although another injury problem for reece james dampened the latter�*s evening a ltittle.ry, to be honest. too early to say. but you can see is quality, you can cd player that he is, and it is a blow for us. hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll see how bad it is, but at the moment, not sure. burnley have gone three points clear at the top of the championship again after beating birmingham 3—0 at turf moor. burnley scored inside the first minute and in the last minute of stoppage time in a straightforward victory for vincent kompany�*s side. it puts them in a commanding position past the halfway stage of the season — burnley 11 points clear of third place in the race for automatic promotion. meanwhile, afterfailing to prevent relegation from the premier league last season and not starting this one particularly well, dean smith has been sacked by norwich. he's been the centre of a toxic atmosphere at recent games, with some fans demanding smith be replaced. they lost 2—1 at luton yesterday to leave them fifth in the championship afterjust three wins in the last 13 league matche

they still have that lead but have just suffered a blow when reece james, who has returned after a periodis game, has gone off with what seemed to be a muscle problem. manchester united's pre—world cup form was a lot better than chelsea's, and their place in the table reflects that. they'll be hoping to keep tabs on the top four by winning their match against nottingham forest at old trafford. we are aware the competition is tough, but it comes for all of the seven or eight clubs we are fighting for the top four, so for all the ones who follow the premier league, it is great, because they will be excited and stop you know, you have to really battle for everyjewel to get your points, and what i am looking, and looking at the process, how we are performing, and of course we have to get the results as well, but if the process is right and we get the right progress, then i think we have a good opportunity and we have a good chance to get into the top four. that is an 8pm kick—off. so, in this unique season, the premier league has onlyjust resumed after a world cup, and already there's a trans

although another injury problem for reece james dampened the latter�*s evening a ltittle.it is, but at the moment, not sure. burnley have gone three points clear at the top of the championship again after beating birmingham 3—0 at turf moor. burnley scored inside the first minute and in the last minute of stoppage time in a straightforward victory for vincent kompany�*s side. it puts them in a commanding position past the halfway stage of the season — burnley 11 points clear of third place in the race for automatic promotion. meanwhile, afterfailing to prevent relegation from the premier league last season and not starting this one particularly well, dean smith has been sacked by norwich. he's been the centre of a toxic atmosphere at recent games, with some fans demanding smith be replaced. they lost 2—1 at luton yesterday to leave them fifth in the championship afterjust three wins in the last 13 league matches. lionel messi will return to his club psg on the 1st of january after leading argentina to the world cup. he'll miss two french league games between now and then,

. - chesea and england defender reece james says this year has been the toughest to date after he sufferederday. james had to be taken off in the 53rd minute in what was his first game since returning from an initial knee injury which ruled him out of the world cup. he wrote on social media that it had affected him mentally and that he was trying to cope with the cards he had been dealt. a busy one in the scottish premiership this evening. six games tonight, with leaders celtic away to hibs as celtic look to record a record 12th successive league victory. nine points between them and rangers, who are at home to motherwell. in the wsl, brighton have named jens scheuer as hope powell's successor as head coach, subject to the german being granted a work permit. if everything goes to plan, scheuer�*s first match in charge will be a crucial one, with brighton playing at the wsl�*s bottom club leicester city when the season resumes on 15 january. he won it in 2015 and 2016, but gary anderson's bid for a third world championship is over. he's been beaten at alexandra palace this afternoon 4—1 by

there was a hitch though — right back reece james, who missed the world cup through injury, was forcede another knee problem. meanwhile manchester united are playing their first premier league game since the wrold cup and since the acrimonious departure of cristiano ronaldo. it's against nottingham forest. two goals in three minutes from anthony rashford and —— marcus rashford and anthony martial. meanwhile after failing to prevent relegatoin from the premier league last season and not starting this one particularly well, dean smith has been sacked by norwich. he's been the centre of a toxic atmosphere at recent games, with some fans demanding smith be replaced. they lost 2—1 at luton on monday and are currently fifth in the championship afterjust three wins in the last 13 league matches. lionel messi will return to his club psg on the first of january after leading argentina to the world cup. he'll miss two french league games between now and then, having had more time off than those other players involved in the final in qatar, when he scored two goals in helping his country win the

chelsea and england defender reece james has said this year has been the toughest to date after sufferingea's win over bournemouth yesterday. james had to be taken off in the 53rd minute in what was his first game since returning from an initial knee injury which ruled him out of the world cup. james said on social media that it had affected him mentally and that he was trying to cope with the cards he had been dealt. nick kyrgios has withdrawn from australia's team for the united cup — just 2a hours before the start of the new mixed team event with tournament organisers citing an unspecified injury. the wimbledon runner—up was due to play cameron norrie in sydney on thursday, as part of australia's opening group tie with great britain. kyrgios also missed november's davis cup finals in malaga, and complained earlier this month about a lack of respect after fellow australian, ash barty was chosen ahead of him as the winner of the annual newcombe medal. australia are closing in on a series win against south africa after day three of the second test having declared after reaching 575 for ei

chelsea manager graham potter says he has his fingers crossed after england defender reece james sufferedn tuesday. james had to be taken off in the 53rd minute of their 2—0 premier league victory. it was his first game since returning from the knee injury which ruled him out of the world cup. the plan was not fun to play 90 tonight, 60 or 65 minutes only, you build up in what he had done previously. now he isjust disappointed, so we hope it is not as bad as we initially thought and then he can get on a speedy recovery. later in the premier league, manchester city travel to leeds, as they look to reduce the gap on leaders arsenal. city are now eight points off the top spot with a game in hand, having gone into the world cup break with a defeat at home to brentford. manager pep guardiola is aware that any more mistakes could prove costly in the title race. after our defeat against brentford and how strong is arsenal, you have to be alert carefully to... because if the distance is bigger, it will be so difficult to catch them. australia are closing in on a series win against south africa af

meanwhile, chelsea manager graham potter has said he has his fingers crossed after england defender reece jamesay. james had to be taken off in the 53rd minute of their 2—0 premier league victory. it was his first game since returning from the knee injury which ruled him out of the world cup. later in the premier league, manchester city travel to leeds as they look to reduce the gap on leaders arsenal. city are now eight points off the top spot with a game in hand, having gone into the world cup break with a defeat at home to brentford. manager pep guardiola is aware that any more mistakes could prove to be costly in the title race. after our defeat against brentford and how strong is our son —— maker arsenal, we have to be alert because the distance if it is bigger, it will be so difficult to catch them. cricket and australia are closing in on a series win against south africa after day three of the second test. having declared after reaching 575-8. having declared after reaching 575—8. wicketkeeper alex carey scored a maiden century, following on from david warner's 200, as australia replied

chesea and england defender reece james says his run of injuries has affected him mentally — describingte in their win over bournemouth yesterday. it was his first game since returning from his first knee injury that ruled him out of the world cup. in a post on twitter, he said he was trying to deal with the cards he'd been dealt. in the wsl, brighton have named jens scheuer as hope powell's successor as head coach, subject to the german being granted a work permit. if everything goes to plan, scheuer�*s first match in charge will be a crucial one, with brighton playing at the wsl�*s bottom club leicester city when the season resumes on 15 january. novak djokovic is back and training in australia almost a year after he was deported over his covid vaccine status. the nine—time australian open winner had an automatic three—year visa ban overturned in november. djokovic has been practising in adelaide ahead of the aussie open in melbourne injanuary. australia are closing in on a series win against south africa after day three of the second test, having declared after reaching 575—8. wicket

chelsea and england defender reece james says his run of injuries has affected him mentally, describingained in chelsea's win against bournemouth yesterday. it was his first game since returning from his first knee injury that ruled him out of the world cup. in a post on twitter, he said he was trying to deal with the cards he'd been dealt. novak djokovic is back and training in australia almost a year after he was deported over his covid vaccine status. the nine—time australian open winner had an automatic three—year visa ban overturned in november. djokovic has been practising in adelaide ahead of the first grand slame of the year in melbourne, injanuary. the nfl and their players union are conducting a review after miami dolphins quarterback tua tagovailoa suffered his third concussion of the season. the injury happened during sunday's clash with the green bay packers. the league say he showed no signs of concussion during the game, which he completed. dolphins head coach mike mcdaniel says they are prioritising his health. mike mcdaniel says they are he is in the building. mike mcda

in the last hour, chelsea and england defender reece james has said this year has been the toughest toesday. james has to be taken off in the 53rd minute of the 2-0 be taken off in the 53rd minute of the 2—0 premier league victory. it was his first game since returning from an initial knee injury which ruled him out of the world cup. james said on social media it had affected him mentally and that he was trying to cope with the carty had been dealt. later in the premier league, manchester city travel to leeds, as they look to reduce the gap on leaders arsenal. city are now eight points off the top spot with a game in hand, having gone into the world cup break with a defeat at home to brentford. manager pep guardiola knows that any more mistakes could prove costly in the title race. �* ., ., ., ., , title race. after our defeat against brentford, and _ title race. after our defeat against brentford, and how— title race. after our defeat against brentford, and how strong - title race. after our defeat against| brentford, and how strong arsenal is, you have to be alert and careful, becaus

but there are new concerns over reece james, with manager graham potter saying he has his fingers crossedths, beating harlequins at the stoop to move off the bottom of the table. the match was part of a double header which saw quins women's side beat bristol in the premier 155. it was shaunagh brown's final match before retirement asjoe lynskey reports. for 14 years over christmas, harlequins have gone round to the neighbours, but this time, due to rail strikes, their date at twickenham has been pushed back. so next door, at the stoop, they welcomed bristol bears, who forced their way in to the try line. bristol are bottom of the league but still with hope of the play—offs, and with a pass through the rain found gabriel ibitoye, a former harlequins player, who now put bristol ten points up. but harlequins went here for five league wins in a row, the team third in the league produced great moments. cadan murley put them back in touch, but still they trailed by three, and somehow late on they missed this. and he goes through the gap. 0h, he's lost it! that gave bristol their first league wi