News Headlines

Leaders Barcelona held at home by Villareal

null

Rangers give Smith a striking dilemma at Celtic

The absence of the suspended Kenny Miller leaves the Rangers manager with a problem of how to partner Kris BoydWalter Smith's record in Old Firm matches is impressive not merely for showing only 13 defeats from 49 outings, but for the number of improbable victories that are included, generally...

DeMerit relishing challenge of Chelsea

Watford's captain sees the trip to Stamford Bridge as a stepping stone to facing England in the World Cup for the USAis a footballing life less ordinary. Bartender, bouncer, painter and decorator, sculptor, product design graduate, successful IT businessman and non-League central defender until the...

Troubled Portsmouth face freefall fears

• Club unlikely to deal in transfer window until 10 January• Premier League may decide not to lift transfer embargoConcern is growing on the south coast that Avram Grant will be unable to strengthen a threadbare Portsmouth squad as he seeks to save the club, four points adrift at the...

Nwankwo Kanu on a big year for Africa

In Africa's biggest football year yet, Kanu looks back at a childhood with a ball at his feetI was born in Owerri and grew up in the east of Nigeria, in Imo state. You could say I was a "street boy": we grew up on the street, played on the street, did everything out on the street. It was a...

The hunger could drive Gerrard away

Roberto Mancini may be on to something – Liverpool cannot carry on disappointing their star playerAnother year, another transfer window. Time to wonder, do I dare? Roberto Mancini was probably only joking when he suggested Liverpool might like to make Manchester City a belated Christmas...

United and Leeds set to renew hostilities

Leeds are two divisions lower than Manchester United, but the intense rivalry born in the Seventies lingers onThere's a big game taking place at Old Trafford this afternoon. The television cameras will be there, the biggest crowd of the weekend will turn up even if the occasion is not quite sold...

I always said he was a beautiful mover | Kevin McKenna

As a dancer mimics that goal by Archie Gemmill, other great Scots are ripe for cultural reappraisalIt has taken more than 30 years, but Scotland's influential modern dance community has finally bowed to the inevitable and commemorated the defining moment in our nation's cultural narrative. Archie...