NEIL ASHTON IN COSTA DO SAUIPE: England have been handed a tough group at next summer's World Cup finals as they were drawn with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in Group D. It provides Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson with a big headache as he attempts to guide them into the knockout stages at the finals in Brazil.
FA chairman Greg Dyke appeared to suggest England's chances of winning the World Cup could be dead already after making a throat-slitting gesture upon learning of the nightmare draw facing Roy Hodgson's side.
Spain and Holland will play each other in Group B in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup's heated final in South Africa. The final, which was refereed by Howard Webb, saw Spain win 1-0 thanks to Andres Iniesta's extra-time strike. Group B will also have Chile and Australia.
Hover over each group, team, day or stadium in our interactive guide to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil
Check out when and where each team will be playing throughout the group and knockout stages when football returns to the beautiful game's spiritual home.
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has openly criticised his manager David Moyes' preference to name team line-ups at the last minute. With United currently sitting 12 points adrift in ninth place in the Premier League, Moyes is under growing pressure to turn his club's season around.
Manaus, with its rainforest and 99 per cent humidity, is 1,773 miles from Rio de Janeiro, and it is where England will be open their World Cup campaign.
JONATHAN McEVOY: Lewis Hamilton's father told a court on Friday he was the middle man in an intricate web of deception over a £4.6million deal.
Jose Mourinho has dismissed suggestions that United are out of the title race and insisted that championship credentials should not be judged now.
Wesley Sneijder's long-rumoured transfer to Manchester United may be forced through by the Dutchman, Real Madrid are targeting an English solution at right-back while Inter Milan are eyeing Manchester City for a transfer raid.
Darren Barker believes he has grown into a wise enough man this Christmas to lift the curse on British fighters contesting world titles in Germany.
Ahead of another Barclays Premier League weekend, Sportsmail brings you the latest squad news and stats on every top flight fixture as it breaks.
Shinji Kagawa complained of breathing difficulties hours after his appearance in the champions' defeat to Everton at Old Trafford.
Under-fire Manchester United boss David Moyes has hinted that he could go shopping in the January transfer window.
RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: What would the table look like if the loan system was not in play? Sportsmail has undertaken a study that goes some way to calculating the answer.
Abbey Clancy swapped the ballroom for the Britannia on Thursday as the Strictly Come Dancing star showed off her latest moves ahead of this weekend's show.
There will be a minute's applause in tribute to Nelson Mandela ahead of all of this weekend's Premier League fixtures, Sportsmail understands.
Monaco are interested in bringing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra back to the club next summer. Evra is in his eighth year at Old Trafford.
JONATHAN McEVOY: Lewis Hamilton's father was accused of using a 'velvet glove' and an 'iron fist' in his attempts to force Paul di Resta to sign a contract.
CHIEF SPORTS WRITER IN ADELAIDE: There is a programme on Australian television network ABC called Gruen Planet. In one segment, two PR companies are given the challenge of creating a commercial for an unsellable product. In one episode the dud was the Australian cricket team. That show was broadcast on October 2, 2013.
PAUL NEWMAN IN ADELAIDE: When Alastair Cook was beaten all ends up by the 90mph-plus pace of Mitchell Johnson after Australia had racked up a massive 570 for nine declared here in Adelaide, the superiority of Michael Clarke's side in this series on only its sixth day looked ominously close to complete.
England debutant Ben Stokes was involved in the first real flashpoint of this second Ashes Test as he had a heated argument with Australia's Brad Haddin. The Aussie wicketkeeper made a comment to Stokes after the bowler had Haddin caught behind - only for the delivery to be called a no-ball.
That was just a clumsy day, really, from England, a bit like the old days in that when they were down and up against it things just didn’t go their way.
David 'Bumble' Lloyd talks about Michael Clarke's batting, Ben Stokes' clash with Brad Haddin and how Australia have all the firepower in this Ashes series.
Sportsmail's reporters are asked who they think will go all the way to lift the trophy on July 13.
Jose Mourinho has admitted he doesn't have much family time around the holidays - but he tries to make it Christmas every day.
Norwich City and Crystal Palace are getting away with more fouls without yellow cards than any other teams in the Premier League.
Steve Clarke sleeps easy at the moment. But he expects to become more restless at night if West Bromwich Albion's form does not improve.
As the North East was battered by 100 mile an hour winds on Thursday, Newcastle United players were subjected to a horror landing at the city's airport.
Edin Dzeko and Fernandinho will be keeping a close eye on the World Cup draw as they count down to Brazil. But will their Manchester City colleague Jack Rodwell be joining them next summer? He makes a case with his silky skills, displayed in our exclusive Football Freestyle.
Wilfried Zaha has made the extraordinary step of taking to Twitter to deny that he has ever dated the daughter of Manchester United manager David Moyes.
A threatened fan revolt has forced Sheffield Wednesday to abandon their plan to appoint Neil Warnock as manager.
Manchester United manager David Moyes appeared to make a mistake when he said that his side did not need Mesut Ozil when he was available.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez will dip into the transfer market next month to provide cover for striker Arouna Kone and midfielder Darron Gibson.
They say sport and politics should never mix, but they have seldom been entwined so tightly and with such evident affection as they were on a sunny day in Johannesburg on June 24, 1995, when Nelson Mandela presented the Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar.
Hover over each group, team, day or stadium in our fantastic interactive guide to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil
Hover over each group, team, day or stadium
NEIL ASHTON: Blood, sweat and no fears
Roy Hodgson was bursting with passion. He looked, sounded and felt every inch like an Englishman abroad
JEFF POWELL ON FRIDAY: England shouldn't care who are drawn in their group
This once proud football country should not just settle for second best
Never mind the Premier League title... it's the top four or bust
MATT BARLOW: Unease will have eaten a little deeper into the number crunchers at Old Trafford
Lovren is always in top gear for Saints... just ask Modric and Ribery
Dejan Lovren doesn't play to the stereotype of the traditional Premier League footballer
JENSON BUTTON: McLaren will take the fight to Vettel... and why I had more fun with Rubens than Hamilton
McLaren star answers YOUR questions
THE BETTING SLIP: Back Magpies to steal points at United... and will Hazard score first?
Saturday and Sunday have enough scope for you to beat the bookies
What the back pages say: Hodgson backs England ahead of World Cup draw
Read the headlines from the national newspapers on Friday, December 6
WORLD OF RUGBY: Coach Lancaster far from merry as England injury epidemic grows
With every passing week comes another injury setback for England
Tweeds and brogues on the beach
England arrived at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil as the 'kings of football', the founders of the game in their tweed trousers
FANTASY FRIDAY: The age old debate rears its head once again... but do the stats favour Lampard or Gerrard?
RIK SHARMA considers the game's key issues
MARTIN SAMUEL - THE DEBATE: An anti-Chelsea or Everton agenda? Stop yanking my chain!
This week's topic was the loan system after Romelu Lukaku's goals
TACKLE KEOWN LIVE: If Suarez had signed for Arsenal, the title would be theirs by Christmas
Martin Keown has his say on the Premier League champions
HALL OF FAME No 4. Muhammad Ali: The greatest in and out of the ring
JEFF POWELL admires one of the 20th century's most charismatic figures
Team-by-team guide to the 32 nations gunning for glory at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil
WORLD CUP KIT SPECIAL: All the strips your country will be wearing at Brazil 2014
Sportsmail gives its assessment on each of the World Cup kits
DAVID LUIZ EXCLUSIVE: You English don't believe - but you need to dream. Go to Brazil and expect to WIN
David Luiz.... It can be England's time
EXCLUSIVE: Mike Hussey speaks to Nasser Hussain
Former England skipper met him in Adelaide to discuss his career and this summer's Ashes
NASSER HUSSAIN: Facing Mitchell is all about courage ... strap on a chest guard and take a few blows!
England have to keep out of the way of the ball
MARTIN GRAY: We started the season with one player, but we're now the Manchester United of non-league
Gray looks back on that incredible first season
MARTIN SAMUEL: Forget calls for a truce, England are taking on a nation of bronzed Begbies... So Cook's men must turn up ready for a scrap
Golden Years: It's a dog's life - Our canine cousins have often been a friend to football's finest (and they've often disturbed proceedings too)
England captain Cook insists batsmen must deliver or wave GOODBYE to the Ashes
PAUL NEWMAN IN ADELAIDE: This is it. England must hit back
Odd Man Out XI: Moyes, Savage and Merson make the line-up but who's a misfit?
Can you guess what links this XI of past and present footballers?
JEFF POWELL: Barker knows little can be left to chance in first world title defence away to Sturm... and Froch remains unaffected by Groves fight
THE TOP SPIN: England can still rewrite the script... 3-0 in the summer flattered them but they are not as hapless as Gabbattoir slaughter suggests
Tom Daley in pictures: Sportsmail photographer Andy Hooper's favourite snaps of the diving star
The diving star has won the hearts of the nation
Read RALPH ELLIS' ultimate team-by-team guide to the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
Sportsmail looks at the 12 venues in Brazil.
With many countries releasing their strips in the run up to the World Cup, Sportsmail gives its assessment on each team's kits which you will see in Brazil.
CRAIG HOPE explains the 10 reasons why next summer's tournament in Brazil promise to be the best World Cup finals yet.
Follow every ball pulled out the hat as well as all the build-up with Sportsmail as the World Cup finals draw commences at 4pm.
LAWRENCE BOOTH IN ADELAIDE: It took only a couple of deliveries to put England’s task in perspective. The optimistic view was that a flat pitch would surely condemn this second Test to a draw. But then came Mitchell Johnson. Immediately, he was into the 90mphs. England were suddenly involved in a different game.
MARTIN SAMUEL IN ADELAIDE: Will the real Cricket Australia please stand up? Are they the over-sensitive ninnies who last week sacked a stadium announcer in Alice Springs for now what appears to be a complete misunderstanding; or are they the crass giggling idiots who opened the second Test in Adelaide by posting an image that was at best insensitive to England spinner Monty Panesar and, at worst, plain racist and insulting to the Asian community?
Mike Hussey, Australia's Mr Cricket, has been sorely missed since he retired in January.
Australia dominated the second day at the Adelaide Oval with their first innings total of 570-9. England lost Alastair Cook early on and now face an uphill task.
Brad Haddin spoke with awe about Mitchell Johnson after Australia's fastest bowler skittled England captain Alastair Cook for just three.
PAUL NEWMAN IN ADELAIDE: England scrapped their way to a position of parity on a first day of the crucial second Test full of attritional cricket.
Lawrence Booth with the best and the worst action from the second day of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.
LAWRENCE BOOTH IN ADELAIDE: Seven years ago in Adelaide, Ashley Giles dropped Ricky Ponting at deep backward square leg.
Graeme Swann spoke of England's frustration after three dropped catches cost them the chance to take control on the opening day of the second Test.
Manchester United manager David Moyes will be hoping to ease the pressure by returning to winning ways against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
Welcome to Sportsmail's weekly Fantasy Football column which will try to help you get the edge on your friends, family and Jamie Redknapp. RIK SHARMA considers the key issues in the game.
Arsenal are suing a corporate box holder at the Emirates Stadium for £375,000 after an alleged bust up over unsliced bread.
Newcastle have received an early Christmas present after Alan Pardew and Tim Krul won the montly awards. After a brilliant November - in which they won all four league matches - they are now sitting seventh in the Barclays Premier League.
Southampton's troubles have been compounded after powerhouse midfielder Victor Wanyama was ruled out for four to six weeks.
Phil Jagielka has backed David Moyes to succeed and claimed Manchester United's summer of bungled transfer deals had made life hard.
Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Luis Suarez was brought back into line last summer without assurances about an exit strategy.
Wigan hope to appoint Uwe Rosler on Friday after being given permission to talk to the Brentford manager.
Hatem Ben Arfa has been banned from driving after he twice failed to pass on information about someone caught speeding in his car.
SFA performance director Mark Wotte believes it would be 'ridiculous' for Ryan Gauld to leave Dundee United for one of the world's leading clubs.
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SAM CUNNINGHAM: Southampton's Dejan Lovren doesn't play to type. The Croatian centre back runs his own fashion label 'Russell Brown' - and it's already attracted some big-name endorsements.
Saturday and Sunday still have some tasty clashes, and enough scope for you to beat the bookies, or gain back anything you lost on the midweek action.
Edinson Cavani has suggested that Luis Suarez is better than Gareth Bale by claiming he would justifiably command a world-record transfer fee.
West Ham players featured in the club's 'advent calendar', revealing their Christmas memories.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to hand England a major boost by stepping up his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury next week.
Two footballers from Whitehawk FC, a Conference South team in Brighton, have been charged over match-fixing allegations, the National Crime Agency said.
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand will be heading to the World Cup as part of the BBC's punditry team next summer, as revealed by Charles Sale.
The son of Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has been appointed a non-executive director at the Barclays Premier League leaders.
Tony Pulis wants to recruit trusted lieutenants David Kemp and Gerry Francis to the Crystal Palace back-room staff - without sacking any current employees.
Hull owner Assem Allam invested a further £24million of his personal fortune into the club on their way to promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
Sportsmail's brand new Hall of Fame - celebrating the greatest sporting champions in history - continues this week as JEFF POWELL takes a look at one of the most charismatic figures of the 20th century.
Jenson Button paid a 'Secret Santa' visit to his hometown of Frome, where he turned on the Christmas lights, raced his McLaren around the streets and answered YOUR questions on everything from Lewis Hamilton to Audrey Hepburn.
Christine Ohuruogu has been named Sportswoman of the Year and Becky James has won Young Sportswoman of the Year at the 26th Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards.
England's clubs will be missing from next season's Heineken Cup after confirming that they will not play in any competition run by European Rugby Cup.
Jean Todt, who was elected to a second four-year term as president of F1's ruling body, criticised rival David Ward for his 'irresponsible attack'.
The actions of Gerard Butler have been branded an 'outrageous abuse of horses welfare' by one of the country's leading animal welfare organisations.
Timmy Murphy has been banned for nine days after being found guilty of violent and improper conduct for instigating a fight with Dominic Elsworth.
Richard Hibbard will join Gloucester next summer, to lead a fresh exodus of Wales players heading across the border, as well as across the Channel.
Simon Dyson has been given a two-month ban from the European Tour, suspended for 18 months, following his disqualification in October.
The once-glittering training career of Gerard Butler is in tatters after he was banned for five years and accused of an 'appalling breach of duty'.
Sprinter Sacre misses the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown. Tests on the best chaser in training indicated that he may be suffering from an infection.
The naked numbers make uncomfortable reading for David Moyes, while on the pitch his side's frailties are being laid brutally bare. Beaten 1-0 by former club Everton with Manchester United having slumped to ninth the table, the Scot is under mounting pressure at Old Trafford. The shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson is a pretty lonely and chilly place to reside right now as a winter of discontent looms in M16.
In his debut Footballers' Football Column Lewington talks about his dad's potential for problems in Brazil, why neither newly-formed Dons club deserve to claim the 1988 FA Cup and why having a manager as a parent isn't actually as stressful as you'd imagine.
Following Manchester United's crushing defeat by Everton - David Moyes' fourth this season - Martin Keown has his say on the champions' plight.
David Moyes could well be wishing he'd missed out on the signature of Bryan Oviedo. Man United rivalled Everton for the Costa Rican in 2012.
Just 12 months ago, think of any adverse adjective you like to conjure the notion of cowardice and Samir Nasri was the subject of it.
The latest installment of Premier League action had it all - breathtaking strikes, end-to-end football and a staggering 32 goals in just nine matches.
MARTIN SAMUEL: The corrupting force of the loan system is always with us, but it takes a plain speaker to put it inadvertently into perspective.
Every week we'll name an XI of past and present footballers for you to guess what links them all. But there's a twist - one player will always be the odd man out.
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