The Football Association (FA) is investigating an alleged homophobic chant during Manchester United's FA Cup tie with Everton.

United won Friday's contest 3-1 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round at the expense of their fellow Premier League side.

A section of home supporters were heard using homophobic language, with the chant thought to be aimed at Everton manager Frank Lampard.

The FA released a statement after the match confirming it is looking into the matter.

"We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as the UK Football Policing Unit, in relation to the use of this term," the statement read. 

"Part of our work in this area has been to provide the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chants of this nature affects their experience and feeling of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer stance and understanding on the chant can be established.

"We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and we are striving to ensure our game is a safe environment for all, which truly embraces diversity and challenges hateful conduct both on and off the pitch."

Conor Coady levelled up for Everton after Antony's early strike, but the defender then put into his own net prior to Marcus Rashford's late penalty sealing progression for United.

In a widely released statement of their own on Friday, United also condemned the chanting from their supporters.

"Homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, has no place in football," the statement read. "Manchester United is proud of our diverse fan base and the work we have done to reduce instances like we sadly heard today.

"We will continue to campaign for inclusivity and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online. This includes working with fan groups to educate fans on the offence which discriminatory language causes."

The incident comes less than a week on from Nottingham Forest launching an investigation into allegations of homophobic chanting directed at Chelsea fans in a 1-1 draw.

Zinedine Zidane saw an obvious route back into coaching blocked off when France elected to stick with Didier Deschamps, raising the question of where the former Real Madrid boss could end up.

News came through on Saturday of a new deal for Deschamps that keeps him with France through to the 2026 World Cup.

Had Deschamps been unable to agree terms with the French Football Federation, or elected to walk away after his team's World Cup final penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina, it seemed Zidane would have been the obvious choice as his successor.

Now, however, he must wait for the chance to coach his country, if it ever arrives, but Zidane should not give up hope of working at the top level in international football.

According to former Brazil playmaker Juninho Pernambucano, coaching the Selecao would be a "perfect" role for the 50-year-old former Ballon d'Or winner.

It has been a long-standing tradition for only Brazilians to be head coach of their national team, but ex-Lyon star Juninho thinks an exception should be made for Zidane.

Tite stepped down after Brazil's World Cup quarter-final exit, creating the current vacancy.

"Football is a democratic sport. Everyone can participate, although the priority will always be a coach from your country, who knows the local football," Juninho told French broadcaster RMC.

"But if today you don't have a name that is unanimous in Brazil, why not look outside? But you can't take someone outside because you're going to propose a huge contract."

Juninho floated the name of Fernando Diniz, who is head coach of Fluminense and "makes his team play in an incredible way".

Unlike Zidane, however, Diniz has yet to win major silverware as a coach.

"I see Zidane as the perfect coach for Brazil," Juninho added.

Speaking in October, Zidane, who has won three Champions League titles as a coach, said he was looking to get back into work.

He had been linked with Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, and club opportunities may be presented now it is clear he will not be stepping into the France job.

"Do I miss the coaching suit? No, I'm not far away," Zidane said. "We're waiting, we're waiting a little bit. Soon, soon."

Milan coach Stefano Pioli insists Napoli's first Serie A defeat of the season has done little to alter the picture in the Scudetto race ahead of Sunday's clash with Roma.

Serie A champions Milan made a successful return to action following the World Cup break on Wednesday, beating Salernitana 2-1 after taking a two-goal lead within 15 minutes. 

That result took the Rossoneri to within five points of leaders Napoli, a gap which the Partenopei failed to extend as they fell to their first league defeat of the campaign at Inter.

Milan ended an 11-year wait to capture the Scudetto with an outstanding run of form over the second half of last season, and Pioli feels they will need to produce something similar to see off the challenge of Napoli this term.

"Not much has changed with one game," Pioli said on Saturday. "We're not there to count the points behind.

"We have to make our run and we need a lot of points to win the Scudetto. We're thinking about playing well, raising the level and winning tomorrow.

"Roma are a strong, complete team, they have important offensive qualities and physicality. They lost against Napoli in the last few games and won against Inter, we will respect them a lot. 

"Then there's us, our will and our determination. Let's get back to playing at San Siro and we will do it with enthusiasm and energy."

Pioli will be unable to call upon Mike Maignan against Roma, with the goalkeeper's recovery from the thigh injury which sidelined him for the World Cup taking longer than anticipated.

Asked when Maignan might return, Pioli said: "We don't have timings, we must not take any risks and I can't say if it will be two, three, four or five weeks. 

"The muscle doesn't respond as it should, now I can't say when we will have him available."

Sunday's game will see Pioli do battle with Jose Mourinho, with the Milan boss being the only coach to face him more than once in Serie A and boast a 100 per cent winning record.

Following Roma's 3-1 defeat in this same fixture 12 months ago, Mourinho said he was "doubly happy" to have turned down the chance to coach Milan in 2019, but Pioli refused to be drawn into a war of words with his Giallorossi counterpart.

"Everyone can express their opinions," Pioli said when reminded of Mourinho's comments. "Milan was a great opportunity for me and I'll make the most of it as long as I can."

Barcelona head coach Xavi was keen to remind his players that Sunday's trip to Atletico Madrid "won't decide anything" as he looked to ease the pressure on the league leaders.

Barca headed into matchday 16 at LaLiga's summit thanks to having a better goal difference than Real Madrid.

But with Los Blancos in action on Saturday, Barca could begin the game trailing Carlo Ancelotti's men in the table.

It promises to be one of Barca's toughest fixtures of the season and comes amid an underwhelming return to action following the World Cup, with the Blaugrana held to a 1-1 draw at home to Espanyol last Saturday before needing extra time to beat third-tier opponents Intercity 4-3 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Xavi did not want to overstate the importance of Sunday's game, even if he tempered his tranquillity by highlighting Barca's habit of shooting themselves in the foot with individual errors.

"Every week is like this: the next game is the most important. It won't decide anything, but [dropping points] would be a blow on the table," he told reporters.

"It's a complicated place to go and they are a rock defensively. It will be difficult for us to generate things and we have to be more effective than in the last few two games, [but] it's not a transcendental game for the future of LaLiga."

Regarding their mistakes, he added: "It's more of a mental issue than a game issue.

"We've dominated and created chances, but we have to kill the matches. We have to be more forceful in certain areas. We're far superior to our rivals but we make occasional mistakes.

"In the end we all fail. We try to give the players confidence so they don't make mistakes, but football is a game of mistakes.

"We have to minimise those mistakes to win. Against Intercity we made life difficult for ourselves."

Although Barca are doing well in LaLiga this season, they have already been knocked out of the Champions League and have the difficult challenge of Manchester United in their Europa League play-off.

It is in such competitions – and the Copa del Rey – where Xavi feels Barcelona's lack of decisiveness is proving problematic, rather than LaLiga.

"Against Espanyol we lacked aggressiveness in the opposition's area and we lacked effectiveness. Against Intercity it was different. We conceded three goals and this can't happen. We have to be more aggressive.

"In LaLiga we are very plugged in, but in other competitions it is costing us more. In the knockout competitions, one detail can knock you out."

It was put to Xavi that Barca lack obvious leaders, particularly following the retirement of Gerard Pique.

But this was not a suggestion he agreed with.

"We have [leaders]," he continued. "Sometimes it's not necessary to raise your voice.

"[Andres] Iniesta did not raise his voice… There is always someone who expresses things with their voice, and others express with personality. We have several profiles.

"There is no problem of personality or leadership. Everyone knows their role in the squad and that's not the problem."

Harry Kane moved just one goal away from becoming Tottenham's joint all-time leading goalscorer to secure a 1-0 FA Cup third-round win over Portsmouth.

Kane is only a solitary goal behind the great Jimmy Greaves' staggering haul of 266 for Spurs after opening the scoring with a sublime second-half finish.

The England captain's 17th goal of the season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday was enough for the Premier League club to seal their place in the fourth round.

Antonio Conte's men had failed to register a shot on target in a poor first-half display, but were much improved following the interval against a side without a win in nine League One games – resulting in boss Danny Cowley's sacking this week.

Pompey showed no signs over being overawed in a positive start, Reeco Hackett-Fairchild forcing a save from Fraser Forster with an early left-foot volley.

Spurs were short of ideas as they were unable to break down their well-drilled opponents, Kane having a close-range effort blocked by Denver Hume before Son Heung-min fired wide late in a drab first half.

Tottenham showed more urgency early in the second half and Emerson Royal rose to head Son's cross against the post before Kane got the breakthrough with a classy finish.

The prolific striker exchanged passes with Ryan Sessegnon before unleashing a sumptuous strike into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the penalty area five minutes after the break.

Oliver Skipp should have doubled the advantage when he blazed wildly over the crossbar from inside the box, but Kane's goal was enough for Spurs to advance.

In-demand forward Leandro Trossard must show full commitment to Brighton and Hove Albion if he is to return to their starting line-up, says head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Trossard has been linked with a move to Newcastle United or a reunion with former boss Graham Potter at Chelsea after impressing before the World Cup, though his form has tailed off badly since then.

The 28-year-old has seven goals in 16 Premier League appearances this season, but he was left out for the Seagulls' 4-1 thrashing of Everton on Tuesday after starting just once in Belgium's dire World Cup campaign.

Speaking to The Athletic, De Zerbi said of Trossard: "I think he's one of the best players for us and one of the most important players for us. 

"I'd like to always play with Leo in the first eleven, but it doesn't depend only on me, it depends on Leo. I want players that work for the team on the pitch and Leandro knows very well my opinion. I've spoken a lot of times with him.

"I like him as a player, but I want more from him, because he can play better, he can work harder, he can run more on the pitch.

"I want players who give 100 per cent in every training session and every game. Without these characteristics, they can't play with me."

Asked whether Trossard's experience in Qatar was to blame for his recent drop-off, the Italian said: "I don't know if it’s the World Cup. I have to watch what my player does on the pitch. 

"If there is a problem, I'm always open to understanding, but on the pitch I want 100 per cent always. I can't understand 80 per cent or 90 per cent."

Moises Caicedo is another Brighton player to be linked with a move, but the club's chief executive Paul Barber claims he is yet to field an offer from suitors including Liverpool and Chelsea, laughing off a reported £42million valuation of the midfielder. 

"I'm pleased to say we haven't had any [offers]. Maybe they haven't got my email because I haven't seen any," he told CBS Sports.

"I'm not sure £42m will even include his boots now, maybe just the laces. But joking aside, every player's value is ultimately determined by the market."

David Datro Fofana said he has joined "the club of my dreams" after completing the formalities of a move to Chelsea from Norwegian side Molde.

Chelsea reached an agreement to sign Ivory Coast international Fofana last month in a reported £10.5million (€12m) deal.

That transfer officially went through on Saturday, with the 20-year-old signing a six-and-a-half-year contract that contains the option of a further 12 months.

Boyhood Chelsea fan Fofana told the club's website: "I'm here, I've arrived well and I'm very happy to sign for the club of my dreams. I'll see you soon on the pitch. Cheers!"

Fofana, who has three senior international caps, top-scored for Molde with 15 goals last season as they regained the Norwegian Eliteserien title.

He played a part in 34 goals in 65 appearances for Molde, with 24 goals and 10 assists in all competitions since joining at the start of the 2021 campaign.

Chelsea announced the signing of defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco on Thursday, while a deal has also been struck for Brazilian youngster Andrey Santos.

Diego Simeone suggested it would be difficult for any team not to be hampered by the loss of Lionel Messi, ahead of Atletico Madrid's clash with Barcelona.

LaLiga leaders Barca travel to the Spanish capital on Sunday in the headline fixture of the weekend.

Barca struggled last season under Ronald Koeman in the wake of Messi's departure to Paris Saint-Germain, though recovered under Xavi to finish second in LaLiga.

The Blaugrana are well set for a title challenge this term, with Robert Lewandowski having hit the ground running, but they have faltered in Europe, crashing out of the Champions League at the group stage for a second straight season.

Asked if Barca were a less-threatening side without Messi, Simeone told reporters: "Where Messi is will always be decisive, be it in the national team, in his current team or in Barcelona. 

"With a player of Leo's characteristics there is a better chance of winning."

Simeone compared Messi's influence on teams to that of the late Diego Maradona, who the Atletico coach played with at the 1994 World Cup.

"When I played the World Cup with Maradona, already a veteran, there was a feeling that it is difficult for us to lose, because we have the best," Simeone added.

"And if you have the best it is easier to win."

 

Simeone will be glad he no longer has to face Messi domestically, given the Barca great scored 26 goals in 30 LaLiga appearances against Atletico, who realistically need a victory on Sunday to keep any slim hopes of a title push alive.

"We face all the games and we want to see them as if it were a final," Simeone said.

"The next game in Almeria will be in the same and so on. There is no bigger game than the one you have to play [next].

"Barcelona are doing very well in the league, [have] a coach with clear ideas and they play very well."

Joao Felix's future appears up in the air, with Atleti willing to let the Portugal forward leave the club in January.

Asked if the Barca match provides a big stage for Joao Felix to impress on, Simeone elected not to focus on the individual.

"It is a good opportunity for the team," he said. "We continue to grow, improve as a team and capture what we want in the game."

Barcelona will face the lowest-ranked team left in the Copa del Rey after being drawn with Ceuta in the last 16.

Xavi's side will be huge favourites to reach the quarter-finals, with their next opponents propping up Group 1 of the Primera Division RFEF, Spain's third tier.

Nevertheless, Ceuta – who beat LaLiga's Elche in the round of 32 – will take encouragement from Barca's struggles in the last round ahead of welcoming the Catalans to Africa's north coast.

The top-flight leaders needed extra time to beat another third-tier side in Intercity, with Oriol Soldevila pegging them back three times to force extra time.

Ansu Fati's extra-time goal made it 4-3 and eventually sealed Barca's passage, but it was still alarmingly close to an upset for the Blaugrana.

The tie of the round will take place at Estadio de la Ceramica as Villarreal host Real Madrid.

Holders Real Betis were drawn at home to Osasuna, one of four all-LaLiga ties, while Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla were all paired with Segunda opposition.

Fixtures will take place across January 17, 18 and 19.

Copa del Rey draw in full:

Ceuta v Barcelona

Levante v Atletico Madrid

Sporting Gijon v Valencia

Deportivo Alaves v Sevilla

Real Betis v Osasuna

Villarreal v Real Madrid

Real Sociedad v Real Mallorca

Athletic Bilbao v Espanyol

Novak Djokovic clinched a 6-3 6-4 win against Daniil Medvedev in the Adelaide International semi-finals on Saturday, overcoming an injury scare to tee up a final meeting with Sebastian Korda. 

Djokovic made a fast start by breaking in Medvedev's second service game, though there was concern when the 21-time grand slam winner required a lengthy medical timeout at 5-2 up in the opening set.

With Djokovic's long-awaited return to the Australian Open just over a week away, the sight of the Serbian clutching his left hamstring was an unwelcome one, but he eventually returned to the court to take the opener 6-3.

Having shown his staying power in a low-key start to the second set, Djokovic claimed the vital break following some excellent work at the net in the seventh game, though Medvedev was ultimately the master of his own downfall after producing a double fault at break point.

Djokovic then faced break point in the next game as Medvedev desperately tried to claw his way back into the contest, but a huge second serve eventually saw him hold off the Russian, who was unable to trouble him thereafter.

Speaking court-side after teeing up his 131st ATP Tour final, Djokovic played down concerns over his hamstring issue, saying: "Thankfully, it was nothing too serious. 

"If it was, I wouldn't have been able to continue. I just tried with a medical timeout and some anti-inflammatories and I just settled in.

"The more the match went on, the more my hamstring was warmer, I guess, and bothering me less. So hopefully tomorrow it will be okay."

Asked whether he considered retiring in order to save himself for the first grand slam of the year, Djokovic added: "I can't say it didn't cross my mind today on the court. 

"But you just can't calculate on the court. At this stage of my career, every match counts, every match is a present in a way, so I just try to give my best and win wherever I am."

Yoshihito Nishioka also struggled with an injury in the day's other semi-final, but the world number 36 was less fortunate than Djokovic as he retired midway through his clash with Korda.

Korda took a close opening set via a tie-break after Nishioka ranted at a second umpire in as many days, raging when a point was replayed following an error from a line judge.

Nishioka saw his serve broken in the first game of the second set before calling a medical timeout after seeming to struggle with a leg injury, and his subsequent retirement ensured Korda advanced to his fifth ATP Tour final.

Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has undergone surgery on a fractured finger sustained in training this week.

The 30-year-old has not played for Chelsea since before the World Cup due to injuring his shoulder during Senegal's run to the last 16 in Qatar.

Mendy was still not fit enough to take a place among the substitutes for Thursday's 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League.

Speaking ahead of that game, head coach Graham Potter said he expected Mendy – who has played 11 times this season – to return to full fitness within the next week.

However, the former Rennes goalkeeper is now facing more time on the sidelines because of an injury suffered on the training ground.

A statement on Chelsea's official website on Saturday read: "Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has undergone an operation on a fractured finger sustained in training this week.

"The 30-year-old will work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation phase."

No timeframe has been given for Mendy's possible return to action.

Spain international Kepa Arrizabalaga has deputised for Chelsea in their past three matches, during which time the Blues have kept one clean sheet and conceded two goals.

Potter's side are 10th in the Premier League and face City again in an FA Cup third-round tie on Sunday.

Roberto Mancini has described his "little brother" Gianluca Vialli as a "perfect and courageous man" after he died at the age of 58

Former Italy, Cremonese, Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea striker Vialli passed away on Friday.

The hugely popular and successful Vialli was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 and was re-diagnosed with the disease in 2021, having been given the all-clear three years ago.

Ex-Chelsea manager Vialli's death has rocked the football world less than a month after he stepped down from his duties as head of delegation for the Italy national team.

Italy head coach Mancini has spoken of his final visit to see his long-time close friend late last month, so soon after the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic.

He told the Corriere dello Sport: "He was powerless, with little voice, but very lucid. We talked a bit about everything, he even asked me about the get-together in December with the youths. He wanted to know the developments of the project."

Mancini paid a glowing tribute to Vialli, who he celebrated a European Championship triumph with at Wembley in June 2021 following a win over England.

He added: "Luca was smiling, we joked. I told him that he was earning more than me at Sampdoria, the president was paying him more than me. A few days after Sinisa's farewell, I lose another brother, a little brother, as I liked to call him.

"We met when we were 16 and we never split. The entire journey together. Azzurri's youth sector, national team, Samp, joys and pain, victories and defeats. Those two nights at Wembley.

"Once we cried with sadness and bitterness, many years ago. The other time, we cried with joy, as we were united by destiny, before his death. Gianluca was the best of us, a complete striker, a perfect and courageous man.

"I've long hoped he could become the president of Sampdoria, he would have opened an extraordinary history, as when he was a footballer. It was a privilege to be his friend and a team-mate in football and life.

"He made me happy. He had a decisive role in the victory of the Euros. Players loved him. Gianluca had the strength and gave us the courage we didn't know we had which he used to fight the illness, staying with us until he could.

"I say goodbye to another brother, after Sinisa. With his strength, I'll go forward to dedicate to him something relevant, which we've been dreaming of for a lifetime."

The Minnesota Vikings will finish the season with at least 12 wins, have arguably the finest receiver in the NFL and produced the largest comeback in NFL history last month.

At worst they will be the third seed in the NFC playoffs, and yet it is hard to think of a double-digit win team heading into the playoffs with so few outside the organisation believing they can contend to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

That will be of no concern to the Vikings, but their 2022 resume emphatically illustrates why they are not being taken seriously as potential Super Bowl champions.

Minnesota's season has been one defined by dramatic finishes in close games. Indeed, 11 of the wins the Vikings have claimed his season have been by a one-score margin, including their comeback from 36-0 down to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

Their sole double-digit win came in Week 1, when the Vikings eased to a 23-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers, a triumph cancelled out by their 41-17 defeat at Lambeau Field last week.

That loss left them with a point differential of minus 19. The current record for worst point differential in a season with at least 12 wins in NFL history is +21 by the 13-7 Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1925.

The 1925 championship was not decided by a playoff system -- only the most avid of NFL historians would know from memory that the Chicago Cardinals were awarded the title after the Pontsville Maroons were suspended from the league -- and there is a more recent comparison that reflects more kindly on the Vikings.

Minnesota's average margin of defeat this season stands at 22.3 points. That would be the largest average margin of defeat for an NFL team since the 1997 San Francisco 49ers (23.7).

San Francisco went 13-3 that season, which the 49ers finished as the NFC's top seed, and progressed to the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers.

Whether the Vikings have what it takes to imitate them and go deep into the playoffs despite the heavy defeats that have served to increase concerns about their viability as contenders remains open for debate.

It is a debate that is unlikely to be settled by their Week 18 regular-season finale with the three-win Chicago Bears, but they do have points in their favour, the most notable of which is a cast of pass-catching weapons that ranks 11th in the NFL in win rate against pass coverage.

Justin Jefferson, who is ninth in the NFL in combined open percentage (49.3) against man and zone coverage (min. 100 matchups), is the headline act. Having a receiver who can get open as frequently as he does is an obvious asset for a playoff team, one which has thrived in large part because of his 27 receptions of 20 yards or more.

He is supported by a true number one tight end in T.J. Hockenson and another excellent route-runner in veteran Adam Thielen.

While the Vikings have a cast of weapons that is the envy of many in the NFL, they also have a defensive front that boasts the pass-rush talent to limit opposing aerial attacks.

Minnesota's defense is sixth in the NFL in pass rush win rate, yet the Vikings' success in that regard has not resulted in defensive solidity. To the contrary, their 33 sacks for negative yardage are tied for 20th in the league and their success rate against the pass of 45.5 per cent is the fourth worst in the NFL.

And, even with the substantial merits of Jefferson and Co, there is reason to worry whether the Vikings can keep up with top-end playoff competition if they cannot stop their opponents.

The Vikings' pass protection took a hit with the loss of right tackle Brian O'Neill to an Achilles injury and at center they are down to third-stringer Chris Reed. 

If those injuries prevent Minnesota from adequately protecting Kirk Cousins, then it is unlikely to bode well for the playoff fortunes of a quarterback who has struggled when the defense knows he is passing.

Cousins has averaged minus 0.02 yards over expected in expected passing situations, according to Stats Perform data, which is 16th among quarterbacks with at least 100 such attempts.

In other words, in clear passing situations, Cousins is failing to elevate those around them, and he is getting little support from a run game that many expected to perform at a much higher level than it has displayed this season.

The Vikings' run success rate of 34.6 per cent is comfortably below the average of 37.5, with an O-Line that ranks 23rd in run block win rate struggling to open holes for Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattinson.

There is no doubting Minnesota's talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball, yet the questions that have surrounded Cousins throughout his career persist and there are enough holes elsewhere on the roster to justify the doubts about their prospects as contenders. Football is not played on spreadsheets, but the numbers from an extremely curious campaign will be tough to dispute until the Vikings give the NFL world reason to.

Lucia Bronzetti downed Valentini Grammatikopoulou to seal Italy's place in the final of the inaugural United Cup.

Despite losing to Poland in their City Final in Brisbane, Italy claimed a place in the Sydney play-offs as the best-placed runner-up.

Having led 2-0 overnight, Italy were pegged back by Stefanos Tsitsipas' battling 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 win over Matteo Berrettini.

That put the pressure on Bronzetti's meeting with world number 199 Grammatikopoulou.

Yet despite losing her two previous matches against Grammatikopoulou, world number 54 Bronzetti made no mistake, cruising to a 6-2 6-3 victory.

Italy will now face the United States, who beat Poland 5-0 in their semi-final, in the final on Sunday.

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