Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool

José Mourinho had turned to the East stand as this contest lurched towards its conclusion and, arms aloft, beseeched the home support to whip up one last roar to haul the team over the line. Within seconds his gesture was repeated in celebration. Liverpool, one of the more eye-catching contenders in this season's title race, had been beaten to inject proper conviction into Chelsea's own challenge. The Portuguese's reaction betrayed the significance of the result.

The first chink of light has been spotted between the top three and the chasing pack, a three-point gap chiselled out between Mourinho's team and fourth-placed Everton to suggest a massed scramble towards the summit is thinning out. Liverpool, a point behind their Merseyside neighbours, will hope to come again and can draw real encouragement from their displays even in defeat at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge but those at the top will likewise hope they are shrugging themselves clear. "A big win, a big opponent, a big match," said Mourinho. It was the kind of contest to get the juices flowing.

In the end, perhaps inevitably, it was also laced with controversy. Brendan Rodgers had reason to denounce Samuel Eto'o's first-minute foul on Jordan Henderson, the striker raking his studs down his opponent's right shin and escaping a card of any sort from Howard Webb. Though Liverpool scored from the free-kick that followed, they would have been taking on 10 men for 89 minutes had the offence been properly penalised. Their other gripe centred, inevitably, on Luis Suárez as Eto'o appeared to shoulder barge him off the ball and inside the penalty area seven minutes from time. Rodgers and Mourinho, once apprentice and mentor in these surroundings, could only agree to disagree, though in the circumstances it was perhaps inevitable that Eto'o's contribution would ultimately be remembered for the winner.

Chelsea had their own non-award to bemoan, Lucas Leiva appearing to floor the live-wire Eden Hazard 11 minutes in, yet the revival of the old Mourinho versus Merseyside rivalry should not boil down to perceived oversights by the overworked referee. This was combustible, breathless and blisteringly competitive and therefore enthralling to behold.

While Liverpool seemed stretched by cruel successive away fixtures, Chelsea arguably mustered some of their finest attacking football of the campaign through that ferocious opening period. Their forays forward were slick and conducted at pace, Oscar and Willian rapid in pouring upfield while Hazard, the team's player of the moment, orchestrated it all.

The Belgian, watched here by his brother Thorgan in the stands, has been untouchable in recent weeks. He has learned from the error of his ways after missing a training session following a brief trip back to Lille to watch his former club – it did not help that he had mislaid his passport in France – and has been resurgent since. He started the move which created Chelsea's equaliser, shifting the ball from central midfield to Willian before Oscar took up possession and bolted into enemy territory. Liverpool defenders backed off, uncertain and panicked, with the Brazilian's intended pass for Eto'o rebounding from Mamadou Sakho and back across the edge of the area.

Hazard, his run unchecked, dispatched it first time, all whip and bend, with Simon Mignolet helpless and beaten. "The kid is changing," said Mourinho of the £32m signing he inherited. "Before he was a very talented player but was a bit … not lazy, but a kid enjoying football just in a funny way. Now he understands responsibilities and that football is not just about getting the ball and playing like he did when he was 13 or 14 in the street. There are other ingredients needed at this level."

That was his 10th goal in all competitions this season, a tally that has eased some of the pressure on Chelsea's blunt strikers, though this would eventually be decided by one of their number. David Luiz and César Azpilicueta combined for Oscar to gather, his initial touch appearing to strike Sakho's arm. The crowd's appeals for handball went ignored, the playmaker regathering and turning the centre-half to square for Eto'o, granted too much space by Martin Skrtel, to convert. Mignolet should have done better.

The festive period has been unforgiving for Liverpool. They sat top of the pile on Christmas Day, rightly satisfied by their campaign and with Suárez signed up to a new contract, and yet, after the first successive league defeats of Rodgers' tenure, now languish fifth and outside the Champions League places.

That is sobering enough, even without Sakho (hamstring) and Joe Allen (groin) now injured and surely absent for the foreseeable future. And yet, as Rodgers pointed out, there was still promise to be picked up from each of their defeats over the past week, whether in the bite to the attacks summoned by Suárez, Coutinho and Henderson or the excellence – that second goal aside – of Mignolet in denying Chelsea further reward.

They had led early, Coutinho delivering viciously towards the near post, where Suárez and Branislav Ivanovic – those familiar foes from Anfield in April – tumbled as they wrestled to connect and the ball struck the Serb and wrong-footed Petr Cech in the process. Skrtel, alone in front of a gaping goal, could not believe his luck. Yet that is where their good fortune ran out. Sakho looped a header on to the bar from Henderson's delivery before that late penalty appeal signalled the end. This was not to be their day. It is Chelsea who go tearing into the new year.

Man of the match Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Michael Schumacher in critical state after injuring head in skiing accident

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is fighting for his life in hospital after sustaining serious head injuries in an off-piste skiing accident at a resort in the French Alps on Sunday morning.

Schumacher, 44, was airlifted to Grenoble after falling heavily and hitting his head while skiing on the unmarked slope at the Méribel resort with a group of friends and his 14-year-old son.

After hours of silence which raised worldwide concerns about the seven-time former world champion's condition, the Grenoble hospital issued a statement on Sunday night describing his state as "critical". He was in a coma on arrival at the hospital suffering from "severe brain trauma" and had undergone surgery, the statement said. French media reports said that Schumacher, whose family is at his bedside, had also had a brain haemorrhage.

The hospital statement was issued more than three hours after the Grenoble-based newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré reported that Schumacher's injuries had worsened and were now "life threatening".

A top brain surgeon from Paris, Gérard Saillant, rushed to the hospital to attend to the former grand prix driver. Saillant, an expert in brain and spine injury, is a close friend of Schumacher, having operated on him when he broke his leg at Silverstone in 1999.

Radio Monte Carlo reported that doctors would provide an update on Schumacher's condition at a press conference at the hospital at 10am GMT on Monday.

A skier with Schumacher's group raised the alarm within minutes of the accident which occurred just after 11am in bright and sunny weather. "The skier alerted mountain rescue just a few hundred metres below where he fell," said the director of Méribel Alpina, Olivier Simonin, in charge of security and skilifts at the site. Two rescuers arrived quickly at the scene and called in two others to help evacuate Schumacher who had been wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Schumacher remained conscious after the fall and was initially helicoptered to the nearest hospital at Moûtiers. But doctors had then him flown to Grenoble, which has a specialised trauma unit.

Simonin said it was not known whether Schumacher hit his head on a rock. "All we know is that he hit his head," he said.

The hospital announcement was the first since a terse statement in the afternoon released by Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm. She confirmed the accident and said that nobody else was involved in the fall.

"Michael fell on his head when he was on a private skiing trip in the French Alps. He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional medical attention. We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health," the statement said.

Méribel director Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte had earlier described Schumacher as being "in shock, somewhat shaken, but conscious" when the emergency rescue team reached him. He also said that Schumacher's head injury was "not serious", but a resort spokesman said later that the Méribel officials were waiting for a more comprehensive medical report.

Gernigon-Lecomte said that Schumacher owned a chalet in the valley and knew the resort and the pistes of Méribel well. "It was something habitual for him," he said.

French media said in the afternoon that the sportsman's cranial trauma was not life-threatening. However, by early evening, that prognosis changed, and Formula One champions such as Felipe Massa said they were praying for Schumacher. Some French fans of Schumacher gathered in the afternoon outside the hospital, as they waited in vain for news. Olivier Panis, a former Formula 1 driver from Grenoble, came to the hospital twice during the day but was unable to see the German driver.

When he fell, Schumacher was skiing close to one of the chic resort's most difficult pistes in the Three Valleys enjoyed by the world's most accomplished skiers. Méribel, where the Swiss-based former champion owns a chalet, is one of the top ski resorts in the French Alps.

He was skiing off-piste between the pistes La Biche and the more difficult runs of Mauduit, named after the former French skiing champion George Mauduit. The slope, devoid of trees, where he and his son were skiing, is at an altitude of 2,100 metres, close to the luxury resort of Courchevel. The pair were about 20 metres away from the marked slope when Schumacher tumbled, according to Simonin.

Kallis: The King Retires

Jacques Kallis was never one for displays of emotion or grand speeches. Instead, he preferred to move quietly, even serenely, through an 18-year test career that established him as arguably the greatest allrounder of cricket's modern era.

His expressions were mostly concealed by his helmet while batting or by his sunglasses and trademark wide-brimmed sun hat when South Africa was fielding. On the occasions when he scored one of his 44 test centuries or took one of his nearly-300 wickets before announcing his retirement earlier this week, he would flash his toothy grin in acknowledgement or raise an arm up in celebration.

In interviews, the broad-shouldered allrounder who could dominate bowlers with seemingly effortless cover drives and bounce out the best batsmen with fierce, heavy short balls was surprisingly soft-spoken.

For much of his career, Kallis was strangely never adored in South Africa the way Sachin Tendulkar was in India or Don Bradman was in Australia. And yet his worth to his country's test team over his career has been just as valuable, perhaps more.

South Africa will miss him now.

It was Kallis' introspective approach that probably didn't always win over the supporters, but his teammates and opponents rated his value as a player and a person as priceless. And his achievements spoke volumes.

He scored match-winning hundreds and took partnership-breaking wickets in abundance, and buckets of test catches as one of the most dependable slip fielders in the game.

Only Tendulkar has made more test centuries. And when it came to batting allrounders, no one could touch Kallis for his additional contribution with the ball. His batting average is better than the "Little Master" Tendulkar and his bowling average on a par with front-line quicks such as England's James Anderson and India's Zaheer Khan.

Kallis will retire from test cricket after South Africa's second test against India, which started on Thursday at Durban, and his country will soon doubtless realise how rare a cricketer he was.

"Although we all knew the retirement of a great player like Jacques Kallis was going to happen, his decision still comes as a blow when the reality dawns," Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

South Africa coach Russell Domingo paid tribute, more than anything, to Kallis' influence in the dressing room, revealing a lesser-known side to a player who was sometimes criticised, unfairly, for playing slowly and selfishly.

"Jacques' calmness, maturity and presence in the change room will sorely be missed and hopefully he will still be able to play a role in this team's success in the near future," Domingo said.

For a player who rarely was animated on the field, Kallis' influence on those around him was immense, and he seemingly didn't need many words to exercise it. When he did speak, it was often in a manner that was understated, incisive and, crucially, valuable.

Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock recently told a story about a Kallis comment in the dressing room after South Africa had conceded a then world-record 434 runs to Australia in a limited-overs international at Johannesburg's famously high-scoring Wanderers ground.

As the South Africans trudged into the dressing room desperately downcast, Kallis said: "Right, the bowlers have done their job, they're 10 runs short," Pollock recalled. The mood was instantly lightened, Pollock said, and South Africa won the game by scoring a new-record 438 in what is widely considered the best ODI game ever.

Kallis' teammates paid glowing tribute on social media following his retirement announcement, praising him as the best cricketer ever, South Africa's best sportsman and a "legend" of the game.

Batsman Faf du Plessis wrote: "What an honour sharing a changeroom with the greatest cricketer of all time." Captain Graeme Smith even expressed his brotherly "love" for Kallis.

In typical fashion, Kallis didn't immediately post any messages about his retirement, happy instead to let his wondrous achievements - and others - do most of the talking.

There was one comment from Kallis in the statement announcing his upcoming retirement after his 166th test that stood out, though: "I feel that I have made my contribution in this format."

Batting and fielding averages
	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	165	279	40	13174	224	55.12	28587	46.08	44	58	1475	97	199	0
ODIs	325	311	53	11574	139	44.86	15866	72.94	17	86	911	137	129	0
T20Is	25	25	4	666	73	35.05	558	119.35	0	5	56	20	7	0
First-class	256	420	57	19580	224	57.84			61	97			263	0
List A	421	403	65	14840	155*	43.90			23	109			160	0
Twenty20	134	130	21	3517	89*	32.26	3153	111.54	0	26	349	73	42	0
Bowling averages
	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	165	271	20166	9499	292	6/54	9/92	32.53	2.82	69.0	7	5	0
ODIs	325	283	10750	8680	273	5/30	5/30	31.79	4.84	39.3	2	2	0
T20Is	25	19	276	333	12	4/15	4/15	27.75	7.23	23.0	1	0	0
First-class	256		28967	13496	427	6/54		31.60	2.79	67.8		8	0
List A	421		13673	10772	351	5/30	5/30	30.68	4.72	38.9	3	3	0
Twenty20	134	115	2138	2742	87	4/15	4/15	31.51	7.69	24.5	1	0	0

MAKING HIS NAME

* Born on October 16, 1975 in Cape Town.

* Made his international debut as a 20-year-old in December, 1995 in a test match against England in Durban.

ALL-ROUND ACHIEVEMENTS

* Played 165 tests for South Africa, scoring 13 174 runs at an average of 55.12.

* Scored two double centuries in tests with his 224 against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in 2012 being his best score.

* Took 292 wickets with a six-for 54 his best bowling in an innings.

* As a reliable slip fielder, he took 199 catches in tests.

* Kallis is the fourth-highest run-getter in tests behind Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid.

* His 44 test centuries is the second highest in the world behind Tendulkar.

END OF THE ROAD

* The Boxing Day test against India in Durban will be his last match in the longest format of the game.

* He is South Africa's greatest cricketer, having scored the most number of test runs and also being fifth on the wicket-takers' list

Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea

The result means Liverpool will top the table at Christmas - ahead of the Gunners on goal difference - as two teams with title pretensions of their own produced a spectacle almost devoid of entertainment and quality.

Frank Lampard came closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the woodwork in the first half, while Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud wasted two good opportunities late on to claim the win that would have seen the Gunners leapfrog Liverpool.

John Mikel Obi could easily have seen a red card for a shocking first-half challenge on Mikel Arteta that went unpunished by referee Dean and Arsenal were convinced they should have had a penalty when Theo Walcott tumbled after Willian stepped on his foot just before the interval.

An undistinguished first half finally burst into life when Lampard found space on the end of Eden Hazard's clever flicked pass but saw his powerful effort bounce off the underside of the bar to safety.

The second half, if it was actually possible, opened in even more scrappy fashion and Arteta was the victim of another poor challenge from Ramires, which finally persuaded Dean to show Chelsea's midfielder a yellow card.

Mourinho made his first change with 17 minutes left, somewhat surprisingly choosing to replace Hazard with Andre Schurrle, who was soon followed into the action by Oscar, on for fellow Brazilian Willian.

Mourinho made his first change with 17 minutes left, somewhat surprisingly choosing to replace Hazard with Andre Schurrle, who was soon followed into the action by Oscar, on for fellow Brazilian Willian.

As a tortuous evening entered its final 10 minutes, Arsenal finally created a chance when Aaron Ramsey found Giroud with time and space but he sent a hopeless angled finish into the side-netting.

The France striker was then played in again at the near post by Kieran Gibbs but he was blocked by a combination of Chelsea keeper Petr Cech and his defenders.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger declined to make any changes when the game appeared to be crying out for the invention of Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla - resulting in a draw that was unfulfilling for both teams.

South Africa fall short of world-record run chase in first Test

South Africa fell eight runs short of a world-record run chase but secured a draw in the first Test against India in Johannesburg by finishing on 450-7.

The hosts began the final day on 138-2 in pursuit of 458 to win the first match of a two-Test series.

A 205-run fifth-wicket partnership between Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers gave them hope of victory.

But De Villiers was bowled by Ishant Sharma for 103, before Du Plessis was run out for 134 with 19 balls left.

In between those dismissals, JP Duminy was out for five after he chopped on to his stumps from Mohammed Shami.

That left Dale Steyn to bat out the final three overs with Vernon Philander, with the world number one Test team still retaining hopes of a remarkable win against the side ranked second.

A maiden over each from Zaheer Khan and Shami effectively ended those hopes, although Steyn left the hosts wondering what might have been by smashing a six off the final ball of the match.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith defended the decision of his batsmen to play for the draw.He said: "The knocks that AB and Faf played, everybody would have been saying what an incredible effort.

"We mustn't lose sight of that in the emotion. You understand the emotional side. I think the context was that it was an unbelievable Test match. I don't think too many people gave us a chance [of drawing].''

India batsman Virat Kohli was surprised to see South Africa limit their ambitions to a draw.

He said: "Everyone was pretty shocked, honestly. We didn't think they'd stop going for that score."

The highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history remains the 418 scored by West Indies to beat Australia in 2003.

South Africa's total was the third-highest ever scored in a Test match fourth innings. New Zealand scored 451 at Christchurch in 2002 in losing to England, who hit 654-5 in a draw with South Africa at Durban in 1939

Messi making Good Recovery

The Argentina forward is in Buenos Aires as he continues his rehabilitation from the injury which has kept him out for more than a month.

Club doctor Richard Pruna and director of sport Andoni Zubizarreta have travelled to Argentina to check on his recovery.

Pruna performed a physical examination and an ultrasound on Wednesday which showed Messi was "making good progress".

The injury is set to keep Messi out for between six and eight weeks in total, meaning he is in line for a January return.

Messi has been in his home country since November 29, working on what his club called "the second phase of his recovery programme" at the Argentinian Football Association facility.

The 26-year-old will undergo further tests on Friday to determine whether he can begin "the third phase" of his programme.

Messi has been working under the supervision of members of the Argentina national side's medical team and has been joined, as planned, by Barca physio Elvio Paolorosso.

The forward injured his hamstring away to Real Betis on November 10.

The Catalan giants have been below par, by their own high standards, without the four-time world player of the year.

They have lost to Ajax in the Champions League and Atletico Madrid in the Primera Division in their seven matches since.

Barca still lead the table, though, level on points with Atletico and face Manchester City in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Barca travel to City for the first leg on February 18, with the return leg on March 12.

Messi should be back in plenty of time for those matches.

Messi Criticises Barcelona's Financial Vice-President

Lionel Messi has denied that he requested his contract be reviewed. The Barcelona player has been angered by club financial vice-president, Javier Faus' comments in which he said he had been against reviewing the football star's salary every six months.

"He's someone who doesn't know anything about football and wants to run Barcelona like a business, which it isn't'', the player retorted from Argentina.

''Barcelona is the best team in the world and deserves to be represented by the best executives. And I would like to remind him that neither I nor any of my representatives have asked for a contract extension, as he well knows'', Messi continued, talking to Catalan radio station RAC 1.

The player dissociated himself from the controversy surrounding charity matches organised by his foundation and an alleged connection with money laundering: "I am deeply saddened by what is being said, not just about me but about people I love like my dad or players who are my friends. These games are 100% charitable".

Messi has complete faith in his father's business operations: "I dedicate myself to playing football and he dedicates himself to looking after my interests off the field".

Messi reiterated that all matters outside of football fall under his father's remit. "I have very close ties with my dad and my family, both personally and professionally. If it was up to me, he would remain chairman of the company and of the foundation", he said.

Luis Suarez Signs new deal with Liverpool

Luis Suárez said his intention is to stay with Liverpool "for a long time" after extending his contract until 2018 and becoming the highest-paid player in the club's history.

The Uruguay international signed a four-and-a-half year deal on Friday after swift negotiations between Liverpool's managing director, Ian Ayre, and Suárez's agent, Pere Guardiola, in Barcelona this week. Suárez's salary will rise from £120,000 to £200,000 a week, reflecting his status as the leading goalscorer in the Premier League, and there are bonuses for goals scored and Champions League qualification.

Liverpool have refused to confirm if there is a get-out clause in the new contract, although Anfield officials had been keen to remove a £40m valuation on a striker they rate in the Gareth Bale £86m price-bracket. They also wanted to ensure he cannot sign for another English club without their consent.

On Guardiola's part, there had been a desire to obtain a watertight agreement that Suárez could leave should Liverpool again fail to qualify for the Champions League. Both parties accepted the need to avoid a repeat of last summer's transfer saga, when confusion reigned in the player's camp over whether he could leave after Arsenal bid £40,000,001 and he publicly accused the manager, Brendan Rodgers, of breaking promises over his future.

Liverpool moved swiftly to secure Suárez's services with the striker in stunning form, his club able to go top of the Premier League with victory over Cardiff City on Saturday, and with Rodgers insisting the player was in the "happiest point" of his professional career. The striker, who had two-and-a-half years remaining on his previous contract, claimed he will honour his long-term commitment to Liverpool.

"It's nice because when you extend your contract, you extend it because you want to stay here for the future," said the 26-year-old. "I signed not only for two-and-a-half more years, but I signed for a long time to stay here and I am so happy. When you are happy, you try everything for the best for the future. I spoke a lot with my family because my family are very important to me and they are happy here. We spoke over the last few weeks with the club and everything is OK. I don't have a problem; the club don't have a problem, so it's very good."

Suárez has scored a remarkable 17 goals in 11 games since returning from suspension on 25 September. He added: "I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible."

Liverpool's owner, Fenway Sports Group, has previously been reluctant to extend contracts mid-term but moved impressively to secure the club's prized asset. Principal owner John W Henry said:"We are committed to working hard to keep our best players and this is an indication that we are moving in the right direction and moving at a pace that impresses one of the best players in world football. "

Novak Djokovic appoints Becker as Coach

Novak Djokovic has appointed Boris Becker as his new head coach, the Serbian player has announced. The former three-times Wimbledon champion and six-times grand-slam winner will begin working with Djokovic before the Australian Open which begins on Monday 13 January.

"I am proud Novak invited me to become his head coach," Becker said on Djokovic's official website, novakdjokovic.com. "I will do my best to help him reach his goals, and I am sure we can achieve great things together."

Becker will join Djokovic's current coaching team of Marian Vajda, Miljan Amanovic and Gebhard Phil-Gritsch and accompany him to all four majors. "I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with Boris. He is a true legend, someone who has great tennis knowledge and his experience will help me win new trophies from the grand slams and other tournaments," Djokovic said.

"Becker is a great person, too, and I am sure he will fit in our team in the best possible way. Boris brings a new and fresh approach, and together with Vajda he will make a winning combination. My goal for 2014 is to play my best tennis and to get in shape for the grand slams and Masters.

"These tournaments have the most weight in our sport, and I want to prove my worth at them. The team is now strengthened and we hope for maximum results."

Vajda, who has worked with Djokovic since 2006, will take on a reduced role in 2014, attending events in Indian Wells, Madrid, Toronto and Beijing, but welcomed Becker's arrival. "In a few weeks Novak and I will start the eighth year of our co-operation," said Vajda. "During that period we have achieved almost all the goals we had. I realised that Novak needed a new head coach in order for him to continue improving certain parts of the game.

"At the same time, I will have more time for my family. Becker's assignment will not affect much my position in the team, since I will do all I can for Djokovic, just like I did before. On the other hand, choosing Boris as a head coach is a good solution. I am sure we will get along very well, and that Novak will continue to progress."

Becker joining Djokovic means that he and Andy Murray (with Ivan Lendl) now have coaches that have played one another in grand slam finals, Becker came out on top on all three occasions: Wimbledon in 1986, the US Open in 1989 and the Australian Open in 1991.

South Africa vs India 1st Test Day 2

The Indian pace attack claimed five wickets for 16 runs during the final session of the second day to reduce South Africa to 213 for six, at the close of play at the Wanderers on Thursday.shant Sharma was chief destroyer for India, returning figures of 3/64, as South Africa trailed by 67 at close following India's first innings of 280.

Launching a fightback, Faf du Plessis (17 not out) and Vernon Philander (48 not out) shared in a seventh-wicket stand of 67 runs unbroken at stumps.

Du Plessis, however, was dropped by Rohit Sharma in the slips off the bowling of Mohammed Shami minutes before the close of play with his score on 17.

India themselves collapsed from 255/5 overnight to 280 all out, and batsman Ajinkya Rahane said his side had looked to push on to a big total.

"We wanted to play as long as possible, but they bowled really well in the first session," Rahane said.

"We had three crucial partnerships, but we saw in our batting we lost wickets quickly.

"But our bowlers bowled really well and put the ball in key areas when they came out to bat."Proteas batsman Hashim Amla said it was not a bad pitch which was to blame for the collapse of either teams.

"I don't think the wicket had much to do with some of the dismissals," Amla said after the day's play.

"The wicket is offering quite a bit for the seamers, it's been inswinging consistently for most of the game."

On a day where 11 wickets fell, the Proteas were coasting along at 130/1 with a well-set Graeme Smith (68) and Amla (36) in the middle, before a middle-order collapse.

Amla left an Ishant Sharma delivery outside off, but was bowled after the ball jagged back to crash into the stumps to end a 93-run stand for the second wicket.

Jacques Kallis was beaten by Ishant Sharma and trapped lbw for a first ball duck.

Next to depart was Smith, who fell to his nemesis Zaheer Khan in the next over. Smith played all around a full ball from the left-arm quick bowler and was out lbw for 68 as South Africa were reduced to 130/4.

It also ended the chance for Smith to score his first ever test century against India.

A brief period of hope was cut short as South Africa lost their fifth wicket with the score on 145.

New batsmen JP Duminy was drawn into a stroke by Shami and edged to Murali Vijay who took the catch at first slip.

Two balls later, AB de Villiers played all around a straight delivery and was out lbw for 13 to Shami.

In the post-lunch session, Alviro Petersen (21) was first to depart with the score on 37.

The Proteas opener was trapped in the crease by Ishant Sharma and was given out lbw as India struck in the 14th over.

Earlier in the day, India's last five wickets fell for 25 runs as they were reduced from 255/5 overnight to 280 all out in the first session.

Morne Morkel made the first breakthrough to dismiss MS Dhoni (19), edging through to wicketkeeper De Villiers.

Rahane joined his captain in the change rooms four balls later and three runs short of his half-century. This time Philander produced a moving delivery outside off and Rahane nicked a pearler through to De Villiers.

Khan made a first-ball duck, trapped lbw to Philander, and India added 16 more runs before Philander clean-bowled Ishant Sharma.

Morkel wrapped it up to get rid of Shami who failed to score.

After picking up three wickets in the morning, Philander finished with overall figures of 4/61 while Morkel returned 3/34.

Spain continue to lead FIFA Rankings

Spain top the year-end Fifa rankings for the sixth straight year, since starting their run of major tournament wins at the 2008 European Championship.

The 2010 World Cup winner leads Germany, Argentina and Colombia at the head of an unchanged top 10.

Just 30 national team matches were played in the past month to affect the calculations.

The United States remain the best-placed Concacaf team at No 15. Ivory Coast lead Africa at No 17.

Bosnia-Herzegovina rise two places to No 19, pushing No 21 Mexico down one.

Iran still lead Asian confederation teams and rise 12 to No 33.

Fifa says No 18 Ukraine made the biggest rankings rise i2013, up 29 places. Ukraine failed to qualify for the World Cup, losing a playoff to No 20 France.

Fifa rankings for December (November positions in parentheses):

1. Spain (1)
2. Germany (2)
3. Argentina (3)
4. Colombia (4)
5. Portugal (5)
6. Uruguay (6)
7. Italy (7)
8. Switzerland (8)
9. Netherlands (9)
10. Brazil (10)
11. Belgium (11)
12. Greece (12)
13. England (13)
14. United States (14)
15. Chile (15)
16. Croatia (16)
17. Ivory Coast (17)
18. Ukraine (18)
19. Bosnia-Herzegovina (21)
20. France (19)

Barca and Real facing funding Investigations

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna are all being investigated for possible tax privileges, while Madrid are also the subject of another inquiry regarding the transfer of land with the City of Madrid.

The other three clubs involved, Valencia, Elche and Hercules, are being probed by the Commission over aid received from the state-owned Valencia Institute of Finance.

Here are the measures for which each club is being investigated, as announced in a statement by the European Commission:

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna

"Since 1990: Possible privileges regarding corporate taxation of Real Madrid CF, Barcelona CF, Athletic Club Bilbao, and Club Atletico Osasuna - These four clubs are exempted from the general obligation for professional football clubs to convert into sport limited companies. The effect of this exemption is that these clubs enjoy a preferential corporate tax rate of 25 per cent instead of 30 per cent applicable to sport limited companies."

Real Madrid

"2011: Real Madrid appears to have benefited from a very advantageous real property swap with the City of Madrid. This swap was based on a re-evaluation of a plot of land at a value of 22.7million euros, instead of its earlier supposed value in 1998 of 595 000 euros."

Valencia

"2009: State guarantee by the Valencia Institute of Finance for a bank loan of 75million euros from Bancaja (now Bankia) to Fundacion Valencia Club de Futbol, which was used to finance the acquisition of shares of Valencia CF by the Fundacion Valencia.

"2010 and 2013: The Valencia Institute of Finance increased its guarantee to Fundacion Valencia Club de Futbol by six million euros and five million euros, respectively, to cover overdue capital, interest and costs, stemming from defaulted payments of the guaranteed loan previously granted to CF Valencia."

Hercules

"2010: State guarantee by the Valencia Institute of Finance for a bank loan of 18million euros from Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo to Fundacion Hercules de Alicante, which was used to finance the acquisition of shares of Hercules CF by Fundacion Hercules de Alicante."

Elche

"2013: State guarantee by the Valencia Institute of Finance for two bank loans of totally 14million euros, from CAM (nine million euros) and from Banco de Valencia (five million euros), to Fundacion Elche Club de Futbol, which was used to finance the acquisition of shares of Elche CF by Fundacion Elche Club de Futbol."

Manchester City vs Barcelona: Pellegrini does not fear Barcelona

City have been handed a testing tie against the Catalan giants in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Pellegrini's men might have avoided such a big clash had they not misunderstood the group stage goal difference rules last week.

City beat Bayern Munich 3-2 but Pellegrini failed to realise that victory by one more goal would have secured top spot in their group and a theoretically more favourable draw.

Yet simply after beating the European champions, and then scoring six past Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal, Pellegrini is confident enough after the draw.

He said: "I think they will be very concerned also. Barcelona is not the team it was two years ago.

"I think it is a beautiful game with two very good teams."

While Pellegrini accepts he miscalculated in Munich, he insists his side would have faced a tough draw from whichever position they had finished in the group.

He said: "All the 16 teams that play in the last 16 are the best teams of Europe - so Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain for me was exactly the same."

Despite what happened in Munich - and Pellegrini's failure to send on top scorer Sergio Aguero continues to be picked out by critics - the Chilean insists his team did not stop trying to score a fourth.

He feels too much is being made of the matter and the team are not receiving enough credit for their achievement in recovering from 2-0 down.

He said: "There was no confusion. Maybe a mistake could be if I thought 3-2 was enough and we didn't try to score the fourth goal - but we tried to score the fourth and fifth goal but we couldn't do it.

"I respect the critics but I think they are absolutely confused against who we were playing."

Pellegrini believes City, who have qualified for the knockout phase for the first time, will take a lot from claiming such a notable scalp.

He said: "A lot of confidence. The most important thing, and we had already done it, was to qualify for the next round but to play against Bayern was a big test for what we can do in the future."

The tie will bring Barca star Lionel Messi up against his Argentina team-mate Aguero.

Pellegrini recently said he rates Aguero third, behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, among the world's best players.

But the Chilean said: "It is not only Messi and Aguero. The two teams have top players and we will see which play better in that round of Champions League.

"But that is in February. We will worry about that later."

While that prospect is an enticing one, City will have to make do without Aguero for the immediate future.

Pellegrini has confirmed he expects the prolific forward, who has scored 19 goals this season, to be out for at least a month with a calf injury.

City are still to learn the full extent of the problem but Aguero is set to miss the Boxing Day clash with Liverpool as well as other Barclays Premier League games against Fulham, Crystal Palace and Swansea.

Aguero was injured early in the second half of Saturday's impressive 6-3 defeat of Arsenal.

Pellegrini said: "I think he will be at least one month out.

"He has a calf injury. Maybe the doctor can say exactly how many weeks he will be."

Pellegrini was speaking at a press conference to preview his side's midweek Capital One Cup quart-final at Leicester, for which changes were likely anyway.

He said: "Of course, when you have a good squad, it is easy for the manager to make changes. I trust in this squad.

"That's why we went last week to play against Bayern with five or six players that don't normally start and we won.

"After Bayern we made six or seven changes against Arsenal and won. We will make some changes in the same way.

"I think it is an important cup. That is why we try from the beginning to play from the beginning with a good team.

"We hope we can continue with this cup and always a final in Wembley is important."

Sergio Kun Aguero Could Miss crucial ties due to Injury

City are still to learn the full extent of Aguero's calf injury, but such a lay-off could make him doubtful for the first leg of the Champions League clash against Barcelona.

City host the Catalan giants in the last 16 of Europe's elite competition in nine weeks' time, on February 18, before travelling the Nou Camp the following month.

The influential Aguero, who has scored 19 goals this season, limped off during City's 6-3 thrashing of Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League last weekend.

Pellegrini had previously said he expected the player to be out for at least a month, but back for the Champions League tie.

But if he is to be sidelined for closer to two months there may not be time for him to recover match fitness to face Barcelona.

Pellegrini, speaking after his side's Capital One Cup quarter-final win at Leicester, said: "I am not a doctor. It is very difficult.

"The doctor has said he has at least one month or eight weeks. We will see.

"I don't how many weeks but it will be at least one month. It is very difficult to know at this moment how many weeks it can be."

It therefore seems certain that Aguero will miss the Christmas programme, which includes a home clash with Liverpool in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

He could also be doubtful for both legs of City's Capital One Cup semi-final in January, a month that also includes Premier League games against Newcastle and Tottenham.

In addition, City also host title rivals Chelsea in the first week of February - another crucial game he could miss.

UEFA Champions League :Round of 16 draw:

Australia reclaim the Ashes

Australia reclaimed the Ashes by dismissing England's last five batsmen after lunch on Tuesday for a 150-run victory in the third test to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.Just three months after England wrapped up a third successive Ashes series triumph by a similarly dominant 3-0 margin back home, Australia wrested back the tiny urn they last held in August 2009.

Ben Stokes made the Australians sweat through the first session on the fifth and final day of the match with his maiden test hundred - England's first of the series - as the tourists chased their improbable victory target of 504.

Once the 22-year-old lefthander was dismissed for 120 in the third over after lunch to reduce the tourists to 336 for seven, though, Australia quickly ran through the England tail.

Mitchell Johnson, whose fiery spells of pace bowling had turned the first two tests, finished with four for 78 after dismissing James Anderson to end England's innings for 353, sparking wild celebrations from his team mates.

"I feel pretty good," said Australia skipper Michael Clarke.

"What an amazing performance not just throughout this test match but over the course of three test matches. I think we put a lot of work in over a long period of time and we got the Ashes back, So it's a fantastic feeling."

Lefthander Stokes, who made his debut in the second test in Adelaide, showed great concentration and no little courage to help England to their biggest innings score of the series.

England had resumed on 251 for five requiring another 253 runs for an extraordinary victory or more likely needing to bat through the final day to save the test.

The yawning cracks that had opened up on the sunbaked wicket added an extra danger factor for the batsmen, with one Ryan Harris delivery to Stokes jagging off into the slips.

It was Johnson who made the breakthrough when Matt Prior took a swipe at widish delivery and got a nick on it to be caught behind for 26.

Two overs later and Stokes, who had edged his way nervously through the 90s, pulled Johnson to the long-leg for four to reach his hundred, pumping his fist in celebration of an impressive knock.

England made it through to lunch at 332-6 but their task always looked too tough and when Stokes was caught behind off spinner Nathan Lyon the end was in sight.

Graeme Swann (four) and Tim Bresnan (12) went in consecutive overs and there was just one more over of England's innings before Johnson delivered the coup de grace with his 23rd wicket of the series.

"It was pretty hard bowling. The emotions were flying and just trying to keep them in check. It's an unbelievable feeling," said Johnson.

"I came back from injury and I had a lot of doubters I knew I did all the hard work and I had the opportunity and I took it with both hands. This team we have got here has moulded well as a unit. Everyone has done so well and we all deserve it.

"It means a lot to finally win the Ashes after being part of a couple we lost, so it was very special."

Australia won the first test in Brisbane by 381 runs and the second in Adelaide by 218 runs and will now be targeting a 5-0 sweep in the final two tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

European football Roundup: Barca, Atletico stay ahead; Arsenal lead

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid continued to set the pace in La Liga as Real Madrid lost ground at the top with a draw at Osasuna.

Arsenal's Premier League lead was cut to two points following their 6-3 loss at Manchester City and Liverpool climbed to second with a 5-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur.

Juventus moved six points clear at the top of Serie A with a 4-0 victory over Sassuolo and Napoli kept alive their hopes of a first title since 1990 with a 4-2 win over 10-man Inter Milan.

SPAIN

Diego Costa scored twice as Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 to maintain their winning home run this season and keep pace with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Atletico are level on 43 points with Barcelona, who beat Villarreal 2-1 on Saturday thanks to two goals by Brazilian Neymar, as Real Madrid lost further ground following a 2-2 draw at Osasuna and now sit five points off the pace in third spot.

ENGLAND

Manchester City exposed the first major cracks in Arsenal's title challenge by crushing the Premier League leaders 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium as their attacking talents cut loose in another free-scoring home display.

Arsenal's advantage at the top was cut to two points after Liverpool thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 at White Hart Lane, helped by Luis Suarez's 16th and 17th league goals of the season. Third-placed Chelsea sneaked a 2-1 home win over Crystal Palace.

Man City sit fourth and Manchester United ended a run of four league games without a win as Danny Welbeck scored twice in a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa to lift the champions to eighth.

West Bromwich Albion sacked manager Steve Clarke after a 1-0 defeat at Cardiff left them 16th and just two points above the relegation places.

ITALY

Juventus moved six points clear at the top of Serie A with a 4-0 victory over Sassuolo and Napoli kept alive their hopes of a first title since 1990 with an epic 4-2 win over 10-man Inter Milan.

Juve striker Carlos Tevez struck with simple finishes in the 15th, 45th and 68th minutes to move Antonio Conte's side up to 43 points, six ahead of AS Roma who visit AC Milan on Monday.

Goals from Gonzalo Higuain, Dries Mertens, Blerim Dzemaili and Jose Callejon lifted Napoli to within eight points of the leaders.

GERMANY

Bayern Munich made sure of top spot in the Bundesliga until January after beating Hamburg SV 3-1 to open up a seven-point lead with a game left before the winter break.

Bayern, who are off to the Club World Cup in search of their fifth title of the season, have now gone 41 games without defeat in the league.

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen were stunned 1-0 by lowly Eintracht Frankfurt who notched their first win in 11 games thanks to Marco Russ' 61st-minute header.

Leverkusen are on 37 points, five ahead of third-placed Borussia Dortmund who battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Hoffenheim.

FRANCE

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani scored as Paris St Germain kept their tight grip at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 victory at Stade Rennes.

After the Swede added a 14th league goal to his season tally and his Uruguayan partner netted his 12th, they have scored more between them than 17 teams, with second-placed Monaco the only other side to have collected more than 26.

Thiago Motta also featured on the scoresheet to help PSG move up to 43 points from 18 games, two ahead of Monaco who won 2-0 at Guingamp.

Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez again made up for injured compatriot Radamel Falcao's absence by perfectly setting up both goals. He has now provided seven assists, more than any player in the league this season.

Lille, who defeated Bastia 2-1 at home thanks to a Salomon Kalou double, are third on 39 points ahead of next week's trip to Paris for the last round of matches before the winter break.