Liverpool may risk fall-out with FIFA by playing Joel Matip against Plymouth despite AFCON eligibility row

MATIP

Liverpool are giving serious consideration to playing Joel Matip at Plymouth and risking a potential fall-out from a FIFA investigation.

Jurgen Klopp took the decision not to select Matip for Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United after Liverpool had not received any clarity from FIFA whether he was eligible.

Matip retired from international football in September 2015 but that did not stop Cameroon selecting him for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations.

It means the 25-year-old cannot play for his club while Cameroon are still in the tournament.

Yet Klopp does not want to be without Matip, who has become a key figure in Liverpool’s defence, for the entirety of the tournament and has been in discussions with the club’s hierarchy about what to do ahead of the FA Cup third-round replay at Home Park.

Anfield officials have been in contact with FIFA but the governing body have effectively said the dispute is between Liverpool and Cameroon and it is for them to sort out.

It means Klopp must now decide whether to use Matip at Home Park and risk the consequences or play it safe and wait to see if further talks lead to a breakthrough and clarity on the situation.

The final of the African Nations Cup is not until February 5 so should Cameroon make it all the way in the competition Matip would, in theory, not be available until February 10 - the day before Tottenham’s trip to Anfield.

That would mean he would miss potentially six more matches – if Liverpool negotiate their trip Plymouth to set up a fourth round FA Cup date against Wolves – including the pivotal visit of Chelsea on January 31. 

Manchester United and Manchester City are out of the Premier League title race, claims Jamie Carragher

CARRAGHER

Jamie Carragher believes the Premier League title chase has become a four-horse race after the weekend's results.

On Sunday Manchester City were thrashed 4-0 by Everton while Manchester United were held at home by Liverpool.

The results left the two Manchester clubs 10 and 12 points behind league leaders Chelsea respectively.

And the Sportsmail columnist believes that Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have too much to do now to turn their sides' fortunes around.

Speaking on a special edition of Monday Night Football on Sky Sports 1, the former Liverpool defender said: 'I think four (teams can win it).

'I don't think the Manchester clubs can.

'I think two or three games into the season we felt they were the two who would battle for the league.

'They're 10 and 12 points behind. City have still got to go to Chelsea. Goal difference is almost double for Chelsea, which is an extra point, so I only see Arsenal and above who can win the title.'

Next week sees City host Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, with United traveling to Stoke earlier in the day.

Carragher's former club host Swansea, while Arsenal and Chelsea are at home to Burnley and Hull on the Sunday.

Louis van Gaal set to call time on coaching career as former Manchester United boss turns down lucrative offers for family reasons

DE GEA AND VAN GAAL

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal appears to have called time on his coaching career, saying he is unlikely to take another job for family reasons.

The 65-year-old has been out of work since leaving United at the end of last term.

He told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf he had turned down offers from the Far East including one potentially worth £44million in just three seasons.

'I could go there, but I'm still here,' Van Gaal said. 'So much has happened in my family.'

The former Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Holland boss said after leaving United that he was interested in coaching again, but that door now seems to have closed.

The report said that last month one of Van Gaal's daughters lost her husband, and that has weighed heavily on his decision.

'I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching,' he said.

Van Gaal led United to the FA Cup trophy in his last match as manager of the Old Trafford club.

If it is to be his final match in management it would be a fitting exit for a man who has found success across Europe at some of the continents finest clubs.  

Manchester City attackers to blame for wobbling form - not a leaky defence, says manager Pep Guardiola

AGUERO

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City's attackers should shoulder the blame for their turbulent run — not his leaky defence.

City capitulated to concede four goals at Everton on Sunday afternoon, falling 10 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Their inability to convert obvious first-half dominance into a lead was the real contributive factor to a fourth defeat in eight, according to Guardiola.

'The consistency of a clean sheet depends on how you create in front,' he said. 'The defence is not the reason why [we're conceding], it is a consequence.'

Goals have not been as forthcoming in the league, with City nowhere near scaling the fluid heights of earlier this season.

Sergio Aguero has just three Premier League strikes since the beginning of November, with question marks hanging over his ability to deliver what the manager wants.

Guardiola is also still waiting for the FA to ratify Gabriel Jesus' registration documents, while City have their eye on attacking targets next summer.

Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — a target first revealed by Sportsmail last year — will again be of interest after holding talks in the summer.

Aubameyang, away with Gabon at the Africa Cup of Nations, already has 21 goals to his name this season.

Guardiola added: 'Football depends on the way you attack, how clinical you are, if you're players are confident and the first time they arrive they score a goal.

I want us to get better and better and feel we are able to score goals. When that happens we are going to suffer less behind. Our strikers will have more confidence.'

John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Gael Clichy were all spared by Guardiola after a dismal display at Goodison Park.

The club are ready to land a new goalkeeper with Claudio Bravo again coming in for criticism and Willy Caballero's contract drawing to a close.

West Ham rebel Dimitri Payet pictured leaving club's academy training ground

PAYET

Dimitri Payet has been pictured on Tuesday morning leaving West Ham's Chadwell Heath training ground as he continues to push for a return to Marseille this month.

In these Sportsmail exclusive snaps, the Hammers rebel can be seen departing the club's academy base in his white Mercedes at 9.45am.

Payet cut a glum figure as he left the premises behind the wheel of his left-hand drive AMG CLS63 S sports car, which costs around £90,000, while his future at the London Stadium remains in the balance.

PAYET'S MERCEDES 

The 2017 AMG CLS63 S Coupe

Price: £90,000

Engine: Handcrafted AMG 5.5L V8 biturbo

0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds

The Frenchman has been told to report to train with the Under 23s while West Ham work to resolve the issue, which emerged last week when boss Slaven Bilic revealed Payet had asked to leave the club this month.

Payet was spotted on Tuesday at West Ham's Chadwell Heath base which is used by the academy while the first-team are now based at Rush Green, the ground he was pictured leaving in his Ferrari 458 Speciale last Thursday; the day Bilic broke the news that Payet had asked for a transfer.

West Ham, meanwhile, remain adamant their star man will not leave the club in January and have rejected an improved £22million offer from Marseille for Payet.

Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud arrived in London for talks with West Ham co-owner David Sullivan on Monday, but discussions ended in stalemate after West Ham rejected a second offer, leaving Payet in limbo after he told the club last Monday that he never wants to play for them again.

Payet only wants to go to Marseille, ending any hopes West Ham have of sparking a bidding war for the player, whose desire to return to the club he left in 2015 are driven by personal reasons.

He has been ordered to train with the Under 23s. West Ham have told Marseille they want £40m but a fee closer to £30m could be enough.

Sullivan has been adamant Payet is not for sale but the prospect of a huge profit on a player signed for £10.7m last season could be too good an opportunity to turn down.

West Ham could move for Leeds' Chris Wood and expect to complete a move for Brentford's Scott Hogan.

The club have asked Payet to apologise to fans in the hope it could pave the way for his return to first team training as he is currently working with their Under 23 side.

Marseille sense that West Ham would sell Payet this month but want closer to their £35m valuation.

Payet's former club Marseille are the front runners to sign Payet this month but West Ham want to keep him.

The 29-year-old has already told his representatives to reject proposed moves to China as he seeks a return to France.

Despite his stance, both co-chairmen Sullivan and David Gold have expressed that they have no financial need to sell the former Lille man and are refusing to be bullied into a quick sale.

Bilic announced the news at his press conference ahead of Saturday's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, saying he was 'let down and angry' at Payet's decision.

The first team were given Monday off following their impressive display against the Eagles but it is understood Bilic has followed through on his threat to banish Payet from training - and he will now practice with the U23 side instead.

Tianjin Quanjian owner claims Diego Costa move scuppered by Chinese Super League rule change

COSTA

Diego Costa's hopes of moving to the Chinese Super League (CSL) have been scuppered by a new restriction on foreign players, according to Tianjin Quanjian's owner.

Billionaire Shu Yuhui claimed his club backed out of moves for Costa, Edinson Cavani, Karim Benzema, Radamel Falcao and Raul Jimenez following a rule change limiting the number of foreign players allowed in CSL matchday squads.

Sky sources understand Costa, who has been training alone with a back injury, was the subject of a £30m-a-year offer from Tianjin, who were willing to pay Chelsea up to £80m to sign the striker.

Yuhui confirmed he was interested in signing Costa before the decision to restrict foreign imports, which comes into force when the new Chinese Super League season kicks off in March.

"If [the rule] had been '4+1' as in the past, then we would have made a big investment this year, but now it seems to be changed to three," Yuhui told Tianjin TV.

"This situation has brought a change to our signing plans. The online reports about Costa, it's true we'd like him, and we made an offer for Cavani and were deep in negotiations."

Yuhui went on to say Tianjin had been unable to complete the deal because Chelsea wanted to keep Costa until the summer.

"We couldn't afford to wait half a season," he added. "We continue to wait and suffer, but at the end of the day, we'll get someone.

"We have targeted a lot of strikers, and made an offer for Benzema, but with this policy change, we are very helpless."

Tianjin, who have already signed Belgium international Axel Witsel, are managed by Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and recently won promotion to the Chinese Super League.

Yuhui is prepared to invest heavily to bankroll a run at the Asian Champions League and confirmed he held a meeting with Costa's agent Jorge Mendes, who also represents Falcao.

"Mendes came to my home a few days ago and we also had ideas about Costa, but in the process were ready to sign two players, the contracts were done, the price was good - Falcao and [Benfica striker] Raul Jimenez," added Yuhui.

"The contracts were ready, the two players ready to sign, and then we get the news about the salary limits and restrictions on foreign players, so that made us change."

Juventus have unveiled a new futuristic club badge

JUVENTUS

Juventus have unveiled a new badge as part of their efforts to grow their worldwide brand as a business and football club.

Previously, a variation of the crest displayed on Juve shirts had the club’s name, their famous black and white stripes and a bull, which is the symbol of Turin, where the Serie A champions are based.

The new design is more futuristic and minimalist, still black and white, but with a prominent ‘J’ and will be used from July 2017. President Andrea Agnelli says the move was designed to “define” the club’s style as they look to expand the business side of Juventus.

 “We have tried to define what we are, not only today. Today we launch what we want to be and what defines us, which is our new logo here behind us,” Agnelli said.

“Why do we need this new logo? Because we need to define not only a sense of belonging to something, but also to define Juventus’ style, which can relate to certain targets such as children, women, youth.

 “We aim at getting them closer to us not only through football, which will always be our essence, but also through our way of being and existing, through our own style.

“It is a style that belongs to other brands too. We are football, football is our essence, but through football we do want to communicate certain values leading to football but at the same time going beyond it. Juventus looks at a growingly wider audience.

“My feelings in seeing the new logo are connected with seeing it next to the trophy of a victory, either in Italy or in Europe.”

Juventus players including Gianluigi Buffon and Gonzalo Higuain joined club legend and vice-president Pavel Nedved in attending the launch of the new badge at a ceremony in Milan.