Vitaly Mutko, the embattled head of the 2018 World Cup organising committee, has agreed to step down after being cited repeatedly in a series of reports exposing the country’s systematic doping regime.



Mutko will be replaced by Alexei Sorokin, who is Russia 2018 chief executive and the man who took his place on the Fifa council. It reduces the pressure on football’s world governing body,…

Harry Kane will have the chance on Boxing Day to break Alan Shearer’s 22-year-old record of 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, when Tottenham Hotspur face Southampton in their final fixture of 2017.



Kane’s hat-trick against Burnley took him level with the record, earning widespread praise from team-mates and opponents alike, and his manager was momentarily stumped when asked if…

It was a cause for great optimism after years of scandal and corruption at Fifa, when in 2015 the US authorities initiated criminal prosecutions against some of the worst alleged offenders, and a new top leadership took office with http://www.officialcarolinahurricanes.com/Adidas-Jeff-Skinner-Jersey sweeping promises of Corey Seager…

Arsène Wenger has questioned whether Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is any more certain of a starting place at Liverpool than he Art Monk Jersey was at Arsenal, as he reflected on the midfielder’s £35m summer deadline day move to Anfield.



Oxlade-Chamberlain hopes to face his former club at the Emirates Stadium on…

Antonio Conte was publicly glowing in the aftermath, though the hoarseness of his voice betrayed an evening which had proved rather trying. Perhaps squeezing into a semi-final against Arsenal from such an anxious contest may end up being to his advantage. The cavalry may have come to the rescue in stoppage time, but at least the head coach can point to his much-changed side’s spluttering display as further evidence the squad lack the required depth to compete on all fronts. The board may…

It was an evening when Arsène Wenger was left with a particular regret. Olivier Giroud pulled up in the 76th minute and when the Arsenal striker shot his hand back to the hamstring on his right leg, it did not look good. Wenger suggested the forward would be out for three weeks – in other words, the whole of the congested festive programme.



It was an occasion when Arsenal got the…

According to the bookmakers Arsenal are clear favourites to win their Carabao Cup quarter-final with West Ham. They are not the team in form, however. After three matches without a win, the Gunners laboured to a 1-0 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday. The Hammers, meanwhile, have seven points from their last nine. One of those points came against Arsenal, and it could quite easily have been three.…

Think less Fab Four and more Tormenting Trio. Liverpool are not perfect – particularly defensively – but they have no problems entertaining. The freewheeling three-pronged attack of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and the majestic Mohamed Salah – rightly heralded as the signing of the season – pierced holes across the entire Bournemouth back line for fun, deflating each defender one by one. After 25 minutes, by which point the second of three first-half goals had flown in, Jürgen Klopp…

Title contenders have been dropping like flies in recent weeks, Manchester City’s apparent impregnability at the top of the table acting like one of those light blue insect zappers you sometimes find in chip shops, and the difficulty for everyone else now is how hard to chase when the race already seems won.



Antonio Conte admitted defeat some time ago and one can sympathise with the Chelsea…

Pep Guardiola will discuss a new contract with Manchester City in the summer, with the club believing he possesses the same qualities that led to Sir Alex Ferguson creating a long-term dynasty at Manchester United.



There is an acknowledgement at City that the modern era means elite coaches have a natural cycle of three seasons at the helm yet those in charge at the…

Jürgen Klopp says Liverpool are competing to be “the best of the rest” behind Manchester City because the Premier League title race is over.



Liverpool trail the unbeaten league leaders by 18 points after 17 games and their manager admits only a dramatic loss of form can stop Pep Guardiola’s team. Klopp also discounted Manchester United’s championship credentials, claiming José Mourinho’s…