Middlesbrough seal Ayala loan deal

Market: Jack Clarke to score anytime

Odds: 15/8 @

Looking to open the New Year with a statement at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland will host Preston on Monday lunchtime.

Starting with the hosts, left frustrated over the weekend as they had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate away at relegation scrappers Rotherham, Sunderland do have the feel of a squad seeking some recent stability. Mustering just a single win from any of their previous four Championship appearances, new boss Michael Beale will be desperate to make a New Year’s Day statement here. Slipping out of the play-off places and only recording consecutive victories since the start of October, the former Rangers boss will certainly be calling on attacking talisman Jack Clarke to spearhead their charge on Mon…

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has said he is in no rush to sign a new contract with Chelsea, but insists that he is keen to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are already back in training but Ballack, who has a year to run on his current contract, has opted to holiday in Sardinia following his country s Euro 2008 final defeat to Spain just over a week ago.

The 31-year-old will not return to London for another couple of weeks but he believes there is still plenty of time to consider his future.

I have a contract until 2009 and there is an option to extend it, so there is no need to rush, he told Bild newspaper. We will just wait and see what happens.

Although he narrowly missed out on silverware last season, conceding the Premier League and Cham…

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana defended his contribution for Jurgen Klopp s men after their inconsistent start to the season.

Lallana, 28, has a goal and an assist to begin the Premier League campaign, with his side following up their win at Arsenal with a loss at Burnley.

Since heading to Anfield from Southampton in a reported £25million move in mid-2014, Lallana s performances for Liverpool have been questioned.

The England international understands the queries, and said his contribution for his team were more important than individual efforts.

It s a good point. If I was a manager, I wouldn t want a nearly man in my team. Not a chance. Especially at a club like Liverpool, Lallana told the Daily Mail.

I read something the manager said afte…

Best odds: 23/20

Bookmaker:

Tottenham Hotspur will be welcoming Liverpool to their stadium in north London on Thursday evening, playing hosts in a game which will be a part of the first round of the second half of the Premier League season; 20th overall. With both these teams considered top candidates for winning the title at different points of the campaign, only to drop down the table afterwards, it could be a very important match for the chances of either to finish top of the league.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs have had a bag of mixed results this season so far. Their last six games in the league include the trip to Anfield, where Liverpool got the better of them through a late header from Roberto Firmino, after strikes from Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min had t…

Arsenal v Chelsea

How on earth do you predict the outcome of this one? Well, as it is my job to do so, I’d better have a go!

Arsenal are looking really good at the moment and had a fine win over Villarreal in the week. They have Fabregas, Adebayor, Walcott and Van Persie firing on all cylinders and going forward there are few who can match them.

At the back, however, with Almunia and Gallas missing, amongst others, things don’t look so good.

Chelsea had a much harder game in Europe in midweek but the relief of the outcome will have minimised the tiredness. They are six points ahead of Arsenal in the league and have identical home records.

There is so little between the teams but I just have a sneaking suspicion that this…

Napoli have announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Real Betis after triggering his reported €30million release clause.

The move had been mooted for several weeks, with Napoli said to have identified Fabian as a primary target in the event of Jorginho leaving after impressing in his first full season in LaLiga.

Still just 22, Fabian forced his way into the first team last term, catching the eye with the ability to produce both creative and combative performances.

With Jorginho expected to join Manchester City, Fabian said in June that a move to Napoli was likely and both clubs confirmed the transfer had been completed on Thursday as he signed a five-year deal.

Ufficiale:  
 

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli)

…

Ungrateful fans?

The job of a manager is becoming increasingly difficult. A job that has never had any real sort of security has now become a joke. If immediate success is not achieved, then the sack is the inevitable outcome.

Reality

It now appears that club owners and even some fans have begun to lose their grip on reality as they seek a level of success that can only be afforded to very few.

Last week, after Middlesbrough beat Derby 2-0 to go fourth in the championship just a point behind the leaders, their chairman Steve Gibson finally showed Gareth Southgate the exit door. He didn’t do it when Southgate took them down and he didn’t do it when it became obvious to all that he was likely to take them down. He did it whe…

Genk attacker Leon Bailey is on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen after arriving at the Bundesliga side for a medical on Friday.

The 19-year-old had also been linked with Manchester United, Ajax and Hull City over the past few months, but he seems destined to continue his career at Leverkusen instead.

Leon Bailey is currently undergoing a medical, Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt confirmed at a news conference.

That means it is very much likely he will join us.

Bailey joined Genk from Trencin in 2015 and had since developed into a key figure at the Belgian club.

He particularly impressed in the Europa League this campaign, scoring seven goals in 12 appearances including qualifiers to help Genk reach the knockout stages.

The winger s…

A frustrated Mikel Arteta apologised to the Arsenal supporters after a crushing 3-0 loss at home to Brighton all but ended their Premier League title hopes.

Second-half goals from Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan earned the Seagulls a deserved victory at the Emirates that means Manchester City need one more win from their final three games to defend their crown.

City could be champions on Saturday night if Arsenal lose at Nottingham Forest with the gap between the top two now four points, and Pep Guardiola’s side holding a game in hand on the Gunners, who have failed to win five of their last seven matches.

“A really different feeling to the feeling that we all had last Sunday (at Newcastle) when we felt proud and we felt that we really did what…

that Andrea Pirlo is pondering a summer move to Australia.

The veteran midfielder has hinted that he could quit Juventus this summer, even if the Bianconeri failed to lift the Champions League trophy.

And while it is no secret that Pirlo has a long list of suitors among MLS sides, Sydney FC have joined the race as well.

According to Sydney Morning Herald, the midfielder s agents will meet with the A-League club chiefs on Tuesday to hear what they have to offer.

Sydney FC hope to make Andrea Pirlo their biggest signing since Alessandro Del Piero, who had joined the club in 2012.

The 36-year-old has another year left on his deal in Turin, but everything suggests he will be leaving the club this summer.

Pirlo has spent last four years with …