Lennon, Barkley secure Everton victory over Newcastle

Ross Barkley celebrates scoring the second goal for Everton from the penalty

Aaron Lennon's first-half goal and two late Ross Barkley penalties earned Everton a 3-0 Premier League win over Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Lennon fired Everton ahead with a low shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area midway through the first half and Barkley stroked home two late spot-kicks to keep Newcastle in the relegation zone.

Everton, who climbed to 11th in the table, hit the woodwork twice in the second half and Newcastle striker Alexsandar Mitrovic missed a great chance to equalise when he volleyed wide from close range.

Barkley slotted home a penalty two minutes from the end of the game after Lennon was tripped in the area and he repeated the feat in stoppage time having been fouled by Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles, who was sent off for the offence. 

Bayern's Martinez says injury 'not serious'

Bayern Munich's Javi Martinez

Bayern Munich defender Javi Martinez, out for four weeks with meniscus damage, said the injury was "not too serious" with his knee surgery having gone well.

The Spain international underwent surgery in Barcelona on Tuesday, joining fellow central defender Jerorme Boateng, out for three months, on the sidelines at Bayern.

"Thank you all for caring. Fortunately it is not a serious injury," Martinez said on Twitter.

Bayern, chasing a treble of titles in coach Pep Guardiola's last season at the club, are struggling with their central defenders, with Medhi Benatia also out and still working on his comeback from injury.

The German champions signed central defender Serdar Tasci on loan from Spartak Moscow on Monday in an effort to plug the gaps left by the injured players.

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with an eight-point lead and are also in the running for the Champions League, where they face Juventus in the round of 16 later this month, and the German Cup.

Juventus midfielder Khedira out for 2-3 weeks

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira will be sidelined for two to three weeks after medical tests revealed a muscle tear in his right thigh, the Serie A club said on their website (www.juventus.it).

The German international missed the first two months of the season with a thigh injury.

Khedira faces a race to be fit for Juve's Champions league round of 16 first leg clash with Bayern Munich on Feb. 23.

Juve attempt to win their 13th Serie A match in a row when they host Genoa later on Wednesday.

Prince Ali slams FIFA cash move against Americas confederations

Prince Ali slams FIFA cash move against Americas confederations

  FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has criticised the global body's decision to cut off funding to corruption hit Americas confederations, calling it "collective punishment".

In a statement on Wednesday, Prince Ali questioned Monday's announcement by FIFA that they had put on hold payments to CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, the two confederations that have been most affected by the corruption scandal engulfing football governance.

CONMEBOL is responsible for the sport in South America while CONCACAF covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. Officials from the Americas make up the overwhelming majority of the 41 individuals and entities that have been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

"I have read reports that a FIFA spokesperson has announced that funding to CONCACAF and CONMEBOL has been suspended with immediate effect," wrote Ali in a statement issued to media.

"Who is the spokesman; which FIFA committee does he represent; who decided that 45 Member Associations should suffer collective punishment as a result of individuals' bad actions; who decided to hold these votes to ransom less than three weeks before the election and who exactly will decide when the funding will be reinstated?" concluded the statement.

A spokesman for FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee told Reuters that they had made the decision to stop the payments to the two confederations but declined to comment on Ali's statement.

FIFA's media department declined to comment beyond reissuing the statement they had released on Monday.

"We can confirm that in light of current proceedings involving individuals related to CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, FIFA has put contributions towards these two Confederations on hold until further notice.

"We are currently assessing further steps to be taken to increase the level of assurance which may again enable FIFA to release such funds in the future."

CONCACAF has seen its last three presidents indicted by the Department of Justice with Trinidad and Tobago's Jack Warner, Cayman Islander Jeffrey Webb and Honduran Alfred Hawit all facing charges.

CONMEBOL has had former president Nicolas Leoz and their most recent leader Jan Angel Napout, both of Paraguay, indicted along with several other leading officials.

The two organizations are due to hold a joint 'Copa America' tournament in the United States in June to celebrate CONMEBOL's centenary.

Prince Ali is hoping to be elected FIFA president in the vote on Feb. 26.

Also standing are Asian Football Confederation (AFC)President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, former FIFA deputy general secretary Jerome Champagne of France, South African businessman and politician Tokyo Sexwale and UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino.

Chelsea held to goalless stalemate by Watford

Chelsea's Diego Costa shoots at goal as Watford's Heurelho Gomes looks

 Watford put the brakes on Chelsea's resurgence by holding the champions to a 0-0 draw at Vicarage Road on Wednesday.

Chelsea, who remain unbeaten since Guus Hiddink took over from Jose Mourinho in December, were unable to find a way through a rock-solid Watford rearguard, with the hosts creating the better opportunities on a night of few chances.

Watford's Odion Ighalo passed up the best opening in the first half when he misjudged the flight of a cross and completely fluffed a header when three metres from goal.

Diego Costa flashed a first-half shot wide and had a late header superbly saved by Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes, who also reacted quickly to parry an effort from Branislav Ivanovic as Chelsea applied late pressure.

Falcao left out of Chelsea's Champions League squad

Chelsea's Radamel Falcao

  Radamel Falcao has been left out of Chelsea's Champions League squad having suffered a miserable first half of the season.

Chelsea published their squad lists for the remainder of the Champions League and Premier League campaigns on Wednesday and there was no place for the Colombian in their European lineup.

New signing Pato, who joined on loan from Corinthians in January, was included as was Matt Miazga, who signed from New York Red Bulls.

Falcao was one of the most feared strikers in the world when he joined Monaco from Atletico Madrid for around 60 million euros in 2013, but he suffered a serious knee injury months later and has struggled to regain his best.

He made little impact during a loan spell at Manchester United last season and since arriving at Stamford Bridge in the close season, also on loan, he has scored just once in 11 appearances.

Chelsea, who are 14th in the Premier League, face Paris St Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Bayern newcomer Tasci suffers head injury in first team training

 Bayern Munich's new player Serdar Tasci

 Newly-hired Serdar Tasci suffered a head injury in his
first team training at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, forcing him to
miss his official presentation at the Bundesliga champions and
leaders.
Sports director Matthias Sammer said that the defender Tasci was
undergoing medical examinations on suspected light concussion after
colliding with a teammate.
The former Germany defender Tasci, 28, was signed by Munich on loan
Monday from Spartak Moscow until the end of the season. The move came
after Munich were running out of central defenders after injuries
sidelined Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez.
Bayern hold an eight-point Bundesliga lead and next play at Bayer
Leverkusen on Saturday

Kane double helps buoyant Tottenham outclass Norwich

                      

Tottenham's Harry Kane celebrates scoring

 Norwich City 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3

Tottenham strengthened their title bid with a commanding away display at Carrow Road.

Dele Alli continued where he left off when scoring a wonder goal against Crystal Palace 10 days ago, reacting well after two minutes to slam home from close range after Christian Eriksen's shot was parried.

Teenager Alli was involved again for Tottenham's second goal, earning a 30th-minute penalty that was tucked away by Harry Kane for his 13th goal in his last 15 league appearances.

England striker Kane also struck the woodwork in a dominant first half for the visitors and although Tottenham coasted after the break they were never threatened and Kane added the icing on the cake with a classy finish in stoppage time.

Infantino gets broad European backing for FIFA presidential bid

                                                       

                                         UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino

The football federations of 2018 World Cup hosts
Russia, Denmark and Moldova were the latest on Wednesday to announce
their support of Gianni Infantino in his bid for the presidency of
the world governing body FIFA.
"Infantino is our candidate," Russian sports minister and football
federation chief Vitali Mutko was quoted as saying after a meeting
with Infantino in Moscow.
"He is able to solve the various problems and to unify the football
family."
Danish football chief Jesper Moeller said Infantino was "the best
candidate to ensure ongoing reform and greater openness within FIFA."
Moldova also voiced support for the UEFA general secretary Infantino
who is backed by most of the 53 UEFA members eligible to cast their
ballot at an extraordinary FIFA congress on February 26 in Zurich.
The football associations of the South American confederation
CONMEBOL have also said they would back Infantino, and so has the
Central American football union UNCAF.
Infantino is one of five candidates to succeed Joseph Blatter at the
February 26 elections at an extraordinary FIFA congress where 105
votes are needed from the 209 FIFA members.
The others are Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman
Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Frenchman Jerome Champagne, Prince
Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan and South African Tokyo Sexwale.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Fergusen also named
Infantino the right man for the FIFA top job.
"I think he's got good professionalism, discipline, organisational
ability and knowledge of the game and I wish him every success in his
quest to be a FIFA president," Fergusen said..

Aguero gives outgoing Pellegrini reason to smile

 

Sunderland 0 Manchester City 1

Manuel Pellegrini's hopes of seeing out his Manchester City reign this season in a blaze of glory were boosted on Tuesday as the masterful Sergio Aguero delivered again in an unconvincing 1-0 win at struggling Sunderland.

One day after City announced Pep Guardiola would be taking over from Pellegrini as manager at the end of the season, the Chilean's push for a second Premier League title received impetus from a familiar source as City's matchless Argentine netted after just 16 minutes.

In Pellegrini's 100th Premier League match in charge of City, Aguero's typically composed finish after a deflected cross fell fortuitously at his predatory feet and allowed him take his league goal tally to 13 this season, including a dozen in his last 10 appearances.

Karembeu: World Cup host Russia must lead fight against racism

 

                                              Former French soccer player Christian Karembeu

Russia can overcame a tainted image in connection with
racist behaviour of fans at football games through the staging of the
next World Cup in 2018, former France star Christian Karembeu said on
Wednesday.
Karembeu told dpa around a 500-day countdown event for the
Confederations Cup in Russia that football has the power to unite
people and added Russia offers good conditions to tackle the problem
as the home country of many different ethnic and religious groups.
"Russia must lead by example," the 1998 World Cup winner Karembeu
said.
Foreign players have complained on several occasions over the past
months about racist behaviour of fans during matches.
Karembeu was in Moscow to present the Confederations Cup trophy 500
days ahead of the June 17-July 2, 2017 tournament in four Russian
cities.

Vardy double keeps Leicester

 Jamie Vardy scored twice, including a breathtaking volley, as Premier League leaders Leicester City beat Liverpool 2-0 at home on Tuesday to stay three points clear of the chasing pack led by Manchester City.

City ground out a 1-0 win at second-bottom Sunderland thanks to Sergio Aguero's 12th goal in his last 10 league games to set up a blockbuster clash between the two leading clubs this weekend at the Etihad Stadium.

Faltering Arsenal failed to win for a fourth league game in succession as they suffered a night of frustration at home to Southampton in a 0-0 stalemate.

They slipped to fourth, behind north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur who cruised to a 3-0 win at Norwich City with Harry Kane twice on the scoresheet after Dele Alli had given the visitors the lead after two minutes.

Fifth-placed Manchester United's Old Trafford goal drought ended with a 3-0 win against Stoke City with Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney all on target.

Leicester have 50 points from 24 games, Manchester City have 47 with Tottenham and Arsenal on 45. United have 40.

Bottom club Aston Villa's hopes of avoiding relegation suffered another setback when they had Jordan Ayew sent off after 17 minutes for elbowing Aaron Cresswell before slipping to a predictable 2-0 defeat at sixth-placed West Ham United.

Bournemouth gained three vital points with a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace, moving them seven points above the bottom three, while Swansea City are five points clear of the drop zone after drawing 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion.