Team news for Saturday's League One clash between Sheffield United and Swindon Town at Bramall Lane.
Ryan Flynn: Fit to feature
Sheffield United's new signings John Brayford, Kieron Freeman and Paul Coutts are all hoping to be included in the squad for the home game against Swindon.
Defenders Brayford and Freeman and midfielder Coutts all completed permanent deals last week but were not involved in the midweek Capital One Cup tie against Tottenham.
Midfielder Ryan Flynn was United's only injury doubt ahead of Wednesday's game but overcame an Achilles injury to play the full 90 minutes, while teenage striker Che Adams is pushing for his first start following his two goals.
The Blades, a point adrift of the play-off places, are looking to bounce back from their defeat at MK Dons in their last league match.
Swindon remain without midfielder Massimo Luongo as he continues to star down under.
The former Spurs man has picked up four assists, a goal and two man of the match awards for Australia in the Asia Cup and with his country having made the final, Swindon will remain without one of their star players until next week.
Fellow midfielder Ben Gladwin has gone under the knife in a bid to solve a knee problem and he looks set for three or four weeks on the sidelines.
Swindon have just returned from almost a week in Tenerife as they made the most of their spare weekend and enjoyed some warm-weather training.
Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts
Team news for Saturday's League One clash between Crewe Alexandra and MK Dons at Alexandra Stadium.
Brad Inman: Could play some part
Crewe winger Brad Inman is available to play some part when the Alex welcome MK Dons to Gresty Road.
The 23-year-old missed last weekend's 1-0 victory over Port Vale with a back injury but he is in contention to feature after making a full recovery.
Forwards Lauri Dalla Valle and Marcus Haber are also fit and are vying for a place in the starting line-up.
Alex boss Steve Davis can no longer call on Uche Ikpeazu, who has been recalled by parent club Watford and subsequently sent to Doncaster, or Adam Dugdale, who has left the club to join Tranmere.
Dons manager Karl Robinson, who will serve the third game of a four-match touchline ban, is hopeful Devante Cole will be fit for the trip.
The striker, on loan from Manchester City, suffered a shoulder injury during the 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe on Tuesday night after coming on as a substitute early in the second half.
However, midfielder Mark Randall and winger Ben Reeves (hamstring) continue to struggle with the injuries that have kept them out of the squad recently.
The likes of Lee Hodson, Dean Bowditch, Daniel Powell, George Baldock and Tom Hitchcock are options for Robinson should he wish to change one or two things.
Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts
Roberto Martinez believes Everton are stronger than they were a year ago and says the club need just one win to kickstart their season.
Roberto Martinez: Chasing a crucial win
A run of six games without a win has left Everton just four points above the relegation zone while at the same stage last season they sat sixth, one point out of the Champions League places.
"I think confidence is an aspect you can turn around really quickly," said Martinez. "I think a win gives you confidence. You need to work on any aspect to get you a win.
"You need to make it really simple and once you get that win then the confidence and momentum triggers and it comes naturally to your way of playing.
"As a team we know what we can produce. We showed last season the level we can produce and if anything we are a stronger team than we were last season, in terms of experience and in terms of the players growing.
"That is a good level to look for, but it is important to get that belief and confidence that comes from winning feelings.
'Confidence'
"We know we are missing points. All we want is to win games and then we must try to accumulate as many points as quickly as we can going into the final third of the season."
Everton's search for a win - they have achieved just one in their last 13 games - takes them to Crystal Palace on Saturday
Martinez, who has not beaten Palace as Everton manager, said: "We are facing a team full of confidence. They have scored six goals away from home in the last two games. Obviously they are in a very good moment, if not the best moment of their season.
"We are well aware how difficult it is to play this side, they have been a bit of a bogey side for us in the last three games. They bring a lot of flair they have got a lot of pace and they defend extremely well. They are very well organised.
"Obviously with the new manager coming in they are adapting to a different way of playing but while that transition has been happening they are full of confidence and they are a very dangerous team to play against."
Arsenal team news: Forward Alexis Sanchez (hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against Aston Villa.
Alexis Sanchez: A doubt for Arsenal
However, new signing Gabriel Paulista could make the squad after joining from Villarreal.
England striker Danny Welbeck (thigh) is close to a return, but may not be risked, while midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) is also expected to come into contention ahead of the north-London derby at Tottenham next weekend.
Midfielders Jack Wilshere (ankle), Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Abou Diaby (calf) are all still out, as is full-back Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder).
Meanwhile, Scott Sinclair is likely to go straight into Aston Villa's squad for Sunday's trip to Arsenal after joining on loan from Manchester City.
The winger will train with the side on Saturday before boss Paul Lambert makes a final decision on his inclusion.
Forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has recovered from a hamstring injury while Joe Cole (also hamstring) is training but not yet fit. Defenders Ron Vlaar (knee) and Philippe Senderos (calf) both remain out.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has dismissed the idea that there is a ‘campaign’ against title rivals Chelsea.
Manuel Pellegrini says he thinks everything is above board in the title race
The two sides are all set to square off in a massive Premier League game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
And the match comes at the end of a week in which Jose Mourinho was fined £25,000 for comments he made after a 1-1 draw at Southampton on December 28 which suggested pressure was being put on referees to give decisions against Chelsea.
The Chelsea manager was punished for saying: “There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don’t know why there is this campaign and I do not care.
“The media, commentators, other managers are all doing it.”
However, Pellegrini said on Friday: “I hope that in the Premier League they don't have a campaign against anyone.
“I hope all is fair and the referee makes mistakes for all the teams exactly the same, that the FA make the fixtures in a fair way.
"I think it is the best league in the world and I don't think it has any strange things. After that (any sort of campaign), if you won the title, it would not be an important title, because all is arranged."
However, as is usual, Pellegrini refused to get involved in any sort of personal attack on Mourinho.
"I don't talk about Mourinho," said the Manchester City boss.
"I'm not going to help you with those things because they are not important for me. I don't want to carry on in that way.
"This profession is so difficult for a manager - we have different styles. The way I do it is the best way for me, but it's not the only way to do it.
"Maybe you think you can take advantage but for me I don't think it's the normal way or the fair way."
And Pellegrini admitted he was wrong to compare Chelsea to Stoke after a 1-1 draw with the Londoners at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season.
Pellegrini felt Chelsea played in a defensive fashion and compared them after the match to a Stoke team who had won at City after employing what he felt were defensive tactics.
But Pellegrini now says: “It was a mistake to compare with Stoke.
“The style of every club, it depends on how the manager wants to do it. Chelsea can play in the way they want and we are going to continue playing in the style I think is the best for this team."
See Chelsea play Manchester City live on Saturday Night Football on Sky Sports 1 from 4.45pm.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has reiterated his desire to keep David de Gea at Old Trafford.
David de Gea: Manchester United keeper has 18 months left on his contract
Van Gaal concedes the 24-year-old goalkeeper may be tempted to return to Spain as a replacement for Iker Casillas, who is entering the final years of his career at Real Madrid, but hopes he can be persuaded to stay.
De Gea, who won United's player of the year award last year, has been outstanding again this season, rescuing United on a number of occasions.
The former Atletico Madrid stopper has 18 months left on his current contract but Van Gaal would not reveal how talks are progressing with the Spain international.
"I think that is a question between the player and the board of Manchester United," Van Gaal said. "Everything is possible in the world of football. We want to keep him."
Van Gaal brought in Victor Valdes, who provides him with a ready-made replacement if De Gea should leave, but the Dutchman expects to be quiet before the transfer window closes on Monday.
United signed Libyan Sadiq El Fitouri from Salford City on Friday but that deal is expected to be their last incoming move of the January window.
But Anderson, Wilfried Zaha, third-choice 'keeper Anders Lindegaard and Darren Fletcher could all leave Old Trafford by close of business on Monday.
Van Gaal added: "No. I read every day that I am interested in players. I am not interested in players. I have said we are selling or letting players go.... but you never trust me."
Celso Borges fired home a 70th-minute penalty as Deportivo La Coruna ended a run of three games without a win with victory at Rayo Vallecano on Friday night.
Celso Borges: Penalty proved the difference
Borges hit a rising spot kick past home goalkeeper Antonio Tono after Abdoulaye Ba was booked for a foul on Sidnei in the box.
Borges had opened the scoring for the visitors in the 10th minute when he forced home a shot from six yards but the hosts equalised 11 minutes later when Alberto Bueno fired home.
Starting the night in 10th place, Rayo had high hopes of bouncing back from last weekend's defeat at Atletico Madrid with a home win against their struggling opponents.
Carrilho and Ba both had good chances in the opening minutes before Borges' opener against the run of play gave Deportivo an advantage they barely deserved.
Bueno struck to level matters and he could have grabbed a second just before the half-hour mark when his header from 12 yards was caught by Fabricio Ramirez in the visitors' goal.
Raul Baena flashed a header just wide before the break for the hosts but Deportivo ended the first period on top with both Borges and Jose Rodriguez coming close in quick succession.
After a quiet start to the second half the home side began to take control with Ramirez saving well from a Bueno volley and Luisinho clearing well under pressure from Roberto Trashorras.
Deportivo grabbed their chance from the penalty spot and as Rayo pressed for an equaliser it was the visitors who got chances to extend their lead.
Isaac Cuenca brought two saves in quick succession out of Tono then another Cuenca effort five minutes from time brought an even better save out of the increasingly busy home keeper.
Home chances proved few and far between as the visitors held on to the lead with some comfort and claimed three potentially crucial points in their battle to avoid being sucked into another relegation fight.
Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea-bound Juan Cuadrado has all the attributes to succeed in the Premier League.
Juan Cuadrado: A top player, says Mauricio Pochettino
The Colombia winger is expected to complete his move to Stamford Bridge this weekend, jetting in from Italy on Saturday to put the seal on a move from Fiorentina.
Pochettino's Tottenham were due to come up against Cuadrado in the Europa League next month but their meeting could now come in the Capital One Cup final on March 1 instead.
"He is a top player," Pochettino said when asked how highly he rated the 26-year-old former Udinese player.
"He is a decisive player. He is very strong. I've watched him a lot playing for Colombia, his national team.
"(Jose) Pekerman and Nestor Lorenzo, the manager and assistant manager for Colombia, are my friends. I speak always about Cuadrado. He is a top player."
Pochettino says it is difficult to be absolutely sure how a player will adapt to a new league but feels Cuadrado's quality will shine through in his new home.
"You never know but he has all the attributes to be successful here," Pochettino added.
"He is a very good player. He's a wing-back. He can play like a winger and like a full-back. He is strong, he is powerful and he is very technical."
COMMENT: Money-spinning Middle Eastern friendlies may keep the sponsors happy, but Pep Guardiola's side have joined their counterparts in falling foul of the winter distraction
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
Bet
=RMADrawRSO
By Reda Maher
Bayern Munich became the latest club to be punished after a Middle Eastern holiday when they fell to a dramatic 4-1 defeat to Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg in a stunning resumption of action after the German mid-season break.
The hosts' emotional display was a fitting tribute to tragic midfielder Junior Malanda, who was killed in a car accident while on his way to the airport ahead of Wolfsburg's own warm weather training camp in South Africa.
Wolfsburg are no mugs - they are second to Bayern in the Bundesliga, and were a team possessed by a higher spirit on Friday night - but Bayern's heavy loss was the latest in a line of big clubs returning to Europe with an almighty thud after a Middle Eastern holiday.
The Bundesliga leaders have long used their six-week vacation as an opportunity to enjoy warm weather training camps. Bayern played three matches between January 13 and 23 but, despite having nearly a month to recover and train before returning to non-competitive action, were torn apart by an inspired Wolfsburg.
Bayern's tradition of travelling to warmer climes has been credited for their freshness in the latter stages of the season. The muscles rest in the sun, training is combined with a holiday, and match sharpness is regained with a series of exhibition matches against local teams before a more Teutonic encounter against a German team, in this case Vfl Bochum.
Other European teams to suffer on return to domestic action following trips to the Middle East include Real Madrid, AC Milan and Manchester City. That trio did not have the excuse of facing inspired opposition, while - unlike Bayern - their schedules were complicated by the decision to fly Emirates.
Before the 2014-15 winter break, Real Madrid won 22 matches in a row. They were champions of the world, top of La Liga, winners of Champions League Group B and about to face Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey round of 16.
Fast forward to January 7 and Real had lost their first two games since the restart of the Spanish domestic season - in La Liga to Valencia (2-1) and in the Copa to Atletico (2-0).
A win against Espanyol followed and, while Los Merengues are now back on track, performances have been anything but convincing, typified by the scrappy 2-1 victory at Cordoba that saw Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed and later suspended for two matches.
It all went wrong in late December when Madrid travelled to the Gulf for the Dubai International Sports Conference. This trip saw members of the squad attend the Globe Soccer Awards (December 28-29) and was followed by a mid-season exhibition match against AC Milan on December 30.
While hardly a thunderous, physical affair, Madrid’s 4-2 defeat to the Italians preceded a poor run on their return to action in January. Only a blip for Barcelona at Real Sociedad maintained their place on top of the league.
And it wasn’t just the losers who choked on that desert storm. Milan’s victory in Dubai was followed by a horrendous sequence of results. While they had already limped into the Christmas break, their January record of one Serie A point in four matches was their worst start to a New Year in 74 years.
In addition to slumping into the bottom half of the league, with qualification to next season’s Champions League now a distant dream, the Rossoneri also exited the Coppa Italia to Lazio. That alarming slump could cost Pippo Inzaghi his job as coach. It has also raised questions about the stewardship of Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani.
Probably the most surprising post-gulf hangover was felt by Manchester City, who suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Championship side Middlesbrough in the FA Cup - just three days after a match against Hamburg in Abu Dhabi.
City don’t even have the luxury of a winter break due to Great Britain’s tradition of piling up the fixtures over the Christmas period. Their 2-0 win over the Germans at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium came in midweek, three days after a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini denied their school night vacation played a part in their loss to Boro. "It is very easy to say it is about Abu Dhabi," said Pellegrini. "I don't think that is the reason."
Why are these Middle Eastern money-spinners causing problems for elite teams? It’s not as if the matches or conditions are particularly gruelling. However, the travel – flights from Europe take approximately eight hours each way depending on the point of origin – and the interruption to training and recovery plans are not ideal at the highest level, where marginal gains and losses are felt most acutely.
The impact of these games varies by a team’s schedule and resources. For Madrid, the extended period in the Gulf clearly disrupted a winter break already shortened by the Club World Cup in Morocco. However, the size and quality of their squad means it will probably be little more than a blip in a season destined for success.
For Milan, the problems run far deeper and will probably extend into the next few years. For City, any errors are amplified by the strength of Chelsea who, incidentally, also went out of the FA Cup but have reached the League Cup final and go into the weekend Premier League clash as favourites over the defending champions.
So why are these teams risking domestic success for what appear to be little more than vanity projects? As always in the modern game, it comes down to money.
Real Madrid have a €150 million sponsorship deal with Emirates, AC Milan earn €100m from the same airline and, of course, Manchester City are owned by the U.A.E. Bayern, at least, appear to have a choice.
With Arabian money increasingly influential in European football, and with Financial Fair Play forcing teams to justify their income, such commercially-minded trips will only become more common. They key for their protagonists is how to incorporate them into the micromanaged world of elite performance.
The defender says his side need to take a "good, long look" at their performance after they were thrashed by Wolfsburg
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng hopes the Bundesliga champions' shock 4-1 loss at Wolfsburg can act as a wake-up call.
Heading into their first match following the mid-season break, Pep Guardiola's defending champions were unbeaten in the league and had only conceded four goals.
The tally was ultimately doubled on a remarkable evening at the Volkswagen Arena as Bas Dost and Kevin de Bruyne scored two goals apiece and second-placed Wolfsburg closed the gap at the summit to eight points.
Juan Bernat netted when Bayern were 3-0 down but his strike could not prompt a comeback as Boateng and his defensive colleagues continued to struggle under a relentless attacking display from Dieter Hecking's team. "It's simple – we played really badly," Boateng told reporters, as quoted on his club's official website.
"It might be good that it's happened to us today because it's a wake-up call. We can't afford another performance like that.
"We weren't aggressive and gave away possession far too easily. We have to take a good, long look at ourselves.
"We all know we'll need a vast improvement against Schalke if we're to make amends for this."
Dost opened the scoring on the counterattack after four minutes and both De Bruyne's goals came as direct passes from Maximilian Arnold easily unpicked Bayern's backline.
"It wasn't our day," said captain Bastian Schweinsteiger. "We often lost our shape when we attacked and they picked us apart relatively easily on the break.
"That shouldn't be happening. We need to work out what went wrong and do better in our next match."
COMMENT: In the most difficult of settings, Wolfsburg turned the Bundesliga champions over on an emotional night at the Volkswagen Arena
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
Bet
=BAYDrawS04
By Peter Staunton
Kevin de Bruyne delivered a stunning memorial to his friend, compatriot and team-mate Junior Malanda in Wolfsburg's 4-1 defeat of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga on Friday. The former Chelsea man scored two and created plenty more besides on a stirring night on which he and his team-mates mourned their colleague.
Malanda's passing on January 10 had left Wolfsburg unified in grief with uncertainty over how they would react on the field to such a devastating loss. Not only that but it was reigning champions Bayern Munich who lay in wait for the first match of the second half of the season.
Pep Guardiola's side were 11 points clear of Wolfsburg, in second, before kick-off and were widely tipped to make that total 14 by the end of the night. De Bruyne and Wolfsburg, nonetheless, had their own destiny to fulfil. The 23-year-old and his team-mates put in the performance of the season in hugely difficult circumstances to move to within eight of Bayern at the top.
Proceedings were briefly held up at the Volkswagen Arena as the home crowd laid on their moving tribute to Malanda. There was a beautifully co-ordinated fan display featuring a portrait of the 20-year-old along with the words "Forever in our hearts". The Wolfsburg players were moved to tears by the minute's applause and subsequent moment of reflection offered in memory of Malanda - with a clearly emotional De Bruyne coming in for particular focus. It was a poignant night and these must certainly have been difficult circumstances in which to play a mere game of football.
Not only did they play but Wolfsburg arguably delivered the most stunning display of Dieter Hecking's reign. They ripped the Bayern Munich team to shreds in a manner not seen here since 2009 when Grafite shone in a 5-1 win during their title-winning campaign. Bayern had conceded four goals in about 25 hours of football during the first half of this Bundesliga season. It took 71 minutes for Wolfsburg to add the next four.
This was a performance for the ages and capably delivered with Kevin de Bruyne at the heart of it. Bas Dost scored two outstanding goals to put Wolfsburg into an unlikely 2-0 half-time lead and much of the credit for that lay at the sparkling feet of De Bruyne. It was the ex-Chelsea man who nudged the ball expertly into the Dutchman's path to open the scoring after only three minutes. Dost's volley on the stroke of half-time was majestic and all his own work.
With Bayern there always exists the threat of a comeback, however, no matter how far behind. The goal scored by De Bruyne, then, just after the 50 minute mark, was crucial. The excellent Max Arnold played a through ball which caught the Bayern defence playing an offside line in the Wolfsburg half. From there, De Bruyne kept his composure to slot a shot past the world's best goalkeeper with ease.
And while Bayern jolted the nerves of the home side with a quick-fire reply, they would have no luck in overhauling a side intent on giving Malanda a sensational send off.
De Bruyne saved the best for last. He squared up Dante off another Arnold through ball and rammed a left-footed shot high into Neuer's near post to seal a 4-1 win.
"We've played a great game of football," said Dieter Hecking afterwards. "You need a perfect day to beat Bayern like that."
Bayern had six weeks to prepare for this match and could have been contemplating a 14-point lead after 18 Bundesliga matches. Instead there are big questions for Pep Guardiola to answer. His selections did not seem suited to the game and there was lethargy in the Bayern legs. Xabi Alonso and Bastian Schweinsteiger appeared slow and irascible. Sebastian Rode, out of his depth in midfield for Bayern, unsurprisingly looked out of his depth at right-back.
Aside from nudging the ball into the path of Juan Bernat for his goal, Robert Lewandowski toiled. Combine that with a backline which looked ill-equipped to deal with a tactic as rudimentary as a straight ball over the top and you have all the ingredients for Bayern's worst display since Guardiola took over. "They got an early goal and we couldn't control their counter in the first half," was his immediate assessment.
Let that not detract from what we saw here though. This was about a team coming together to honour a fallen comrade and delivered to them by the man who knew him best. A eulogy never sounded so sweet. RIP Junior.
RMA
RSO
BAY
S04
