News

1. As a chorus of discord swept the blue quarter of London, sharply focused by Emile Heskey's late equaliser for Wigan which effectively hamstrung Chelsea's title ambitions, Avram Grant's rule under the Roman Empire appeared headed for ruin.
Despite promising a more expansive tactical approach, the embattled Chelsea manager has failed to gain currency where his mercurial predecessor, Jose Mourinho, enjoyed extravagant wealth - amongst the club's outspoken following. As he trudged forlorn from the field last night, boos rung out around Stamford Bridge. Favour for the Chelsea manager was in short supply


2. Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has agreed a new five-year contract worth a reported £130,000-a-week. The announcement from his agent Pini Zahavi scotches talk that the 29-year-old was considering quitting Old Trafford for Barcelona.


3. Felipe Massa set the pace on the opening day of testing at Circuit de Catalunya.
After three fly-away Grand Prix, the three week gap between the Bahrain and Spanish Grand Prix enables testing to resume in Barcelona this week and the Ferrari man was quickest with a best lap of 1:18.339 seconds, a cool 2.7 seconds clear of his nearest rival.


4. Internazionale striker Adriano is in line for a Brazil recall after impressing for his loan club Sao Paolo since the turn of the year. Adriano, beset by physical and reported alcohol problems in the past 18 months, has only played once for Brazil under coach Dunga, in last year's 2-0 friendly defeat by Portugal.


5. Jon Dahl Tomasson's season appears to be over as the Villarreal striker continues to struggle with a stomach injury. The 31-year-old sustained the injury two weeks ago and in his absence Villarreal have fallen to consecutive defeats against Sevilla and Almeria and slipped to third place in La Liga. And it now looks unlikely the Denmark international will play again this season as the injury he sustained has proved to be worse than first thought.


All source from eurosport/reuters