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Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United

And a chance for Leicester not long after. A great start to the game. James Justin sends in a cross from the right wing and Jamie Vardy, under pressure, can only send it wide.

If it carries on like this, it's going to be an incredible game.

WHAT A MISS!
Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United

England centre-forward Marcus Rashford just has to score. It's a lovely chipped delivery into the box by Bruno Fernandes and Rashford is on his own six yards out but somehow sends his header over the top.

Shocking miss.

KICK-OFF
Leicester City 0-0 Manchester United

As always all the players and coaches take a knee and then Bruno Fernandes gets us going. Here we go.

Manchester United have made just the one change from the side that hammered Leeds in their last league game.



Eric Bailly comes in for the injured Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the back, while Scott McTominay is deemed fit enough to start in midfield.



Man Utd: De Gea, Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Fernandes, Rashford, Martial



Substitutes: Henderson, Pogba, Cavani, Greenwood, Lingard, Telles, Matic, Van de Beek, Tuanzebe

Leicester are unchanged from the side that beat Spurs in their last outing.



James Maddison has retained his place in the number 10 role, and top scorer Jamie Vardy leads the line.



Leicester: Schmeichel, Justin, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy



Substitutes: Ward, Iheanacho, Pérez, Amartey, Choudhury, Mendy, Praet, Fuchs, Thomas

The colour is always BLUE

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Both of these sides are much better on the road than they are at home - United have won all six of their away league games this season.



Leicester, meanwhile, have got half as many points at the King Power Stadium as they have on their travels - nine at home, compared to 18 away.



The Foxes' latest excellent away result came against Tottenham last weekend and, although there is a lot more to them than just one player, they are set up to get the best out of Jamie Vardy and they play to his strengths.



An in-form Vardy is hard for anyone to stop, but I look at United and I see a team that is just clicking into gear. I am backing them to make it seven away wins out of seven.



Prediction: 0-2

US lawmakers on have approved a $900 billion relief package for the world’s biggest economy that will provide a long-sought boost for millions of Americans and businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Overwhelming approval in the Senate and House of Representatives on Monday cleared the way for the legislation to be sent to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.

Trump signed a stopgap measure early Tuesday to keep the federal government funded until December 28 and avert a shutdown.

“The American people can rest assured that more help is on the way, immediately,” Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said on Twitter.

As the Covid-19 death count rises amid a massive coronavirus resurgence that further threatens the economy, Republican and Democratic legislators have finally hammered out a bill after months of wrangling and partisan finger-pointing.

The deal will spare millions of jobless workers who were days away from seeing their unemployment benefits expire, and provide a new round of cash payouts.

Small businesses will benefit from more government grants, while the package also includes rental assistance and help to families facing eviction.

“It’s a good bipartisan deal,” Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “We will do some good with this legislation.”

But “as President-elect Joe Biden has said, it’s a first step, and we will need to do more. More to get virus assistance to crush the virus. More money to buy vaccines,” she said on the House floor.

The US is facing the world’s largest coronavirus outbreak, and cases have surged in recent months, threatening a tentative economic recovery. The death toll has topped 319,000.

Recent data showed retail sales slowed heading into the usually-strong holiday shopping season, while new applications for unemployment benefits have risen for four of the past five weeks after months of declines.

Trading floors in Asia and Europe were little moved by the announcement, with analysts saying the legislation had been priced into markets.

“The new… bill will help some workers and businesses get through the winter but it will do little to accelerate the arrival of an economic recovery,” said David Kelly, at JP Morgan Asset Management.

Cash injection

The massive package is part of a $2.3 trillion, almost 5,600-page “coronabus” bill that includes a so-called omnibus bill to fund the government for the coming year.

The measure will include a new round of pandemic relief payments, and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the $600 checks will go out as early as next week.

That amounts to “$2,400 for a family of four, so much needed relief just in time for the holidays,” Mnuchin said Monday on CNBC.

While the direct payments are only half the amount provided by the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that Congress approved in March, Mnuchin said it is a “very fast way of getting money into the economy.”

Americans earning less than $75,000 a year will receive $600 payments, which will be reduced for those earning higher incomes.

Those who bring home $99,000 or more will not get a check.

The largest provision is the $275 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) aid for businesses, which are government loans that convert to grants if spent on wages and rent.

The agreement also contains $25 billion in rental assistance and extends an eviction moratorium for one month.

Biden, who will be sworn in on January 20, has welcomed the agreement but said Sunday that much more will be needed to provide “support to struggling families, and investments in jobs and economic recovery.”

After months of talk, the deal seemed endangered in the final days by a dispute over a Republican-backed provision to limit the ability of the Federal Reserve to provide more emergency lending.

But Democrats were able to block that move by Republican Senator Patrick Toomey, although they were not able to insert billions of dollars in aid to state and local governments on the front line of responding to the virus impact.

https://m.guardian.ng/news/us-congress-approves-900-billion-stimulus-package

Germany on Tuesday extended a ban on arrivals from Britain, Northern Ireland and South Africa until January 6 after a new more infectious coronavirus strain appeared in the countries.

“The transport ban covers passenger traffic by train, bus, ship and flights directly from these countries,” the health ministry said in a statement.

“The order covers the period from December 22, 2020, until January 6, 2021.”

It added that people who have valid residency permits for Germany could return from January 1.

The ministry said that travellers who arrived from the affected countries or who spent time there in the last 10 days would be required to be tested for the coronavirus.

“Existing quarantine rules for arrivals from risk areas continue to apply,” it added.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said that “as long as it is possible”, Germany aimed to prevent “potentially dangerous virus mutations from spreading in continental Europe”.

“The entry ban from Britain, Northern Ireland and South Africa is a precautionary measure until we know more about the reported coronavirus mutations” in those countries, he said.

A string of nations around the continent on Sunday began suspending travel links with Britain to prevent the spread of the new strain of the coronavirus.

EU ambassadors were to meet Tuesday to try to thrash out a unified approach and work out how to eventually lift the border restrictions with Britain — including by imposing a requirement for tests on all arrivals.

https://m.guardian.ng/news/germany-bans-uk-south-africa-arrivals-until-jan-6

Now Angelo Ogbonna heads over after another West Ham free-kick comes in. Good defending from Thiago Silva.

Chelsea have never lost three Premier League games in a row under head coach Frank Lampard

West Ham's Fabien Balbuena could return after a minor groin injury.

West Ham United



West Ham are aiming for a third consecutive away win in the league.

The Hammers have won half of their six away league matches this season.

They have taken 13 points from their past six games in the top flight.

David Moyes has not won any of his 15 Premier League matches as a manager at Stamford Bridge (D7, L8).

West Ham have played more Premier League fixtures on a Monday than any other team. This will be their 79th.

Chelsea



Chelsea are in danger of losing three Premier League games in a row for the first time since November 2015.

Going into the weekend round of matches, only Liverpool had scored more home league goals than Frank Lampard's side.

Chelsea have lost their final league match before Christmas in just two of the past 30 seasons, against Leeds in 1999 and Leicester in 2018 (W19, D9).

Olivier Giroud has scored seven of Chelsea's past 10 goals in all competitions.

Frank Lampard scored the winning goal when Chelsea defeated David Moyes' Everton 2-1 at Wembley in the 2008-09 FA Cup final.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head



West Ham did the double over Chelsea last season, winning 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and then scoring a stoppage-time goal to triumph 3-2 at home in July.

The Hammers haven't won three in a row against Chelsea in the top flight since a run of four between September 1972 and March 1974.

Chelsea have lost just one of their past 14 Premier League home games against West Ham.

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

West Ham are in good shape - really well organised, resilient, and with a threat going forward.



Chelsea have narrowly lost their past two games, at Everton and Wolves, but that only backs up what I thought about them already - that they have got the makings of a very good side but aren't quite there yet.



This should be a good game, and West Ham will make things difficult for Frank Lampard's side, but I think it will see the end of this little blip by the Blues.



Prediction: 2-0

Venue: Stamford Bridge

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi returned to training on Friday after hamstring injuries and will be monitored ahead of the game.



Head coach Frank Lampard reported no fresh injury worries.



West Ham defender Fabian Balbuena could return after missing the midweek draw with Crystal Palace because of a minor groin strain.



Michail Antonio has returned to training after a hamstring problem and will be assessed ahead of the game.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/55094880

Ffs

Nice one

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted late Sunday, authorities said, warning of a possible “significant emission” of volcanic ash into the atmosphere.

“An eruption has commenced within Kilauea’s summit caldera,” shortly after 9:30 pm local time (0730 GMT), said the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

“The situation is rapidly evolving and HVO (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory) will issue another statement when more information is available.”

Images posted by the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park showed billows of red smoke rising into the night sky.

The USGS warned of a “significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere” and upgraded its aviation colour code to red, advising pilots to avoid the area around Kilauea.

The National Weather Service reported prevailing winds could push the ashfall towards communities on the southwest of Big Island and said people with respiratory problems should take “extra precaution”.

The USGS reported a shallow, 4.4-magnitude earthquake near the volcano shortly after the eruption.

Kilauea, a popular tourist attraction, is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and has been erupting regularly since the 1950s.

In 2014 Big Island declared a state of emergency after red-hot lava from Kilauea ignited a house and threatened the entire town of Pahoa on the eastern tip of the island.

Hawaii Island, or the Big Island, is the largest of the eight main islands which make up the Pacific US state — an archipelago that includes hundreds of smaller volcanic islands.

https://guardian.ng/news/world/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-erupts-usgs

Leicester City climbed to second in the Premier League as they overcame top-four rivals Tottenham to move four points behind leaders Liverpool.



In a hard-fought battle between the sides starting the day third and fourth in the table - Spurs one point above the visitors - it was the latter who established themselves as champions Liverpool's closest challengers courtesy of Jamie Vardy's penalty and a Toby Alderweireld own goal.



Vardy confidently dispatched his spot-kick in the fourth minute of first-half injury time, after referee Craig Pawson was advised to review Serge Aurier's needless shove on Wesley Fofana via the pitchside monitor.



A VAR review for offside disallowed James Maddison's well-taken finish three minutes after the restart, but Vardy's header from Marc Albrighton's excellent cross deflected in off Alderweireld to double Leicester's advantage after 59 minutes.



Vardy's opener arrived at the end of a closely contested opening 45 minutes, during which Spurs captain Harry Kane's saved free-kick in the 34th minute and Foxes midfielder Maddison's deflected shot from distance were the only other attempts on target.



Son Heung-min was denied at close range by Kasper Schmeichel as Jose Mourinho's disappointing hosts were left frustrated in search of a response, while Leicester went close to a late third through Youri Tielemans.



Beaten 2-1 by Liverpool in their top-of-the-table meeting on Wednesday, former pacesetters Tottenham find themselves six points adrift of the lead.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55289746

We're the Blues

Cubana04:

Say something

Rafael Leao scored the fastest goal in Serie A history as AC Milan netted after just six seconds of their game at Sassuolo on Sunday.



The Portuguese forward, 21, took Hakan Calhanoglu's pass in his stride to stroke the league leaders ahead virtually from the kick-off.



Leao's goal beat the record of 8.9 seconds set by Piacenza's Paolo Poggi against Fiorentina on 2 December 2001.



Milan were a point clear of city rivals Inter at the top going into the game.



Belgium midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers added a second midway through the first half to double Milan's lead against their sixth-placed hosts.



Shane Long's goal for Southampton against Watford on 23 April 2019 is the fastest strike in Premier League history at 7.69 seconds.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55387403

https://www.0.freebasics.com/https/www.nairaland.com/6324587/xisco-munoz-watford-appoint-dinamo?iorg_service_id_internal=1646953538912597%3BAfrtOlNCJBGIMEWD

Watford have appointed Xisco Munoz as their new head coach after the sacking of Vladimir Ivic.

The Spaniard joins the Championship club from Georgian top-flight side Dinamo Tbilisi.

Former Valencia, Levante and Real Betis winger Xisco, 40, becomes the Hornets' fifth manager in just over a year.

Ivic was sacked on Saturday with Watford fifth in the Championship, four points off second-placed Bournemouth and nine behind leaders Norwich.

The Serb, 43, had taken charge of the Hornets in August on an initial one-year deal.

Watford have not disclosed the length of Xisco's contract.

He will be joined at Vicarage Road by Roberto Cuesta and Jorge Abella, who have been appointed as assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach respectively.

Antonello Brambilla, who was already on the staff of the club, moves into the role of first-team goalkeeping coach.

Watford's managerial changes
Javi Gracia was replaced in September 2019 by Quique Sanchez Flores, who was returning for a second spell in charge.

Flores lost his job after picking up just two wins in 12 matches, and with the club bottom of the Premier League, Nigel Pearson took over in December.

He pulled Watford out of the relegation zone, and they also inflicted a first league defeat of the season on eventual runaway champions Liverpool, 3-0 at Vicarage Road on 29 February.

But Pearson was sacked after losing 3-1 at West Ham with the club still three points above the drop with two games to go.

Under caretaker manager Hayden Mullins, the Hornets then lost their last two games, to be relegated back to the Championship after five seasons in the top flight.

Since Watford's Italian owners the Pozzo family, who also own Udinese and Granada, took control of the club in June 2012, there have been 13 changes of manager.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55388296

The club I hate most just made me happy now at least let me rejoice with them because I don't know maybe my club will be raped tomorrow

I wish my Chelsea can deal with West Ham like this

Manchester United fans will be happy today.

Sentiments aside, in my opinion, I think Manchester Utd should also be considered as title-favourites.

I love the Blues

Chelsea till I die

Wow, this is wonderful.
I joined Nairaland today and this same day, I was privileged to have a comment in the first page.

@Muzil to the world.

Back to the topic, those are foolish fans because I am sure that Regina Daniels herself will consent to her husband marrying another wife.

Sweet 13