Aguero plans Argentina return

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has revealed that he intends to go back to boyhood club Independiente, but not until he is 29.

Aguero played for Independiente in his native Argentina at the start of his career, before making the move to European football with Atletico Madrid in 2006.

He was then recruited by City this summer and, at the age of 23, is a key part of the Premier League club's vision for the future.

"I play in Europe but I've always said that I'd go back when I'm 29," he told Ecos del Rojo.Aguero still follows the fortunes of Independiente, though, and has not forgotten a promise he made to return in 2017.

"I always wish Independiente the best of luck.

"It is hard to watch their matches on television but I try each week because it is my passion."

Real Madrid, Juventus pull clear in leagues

Real Madrid and Juventus both won to pull clear of their rivals at the top of La Liga and Serie A at the weekend.



Real, taking advantage of their game in hand over arch-rivals Barcelona, thrashed Sevilla 6-2 to open up a three-point lead in Spain. Juventus were less spectacular, beating Novara 2-0 to move two points clear of AC Milan and Udinese.



SPAIN



Real Madrid made full use of their game in hand to restore their three-point lead over great rivals Barcelona at the top of the standings when Cristiano Ronaldo netted his fifth La Liga hat-trick of the campaign in a 6-2 drubbing of Sevilla.



Jose Mourinho's side have 40 points from 16 matches as the teams head into the Christmas break, with Spanish and European champions Barca, who won their second Club World Cup by crushing Brazil's Santos 4-0 in Japan on Sunday, on 37.



Valencia are four points behind Barca in third after in-form striker Roberto Soldado, who is making a strong case for a recall to the Spain squad for next year's European Championship, scored twice in a 2-0 win at home to Malaga.



Atletico Madrid's latest defeat, a 2-0 reverse at home to Real Betis that left the Spanish capital's second club mired in 10th, heaped more pressure on coach Gregorio Manzano, who has been the target of frustrated chanting from the home fans at the Calderon.



ITALY



Juventus, still unbeaten after 15 games, beat lowly Novara 2-0 with goals from Simone Pepe and Fabio Quagliarella to go two points clear at the top of Serie A with 33 points.



Udinese, who began the weekend level on points at the top with Juve, were held to a 2-2 draw at fourth-placed Lazio, Giampiero Pinzi's 74th minute goal saving them from a defeat and leaving them with 31 points.



Titleholders AC Milan are also on 31 points after Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with a penalty, was again on target in a 2-0 win at home to Siena, the Swede's tenth goal of the season.



Inter Milan, 15th only 10 days ago, went fifth with a 1-0 win at Cesena, their fifth win in their last six league outings.



GERMANY



Bayern Munich beat Cologne 3-0, scoring all their goals after being reduced to ten men, to reach the Bundesliga's halfway mark with a three-point lead at the top.



Frenchman Franck Ribery was sent off in the first half but Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez, with his 16th league goal of the season, David Alaba and Toni Kroos scored in the second half for the Bavarians who have 37 points from 17 games.



Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 stayed three points behind after also enjoying high-scoring wins.



Dortmund's top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, struck twice to take his tally to 12 this season in a 4-1 win over bottom club Freiburg. Spaniard Raul hit a hat-trick in Schalke's 5-0 demolition of Werder Bremen.



ENGLAND



Manchester City stayed two points clear at the top of the Premier League after an entertaining 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday.



David Silva's 53rd-minute tap-in sealed victory for City who lost to Chelsea last week and were briefly knocked off the summit after Manchester United's convincing 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers.



England striker Wayne Rooney headed the champions' opening goal in the first minute and his England team mate Michael Carrick doubled their lead in the second half with a rare goal.



Tottenham Hotspur beat Sunderland 1-0 to climb back to third, five points behind United and two ahead of Chelsea who conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.



FRANCE



Montpellier retained the lead in Ligue 1 with a 1-1 draw at home against Toulouse after Paris St Germain were also held, 0-0 by champions Lille.



Montpellier have 37 points from 18 games and lead PSG on goal difference with Lille in third place two points behind.



Olympique Lyon, thanks to a goal by Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez, beat Evian Thonon Gaillard and also have 35 points, trailing Lille on goal difference.



Olympique Marseille, eighth on 28 points, kept their title challenge on track when Mathieu Valbuena scored a late goal and set up Benoit Cheyrou for a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 home win against Lorient.



NETHERLANDS



Swede Ola Toivonen struck twice to inspire PSV Eindhoven to a 5-1 win at Heerenveen, moving them one point behind leaders AZ Alkmaar who lost 2-1 at NAC Breda.



Milano Koenders, on loan from Alkmaar, scored Breda's winner late in the game.



Teenager John Guidetti hit a first half hat-trick in Feyenoord's 3-2 win over third-placed Twente Enschede while Ajax Amsterdam, in fourth, cruised to 4-0 home win over 10-men ADO Den Haag.



PORTUGAL



Porto and Benfica won to stay level at the top of the Portuguese Premier league on 33 points after 13 matches, Porto edging ahead on goal difference.



The champions earned a hard-fought 2-0 home win over 10-man Maritimo with substitute Cristian Rodriguez breaking the deadlock in the 80th minute before a Maritimo own goal.



Spanish forward Nolito grabbed a brace to help Benfica thrash Rio Ave 5-1 at the Luz stadium inspired by silky playmaker Pablo Aimar.



Third-placed Sporting were held to a 1-1 draw at Academica and slipped six points adrift of the leaders.



GREECE



Olympiakos Pireaus lead the Super League by four points after a 2-0 home victory over PAS Yiannina on Sunday.



Ernesto Valverde's team picked up their 10th win of the season thanks to first-half goals from Spanish midfielder David Fuster and Algeria striker Rafik Djebbour.



Panathinaikos, who have played two games less, beat Asteras Tripolis 3-1 to go second, ahead of AEK Athens who lost 1-0 at Atromitos Athinon.

Valencia swop for Ajax's Der Wiel

Ajax Amsterdam's Dutch international defender Gregory van der Wiel has agreed a January transfer window move to Spain's Valencia, the ANP news agency reported on Sunday.



"I am going to sign a contract for five years," he said.



Ajax sporting director Danny Blind had said on Friday that an agreement between the two club was close at hand with the fee expected to be in the region of nine million euros.



Van der Wiel, 23, is under contract at Ajax until June 2013.

Soldado nets double as Valencia win

Valencia tightened their grip on third place in La Liga when Roberto Soldado struck twice in a 2-0 home win over Malaga as another Atletico Madrid defeat heaped pressure on coach Gregorio Manzano on Sunday.



A day after Real Madrid moved three points clear of champions Barcelona at the top after 16 games, Soldado's 10th and 11th goals of the campaign put Valencia four behind Barca and four ahead of fourth-placed Levante who lost 2-1 at Granada.



Barca were in action at the Club World Cup in Japan earlier on Sunday, claiming their second triumph in three years with a crushing 4-0 defeat of Brazilian side Santos.



Soldado, a former Real Madrid striker, has been making a strong case for a recall to the Spain squad for next year's European Championship and both goals were fine examples of the striker's art.



Jonas played the ball into space in the 36th minute at Valencia's Mestalla stadium and Soldado rounded Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero before powering the ball into the net.



His second came after neat work on the left wing from Jordi Alba and he volleyed spectacularly home at the far post to double the home side's lead with around half an hour left.



Soldado sent a message of support after the game to former Valencia striker David Villa, who broke his leg playing for Barca at the Club World Cup on Thursday.



If Spain's all-time top scorer is not fit for Euro 2012, coach Vicente Del Bosque may turn to Soldado to fill the gap and the Valencia fans were chanting 'Soldado for the national team!' on Sunday.



"It's nice that the fans sing that and it makes me happy as it means I am scoring and the team is playing well," Soldado told Spanish television.



SERIOUS PERIL



Ambitious Qatar-owned Malaga, one of the biggest spenders in the transfer market in the close season, dropped to seventh, level on 24 points with Sevilla, who were thrashed 6-2 by Real on Saturday, but behind the Andalusians on goal difference.



Surprise packages Osasuna, who have won four of their last five matches, climbed to fifth on 25 points thanks to Sunday's 2-1 win against Villarreal in Pamplona.



Atletico's impatient fans have been voicing their frustration with Manzano and the club's board and Sunday's 2-0 reverse at home to Real Betis left Madrid's second club in 10th and their coach, known as 'the professor', in serious peril.



Manzano, in his second stint in charge at Atletico, said he had not considered stepping down.



"If I had seen that the team did not have strength, if I had seen that the team did not have soul, commitment and intensity we would all be more concerned," he told a news conference.



"You have to look at the attitude of the players and the effort they put in," he added. "Today's result was not a just one."



In Sunday's other game, Racing Santander drew 0-0 at home to fellow strugglers Real Sociedad.

Moenchengladbach stay in chase

Borussia Moenchengladbach defeated Mainz 1-0 to stay in touch with the Bundesliga's leading trio going into the winter break.



Patrick Herrmann hit the winner in the fifth minute, taking a pass from Marco Reus, as Moenchengladbach ended the year fourth in the table on 33 points, four behind leaders Bayern Munich and one adrift of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke.



The defeat leaves 14th-placed Mainz on 18 points, two clear of the relegation zone.



Kaiserslautern meanwhile had Israel international Itay Shechter sent off in the closing minutes as they earned a 1-1 draw with visiting Hanover.



Hanover go into the winter break in seventh place, while Kaiserslautern stay third from last on 16 points, with both teams without a win in their last seven league games.



Norway striker Mohammed Abdelloaue gave Hanover a 13th-minute lead but the home side levelled with a crisp shot from halftime substitute Adam Nemec in the 68th minute.



Kaiserslautern finished the last two minutes of regular time with 10 men after second-half substitute Shechter was shown a red card for kicking Manuel Schmiedebach from behind.



Hanover have 23 points, three behind sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and 14 adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.



Hertha Berlin meanwhile dismissed coach Markus Babbel with immediate effect following a rift between the coach and the club management.



Hertha, who drew 1-1 at Hoffenheim on Saturday, are lying 11th in the table.

City down Arsenal to remain top

David Silva restored Manchester City's two-point lead in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday after Wayne Rooney had helped Manchester United go top with a lightning header.



Silva's 53rd-minute tap-in at the far post from close range, after Wojciech Szczesny parried a fierce shot by Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero nodded on the rebound, condemned the Gunners to a 1-0 defeat in an end-to-end thriller at the Etihad.



While Arsenal proved tough nuts to crack in freezing Manchester, where the Londoners posed a constant threat, United were 1-0 up after just 52 seconds at promoted Queens Park Rangers thanks to Rooney's diving effort.



Michael Carrick followed up his England teammate's 12th league goal of the season with his first in nearly two years for United to settle the scoreline at 2-0.



City have 41 points from 16 matches, with United on 39.



Tottenham Hotspur kept up the pressure, beating Sunderland 1-0 at White Hart Lane to take third place on 34 points with a game in hand on the leaders. Roman Pavlyuchenko grabbed the winner in the 61st.



Chelsea, who drew 1-1 at relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic on Saturday, fell to fourth on 32 points with Arsenal fifth on 29 and ahead of Liverpool, 2-0 winners at Aston Villa, on goal difference.

Hamstring blow for Lennon

Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon could be out of action for "weeks" after suffering a suspected torn hamstring in this afternoon's Premier League match against Sunderland, manager Harry Redknapp has said.



Lennon limped off during the first half of Spurs' 1-0 victory over the Black Cats and Redknapp fears the injury could keep him out throughout the Christmas period and into the New Year. "Lennon felt the tear. He has no chance for Thursday," Redknapp said. "He felt it go. It will be weeks if it's a tear."



The midfielder's absence will be a big flow for Tottenham, particularly as they face rivals Chelsea at White Hart Lane on Thursday.

Steven Gerrard’s career saved by quick-thinking medical staff at Liverpool

 Kenny Dalglish  has ­revealed how Steven Gerrard’s career was saved by quick-thinking medical staff at Liverpool.­

Gerrard is close to a return over the festive period after nine months of frustration and anguish.

But Anfield boss Dalglish ­believes the outcome could have been more calamitous if a ­mystery ­infection had not been ­rapidly ­diagnosed by club doctors.

Gerrard’s injury hell ­began with a groin injury that sidelined him for six months.

And he has been out again since late October with the infection that ­affected the ankle before attacking his body.

Dalglish has thrown a ­protective blanket around his ­talismanic ­captain, refusing to put a date on his return in a bid to take the pressure off him.

He hinted at the career-threatening disaster Gerrard faced when he said: “If it hadn’t been dealt with ­quickly and properly it could have ended up more ­serious, but he got fantastic treatment and it’s been sorted and solved.

“The credit goes to our medical people who identified it and reacted. It was unknown territory for us.”

The news that Gerrard, 31, is close to playing again has lifted Liverpool’s dressing room.

Character

And Dalglish was quick to praise the England star’s toughness and ­character. He added: “It’s getting easier for him now – the hard part is when you are first injured.

“When you consider what he has been through he has done ­unbelievably well. But he has a strong character and that is reflected in coming through what he’s been through.

“He is desperate to play, but we need to manage it properly.

“The closer you get to coming back the more excited you are and Steven is feeling that way. We’ll probably have to calm him down a wee bit when he gets close to full fitness.

“It’s fantastic for him that he’s ­doing so well in his recovery. It’s more important for Steven that the progress has been fantastic rather than for ourselves because the boy has had a lot of setbacks.

“That’s why we won’t put him under any pressure and give him any ­deadline.”

Despite doubts that Gerrard can ever scale the heights of his earlier days at Anfield and rediscover the form that made him Footballer of the Year in 2009, Dalglish is convinced he can become the driving force for the team once more.

The Liverpool chief said: “What do they say? Form is ­temporary but class is permanent. Well, we’ll go for the class bit with Steven. We have always said with him fit we have a much stronger squad and the other players will be better off.

“The boys will be glad to see him, both on the training pitch and on match days.

“We never underestimate the ­importance of the players who have played in Steven’s absence but we are certainly a stronger squad when he is fit.”

With Gerrard’s return ­imminent, Dalglish faces a tough decision that might leave ­£35million Andy Carroll on the fringes of the ­action again.

Instead of throwing Gerrard straight into centre-midfield after his injury nightmare, Dalglish will consider playing him as a second striker ­behind Uruguayan Luis Suarez – and that could scupper Andy Carroll’s chances of a ­regular start.

Babbel confirms Hertha departure

Hertha Berlin coach Markus Babbel confirmed he will leave the club but he still hopes to see out his contract to the end of the season.



Speaking after Hertha’s 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, Babbel told Sky television that the timing of his departure is a matter for the club to decide.



German media reported that former Eintracht Frankfurt coach Michael Skibbe has been lined up to take over as his replacement in January Hertha sporting director Michael Preetz told Sky that Babbel informed him on Tuesday he would not be extending his contract. Preetz would not comment on the possible appointment of Skibbe.



Babbel, however, said he informed Preetz of his decision during the international break in November.



“In my opinion I’ve given plenty of notice,” Babbel said. “Anyone who knows me knows that when I say something, that’s how it is. When someone has another opinion, then maybe he wasn’t listening properly.”



The 39-year-old coach said he didn’t understand why there was a commotion.



“I’m an employee of the club. I’ve stuck with what I was told—that we stay calm and still. The issue has gained momentum until it’s unbelievably difficult for the players and for also for me. And it’s actually unnecessary, as notice was given early enough.”



Roman Hubnik scored in injury time to rescue the 1-1 draw for Hertha, and Babbel said he wanted to finish what he began with his players.



“It’s a pity and I don’t understand the turmoil in Berlin,” he said. “I’d be delighted to stay with the team until the end, until the contract runs out. Everything else is just speculation that I know nothing about. … You could see again today that the team is willing to pull through with us to the end. Ultimately I can’t influence that.”



Germany daily Bild reported that Preetz met Skibbe on Monday and agreed a two and a half year deal for the 46-year-old to take over on January 1, after Wednesday’s German Cup game against Kaiserslautern.



The dapd news agency said contract details still had to be agreed and that Hertha would make no comment.



Former Bayern Munich and Liverpool defender Babbel led Hertha to Bundesliga promotion by winning the second division in his first season in charge last year. Babbel previously coached Stuttgart.



Skibbe is currently in charge of Turkish side Eskisehirspor. He was sacked by Frankfurt in March after a dismal run in the Bundesliga. His replacement, Christoph Daum, was unable to prevent the club’s relegation. Skibbe also previously

Napoli Beat Chelsea to Signature of Eduardo Vargas

Chelsea have been beaten by Napoli in the race for Chilean forward Eduardo Vargas.



The highly rated 22-year-old was wanted by the English Premier League outfit, while attention had also been drawn from Serie A side Inter – yet it is Napoli who have been confirmed as having secured Vargas’ signature.



Carlos Heller, the major shareholder in Universidad de Chile, the club Vargas currently turns out for, has revealed that Napoli will be the talent’s destination.



"They agreed very late last night", said Heller to Terra.



"Eduardo joins a team with a great trophy cabinet and beautiful history like Barcelona.



"For him and the national team it is extraordinary."



Napoli are thought to be paying $14.5M for Vargas, who will join officially on 1st January – the Chilean could now face Chelsea in the Champions League Round of 16.

Beckham denies PSG move imminent

David Beckham's management have dismissed reports in France that the former England captain is in the capital to seal a move to Paris St Germain.



France Football claimed Beckham arrived in the French capital with his family on Saturday evening, landing at Le Bourget airport.



A move to wealthy PSG is a possibility for 36-year-old Beckham, who has reached the end of his contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy.



However extending his stay in Los Angeles is believed to be another consideration for the former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder.



Beckham is eager to continue playing at a high level, with earning a place in the Great Britain squad for next summer's London Olympics among his targets.



A spokesman for Beckham said: "No deal has been done with any football club yet and David is not in Paris.''

Ligue 1 wrap: Montpellier held, Lyon into third

A slip-up from leaders Montpellier allowed Lyon to move within two points of them and into third place in Ligue 1 on Saturday.



Lyon shook off a tough challenge from Evian to win 2-1 at the Stade de Gerland, closing the gap on Montpellier, who were held 1-1 at home by Toulouse.



Lyon had the best of the early chances against Evian and it was no surprise when they made the breakthrough with Alexandre Lacazette weaving in between two defenders and setting up Jimmy Briand to score the opener after 35 minutes.



Controversy ensued minutes later as Lyon defender Anthony Reveilliere stopped a goalbound effort on the line with his hand but Remi Garde's side escaped a penalty and a red card.



Nevertheless, Bernard Casoni's men did equalise, Yannick Sagbo latching onto a weighted ball to slot in past Hugo Lloris two minutes before the break.



Lisandro Lopez stepped up to head Lyon back into the lead after 71 minutes but further controversy erupted as two players were sent off in the final five minutes.



Lyon's Clement Grenier was given his marching orders for a dangerous tackle on Aldo Angoula, but both teams finished with 10 men following Fabrice Ehret's dismissal in injury time for a second caution.



Montpellier would have been disappointed to drop points after taking an early lead against Toulouse through Geoffrey Dernis.



But Cheikh M'Bengue found an equaliser for the visitors in the 40th minute, and they held on for a point despite having Franck Tabanou sent off late in the match.



Montpellier remain on top of the table, one point clear of Paris Saint-Germain - who play fourth-placed Lille on Sunday - and two ahead of Lyon.



Elsewhere, Anthony Mounier scored a second-half brace as Nice beat Valenciennes 2-0 while Marseille scored two goals in the final seven minutes to beat Lorient 2-1.



Saint-Etienne jumped to fifth courtesy of a 2-1 win away at Dijon, Florent Sinama Pongolle and former Leeds man Max Gradel with the goals for the winners.



Nancy also had a 2-1 win away from home, against Caen, while Bruno Grougi's penalty was enough to give Brest a 1-0 win over Auxerre.

Report: Wigan v Chelsea

Gomez stuns Blues Jordi Gomez stunned Chelsea with an 88th-minute equaliser to earning struggling Wigan a vital point from a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium.



Victory over Manchester City on Monday had put Chelsea right back in the Barclays Premier League title race but they huffed and puffed and had created little before Daniel Sturridge tucked away Ashley Cole's pass in the 59th minute.



That looked to be that, but two minutes from time Petr Cech fumbled a weak effort from Hugo Rodallega and Gomez guided the ball into an empty net for his fourth goal in five games.



Frank Lampard returned to the Chelsea starting line-up for the first time in three games in place of Ramires, who missed out with a bruised leg, while Wigan boss Roberto Martinez kept faith with the side that beat West Brom last weekend.



Last season, Chelsea put six past their hosts at the DW Stadium but the Latics have shown encouraging form in recent weeks and they had the better of the game in the early stages.



Victor Moses again stood out with his pace and trickery, and he played a part in a move that ended with Gomez tumbling in the penalty area, although contact from Cole seemed minimal and referee Martin Atkinson waved away the muted penalty claims.



At the other end, Gary Caldwell did well to block a dangerous cross from Sturridge while John Terry had Ali Al Habsi diving with a well-struck shot from 30 yards that flew a yard past the post.



Chelsea had settled and were pushing for the breakthrough, which they nearly achieved in the 23rd minute when a cross was only cleared as far as Oriol Romeu, who let fly with a volley that was pushed round the post by Al Habsi.



Didier Drogba was a fraction away from the opener seven minutes before the break when he got his head to a lovely Raul Meireles cross but, under pressure from Ronnie Stam, he could not keep his effort on target.



Wigan then felt they should have had a penalty when Branislav Ivanovic pulled his left arm across his body and into a shot from Moses, but again Atkinson was unmoved.



The Latics ended the half on the offensive as Moses just failed to get a toe to David Jones' dangerous low cross.



Salomon Kalou came on for Romeu at the start of the second half and took up position on the left, allowing Juan Mata to move into a central role behind Drogba.



Gomez tried his luck with a volley that was always just the wrong side of the post, while Kalou made his presence felt straight away with a jinking run and shot that was blocked by Stam.



The game was a bit more open now and Kalou set up Drogba for a shot into the side netting before the deadlock was broken in the 57th minute with a simple goal superbly executed by Chelsea.



Cole was allowed to run into the Wigan half and pick out Sturridge with a pinpoint diagonal ball.



The striker took the ball down with one touch on the right of the area before lashing it past Al Habsi for his ninth goal of the season.



Wigan now had to commit more men forward and Figueroa's low shot from the edge of the box was heading into the far corner before Cech got a hand to it.



Martinez made a double substitution with 19 minutes remaining, sending on strikers Rodallega and Franco Di Santo for Jones and Conor Sammon.



There was a worrying moment for Chelsea when Terry landed awkwardly after a challenge on Di Santo but the skipper was able to continue after treatment.



Some poor defending from Ivanovic then presented Wigan with a golden chance as his weak backpass let in Rodallega.



Cech was out sharply to block but the keeper was stranded as Di Santo shot only for Ivanovic to make amends with a header off the line.



Time was ticking away but Wigan did not give up and they got their reward in the 88th minute when Cech failed to hold a poke towards goal from Rodallega and Gomez turned the ball into an empty net.

Malaga's Ruud van Nistelrooy: I'm still available for international selection

Malaga striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has confirmed that he is available for international selection if Netherland coach Bert van Marwijk is looking to add some experience to the Dutch forward line for next summer's European Championships.



The former Real Madrid man's last appearance for the national side was in the 5-3 victory over Hungary in Euro 2012 qualification, a game in which the 35-year-old found the back of the net.



With fellow Dutch striker Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in superb form this season Van Nistelrooy may not be required, but the player himself has stated he would not turn down a recall to the squad.



"I scored a goal [in my last international appearance] and I'm still eligible for the European Championships. I will do everything I can and at least I've made myself available," the forward told Radio 538.



Van Nistelrooy has recently been awarded the title of the most prolific striker in international and European games for the last decade (2001-2010) by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).



The striker's 86 goals in the last 10 years earned him the award, and he spoke of his delight after narrowly pipping Thierry Henry.



"I was completely surprised to have won. I know the organization but I did not know about the decade award," he added.



Van Nistelrooy will be hoping to be included in Malaga's starting lineup for its crunch La Liga encounter against Valencia on Sunday evening.

Premier League: Wolves 1 Stoke 2

Stoke City came back from a goal down to beat Wolves at Molineux thanks to a Kevin Doyle own goal and a Peter Crouch header.



Wolves took the lead from the penalty spot after 15 minutes through Stephen Hunt after Jonathon Woodgate had fouled Matt Jarvis.



Stoke's equaliser came in fortuitous circumstances.



Robert Huth's long range free-kick looked to be going wide but was deflected in off Doyle's knee before Crouch's stooping effort completed the comeback.



The home side started the game positively, Karl Henry prodding wide in the third minute.



Jarvis caused early problems for bit-part full-back Woodgate who picked up an early booking for tripping the winger.



And it was the same duel that resulted in Wolves earning the chance to take the lead, Jarvis again twisting and turning Woodgate, who could only trip him in the penalty area.



Anthony Taylor had no doubts and awarded a penalty which was swept home by Hunt.



Woodgate was left embarrassed as Stoke manager Tony Pulis immediately hauled him off after a torrid start, replacing him with Jermaine Pennant.



Stoke tried to find a way back into the match but were found lacking in the final third and struggled to create any meaningful chances on Wayne Hennessey's goal.



Wolves looked the more likely to score the second goal. Hunt picked the ball up after a defensive mix-up but could only shoot straight at Thomas Sorensen when Steven Fletcher was better placed in the box.



Stoke finally created a good chance just before the break. Walters played Pennant in down the right and the former Arsenal man's cross was left by Crouch for Etherington who scuffed his shot.



A bad-tempered start to the second half saw Nenad Milijas and Ryan Shawcross booked for late challenges.



Jon Walters missed a chance for Stoke to equalise, failing to react quickly enough after Etherington's cross evaded Shawcross and three Wolves defenders.



Stoke equalised just before the hour mark. A long-range free-kick was sent crashing towards goal by Huth and ended up in the net after a deflection off Doyle in the Wolves wall.



The goal immediately lifted the tempo. Glenn Whelan was perhaps fortunate not to be booked for bringing down Karl Henry but his midfield partner Dean Whitehead was booked for barging Christophe Berra in the back.



Berra picked up a booking minutes later following a challenge with Whitehead.



Stoke were well on top and Hennessey kept Wolves level with a superb save from Shawcross' bullet header but he was beaten moments later.



Jarvis hit a deep cross to the back post where Crouch was lurking to bundle the ball home from a tight angle and put Stoke ahead.



Wolves pushed forward late and despite five minutes of injury time and Roger Johnson playing as an extra striker the home side were unable to equalise and remain just one place above the relegation zone.

Premier League: Newcastle 0 Swansea 0

Newcastle's winless run stretched to five games after a 0-0 draw with Swansea at the Sports Direct Arena on Saturday.



Demba Ba was twice denied by the post and spurned several efforts as the Magpies dominated the game but they came up against a resilient Swans defence, with keeper Michel Vorm keeping Brendan Rodgers' side in the game with a string of fine saves.



Captain Fabricio Coloccini came back into Newcastle's starting line-up after missing last week's defeat to Norwich and was joined by fellow long-term absentee Cheick Tiote, who started in midfield.



Leon Best was also recalled by Alan Pardew starting alongside Ba while there was place for Ryan Taylor in the Magpies team.



Swansea made two changes to their team that beat Fulham with Joe Allen and Danny Graham replacing Luke Moore and Leroy Lita.



The Magpies started the game with a quick tempo and nearly opened the scoring from a Yohan Cabaye free-kick which just whistled over the bar of Vorm.



Newcastle had plenty of success down the right hand side with Gabriel Obertan, however the Frenchman could not find the decisive final ball into the box - much to the frustration of the home fans.



Pardew's side had another great chance to take the lead when Cabaye lifted a pinpoint free-kick into the box which was met by Coloccini but his diving header hit the post from just three yards out.



Ba, who has scored 11 goals this season, almost added to his tally when he latched onto Best's knockdown in the box but his volley into the ground smacked the post after beating the outstretched hand of Vorm and bounced away from goal.



The home side were having the better of the play and but could not find that elusive breakthrough as Davide Santon rushed down the left and hit a decent ball into the box which somehow missed Best and Ba as both tried to get a foot on it.



Newcastle's build-up play was excellent and their physical play in the area was causing the visitors problems. They nearly found a way through again as Ba pounced on Jonas Gutierrez's header but his spectacular volley was well saved by Vorm.



The Magpies started the second half like they did in the first and should have taken the lead as Ba wriggled free of his marker at the back post and met Danny Simpson's cross but blasted his effort over from two yards.



Newcastle controlled possession but the visitors did look dangerous on the break as they burst away with pace with Scott Sinclair and Wayne Routledge, however their final delivery was suspect and rarely troubled the Newcastle defence.



The home side were nearly made to pay for their missed chances as the Swans broke up-field with Sinclair, who cut inside the Magpies defence before firing an effort at goal which went just wide of Tim Krul's post.



Pardew's side threw everything forward to try and force a deserved winner but could not find a way past Vorm and a resilient Swansea defence as they extended their run to five games without a win and the visitors earned a precious away point.

Premier League: Everton 1 Norwich 1

Everton stay three points behind Norwich after an entertaining draw at Goodison Park on Saturday.



A clever Grant Holt turn and finish put the visitors ahead in the first half before substitute Royston Drenthe's shot, after a brilliant run, was diverted in by Leon Osman.



A cagey start from both sides saw few chances created with defences firmly on top.



Norwich striker Steve Morison enjoyed the best early chance but he drove over the bar.



Everton's Tim Cahill then almost provided the breakthrough after his clever first-time pass to Marouane Fellaini saw the Belgian just unable to poke home beyond keeper John Ruddy.



The Blues went on to dominate the opening exchanges with Cahill again unfortunate not to end his scoring drought after toeing beyond the post.



Norwich struggled to put their stamp on the game throughout the first half with long balls to Holt and Morison their only outlet against Everton pressure.



So it was something of a surprise when the visitors took the lead against the run of play.



A ball into the box was held up by Holt who held off Johnny Heitinga to turn and slide the ball beyond keeper Tim Howard.



The goal was Norwich's first shot on target and allowed them to slow the play down to prevent an Everton backlash.



In fact, they almost piled further woe on David Moyes’ side moments later as a Phil Neville slip allowed Wes Hoolahan in on goal but the midfielder y chose to cross when the angle to shoot was available and the ball was bundled away.



A scrap between goalscorer Holt and Everton's Fellaini threatened to see the teams end the half with 10 men but referee Lee Probert sensibly kept his cards in his pocket.



The second half started in much the same vein with Everton dominating possession but failing to find the crucial pass.



Leighton Baines looked to have worked great position after a clever exchange with Louis Saha but was flagged offside with Fellaini waiting for the tap in.



Cahill then had his best chance after Baines’ powerful cross, but he could not direct his header towards goal.



Norwich then served to remind the hosts of their threat on the break after Naughton's cross-field pass allowed Holt to nod at goal only to see it loop over the crossbar.



Moyes introduced substitute Drenthe and his direct running presented an opportunity for Saha to shoot but the Frenchman's shot was brilliantly blocked by Ruddy.



It was Drenthe's run that created the equaliser. Cutting in brilliantly from the right, he let fly before Leon Osman got a clever touch to beat a despairing Ruddy.

Premier League: Blackburn 1 West Brom 2

Peter Odemwingie struck late to seal three points for West Brom and make it an unhappy first-year anniversary in charge of Blackburn for Steve Kean.



West Brom had the better of a poor first half but the game went into the break goalless, however a wonderful volley from James Morrison put the visitors ahead, only for Scott Dann's first goal for Rovers getting the home side back in it.



But Odemwingie's 89th-minute goal won the game for West Brom as they sealed a 2-1 result.



In a dour opening, it took 14 minutes for the first scoring opportunity of the game and it fell to the visitors. A neat passing move ended with Chris Brunt finding space on the left wing, where he delivered a dangerous cross which Odemwingie could not quite get on target.



Two minutes later Blackburn had a great chance to take the lead, albeit thanks to a little bit of fortune. Ruben Rochina dribbled his way in from the right wing and looked to fire a shot towards goal but scuffed his effort, however the loose ball rolled beyond the West Brom defence and Yakubu slid in but could not direct the ball past Ben Foster.



Foster was properly tested for the first time in the 38th minute from a Morten Gamst Pedersen free kick. A dangerous run from Mauro Formica was stopped 20 yards from goal and the Dane sent a powerful strike over the wall but it was easily tipped over by the Baggies goalkeeper.



The final chance of the half fell to the visitors and their top scorer Shane Long, who managed to get in front of his man but his flicked header was over the top of Paul Robinson's goal.



The visitors started the second half quickly and created a fantastic chance inside the first five minutes for Paul Scharner. Morrison was released down the right wing and played a low ball into the Austrian but his shot across goal just wide of the right post.



Three minutes later the deadlock was broken via Morrison, who notched the 1000th Premier League goal of 2011. A West Brom corner was cleared by Steven Nzonzi but only as far as Morrison on the edge of the penalty area, and he nonchalantly volleyed the ball into the bottom corner giving Robinson no chance.



But the home side hit back as Dann grabbed them a crucial equaliser in the 71st minute. A long free kick from Robinson was met by Chris Samba, whose knock down dropped to Dann and the defender poked home.



The home side pushed for a winner but both Jason Roberts and David Goodwillie fired weak shots into the arms of Foster from good openings.



Odemwingie struck the crucial blow in the final minute of the game, bringing the ball in from the right hand side and firing a rasping shot past Robinson to seal all three points for the visitors.

SPL leader Rangers leaves it late for latest win

Scottish Premier League leader Rangers survived second-half pressure from visiting Inverness on Saturday before substitute Kyle Lafferty scored in the 87th minute for a 2-1 win.



Andrew Shinnie leveled the scores after a 55th-minute opener from Carlos Bocanegra, one of three Americans starting for the defending champions.



The visitors missed several chances and Shinnie had a goal ruled out for offside before Lafferty scored with a shot from Steven Davis' pass.



Rangers has 48 points to 41 for Celtic, which plays at St. Johnstone on Sunday.



Hearts beat bottom club Dunfermline 4-0, 10-man Aberdeen beat Hibernian 1-0 at snowy Pittodrie stadium, St. Mirren drew 1-1 at Motherwell, and Dundee United drew 1-1 at Kilmarnock.

Premier League: Fulham 2 Bolton 0

Fulham earned their fourth Premier League win of the season as an impressive first half gave them a 2-0 victory over Bolton.



A goal from Clint Dempsey and a wonder-strike from Bryan Ruiz secured the points as the hosts scored two in two minutes to consign Bolton to the bottom of the table for another week.



Dempsey placed a good header from distance into the corner before Ruiz scooped the ball over the head of Jussi Jaaskelainen to round off a devastating counter-attack from the hosts, sealing a dominant win.



For the hosts, Danny Murphy was back in the team following a week-long absence with an ankle injury, while David Stockdale was recalled from his loan spell with Ipswich Town following an injury to number one keeper Mark Schwarzer.



Bobby Zamora was a notable absentee as well, with Ruiz filling in for the centre forward, but taking up a position on the right flank as Dempsey pushed further forward.



Owen Coyle chose to go with a fairly defensive midfield consisting of four central midfielders, with Darren Pratley deployed on the right with Chris Eagles consigned to the bench.



The first chance of the match fell to Nigel Reo-Coker after five minutes. Kevin Davies won the ball back from Dickson Etuhu for the visitors and a nice passing move was followed by a shot which dragged wide of the far post.



Fulham quickly countered, however, and Andy Johnson had a real chance to open the scoring after he was put through by Dempsey. The striker tried to dink an effort over Jaaskelainen, but his shot skewed wide.



Murphy then came close as the hosts began to dominate, but his volley from the edge of the area was tipped wide by the Bolton keeper.



Fulham tested Jaaskelainen again as John Arne Riise struck a free-kick that was well saved following a deflection on its route to goal.



The home side took the lead in the 32nd minute when a nice move was capped off with a fine finish as Dempsey headed home Ruiz's cross from 13 yards out. Jaaskelainen may have got down quicker, but in his defence, the header was perfectly aimed into the corner.



And before the visitors could catch breath, they were two goals behind. Dempsey returned the favour for Ruiz, putting the attacker in behind the defence. It seemed for a moment that the 26-year-old had lost the ball under his feet, but what followed was truly outstanding.



The Costa Rican paused and effortlessly lobbed the ball over Jaaskelainen's head and into the goal, the ball looping in beautifully.



Bolton had a chance to get back into it minutes later with their first real chance of the match, but Mark Davies' shot was saved well by Stockdale before the teams headed in for half-time.



The second half was considerably quieter than the first, with Fulham content to sit back and counter attack.



It was working well for them, and almost led to a third goal when Johnson's driven cross flew across the goalmouth, where Dempsey was sliding in. The American could not get much of a connection, however, and was wide of the far post when he sent his shot into the side netting.



Bolton were unquestionably getting more of the ball as the game progressed, but did not trouble Stockdale too much. He made a couple of fairly routine stops, but looked solid while doing so.



The match petered out late on, as Fulham cruised to an easy victory that left Bolton bottom of the Premier League.

Dortmund stay on Bayern's heels

Champions Borussia Dortmund maintained their pursuit of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Freiburg that left them three points off the top heading into the winter break.



Dortmund's top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, struck twice to take his tally to 12 this season and Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin Grosskreutz were also on target after the hosts had leveled through Jan Rosenthal in the first half.



Bayern, on 37 points, beat Cologne 3-0 on Friday despite playing with 10 men for an hour following the dismissal of Franck Ribery.



Champions League competitors Bayer Leverkusen slumped to a 3-0 home defeat to Nuremberg to remain sixth on 26 points.



Hamburg SV stretched their unbeaten run to nine games with a 1-1 draw against lowly Augsburg, who had their keeper, Mohamed Amsif, to thank for half a dozen superb saves.



Roman Hubnik's last-gasp goal earned Hertha Berlin a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim to keep them in 11th place on 20 points.



Third-placed Schalke 04 were hosting Werder Bremen, in fifth, later on Saturday.

Ferguson - Pogba agent make it difficult in contract talks with Man United.

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that the agent of Paul Pogba has 'become a bit difficult' in contract talks with Manchester United.

The Red Devils' chief has confirmed that they would like to keep the 18-year-old midfielder, who joined in controversial circumstances from Le Havre in 2009, at Old Trafford beyond the end of his contract in summer 2013.





However, with money bags neighbours Manchester City and Inter Milan reportedly interested, Pogba has so far snubbed the offer put on the table by United.





And, Ferguson feels the player's agent has played a part in the club's inability to come to an agreement with the youngster, who made three substitute appearances during United's run to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.





He said: "Pogba has an agent who has obviously become a bit difficult.





"But we are negotiating and we want the boy to stay.





"If he doesn't want to there is not a lot you can do about it. You just hope he gets the right advice.





"We have an option on his contract so in that respect there is not a great emergency. But if he wants to be a Manchester United player he knows what to do."

Ajax confirm interest in Chivu

Ajax boss Frank de Boer has moved to confirm speculations that the Amserdammers are interested in Inter defender Cristian Chivu.



The Romanian defender has just over six months on his deal at Giuseppe Meazza and is widely tipped to leave the club in January.



Chivu reportedly has a number of offers from high-profile clubs already, including the one from his former club Ajax.



“Chivu is definitely an option in January,” Ajax boss Frank de Boer was quoted as saying in Voetbal Primeur.



“We must wait and see whether it is feasible, but Cristian has always been very interested in Ajax.”



The Dutch giants expect key defender Jan Vertonghen to leave the club in January and see Cristian Chivu as a perfect replacement.

Wenger hints at Henry deal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted at a possibility of signing New York Red Bulls star Thierry Henry.



The 34-year-old has been training with the Gunners ever since the MLS season finished, and Wenger doesn’t want to rule out the possibility of signing the Frenchman.



“You want to speak of Henry, and I can understand that, but at the moment he just practises with us,” Wenger told reporters.



“I cannot say if there is even a chance, because I haven’t investigated that. I haven’t made any approach, neither to him nor to his club.



“I do not always master all my thoughts, so it has to come through my brain at some stage, but I haven’t been concrete on the case.



“Is he still good enough to play in the Premier League? Yes.”

Neymar threatens Barca’s world ambitions

Barcelona have had their thunder stolen before Sunday’s Club World Cup final in Japan, with endless questions about hot-shot Santos striker Neymar rammed down their throats daily.



The Spanish and European champions, bidding to win the seven-team competition for the second time in three years, boast arguably the world’s best player in Lionel Messi.



Yet try as Barcelona might not to talk about Neymar, the name of the 19-year-old Brazil forward so coveted by Europe’s biggest clubs keeps cropping up.



“Neymar is a very dangerous player,” Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola told reporters on the eve of a mouth-watering final in Yokohama. “I expect a cracking game.”



Neymar has set tongues wagging in Japan, Brazil’s pin-up boy scoring a wonder goal as he sparked Santos to a 3-1 semi-final win over J-League champions Kashiwa Reysol.



“We watched Santos on TV and individually they’re very dangerous,” said Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, grinning sheepishly as he anticipated what was coming next.



“Neymar is a brilliant player. But it’s not just about him.



“This is the game of the season for us. You have to win the Champions League to get here so we badly want to win this trophy to have the right to be called ‘world champions’.”



Barca captain Carles Puyol added: “Neymar can go right or left. He’s so quick and unpredictable, he will be very difficult to mark.”



Guardiola has demanded victory after the blow of losing Spain striker David Villa to a sickening leg break in their 4-0 semi-final thrashing of Qatar’s Al Sadd.



REAL THREAT



“Santos are a technically gifted team, physical and very quick,” he said. “It’s not easy to come out to Japan and win the Club World Cup.



“They have a fantastic player in Neymar and also in (Paulo Henrique) Ganso. They will be a real threat but we are prepared for whatever they throw at us.



“I don’t know if they will sit deep or come out guns blazing. But I expect us to win. I don’t know if it will be 2-0 or 3-0. We just want to take the trophy home.”



Santos, who captured their third Libertadores Cup in June almost 50 years after Pele led them to back-to-back titles in 1962 and 1963, were also brimming with confidence.



“I will not be the beast who limits Barcelona’s ball possession,” Santos coach Muricy Ramalho said cryptically, aware the Catalan giants start as favourites.



“Nobody can manage this. We have to put pressure on them and gamble on some things happening - like a through-ball from Ganso or Elano, or a stroke of genius from Neymar perhaps.



“Neymar will definitely do something,” said Ramalho, returning inevitably to his whirlwind striker with the blond mohican. “I have no doubt he will make them suffer.”

Mancini: 'Nothing' in Balotelli incident

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has dismissed Mario Balotelli's training bust-up with team-mate Micah Richards as a 'stupid thing'.



The pair came to blows during a practice match at training during the week, but Mancini was quick to offer an explanation for the scuffle.



"I have asked him (Balotelli), he says it is because they didn't pass the ball to him, it was a stupid thing, it was for nothing but after three minutes it was finished," Mancini stressed.



"It was a stupid thing but when you play a football match, eight versus eight, and you put passion into that match sometimes it can happen, in every team, not every week but often."



"Mario and Micah were boxing, but they are like twins. They are very good friends. This has happened with Mario four times now. He is the king for this. But it has happened with other players."



And with Balotelli's fireworks mishap in mind, Mancini suggested the festive season might be a time for the Italian international to stay in the confines of the team hotel.



"Now because we are near Christmas and near the last day of the year it is very dangerous for Mario (Balotelli) with the fire. It is better for him to stay in a hotel over this period," he said.



Having suffered their first loss of the season in the Premier League against Chelsea last weekend, City face a rampant Arsenal side at Etihad Stadium on Sunday with one man providing much of the homework for Mancini.



"(Robin) Van Persie is an incredible player like (Sergio) Aguero, (Edin) Dzeko or Mario. He scores one goal every game and at this moment he is playing very well and like Arsenal they are also playing very well," he said.



"I think that at the moment, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, who are very close to us, can fight for the title. But the season is long and I think that also Chelsea and Arsenal and maybe Liverpool can fight us too. But that is only at the moment, because the season is long."

Fifa threaten to suspend Switzerland over Sion

Fifa have threatened to suspend Switzerland over the legal case involving first division club Sion, soccer's governing body said in a statement on Saturday.



The Swiss FA was given a deadline of January 13 to resolve the matter, Fifa said.



"Should this deadline not be respected, the Swiss FA will be automatically suspended from 14 January 2012 onwards," said Fifa in a statement.



If suspended, Switzerland - due to host Argentina in a friendly in February – would not be able to play any international matches and FC Basle would be unable to take part in the Champions League round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich.

AVB rules out striker raid

Andre Villas-Boas says he won't be looking to sign a striker in January due to Chelsea's ability to get goals from a number of players.



The Blues chief was quizzed about his plans for the New Year with Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou set for a four-week absence if Ivory Coast go far in the African Nations Cup, while Nicolas Anelka is departing Stamford Bridge for Chinese outfit Shanghai Shenhua.



That will leave Villas-Boas with Fernando Torres, Daniel Sturridge and Romelu Lukaku as his only recognised strikers which has resulted in speculation linking the Portuguese tactician with the likes of Chilean star Eduardo Vargas, Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain and Napoli hitman Edinson Cavani.



However, when asked about his plans, the former Porto coach insisted that the ability of his current squad of players to share out the goals means a foray into the transfer market for a striker is not essential.



"Sometimes teams generate more goalscoring opportunities for certain people," Villas-Boas said.



"We are within Man City's range as the most attacking team.



"But we created for different players. That's why we have our goal sheet spread out through everybody, from (Frank) Lampard, to Sturridge, to Raul (Meireles), to (Juan) Mata.



"It's pretty diverse."

Manchester City's Joleon Lescott says club would "welcome" Robin van Persie signing

After the summer exits of former Gunners Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy to the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has expressed his admiration for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.



Speaking to The Sun, which printed an 'exclusive' today on City's plan for a £30m raid on the 28-year-old, England international Lescott said that the club would be delighted for the in-form Dutchman to join the fold.



"I wouldn't swap him for any of our strikers — but I'd take him as well," he told the tabloid at a promotional event for FIFA 12.



"We'd welcome any great players here and he is one. He's the man for Arsenal at the moment and he's obviously their main goal threat. He's right up there with the best strikers around.



"As a forward you get judged on goals so at the moment he's the best in the league. He can score all sorts of goals, with either foot. His work-rate for the team is great as well."



Lescott will get a closer look at Van Persie during tomorrow's highly anticipated clash between City and Arsenal, while Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has ruled out any January striker swoops.



Despite the risk of a knock to injury-prone Van Persie and the African Cup of Nations exits of Maroune Chamakh and Gervinho, Wenger has not publicly spoken of any potential transfer targets for the January transfer window, though Koln striker Lukas Podolski has been scouted in recent weeks.

Antonio Valencia will not be sold in January insist Man Utd

Manchester United will reportedly tell Juventus that Antonio Valencia will not be sold in the January transfer window.



Juve have shown interest in the Ecuador international throughout the year and despite him only recently signing a new four-year deal at Old Trafford, the Serie A side are believed to be considering a bid for the 26-year-old next month.



But according to the Daily Mirror, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has told the player's agent there is no chance of that of a January exit because his squad has been stretched to the limit by injuries to a number of senior players.



Diego Herrera Larrea had earlier this week had admitted that a January transfer would have been "very difficult."



"I am aware of rumours of Juventus' interest, but for my part there is nothing concrete," Larrea told Calciomercato.com.



"In the past, some Italian clubs were interested in the player but not in recent times.



"I don't think that Juve has spoken with Manchester United because I was not informed, but I cannot exclude it as a possibility.



"I see it as very difficult that he leaves United, first of all because he has recently signed a new four-year deal and because he and his family are very well in Manchester.



"But in football, never say never."

Young happy to have snubbed City for United

Ashley Young has insisted he has no regrets about snubbing Manchester City in favour of Manchester United.



England winger Young joined United following four years at Aston Villa, but he could have been turning out for the blue half of Manchester after being the subject of interest from City.



City's package is believed to have topped that of United, but Young claims his only thought was to make the move to Old Trafford.



Asked about City's interest, Young, speaking to the Daily Mirror, said: "That's true, but as soon as I heard about Manchester United there was no other club for me.



"It's Manchester United. They are the biggest club in the world, and I think if you ask anyone who they want to play for the majority will say: 'Man United'.



"The fan base, the team and what they have won in the past is [all] amazing.



"I want to be part of that - and be able to bring the title back to United again and make history with a 20th."



Young made a dazzling start to his United career, but his form has dipped in recent weeks. With injuries mounting, Young is likely to play a prominent role in the second half of the season.



He said: "I do believe we can win the title. We are this side of Christmas and have many games to play and points to play for.



"If we keep up the form we have shown from the start of the season, then I am sure we will be able to retain that title.



"There are going to be a lot of games to look forward to and we have to keep ourselves fresh and go into games confident. The manager instils that and we go out there and enjoy it."

Paper Talk: City eyes RVP; United wants Hummels

DAILY STAR

Andre Villas-Boas' bid to land Gonzalo Higuain is set to be dashed on the orders of Jose Mourinho.

Manchester City and AC Milan were last night at war over Carlos Tevez.

Samir Nasri has been told to buck up his ideas by Roberto Mancini.

THE SUN

Manchester City will offer Robin van Persie a £41.6m deal to join them from Arsenal in the summer.

Arsenal could make a dramatic loan move for Thierry Henry.

England stars Jack Wilshere, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have been ruled out of the GB Olympic team.

Manchester United aces are pressing Paul Scholes to come out of retirement.

Newcastle's £7m swoop for Sochaux's Modibo Maiga is in doubt after problems over his medical.

Everton's Ross Barkley has signed a new deal at Goodison Park.

Sir Alex Ferguson has told Paul Pogba not to chase cash and blow his chance at Manchester United.

Wilfried Zaha has signed a new five-and-a-half-year deal at Crystal Palace.

Giovani dos Santos looks to be on his way to Seville in a £4.5m deal.

Doncaster are trying to sign Stephane Dalmat.

DAILY MIRROR

Struggling Samir Nasri has been told to raise his game by Roberto Mancini.

Leicester are ready to snap up striker Billy Sharp from Doncaster in a £1.75m deal.

Thomas Sorensen is close to signing a new deal at Stoke.

Newcastle have scrapped a £6m move to buy Modibo Maiga.

Nicky Barmby will hang up his boots if he agrees to take on the Hull City manager's job full-time.

DAILY EXPRESS

Arsene Wenger has admitted that Arsenal do not have the money to hang on to their best players long term.

Jermain Defoe will spark a scramble for his signature in January after saying he can no longer sit on the Tottenham bench.

DAILY RECORD

Andrew Driver is ready to quit Hearts.

DAILY MAIL

Newcastle want to sign Crystal Palace's £10m-rated teenager Wilfried Zaha in the January transfer window.

Manchester United have been told it will take a bid of £50m to lure Mario Gotze away from Borussia Dortmund.

Fulham have opened talks with West Ham over a £4m move for Mark Noble.

Sir Alex Ferguson is weighing up a £15m bid for Borussia Dortmund centre back Mats Hummels.

Middlesbrough have taken PSG striker Loris Arnaud on trial.