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Nigeria Football Federation has described reports in a section of the media about President Muhammadu Buhari calling for the prosecution of NFF president, Amaju Pinnick as blatant falsehood meant to throw the country’s football into fresh round of crisis……. Read more...

Watch highlights as Arsenal cruise through to the FA Cup fourth round with teenager Joe Willock scoring twice at Blackpool. MATCH REPORT: Blackpool 0-3 Arsenal Watch...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been celebrating Christmas in style with his £270,000 gold Lamborghini. The Premier League top scorer.... read more via INFORMATION NIGERIA – http://bit.ly/2T97MaC Get More Nigeria Sports News

verpool boss Jurgen Klopp says "nobody should feel safe" in the Premier League title race and insists Chelsea and Arsenal remain in the hunt. Klopp's side will reach the halfway point of the season on 26 December at the top of the table after establishing a four-point lead. Chelsea and Arsenal, who are fourth and fifth respectively, are 11 points behind the Reds with 20 games to play. "No-one should feel out of the race," said Klopp. In eight of the past 10 seasons, the leaders on Christmas Day have gone on to win the Premier League. The two exceptions were in 2008-09 and 2013-14 - and on both occasions it was Liverpool who slipped from top spot to finish the season in second. Do Liverpool have a Christmas curse? The best Premier League stats Klopp, whose side are unbeaten in the league and host Newcastle United on Wednesday (15:00 GMT kick-off), added: "No decision is made, why should it be?" The German's comments came af...

Goal takes a look at the biggest transfer news and rumours from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and beyond.

Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel says the club should appoint a director of football and believes he would make a good candidate. United sacked Jose Mourinho as manager on Tuesday and have named ex-player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker boss, with the side thrashing Cardiff 5-1 in his first game in charge on Saturday. They do not have a director of football but are expected to recruit one. "I'm actually thinking about putting my name in there," Schmeichel said. Former Tottenham and Southampton head of recruitment Paul Mitchell, who is at German top-flight side RB Leipzig, has being linked with the position. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek, former Denmark goalkeeper Schmeichel added: "It's a tough thing to find out about yourself. Everyone looks at you, the scrutiny, and I'm not afraid of that. It's also a really big change in what I've done. "I really want to get involved in football again at some poi...

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has thanked former boss Jose Mourinho for helping him "improve as a person". Mourinho was sacked on Tuesday after two and a half years as Red Devils manager, with reports his relationship with Pogba was problematic. Pogba was part of the United side that won the League Cup and Europa League during Mourinho's first season. "We won trophies with Jose and I want to thank him for that," he said. "He makes me improve, as a person as well, and that's it. That's the past, I want to thank him for that. I'm sure that is the same for all the players and now we are looking forward to the next game." The 25-year-old France international was speaking after United's 5-1 victory over Cardiff in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first match as interim manager. That took them sixth in the Premier League, eight points adrift of the top four. They finished second last season - albeit 19 points adr...

The Nigeria international scored his second goal of the season as the Gunners returned to winning ways Christmas came 'early' for Arsenal and Alex Iwobi following their impressive 3-1 victory over Burnley. The Gunners responded to their recent poor results in the most clinical fashion - with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the returning Mesut Ozil at the centre of the action - to see off Sean Dyche's men at the Emirates. After their 22-game winning run was snapped by Southampton last Sunday, the Gunners' woes were compounded with a midweek League Cup loss to archrivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils' interim boss opened his reign in dream fashion at Cardiff, with a five-goal showing put in during a memorable trip to South Wales. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has opened his Manchester United reign with the club’s most productive attacking performance in the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils have endured a rather humbling fall from grace since an iconic manager slipped into retirement back in 2013. David Moyes struggled to fill the shoes of a fellow Scot, while Louis van Gaal won few admirers with his brand of football.

Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring on 10 minutes, following up Lionel Messi's saved shot after the Argentine had initially played a delightful ball through to Jordi Alba. Messi doubled the lead just befo re half-time, finishing neatly from the edge of the area as the defence parted. Atletico Madrid had moved level on points with Barca by beating Espanyol. Antoine Griezmann's penalty gave Atletico a 1-0 victory, but the Catalans re-established their advantage with a fourth straight league win without conceding.

The former United striker succeeded boss Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in midweek, and got his first win courtesy of a performance that will encourage United fans as some of their more marginalised talent came to the fore in a performance full of attacking intent. Marcus Rashford's stunning free-kick, a deflected effort from Ander Herrera and a fabulous team goal by Anthony Martial effectively won the contest before half-time for a United side inspired by the recalled Paul Pogba, who had a hand in all three first-half goals. Victor Camarasa's penalty briefly gave Cardiff hope as they reduced the arrears to 2-1, but Jesse Lingard won and scored a contentious second-half penalty and then rounded Neil Etheridge to tap into an empty net at the death to make the result safe. It is the first time United have scored five goals in a Premier League game since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson's last game in charge - a 5-5 draw with West Brom in May 2013.

The Blues lost at home for the first time this season after Vardy's first-time finish in the box from James Maddison's pass in the 51st minute. Chelsea had been dominant before the break, when they struck the bar through Eden Hazard following a Harry Maguire error, the best of a host of chances. But having gone behind it was Sarri's side who became sloppy as Leicester only grew in strength having resisted heavy pressure. The Foxes would have doubled their lead but for Cesar Azpilicueta's sliding block to deny Vardy after Kepa Arrizabalaga spilled a cross, before the keeper saved well from Marc Albrighton. Chasing a goal of their own, Chelsea struggled to break their opponents down before missing two key late chances. In the 89th minute, Antonio Rudiger nodded just wide from a corner, before Marcos Alonso struck the post with only the keeper to beat two minutes later. "We played well for 55 minutes," Sarri told BBC Sport. "I think t...

Premier League champions Manchester City were stunned at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday, as Chelsea were beaten by Leicester City. Second-placed City remain four points behind leaders Liverpool after losing 3-2, with Andros Townsend scoring a stunning 30-yard volley as Palace won for just the third time in 12 league games. Liverpool had extended their lead at the top with a Mohamed Salah-inspired 2-0 victory at Wolves on Friday. Chelsea stayed fourth as a Jamie Vardy goal was enough to end Leicester's three-game winless run with victory at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez could be out for six weeks after fracturing his left leg during Wednesday's victory over Burnley. The 21-year-old England international was taken off after 23 minutes following a challenge with Clarets captain Ben Mee. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp complained about Burnley's tackling during the 3-1 Premier League win at Anfield. Burnley boss Sean Dyche said it was a "fantastic tackle" by Mee. A Liverpool statement on Thursday said "initial indications" were that Gomez would be out for up to six weeks, "though this is dependent on how his treatment and rehabilitation programmes progress". Gomez has played in 13 of Liverpool's 15 league games this season. He made his England debut last year and has won six caps, but missed this year's World Cup in Russia because of an ankle injury.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon is heading a consortium that is in talks to buy Newcastle United. Current owner Mike Ashley said in an interview this week that discussions over a sale "are at a more progressed stage than they have ever been". It is believed a potential deal with Kenyon is what Ashley was referring to

Manager Maurizio Sarri wants Chelsea to rethink their policy on players aged over 30 so he can keep defender David Luiz and midfielder Cesc Fabregas. Luiz and Fabregas will both turn 32 before the end of the season, when their contracts are due to expire. Chelsea, who gave 29-year-old defender Cesar Azpilicueta a new four-year contract on Tuesday, have a policy of only giving 12-month deals to over-30s. "I know very well it's not easy," said Sarri. "But I think that we can do a new deal for both. The club want a short contract and the players want a long contract so it's difficult. "I think at the end we can find a solution." Sarri says he spoke to the club a month ago about deals for Luiz and Fabregas, who he regards as "very important players". "David and Cesc are leaders," he said. "I think it's very important for me, for the staff, also for their team-mates, if they stay with us. "It's ...

There was a depressingly familiar feeling around Manchester United last week. Anticipation gave way to frustration as Jose Mourinho's side stumbled their way to a 1-0 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League, a win only achieved thanks to Marouane Fellaini's 91st-minute strike. In "Awful," he said. Half an hour later, Mourinho responded. He told his "lovers" the result - and United's subsequent qualification for the last 16 - had maintained his 100% record of getting out of the group stage, a run that stretches across 14 seasons and includes spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and United. Since United last reached the final in 2011, this is only the fourth time they have reached the knockout stage. Mourinho has been responsible for two of those. So, is he getting a fair deal or is he being treated too harshly? the TV studio afterwards, condemnation from former United midfielder Paul Scholes was swift.

1. Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia) 2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal) 3. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid and France) 4. Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France) 5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina) 6. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt) 7. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid and France) 8. Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium) 9. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium) 10. Harry Kane (Tottenham and England)

Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won the 2018 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award in more than a decade. Modric, 33, won his third successive Champions League in May before helping Croatia to a first World Cup final. Former Brazil and AC Milan forward Kaka, in 2007, was the last player other than Messi or Ronaldo to win it. Ronaldo, who joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer, came second. Barcelona forward Messi finished fifth, with Atletico Madrid frontman Antoine Griezmann and PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe - both of whom won the World Cup with France - third and fourth respectively. Victory caps a stellar year for Modric, who also was named the world's top male player at the Best Fifa Football Awards and received the Golden Ball award for the best player at the World Cup. Speaking to BBC Sport, Modric dedicated the award to all of the other players who have missed out...

The number of English players starting Premier League games has reached record lows over the past two weekends. Only 53 players - less than a quarter of all starters beginning games for top-flight clubs in Premier League game week 14 - were eligible to represent England, down from 55 last weekend. Bournemouth were the Premier League club to name the most English players in their starting side, with seven. But Chelsea and Newcastle did not name a single English player in their XIs. Data from analysts Gracenote shows the previous record low was 58 in four different match rounds during the 2015-16 season. England boss Gareth Southgate says it is "a big concern" "There's a lot of investment in academies and young players and there needs to be opportunity and jobs for them," said Southgate, who added that last year the average number of English starters was 33%. "It's a concern for the clubs as well, everyone is very mindful of the y...