Sportsday - Friday 7 December as it happened

Good morning and welcome along to another Sportsday, from the BBC Sport Centre in Salford Quays. We'll have Test match updates and team news for the weekend throughout the morning but we begin as always with some stories from today's BBC Sport Gossip Column.

Arsenal intend to launch a formal bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, with Arsene Wenger determined to add to his attacking options during the January transfer window. (Daily Telegraph)

Manchester United are set to be tempted with a £5m bid from Paris Saint-Germain for defender Patrice Evra, 31, who is said to be interested in playing for the club. PSG, though, may consider a move for Manchester City's Gael Clichy, 27, if the Evra move fails. (The Independent)

Daniele De Rossi, 29, has met Manchester City officials to discuss a possible move away from Roma after growing disillusioned with life at the club. (talkSPORT)

Tea is 10 minutes away on day three at the third Test in Kolkata. England are 367-3 - a lead of 51 over India - but skipper Alastair Cook is finally out - run out in unusual fashion for 190, taking evasive action as Virat Kohli's throw crashed into the stumps.

Test Match Special continues on 5 live sports extra and you can monitor our live text commentary on the BBC website.

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan retires on 101 and Kumar Sangakkara makes 55 as Sri Lanka reach 276-4 at stumps on day two of the three-day match against the Australian Chairman's XI, who earlier declare on 439-6 after 100 overs, as per the rules at the Manuka Oval.

The Sri Lankans are preparing for the first of three Tests against Australia beginning next Friday in Hobart.

Quade Cooper signs a new two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union and Queensland.

A huge electrical storm, producing around 30mm of rain, ensures no play is possible for the second successive day at the Nelson Mandela Championship at Royal Durban. Not a single stroke has been played thus far and another attempt to begin the first round will take place on Saturday.

New Zealand's Ross Taylor opts out of the tour to South Africa after being replaced as captain of the one-day team by Brendon McCullum, which prompted him to resign as Test skipper.

"It has been a very challenging and pressured time and I don't believe I can give 100% to the game at this time," he says.

Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old who will become the youngest player to compete at the Masters, recovered from an opening round of 82 with a two-under-par 70 on day two at the Australian Open.

Wigan could be without four central defenders against QPR at the DW Stadium tomorrow. Antolin Alcaraz (groin) and Ivan Ramis (hamstring) are injured while captain Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa are suspended.

Ben Watson, Albert Crusat, Ryo Miyaichi and Shaun Maloney are also sidelined.

Olympic and world 800m champion David Rudisha and two-time London marathon winner Mary Keitany are named Kenya athletes of the year.

BBC Sport learns that England's Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell, and Rob Howley from Wales will be named as assistant coaches to Warren Gatland for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia next summer.

The trio will form the core coaching group, with Gatland potentially adding further staff in the forthcoming months.

Bradford's Adrian Purtell is given the all-clear to resume his career, after suffering a heart attack in the aftermath of Bradford's Magic Weekend defeat by Leeds at Manchester's Etihad Stadium on 27 May.

The 27-year-old Australian was involved in modified training while waiting for the test results and was told by a London specialist this week that he can now start full training and resume playing in early March.

Martin Lipton, Chief Football writer at the Daily Mirror, on 5 live's Your Call: "You would lose the build up and intensity of a single host country.

"I was in Krakow and it was like a party every day and you would unquestionably lose that because it would be more of a fleeting arrival of the tournament and then move on."

Laura James, Football Journalist, Northern Ireland on 5 live's Your Call: "I know the Republic of Ireland are definitely interested. They have long been interested in the idea of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland co-hosting but that's never going to happen."

Chris in London on 5 live's Your Call: "I think it's a really good idea. Poland and Ukraine were never going to build 10 stadiums that are 80,000 - they had stadiums that held 30,000.

"That meant tickets were hard to come by so they were more expensive. Flights were expensive because they can put the prices up. And most fans don't come out for all the games, you go to two or three so the idea of fans hopping around Europe isn't the case."

John in Romford on 5 live's Your Call: "I'm coming at it from the side of the fans. As an Arsenal fan who travels in Europe, flights go up as soon as you get drawn somewhere. Train fares, air fares, ferry fares and hotel prices will all go up."

Nick on 5 live's Your Call: "It's a European competition and it should be held throughout Europe. You could go as far as to say that a World Cup should be held around the world."

Anthony in Sittingbourne on 5 live's Your Call: "I think if they're going to think about it they need to do it geographically so each group is based in a certain area.

"If they do it that way it won't be too difficult for the players and fans can get around easily as well. If it's like that it could work. If it's all over Europe it won't."

Laure James, Football Journalist, Northern Ireland on 5 live's Your Call: "I was interested to see what the French press made of this. Often Michel Platini divides opinions in France.

"But possibly because they already have 2016 in the bag, they are backing it to the hilt. They want France to be part of it and they want bigger collaboration with other European organisations."

Tommy in Wiltshire on 5 live's Your Call: "As long as we can get a match in all of our home nations it'll be great."

Andrew on 5 live's Your Call: "It's about money and control, it's nothing to do with the fans or the players. It's a clever business model but is it morally right?"

Dale in High Wycombe on 5 live's Your Call: "They had the Azerbaijan and Georgia bid, why didn't Uefa go there if they wanted to support smaller countries?"

Marcel Van Der Kraan, Dutch football journalist, on 5 live's Your Call: "I think it's the best thing that's happened to football. Football is for the people, it's for the fans.

"You want as many people from as many countries to enjoy the football. When I went to Poland there weren't as many fans from England and Holland as I would've liked to see. I'm not necessarily a big fan of Platini but I think it's brilliant. You won't have to fans travelling from England to Turkey because teams can stay in their regions. There will also be far less crowd trouble because the police won't have as much to do."

Sarah Winterburn from Football 365.com on 5 live's Your Call: "The problem is that they went to 24 teams which means it is no longer financially viable for one country to host it. So this is the only thing they can do next."

Marcel Van Der Kraan , Dutch football journalist, on 5 live's Your Call: "It's obvious that the 12 Fifa top ranking countries will probably get games anyway - they will get one city at least.

"Wembley is the favourite for the final. Logistically I can't see why people are worrying. If England play one or two matches at Wembley, thousands of England fans will get to see those games, much more than if it was in Turkey."

Malcolm Clarke, Football Supporters Federation, on 5 live's Your Call: "I hope that Uefa do a proper consultation with Football Supporters Europe.

"We don't want to lose fans having the chance to go to different countries and enjoy the culture and the stadiums. I think that's possible and it could work but we want that consultation."

The 5 live discussion has now concluded but please keep your thoughts coming in via the Twitter hashtag #bbcsportsday.

Alastair in Warwickshire on 5 live's Your Call: "I think everyone's talking about an either or situation here and it doesn't have to be that. There's no reason why this can't happen with one in three tournaments so we can have the host country sometimes and this idea of a hub group stage in other years.

"The average Scotsman or Welshman is never going to get the chance to host this event so if every third tournament involved the little countries it would be nice. "

British Cycling announce the running of the Tour of Britain is to be put out to an open tender to decide who will take it forward from 2014 onwards.

Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole is ruled out for two months with a knee injury.

Marcus Fraser holds a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Australian Open at The Lakes in Sydney. Justin Rose shares fifth place, three strokes adrift, after a 73.

China's 14-year-old Guan Tianlang missed the cut despite a much improved second round of 70, but 63-year-old tom Watson qualified for the weekend by a single shot after a round of 68.

Stoke could welcome back Peter Crouch for tomorrow's match at Aston Villa. The striker has had a mouth guard fitted after losing several teeth against Newcastle.

It is also hoped Cameron Jerome will be fit after ankle trouble but Charlie Adam serves a one-match suspension, and Rory Delap and Marc Wilson are injured.

Southampton's Gaston Ramirez will be available for tomorrow's game against Reading, despite having spent the week in his native Uruguay on compassionate leave.

Wasps lock Joe Launchbury is voted England's man of the series for his breakthrough performances during the autumn internationals.

"To win this award is massively humbling and I'm grateful to everyone who voted - to be honest I was shocked to even be shortlisted," says the 21-year-old, who made his debut as a substitute against Fiji and started the matches against South Africa and New Zealand.

Everton's Scotland international Steven Naismith, already a charity supporter north of the border, is to fund a lunch for people sleeping rough at city homeless support charity the Whitechapel Centre in Liverpool.

It's stumps on day three in the third Test in Kolkata and England are 509-6, a lead of 193 over India. Test Match Special is live now on sports extra.

Interim British Swimming head coach David McNulty, who will lead a 19-strong GB team at next week's World Short Course Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, rules out taking on the role permanently.

Uefa confirms that Chelsea will join Liverpool among the 16 seeds for the Europa League last-32 draw. Liverpool are seeded as a result of winning Europa League Group A, while Chelsea's total of 10 points in Champions League Group E means they are one of the four-best third-placed finishers dropping down from that competition.

It raises the possibility that one of the English sides could face Europa League holders Atletico Madrid when the draw is made on 20 December.

Nicola Adams, the first female Olympic boxing champion, is our profiled Sports Personality of the Year candidate today, and you can read more of her story on the BBC website now.

Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley will have a scan on his calf today after limping out of the 1-0 Champions League defeat to Cluj on Wednesday.

Former taekwondo world number one Aaron Cook intends to switch allegiance to the Isle of Man after being overlooked by Great Britain for London 2012. Despite numerous appeals, British Taekwondo controversially selected Lutalo Muhammad, who went on to win -80kg bronze, ahead of Cook.

Manx athletes compete under the British flag at the Olympic Games but Cook believes the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) may introduce a system where athletes are selected based on rankings rather that the national body's discretion. "I was world number one - I am never going to work with those people (British Taekwondo) again," said Cook.

Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong will be fit for tomorrow's visit to Swansea, but goalkeeper John Ruddy has had surgery on his thigh and Michael Turner and on-loan striker Harry Kane are also out.

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar is a doubt for QPR at Wigan tomorrow as he is still struggling with the groin injury he suffered at Sunderland two weeks ago.

Stephane Mbia and Samba Diakite have recovered from the neck and ankle injuries sustained in last weekend's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, but long-term absentees Bobby Zamora (hip) and Andrew Johnson (knee) remain sidelined.

Bradford City have been removed from the FA Cup after fielding an ineligible player in their second round tie against Brentford which resulted in a 1-1 draw. The club did not have the necessary written permission for Curtis Good, who was on loan from Newcastle, to play in the competition. They can appeal the decision but if the appeal is unsuccessful Brentford will go on to the third round and play either Bury or Southend United.

Manchester City will give David Silva every chance to play in Sunday's derby clash against Manchester United. Silva missed the midweek Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund with a hamstring injury but remains in contention to play at the Ethiad Stadium. However Aleksandar Kolarov will miss the match.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he is frustrated that Theo Walcott is stalling on a new deal and wants him to decide on his future soon. The striker is out of contract this summer and would be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in the January transfer window.

Defending champion Lee Westwood, who shot a 60 in last year's Thailand Golf Championship, is five under at the halfway stage of this year's event. Westwood is nine shots behind the leader Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.

BBC Sport's chief F1 writer Andrew Benson looks at how the sport is going green in 2014 with energy efficiency through a new engine design, changes to the cars and a fuel limit.

Scotland's women's fours of Margaret Letham, Caroline Brown, Lynn Stein and Michelle Cooper have won gold at the World Bowls Championships in Adelaide by beating Malaysia 18-15. It adds to the men's pairs title won by Paul Foster and Alex Marshall yesterday. The Scots now have two golds - the same as hosts Australia after four finals.

Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer, a 22-year-old Englishman who joined the MLS club in January after coming through the college system in the United States, is on trial at St Mirren with a view to a short-term loan.

QPR boss Harry Redknapp backs his players' decision to cancel their Christmas party in light of their current plight at the foot of the Premier League. "I'm not a fan of Christmas parties and we've got nothing to celebrate," said Redknapp. "We need to focus on our football now - it's the busiest time of the year."

Aston Villa winger Charles N'Zogbia has returned to training after a six-week absence with a knee problem but manager Paul Lambert is still to decide whether he will be involved in tomorrow's home clash with Stoke. Skipper and centre-back Ron Vlaar remains a major doubt with a calf problem while left-backs Enda Stevens (ankle) and Joe Bennett (knee) are still sidelined.

The West Indies make 211-9 in their fourth one-day international against Bangladesh in Dhaka after the home side win the toss and put them in to bat. Darren Sammy top-scores on 60 for the visitors who trail 2-1 in the five-match series.

Wales centre Jamie Roberts is expected to be sidelined for six weeks after suffering an elbow injury. The Cardiff Blues player suffered a hyper-extension of his elbow during Wales' 14-12 defeat against Australia last weekend. He is set to miss the Blues' remaining four Heineken Cup pool games against Montpellier (home and away), Toulon and Sale Sharks.

Wales start their 6 Nations title defence against Ireland in Cardiff on 2 February.

Britain's Shelley Rudman wins her first skeleton World Cup race of the season at Winterberg, Germany. The Briton, who won the overall World Cup title last season, had failed to reach the podium in the previous three races but put in a strong performance to set a new track record by half a second. Fellow Briton Lizzy Yarnold was fourth.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will welcome Yossi Benayoun back into his squad to face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. The former Reds midfielder missed the Hammers' 3-1 win over Chelsea as he was ineligible to appear against his parent club.

London Irish forward Chris Hala'Ufia wins his appeal after he was banned for five weeks by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel on Tuesday. Hala'Ufia received a red card from referee JP Doyle for a tip tackle during last weekend's Premiership defeat against London Welsh. But he appealed both the sanction and guilty verdict of the disciplinary committee and it means he is free to play again immediately.

There is plenty of reaction right across Europe to the news that the 2020 European Championship finals will be held in a number of cities across Europe.

French paper Le Figaro says Platini's decision may strengthen his "political influence" within Fifa ahead of his possible candidacy for the presidency of the organisation when Sepp Blatter steps down in 2015. German newspaper Suddeutsche said that European football associations appear to be more in favour of the idea than fans, and posed a simple question. "What happens in 2024?"

Meanwhile, Russia's Sport Express article headlined "Abduction of Europe" says: "Having the tournament in one country gives you that sense of wonder, that sense of a festival, the local flavour, the cuisine, the nature, the architecture, the country's nerve-endings and the pulse of its people. All that will disappear."

Danish squad Saxo-Tinkoff confirm the signing of Australian Michael Rogers on a two-year contract following his departure from Team Sky. The 32-year-old, who was road captain as Bradley Wiggins became the Tour's first British winner in July, will ride in support of Spaniard Alberto Contador.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew says despite England building up a 193-run lead over India on day three of the third Test in Kolkata, the home side could still win the match.

The first semi-final at the UK Snooker Championship in York is getting underway with two-time World Championship finalist Ali Carter taking on Shaun Murphy in the best-of-17 match which is played to a finish tonight. There is live coverage on BBC TV and on the BBC Sport website. The second semi-final between Mark Selby and Mark Davis is on Saturday with the final on Sunday.

The weather is taking its toll on games in Scotland. Games between Hamilton Academical and Dumbarton and Albion Rovers and Forfar Athletic have been postponed, with three more inspections planned for Friday in the Scottish Football League.

Wigan will be missing eight senior players as they host bottom side QPR on Saturday hoping to avoid a third straight defeat.

Defender Antolin Alcaraz and playmaker Shaun Maloney (both groin) are close to fitness but unlikely to feature while midfielder Ben Watson (broken leg), wingers Albert Crusat (knee) and Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) and defender Ivan Ramis (hamstring) are also out.

To cap manager Roberto Martinez's selection problems, centre-backs Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa are both suspended.

Tottenham defender Michael Dawson has only a slim chance of recovering from his hamstring injury in time to face Everton on Sunday. Winger Gareth Bale is out with hamstring problem while Hugo Lloris is expected to replace Brad Friedel in goal. Midfielder Scott Parker (Achilles) and left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) are a week away from full fitness and defender Younes Kaboul (knee) is also unavailable.

Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez confirms that Blues captain John Terry will not travel to the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan because of his knee injury. Chelsea will travel to Japan after Saturday's Premier League game at Sunderland and will face the Mexican side Monterrey or Korean team Ulsan Hyundai in the tournament semi-finals on 13 December. Terry has been out since picking up the injury against Liverpool last month.

Hot favourite Fingal Bay dramatically crashed out in a novice chase at Exeter. The 1-12 shot, trained by Philip Hobbs, ploughed through the rails at the third last as he attempted to run out, having continually jumped left. The horse and jockey Richard Johnson appear to have been unhurt in the incident. The race was won by 15-2 chance Chartreux. You can follow all the latest racing results on the BBC Sport website.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon thinks captain Scott Brown will eventually be forced to have surgery on a hip injury but admits he cannot force it on the midfielder. Brown has been troubled with the problem for most of the season and had planned to have surgery in January.

Uefa president Michel Platini claims the pan-continental Euro 2020 will be good for fans.

Platini told reporters : "We have talked to the fans. They were against it originally but we told them we are going to help them and suddenly they had a much more positive attitude.

"We have some decisions to make now - some political, some geographical - but we will have an intelligent solution - not chasing the fans all over Europe. It is perhaps a bit of a zany idea but it is a good idea."

Fulham will have captain Brede Hangeland back from suspension for Monday's match with Newcastle, and Alex Kacaniklic is back after a hamstring injury. Bryan Ruiz is set for a further month on the sidelines, while Sascha Riether faces a test on a minor knee sprain.

Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill believes current Bhoys boss Neil Lennon's success in leading the Hoops into the last 16 of the Champions League is all the more remarkable because of the declining strength of the Scottish Premier League.

"With the SPL maybe not as strong as it was a couple of years ago, their performances in Europe are even more remarkable," said O'Neill.

"I thought qualifying for the group stages was still a great achievement, they had to knock out the Swedish champions [Helsingborg]."

GB Taekwondo insist it is open to Aaron Cook competing under its flag once again, but admits that the former world number one seems intent on pursuing his career outside their remit.

Cook, 21, intends to switched allegiance to the Isle of Man after he was controversially overlooked for the London 2012 Olympics.

"We have made efforts to re-engage with Aaron since the Games and have made it clear that we remain keen to work with him going forward," a GB Taekwondo spokesperson told the Press Association in a statement.

"We have not received official notification of Aaron's future intentions including the potential for him to represent another nation, but it seems apparent that Aaron is keen to pursue other options, away from Great Britain."

Everton boss David Moyes says forward Kevin Mirallas, who has missed four games due to a hamstring injury, and full-back Seamus Coleman, sidelined for three by an unspecified problem, have "outside chances" of featuring against Tottenham on Sunday.

Victor Anichebe (hamstring) and Phil Neville (knee) will miss the game.

Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder sits out training with Italian side Inter Milan after picking up a leg muscle problem.

The 28-year-old has not played for Inter Milan since September and has been overlooked since November because of an apparent dispute with the club over a new contract that reportedly requires him to take a pay-cut.

A meeting between Sneijder and club officials on Monday failed to resolve the situation.

Uefa president Michel Platini says that no decision has been taken to scrap the Europa League, saying that the future of Europe's second-tier competition will not be decided for at least 12 months.

"We are discussing it and we will take a decision in 2014. Nothing has been decided for the time being, that is what I said," Platini said.

"Then, I read in the papers that there was a war, that was going to stop the Europa league... I said nothing of the sort."

The Frenchman added that the Champions League has become more democratic since automatic qualification to the group stages was opened up to Uefa's lower-ranked nations in 2009-10.

Everton manager David Moyes says that he is reserving judgement on Uefa's plan to stage Euro 2020 across several different nations.

"I don't know yet if it's a good idea, but what I will say is that it is forward thinking," he said.

"Maybe by the time we do it, we will be saying it is a great idea.

"But if it is 2020 and it doesn't go well, then we can always go back to the original way we were doing it."

Aberdeen winger Ryan Fraser, 18, has rejected the offer of a contract extension. The Scotland Under-19 international says his future lies elsewhere at the end of this season after making 21 impressive appearances for the Scottish Premier League club.

He is likely to follow midfielders Fraser Fyvie, 19, who joined Wigan in the summer, and Jack Grimmer, 18, who joined Fulham in January, as recent departures of emerging talent from Pittodrie.

Russian hammer thrower Kirill Ikonnikov, who finished fifth at the London Olympics, has been temporarily suspended after failing a drug test according to a report by Associated Press.

The 28-year-old Ikonnikov finished sixth at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, last year.

British number one Andy Murray will take control of the Fifa Twitter account on December 11 to answer questions about his favourite teams, Hibernian, Barcelona and Arsenal, and football in general.

Striker Georgios Samaras says Celtic will now be able to concentrate on retaining the title now the pressure to qualify from their Champions League group has subsided.

The Hoops progressed thanks to a 2-1 win over Spartak Moscow, combined with Benfica's failure to beat Barcelona, on Wednesday night.

Julian Dicks believes that West Ham will beat Liverpool in the battle between two of his former clubs on Sunday and has backed the Hammers to finish above the Merseysiders at the end of the season as well.

"I think they'll struggle to even get a top six finish as they are too inconsistent and it is a transitional period for them," said Dicks of Liverpool in an interview with the International Business Times.

"There is a new manager and new players but the problem is you have to give managers time and they simply don't get that anymore."

West Indies beat Bangladesh by 75 runs in Dhaka in the fourth one-day international between the two sides in the current series. Darren Sammy top-scored in the visitors' innings with 60 not out before taking three wickets as Bangladesh spiralled to 136 all out.

Last night's 5 live Extreme programme, featuring interviews with American snowboarding superstar Shaun White and British ski cross racer Emily Sarsfield, is now available as a podcast.

If you missed BBC Radio 5 live's look at the state of British gymnastics in the wake of London 2012, with Olympic bronze medallist Beth Tweddle and Commonwealth bronze medallist Craig Heap, you catch up with it over the next six days on the BBC iPlayer.

British Swimming shift trials to qualify for the 2013 World Championships from March to June after a debrief into the sport's performance at London 2012 suggested that athletes were struggling to peak twice in a season.

The trials will be held on 26-30 June at Sheffield's Ponds Forge.

Leinster fly-half Jonny Sexton will make his 100th appearance for the province when the Heineken Cup holders play away against Clermont Auvergne on Sunday.

Centre Gordon d'Arcy will become the most-capped Leinster player in the competition's history with 88 European appearances.

Clermont lead Leinster by two points at the top of Pool Five having won their two matches with bonus points.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson questions the number of penalties rivals Manchester City are given at home ahead of Sunday's derby at the Etihad.

"If we got that number of penalty kicks there'd be an inquiry in the House of Commons," said Ferguson.

Since the start of the 2010-11 season City have been awarded 20 Premier League spot-kicks at home to Manchester United's 13.

However, last season United were given nine penalties at Old Trafford - one more than their neighbours.

Everton manager David Moyes does not anticipate making any signings in January unless there are sales from his squad to free up funds for the transfer market.

"I think we may go into the loan market to see if we can find anything in that area - I think that is probably where we will be looking," said Moyes.

"But then that was the same as what we were doing last year, and then we made a sale with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov going back to Russia and it freed us up a little bit of cash to go and make the signing. So you never can tell."

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes the first goal will be crucial in Sunday's derby but does not think United's defence will let Sir Alex Ferguson down again.

"Sir Alex Ferguson has been openly concerned about United's defending," Neville said. "It must be massively frustrating for him.

"But, at the really big points in the season, do his players let him down? More often than not, they do not. But there is also a lot I like about Manchester City. They have dug out results, never seem to go away and are still only three points behind."

From BBC Sport's Matt Slater: "A new European Olympics, similar to the Asian or Pan-American Games, could be added to the sporting calendar as early as 2015.

"Delegations from the 49 members of the European Olympic Committee are meeting in Rome this weekend to vote on the proposal."

Aberdeen defender Joe Shaughnessy has signed a contract extension that lasts until the summer of 2015 after breaking into the first team in recent weeks.

But winger Ryan Fraser has rejected a new at Pittodrie.

Just to recap, Ali Carter leads Shaun Murphy 5-3 at the interval in the best-of-17-frames UK Championship semi-final at the Barbican Centre in York.

Live coverage is available for UK users on BBC Two and on the BBC Sport website. Play resumes at 1900 GMT.

Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester City are like a "little brother" who will never take their "big brother's" place.

"It's always this thing about being the big brother and the little brother coming to try to overtake the big brother," he said in a Football Focus interview to be broadcast tomorrow.

"That always happens in families and in clubs - the young player hoping to take the old player's position - and City are hoping to overtake United. I don't think they'll ever be able to."

Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy has said he has no interest in discussing new deals with players while the team are in a relegation battle.

Midfielders Lee Martin and Andy Drury are among those out of contract at the end of the season..

"I'm cool with what's going on," McCarthy told BBC Radio Suffolk. "Let everyone fight for positions, let everyone fight for contracts. Contracts for next season are not really concerning me yet."

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has backed "100%" the decision not to accept the club's ticket allocation for February's William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Dundee United.

He said: "It goes without saying that we are enjoying arguably our greatest support in terms of numbers and backing in many years so it's not an ideal situation that we won't have any Rangers fans in the stadium.

"But the club have taken this stance and it's one that I fully support as well."

New-style Grand National fences are to be tried out at Aintree racecourse as part of a continuing review into the safety of the world-famous horse race, which has seen 10 runners die in the past 12 years.

Portsmouth have completed the signing of former Swindon Town keeper Phil Smith on a one-month contract.

Smith, 32, was released by the Robins in May and goes straight into the squad for Saturday's game against Tranmere.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers maintains his team's preparations for Sunday's trip to West Ham have not been ruined by them having to stay over in Italy on Thursday night due to a technical problem with their plane.

Rodgers told the club's website: "You're better being safe than sorry. Obviously it would have been ideal to have flown back last night but the tour operators and the people who have organised us have done really well - and in fairness, it hasn't affected us too much, really.

"We've been able to recover well overnight and this morning, now we will have one preparation session before our game against West Ham."

Former Manchester United and Manchester City midfielder Owen Hargreaves says Sunday's derby will be "pivotal" in deciding who wins the Premier League title this season.

Hargreaves, who has also had spells at City and German club Bayern Munich, also says the battle to be crowned champions looks like a "two-horse race" between City and United.

You can view a video of Dean Saunders about the day that Lawro resigned as Oxford United manager.

Saunders, who played under Lawrenson at The Us, was sold to Derby for £1m and recalls his first encounter with then-County owner Robert Maxwell.

Watch the full interview on Football Focus, Saturday 8 December at 12:15 GMT on BBC One.

All four members of Great Britain's Olympic gold medal-winning showjumping team will compete in the London International Horse Show at Olympia later this month.

Nick Skelton, Scott Brash, Ben Maher and Peter Charles are among the final list of entries confirmed today by show organisers.

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Manchester United midfielder Anderson will be out for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Brazilian limped off during Saturday's win at Reading. "It is a hamstring," Ferguson told MUTV. "It will be three or four weeks. It is not serious."

League One's top scorer Jake Cassidy has admitted he will be "gutted" to leave Tranmere as he prepares to return to parent club Wolves in January.

Manager Ronnie Moore had hoped to extend the 19-year-old's loan spell, but Wolves wish to assess his progress.

"I'm just hoping it will work out there, but I'll be gutted to leave this," he told BBC Radio Merseyside. "We [Rovers] are top of the league and games are coming thick and fast. We'll see what happens in the new year."

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says Michael Schumacher should never have returned to Formula 1 after retiring in 2006.

Schumacher won seven world titles in his first career, but returned in 2010 with Mercedes and managed just one podium finish in three years.

"People new to the sport - people who have joined the F1 fan fraternity just recently - will remember Michael now, not as he was," said Ecclestone. "They don't see the hero that he was but the human that can fail."

Third choice France goalkeeper Mickael Landreau has taken a payoff to "amicably" break his contract with Ligue 1 side Lille.

Brian McDermott finds it impossible to switch off from the all-consuming job of football management as he plots Reading's Premier League survival.

"I play the guitar now and then and read books, but I'm always thinking about the next training session, player I need to talk to, our next game. It's all about football and where we have got to get to," he said.

Arsenal have confirmed that forward Philip Roberts will remain with Inverness Caledonian Thistle until the end of the season.

Roberts moved to the Highland club on loan in August and has featured 12 times for Terry Butcher's side.

The FA have announced the five contenders for England's player of the year award, with Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Joe Hart, Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck in the running.

Crewe manager Steve Davis has signed a new, improved 18-month rolling contract with the League One club.

The 47-year-old former Crewe, Burnley and Barnsley centre-half had been on a rolling three-month deal since succeeding Dario Gradi a year ago.

Yaya Toure admits Manchester City can not afford to lose Sunday's derby but is confident Roberto Mancini's side can take advantage of United's defensive concerns.

He told the club's website: "It's going to be a fantastic game and we know it will be tough, but they have conceded a lot of goals and we have a mentality that we will not be beaten on our own pitch.

"We will be in front of our own fans on our own ground and we are ready for this game. There is a long way to go this season but we can't allow United to get too far in front because they are a quality team who are used to winning titles."

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny admits he was not certain they had lost to Australia last weekend until he reached the Millennium Stadium's medical room.

He was carried off on a stretcher after a brave, but vain attempt to halt the move that led to Kurtley Beale's winning try in the Wallabies' 14-12 win.

Watch Sport Wales' interview with Leigh Halfpenny from 22:00 GMT tonight on BBC Two Wales.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce praises the decision to name the club as the preferred bidders to take over the Olympic Stadium as "outstanding news."

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) ranked the Premier League club's bid as the number one choice after a meeting on Wednesday. Allardyce says the park would be a "fantastic venue for the future of West Ham United."

From 1830 GMT you will be able to view today's edition of Sportsday Live in the panel above.

The Football Association have also revealed the candidates for the women's player of the year for 2012.

They are: Karen Carney, Steph Houghton, Fara Williams, Alex Scott, Jill Scott, Casey Stoney, Ellen White, Rachel Williams, Anita Asante and Eniola Aluko,

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has played down the long-term significance of Sunday's derby at City.

He told the club's website: "We want to be top of the league, but at this stage does it mean a lot? I'm not too sure how much it really means. We want to be top and we go there in good shape, so we go there full of confidence and looking forward to the game.

"It's a big game, of course it is and we know that, but it's important not to get too carried away with it as players because we want to go there and put in a good performance, get a good result and keep our position in the league."

The nominees for England's under-21 player of the year have been announced by the Football Association.

They are: Jordan Henderson, Steven Caulker, Tom Ince, Danny Rose, Connor Wickham, Wilfried Zaha, Craig Dawson, Marvin Sordell, Jack Butland and Martin Kelly.

"On Christmas Day, I'll be in the freezing cold, carbon coffin that I call home, eating my freeze-dried beef stew and a Mars bar or two, while my wife and son will be in Sweden enjoying a fantastic Christmas."

Read the thoughts of sailor Alex Thomson, who is attempting to become the first Briton to win the three-month, solo round-the-world Vendee Globe.

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has warned he is not satisfied with his flying start to life at Old Trafford.

"When you are wanted by everyone it gives you wings," Van Persie told MUTV. "I am happy here and everyone looks very happy to have me here.

"But I am not satisfied. If you look at the stats, 13 goals in 19 games, it is OK. But I want better and more. I want more goals, more assists. I want to go for everything that it is possible this year."

The snooker is also just about to resume with Ali Carter leading Shaun Murphy 5-3. Live coverage is available for UK users on BBC Two and on the BBC Sport website.

And that is it from Sportsday for Friday. Thank you for your input. Join us again from 0800 GMT on Monday where we will be looking back to what is sure to be a memorable weekend of sport.