Sport

There were plenty of smiles amongst Manchester United players as they made their way to London to take on Crystal Palace, fresh of the back off their impressive win against Tottenham at Old Trafford.Wayne Rooney, Basitan Schweinsteiger and Ashley Young looked to be in high spirits in particular as they made their way to catch a train from Stockport train station, before sharing a joke on the platform with Phil Jones and Michael Carrick.

Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted that he always knew he could become the best player in the world after winning a fourth Ballon d'Or. But the Real Madrid star also paid tribute to his team-mates, emphasising that the individual award 'did not entirely depend on me'. Ronaldo, who posed with Sergio Ramos and a replica of his trophy on Tuesday morning, was back in training soon after as he looks to kick on in the Club World Cup. 

Antonio Conte is convinced Chelsea have what it takes to stay at the top of the Premier League tree as their season kicks into overdrive in the Christmas period. The Italian manager led his players through training on Tuesday ahead of a trip to Sunderland that opens up a spell of four games before the turn of the year. League leaders Chelsea have benefited from a sparse fixture list this season with no European football to contend with and an EFL Cup run already curtailed with a defeat by West Ham.

England arrived in Chennai on Tuesday to a scene of devastation brought by Cyclone Vardah ripping through the city but the show will go on with the final Test on Friday when they attempt to repair the damage to their battered reputations. The ‘Red Rose’ cyclone flattened homes, snapped communication lines and threw into disarray air and road travel. But England were unaffected as the storm had passed by the time they arrived here and landed to discover that the Chepauk Stadium will be fit to stage the fifth Test.

Premier League players are often thought of as out of this world, but now they could also be from a galaxy far, far away. Artist Brian Konnick has reimagined some of world football's biggest stars as characters in Star Wars in the run up to the new film Rogue One. Featuring the likes of Jose Mourinho getting in touch with his dark side, and a stormtrooper Marouane Fellaini, the illustrations - created for ESPN - are sure to delight fans of football and Star Wars alike.

EXCLUSIVE - JACK GAUGHAN: Manchester City’s imposing revamp of the Etihad Stadium will be complete for next season, with Pep Guardiola’s side afforded a new state-of-the-art circular dressing room. The huge project, taking place under the Colin Bell Stand, incorporates a glass players’ tunnel designed for some supporters to see some of the world’s best lining up before matches. City have released striking images of the development, which will see those paying for the privilege able to dine in new executive lounges with a full view of both teams emerging from the dressing rooms.

Lionel Messi welcomed the Afghan boy who became an online hit wearing a homemade plastic-bag version of his shirt on to the pitch in Qatar as Barcelona strolled to victory in a friendly win over Al-Ahli. Six-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi was pictured in a striped blue-and-white plastic bag bearing Messi's name – mimicking his Argentina kit – earlier this year and has now met his idol. He accompanied Ballon d'Or runner-up on to the field in an oversized kit as a mascot on Tuesday, having also received a real, signed version of the shirt he had mocked up on a budget.

After working his way back into Jose Mourinho's plans, Matteo Darmian had another reason to smile after popping the question to Francesca Cormanni on Monday night. The Manchester United defender's girlfriend took to Instagram to reveal her answer, posting a picture of herself sharing a kiss with her long-term partner and the message 'I said yes!' written on her hand. The model, who is also a qualified interior designer, 

Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho is targeting a return to action against Manchester City on New Year's Eve. Coutinho has been sidelined with an ankle injury that he picked up in the 2-0 win over Sunderland last month. He wasn't expected to return to first-team action until next year but his recovery has accelerated and he has penciled in City's trip to Anfield on December 31.

Mr Johnson, 57, who was paid £50,000 hush money by Chelsea, went on the break to Bognor with a friend two years before he fell into the clutches of chief scout Eddie Heath. The former professional footballer turned taxi driver said Mr Gradi, now suspended by the FA over claims he ‘smoothed over ’abuse at Chelsea, 'behaved impeccably' throughout. He said: ': 'I would only be 11 or 12. Dario took me and my best mate for a summer holiday to Wittering, near Bognor Regis. We went for a week. My mum and dad let me go.' He added: 'He was always the perfect gent around me'. Last night Dario Gradi responded to his FA suspension, claiming he has done nothing wrong and thanking those who have supported him.

It will not bother James DeGale if he is obliged to accommodate Liverpool’s rising star en route to a blockbuster rematch with George Groves in a football ground near you next summer. Callum, the youngest and perhaps brightest of the Smith family of four boxing champion brothers, acquired yet more admirers with his dramatic 10th round stoppage of Luke Blackledge on Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight title show-card in Manchester on Saturday night.

MATT BARLOW: When Antonio Conte secured the Chelsea job and glanced at the players he would inherit he was far from convinced about Diego Costa. Conte told Roman Abramovich he wanted to compete with his old club Juventus to sign Gonzalo Higuain, who eventually cost £75million from Napoli, or to prise Edinson Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain, until it became clear that was impossible. He liked the idea of a centre forward with more technical polish and, from afar, Costa seemed to be a troubled soul, dangerously combustible and pining for a return to Atletico Madrid.