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BOXING Day maestro Matthew Hayden has warned India’s superstar batsmen that they will face a rugged fight to survive and prosper on a testing MCG pitch.

Hayden was the only Australian to negotiate a deck that had been shrouded in mystery all week because of Melbourne’s inclement weather.

So uncertain were the tourists about the pitch that India skipper Anil Kumble drafted spinner Harbhajan Singh into the side just before play after telling him on Christmas Day that he would not be required.

Kumble had made an 8.15am inspection and discovered the wicket was not as moist as he had expected.

Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark will resume this morning with Australia at 9-337, hoping to push the total at least past 350.

This will be a challenging first-innings score on a drop-in pitch Hayden has described as "tricky".

"I think it’s definitely going to be a wicket that will be very hard to score on over the next few days," Hayden said.

"You will see us really putting the pressure on in the field and really trying to restrict India. That’s the way I see it going.

"I also think the match will go into the fifth day and the wicket will deteriorate, and it will be very difficult to bat on during that last day."

Kumble meanwhile urged his batsmen to follow Hayden’s steady lead when they step out.

"The wicket is slow, but if you apply yourself then there are runs to get," he said.

"(Hayden) showed that and I’m sure if our batsmen apply themselves it will happen."

Source: India face ‘battle to survive’

Taylor (left) celebrates his winning goal with Kevin Kilbane

Ryan Taylor’s fine second-half free-kick earned Wigan victory over Newcastle at the JJB Stadium.

A disappointing contest was settled by Taylor’s brilliant 25-yard effort after Alan Smith had fouled Michael Brown.

After a shocking first half the game improved, with Titus Bramble heading a Mark Viduka shot off the line and Paul Scharner forcing Shay Given to save.

Given saved another long-range Taylor strike soon after as Wigan pressed and they easily held on for three points.

The win lifts the Latics out of the Premier League relegation zone, but will provide Magpies boss Sam Allardyce with some real food for thought.

If anyone was looking for an advert for a winter break in the Premier League, the first half at Wigan was it.

For two teams both in half-decent form of late - with only one defeat between them in their last eight games - it was excruciating fare at times.

The defences were well on top as both teams struggled to put together a succession of passes, the Boxing Day crowd growing ever more frustrated.

The best chance of openings being created was down the flanks, with Brown for Wigan and Newcastle’s James Milner both making progress only to fail to pick out a team-mate with their cross.

Antonio Valencia skipped past three men down the right for Wigan, but his teasing centre was a fraction too high for the on-rushing Marcus Bent.

Whatever Christmas spirit the players were fuelled with at half-time seemed to do the trick as the tempo of the game lifted after the interval.

Newcastle nearly went ahead when Chris Kirkland’s clearance struck Scharner and Viduka reacted brilliantly to hook the ball over his head and goalwards from 22 yards, only for Bramble to race back and head off the line.

Wigan replied and Scharner chested the ball down from 30 yards and smashed in a volley that Given scurried across his line to gather.

With 25 minutes left, the hosts went in front and it was a goal quite out of keeping with the quality of the contest.

Smith brought down Brown 25 yards out and with a clinical swing of his right boot, Taylor whipped the free-kick over the wall and into the far corner of Given’s net.

Taylor nearly doubled the lead soon after, the 23-year-old trying his luck from the left-hand edge of the 18-yard box and forcing Given to push the ball behind for a corner.

Obafemi Martins came on for Newcastle, but apart from one dangerous run down the left, he never threatened to get the visitors back on level terms.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce:
“The players’ attitude and application was there for all to see.

“If we can keep that up we’ll stay out of the bottom three. The player needed a bit of belief and they’ve got it now.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the month I have been here, we’ve given some good teams good games and today we came out on top against another good side.”

Newcastle assistant boss Nigel Pearson:
“It’s disappointing to put in a performance like that, we should be doing better in these games.

“We’ve no doubt it is the type of display which is way below par. We are Jekyll and Hyde and it’s not good enough, we must find some consistency.

“We understand the fans’ frustration, booing us off. I can assure everyone we are working hard to put this right.”

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Landzaat, Taylor (Olembe 74), Bent, Sibierski (Aghahowa 70).
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Boyce, Skoko.

Booked: Brown.

Goals: Taylor 65.

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Faye, N’Zogbia, Milner, Smith, Geremi (Martins 66), Emre, Duff (Jose Enrique 78), Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Cacapa, Butt.

Booked: Milner, Emre, Smith, Taylor.

Att: 20,304

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match:
Newcastle’s Shay Given 6.88 (on 90 minutes).

Solano’s fine finish was more than matched by Kitson’s strike

Dave Kitson’s superb second-half strike earned 10-man Reading only their third away point of the season at Upton Park.

The visitors looked more threatening until Brynjar Gunnarsson saw red for a two-footed lunge at Hayden Mullins.

Nolberto Solano dinked West Ham ahead and Marcus Hahnemann denied Scott Parker but Kitson latched on to Nicky Shorey’s pass to fire home expertly.

Jonathan Spector and Dean Ashton hit the woodwork as West Ham pressed in the closing stages but Reading hung on.

It was no more than they deserved for playing a full part in an entertaining clash which belied the teams’ poor records - West Ham were searching for only their third home win and the Royals their first victory away from the Madejski Stadium.

There were plenty of efforts on goal in a bright opening - albeit lacking the direction or power to seriously inconvenience the keepers.

Ashton played in Mullins, who shot straight at Hahnemann, and the powerful striker was brought down by Ivar Ingimarsson for a free-kick which Solano curled just wide.

After those opening forays from the hosts, Reading posed the greater threat on the break, particularly through Bobby Convey and Stephen Hunt down the flanks.

The lively Kevin Doyle and Kitson combined to leave Convey in front of Robert Green inside the six-yard box, only for the keeper to bravely deny the American winger.

Ashton went close soon after with a dinked shot which looped just over the bar with Hahnemann beaten.

And once Gunnarsson was dismissed, Carlton Cole’s persistence led to the ball breaking for Solano, who ran through to clip the ball over and across the on-rushing Hahnemann in the 42nd minute.

It was pretty much one-way traffic at the start of the second half, with West Ham making their numerical superiority count.

Reading dug out a point after Gunnarsson’s first-half dismissal

Hahnemann bravely denied Parker after the midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from an acute angle.

But Reading refused to buckle under the pressure and stunned the home crowd with a brilliantly worked equaliser on the hour-mark.

The impressive Shorey chipped through a pass which the swivelling Kitson pounced on to fire beyond Green.

With the game now stretched, West Ham twice went desperately close to regaining their lead.

Spector headed against the angle of post and bar and Hahnemann majestically palmed away Freddie Ljungberg’s strike after Parker had picked him out.

The Hammers also had claims for a penalty waved away in the closing minutes when Mark Noble’s cross appeared to brush Ingimarsson’s hand.

And Ashton hit the post with a header right at the end of a hard-fought encounter which, just about, ended with the right result.

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley:
“I’m as frustrated as the fans and players. We couldn’t quite get the goal that would have finished the game off - we had a few chances to do that but didn’t take them.

“We needed a second goal. We knew Reading would keep going and the goal gave them something to hold on to but we should have finished it.

“We keep setting our fans up by winning away and then coming back here and not doing it but it is not for the want of trying.”

Reading boss Steve Coppell:
“We were disrupted by the sending-off but we got through to half-time and we had to be very careful how we approached the second half, in terms of commitment and trying to salvage the game.

“We thought if we could keep it tight for the last 15-20 minutes it would be interesting - we knew we would get oppportunities.

“It was terrific play from Shorey and Kitson and it fell to the right man. He was very sharp in finishing it off.”

West Ham: Green, Neill, Spector, Upson, McCartney, Solano (Noble 77), Parker, Mullins, Ljungberg, Cole (Camara 72), Ashton.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Ferdinand, Pantsil.

Booked: Green, Cole.

Goals: Solano 42.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Gunnarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Ingimarsson, Convey (Cisse 66), Doyle (Bikey 90), Kitson (Long 85).
Subs Not Used: Federici, Lita.

Sent Off: Gunnarsson (29).

Booked: Hunt, Shorey.

Goals: Kitson 60.

Att: 34,277

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Nolberto Solano 8.06 (on 90 minutes).

LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech coach Bob Knight was given a public reprimand by the Big 12 for comments about officiating after a loss to New Mexico earlier this month.

The reprimand, issued Monday, pertained to Knight arguing about Lobos freshman Dairese Gary’s one-handed 47-footer at the halftime buzzer in New Mexico’s 80-63 victory Dec. 15. Knight didn’t think Gary released the shot in time.

“I thought it was a horrendous call,” Knight said after the game.

Knight’s comment violated the Big 12’s sportsmanship code, which prohibits public comments about officiating, the conference said in a news release.

Knight and his spokesman couldn’t immediately be reached Wednesday.

The Big 12 reviews officials’ performances, including the accuracy of judgment calls, and coaches are given the opportunity to provide input, the release said. The season-long evaluation determines whether officials get future assignments in the conference.

New Mexico’s win was the second for Lobos coach Steve Alford against Knight, his coach at Indiana.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Source: Knight court: Coach reprimanded for ripping refs

A European Championship Final and a first ever trip to the World Cup - 2007 has been a year to remember for England U17s.

The omens looked good during the early part of the season - a 4-0 win over Portugal a particular highlight - and the Young Lions bloomed in spring.

However, they needed a last minute goal from Manchester United’s Daniel Welbeck to keep the dream alive. Drawing 1-1 with Serbia, England’s quest for the European Championship Finals looked doomed until Welbeck secured the vital win which saw England top their Elite Round Qualifying Group.

England began the Championships in fine style with a 2-0 win over Iceland, Krystian Pearce and Daniel Rose getting the goals.

Hosts Belgium proved tougher opposition though and despite taking the lead through Rhys Murphy’s 27th minute header, the young Lions had to be content with a share of the spoils after conceding just after the break.

Knowing a defeat to Holland could see them eliminated, England turned on the style to edge a thrilling game.

John Peacock’s outfit were coasting at 2-0 courtesy of Henri Lansbury’s 25 yard stunner and a Victor Moses header. But Holland responded with two goals of their own to level early in the second half.

But England, sensing their Euro dreams were fading, regrouped to win 4-2 thanks to Moses and Tristain Plummer.

Moses was England’s hero in the Semi-Final against France, netting in the 11th minute to book a place in the Final against Spain. Unfortunately it proved a step too far.

In a game of few chances, Spain starlet Bojan Krkic, who has played for Barcelona this season, lashed the ball through a crowded box to win the trophy.

Disappointed, there was a silver lining to the cloud as England’s performances guaranteed them a spot at the U17 World Cup in South Korea in August, the first time the Young Lions have reached the competition.

After a long period of acclimatisation, England made their World Cup bow against Korea DPR in the searing heat of Jeju.

Battling both the conditions and a hard working opposition, Moses gave England a dream start before embarking on his trademark somersault celebration.

Korea found England goalkeeper Alex Smithies in majestic form but they finally squeezed a goal past him to sneak a deserved draw.

England hit the goal trail against New Zealand with Moses and Welbeck scoring twice in a 5-0 rout.

That win set up a winner-takes-all meeting with tournament favourites Brazil - the victors guaranteed top spot in Group B.

The clash was following the script when Tales bamboozled Smithies with a freak free-kick which sailed in from 40 yards out. Lansbury levelled with a penalty on the stroke of half-time but there was more drama to come.

England looked doomed when Brazil won a late penalty, only for Smithies to make a wonderful save, which set the scene for England captain Jordan Spence to grab the headlines with an injury-time goal.

The victory earned England a meeting with Syria which proved a tougher assignment than it initially seemed. Without playing to their full potential, England booked a place in the Quarter-Finals thanks to goals from Lansbury, Pearce and Murphy.

England’s record with Germany has been less than impressive in recent years and that trend continued.

The Three Lions managed to stay level until the break but the Germans raced clear after the break, scoring four times with England’s sole riposte coming through Murphy.

Source: U17s in 2007

Race Me Safely
By: Benedict Smythe

Car racing is a very empowering sport that makes you feel so much in control. The adrenalin rush you get is very addictive. However, you should never forget that racing is a very dangerous game. Speed is always dangerous, and accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.

Anybody who races cars as a hobby or in competitions knows the risks involved in this sport. Aside from the possibility of damage to the car itself, drivers could also suffer personal injury, which could lead to partial or even total disability. Death is also a possibility you cant ignore. However, if you are willing to invest your time, effort, and money to setup a power-charged car which you can race, then it surely wouldnt hurt to spend in life saving gears to ensure your safety while racing.

Never forget to always wear protective clothing and head-gear. High-speed racing is always full of pressure. Were not just talking about the pressure on the driver to come first, were also considering the pressure building up within the engine and other mechanical or electrical parts due to speed. There is also the explosive nature of NOS to consider, as explosions are inevitable. In fact, explosions are one of the major accidents that happen during car races. Make sure you check your fire suit not only for tears, but also for the presence of any substance that could possibly void the flame-resistant capacity of the fabric.

Aside from your fire suit, always wear gloves and shoes that are flame-retardant for added protection. Use only helmets that have Snell Ratings, which means they have previously passed multiple impact tests. These are made using thicker material, and are more reliable during accidents. The fabric and paints used on these helmets must also be flame-retardant.

Check that the cars engine including but not limited to its fuel lines, electrical wirings, and coolant overflow tank, make sure they are secured well and are all properly functioning. Closely inspect your seatbelt for wear and tear or any other defects. Make sure that the harnesses are functional and that the seats are bolted tightly.

Investigate under the hood of your car. Replace any weak hoses, search for cracks and have them repaired. Check the chassis as well, and search for visible wear and tear on any exhaust and suspension component.

Remember to properly mount the cars battery with all the terminals hooked up tightly. Your tires should have a tread depth of at least 3/32. Make sure the wheel studs are tightly fastened. If you have a nitrous oxide system (NOS), ensure that the bottle vent is to the cars exterior.

Never drive a car to race if you havent practiced in it. Spend time getting to know the inner and outer workings of any new car first before the actual race even if you are an expert driver. This is due to the fact that each car can behave differently than each other, this is especially true for different makes of car, but can also be true for the same models of car.

About the Author:
Benedict writes articles for Real Compensation and Undetected Sat Navs

Source: Race Me Safely

Flames celebrate

Four of Canada’s six NHL clubs were sitting in a playoff spot at the Christmas break. Luckily for the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs, there’s still lots of hockey to be played in the 2007-08 season.

The Leafs get right back at it Wednesday night when they continue their seven-game road trip on Long Island. The Eastern Conference-leading Ottawa Senators are also in action, paying a visit to the Buffalo Sabres.

Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver resume play Thursday night.

Here’s a look at the six Canadian teams as they sit at the Christmas break:

Related Info

• NHL Power Rankings
• Official 2008 All-Star Fan Ballot

Ottawa Senators - 23-8-4 record, 50 points, first in the Eastern Conference.

When John Paddock took over as head coach last summer he called his players and warned them about the Stanley Cup final hangover previous teams have often fell victim to. His players, led by captain Daniel Alfredsson, seemed to have taken those words to heart and have produced a fantastic opening 35 games to the season.

They are the class of an Eastern Conference that features 14 other teams trying to grab the final seven playoff spots.

Of concern for the Sens, however, is a potential goaltender controversy. Ray Emery, last year’s playoff starter, has beeen unable to steal back his No. 1 job after beginning the season recovering from wrist surgery. Meantime, Martin Gerber has been terrific after a first-year flop as a Senator.

Holiday games: Wednesday at Buffalo, Thursday vs. N.Y. Islanders, Saturday vs. Washington, New Year’s Day at Washington.

Vancouver Canucks - 20-13-4 record, 44 points, fourth in the Western Conference.

After a slow start, Roberto Luongo is perhaps on his way to capturing his first career Vezina Trophy. The Canucks have gone 15-6-4 since coming out of October only 5-7-0. What bodes well for the Canucks is their 9-2-3 record within their division.

Captain Markus Naslund has been more effective since being put on the top line with the Sedin twins. Defenceman Sami Salo hopes to find his `A’ game after battling a pair of injuries. The veteran Finn has only two assists in 20 games after putting up career highs in goals (14) and points (37) a year ago.

The offence never seems to satisfy the critics. Vancouver’s 18th-ranked offence is still ranked ahead of fellow Western rivals Minnesota, San Jose and Anaheim. But with the long-term injury to centre Brendan Morrison, expect GM Dave Nonis to search long and hard for a top-flight centre before the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

Holiday games: Thursday vs. Calgary, Sunday vs. Anaheim, New Year’s Eve at Calgary.

Calgary Flames - 17-13-7 record, 41 points, seventh in the Western Conference.

The Flames ended November at 10-13-3 with fans and media perplexed by a team that looked so much better on paper. Rock bottom was probably a 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus on Dec. 1 after which veteran head coach Mike Keenan openly criticized the play of star goalie Mikka Kiprusoff.

That appears to have been the turning point. Since then, Kipper has played outstanding and the Flames are looking like the contenders many had predicted, going 7-0-3 since the Dec. 1 loss to the Jackets.

Jarome Iginla has been outstanding. Third in NHL scoring with 49 points (24-25) in 37 games, the Flames captain is on pace for a career-high 53 goals and 108 points.

Holiday games: Thursday at Vancouver, Saturday vs. Anaheim, New Year’s Eve vs. Vancouver.

Montreal Canadiens - 17-13-6 record, 40 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference.

The Habs were also sitting pretty last year at this time before a second-half meltdown saw them miss the playoffs by two points. Can they avoid it this year?

Either way, the Canadiens continue to build without bottoming out and have to be considered a mild surprise so far given that most people picked them to miss the playoffs. Of Montreal’s 24 roster players, 11 are 25 years old or younger.

If there’s a player that needs to be traded, it’s winger Michael Ryder, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. He has just three goals in 31 games after back-to-back 30-goal seasons.

Holiday games: Thursday at Tampa Bay, Friday at Florida, Sunday at N.Y. Rangers.

Toronto Maple Leafs - 15-14-7, 37 points, 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The Leafs hit the Christmas break one point out of a playoff spot in the East, which demonstrates that not a whole lot has changed since they missed the playoffs by one point last April.

There will be more ups and downs but it seems inevitable that the Leafs will be around the eighth-place bubble the rest of the way.

The highlights so far have been the play of goalie Vesa Toskala, who after a slow start has won over Leaf fans with stellar netminding, and the consistent performance of centre Mats Sundin. The Leafs captain is on pace for a 96-point season, which would be the most points in his 13 seasons as a Maple Leaf (94 points in 1996-97). But will the 36-year-old Swede finish the season as a Leaf? He’s an unrestricted free agent July 1 and if the Leafs are out of it come the trade deadline, there will be pressure on GM John Ferguson to move him in order to pick up some assets.

Holiday games: Wednesday at N.Y. Islanders, Thursday at Philadelphia, Saturday vs. N.Y. Rangers, New Year’s Day vs. Tampa Bay.

Edmonton Oilers - 16-18-3 record, 35 points, 13th in the Western Conference.

The Oilers are 6-18-1 in games not involving a shootout this season - a startling statistic to be sure. But their prowess in the skill session (10-2) has helped ease the pain of a rebuilding phase.

Rookies Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner have been splendid on a 25-player roster that includes 14 players who are 25 and younger. Star defenceman Sheldon Souray played only 12 of his team’s 38 games before the Christmas break after missing time with a shoulder injury but he’s back and should make a difference on a power play that’s dead last in the NHL.

Dustin Penner hasn’t helped GM Kevin Lowe in defending his choice to lure the winger away from Anaheim with a $21.25-million, five-year offer sheet last summer although the hulking forward has played better of late.

A playoff spot doesn’t seem in the cards in the tougher Western Conference but the young Oilers seem to have a bright future ahead of them.

Holiday games: Thursday vs. Anaheim, Saturday at Minnesota, New Year’s Eve at Columbus, Jan. 2 at St. Louis.

Source: Canada’s teams doing fairly well at break

THE Adelaide 36ers withstood a huge second-half comeback by South Dragons to keep their NBL finals push going with a five-point win at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne.

The Sixers had an 18-point third quarter lead rolled back by the Dragons, fell behind midway through the final term, but the Adelaide side steadied late to close out a 119-114 win.

Sixers’ big man Axel Dench provided a huge impact off the bench for his side at critical times, finishing with 25 points.

Seven of those came late in the final term when they were desperately needed to see off the home side.

In-form Adelaide import Adam Ballinger finished with a game-high 29 points - 22 coming in the first half as his side shredded paper-thin Dragons defence to lead by 16 points at the main break.

The Dragons lifted massively in the third quarter, with imports Bakari Hendrix and Cortez Groves, Jacob Holmes and Joe Ingles all stepping up their input to power their side back into the contest.

But not for the first time this season, the Dragons couldn’t find enough in a close finish, with Ballinger fittingly making the game safe with a free-throw inside the final few seconds.

Groves led the scorers for the Dragons with 26 points, while Holmes had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

The Sixers now sit just outside the top eight with a 9-10 win-loss record, but the Dragons slumped to their sixth successive loss and 4-15 for the season.

Sixers coach Phil Smyth was thrilled his team managed to stave off the Dragons, and believed his side was starting to get its act together after a slow start to the season.

"We had some injuries early in the season and suddenly things are starting to turn for us,” Smyth said.

New Adelaide import Julius Hodge - a former NBA player with Denver Nuggets and the Milwaukee Bucks - also showed glimpses of his quality in a cameo role on debut.

He finished with six points, five rebounds and three assists in 19 minutes.

Dragons coach Shane Heal lamented his side’s poor first half, especially after having started Groves on the bench in an effort to light a fire under his team.

"With conceding 119 points on our court, you’re not going to get too many wins, you’re not going to gain the pride and you’re not going to build the culture that we’re talking about,” Heal said.

"The guys dug in, but consistently we get to that stage where we get down.

"There’s a lot more effort on offence than defence, and that’s a hard thing to change in individuals.”

AAP

Source: Adelaide stays alive in finals race

Stadium of Light
Wednesday, 26 December
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
BBC coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day. Featured game on Score and Final Score.

Sunderland striker Michael Chopra is a doubt with a heel injury he picked up at Reading on Saturday.

Liam Miller is still suspended, while Nyron Nosworthy (hamstring), Kieran Richardson (back) and Russell Anderson (ankle) are not yet ready to return.

Park Ji-sung could return to the Manchester United squad for the first time since March after knee surgery.

Edwin van der Sar (groin) is definitely out, while Rio Ferdinand (foot) and Owen Hargreaves (back) should be fit.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, McShane, Halford, Harte, Higginbotham, Collins, Yorke, Etuhu, Leadbitter, Wallace, Whitehead, Kavanagh, O’Donovan, Jones, Chopra, Connolly, Murphy, Stokes, Cole.

Man Utd (from): Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, O’Shea, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Pique, Evans, Evra, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Nani, Eagles, Carrick, Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Tevez, Rooney, Saha.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane on recent refereeing decisions:
“You just keep hoping that over the course of the season these decisions will even themselves out.

“It hasn’t for the last few weeks but we hope, come May, that we look back and say ‘well some went for us and some went against us’.

“At the moment they are all going against us.”

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson:
“December is a very important month.

“If we get through Christmas, we have tough away games at Sunderland and West Ham and Birmingham at home, and are still with Arsenal we have a chance.

“We have Nani, Saha and Park all back in the squad, but there won’t be a lot of changes.”

Third bottom meets second top at the Stadium of Light; Roy Keane comes up against his old boss for the first time on home soil.

Manchester United have won more league games on the road (four), than Sunderland have managed home and away (three).

The Black Cats have registered one win in 12 league outings; the Red Devils have won four on the bounce.

Sunderland have a 50% win record in Premier League matches on Boxing Day; won three of six, but not since the 0-3 triumph over Blackburn at Ewood Park in 2001.

Middlesbrough beat Manchester United on Boxing Day in 2002. It was the only occasion United have lost a Premier League fixture on 26 December, they have won 11 of 12, including the last four.

United are unbeaten in 11 Premier League matches against Sunderland. They’ve won eight and drawn three since losing 2-1 at Roker Park on the 8 March 1997.

SUNDERLAND

Highest realistically achievable: 16th
Lowest could fall: 19th

1. Won only six of their last 76 games in the Premier League.

2. This season’s three victories have all come at home and against bottom-half clubs; Tottenham, Reading and Derby.

3. Need a draw to total 100 league points under Roy Keane.

4. Scored 17 goals, at one every 95 minutes (one hour 35 minutes) of Premier League football played; only Derby’s attack is inferior to that, with a paltry eight goals netted.

5. Managed one clean sheet in 17 league matches; the 1-0 home win over Derby on 1 December was the only shut-out since the opening day 1-0 home victory over Spurs on 11 August.

6. Lost one of the last six home league matches; the 1-2 reverse to Blackburn on 29 September.

7. Scored one goal in each of the last five at the Stadium of Light.

8. Entertain Bolton on Saturday, before visiting Blackburn on 2 January.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Highest achievable: 1st
Lowest could fall: 2nd

1. Won 18 of 23 in all competitions, and lost one of 16.

2. One of two clubs with as many as 13 Premier League wins; the other is Arsenal.

3. Boasting the tightest defence in the highest league; just nine goals shipped in 18 outings, at one every two games, or 180 minutes (three hours) of Premier League football played on average.

4. Won 13 of the last 15 Premier League matches, losing just one of the 15.

5. Kept clean sheets in nine of the last 15 league outings, and failed to score in one of their last 15 league games; the 1-0 loss, away to Bolton on 24 November.

6. Not lost in any league game this term in which they have scored; won 13 and drawn two of 15.

7. Scored first in an unequalled 14 Premier League matches; won 12 and drawn two.

8. Conceded only two goals in the last 15 minutes of Premier League matches this term; only Arsenal and Liverpool can match that.

9. Beaten Everton, Aston Villa, Birmingham and Liverpool on their league travels.

10. Next is a trip to West Ham on Saturday, before the New Year’s Day fixture home to Birmingham.

SUNDERLAND

Kenwyne JONES is Sunderland’s top scorer with four Premier League goals.

Michael CHOPRA is a double shy of 50 career league goals (Newcastle, Watford, Barnsley, Cardiff and Sunderland).

Last season’s top scorer David CONNOLLY needs one goal to total 100 in his league career (Watford, Wolves, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan and Sunderland).

If selected:-

Danny COLLINS will be making his 100th appearance for Sunderland.

Dickson ETUHU will be making his 250th club career appearance (Manchester City, Norwich, Preston and Sunderland).

Anthony STOKES will be making his 50th club career appearance in England and Scotland (Falkirk and Sunderland).

Andrew COLE, Danny HIGGINBOTHAM, Kieran RICHARDSON and Dwight YORKE will be facing a former club.

HIGGINBOTHAM will be playing three days before his 29th birthday.

Suspended:-

Liam MILLER

MANCHESTER UNITED

Cristiano RONALDO is Manchester United’s top scorer with 16 goals.

RONALDO is also their leading Premier League marksman with 11, and leads the race for the Barclays Golden Boot.

If on the field from the outset:-

Wayne ROONEY will be making his 150th start in a United shirt.

Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th club league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).

Long term injury, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start for Manchester United.

United have won eight and drawn three Premier League matches since Sunderland’s 2-1 win on 8 March 1997, when Michael Gray and John Mullin scored the decisive goals at Roker Park.

The Black Cats have recorded one subsequent 2-1 home victory over the Red Devils, winning a Worthington League Cup fourth round tie after extra time on 28 November 2000, at the Stadium of Light.

It was a losing first return for Roy Keane, when he took Sunderland to Old Trafford for the reverse fixture in September. That leaves the Red Devils with the possibly of completing the double over the Wearsiders for the third time in five attempts.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Sunderland 37 wins, Man Utd 46, Draws 26
Prem: Sunderland 1 wins, Man Utd 9, Draws 3

at Sunderland only
League (inc PL): Sunderland 26 wins, Man Utd 15, Draws 13
Prem: Sunderland 1 wins, Man Utd 3, Draws 2

Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland
1 September 2007 - Ref: Martin Atkinson
Man Utd scorer: Saha 72

Uriah Rennie (Sheffield, Yorkshire)

Source: Sunderland v Man Utd

Noah Graham/Getty Images

The Lakers have beaten the Suns (twice), Spurs and Pistons en route to an 18-10 record.

LOS ANGELES — At this rate it won’t be long before the Lakers will have a rivalry with the Phoenix Suns.

We can’t say that yet, at least not if we adhere to the regulations once set forth by Kobe Bryant. After the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings in that draining 2002 Western Conference finals, I asked Bryant if the Kings were the Lakers’ biggest rivals. He said I couldn’t use that word. “They’ve got to beat us in the playoffs first,” Bryant said. “C’mon, you know the rules.”

So maybe the Lakers’ 122-115 victory over the Suns at Staples Center didn’t change the terminology, and maybe Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni could afford to say “This doesn’t bother me,” seeing how it came in the regular season.

But after the Suns bounced the Lakers from the playoffs the past two seasons, the Lakers finally look ready to take a seven-game series from them for the first time since Steve Nash arrived in Phoenix.

That’s one revelation from this game. The other is that Phil Jackson looks incredibly goofy in a red bow tie. Hopefully it will be banished to the bottom of a dresser drawer.

We have a solid foundation. We really do. We have length, we have speed, we have quickness, we have shot-blocking. We have guys that can steal the ball. We have playmakers. It’s looking very solid.

–Kobe Bryant talks about his L.A. Lakers

But the thing that’s likely to make another appearance come playoff time is Andrew Bynum. If he’s going to put up numbers like this — a career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots — he gives the Lakers the perfect weapon to go at the Suns’ size weakness. “He’s a handful,” Suns forward Shawn Marion said. “They’ve got a legitimate big man.”

Phil Jackson and Bryant did their best to provide the disclaimers. They remember how the Lakers stumbled to a 42-40 record after being 13 games above .500 at one point last season, and they haven’t forgotten Bynum’s fade after a promising start last year.

“We just want to maintain what we are about,” Jackson said. “Every game, come out and play that kind of game, show consistency. At the end of the year, if [Bynum] is the MVP, then we’ll say what a great year he’s had.”

With Bynum in the frontcourt along with Lamar Odom (who pounds the Suns on the boards and had 14 more rebounds Tuesday) the Lakers forced the Suns to go with a big lineup of Amare Stoudemire, Brian Skinner, Boris Diaw and Marion for a long stretch in the fourth quarter. That kept one of Phoenix’s top 3-point shooters (and primary Kobe defender), Raja Bell, on the bench.

The other thing that’s changed from Lakers-Suns games in the past is Phoenix’s domination at the point guard position. To paraphrase Rose Royce, Smush don’t live here anymore. Sure, Nash still gets the check in the matchup box, but with the return of Derek Fisher and the improvement of Jordan Farmar, the difference isn’t as pronounced as it used to be. Last year, Nash outscored Parker by an average of 22 to nine. In two games so far this year — both won by the Lakers — Fisher has the difference down to a respectable 22 to 17.

Bynum also exposed Stoudemire’s slow defensive rotations and reluctance to box out. And Bynum and Fisher negate the arrival of Grant Hill — especially after new Laker acquisition Trevor Ariza helped keep Hill to only two second-half points. (How about Ariza, making the most of his first Lakers start and 33 minutes to get 14 points, seven rebounds and the highlight of the game: throwing down a dunk over a planted Hill the way Kobe did Nash a couple of years ago).

Ariza’s athleticism, Bynum’s height, Fisher’s vet presence … what are we leaving out? Oh yeah, Kobe. He was the superior superstar in the end, outperforming Nash and taking over the fourth quarter when he scored 12 of his 38 points.

You still won’t get him to gush about this team. At one point he nearly apologized for his basic, “Belichicky” answers that sounded a lot like the hooded coach. But Kobelichick did allow that: “We have a solid foundation. We really do. We have length, we have speed, we have quickness, we have shot-blocking. We have guys that can steal the ball. We have playmakers. It’s looking very solid.”

It’s looking like a team that can compete with the Suns, whom they trail by only one game in the Pacific Division and shouldn’t fear if they meet in the postseason. D’Antoni didn’t sound panicky. “I think we’re pretty good,” he said. “Last time I checked we were one or two games off the lead in the West.” Notice that, unlike the testy exchange at the end of their last meeting, he didn’t talk about busting the Lakers in the playoffs.

J.A. Adande is the author of “The Best Los Angeles Sports Arguments.” He joined ESPN.com as an NBA columnist in August 2007 after 10 years with the Los Angeles Times. Click here to e-mail J.A.

Source: Adande: The Lakers are for real, folks