BOSNIA 2-0 WALES FROM LAURIE WHITWELL AT THE STADION BILINO POLJE: So it transpires the most meaningful action as far as Wales were concerned was taking place in Jerusalem. That Cyprus pulled off a shock win in the Israeli capital meant the 18 points collected already by Chris Coleman's team will prove sufficient to ending the long wait.
ENGLAND 60-3 URUGUAY FROM SAM PETERS AT MANCHESTER CITY STADIUM: As far as no-win games go, this was the ultimate. The score line said England won, but hope had long since been lost. Stuart Lancaster insisted this week the last impression his England players left would be the one they will be remembered for. If only. This game will be forgotten in a heartbeat.
Former Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson has said he is 'worried' about Jurgen Klopp's appointment as Liverpool's new manager because of the German tactician's qualities.
JONATHAN MCEVOY AT ST JAMES' PARK: Scotland are through, but that tells you nothing. This was an afternoon of palpitations, dash and daring in Newcastle.
MATT MORLIDGE IN SOCHI: Nico Rosberg has sent a title warning to Lewis Hamilton after finishing fastest in qualifying at the Russian Grand Prix on Saturday.
MIKE KEEGAN AT OLD TRAFFORD: Leeds Rhinos claimed rugby league's domestic treble and farewell legends in style with a thrilling win over Wigan at on Saturday night.
CRAIG HOPE: Sam Allardyce has never been relegated from the Premier League, and he'll waste no time in reminding you so. His reputation as a specialist saviour is why he'll start work on Monday.
OLIVER HOLT AT TWICKENHAM: They came to Twickenham to play England a fortnight ago and recorded one of the most memorable victories in their proud rugby history but, in a visceral, unforgiving, unyielding clash against Australia, Wales could not repeat the magic. The match turned on a hypnotic, inspiring 10-minute spell deep into the second half when Australia were temporarily reduced to 13 men and Wales pounded into their defence with wave after wave of attacks. Twickenham turned into the Millennium Stadium in those moments as the Welsh fans roared their team on. The noise was deafening and it seemed certain that the defensive line would be breached. But Australia would not yield.
Australia were down to 13 men for seven second-half minutes but held out to record an 11th successive victory over Wales. Sportsmail's Matt Lloyd rated the performances of the players.
AZERBAIJAN 1-3 ITALY: Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian scored with a sublime strike as Italy booked their place at Euro 2016 with a comfortable win over Azerbaijan.
KAZAKHSTAN 1-2 HOLLAND: Holland kept alive their hopes of qualifying for next year's Euros by beating Kazakhstan on Saturday. Georginio Wijnaldum and Wesley Sneijder both netted.
ANDORRA 1-4 BELGIUM: Radja Nainggolan, Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Laurent Depoitre all found the back of the net as Belgium qualified.
DOMINIC KING: So a new word has been put into the lexicon of Merseyside football. On the front of the Liverpool Echo, in thick bold print, there it was: Kloppmania.
Brendan Rodgers may have been sacked less than a week ago, but new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been watching the Reds in action for the last fortnight.
MATT MORLIDGE IN SOCHI: Carlos Sainz insists he is 'fine' and wants to race at the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday despite his high-speed crash in the final practice session. The Spanish driver was airlifted to hospital after the frightening accident, where he lost control of his Toro Rosso at around 200mph heading into turn 13. The 21-year-old slammed into the wall before becoming submerged in the TecPro blocks, even piercing the metal Armco barrier behind them.
Ana Ivanovic missed out on a golden opportunity to reach a first final since January as she was defeated by Timea Bacsinszky in the semi-finals of the China Open. Former world No 1 Ivanovic looked on course to make the championship match in Beijing after taking the first set but Bacsinszky edged a tight second set before going on to comfortably close out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Premier League flop Roberto Soldado has put his underwhelming spell at Tottenham down to former manager Andre Villas-Boas' dismissal in December 2013.
Poland defender Jakub Wawryzniak has backed Robert Lewandowski to prove he is the best striker in the world by ruining the Republic of Ireland's dream of automatic qualification for Euro 2016.
PAUL NEWMAN IN ABU DHABI: England must decide on Sunday whether to give Jos Buttler another chance to rediscover the golden batting that makes him such a gifted performer or drop him.
Andy Murray will return to No 2 in the world rankings above Roger Federer on Monday - despite both players not hitting a ball this past week.
SAMI MOKBEL: England will try to complete a 100 percent Euro 2016 qualification campaign in Lithuania on Monday without five of their top stars.
NEIL ASHTON AT WEMBLEY: There had been fighting talk from Theo Walcott when he claimed that the whole country wanted him to start in his favourite position for England. It was the new Walcott, casting himself in the tough-guy role after years playing second fiddle to Olivier Giroud at Arsenal and pretty much regarded as an afterthought with the national team. Suddenly the guy means business. He is playing his way into the starting line up for England, very much man of the moment again after scoring the opening goal in this functional, ordinary victory over Estonia.
He'd rather have been playing at Wembley on Friday night but injured England midfielder Jack Wilshere found an alternative way to take his mind off his fitness woes. The 23-year-old is currently out of action, after undergoing surgery last month to properly correct a hairline fracture in his left fibula, but that didn't stop him from wining and dining his girlfriend Adriana Michael. The pair were pictured together heading for dinner at Roka restuarant in Mayfair on Friday night.
England beat Estonia 2-0 at Wembley to make it nine wins from nine. Here, MATT BARLOW looks at five things we learned from an uninspiring but successful night.
SAMI MOKBEL: England maintained their unbeaten run in Euro 2016 qualification, cruising to victory against Estonia thanks to goals from Theo Walcott and Raheem Sterling.
Jurgen Klopp-fever is sweeping the nation after the German was named Liverpool's new manager. Sportsmail takes a look at how former players such as John Arne Riise reacted on Twitter.
DOMINIC KING: Jurgen Klopp laid down the law on his first day as Liverpool manager and insisted the only route to glory is by following his way.
Sam Allardyce faces a tough task ahead after taking over the reins at Premier League strugglers Sunderland. Sportsmail look at five pressing issues for the 60-year-old.
Kevin Nolan is ready to join Sunderland's fight against relegation. The 33-year-old wants to return to action after his release from West Ham and Sam Allardyce believes he can lift his dressing room.
New Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has wasted no time in getting down to business in his new role as he watched the club's Under 18 side in action against Stoke City on Saturday morning. Klopp watched his club's young stars at Liverpool's Kirkby ground alongside academy director Alex Inglethorpe and Under 21 chief Michael Beale. The German tactician, who was unveiled as the Reds' new boss on Friday, saw the Under 18 side claim a 1-0 win in what was Liverpool's first game under his reign - albeit a youth match.
JAMIE CARRAGHER: Ask many fans what they best remember about Rafa Benitez and they'll say his famous 'fact' press conference in which he attacked Manchester United. That's the same man who won Liverpool the Champions League in 2005 in the most dramatic circumstances. Benitez and Gerard Houllier - Liverpool's only other foreign manager up until this week - were adored and lauded at Anfield but, outside Liverpool, they were not particularly loved. Jurgen Klopp is different.
Liverpool were not comfortable with the room booked for Jurgen Klopp's grand unveiling on Friday. Too crowded, ceiling too low. It was the best available.
Sir Alex Ferguson has opened up about Rafa Benitez's infamous 'facts' rant, claiming the then Liverpool boss made his life easier by attacking him in a pre-match press conference.
CHARLES SALE: FA chairman Greg Dyke faces a major dilemma on Thursday when UEFA stage their emergency meeting in Nyon to discuss their next move in the FIFA corruption crisis.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic kept Sweden's Euro 2016 hopes alive as he netted in a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein, while Spain and Switzerland were the latest nations to book their place in France.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero admits he expects to be ruled out for a month with a grade two thigh tear to confirm his club's worst fears that he will miss the Manchester derby against United.
SAM CUNNINGHAM: Almost a quarter of the Barclays Premier League season has passed and teams are already starting to be defined by their activity - or lack of - in the summer transfer window. Some clubs have spent heavily, others shrewdly and bargains are emerging as are expensive wastes. Sportsmail has assessed the spending of every single top flight club and rated how successful they have been, their best buy - including loans - and their worst.
Undefeated boxer Kell Brook proved to be Sheffield United's lucky omen on Saturday as he was at Bramall Lane to witness his side's 3-2 win over Rochdale. The current IBF welterweight champion, who was born in Sheffield, exchanged words with Blades manager Nigel Adkins before the League One encounter.
PAUL NEWMAN IN SHARJAH: England will gamble on Moeen Ali making a huge leap from eight to the top of the batting order and become Alastair Cook's new opening partner.
England's leading light Ross Barkley hailed a 'dream' night at Wembley as the Everton favourite looks to 'stamp his authority' on a regular place in Roy Hodgson's side.
The United States maintained their one-point lead over the International team in the Presidents Cup at 9 1/2-8 1/2 after the two sides picked up four points apiece in Incheon on Saturday.
FIFA's presidential election could be delayed following the suspensions of Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini. The vote was set to take place on February 26 next year
Arsene Wenger has criticised Liverpool for sacking Brendan Rodgers and can't understand why they felt the need to wield the axe. He expected his managerial counterpart to be given time.
IAN LADYMAN: Since retiring from full-time cricket in 2009, Andrew Flintoff, now 37, has revealed himself to be a man of intense contradictions. In his latest autobiography - called Second Innings - he addresses this. He talks about Andrew, the man he believes to be the 'real' Flintoff: a jumble, he says, of insecurity and vulnerability. And he talks about Andrew's alter ego 'Freddie', the fast-living, fast-bowling cricketer everybody thinks they know.
Just two days after a six-year-old fan invited Harry Kane round to his house for a kickaround, the Tottenham striker repaid the gesture by bringing him to Wembley Stadium as England beat Estonia.
Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Gotze has been ruled out for up to 12 weeks by the groin injury he sustained in his country's 1-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland on Thursday.
David Ospina's gaffe against Olympiacos and an overzealous goal-line official have changed the role of the additional assistant referee.
Santi Cazorla and Paco Alcacer scored two goals each to help Spain beat Luxembourg 4-0 on Friday and secure a spot for the holders in next year's European Championship.
PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: Player power seems alive and kicking at Real Madrid after Rafa Benitez was pressured into calling Sergio Ramos to explain comments he made about the player after Sunday's Madrid derby draw. Benitez had been asked after the game if any of the mistakes had particularly upset him and he bemoaned Ramos' moment of madness in the first half that saw him give the ball away and then recover only to fly into a tackle in the area and concede a penalty.
STUART FRASER IN BEIJING: The Bolton Arena is set to become the new training centre of Ana Ivanovic after the former world No 1 revealed she is to establish a base in the Manchester area.
New Zealand centurion Ma'a Nonu feared a broken arm had wrecked his bid to join the elite band of All Blacks with 100 caps.
IAN LADYMAN: It's Hot or Not time again as Ian Ladyman reveals what's been making him feel warm and what's been leaving him cold inside.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been banned from driving for six months after he was caught speeding at 110mph, over twice the local legal limit of 50mph near Cobham.
MailOnline Fantasy Football is back... and this year you can pick Euro stars like Ronaldo and Lewandowski to boost your Premier League side
Brook cheers on Sheffield United during victory over Rochdale
Undefeated boxer Kell Brook proved to be Sheffield United's lucky omen on Saturday
Wilshere treats girlfriend to dinner as crocked Arsenal star's injury woes continue
Jack Wilshere would rather have been at Wembley than Mayfair
Akinfenwa bats away 'Beast' tag by insisting he has a 'soft side'
AFC Wimbledon striker Adebayo Akinfenwa believes he is a 'friendly, gentle giant'
Rooney gets golden boot from Sir Bobby
England's all-time top two goalscorers came together to recognise 50-goal Wayne Rooney as leading marksman
Ronaldo released from Portugal squad ... and Real Madrid star is making the most of it!
Cristiano Ronaldo posed with friends having jetted off to Morocco
Kane treats six-year-old who invited him for kickaround
Harry Kane made the young fan's day, inviting him to visit Wembley to watch England's win
'Kloppmania' already gripping Anfield
A new word has been put into the lexicon of Merseyside football. On the front of the Liverpool Echo, there it was...
ANDREW FLINTOFF EXCLUSIVE: Cricket's great showman
City sweat on Silva
Spain beat Luxembourg 4-0 to secure a spot in France, but will the win come at a cost for Manchester City, with David Silva limping off?
Klopp: 'I am the normal one'! New Liverpool manager insists he's nothing special and vows not to let club's history weigh him down
An instant hit at Anfield
Messi still smiling despite personal troubles as he continues injury recovery
Lionel Messi has shared an encouraging picture of his progress
Bosnia, here we come! Wales jet off for Euro 2016 date with destiny
Gareth Bale and his Wales team-mates looked in fine spirits as they flew for big game
Ronaldo enjoys the high life as he poses in front of private jet
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated in style after captaining Portugal to a place at Euro 2016
McIlroy and Frampton savour historic win
Northern Ireland's best moment in 30 years was witnessed by two of its greatest sportsmen (and a new WAG...)
Button: I'm not scared of retiring... McLaren have a bright future
Jenson Button helped celebrate Fernando Alonso's 250th grand prix with head band
'We heard the news today, oh boy!'
Borussia Dortmund's brilliant Twitter account wished their old boss the best at Liverpool with a Beatles-themed tweet
DeGale: Money, money, money is why I'll fight across the pond
James DeGale has revealed the three little words which tempted him to travel to Canada
Les Bleus brothers...
Lassana Diarra made a strong impression for France after five years in exile and later posed with Mamadou Sakho and Blaise Matuidi
Manchester United fan Bolt loses bet with Mexican TV star and is made to wear Arsenal shirt as a forfeit
Usain Bolt was forced to don shirt of rivals
Hamilton continues his jet-setting ways after leaving Paris for Moscow to shoot with a supermodel
Joined Lena Perminova ahead of Russian GP
Messi vows to return stronger as the Barca star uses compression device in hope of speeding up recovery
Suffering from knee ligament damage
Spieth and US Presidents Cup team recreate Zoolander's 'Blue Steel' pose in hilarious photo ahead of opening matches
So hot right now!
Robert Lewandowski lines up for Highland League club Fort William (...but don't worry Bayern Munich fans, it's not your star man!)
41-year-old keeper
De Bruyne, Kompany and Belgium team-mates celebrate country's Red Nose Day
Belgium stars supported charity event
Mayweather gears up for the new NBA season as undefeated champion attends Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
In no mood to retire from the public eye
De Gea shares picture with Alcantara
Thiago Alcantara looks set to add to his five caps after injury and the pair beamed ahead of Luxembourg game
'To, Harry... can you come to my house to play football with me?'
Fan, aged 6, asks Harry Kane to skip England duty and join him for a kickabout instead!
Martial earns praise from Deschamps
Anthony Martial will be hoping to transcend his blistering form at Manchester United to the international stage
Shaw's gets out and about during recovery from broken leg
Luke Shaw continues his recovery from the horrific leg break he suffered on Champions League duty
Neymar gets in on 'Uberboard' act as he thanks Barca star Suarez for his new toy
The Barca and Brazil star seems to be getting over defeat by Sevilla
Rousey bullish ahead of Holm bout
Ronda Rousey geared up for her title defence against Holly Holm with an appearance on 'The Tonight Show'
Former Blackburn defender Givet hits out at French outfit Evian for making him shave his lengthy 'jihadist' beard
Gel Givet quit after just one game
Schweinsteiger and Ozil get snapping as they fly to Ireland for Euro 2016 qualifier
Germany's Premier League pair pose on plane for Twitter pictures
'Power Ranger' Nile shows off extravagant lifestyle with personalised car interior
Controversial Blackpool striker described himself as 'tough skinned'
Tonga show off their basketball skills as they prepare for All Blacks
Shot some hoops in Newcastle ahead of game of a lifetime against champions
Konchesky has fingers in plenty of pies
MATT BARLOW: With 5.5 per cent body fat, he does not look like he ate all the pies, but things are not what they seem
United defender Rojo treats wife to breakfast in bed... but burns the toast
The Argentinean international posed with his wife Eugenia
I was so stressed after losing to Froch but a friend got me help...
GEORGE GROVES reveals all to MATT LAWTON in an EXCLUSIVE interview...
De Gea and Cazorla lead the way for Spain
Sergio Ramos has been ruled out of Euro 2016 qualifiers but Premier League stars were on hand to put on a show
Hamilton crosses paths with Sharapova at Paris Fashion Week during Chanel catwalk
Still living life in the fast lane away from Formula One
From Nottingham Forest mascot to Premier League star... but who is with Bart Williams?
Striker was a mascot for the day
Was it a Beautiful Day? Pique and Shakira attend U2 concert as Barcelona star prepares for Spain duty
Put picture of Instagram to show their enjoyment
Courtois making good progress as goalkeeper steps up knee ligament rehabilitation in swimming pool
Finally, some good news for Chelsea fans
Nasri rules out return to France fold as City star's feud with Deschamps rumbles on
Samir Nasri would not return 'even if his father was appointed manager'
Ecuador coach takes training on a mobility scooter after injury
Gustavo Quinteros given permission to carry out a training session with the vehicle as he recovers
PSG's Trapp celebrates penalty heroics with pop star Rihanna
Rihanna was clearly impressed with the PSG keeper's performance
Bale bags a hat-trick!
Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick at the annual Football Association of Wales awards night, winning three of the big prizes on offer
Inter ace Icardi dumps agent and hires his wife
Mauro Icardi has reportedly fired agent Abian Moreno and handed his business dealings to wife Wanda
Different class! USA keeper Howard travels in comfort while team-mate Rimando heads to LA in economy
Howard and Rimando head for USA duty
Ronaldo hops on jet after derby draw
Cristiano Ronaldo jetted off to link-up with his Portugal team-mates ahead of their two qualifiers this week
Loved-up Wales international Roberts takes break with blonde
Roberts was pictured enjoying his time in London ahead of Wales' clash with Australia 
Hamilton and Sharapova hit Paris for McCartney's show
Hamilton took a seat in the front row at the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week on Monday
Rihanna in Paris to watch Zlatan smash goal record in PSG win
Zlatan Ibrahimovic became PSG's all-time leading scorer with two goals against Marseille
Ramsey poses with Welsh rugby players
Aaron Ramsey's rugby playing countrymen celebrated their progression to the World Cup quarter-finals
Maradona at hand to cheer on Argentina's rugby team in Leicester
Argentine legend Diego Maradona gets behind his team for crucial Tonga clash
Chelsea Ladies win Super League title with 4-0 win over Sunderland as Terry watches on
John Terry watched Fran Kirby score twice to help Chelsea to a maiden title
Mayweather and Bieber kick back as former fighter enjoys retirement... for now
Famous duo enjoy holiday together in the French Polynesia
Wallabies recover from emphatic victory over England with swimming pool session
Israel Folau and Co wind down at London leisure centre
Bolt swaps Lycra for Lederhosen as spring star hits Oktoberfest for a beer and a boogie after Beijing heroics
Usain Bolt showed no signs of slowing down
Over and out! Humiliating exit for Lancaster's men as Prince Harry sees England crash out of the Rugby World Cup
England lost to Australia
NFL fan rally takes over Trafalgar Square ahead of Wembley tie
American football mania took over central London on Saturday with the return of the NFL fan rally
New career? Keane throws first pitch at LA Dodgers game
Robbie Keane tried his hand at baseball as he threw the first pitch at a Dodgers game
Djokovic plays starring role at China Open promotional event
Off the back of his US Open victory, Novak Djokovic was the star guest in Beijing
Heat is on! England players face 45 degrees in training in Dubai
The sight in Dubai was of England's cricketers batting with wet towels around their necks
'Sorry for being a b******,' says record-scorer Ronaldo
Cristiano apologies as Real Madrid stars line up to pay homage to the 500-goal phenomenon
Ali joined by Foreman and Holmes as Sports Illustrated name Sportsman Legacy Award after him
Supported by fellow boxing legends
Williams is the Big Cat on the prowl
He's a man mountain with a mighty mane and is already living up to his billing as the best player to emerge from the draft
JONATHAN MCEVOY AT ST JAMES' PARK: Whatever the scoreline says, this was not a story of All-Black domination from beginning to end. For all of the first-half it was the same misfiring New Zealanders who have struggled for the swagger that earned them the pre-tournament billing of overwhelming favourites. Yes, they did everything they needed against brave but ultimately exhausted Tonga to win Pool C, but it was only in the the second-half that a Newcastle crowd anticipating a cricket score in a football ground finally saw the world champions in clinical, expansive form.
NIK SIMON WORLD CUP DIARY: A 110-year-old New Zealand shirt sold for £180,000 at auction on Friday - a world record for a rugby jersey and nine times its expected price. The shirt was worn by Kiwi captain Dave Gallaher in the 1905 Test match against Wales on the Originals tour.
World Cup quarter-finalists Argentina will conclude their pool campaign against Namibia with inspiration from Diego Maradona driving them on. Maradona watched the Pumas beat Tonga last week, and he has vowed to return if Argentina reach the semi-finals.
Tony Woodcock may have played his last game for New Zealand after hobbling off with a right hamstring injury during the 47-9 win over Tonga at the Rugby World Cup on Friday.
All Blacks coach Steven Hansen has paid tribute to centurion Ma'a Nonu after the centre marked his 100th New Zealand cap with a try as the reigning champions thrashed Tonga 47-9.
NIK SIMON: Since Wales last beat Australia in 2008, Dan Biggar has gone from a recently graduated drama student to a box office No 10 hogging the spotlight on the world stage.
Andrew Trimble has been backed to replace luckless centre Jared Payne in Ireland's World Cup squad. Ulster's Payne was ruled out of Ireland's World Cup campaign with a foot fracture on Saturday.
Stuart Lancaster was left shocked on Friday by reports that former Springboks coach Nick Mallett was contacted earlier this week about replacing him in charge of the England team.
Paul O'Connell insists Ireland have not kept their powder dry at the World Cup in a bid to outwit France in Sunday's crucial World Cup battle.
France boss Philippe Saint-Andre has paired Brice Dulin and Scott Spedding - two full-backs - in his back three purely to counter Ireland's much-vaunted tactical kicking game.
The 2015 Rugby World Cup is underway and the long road to glory and the battle for the Webb Ellis Trophy has begun. Keep up with the latest standings from the pool stages.
With the Rugby World Cup upon us, Sportsmail has produced the ultimate guide to the tournament. Everything you need to know is here, from the fixtures to the ball to the stadiums.
Very rarely is a newly appointed manager wished well by their former employers but new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been sent best wishes by former club Borussia Dortmund. The gregarious German signed a three-year deal, with a salary of more than £6million per season, on Thursday to begin his reign at Anfield. However, Klopp had previously spent seven successful seasons with the Bundesliga outfit, who clearly still hold a fond affection for their previous leader.
Jurgen Klopp believes he has taken on 'the most interesting challenge' in world football as he started his reign as Liverpool manager. In his first interview since signing his three year contract with the option of another 12 months, broadcast on Liverpool's official TV station, the German could not contain his delight about embarking on a new challenge in the Barclays Premier League.
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish believes Jurgen Klopp struck the perfect note when he labelled himself the 'normal one' at his Anfield unveiling. The German spoke on Friday morning.
Jurgen Klopp has made an instant impression at Liverpool by captivating both the media and supporters of the Anfield outfit during his official unveiling.
KIT HOLDEN IN BERLIN: This week has been the week of Jurgen Klopp. Not just on Merseyside, and not just in the British newspapers. In Germany, too, the football world has gone bananas.
Manchester United midfield pair Morgan Schneiderlin and Jesse Lingard put their ball skills to the test as they took part in the Swissquote Red Zone challenge. The French international took on the Red Devils academy graduate in the 'Box of Balls' trial to challenge their decision making ability and speed. Schneiderlin and Lingard had to battle against the clock to decide the best way to release five golden balls from a box of red balls in the quickest way possible.
England's all-time top two goalscorers came together at Wembley on Friday night to recognise 50-goal Wayne Rooney as the nation's leading marksman. Rooney, 29, was handed a commemorative golden boot ahead of kick-off in England's 2-0 European Championship win over Estonia by the man he overtook in the scoring charts, Sir Bobby Charlton.
MATT BARLOW: Diego Costa admits he was overweight and out of shape when he returned for pre-season and that Chelsea's players thought it would be easy to defend their title. Costa spoke out in defence of manager Jose Mourinho on Thursday, claiming the players had been complacent and must shoulder more of the blame for a terrible start to the campaign. 'I'm going to be very honest,' said Costa. 'Five or six weeks ago, I was not on top of my game, at least physically.
Alex McLeish, Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law have rallied behind Gordon Strachan, who they believe should stay on as manager of Scotland despite his side failing to qualify for Euro 2016.
Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata has lavished praise on Ander Herrera for dealing with the pressure of playing for a big club during his first year at the club.
Lionel Messi is a '10' and Cristiano Ronaldo is 'three points lower', according to Manchester City and Argentina striker Sergio Aguero. The 27-year-old spoke with a smile as he joked about the pair.
Arsenal can beat Bayern Munich if they play the way they did against Manchester United, Arsene Wenger has said. They face Bayern twice in 13 days in the Champions League.
Spain forward Pedro believes his move from Barcelona to Chelsea in the close season has helped boost his confidence and make him a happier person after 11 years at his boyhood club.
Manchester United have been dealt another injury blow after Bastian Schweinsteiger was ruled out of Germany's Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland due to a thigh problem.
What better way to celebrate helping his national team to the European Championships than with a huge slap-up lunch? The star's banquet includes fresh fruit, potatoes, egg and Italian meats, as well as juice and water.
Gareth Bale and his Wales team-mates have jetted off to Bosnia as they bid to reach their first major finals since 1958.
Lionel Messi has shared an encouraging picture of his progress on Instagram as the Barcelona star continues his recovery from the knee injury he suffered last month. Messi had scored six goals in 10 appearances for the La Liga giants before sustaining the injury against Las Palmas at the end of September. But Barcelona fans would have been delighted to see the Argentina forward appearing to be in high spirits on Friday.
CHRIS WHEELER: Northern Ireland hero Josh Magennis believes that helping his country qualify for Euro 2016 has finally silenced the doubters who labelled him a 'laughing stock'.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has denied suggestions that he lacks commitment when he links up with the France team declaring he wants to win titles with the national side.
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the SFA for its handling of Thursday's Euro 2016 qualifier between Scotland and Poland at Hampden Park.
CRAIG HOPE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Martin O'Neill laughed at Joachim Low's snipe about Ireland '100th long ball' after Shane Long toppled world champions Germany in Dublin.
Northern Ireland landed in Helsinki on Friday with the guarantee of a place at Euro 2016 and more than a few sore heads, arriving back at the team hotel by 2am Friday morning after a 3-1 win over Greece.
Arsenal centre back Per Mertesacker has challenged his team-mates to continue to produce performances like their impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Second year wide receiver Allen Hurns is on pace to record a 1,000 yard season. Fresh from a career game against the Indianapolis Colts, he has scored a touchdown in his last two appearances as the Jacksonville Jaguars prepare to head south to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first column for Sportsmail, he speaks about his progression from undrafted free agent to the NFL, Blake Bortles' passing ability and beating Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler off the line...
The expectation that Andy Murray will opt to play at the O2 Arena next month in the week before the Davis Cup final is growing as he heads into the final sequence of the tennis season.
Wide receiver Andre Johnson scored twice against his former team as the Indianapolis Colts recorded their 16th consecutive intra-division win with a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night at NRG Stadium.
Despite racking up more yards than any other player in his first 16 NFL games, Odell Beckham Jr has not wowed Antonio Cromartie.'Right now he's a one-year wonder,' the Jets cornerback said.
STUART FRASER IN BEIJING: In a season during which Rafael Nadal has struggled for consistency, he can now look forward to facing Novak Djokovic or David Ferrer.
MATT MORLIDGE IN SOCHI: Jenson Button says he has never been 'scared' of retirement and is confident McLaren will make him a force in Formula One once again next season.
Britain's double Tour de France champion Chris Froome would be forgiven for taking a considerable break from strenuous exercise, but a recent piloting session suggests he has other ideas.
British fans hoping to buy tickets for next month's Davis Cup final against Belgium will have to go into a Wimbledon-style ballot, with less than 3,000 expected to be allocated for travelling supporters.
At the start of this season Matt Fitzpatrick's ambitions were focused around keeping his European Tour card and sneaking into the top 60 in the world rankings.
Racing expert Robin Goodfellow gives his guides to the hottest selections from Saturday's races at York, Chelmsford City, Chepstow, Newmarket and and Hexham.
MARCUS TOWNEND AT NEWMARKET: Minding smashed her way to head of both the 2016 1,000 Guineas and Oaks betting by blowing away rivals in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.
NICK HARRIS: The Premier League is on course to sell overseas TV rights for 2016 to 2019 for more than £3billion, or more than £1billion a year, Sportsmail can reveal. England's top division is the most popular sports league in the world in terms of territories covered and income gained from foreign sales. This eye-watering sum means the Premier League earns more from foreign rights alone each year than any major European rival - Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A or France's Ligue 1 - make from ALL their TV rights annual, domestic and foreign combined
CHARLES SALE: Struggling Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has provided the foreword for a book of the critically-acclaimed new film about Brian Clough's glory days at Nottingham Forest. Mourinho never met Clough, with whom he shares the distinction of winning two European Cups. But the Special One is said to have been a big enough fan of Old Big 'Ead's Forest side, even though the Portuguese was still at school in their 1970s heyday, to provide an informed 2,000-word introduction to top journalist Daniel Taylor's book I Believe In Miracles. The publication accompanies the film that premieres at Forest's City Ground on Sunday.
When the end comes, as it surely will soon, the news will be met with a disconnected shrug. We are immune to it now, this sea of effluent washing up day after day on football's shores.
ROB DRAPER'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE COLUMN: Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo stoles the headlines during the Galactico era but it's Claude Makelele who deserved the credit.
THE DEBATE: Chelsea's abysmal start is one of the great mysteries. Today's debate is on Jose Mourinho and whether he is still the best man for the Chelsea job.
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