Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

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• Tim Sherwood | The Gallery
• Cristiano Ronaldo is rewarded for making the miraculous mundane | Rob Smyth
• Bobby Collins, former Scotland, Celtic, Everton and Leeds player, dies
• Everton interested in signing Kenwyne Jones from Stoke City
• Liverpool's Steven Gerrard backs Raheem Sterling for World Cup squad
• Aston Villa's opening-day memories erased by Arsenal's 59-second blitz | Stuart James
• Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal
• Aston Villa v Arsenal – as it happened | John Ashdown
• Milner ready to bore for England
• Ronaldo wins the Fifa Ballon d'Or - video
• FA send warning letter to Pardew
• Chelsea to re-sign Matic for £22m
• Glazer family 'comfortable' with Manchester United's stockmarket value
• Jermain Defoe concerned Toronto move may hit World Cup hopes
• Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or! – as it happened!
• Ronaldo wins second Ballon d'Or
• Fulham's Brede Hangeland may feature in FA Cup tie against Norwich
• André Villas-Boas to 'refresh his batteries' after Tottenham sacking
• Football's lawmakers to consider use of sin-bins
• Football Weekly: Manchester City power on as Alan Pardew lets rip
• Samir Nasri a crucial cog in Manchester City's title wheel of fortune | Jamie Jackson
• The Fiver | How to 'download' the 'Googles' | Jacob Steinberg
• Fifa president Sepp Blatter announces new rule change panels – video
• Real Madrid the real winners after Atlético v Barcelona fails to ignite | Sid Lowe
• Manchester City's Samir Nasri out for eight weeks with injured knee

Tim Sherwood | The Gallery Posted: 13 Jan 2014 04:06 PM PST The Gallery: The Spurs manager stars as an Arsenal fan, Robin Hood and a tactical luddite. Next send us your Alvaro Negredos

Cristiano Ronaldo is rewarded for making the miraculous mundane | Rob Smyth Posted: 13 Jan 2014 04:06 PM PST Few believed any player would reclaim the Ballon d'Or from Lionel Messi but one man always did Cristiano Ronaldo has banged his head against the brick wall for four years; now the brick wall has given way. Ronaldo was apparently doomed to be forever tortured and defined by the achievements of Lionel Messi. By regaining the Ballon d'Or from Messi, and winning the award for the first time since 2008, he has provided emphatic confirmation that he is one of football's all-time greats. He almost collected the award as a Manchester United player. After being crowned at an endearingly overblown ceremony in Zurich, Ronaldo confirmed he had considered returning to Old Trafford in the summer. "It is true Rio [Ferdinand] and I spoke a lot," he said. "Rio is a great friend of mine. We were neighbours when I was in Manchester. He is a fantastic guy and he tried to change my mind and go back to Manchester. I did think about United. They are still in my heart. I love that club." It was an emotional night for Ronaldo, who was tearful when he received the trophy. "It means a lot to win this after Eusébio's passing," he said. "I dedicate this award to him and my team-mates. He was watching from the skies to see this great moment for a Portuguese player. When I saw my mum crying it made me cry as well. I'm an emotional person. It is very difficult to win this award." Ronaldo's victory is a triumph for strength. The physical part we know about. The cliché that he is a freak of nature has not changed its essential truth. Ronaldo is a cross between Dixie Dean and Usain Bolt. He scores goals in quantities which, since Dean's era, have only really been seen on bright screens in musty bedrooms, including headers so classically immense that it feels as if they should be shown in black and white. Yet he can also cover 96 metres in 10 seconds while wearing football boots, as he did against Atlético Madrid in 2012. For all that, Ronaldo's physical prowess is perhaps dwarfed by his mental strength. He has overcome myriad obstacles to win the Ballon d'Or. The words would invite ridicule if they ever came out of his mouth but it is not always easy being Ronaldo. His career has been conducted against a backdrop of suspicion and sniping. He is often unloved, even by his own fans, and his public perception reached a nadir last year when he was ridiculed by Sepp Blatter, which was like being called hapless by Frank Spencer. Many see him as selfish and self-obsessed to the point of having a messiah complex. You could certainly understand if he had a Messi complex. He has to endure constant discussion of Messi's apparent superiority, as a footballer and even as a human being. At times it seemed Ronaldo could not win. If he scored four, Messi would score five. If he cured the common cold, Messi would cure cancer. Ronaldo's most impressive feat is not to usurp Messi; it is to believe he could do so in the first place. Yet Messi is one of only three apparently unbeatable opponents Ronaldo has had to contend with. He has taken on Messi, Barcelona and Spain, at times single-footedly. Part of that challenge broke even José Mourinho; Ronaldo continues to come back for more. One nemesis down, two to go. Nor has he escaped football's vicissitudes since moving to Madrid. He missed a penalty in a Champions League semi-final shootout against Bayern Munich; he didn't even get to take one against Spain in the semi-final of Euro 2012. His peak years have coincided with football recognising small as beautiful after decades of the opposite view. He could be excused for thinking fate had a sadistic vendetta against him. It is in that context that we should understand Ronaldo's achievement. He is a monument of conviction. Any other footballer would have consciously or unconsciously surrendered to an apparently irresistible logic. Anyone else would have relaxed and regressed towards the mean. Instead, Ronaldo ensured an excess of 50 goals a season became the mean. In 2013 he even progressed away from that, scoring 69 times for club and country. He has turned 'Oh I say!' moments into 'Oh' moments. Oh, Ronaldo's scored another hat-trick. Oh, Ronaldo's scored from over 40 yards in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the European Cup (as he did in 2009). Oh, Ronaldo's scored his 50th of the season. He has made the miraculous mundane. Then again, greatness has always been a fusion of the spectacular and mundane. Ronaldo's success is as much about his immaculate professionalism as his natural skill. He is a freak of nature but also a freak of nurture, fuelled by an almost demented ambition to achieve everything he possibly can. He has already achieved so much as to merit inclusion in any discussion of the greatest footballers ever. Yet when World Soccer magazine asked a series of experts to pick their greatest XI last year, Ronaldo was nowhere near the side. He got seven votes: Maradona received 64, Pelé 56, Johan Cruyff 58 and Messi 46. Ronaldo picked up fewer than, among others, Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Garrincha, George Best and the other Ronaldo. Perhaps his sheer efficiency does not appeal to romantics. Perhaps his remorseless consistency doesn't stir the soul. Perhaps people just don't like him. But to paint him as a robotic achiever does not do justice to his his genius. Ronaldo is a footballer like no other. He has a good case for being the most three-dimensional of football's true greats: almost half his goals in 2013 were scored with either his head or left foot. While he did not, as some have suggested, patent the wobbling, beach ball free-kick, he is now most commonly associated with a technique he has mastered. He has also obliterated the accepted parameters of the wide forward. The primary reason for that is that he has scored goals in industrial quantities. Of course Ronaldo is a flat-track bully; there has never been a great player who was not. He has also become a rough-track bully, challenging the perception that he doesn't produce in big games. It was not always so, but now Barcelona and Spain fear him more than he fears them. That's not the only perception Ronaldo has changed down the years. It seems ridiculous now, but he was once regularly damned as having no end product. When he started at Manchester United, he was a fantasy footballer but not a Fantasy Footballer. He dizzied defenders with stepovers that left them with twisted blood and brain cells, yet the Fantasy Football currency of goals and assists eluded him. In his first three seasons at Old Trafford he scored just 27 goals; in the final three, 91. Then, at Real Madrid, he went further. In four and a half seasons he has scored 230 goals in 223 games. As his goalscoring gradient has gone in one direction at Madrid, so his medal haul has gone in the other. In a sense Ronaldo had a disappointing 2013; all he won was the Ballon d'Or. Real Madrid won nothing. In four-and-a-half years in Madrid he has claimed few big prizes: one La Liga title, no Champions Leagues, one Ballon d'Or and no Player of the Year awards in Spain. (The Spanish league effectively had to invent a new award, the MVP, for him to win something, although Messi was the Best Player again.) There will always be those who feel personal awards are enough to sustain Ronaldo. It is a simplistic perception of a man whose obvious lust for personal glory only exists in the context of an even greater lust for team glory. The two are inextricably linked. The moments after a goal has been scored are when a footballer is emotionally naked; the celebration never lies. Ronaldo's reaction when a teammate scores a vital goal is not that of a man in it for himself. When Manchester United won the Champions League in 2008 despite Ronaldo's penalty miss a few minutes earlier, he burst into tears that were one part relief, 10 parts joy. That's not to say he is unselfish. Or that he doubts his worth: last night he thanked his fans on Facebook by posting a video of himself. His arrogance can be preposterous, but then that's just another reason why he belongs in the company of Cruyff and Maradona among others. If greatness is to be achieved, arrogance is a preference. Ronaldo's selfishness is also partially born of the logic that he is by far the best equipped to make his team win. Many of Ronaldo's goals for Madrid have been scored in the knowledge that they are not going to help win a trophy. Despite that, his output has not diminished. In sport, futile excellence can be the most impressive of all, whether it comes from a surfeit of personal pride, an endless well of professional pride or, more likely, a combination of the two. Even Ronaldo's defining achievement of 2013 – a performance for the ages to beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic in international football's first one-a-side game – was not to win a trophy but to avert the unthinkable of Portugal not qualifying for the World Cup. Even if Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or for the next five years, he will not retire happy unless he wins more trophies. The world player of the year award is not enough. Ronaldo is nearly 29 and may be approaching his last World Cup; by 2018 he will have played for 15 years, with few injury breaks and goodness knows how many miles on the clock. There is also a new superpower, Bayern Munich, to sit alongside Spain and Barcelona. But Ronaldo will keep banging his head against the brick wall until the brick wall gives way, as it did in Zurich on Monday night. In Ronaldo's mind the Ballon d'Or is not his crowning glory. It is the start of the defining phase of his career. Cristiano Ronaldo Ballon d'Or Rob Smyth theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Bobby Collins, former Scotland, Celtic, Everton and Leeds player, dies Posted: 13 Jan 2014 03:21 PM PST • Former midfielder passed away aged 82 on Monday • Everton paid club record fee for Colllins in 1958 Bobby Collins, the former Scotland midfielder who started his career with Celtic before going on to make over 300 combined appearances for Everton and Leeds, has died at the age of 82. Leeds said on their official website: "We are saddened to announce the passing of our former skipper Bobby Collins. Bobby, 82, sadly passed away at approximately 3.30pm on Monday afternoon following a battle with illness." The Glasgow-born Collins played 320 matches and scored 116 goals for Celtic before Everton paid a club-record £23,500 fee for his services in 1958. Collins, who stood 5ft 3in tall, moved to Leeds for a similar fee in 1962 and helped the Yorkshire side win promotion to the top flight two years later under Don Revie. He also played for Bury, Greenock Morton and Oldham, and won 31 caps for Scotland, scoring 10 goals. Celtic paid tribute to their former player on their website, describing Collins as "a true Celtic legend and one of Scotland's all-time great players. His contribution to the success of both Celtic and Leeds United is testament to that." The statement continued: "The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Bobby's family and friends at this very sad time." The Everton chairman, Bill Kenwright, said on his club's website: "I am extremely saddened to hear of the death of one of my idols, Bobby Collins. "Bobby was very much a part of Everton's life and helped transform the club from the minute he arrived at Goodison Park in 1958 as our record signing. "He was pivotal and inspirational during his four seasons with the Blues and will never be forgotten by our fans and everyone at Everton Football Club." Scotland Celtic Everton Leeds United theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Everton interested in signing Kenwyne Jones from Stoke City Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST • Everton may offer £1m, Stoke want closer to £3 for striker • Jones upsets Mark Hughes for not reporting for Liverpool game Everton are interested in signing Kenwyne Jones from Stoke City and are trying to complete a deal for the striker for as little as £1m. The 29-year-old has less than six months left on his contract and Stoke would welcome the chance to move him on but the Midlands club are holding out for closer to £3m. Jones is keen for the transfer to happen but he has upset Stoke by failing to report for Sunday's Premier League match against Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium when he would have been on the bench but his non-appearance forced Mark Hughes, the Stoke manager, to add another player to the bench. Jones is believed to be citing personal reasons for his absence and it is understood that he sent a text message to Hughes on Saturday night to say that he would not be available. He met Hughes and Tony Scholes, Stoke's chief executive, to discuss the situation at the club's Clayton Wood training ground on Monday. When asked about Jones's omission on Sunday, Hughes would only say that the player was "unavailable". With only six months remaining on his contract, it is inevitable that Jones will move on, either in this window or the summer. Signed from Sunderland for £8m in 2010, Jones has started only four Premier League matches this season and scored just 13 goals in the top flight during his time at the Britannia Stadium. hope to announce two signings within the next 24 hours. Stephen Ireland, who has been on loan from Aston Villa, will join on a permanent basis until the end of the season. The Ireland deal frees up a loan space for John Guidetti, Manchester City's 21-year-old Swedish striker, who will join for the remainder of the campaign. Stoke City Everton Mark Hughes Transfer window Stuart James theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard backs Raheem Sterling for World Cup squad Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST • England captain hails 'sensational' Anfield team-mate • Sterling seen as alternative to injured Theo Walcott Steven Gerrard believes it will be almost impossible for Roy Hodgson to leave Raheem Sterling out of England's World Cup squad if the winger maintains his "sensational" Liverpool form. With Theo Walcott injured, Gerrard said Sterling has "all the tools" to be a viable alternative to the Arsenal wingerand force his way into the England manager's plans. Sterling has started Liverpool's last 10 matches and, in the England captain's opinion, has been one of the club's best players in recent months. The 19-year-old was a key figure in the remarkable 5-3 victory over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday, when he had a hand in two of the goals and caught the eye with his direct running on the right flank. Called up to the England squad for the first time in September 2012, Sterling made his senior debut against Sweden two months later and was named in Hodgson's squads at the start of the season but has since gone on to feature at U-21 level. Gerrard, however, believes that, with Walcott sidelined, there is a window of opportunity for Sterling to stake his claim for one of the wide positions in the senior setup. "He's in top form at a fantastic time. I'm obviously disappointed for Theo with his injury but I'm sure Roy Hodgson is looking out for who is going to replace him and Raheem's performances of late have been sensational," said Gerrard. "There's many candidates. [Aaron] Lennon's playing well. Andros Townsend, [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain's back … but if you are looking at like-for-like pace down the wing, someone who can make, score and create, then Raheem has got a fantastic chance. "I think he knows what the situation is. I've just said to him after the game: 'You keep your performance at that level and you are going to make it very difficult for Roy Hodgson not to take you.' Hopefully he can build on the confidence from his recent performances and finish the season really strongly. He's got all the tools to do it, it's up to him now. "If you are a full-back you don't want to play against pace – and it's pace when it's coming at you all of the time. He keeps going. He's a fit lad who will be relentless, he'll keep going even if he makes a mistake. He's a team player, too. Everyone knows Roy Hodgson, he likes a wide player who can defend as well. Raheem's got everything going for him. Now it's up to him to keep putting in that level of performance." Although Sterling is now playing with growing maturity and confidence, he has not had everything his own way since emerging at Anfield. There have been off-the-field issues to contend with and the teenager, who signed a five-year contract worth £35,000 a week in December 2012, also suffered a loss of form . Gerrard, though, is full of praise for the way that Sterling has responded. "You've got to understand his age. He's learning the game. He's got a fantastic manager to help him through that," Gerrard said. "He's only 18 and you are going to suffer a dip in form. Who doesn't have a dip at 18 years of age? But the mark of a good player, and how good any player is going to be, is how they come back from that. Can he react? To come back the way he has, he's been one of our most consistent players in the last couple of months. He's been brilliant." Steven Gerrard Liverpool England World Cup 2014 World Cup Stuart James theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Aston Villa's opening-day memories erased by Arsenal's 59-second blitz | Stuart James Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:23 PM PST Any hope Aston Villa fans had after beating Arsenal in August has been eradicated by a season of despair since The last time Aston Villa beat Arsenal at home they were two goals down at half-time and came back to win 3-2. Villa found themselves in the same position here but there seemed little chance of Paul Lambert's team reprising the improbable fightback that Dion Dublin inspired more than 15 years ago, back in December 1998. An uncomfortable feeling of deja-vu is sweeping through this club. Twelve months on from arguably the most challenging month of Lambert's managerial career, when Villa were dumped out of the League Cup semi-final by Bradford City from League Two and sucked towards the bottom of the Premier League, the Midlands club are on the slide again. Sitting 11th in the table Villa look reasonably safe at first glance but appearances can be deceptive. This is a team desperately short of confidence, in particular at home. Villa have now won only two out of 11 home matches in the Premier League this season. They have collected only eight points here – their worst record in a top-flight campaign since three points for a win was introduced – and scored only eight goals in front of their own supporters, which is the poorest return in the division. They are statistics to make season-ticket holders weep. Villa, in short, are playing relegation football at home, even if there was some encouragement to glean from the spirt and fight they showed in the second half here, when Arsenal became complacent. With their next two away games against Liverpool and Everton, Villa desperately need to collect points in their upcoming home fixtures against West Bromwich Albion and West Ham. That task would be made considerably easier if the Christian Benteke that scored goals of every description last season rediscovered his touch. The hope for Villa fans is that the diving header that Benteke nodded in at the far post in the 76th minute is a sign of things to come. "Christian Benteke, he scores when he wants," sang the Villa supporters. It was the Belgian international's first goal since the middle of September and provided Villa with something to cling to at the end of a strange game that Arsenal had seemed to be totally controlling. The other positive news for Villa at the end of a sixth defeat in eight matches concerned Nathan Baker, who had required eight minutes of treatment after Serge Gnabry's shot caught him full in the face. Baker left the field on a stretcher, wearing an oxygen mask and was clearly in some discomfort but it was later reported that he was suffering from mild concussion. The pre-match entertainment on the big screens inside Villa Park included footage of Villa's opening day win at the Emirates Stadium – a result that proved to be no barometer for the season ahead for either club. Villa supporters could not have imagined that when the two clubs met again, five months down the road, they would have endured such miserable results and performances at home, culminating in the third-round FA Cup defeat against Sheffield United, from League One, 10 days ago. "In adversity you develop character and a steely, resolute response is what we all wish to see," Lambert wrote in his programme notes. "That resolve has been very much in evidence this season in games at the Emirates Stadium, Stamford Bridge and against Liverpool and Manchester City. The top teams come and play and this can contribute to a more open kind of game in which the commitment and capabilities of our players come to the fore." Villa, in truth, welcome the chance to play on the counterattack and look much more threatening then than when they have time on the ball as they lack the craft and guile to break teams down. On a couple of occasions Gabriel Agbonlahor's pace stretched Arsenal's defence here but not many teams are capable of soaking up prolonged periods of pass-you-to-death possession against Arsène Wenger's side without conceding. Villa, on the evidence of recent form, were never going to be one of them. So it proved when Arsenal struck twice in the space of 59 seconds, exposing Villa's shortcomings. Matthew Lowton, who has struggled to recapture the form he showed last season, was caught out on the opening goal, when Mesut Özil's splendid pass invited Nacho Monreal to get behind the right-back and square for Jack Wilshere to finish. In the blink of an eye it was 2-0, after Fabian Delph, who in fairness has been one of Villa's better performers this season, carelessly gave away possession inside his own half. Wilshere's sublime pass picked out Olivier Giroud who beat Brad Guzan with the minimum of fuss and Villa looked dead and buried. Lambert's tactics board had already gone out the window by that point. Set up in a 3-5-2 formation initially, Villa had to reconfigure into a 4-4-2 after Baker's departure. At times it was as much as Villa could do to get a touch of the ball. Arsenal had enjoyed 71% of possession come the interval. For Villa fans, it is becoming a familiar sight, as they watch their team chase shadows and play without direction or method. At least Benteke's goal gave them something to cheer. Aston Villa Arsenal Stuart James theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:16 PM PST Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League, taking in the view and showing no signs of a side that is going to wilt any time soon. True, Arsène Wenger's team had to survive some anxious moments during the final exchanges, but an equaliser for Aston Villa would hardly have told an accurate story of how the game had gone. Arsenal were considerably the more accomplished team and perhaps it was just a little bit of complacency that crept in towards the end. They had led through goals from Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud in the space of 59 seconds in the first half, and it had looked like being a freewheeling win until Christian Benteke, almost out of nowhere, reminded Villa Park that he still understands the art of goalscoring. Benteke's 76th-minute header was his first goal since September, originating from the kind of carelessness from Santi Cazorla that suggested Arsenal already thought the game was won. Paul Lambert's side gave everything and afterwards Villa's manager could at least dwell on those moments and try to argue, in manager-speak, there were plenty of positives. Yet it was a deception, for the most part. Villa were flat and uninspiring, on the wrong end of a game of keep-ball, and if Lambert's move for Grant Holt of Wigan Athletic smacks a little of desperation it is because their record of eight home goals in the league is as bad as it gets in all four divisions. For Arsenal, it would have been a grievous setback if they had allowed a side with these shortcomings to pinch a late equaliser. Wenger was not sure afterwards whether his team had been "too confident or too cautious" in the second half, plumping for the latter and arguing his players should have done more to make it 3-0 and kill the game. A team can be lulled into that kind of casualness when the opposition offer little of note and maybe it will be a lesson for Arsenal over the coming months. It was rare to see an away side with so much control of the ball and Wenger was not being arrogant to feel they could have found another goal if they had looked hard enough. As it was, there was still plenty to admire in the form of Wilshere's performance, Giroud's ability to bring colleagues into the game and the togetherness that was needed to see out the win after Benteke's stooping header. However much Lambert talked up his side, there were also long spells when Villa Park was mired in dissatisfaction. At half-time the crowd booed when the stadium announcer informed them the competition prize was a season-ticket. Later, there were pointed cheers when Karim El Ahmadi was substituted, having played poorly. Benteke's goal arrived shortly afterwards, after Cazorla had presented the ball to Matthew Lowton, and completely changed the mood. The paradox was that Villa, with so little of the ball, could also reflect on a couple of decent opportunities before that devastating little period when Wenger's players suddenly turned their superiority into goals. Unfortunately for the home side, El Ahmadi could not hit the target on either occasion and the old rampaging figure of Benteke spent the first hour strolling through the match. Their entire system was devised to counterattacking, hoping for the best on the break. Yet Arsenal quickly made it clear they are not the soft touch that capitulated to these opponents on the opening weekend of the season. The first goal was typical Arsenal, classy in its creation and clinical in its execution. Mesut Özil's pass for Nacho Monreal, overlapping on the left, was beautifully weighted. Monreal had the time and space to pick out Wilshere's run and the England midfielder took one touch to control the pass before angling his shot past Brad Guzan. For all Arsenal's possession, it was one of the first times the home side had looked vulnerable. Yet what followed, for Villa, was a crushing setback. From the kick-off, the ball went back to Fabian Delph inside his own half. His poor touch allowed Wilshere to pinch the ball and he quickly played it long, from right to left, into Giroud's path. The striker had Ron Vlaar and Lowton in close proximity but managed to elude them both before cracking another emphatic finish into the same corner Wilshere had chosen barely a minute before. Villa had already lost Nathan Baker by that point, having been knocked out after taking a shot from Serge Gnabry flush in the face, and Wenger finished the night with his own injury worries. Monreal will need an x-ray after a crunching tackle from Vlaar, with Arsenal fearing it may be a broken metatarsal. Tomas Rosicky also had to leave the pitch, having been a substitute himself, after an elbow into the face, possibly breaking his nose. Wenger, however, was smiling as he left. This time last year Arsenal were 21 points off the leaders, Manchester United, and closer to the Premier League's bottom club, Queens Park Rangers. The difference between now and then is stark. Premier League Aston Villa Arsenal Daniel Taylor theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Aston Villa v Arsenal – as it happened | John Ashdown Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:05 PM PST Minute-by-minute report: Will Arsenal return to the top of the Premier League? Find out with John Ashdown John Ashdown

Milner ready to bore for England Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:01 PM PST • Midfielder not bothered by parody Twitter account • City's defeat of Newcastle 'feels like a massive result' James Milner does not mind being regarded as boring if it means he ends up with a second Premier League winners' medal in May before boarding England's flight to Brazil in June. The Manchester City midfielder's sensible image has led to the establishment of a parody Twitter account – "Boring Milner" – which recounts details of him supposedly defrosting the freezer, looking forward to vacuuming, lamenting the demise of Heartbeat on Sunday night television and owning a Foyle's War DVD. "It's got a few followers now, hasn't it?" Milner said. "It's a bit of fun and I've read a few of the tweets. If people think I'm boring, well, as long as I've got a Premier League winners' medal I don't really mind being as boring as you want. "Hopefully I'll be going to the World Cup finals as well. That's the plan. It'll be an amazing stage to play on and I'd love to go but you get there by playing good football for your club. I'll do that as well as I can and hopefully it will get me on the plane." As a second-half substitute Milner created Álvaro Negredo's stoppage-time goal in City's 2-0 win at Newcastle on Sunday, a hard-fought victory in front of a partisan crowd which returned Manuel Pellegrini's side to the top of the table. The 28-year-old believes it could prove a watershed result in City's title bid. "It feels like a massive result because these are the type of really tough tests that you want to win if you have any hopes of topping the table," Milner said. "Everyone knows we can play good, attractive football because we've scored so many goals but these are the sort of games where you have to dig in and grind out a result. It's a sign of a very good team that we can grind out a win like that from probably the least possession we've had all season. "Up at the top is where we want to be, where we have to be. Hopefully what we did at Newcastle will help us to win the big prizes. We have put ourselves in a good position in four competitions, but you need grit and determination, not just a squad of gifted players. When the going gets tough we've shown we can stick together and grind out good results." It certainly seems Pellegrini's team have finally learnt to win away. "You have to have faith and keep playing the same way," Milner said. "I think people forget we had a lot of new players coming into the team and a new manager so it was always going to take time for us all to get to know each other. A lot of newcomers were trying to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. "But we've got a great dressing room, a very tight knit group. The new players are great lads and the new manager has done really well. Everyone is very much part of a team under the new boss. We're blessed with a squad full of fantastic players with the right character and we needed to show a lot of that character against Newcastle." For the moment at least Milner is happy to accept being a frequent substitute rather than a regular starter. "I'm very lucky to be alongside these high-quality players and contributing my bit," he said. "It's very special. "People say there are too many games I'm not involved in but I've come on a lot and done alright." City will be without the midfielder Samir Nasri for around eight weeks because of the knee injury he suffered at Newcastle. The 26-year-old was carried from the field on a stretcher with his left leg in a brace with medial ligament damage. Nasri tweeted: "Thank you everyone for your kind words and overwhelming support, I suppose its kind of good news that I will be out around eight weeks." He was hurt in a 75th-minute challenge by his compatriot Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. Manchester City Newcastle United Samir Nasri Louise Taylor theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Ronaldo wins the Fifa Ballon d'Or - video Posted: 13 Jan 2014 01:58 PM PST Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Fifa Ballon d'Or in Zurich, Switzerland on Monday

FA send warning letter to Pardew Posted: 13 Jan 2014 01:06 PM PST • Newcastle manager reminded of his 'responsibilities' by FA • Escapes possible fine or touchline ban with swift apology The Football Association has written to Alan Pardew reminding him of his responsibilities after the Newcastle United manager called Manuel Pellegrini "a fucking old cunt" during his side's 2-0 defeat by Manchester City at St James' Park on Sunday. Pardew escaped an FA charge followed by a potential fine and/or touchline ban partly because of his swift apology to his City counterpart but there was also a sense that, with the use of expletives so commonplace in professional football, the imposition of sanctions might have seemed excessive. There was however a precedent for charging Pardew; back in April 2011 Wayne Rooney received a two-match ban after swearing into a camera lens after scoring for Manchester United at West Ham. The difference with Newcastle's manager was that, rather than aggressively addressing the camera, he did not realise his touchline altercation with Pellegrini was being picked up by television recording equipment but, even so, it was hardly his finest moment. "We have been in contact with Alan Pardew and reminded him of his responsibilities," said an FA spokesman. Quite apart form the unedifying insult aimed at City's manager Pardew was also involved in a running battle with match officials after Mike Jones, the referee, controversially disallowed a Cheik Tioté "goal" for a contentious offside decision in the first half. The FA's former chairman David Bernstein may be disappointed by Pardew's lack of punishment. "When you look at the constant protests on the touchline and the comments afterwards it doesn't do anyone or the game any good," said Bernstein recently. "It's a terrible example for the players, let alone the public. I think it's time managers assumed a much greater sense of responsibility for their behaviour." Alan Pardew Manuel Pellegrini Newcastle United Manchester City The FA Louise Taylor theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Chelsea to re-sign Matic for £22m Posted: 13 Jan 2014 01:02 PM PST • Serbia international returns to club he left for £3m in 2011 • Kevin De Bruyne to join Wolfsburg for £18m Chelsea are to re-sign Nemanja Matic for an eye-catching fee of around £22m, a vastly inflated price from the valuation attached to the Serbia midfielder when he was allowed to leave and join Benfica three years ago. Matic is due at Cobham on Tuesday to undertake a medical with the clubs close to agreeing a price for the 25-year-old, who has been capped nine times. The defensive midfielder had pushed for a return to Stamford Bridge after a hugely impressive spell in Lisbon, with the outlay to bring him back to England to fall well short of the £37m buy-out clause in the player's contract. He is expected to sign a contract to 2017. Yet the fee remains remarkable given Chelsea had considered Matic to be only a makeweight in the deal which brought David Luiz from Benfica in the 2011 mid-winter window, the midfielder's valuation at the time being placed at around £3m. The vast difference will be partly offset by the sale of Kevin De Bruyne to Wolfsburg for around £18m, with that transfer finally to be concluded in the next 24 hours. Matic had joined Chelsea from the Slovakian side Kosice for £1.5m in 2009 but made only three substitute appearances before he was dispatched on a season-long loan to Vitesse Arnhem. With his route into the first team at Chelsea blocked by more experienced candidates following Ramires's arrival from Benfica in 2011, and with youngsters such as Josh McEachran considered higher in the pecking order at the time, Chelsea sanctioned his departure only to watch his game flourish from afar. Physically imposing at 6ft 4in, the midfielder has developed rapidly in Portugal, impressing as a key member of Jorge Jesus's side when offered regular competitive football. An athletic runner, aggressive in the tackle and an accurate and progressive passer, Matic is entering his pomp and could make his second debut for the club in Sunday's visit of another of his mooted suitors, Manchester United. Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic, an international team-mate, had acknowledged before May's Europa League final between the clubs that his compatriot had made considerable progress. "When he was at Chelsea you saw he has the qualities to be a top player but he needed practice," said Ivanovic. "In Portugal he has improved his defensive ways a lot and his aggressiveness. And he has great vision [going] forward." His arrival is likely to conclude the bulk of José Mourinho's incoming business in this window, scuppering the Colombia international Fredy Guarín's hopes of joining from Internazionale. Interest is retained in the young French centre-half Kurt Zouma at St-Etienne, though that transfer could be revived in the summer if no deal is struck this month. De Bruyne will undergo a medical in Germany on Tuesday before signing a contract with Wolfsburg to 2019 after Chelsea finally reached agreement with the Bundesliga club over his departure following lengthy negotiations. The player cost €8m (£6.7m) when signing from Genk two years ago and, after spending loan spells back at the Belgian club and with Werder Bremen last term, managed only two Premier League starts under Mourinho this season with competition for places intense among the attacking midfielders. The management, while acknowledging his considerable potential, had been critical of the winger's attitude following a slack display in a League Cup game at Swindon Town. He showed an improvement in his approach thereafter but, with opportunities so limited and a place at the World Cup finals at stake after a fine qualification campaign, he actively pushed for a transfer this month. The 22-year-old will cost Wolfsburg up to €21.5m (£18m), which represents a profit for the London club as they digest their outlay on Matic. José Mourinho Chelsea Benfica Transfer window Premier League Dominic Fifield theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Glazer family 'comfortable' with Manchester United's stockmarket value Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:07 PM PST • United's share price heads towards 12-month low in New York • 'Glazer family take very much a long-term view of share prices' The Glazer family remain "comfortable" about Manchester United's stockmarket value despite a fall in its share price on the New York Stock Exchange, according to sources close to the club. United's shares were trading at $15.16 (£9.26) when the market opened on Monday – well down on a high last May of $19.34 and heading towards the 12-month low of $14.39. That can be seen as a drop in the club's value of £250m but sources say the Glazer family, who own United, take a long-term view about the value of the shares, which were floated at $14 in New York in August 2012. One United source said: "The Glazer family take very much a long-term view about share prices and the value of the club - there have been a number of fluctuations in the last 18 months but they remain comfortable about the current position." In the last year there have been numerous ups and downs – the announcement by Sir Alex Ferguson last May that he was retiring led to a sharp drop in the share price. The price recovered over the summer but there was another fall in October, only for promising financial figures from the club for the first quarter to prompt a recovery, and then another swift fall in December. United's comparatively poor form on the pitch this season – they are by no means assured of a place in the Champions League – may be a cause for concern for some investors, but in financial terms the club is expected to post record revenues this season. The Glazers are also understood to be determined to have patience with Ferguson's successor, David Moyes, understanding that he will need time to settle in. Moyes was given a six-year contract in the summer, a statement of intent by the owners that they view him, as well as the club, as a long-term investment. Manchester United Finances Business theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Jermain Defoe concerned Toronto move may hit World Cup hopes Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:46 AM PST • 'It's important to keep playing and MLS will be fantastic for me' • Tottenham striker will join Toronto on 28 February Jermain Defoe admitted he is concerned that his move to the Major League Soccer side Toronto FC could damage his hopes of a place in England's World Cup squad but he felt he could not turn down the chance to showcase his talents to a new audience. "I have to be honest, I did think about the chances of going to the World Cup," said the striker, who will join Toronto from Tottenham on 28 February. "It is always important to play well for your club. "Having played in a World Cup before it is just the greatest thing in the world, it is a dream come true, that is why you play football, to play in a major tournament and at that level. "Yeah, it did cross my mind but at the same time I believe the MLS is going to be fantastic for me and it is important to be playing. "To get into any World Cup or European Championship squad for your country, it is based on merit, which means you have to play well, be fit and ready. "The most important thing for me is playing football, scoring my goals and doing well for the team. Hopefully I can be on the plane. "I have played in the Premier League all of my career, scored a lot of goals and, at the age of 31, I would like to think the England manager and everyone in England knows what I can do, can bring for the country, and if selected, I will be ready." Toronto have also brought in the United States international Michael Bradley as the manager Ryan Nelson – the New Zealand defender who played at Spurs for a spell in 2012 after leaving Blackburn – looks to build a squad capable of challenging for the MLS title. "In life when a massive opportunity comes your way, sometimes it is not always easy, leaving your home town and the club you have been with for nine years – to come here and have a reception like that is such a great feeling. I feel at home already," Defoe told a news conference in Toronto. "I come here and know I will give something, not for the wrong reasons, but to do my best for the club to win trophies. "It is important for me that I still feel sharp and strong. Defoe continued: "I can't wait to get started and to showcase my skills in a different league. For me it is a dream come true because it is always something I wanted to do [play in the MLS], even before I was aware of the interest [from Toronto]." Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur MLS Toronto FC England World Cup 2014 theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or! – as it happened! Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:05 AM PST Cristiano Ronaldo got the better of Lionel Messi and Franck Ribéry and picked up his second gong Ian McCourt

Ronaldo wins second Ballon d'Or Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:02 AM PST • Real Madrid striker wins award for second time • Pelé honoured with special award Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Fifa Ballon d'Or for the second time after a stellar year. The Real Madrid forward was emotional as he collected his award and thanked his team-mates for their support. "First of all I have to say a great thanks to all of my team-mates with the club and the national team," he said. "Without all of their efforts this would not have been possible. I am very happy, it is very difficult to win this award. "Everybody that has been involved with me on a personal level I have to thank. My wife, my friends, my son. It is a tremendously emotional moment. All I can say is thank you to everybody that has been involved." Scoring at a ratio of over a goal a game, he became the quickest Real Madrid player to reach 200 goals for the club and signed a new deal at the Bernabéu in what was a sensational 2013 for the 28-year-old. He also scored in both legs of Madrid's Champions League tie against his former side Manchester United but could not help his compatriot José Mourinho capture any silverware in his final year at the club. Ronaldo won the 2008 Ballon d'Or for his performances as a Manchester United player but since then has seen his great rival Lionel Messi walk off with the prize four years in a row while he has finished as a runner-up three times. Messi may have dropped below his own high standards in the last year – averaging a meagre goal a game and winning only his sixth Primera Division crown with Barcelona – but he was hoping to collect his fifth straight Ballon d'Or. Messi's importance to Barcelona was highlighted during an infamous Champions League mauling at the hands of Franck Ribéry's Bayern Munich in April when the 26-year-old was an unused substitute in the second leg as he struggled to overcome a hamstring issue. Ribéry enjoyed being part of an all-conquering Bayern side who swept everyone away domestically and on the European stage, hammering Messi's Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in their Champions League semi-final before going on to beat their German rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Wembley final. While Ribéry collected winners' medals for the Bundesliga, the German Cup, Champions League, Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup competitions, Ronaldo did not win a single team accolade with his Real Madrid side in 2013. But the Ballon d'Or is awarded for individual prestige and the Portugal captain once again shone brightly for much of the year. The first ever Ballon d'Or prix d'honneur was awarded to Pelé. "In the great sweep of history, there are few names that stand out. But when we think of football, there is one name that leaps out above all others," said the Fifa president Sepp Blatter. "No player has had such an influence on the game. No one has inspired so many to play. His legacy speak to us all. His verve and skill were timeless. His creativity limitless, his good nature boundless." "I got so many trophies and prizes but I was jealous because all of those guys who got the Ballon d'Or, which I couldn't get because I didn't play in Europe," Pelé said. "Now I thank God that I can complete my trophies at home." The Fifa/Fifpro World XI 2013 was also named and featured the Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the defenders Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva and Dani Alves, the midfielders Iniesta, Xavi and Ribéry and the forwards Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo. Jupp Heynckes, who won the Champions League and the German league and cup with Bayern Munich last season, was named as the coach of the year over his fellow Champions League final coach, Dortmund's Jürgen Klopp. The retired former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was the third nominee for the coach of the year but he did not attend the ceremony as he is on a family holiday in Barbados. The German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, who plays in Australia for the Brisbane Roar, was named as the women's world player of the year ahead of the Brazilian Marta and the American Abby Wambach. The women's coach award went to Silvia Neid, who is in charge of the Germany team. "I have to say that I'm a little surprised, but very thankful. First of all I have to thank everybody that voted for me. I just want to pay my respects to Marta and Abby who have had an incredible year too," Angerer said. Ibrahimovic won the Puskas award for the most beautiful goal of the season for his long-distance bicycle kick while playing for Sweden against England. The former head of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogges won the presidential award while the Afghanistan football federation were awarded the fair play award. Cristiano Ronaldo Ballon d'Or Lionel Messi Franck Ribéry Real Madrid Barcelona Bayern Munich theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Fulham's Brede Hangeland may feature in FA Cup tie against Norwich Posted: 13 Jan 2014 10:01 AM PST • Defender in squad for replay following back surgery • Rene Meulensteen and Chris Hughton to rotate squads Fulham could name Brede Hangeland on the bench for Tuesday night's FA Cup third- round replay against Norwich City, with Rene Meulensteen admitting he will use the game to rotate his squad. The central defender has had back surgery since he last played on 21 October. Fulham, who slipped to a disappointing 4-1 defeat by Sunderland on Saturday, are a point above the relegation zone in the Premier League, trailing Norwich by one point. The struggling sides drew 1-1 in the cup at Carrow Road earlier this month but have both endured difficult winters in the league. However, Meulensteen hopes a positive result will help Fulham find some form. He said: "First and foremost the FA Cup is a fantastic competition, which I have a lot of respect for. It's given a lot of joyful moments. Secondly, nothing good comes out of losing a game so we will take that game [seriously]. "But it is a game where you have to utilise your squad. That's normal, it would be stupid not to do it. A lot of players have put in a lot of effort and some may need a bit more time to recover so you can bring others in." Chris Hughton, the Norwich manager, is also expected to rotate his squad before the game against Hull City at the weekend, with Luciano Becchio expected to be given a rare opportunity in the starting lineup. The Fulham goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, is set to miss out but Clint Dempsey should feature, with Meulensteen claiming the American could play a crucial role in the bid to avoid relegation this season, once he regains full fitness. "The more minutes and games he gets under his belt the quicker that will all come. It won't take long for him to be right back up there," said Meulensteen. "He's just got to keep working but that's his character and that's exactly what we know he will do." Fulham Norwich City FA Cup Chris Hughton James Riach theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

André Villas-Boas to 'refresh his batteries' after Tottenham sacking Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:44 AM PST • 'Next job has to fit 100%,' says Villas-Boas • Coach visits Bayern Munich's training camp in Qatar André Villas-Boas will look to "refresh his batteries" before considering a return to football after being sacked by Tottenham. The 36-year-old former Porto and Chelsea manager left White Hart Lane on 16 December following inconsistent results despite more than £100m spent on players after the summer departure of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a world record fee. Villas-Boas was linked with an immediate return to the Premier League at West Bromwich Albion but he needs an extended time away before considering where his next position within football will be. "I have decided to take a break. I want to learn a bit and refresh my batteries, but I can't imagine a life without football," Villas-Boas told Abendzeitung Munich during a visit to Bayern Munich's winter training camp in Qatar. "I have learnt that it [next job] has to fit 100%, and the club has to value the coach." Villas-Boas was impressed by the work of the Bayern coach Pep Guardiola. He said: "His legacy is already huge, he is highly valued by every coach in the world. It is an honour for me to look over his shoulder "He has changed football. The way it should be played. He has opened the world's eyes. If you look how the top teams in Europe are playing, you see the inspiration he gave with Barcelona." André Villas-Boas Tottenham Hotspur Bayern Munich Pep Guardiola theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Football's lawmakers to consider use of sin-bins Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:07 AM PST • Two panels will consider the rule change • Straight red card for conceding a penalty to be looked at Sin-bins will be considered by two new panels which are being set up to advise on law changes in football. The sin-bin system is being trialled in the Dutch amateur leagues this season and the Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa president Michel Platini have suggested time penalties for players should be looked at. It is expected sin-bins will be considered when the new advisory panels to the International Football Association Board are set up in March. The panels, a football one made up of former players and coaches, and a technical panel of referees and law experts, will provide guidance and recommendations to IFAB, the body made up of Fifa and the four British home associations which makes the final decision on law changes. Jonathan Ford, the Welsh FA chief executive who sits on IFAB, said he expected sin-bins – where a player has to sit out for five or 10 minutes – would be discussed by the new panels along with the so-called "triple punishment" when a player is sent off after conceding a penalty, and the offside laws. Ford, speaking from Zurich where the new structure of IFAB was announced, said: "Sin-bins have been mooted in the past and there is a trial going on in Dutch football which has generated a fair amount of interest so one would expect that it will be one of topics the new advisory panels take up. "The idea of the panels is that they will be more proactive and they will be able to look at these things and debate them while the IFAB's role will be as the final decision-makers." The IFAB has looked at the issue of the triple punishment – where a player concedes a penalty, is sent off and suspended – several times in the past but has resisted making any change. "We have not been successful at solving this in the past because we have not found a better way," Ford said. "This is another of the issues, along with the interpretation of the offside rules, that I am sure the panels will look at." The changes to IFAB have been brought as part of Fifa's reforms to try to make the body more transparent and give a voice to other groups involved in football. The IFAB has also prided itself on being very conservative in terms of changing the laws of the game and Ford said he expected that approach to continue. Fifa Uefa Football politics theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Football Weekly: Manchester City power on as Alan Pardew lets rip Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:44 AM PST On today's super soaraway Football Weekly, James Richardson is joined by Sean Ingle, Paul MacInnes and Gregg Bakowski to look back on all the weekend shenanigans in the Premier League and beyond. We start with Manchester City's bruising 2-0 win at Newcastle, a game featuring a controversial disallowed goal, a horrible tackle on Samir Nasri and some effin' and jeffin' from Alan Pardew. Won't someone think of the children? That result took City to the top of the league – at least until Arsenal's game at Aston Villa on Monday night – and Liverpool roared back into the top four with a storming 5-3 win at Stoke. Question is, are Liverpool a better side with Steven Gerrard out of the side? We catch up with the rest of the results at the top and bottom of the Premier League – not least Sunderland's 4-1 win over Fulham – before turning our attention to Europe, where Milan were humbled at lowly Sassuolo, a result which cost Massimilano Allegri his job, and, as Sid Lowe explains, Real were the big winners in Spain after Barcelona and Atlético Madrid drew. James Richardson Ben Green Paul MacInnes Sean Ingle Gregg Bakowski

Samir Nasri a crucial cog in Manchester City's title wheel of fortune | Jamie Jackson Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:41 AM PST The Frenchman's eight-week layoff may not deal a mortal blow to Manuel Pellegrini's Premier League and Champions League ambitions but the midfielder is not easy to replace Manchester City's anxious wait for the prognosis on Samir Nasri's knee injury illustrates just how crucial the Frenchman has been this season. He has gone from pariah under Robert Mancini to one of his successor's main men and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa's hack at Nasri towards the end of City's bad-tempered 2-0 win at Newcastle United on Sunday could have implications for the title chasers. The style of play that Manuel Pellegrini is employing at Manchester City is embodied by Nasri, who alongside David Silva, is the manager's key playmaker, the firefly who flits around enemy territory before making a killer pass or goal. Nasri, who is expected to be sidelined for about eight weeks, has been transformed from the footballer Mancini wanted to "punch" to the mature individual who spent last summer soul-searching to discover where he had lost his way. When the perma-calm Pellegrini classed Nasri's injury as "very serious" the Chilean spoke of a personal blow – missing the rest of the season and World Cup was the doomsday scenario – as well as the loss to a side that has already benefited from four league goals in 16 league starts; only one fewer strike than he managed in City's title triumph of two years ago. In last term's season horribilis Nasri managed only two finishes and created 55 chances. Already he has made 47 goal opportunities for team-mates, and was coasting along smoothly to beat the 77 of that championship-winning year. Pellegrini's relaxed management style takes much credit for this rebirth, the manager also coaxing 27 tackles from a player not renowned as a spoiler, compared to 18 and 17 in the previous two campaigns. When on song, Nasri weaves in and out of wide and central areas, harnessing the freedom allowed to him to search out space and ball wherever it can hurt the opposition. The quote from Mancini about wanting to hit Nasri came delivered with a smile after he finally showed what he could do against Newcastle in last March's home league meeting. The Italian said: "I would like to give him a punch. Because a player like him should play like today always. Always. Every game. Maybe one game sometimes he can play badly but with his quality that is all." Heading the Frenchman's charge sheet was the turn in the City wall that allowed Robin van Persie's free-kick to spiral off his ankle past Joe Hart for the late winner in Manchester United's 3-2 derby victory at the Etihad Stadium in December 2012. Before November's 4-2 hiding of Viktoria Plzen at the Etihad, a contrite Nasri impressed with his openness and honesty as he characterised Mancini's outburst as understandable frustration at a talent gone awry. Nasri said: "It was just a word. Managers have different ways of working. Some like to say things in the press to make players react and some like to say things face to face with the player. Some players see things in the press, it touches their ego and they react. "Last year, I just wasn't in a good place. Everything he [Mancini] was saying was difficult for me to accept. It wasn't his fault, it was just me because I wasn't in a good place." In the few moments it took for Nasri to say these words a humble, likeable man was revealed behind the footballer who had once sworn at French journalists in a mixed zone and had lost his place in the national side. Here was the explanation for why he was performing so well. "As a player, as a person, I grew up a lot," added Nasri. "I am not looking for another incident like this to grow up again but I know my mistakes now and I know what to do to make it right." All of this makes his absence sadder. Pellegrini has options but none as exciting as the 26-year-old. James Milner is the go-to player whenever Pellegrini feels Nasri needs a break but the Englishman does not possess the Frenchman's clear-eyed view of geometrics in the midst of the midfield battle. Beyond Milner, Pellegrini's choices are equally belt and braces, with Jesús Navas not having the same speed of thought as Nasri which makes him so priceless to Pellegrini. With Silva, Nasri makes the Blues a constantly morphing foe, a puzzle that opponents struggle to solve. With Nasri out until March, City's title and Champions League ambitions will not have taken a mortal blow on Tyneside but prospering in either of the big two competitions becomes a whole lot harder. Samir Nasri Manchester City Manuel Pellegrini Roberto Mancini Premier League Jamie Jackson theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

The Fiver | How to 'download' the 'Googles' | Jacob Steinberg Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:25 AM PST Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving A 52-YEAR-OLD GROWN MAN Back in the 2005-06 season, West Ham United Football Club had a brainwave. Riding high after promotion back to the Premier League under Alan Pardew, a hero in east London at the time, they released a special treat on their official site. It was a download called Pocket Pardew. It was a miniature Alan Pardew. He used to sit in the corner of the screen and deliver all the latest West Ham news, a silver-haired Microsoft clip in a Reebok tracksuit – fun for all the family! For a while, he was a joy. There he was, happily waving at you, sending motivational messages throughout the day and asking if you had any plans for the evening. Saucy Pards. But then things took a turn for the worse. The real Pardew was sacked and when the Fiver turned on its computer the next day, there was wee Pocket Pardew, weeping and sitting in the corner of the screen, clearly in need of a shower and a shave. He was never the same and he never left. He just sat there. And then his mood darkened. He became abusive, swearing all the time, to the point where the Fiver had to buy a new computer. Oh Pocket Pards! For shame! The Fiver consigned the episode to the past. It got on with its life. Until now. For it seems that Newcastle United Eff Cee have released their own version: Potty Mouth P4rds, who was last seen cracking a volley of foul-mouthed abuse towards Manchester City's mild-mannered manager, Manuel Pellegrini. Tempers had become heated on the touchline after referee Mike Jones had erroneously ruled out a Cheik Tioté blooter because he thought Joe Hart had been distracted by a passing feather or some malevolent crowd noise and Potty Mouth P4rds was unhappy that Newcastle were not level. So much so that he took out his frustration on an unwitting Pellegrini. "Oi!" he bellowed, hot smoke billowing out his ears. "[Effing] old [cee]!" Potty Mouth P4rds is a 52-year-old grown man. An adult. And he'd just delivered an insult which was akin to the Fiver accusing someone of being an unfunny tea-timely email with poor punctuality. Maybe he's spending too much time in the company of Joe Kinnear. Fifty-two, though. Pellegrini is only eight years older than his adversary, who has a history of touchline brouhaha, and it's not as if the Chilean stands by the side of the pitch demanding the crowd keep it down, looking in wonder at the fourth official's magic abacus and asking one his players how to "download" the "Googles" on his "mobile telephone doohickey", because he just can't keep up with the pace of modern technology. At least Potty Mouth P4rds, his mouth foaming with soap, later apologised for setting a terrible example to the kids. After being caught in the act, that is. Pellegrini, though, was more concerned about the day's real scandal, the wild hack from Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa that has ruled Samir Nasri out for eight weeks, with the Frenchman so distraught by the knack that today he was pictured wearing a leather polo neck. None of this would have happened in the innocent days of Pocket Pards. LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE TONIGHT Join Ian McCourt from 5pm GMT as He wins the Ballon d'Or to put in His museum. And then John Ashdown will be on hand at 7pm for Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal. QUOTE OF THE DAY Last Thursday: "Following work to alleviate concerns regarding the Valley's playing surface, no issues are expected ahead of Saturday's clash with Barnsley. A dome was hired and installed this week and has protected the pitch from the ongoing adverse weather" – Charlton Athletic get ready for the visit of Barnsley. Saturday: "Following a 1pm pitch inspection, today's game against Barnsley has been postponed" – Ah. Today: "Tuesday's FA Cup clash against Oxford United (7.45pm) remains on course to go ahead after the Valley playing surface passed a pitch inspection" – here's hoping. FIVER LETTERS "Can I be the only one who is dismayed at Alan Pardew's language aimed at Manuel Pellegrini? Is this the standard of language we have to expect from football managers? All he managed was two big swear-y words, accompanied by an adjective that is not even necessarily pejorative. Proper abuse should be carefully refined for its target and context. Where was the imagination? The finesse of language? Or, if he wants to go down the old-fashioned route, then look no further than his predecessor Joe Kinnear. Pardew's insults were an insult to the very name of insults" – Jon Wood. "In an experiment that can only be described as 'unique in the modern game', Gollivan seem to have produced an album to inspire their team. Tracks such as 'Changing', 'Run Faster', 'People, Talk', 'Don't Stand In Line' and 'Please Repeat' have been the inspiration for their recent use of tactics, leading to the anthemic final track, 'Glory'" – Nick Hall. "Re: Albion Rovers following in the footsteps of Radiohead (Friday's Bits and Bobs). If pedantry is allowed to go beyond footballing matters here, The Crimea offered a pay what you like scheme for their album some years before Thom Yorke et al" – Dan Lucas. • Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our prizeless letter o' the day is: Nick Hall. JOIN GUARDIAN SOULMATES We keep trying to point out the utter futility of advertising an online dating service "for interesting people" in the Fiver to the naive folk who run Guardian Soulmates, but they still aren't having any of it. So here you go – sign up here to view profiles of the kind of erudite, sociable and friendly romantics who would never dream of going out with you. RECOMMENDED VIEWING Goals of the week. BITS AND BOBS José Mourinho has pledged his long-term future to Chelsea, claiming he does not want to manage anywhere else. "I'm here to stay. I belong to Chelsea, Chelsea belong to me," he cooed. Neil Warnock could take legal action against Jason Puncheon after a series of potentially libellous tweets from the Crystal Palace player in relation to criticism of his comedy penalty in the 2-0 defeat at Spurs. Norwich City are closing in on a deal to sign Jonas Guitierrez from Newcastle. "I can't confirm he is having a medical, but I can confirm we are interested," parped Chris Hughton. "If he has said his goodbyes to Newcastle that is down to him." Everton boss Roberto Martínez expects to be without toe-snap victim Ross Barkley for up to six weeks. And Macclesfield Town boss John Askey has called on Sheffield Wednesday fans to turn up for tomorrow's FA Cup replay and earn more cash for his club. "Hopefully we will take a good following and the Sheffield people will come out as well," he urged. STILL WANT MORE? Paolo Bandini reports from Serie A, where 19-year-old Domenico Berardi helped make Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri become former Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri. Sid Lowe gives us the lowdown on Atlético v Barcelona, and why Real were the big winners. Sean Ingle explains why Ashley Cole faces life in the slow lane, as demands of the modern full-back intensify. Ten talking points from the weekend's Premier League action for you. Oh, and if it's your thing, you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. SIGN UP TO THE FIVER Want your very own copy of our free tea-timely(ish) email sent direct to your inbox? Has your regular copy stopped arriving? Click here to sign up. A BALLON D'OR ANIMATED RAP BATTLE. OBVIOUSLY Jacob Steinberg theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Fifa president Sepp Blatter announces new rule change panels – video Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:16 AM PST Fifa president Sepp Blatter says two new advisory panels will meet twice a year to discuss changes to football's rulebook

Real Madrid the real winners after Atlético v Barcelona fails to ignite | Sid Lowe Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:08 AM PST The title race was supposed to go from two to one; instead it went from two to three after the Calderón stalemate The sign said Paseo de los Melancólicos but there was no melancholy here. Red smoke rose up and fans danced in and out, singing and gulping down "Minis" that were anything but mini. A line of blue lights peered through the sulphurous mist while above that the glow of the Calderón drew fans in. Past the corner where Atlético's Sin Barreras (No Barriers) supporters' club meet, in red-and-white shirts and wheelchairs, men sold cans of beer and stalls sold sweets, sunflower seeds and scarves with slogans: "Olé, olé, olé, Cholo Simeone"; "My daddy made me pretty, clever and anti-Madridista; and "This is Spain: if you don't like it, leave". Which is pretty much what they're trying to do. There was still an hour to kick off but the streets were packed already and it was building: there'd been almost 100,000 requests for tickets, the Calderón filled twice, and it had been splashed across all the papers. This game had been circled in the diary for months – well, not circled, exactly: that would involve knowing which day it was going to be on – and singled out as the match of the season. The two best teams in the country, inseparable leaders of the league, at last head-to-head in the perfect final act of the primera vuelta, when everyone has played everyone. Better still, it wasn't a clásico. Saturday night, 8pm, Atlético Madrid versus Barcelona. Somehow it felt like Spain needed this, like the excitement was even greater because it was different. Better than most had expected too. Atlético's coach, Diego Simeone, had repeatedly insisted that this was a "boring" league, one that it was "impossible" for his team to win. Publicly, at least – privately, his message has been rather different. "With time, you'll see I'm right," he said when Atlético lost to Espanyol. He seemed almost pleased to have lost the game and won the argument. But with time, they saw that he was wrong: Atlético's slide never arrived. So here they were: played 18, won 16, drawn 1, lost 1. Exactly the same as Barcelona and five points more than Real Madrid. Simeone was wrong but he was also right. Real Madrid's forward line alone cost almost €250m; Barcelona started Saturday's match with Leo Messi and Neymar on the bench; Atlético's entire squad comes in under €60m. Their budget is bigger than anyone else's in Spain but only a fifth the size of those of Madrid and Barcelona. The implicit problem with Atlético's success is that it camouflages the serious structural problems confronted by the Spanish league, a convenient smokescreen to hide behind and proclaim that everything's fine when in fact an alternative view might be that his side are the exception that proves the rule; that their achievement is even more impressive. Or even that, as the one team able to resist, the debilitation of other La Liga teams has benefited them. Simone insisted that the imbalance is shown by the fact that it took Atlético 70 minutes to see off Elche while it took Barcelona 10; he is right, but while the game remains 90 minutes long that may be a question of degrees, not final outcome. Sixteen wins in 19 is an astonishing record, one that means that Atlético must be taken seriously. Theirs is a welcome arrival. It is a decade since a team other than Madrid or Barcelona won the league. In that time, only once have another team finished in the top two – Villarreal in 2007-08 – and over the last five years the team in third has finished 24, 29, 25, 28, and 17 points off the champions. It is seven years since a team other than Madrid or Barcelona was a genuine candidate: Sevilla in 2006-07. Now, here was a new candidate and a very real one. This was a unique moment and a unique chance. Atlético had beaten everyone except Villarreal and Espanyol. They had even beaten Real Madrid, making it two wins out of two after none out of 25. Beat Barcelona and they might even be favourites. No wonder everyone was excited. The Calderón was bouncing and very loud. Behind the bench was Cristiano Ronaldo: well, an inflatable sex-doll in Ronaldo's shirt. All around them, scarves twirled and voices broke. They chanted for Simeone and he waved back. Up in the north end, Barcelona's supporters were drowned out. High in the main stand some were high in the main stand. At times you could feel the structure move, wobbling like Jesús Gil's belly. But that was in the stands. On the pitch reality didn't match anticipation. In Marca, Roberto Palomar described it as "horrible." It finished 0-0, there had been probably only one genuinely clear chance – Arda Turan's shot late in the second half. Messi and Neymar had begun on the bench. Four of the league's most attacking full-backs didn't attack. Andrés Iniesta, probably the league's most graceful footballer, was withdrawn at half-time. And the league's second-highest scorer, Diego Costa, completed a run of three consecutive games without a goal. Before that, he'd scored in 14 of 16 matches. Afterwards, Simeone admitted that it had been like a game of chess. Yet to dismiss it as horrible was harsh. Seen on television, it lacked something, but the tension, the noise, the nerves, the sense of occasion inside the stadium, that feeling that something was imminent and that anything that did happen would be definitive, gave it an edge that carried you along. And while chess might not be exciting it can be compelling. Besides, if this was chess it was Kasparov v Karpov stuck on fast-forward with both men staring darkly, meanly at his opponent, determined not just to take his pawn, but to smash it into submission. There was something fascinating about the game, something that drew you in – right down to the fact that the decision to leave Messi and Neymar out the starting XI was, surprisingly, widely applauded, symbolic of a change. There was the shift in mood and shift in positions when Messi appeared; the speed with which spaces were closed and Pedro's feet moved; the way that Gabi, possibly the league's best central midfielder this season even if no one seems to notice, controlled territory and Iniesta controlled the ball; the duel role played by Costa and Villa: attackers and defenders in one, the men, Simeone explained, charged with giving Atlético a numerical advantage in the middle. There was a gigantic performance from Gerard Piqué; the "now pressure, now don't" employed by Atlético and their targeting of Sergio Busquets. The discipline, intelligence, organisation and intensity of it, the generosity of effort. Always aggressive, invariably tough, but rarely dirty. And in the middle of it all, there was a man with a beard and something different. Few graced the game like Arda Turan. That none of the full-backs really attacked revealed the respect, the talent these teams have, their reliability. "It says something that a team like Barcelona shifted tactics for us," Simeone said. This was the game where something had to give (ahem), but no one gave an inch. At the start of the season, Atlético drew 1-1 with Barcelona here and 0-0 at the Camp Nou, losing the Spanish Super Copa on away goals and another press conference question began: "They can't beat you." The Argentinian interrupted to say: "Well, we can't beat them either." Then he smiled. He was satisfied and very proud. At the full-time whistle, Arda swapped shirts with Leo Messi. Xavi and Gabi embraced – a clash of styles made flesh. At the full-time whistle, there was a huge roar that spoke of relief but also appreciation and admiration. There was no separating them after all. Barcelona are winter champions, and in the last 18 years, since it was three points for a win, the winter champions have only failed to win the league three times. But Atlético have got there with them, trailing only on goal difference. They had both reached the half-way point on 50 points, on course to equal a La Liga points record. "Barbaric," said Gabi. "Todos contentos," ran the headline on the front of AS. Everyone happy. Real Madrid especially. You could imagine Carlo Ancelotti sitting at home, so delighted that his eyebrow slowly rose and rose and rose until it had left his forehead entirely. At last, a week when the teams they pursued could not both pick up points; better still, they both dropped them. This was a seven-point weekend for Ancelotti's side. On Sunday night, Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 1-0 with a Pepe header to climb to 47 points, just three behind. They have not always played well – and recently they have been pretty poor – but Madrid been beaten only twice: by Atlético and by Barcelona. So much for it being the small grounds where you win league titles. Game on. Barcelona, Atlético and Madrid have their destiny in their own hands: win all their games and they will be champions. This was the weekend that was supposed to separate the contenders; instead, it brought them together. Nineteen games await; 19 games and a fascinating title race where every single point will count, every match will matter. No room for error; nothing given. Tense, committed, and relentless. Much like Saturday night. It was supposed to go from two to one; instead it went from two to three. Madrid have to go to Atlético, Barcelona have to go to Madrid and Atlético have to go to Barcelona. On the final day. Talking points • "If I knew we had ten million, rest assured I'd be asking for players," said Paco Jémez when he was asked if Rayo Vallecano would be signing anyone in the winter window. Which at least made a change from his last rant, when he complained that "having all the possession is no good to even go and take it up the arse if we keep on conceding." It helped that Rayo had picked up only their second win in 10, 1-0 in the fog of Getafe. They're still in the relegation zone but only two points from salvation now. • Betis are still bottom and lie seven points adrift of 17th place. "We need a radical change in every aspect if we're to survive," manager Juan Carlos Garrido admitted. New loan signing Leo Baptistao had more shots in one game than he had had all season for Atlético, but what could go wrong for Betis did go wrong: one down in two minutes, a man down after half an hour, a penalty missed and an own goal. They lost 2-1 to Osasuna. • The Pizzi effect didn't last long. Valencia lost 2-1 at Celta de Vigo as Pizzi came across his former team-mate and good friend Luis Enrique and Charles scored the goals he couldn't get against Madrid. It probably didn't help Valencia that the newspaper Provincias got hold of a full list of the first team salaries in midweek and published them for the world to see. Ricardo Costa is the top earner on €3.7m a year, in case you're wondering. Results: Granada 4-0 Valladolid, Athletic 6-1 Almería, Celta 2-1 Valencia, Atlético 0-0 Barcelona, Elche 1-1 Sevilla, Getafe 0-1 Rayo, Betis 1-2 Osasuna, Espanyol 0-1 Madrid, Levante 1-0 Málaga. Monday night: Villarreal-Real Sociedad. • La Liga table La Liga Atlético Madrid Barcelona European club football Sid Lowe theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Manchester City's Samir Nasri out for eight weeks with injured knee Posted: 13 Jan 2014 06:57 AM PST • Midfielder suffers ligament damage at Newcastle • Blow to City's title tilt and Nasri's World Cup hopes • Pellegrini missing crucial cog in his machine Samir Nasri's absence for eight weeks with injured knee ligaments has dealt a major blow to Manchester City's title hopes. The midfielder was carried off in City's bad-tempered 2-0 victory at Newcastle United on Sunday following a high tackle from Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. There were fears Nasri might miss the rest of the season and not be able to make the World Cup with France but he indicated on Monday that he was expected to be back before the end of the season. "Thank you everyone for your kind words and overwhelming support, I suppose its kind of good news that I will be out around 8 weeks," he tweeted. The damage, he said, was a "partial rupture of the internal ligament". Nasri was injured in a 75th-minute challenge by his compatriot, which earned Yanga-Mbiwa a yellow card though Manuel Pellegrini said the player should have been sent off. The City manager said: "It's very serious. It was a very unfair kick and the player of Newcastle, it was directly a red card. I don't understand why he was not sent off." Alan Pardew, the Newcastle manager, defended Yanga-Mbiwa: "He made a point in his mind that he didn't want him to get away, and he was a bit rash in that challenge. He is not like that, though, and I hope Nasri is OK." Samir Nasri Manchester City Newcastle United Premier League theguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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