest

Ben Lyttleton: Support Henry finds at Arsenal remains missing at home in France

Despite the celebration in England, his words rang hollow in France, where he is admired for being France's best player when it won Euro 2000; rated for scoring more international goals, 51, than any other France player; and respected for marking the history of the Premier League with his record 226 (now 227) goals for Arsenal.But he is also seen as manipulative, image-obsessed and arrogant. In fact, Henry might be unique in sports for the total disconnect between his perception at home and abroad. Take the minor story of his tears at that statue unveiling; in England, it was seen as honest emotion out of love for the club; in France, a calculated ploy to further cement his place in the history of Arsenal and English football.

Paolo Bandini in Italy

The Nerazzurri's streak of form had some talking about a push for title but the wheels came off at the Stadio Via del Mare.

Crazy Inter's unbeaten run ends at lowly Lecce.

Raphael Honigstein in Germany

Michael Ballack is a legend who has become a pariah at Bayer Leverkusen – a club who are now desperate to sell him.

Pride, pig-headedness and glee: Leverkusen's Project Ballack fails.

Tim Vickery in South America

I have often mentioned the single greatest pleasure of covering South American football -spotting a future superstar on the way up, spying on the early steps of someone with the talent to become a household name all over the world.Another pleasure comes from following some of those big names at the end of their playing days, when they come back from Europe to wind down their careers.One of the fascinating aspects here is that they can fit into so many different categories.

African Cup of Nations: Drogba's mother dishes up for Ivory Coast fans

While Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba is on the football pitch, his mother is cooking for Africa Cup of Nations fans.Clotilde Drogba's makeshift kitchen is at a dusty stadium on the outskirts of the Equatorial Guinea capital of Malabo, the Associated Press reports.She serves up chicken and fish with rice, plantains and spicy sauces to fans, while her Chelsea star son eats at the hotel with the other players.

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Roberto Gotta in Italy

While even well-funded scientific researchers have apparently not been able to find out what the best thing before sliced bread was, you got the impression on the week leading up to the Milan-Inter derby on January 15 that this latest chapter of the intercity rivalry would certainly be the most compelling event since the dawn of the sandwich.

African Cup of Nations: Sudan in quarters for first time in 42 years

Sudan reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 42 years on Monday, beating Burkina Faso 2-1 to end an 11-game winless streak at the tournament and edge out Angola on goal difference.

African Cup of Nations: Jonathan Wilson: A wonderful spectacle for both host and fans

Equatorial Guineans celebrate...

and celebrate...

and celebrate...

This has been a tournament that has restored the joy to African soccer. Without the traditional powers of Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt, it is as if a great weight both of expectation and fear has been lifted. Only Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are playing with the albatross of favoritism around their necks, and both have been notably cautious in their opening matches; everybody else seems liberated, as though the subconscious dread of humiliation at the hands of one of the great names has gone (Botswana, who lost by a record 6-1 to Guinea, might regret that). It has been a tournament of fluid, constant attack.

African Cup of Nations: Senegal left soul-searching

Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba = No Goals

For some, a road without any obstacles can be just as tricky to travel on as one that is punctured with potholes. Some like Senegal. Without record-breaking continental giants Egypt, heavyweights Cameroon and Nigeria in the ongoing African Nations Cup (ANC), the path was considered clear for the likes of them, Ghana or Ivory Coast to emerge champions. But, Senegal will not get anywhere near the trophy after finishing Group A in last place. They limped out of the tournament without a single victory, despite being FIFA ranked the highest of the four teams in their pool, 20 places above the nearest challenger, Libya.

Phil Ball in Spain

On Sunday afternoon I attended the Real Sociedad v Sporting de Gijon encounter, which finished 5-1 in favour of the home side. However, I'd like to share a personal record with you. During many years of watching live football, I don't think I've ever managed to miss fifty-percent of the goals. The first miss came courtesy of a quick trip to the loo, just as the half-time break was drawing to a close. Why not go at the beginning, you ask? Well, I had been delayed in conversation with the legendary Alex Calvo-Garcia, who sometimes sits behind me in Anoeta. Now retired, he famously scored the winning goal at Wembley to promote Scunthorpe United via the play-offs in 1999, upon which he ripped off his shirt to reveal the Ikurrina below (the Basque flag), a point missed by almost everyone in the stadium that day. You can check it out on YouTube. He has a bar named after him now, at Scunthorpe's ground, but it was his fault entirely that I missed Sporting's first goal, netted in the opening minute of the second half. Lovely bloke though.

Phil McNulty: 'Tormented' De Gea a great concern for Ferguson

Patrice Evra's ordeal concluded with his Manchester United captain's armband tossed away in the despair of defeat on the Anfield turf. For David de Gea, the torment shows no sign of ending.

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England: FA Cup Weekend Reviews, Reports, Team of the Weekend, & Fifth Round Draw

Rafael Van der Vaart's 30-yard strike proved just enough for Tottenham Hotspur to see off a spirited Watford side 1-0 in their FA Cup clash at Vicarage Road and book a place in the fifth round. Headers from Denis Stracqualursi and Marouane Fellaini sent Everton into the fifth round of the FA Cup as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 on Friday night. Friday

Liverpool remain on course for a cup double this season after Dirk Kuyt's late winner secured a 2-1 victory in their FA Cup fourth round clash with Manchester United at Anfield. Gus Poyet once again ended the FA Cup hopes of Newcastle as Championship side Brighton pulled off a shock 1-0 win. Juan Mata's penalty secured Chelsea's place in the fifth round with a 1-0 win against West London rivals Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. Saturday

Arsenal came thundering back from two-down at half-time to record a pulsating 3-2 victory over Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup, with captain Robin van Persie netting a brace. Fraizer Campbell emerged from his latest bout of injury misery to keep Sunderland's FA Cup dreams alive with a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough. Sunday

Everton 2 - 1 Fulham
Andy Hunter at Goodison Park


Queens Park Rangers 0 - 1 Chelsea
Jason Burt at Loftus Road
Dominic Fifield at Loftus Road


Liverpool 2 - 1 Manchester United
Kevin McCarra at Anfield
Duncan White at Anfield


Arsenal 3 - 2 Aston Villa
Henry Winter at the Emirates Stadium
Kevin Palmer at the Emirates Stadium
Amy Lawrence at the Emirates Stadium

Five Things We Learned


Team of the Weekend

Ties will be played on the weekend of February 18-19.

Games to be played weekend of February 18

Liverpool	v	Brighton & Hove Albion
Everton	v	Blackpool or Sheffield Wednesday
Chelsea	v	Birmingham City
Crawley Town	v	Stoke City
Stevenage	v	Tottenham Hotspur
Norwich City	v	Leicester City
Sunderland or Middlesbrough	v	Arsenal
Millwall or Southampton	v	Bolton Wanderers

European Round-up: Real Madrid surge, Barca slump, Juve and Bayern still lead

Real Madrid jumped sevenpoints clear at the top of La Liga with a comeback victory astheir title rivals dropped points, while Juventus maintained aone-point lead in Serie A at the weekend. Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain kept up their 100 percentrecord since the arrival of new coach Carlo Ancelotti and BayernMunich stayed just out in front with three teams level on pointsat the top of the Bundesliga.

Round-Up

African Cup of Nations: Updates & Previews

Zambia beat already-qualified Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in the African Cup of Nations on Sunday to snatch first place in Group A and join the co-host in the quarterfinals.

Ihaab Boussefi's two goals weren't enough to send Libya through to the quarterfinals at the African Cup of Nations despite a 2-1 win over Senegal on Sunday.Boussefi struck in the fifth and 84th minutes to give Libya victory at Estadio de Bata, but Zambia's 1-0 win over co-host Equatorial Guinea in Group A's other game in Malabo - which was played at the same time - saw the Zambians progress. Senegal slumped to a third straight loss at the tournament and a humiliating end to its Cup of Nations after being tipped as a possible contender.

Ivory Coast, Angola in top-of-table showdown

The Fifth Official

Tubbs

Few of us like a Monday morning, but The Fifth Official does, for it brings with it a chance for him to point the finger and laugh. Here he pulls out the pretty, the puzzling and the downright pig-ugly from a week brimming with potential victims.

Daniel Taylor: Carlos Tevez paying a heavy price for living in his own universe

In the real world, if Carlos Tevez worked for a company the size of Manchester City and disappeared for almost three months he would get sacked and his belongings would follow in a crate.

Fantasy All-Time Soccer Draft

Imagine you and nine rival managers/sporting directors are putting together soccer teams from scratch. Every current or former player is available to draft, each in the prime of his career.How would you construct a 16-man squad? Would Pele be the surefire No. 1 player on your draft board? If you had a full list of forwards from which to choose, how would you decide among Pele, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo di Stefano? Where would you slot Franz Beckenbauer and Franco Baresi? Zico and Michel Platini? How would you balance stars and role players, or pioneers versus today's greats?These were just some of the questions facing the 10 writers -- Jen Chang, Steve Davis, Raphael Honigstein, Ben Lyttleton, Iain MacIntosh, Gabriele Marcotti, Rob Smyth, Georgina Turner, Grant Wahl and Jonathan Wilson -- who participated in SI.com's Ultimate Soccer Draft.Below you can see the pick-by-pick results of the draft. You can view a complete analysis of each team by clicking on the writers' pictures or on "TEAMS" above. Disagree with the picks? Weigh in with your thoughts on the draft's hottest debates.Who drafted the best team? For one answer to that question, SI.com asked Sports Interactive, creators of the best-selling Football Manager simulation, to design a realistic representation of what might occur if these 160 players all played at the same time in this 10-team league. We present the standings, league leaders and player-by-player stats from the balanced, 18-game regular season. (A recap of the season is chronicled here.)Each former player’s best season and overall career performance was used as the foundation for creating his data ratings for the simulation, with current players assigned their default ratings in the latest version of FM2012. A group of writers convened (Wilson, Marcotti, Lyttleton, Chang and Honigstein) to reach a consensus rating for each of the former players and assign the values for their individual attributes.Players are geared toward a starting lineup based on the writers' preferences, but playing time and number of starts are handled by the automated computer coach in the simulation, with each writer assigned a well-known current manager as his assistant. Injuries come into play like in real life, as does the possibility that some players will have off years or exceed their usual productivity.Now, on to the draft ...

Steve Davis: Jones and Cameron impress for U.S. team in pair of January friendlies

Always, always keep in mind: Results in January friendlies don't mean a thing in the big picture.They can, however, tell us something about personnel, once properly strained through all the relevant filters. So, allowing for watered-down opposition and for the difficulties associated with performing alongside other "B" and "C" team types, here's how the U.S. player pool may have shifted based on recent 1-0 wins over Venezuela and Panama.

Dominic Raynor: Off the Ball

Keeping Prince off the pitch...?

Off the Ball never rests in its mission to scratch around the underbelly of professional football to find the most bizarre, humorous and inexplicable stories.This week, AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng is sidelined by too much sex, a Brazilian goalkeeper turns up "too drunk to move" at his new club, the video fake that fooled Liverpool's top brass before Stewart Downing's £20 million move, Bayern Munich's "spectacular" own goal and full-contact 'bubble football'.

England: FA Cup Weekend Previews & Predictions

Liverpool's visit of fierce rivals Manchester United takes centre stage as the FA Cup resumes with a jam-packed weekend of fixtures.The glamour tie of the fourth round will take place on Saturday lunchtime with Anfield as the stage, with the Reds having already booked one Wembley visit after advancing to the Carling Cup final with a win over Manchester City in midweek.The clubs have joined forces in calling for both sets of fans to act responsibly, with the clash marking the first time the teams have met since Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Patrice Evra in October, but tensions are expected to run high in a fiercely-contested affair. Two Friday games are scheduled, one of which will see Tottenham make the short trip to Championship opponents Watford, with Harry Redknapp set to return to the dugout. In Friday's other encounter, two top-flight opponents go head-to-head when Everton host Fulham at Goodison Park, with in-form Cottagers striker Clint Dempsey seeking his third hat-trick this month.

Preview

Watford vs. Tottenham: Preview


Brighton vs. Newcastle: Preview


Liverpool vs. Manchester United
Preview
Alan Hansen's Preview


Lawro's Predictions

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Jack Wilshere hands Arsenal and England a fresh injury scare

Jack Wilshere has given Arsenal and England a massive injury scare after suffering a recurrence of the ankle problem which has kept him out this season, the Guardian understands.In what will come as a significant blow to both his club's efforts to secure a Champions League berth, and the national team's preparations for Euro 2012, Wilshere suffered a breakdown just at the point when he was set to return to first-team training for Arsenal.

Rewind to 2002: Hiddink's winter of discontent

South Korea finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup as a nation turned red with excitement, yet just five months earlier, the team managed the same position at the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup while the country turned pink with embarrassment. In June, the Taeguk Warriors defeated Poland, Portugal, Italy and Spain on their way to the semi-final; in January, they lost to the United States, Costa Rica and Canada while drawing with Cuba and Mexico. In June, Guus Hiddink was a hero; but in January, he almost lost his job.

Dempsey: I want to play in UCL

Fulham star Clint Dempsey has put the Premier League's top clubs on alert by revealing that he will not be happy in his career until he has played in the Champions League.

Dempsey: U.S. stars a major force now

David Conn: Onus on clubs to prevent ugly spectre of racism rearing its head again

If you had invited predictions a year ago about football's most combustible issue, it is unlikely that racism, the focus of sustained and successful efforts to kick it out, would have come anywhere near top of the list. Yet as Liverpool prepare to face Manchester United in the FA Cup for a match in danger of being more poisonous than for a long time, football's long, progressive battle against racism is suddenly spotlit again.

Rob Bagchi: For every prolific Lilian Thuram there's a wobbly Jonathan Woodgate

Thuram and some dude

There have been crimes committed against the fraternity of full-backs in recent weeks. Arsenal's spate of injuries has obliged Arsène Wenger to send out four centre-backs whose relative uniformity of size when strung in a defensive line has left them looking at times like table footballers – with the proviso that they lack the positional discipline compelled upon them by having a pole running through their ribs to link them together.Tony Pulis, who seems to have an aversion to orthodox full-backs, sent out Stoke City for their FA Cup third-round victory over Gillingham with the former England centre-halves Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson at right- and left-back respectively. Indeed he has persevered with Woodgate in the old No2 role despite evidence that suggests the defender is wholly unsuited to the task.

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Wednesday's Rumours








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Charlton fans arrested over alleged racist chanting after Fulham game

Nine men have been arrested by police investigating suspected racist chanting by football fans.Police received reports of a group of Charlton Athletic supporters singing racist songs on a train following their FA Cup tie at Fulham on 7 January. Detective Inspector Ashley Cooper, leading the BTP investigation, said the suspects, aged between 20 and 30, were taken to a north London police station and are helping police with their inquiries.Cooper said: "We launched Operation Midas after a group of men, who we believe to be Charlton supporters, boarded a train at Putney and were heard chanting racist songs – something which was both offensive and extremely intimidating for other passengers on board.

USA: International Friendly Preview

Estadio Rommel Fernandez

Who: Panama vs. United States
When: 8:30pm EST
Where: Estadio Rommel Fernandez, Panama City
U.S. TV: Galavision, ESPN3
Preview

Spain: Wednesday's Copa del Rey Semi-Final Second Leg Preview

The Stamper

Who: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (2-1 agg.)
When: 4pm EST
Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona
U.S. TV: GolTV, ESPN Deportes
Preview

England: Wednesday's Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg Previews

Yes, that's Lucille Ball

Who: Liverpool vs. Manchester City (1-0 agg.)
When: 2:45pm EST
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
U.S. TV: Fox Soccer Channel
Preview
Lawro's Preview

England: Tuesday's Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg Report

Cardiff City 1(3) - 0(1) Crystal Palace 
Dominic Fifield at Cardiff City Stadium

African Cup of Nations: Updates & Team of the Round

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations is well underway after three days of competitive matches that have done little to betray the tournament's reputation of being one of the most exciting and unpredictable events in world football.The tournament kicked-off in Bata, a port-city on the Atlantic coast of Equatorial Guinea, with an opening ceremony full of glitz and glamour that provided a stunning backdrop to the competition on Saturday evening.The ceremony was truly a spectacle to behold, but thankfully so far the tournament itself has provided entertainment to match.

Ghana and Mali came out on top as the Africa Cup of Nations completed its opening batch of group matches here on Tuesday.Ghana are with Ivory Coast carrying the tag of favourites on their shoulders and they duly earned the three points with a 1-0 win in their Group D clash with Botswana.

Jonathan Wilson: Ghana worryingly fragile

Team of the Round

Uli Hesse in Germany

They're trying to conceal it as best they can, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that somebody is scripting the Bundesliga. Last weekend, Germany's top flight returned from hibernation and the games involving the clubs in the title race produced the results required to create a rare and thrilling situation. For the first time in two decades, three teams are level on points at the top after 18 matches of the season. Not to mention that a fourth is trailing that trio by only one point.

Sid Lowe in Spain

The Portuguese wants to know who plunged the knife into his back after a training ground conversation was leaked to the press.

Mourinho meltdown and hints of civil war at Real Madrid.

Richard Williams: José Mourinho joins Arsène Wenger in facing the stirrings of rebellion

Real Madrid manager has found himself in the same position as Arsenal's Arsène Wenger – under attack from players and fans.

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Sir Alex Ferguson writes to fans asking them to behave at Anfield

Sir Alex Ferguson has written to all Manchester United fans travelling to Anfield for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool.The United boss has asked for the fans to behave and for "positive, witty and loud" support.The letter made no mention of the recent racism row, instead urging fans to help protect future allocations.

Africa Cup of Nations: Tunisia beat neighbours Morocco

Tunisia capitalised on a wasteful Moroccan performance to beat their North African rivals 2-1 in Group C.Khaled Korbi opened the scoring for the Carthage Eagles, floating a free-kick straight into the Moroccan goal.Substitute Youssef Msakni doubled Tunisia's lead with a wonderful solo effort, before Moroccan skipper Houcine Kharjah pulled one back.Morocco squandered several chances to score but Tunisia deserved their opening win, after a gutsy performance.

Americans Abroad

Zak Whitbread, D, Norwich City - Started, played 90 minutes in Norwich City's 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. Whitbread had perhaps his best game of the season, clamping down on Fernando Torres and doing his part to keep Chelsea's high-potential attack off the scoreboard. SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts

The Rest

Paolo Bandini in Italy

Antonio Conte refuses to talk about the title but his side's ability to grind out wins makes the scudetto a tangible prospect.

Reluctant winter champions Juventus work hard to deliver the real deal.

Raphael Honigstein in Germany

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Goals a plenty, shock results plus a gory smorgasbord of injuries helped reinvigorate the title race in Germany.

Bundesliga provides Hollywood drama as Gladbach make Bayern Reus the day.

Alan Smith: the five reasons why Arsene Wenger is starting to lose his grip at Arsenal

Alan Smith during happier times

From players showing dissent to disquiet among supporters, where is it all going wrong for Arsenal's once-revered manager?

Redknapp trial: Transfer-bonus bank account hidden

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was accused in court Tuesday of concealing a "secret'' offshore bank account from British tax authorities that was used for six years to stash $295,000 of transfer bonuses.Redknapp, considered a favorite to become England manager after this year's European Championship, is standing trial with his former chairman at Portsmouth on tax evasion charges during their time working together at the south coast club."I don't fiddle anybody. I pay my tax,'' Redknapp said in a police interview read to the court.

Jonathan Wilson at the African Cup of Nations

Gabon celebrate their victory

Gernot Rohr will hope his co-hosts, inspired by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, can reach the Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

Gabon throw conservatism aside to impress at Africa Cup of Nations.

David Hytner: Mutiny erupts but no end in sight to Arsenal's ever-decreasing circles

Fans turn on Arsène Wenger but changes at the top are unlikely to halt Arsenal's drop in expectations.