Payout: Bookmakers Paddy Power have become the first to pay out on this season’s Premier League title race. It has become a feature of recent championships that bookmakers call the outcome before it actually happens, although Betfred came a cropper last season when they paid out on Manchester United, only for Manchester City to overhaul their rivals over the final six games. Paddy Power have decided it will not happen, paying out ahead of United’s 2-0 win over Everton following Man. City’s defeat by Southampton on Saturday.

Del Piero: Alessandro Del Piero scored the opening goal as Sydney FC won 2-1 against Brisbane Roar in the A-League. Del Piero opened the scoring after seven minutes only for Besart Berisha to draw Brisbane level from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time. But Peter Triantis scored the winner after 69 minutes to secure three points for Sydney.

Marseille: Olympique Marseille conceded a penalty and finished with nine men as their poor Ligue 1 run of form continued yesterday with a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Evian. Andre-Pierre Gignac put the visitors in front with a superb half-volley in the 50th minute but Yannick Sagbo levelled for the hosts from the penalty spot nine minutes later following Kassim Abdallah’s dismissal for a foul on Saber Khlifa. Marseille were reduced to nine men after substitute Jordan Ayew picked up two bookings in two minutes.

Dutch league: Teenagers Jean Paul Boetius and Tonny Vilhena inspired Feyenoord to a 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar to send the team up to third in the table as the other leading sides dropped points last weekend. PSV Eindhoven, held 2-2 by Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday, are top with 47 points, three ahead of Ajax, who drew 1-1 against Roda JC Kerkrade, and Feyenoord.

Leeds United: Leeds owners GFH Capital last night confirmed they had turned down a bid by an undisclosed party to buy a controlling stake in the club. It has been reported that a Yorkshire-based consortium made an offer for a 51 per cent share of the Championship side with a view to securing a phased buy-out .

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