Neville: Everton captain Phil Neville faces a "lengthy lay-off" after a scan revealed damaged knee ligaments. Neville was injured in Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Fulham and taken off on a stretcher in obvious pain. "It's too early to estimate length of absence but I fear he is certainly facing a lengthy lay-off," Everton said.
Messi: Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will sign an improved contract with the European champions this week that will make him the club's best-paid player. The 22-year-old Argentina currently has a deal that expires in 2014 that he agreed in late 2005.
Keeper out: Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov will be out for the rest of the year after breaking his jawbone during Sunday's derby against city rivals Spartak. Gabulov was injured when he collided with Spartak's Brazilian striker Welliton.
Fans arrested: A total of 14 football supporters were arrested during and after a Premier League derby match, police said. West Midlands Police confirmed that seven fans of both Birmingham and Aston Villa were detained inside and outside St Andrews on Sunday. A force spokesman said four Villa supporters were charged with encroaching on the pitch, while two others were given fixed penalty notices for public order offences.
Uche: Real Zaragoza's Nigerian striker Ikechukwu Uche will undergo surgery to fix a ruptured ligament in his left knee that could keep him out of action for the rest of the season. The 25-year-old suffered the injury during the team's 4-1 loss to Sevilla in a Primera Liga match on Saturday, the club said.
Motor Racing: Spain's Banco Santander will sponsor Formula One rivals Ferrari and McLaren next season after extending an existing deal with Lewis Hamilton's British-based team yesterday. McLaren said in a statement that Spain's biggest bank had seen its brand awareness in Britain rise from 20 per cent to 82 per cent since they teamed up in 2007.
Cycling: Former Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke, of Australia, has joined Team Saxo Bank on a one-year contract, the Danish outfit said. Cooke, 30, clinched the green jersey for the best sprinter in the Tour de France in 2003. Saxo Bank is the team of Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck, of Luxembourg.
Golf: The United States amateurs won the Walker Cup for a third consecutive time on Sunday, crushing Britain and Ireland 16-½-9-½ at the Merion Golf Club. The United States, who edged Britain and Ireland by a point at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland two years ago, lead the series 34-7-1.
Cycling: American Dave Zabriskie won the Tour of Missouri, the first title of his 11-year professional career. Zabriskie, 30, completed the 984-kilometre seven-stage event in 22:26.56 and had a 30-second margin over Sweden's Gustav Larsson. Italian Marco Pinotti moved ahead of American Tom Zirbel in the final stage and finished third overall.
Snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan is up to second place in the latest world rankings after his victory in the Shanghai Masters on Sunday. The 33-year-old from Chigwell moves ahead of Ali Carter into second place in the latest rankings, narrowing the gap on leader John Higgins to less than 5,000 points.
Olympics: South Korea's prime minister has promised Pyeongchang the full support of the government as it attempts to land the 2018 Winter Olympics. Pyeongchang narrowly failed in bids to host the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games and will be early favourites to make it third time lucky in the voting for 2018. The names of potential bid cities must be declared to the IOC by Oct. 15 and China's Harbin, Munich as well as Annecy in France look likely to be in the running.
Resultss
In England: League One - MK Dons vs Norwich 2-1.
In Italy: Serie B - Ancona vs Empoli 2-0. Prima Divisione A - Arezzo vs Sorrento 2-0.
In Scotland: Premier League - Falkirk vs Aberdeen 0-0.
MFA Division II/III KO: Sta Lucija vs Għargħur 0-3 (Għargħur in quarter-finals).
U-19 friendly: Malta vs N. Ireland 0-1.