Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow have caused controversy by posting a racially insensitive tweet from their warm weather training camp.

A video uploaded to the club's Twitter page that appeared to show Pedro Rocha, Fernando and Luiz Adriano performing stretching exercises in Dubai was captioned: "See how chocolate melts in the sun".

Rocha, Fernando and Luiz Adriano are all black.

Goal

New Barcelona signing Yerry Mina got goosebumps when he encountered "the best in the world" Lionel Messi for the first time since joining the club.

The Catalan giants announced an €11.8 million deal to bring Mina from Palmeiras on Thursday, the Colombia international putting pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year contract.

The 23-year-old is pleased to join a club possessing top-tier talent, detailing the impact his first meeting with Messi and Luis Suarez had on him.

Goal

Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City to underline their intention to make history this season when the runaway Premier League leaders travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

Guardiola's side have turned the title race into a lengthy coronation party after powering 15 points clear of second placed Manchester United and 18 ahead of fourth placed Liverpool.

Barring an epic collapse, City will spend the rest of the season focused on the historic implications of their remarkable campaign.

If unbeaten City can leave Anfield unscathed, they will have only 15 more matches in which to avoid defeat as they aim to emulate the achievements of Arsenal in 2003-04 and Preston in 1888-89, who both went an entire top-flight season without losing.

"Of course if you want to achieve something that's good and win titles you have to win these kind of games," Guardiola said.

"This season at Stamford Bridge we were able to do that but still we have to go to Anfield, to Emirates and against Tottenham.

"We still have tough teams away, there is still a lot of things to do. For us it's a real test, going to Anfield, one of the most prestigious stadiums and teams in the world so we'll try to put on a good performance, it's a big game for us.

"Liverpool is such an important game, to realise again if we are able to do big things in this season, in important stages, in the Champions League."

Becoming England's third top-flight "invincibles" isn't the only milestone fuelling City's charge.

There have only been five longer unbeaten streaks in the top flight than City's current run of 30 matches.

Arsenal's 49 games in 2003-2004 is currently top, followed by Nottingham Forest's 42 in 1977-1978, Chelsea with 40 in 2004-2005, Leeds's 34 in 1968-1969 and Liverpool's 31 in 1987-1988.

City, still in the hunt for four trophies this term, could also become the first team to win a top-flight match at Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in the same season since Wimbledon in 1986-87.

But to do that City must end their wretched run at Anfield, where they are without a win since 2003, a run of 16 matches in all competitions.

Asked about City's Anfield curse, Guardiola said: "I don't believe in these kind of things, but of course the last time City won was 15 years ago, so it means a lot in terms of how difficult and complicated it is to play there. But records are always there to be broken."

Since losing to Tottenham on October 22, Liverpool are unbeaten in 17 matches in all competitions and 13 in the league, their best run under Jurgen Klopp.

Their 5-0 thrashing at City earlier in the season was Klopp's heaviest defeat in all competitions as Reds boss, and his joint-heaviest ever managerial loss.

City's visit will provide evidence of whether Liverpool can cope without Philippe Coutinho following the Brazil forward's sale to Barcelona.

While Coutinho's departure brought the curtain down on his role in Liverpool's attacking 'Fab four', Klopp's three remaining big hitters will ensure the Reds pose a major threat to City's unbeaten record.

Crucially for Liverpool's chances of derailing the leaders, Egypt winger Mohamed Salah, who missed the last two matches with a groin problem, is fit and available for selection.

"It's interesting to play against City. They play really good and if you don't respect that, you have a problem," Klopp said.

"But if you are not brave in your game, you will also have a problem. You need to show up."

AFP

Claude Puel has confirmed striker Kelechi Iheanacho will NOT be leaving Leicester City in the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old Nigerian has been the subject of speculation that City were ready to let him gojust months after he moved to the King Power Stadium from Manchester City in a £25million move.

But Puel said Iheanacho is a player that City still think has great potential.

Iheanacho has struggled to make an impact since his arrival, due mainly to the form and fitness of Jamie Vardy this season.

However, when Vardy was injured recently Islam Slimani was preferred ahead of Iheanacho to lead the attack, but Puel believes Iheanacho will improve.

The Nigerian national team manager, Gernot Rohr, has stated he believes both Iheanacho and fellow countryman Ahmed Musa need to find new clubs in January, but Puel said Iheanacho is going nowhere.

“Iheanacho is a young player,” he said. “He signed this season with us and we have to develop him. I hope he can have more game time in the second half of the season.

“We don’t know about what the national trainer said. We will see.

“We have discussions with different players. For example, Iheanacho is a young player, arrived this season and he will stay with us.”

Puel was less committal over the future of Islam Slimani, who has also been the subject of speculation that he could be moved on if City receive a good enough offer.

“It is a good try but I can’t give all the details of individual players to you,” Puel said when asked about Slimani’s future.

“Yes, I talk about Iheanacho because there has been a lot of speculation. He is a young player who arrives in a good team where there is competition and he needs to keep working and improve. He needs time to improve and work.“I cannot talk about details about players. It is important to have a good balance in the team and have a good game time for the players.”

“We will see. Some players want and need some playing time. It is important to get the right balance for the squad, and give players good game time.

“It is a question of respect and keeping them with a good attitude. That is important for Leicester.”

Leicestermercury

The striker, nicknamed 'King Kazu', will begin the 33^rd season of his record-breaking career, which began at Brazilian club, Santos, in 1986.

“I will always play my heart out and continue to grow (as a player),” he told Kyodo news agency.

Miura capped 89 times for his country and his 139 goals place him sixth in the all-time list of top scorers in the J-League’s top division.

The Japanese international began his lengthy professional career at the age of 15 where he travelled to Brazil alone to win a deal with Pele’s old club, Santos.

His time in Brazil proved a success and from there he was elevated to stardom in 1986, later leaving Santos for Palmeiras in the same year.

The forward made his Japan debut in 1990 and helped lead his nation to its first ever World Cup appearance in 1998 by netting 14 goals in qualifying.

However, he was controversially left out of the final squad for France and retired from international football two years later, having scored 55 goals in 89 appearances.

He was top scorer and MVP in the inaugural Japanese J-League season in 1993, beating Gary Lineker and Zico to both awards.

And last year, he became the oldest player to feature in a professional match when he started in Yokohama’s 1-1 draw against V-Varen Nagasaki. He has since made 200 appearances for the club.

Standard 

American tennis star, Serena Williams, has revealed she doesn’t want her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. to play tennis when she grows up.

The star player said her daughter will not have a normal life if she follows her footsteps.

Recall that the mother of one withdrew from the year’s opening Grand Slam, which will be played as from Jan. 15 to Jan. 28 because she needed more time to be ready to defend her title after giving birth to her first child in September.

Speaking to Vogue magazine, Serena said, “I would hate her to have to deal with comparisons or expectations. It’s so much work, and I’ve given up so much. I don’t regret it, but it’s like Sliding Doors: Go through a different door and lead a different life.

” I’d like her to have a normal life. I didn’t have that.

“I think sometimes women limit themselves. I’m not sure why we think that way, but I know that we’re sometimes taught to not dream as big as men, not to believe we can be a president or a CEO, when in the same household, a male child is told he can be anything he wants.

” I’m so glad I had a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no limits.”

Liverpool have confirmed the £142m sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

The Brazilian will become the third most expensive player in history after the Reds agreed a deal which will net them £105m up front, with a further £37m in performance-related add-ons.

Coutinho has flown to Spain to complete the transfer, having been given permission to miss Liverpool's warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

A statement on the Reds' official website read: "Liverpool FC can confirm Philippe Coutinho will be leaving the club after a transfer agreement was reached with FC Barcelona, subject to medical and agreement of personal terms.

"The player now has permission to complete the usual formalities to conclude the transfer immediately."

The 25-year-old has missed the last two games with a sore thigh, but negotiations between the Reds and Barcelona have progressed swiftly with a deal now finalised. Coutinho will attend Barcelona's game with Levante on Sunday, and could make his debut for his new club on Thursday in the Copa del Rey against Celta Vigo.

Barcelona were keen to land the midfielder in the summer, only for Liverpool to refuse to sell despite two formal offers.

But with Coutinho's determination to leave remaining, the decision has been taken to allow him his dream switch, rather than waiting until the end of the season.

Liverpool made efforts to convince the former Inter Milan star to stay at Anfield until the summer, but were unable to do so.

Now, the question is how Jurgen Klopp and the club's recruitment staff go about reinvesting the money.

The Reds are in the middle of a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, seeing off neighbours Everton in the FA Cup on Friday night, but losing Coutinho, who has scored 12 goals this season, is a huge blow to a side competing on three fronts.

It also continues the worrying trend of top talent leaving Liverpool in their peak years. Going back to 2004, the Reds have lost Michael Owen, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, with Coutinho the latest star added to that list.

Liverpoolecho

Late goals by in-form Jesse Lingard and fit-again striker Romelu Lukaku helped Manchester United to reach the FA Cup fourth round as they ground out a 2-0 home win over Championship (second-tier) side Derby County on Friday.

The visitors looked likely to force a replay before Lingard struck with a first-time shot in the 84th minute for his fourth goal in as many games after a fine brace in a 2-2 Premier League draw with Burnley and another in a 2-0 win over Everton.

Lukaku, who returned from a head injury and came on as a halftime substitute for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, broke away and powered his shot past goalkeeper Scott Carson at the death as Derby threw men forward in search of an equalizer.

The outcome pleased United manager Jose Mourinho, who praised Lingard and Carson after he produced a barrage of superb saves.

“It was a great shot by Jesse Lingard in the top corner, he’s in a moment of confidence where things go well for him,” Mourinho told the BBC.

”He’s a good professional and a fantastic kid in the dressing room.

“I was feeling that we were close to scoring and we never stopped trying. But when you get past 80 minutes and the goal hasn’t come, you fear the second match. But the team kept trying so I knew the goal could arrive.”

United had missed a string of chances as Lingard hit the post with a fierce arrowed shot several minutes before he broke the deadlock and Marcus Rashford also found the woodwork with a glancing header in the opening half.

Carson kept out an array of stinging long range efforts, including three from Paul Pogba as United struggled to find a way through a resolute and well-organized visiting defense.

Reuters

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he has been invited to former footballer George Weah's inauguration as Liberia's president.

But Wenger, who signed Weah when he was Monaco coach in 1988, expects to be too busy to make the trip from London for the Jan. 22 ceremony.

Weah, a former FIFA World Player of the Year, was elected president last week in Liberia's first democratic transfer of power in more than 70 years.

Wenger says "it's down to the fact that one thing that was common in George's attitude is being strong mentally, absolutely unbelievably convinced that he has a mission."

Wenger recalled Weah "crying when war was on in Liberia," and added "this guy is an example for everybody who plays football."

AP