OLIVER HOLT: Kevin Pietersen deserves sympathy for the way he was misled but, out of the shambles of English cricket, Andrew Strauss has provided a glimpse of authority and vision.

When Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013 to begin a second spell at the club, he was reunited with some of his old players. One of whom was John Terry, a player he feared was in decline.

ROB SHEPHERD'S FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Manchester United will battle Arsenal for Petr Cech if David de Gea turns down the offer of a new contract and signs for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has defended under-fire Gareth Bale, saying the Welshman had 'suffered when the team has played badly', but had improved his link-up play in a difficult season.

Steven Gerrard is 'devastated' knowing he won't play in front of Liverpool fans at Anfield again - but backed 'fantastic manager' Brendan Rodgers to take the club forward.

Steven Gerrard has had plenty of enjoyable games at Anfield over the years. Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Crystal Palace was not one of them. The 34-year-old Liverpool captain will leave the club this summer.

Kolo Toure has avoided a driving ban after his lawyers argued he was too famous to take public transport and fans would mob him - and even possibly push him under a train.

Jamie Carragher says he 'would not have a medal collection' if it wasn't for Steven Gerrard, who is making his final Liverpool appearance at Anfield against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Mario Balotelli penned an open letter to outgoing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard as footballers past and present used social media to pay their tributes to the former England skipper.

Having worked virtually non-stop for 12 months due to the World Cup, Louis van Gaal has already booked his holiday for May 25, 24 hours after Manchester United's season ends.

Arsene Wenger cannot imagine life after football and admits that he struggles to comprehend how his former great rival, Sir Alex Ferguson, fills him time since quitting the job in 2013.

JOE BERNSTEIN: England have not ruled out naming Luke Shaw in their squad for next month's European U21 Championship even though Louis van Gaal insists he should be rested.

Wolves have suspended keeper Aaron McCarey after he failed a drugs test. The 23-year-old has been suspended until an investigation has been concluded.

RIATH AL-SAMARRAI AT WHITE HART LANE: A week in which Hull lost Jake Livermore to a cocaine suspension closed with a defeat against Tottenham that was absolutely galling for manager Steve Bruce.

JACK GAUGHAN AT UPTON PARK: If this is to be Sam Allardyce's final game in charge at Upton Park, he won't be overly enamored with what those here will remember it for after Everton's winner.

NICK HARRIS AT THE STADIUM OF LIGHT: Leicester guaranteed their safety by taking the priceless point they needed at the Stadium of Light but their hosts Sunderland must wait.

MATT BARLOW AT LOFTUS ROAD: Newcastle must face the prospect of Big Sam's revenge on an anxious final day after somehow allowing Queen's Park Rangers to win their first home game of the year.

Queens Park Rangers will play in the Championship next season - having avoided a theoretical relegation to the Conference... but the good news might not come without a price.

Steve Bruce has told Jake Livermore he has 'let himself down' and will always be tarnished by his positive test for cocaine. Hull are also on the verge of relegation after a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.

Tom Cleverley is in line for an England comeback after his recent upturn in form, with Roy Hodgson naming his next England squad on Thursday for the Republic of Ireland and Slovenia.

Striker Danny Ings has said he 'can't thank Burnley enough' in what looked suspiciously like a farewell interview in the club's match programme for their match against Stoke City on Saturday.

KIERAN GILL - THE NUMBERS GAME: Luis Enrique has Barcelona working like a different animal. They look far from the team that were struggling in early January, 2015.

GRAHAM HUNTER: Xavi watched in horror as Barcelona squandered La Liga in the final game. He was blamed for Spain's World Cup exit. He was heading for New York City. But then the phone rang...

Gareth Bale would be assured legendary status if he played anywhere else. He should be guaranteed a lifetime of goodwill. He has found in the last 12 months, though, that life with Real Madrid isn't like that.

Memphis Depay will play the final match of his PSV Eindhoven career against ADO Den Haag on Sunday before completing his £25million move to Manchester United.

Leicester will conduct internal investigations into Manu Tuilagi's convictions for assault and criminal damage, before deciding what disciplinary action to take against their England centre.

Rugby league convert Sam Burgess could be the man to benefit from Manu Tuilagi's high-profile axing from the World Cup. Burgess, 26, is expected to be named in England's preliminary 50-man squad

EXCLUSIVE: There has been so much going on in the build-up to this series it really feels as if it's time for England's players to stand up and be counted out on the field.

Adam Lyth will become England's 666th Test cricketer when he makes his debut against New Zealand and it has been confirmed he will indeed wear the 'Number of the Beast' on his kit at Lord's.

MIKE DICKSON: For years Rafael Nadal has gone into the French Open downplaying his chances, striking a pessimistic tone in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on himself.

The fight to survive in the Barclays Premier League will go to a final-day nail-biter for Hull and Newcastle, who both lost in London. And Sunderland are not quite safe either...

Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of Manchester United's showdown with Arsenal on Sunday after failing to recover from a dead leg.

Manchester City are to loan more young players to other English clubs rather than sending them abroad to continue their football education.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright revealed that he was offered drugs when playing in London, and has warned young players to put people in their place should they be offered drugs.

Stephane Sessegnon took a £400 taxi back to the Midlands from Newcastle after a falling out with Tony Pulis, and his future at West Brom is now in doubt.

EXCLUSIVE: Outgoing Brentford boss Mark Warburton has been sounded out about the possibility of taking over as Rangers manager next season

Chelsea are furious with a member of the FA's head injuries panel as their strained relationship with English football's governing body reached a new low.

Wilfried Bony admits he will be a sitting duck for the Swansea boo-boys on his return to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday, but has vowed to make a success of his £28million move to Manchester City.

CHRIS FOY: Leicester temporarily diverted attention from the Manu Tuilagi bombshell as they reached the Aviva Premiership play-offs for an 11th successive season by defeating fierce local rivals Northampton.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic played more solidly than he had all week in a 6-4, 6-4 win over seventh-seeded David Ferrer on Saturday to reach the Italian Open final.

Justin Gatlin sent a message to Usain Bolt on Friday - both with his legs and his mouth. Gatlin lived up to the pre-season hype by winning the 100m in a world-leading 9.74 seconds in Doha.

Following the ferry jumping fiasco at the last World Cup and his ban for punching Chris Ashton, this is the third high-profile incident that Manu Tuilagi has become involved in.

So the end appears to be approaching for Sam Allardyce at West Ham. David Moyes appears to hold strong claims to replace him, but would that be right for both parties?

Four years ago Tottenham were in the Champions League quarter finals. Now they look miles off the top four. Their best players this season have been the homegrown lads.