Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku scored twice - including a goal after 21 seconds - as Inter Milan eased into the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia with a 4-1 win over Cagliari.

The 26-year-old slotted the first after a terrible backpass by Christian Oliva and Borja Valero tapped in for 2-0.

Lukaku headed in his second, Oliva struck low to make it 3-1 before Andrea Ranocchia's header sealed the win.

Lukaku has now scored 18 goals in 25 appearances for the Italian side.

Holders Lazio cruised to a 4-0 victory over Serie B strugglers Cremonese, Italy international Ciro Immobile scoring from the spot in the comfortable victory.

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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc says he and team-mate Sebastian Vettel will not crash together on track again.

Their collision in Brazil at the end of last season was the climax of a series of controversies between the two drivers as they fought for supremacy.

"We are extremely competitive and sometimes on track we might have some frictions," Leclerc said.

"But in the end we are mature enough to know that what happened on track is on track and off it we are different." 

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Sergio Ramos scored the decisive spot-kick as Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 on penalties to win the Spanish Super Cup.

The Real captain sent Jan Oblak the wrong way to secure the trophy after a goalless 120 minutes in Saudi Arabia.

Saul Niguez and Thomas Partey missed their penalties for Atletico.

Real Madrid had ended the game with 10 men after Federico Valverde was sent off in extra time for fouling Alvaro Morata when he was clean through.

The dramatic finale was at odds with what was a largely turgid encounter at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

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Tiger Woods will bid for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open on 23 January.

The 44-year-old equalled Sam Snead's mark of 82 - set in 1965 - at the Zozo Championship in Japan in October.

The Farmers Insurance Open will be played at Torrey Pines, where Woods has eight wins, including the 2008 US Open.

Woods will be joined by a strong field including Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele.

Since equalling Snead's record, Woods has competed in two unofficial events in December. 

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Formula 1 world champions Mercedes to partner Team Ineos.

Six-time Formula 1 constructors' championship winners Mercedes have agreed a partnership with Team Ineos' cycling and sailing divisions.

The partnership will help develop "engineering, human science, simulation and data analysis".

Ineos - owned by Britain's richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe - began sponsoring Team Sky cycling in March 2019.

"The technical demands of F1 mean we're well-placed to support in sailing and cycling," said Mercedes' Toto Wolff.

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic came on as a second-half substitute in his first game since returning to AC Milan as his side were held to a goalless draw by Sampdoria.

The 38-year-old Swedish striker, who helped Milan win Serie A in 2010-11 and has signed a six-month deal, replaced Krzysztof Piatek after 55 minutes.

Ibrahimovic had two headed chances but one was cleared off the line and the other was saved by Emil Audero.

The result leaves Milan 12th, four places ahead of Sampdoria in 16th.

Sampdoria had chances to win the game but former Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini shot wide from the edge of the penalty area after he had taken the ball around goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Novak Djokovic led Serbia to the quarter-finals of the inaugural ATP Cup by winning both his singles and doubles matches against group rivals France.

After France led through Benoit Paire's win over Dusan Lajovic, world number two Djokovic beat Gael Monfils 6-3 6-2.

Djokovic and Viktor Troicki beat Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin to win 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 10-3 at 00:40 local time in Brisbane.

Rafael Nadal's Spain beat Uruguay to close on the last eight in Australia.

After world number 10 Roberto Bautista Agut thrashed Franco Roncadelli 6-1 6-2, world number one Nadal eased past Pablo Cuevas 6-2 6-1 to seal the Perth tie before Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Carreno Busta beat Ariel Behar and Juan Martin Fumeaux 6-1 3-6 10-3 in the doubles.

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Brescia striker Mario Balotelli said Lazio fans should be ashamed of themselves after alleged abuse during the sides' Serie A match.

A stadium announcement was made during the game urging fans not to sing discriminatory songs.

Balotelli, 29, posted a message on his Instagram account following the match - a 2-1 win for Lazio.

"Lazio fans present at the stadium today, shame on you," Balotelli wrote, with the hashtag #saynotoracism.

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Unbeaten Premier League leaders Liverpool made it a full year without losing in the top flight as Sheffield United were brushed aside at Anfield.

A slice of good fortune enabled the Reds to take an early lead - George Baldock's slip allowing Andy Robertson to set up Mohamed Salah for a simple close-range finish in just the fourth minute.

But there was nothing fortuitous about their win, which Sadio Mane sealed, finishing at the second attempt after being played in by Salah.

It maintains the Reds' 13-point advantage at the top of the division after nearest rivals Leicester and Manchester City both won on New Year's Day.

Jurgen Klopp's side have dropped just two points from a possible 60 this season.

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It's that time of the season again.

Clubs will be on the hunt for a bargain or big-money signing, whether they are aiming for the title, looking to clinch a European spot or trying to avoid relegation.

There is one interesting point to consider this season - players who have played for one team in Europe are no longer cup-tied when they move to another club participating in European competition.

So could that mean clubs are more willing to splash the cash?

London-based investment company Carteret Analytics advises three Premier League clubs, and another 12 leading sides from around Europe and the rest of the world, on potential new signings.

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Former Sweden and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has rejoined AC Milan on a six-month deal, with the option for another season.

The 38-year-old was a free agent after leaving LA Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer season.

The Serie A side said  Ibrahimovic "will be in Milan on 2 January, 2020 to take his medical" and join his team-mates.

"I'm coming back to a club I hugely respect and to the city of Milan I love," Ibrahimovic said.

Ibrahimovic was at Serie A side Milan from 2010 to 2012, scoring 42 goals in 61 league games for the club.

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Liverpool will not say it - there have been too many near misses and false dawns in the 30 years since their last title win to place temptation in fate's path.

The lockdown started moments after Jurgen Klopp's side produced arguably their finest performance of the season to overwhelm their nearest challengers Leicester City to go 13 points clear with a game in hand.

Liverpool's players, perfectly understandably, were right on title message: Nothing taken for granted. Long way to go. Race not over.

If they will not say it, then others will. And it can be said with some certainty after the manner in which the Reds produced a 4-0 win that even then did not do justice to their superiority.

This was the night when it became clear that the Premier League title race is now surely over.

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England won their first men's World Cup in July by beating New Zealand in one of the most sensational games of cricket ever played.

In a finale packed with barely believable moments, both teams scored 241 off 50 overs and the super over was also tied - but England won by virtue of hitting more boundaries.

Here is the tale of the dramatic final hour at Lord's, as told by England players Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood and captain Eoin Morgan.

These interviews are from 'The Final Hour', a programme looking back on the last 60 minutes of the Cricket World Cup final.

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Real Madrid recorded consecutive goalless draws in La Liga for the first time since March 2006 as they were frustrated by Athletic Bilbao.

The hosts had the better chances with substitutes Nacho and Luka Jovic heading against the woodwork.

Karim Benzema had a frustrating night - failing to score with seven efforts, including four saves from Unai Simon.

Athletic struggled to create chances, although Kenan Kodro had a goal disallowed for offside.

They rise to seventh in La Liga, with second-placed Real two points behind Barcelona at the end of 2019.

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Mikel Arteta is expected to be named as Arsenal's new manager on Friday.

Arteta said his farewells to staff at Manchester City on Thursday morning.

There has been annoyance at City over Arsenal's conduct but they will not stop Arteta, 37, succeeding Unai Emery.

A seven-figure compensation payment will be made in order for the move to be completed.

Thursday's news conference previewing the game against Everton was cancelled.

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