Cody Gakpo highlighted Virgil van Dijk's influence on his decision to join Liverpool after the Reds formally confirmed his arrival from PSV on Wednesday.

The Netherlands international has signed for Jurgen Klopp's side in a move reportedly worth an initial £37million (€42m) on the back of an impressive World Cup campaign.

Gakpo's arrival on Merseyside is a major boost for Klopp's men and a blow to rivals Manchester United, where the forward had been heavily tipped to join his countryman Erik ten Hag.

Speaking to Liverpool's website after sealing his transfer, Gakpo said it was another Dutchman who helped convince him he was making the right call in moving to Anfield.

"At the moment I was calling [in] with the coach, he came into the office and saw me," Gakpo said of Van Dijk. "We chatted a little bit. We spoke a lot over the phone [in] the last days.

"What he told me was that this is the right move for me to make and for me to develop and to become a better player, that the club is massive, but also like a real family.

"I think that's also very important for me because I'm a family guy. He said only good things. I'm happy that he's here, so he can help me with some stuff. I'm really grateful to be here."

Amid injuries to Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, Gakpo's arrival offers a major offensive boost to Liverpool, with the 23-year-old having scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this season.

Klopp could not hide his delight at getting the move over the line, saying: "It really is great news for us that we have been able to do it.

"The work that has gone into this has been really impressive and in the end, we have managed to sign a player who we have known about for quite some time and who we believe will have a bright future with us.

"There is a lot to like about Cody. He is still only 23 years old, but he already has a lot of experience. 

"We know he is a smart footballer and a smart person, so we are excited to be able to work with him."

Erling Haaland said missing the World Cup "triggered" him after reaching 20 Premier League goals in record time during Manchester City's 3-1 win against his hometown club Leeds United. 

Haaland – who was born in Leeds when his father Alf-Inge represented the Yorkshire club – sat out the tournament in Qatar after Norway's failure to qualify.

The striker's place of birth provided the setting for his return to Premier League action on Wednesday, and he made it a memorable outing by tapping home City's second goal before beating Illan Meslier with a powerful finish.

Haaland's double took him to 20 goals in 14 Premier League appearances, meaning he required seven games fewer to reach the milestone than previous record holder Kevin Phillips.

Speaking to Amazon Prime Video after the game, Haaland said watching many of the world's top forwards making an impact in Qatar had irritated him during the international break.

Asked how he spent the World Cup, Haaland said: "Being home, being a bit mad that I didn't play the World Cup and was on my sofa. 

"I was kind of a commentator for the World Cup in my own home, where nobody listens to me!

"I recharged my batteries and to watch people score and win games at the World Cup triggered me and motivated me. It irritates me, as I just said. I'm more hungry than ever."

Haaland has now scored 26 times in all competitions for City, reaching 25 goals under Pep Guardiola in fewer games (20) than any other player during the coach's top-flight career.

But, showing his elite mentality, the 22-year-old was frustrated by his failure to add to his brace.

"I just said it inside, I could have scored five, it's the truth. But we won, that's the most important thing," Haaland said.

"We see Arsenal at the top now and we have to hunt them, so for the win, we are really happy.

"For me as a striker, I could have scored a couple more but that's life. What can I do? I have to practice more."

Haaland's double also saw him overtake his father's tally of 18 Premier League goals (in 181 appearances), and the significance of doing so at Elland Road was not lost on the striker.

"With my father and my mother over there, it's special. I'm happy today, it's a really special moment in my career," he said.

"When I was younger I had a jersey of [former Leeds and Norway midfielder] Eirik Bakke in my room, and also one of my father, so it's really weird. 

"Only in my craziest fantasy could I have thought of scoring at Elland Road for Manchester City against Leeds."

Asked whether he had set himself a target of scoring over 40 league goals this season, Haaland added: "I've got one, but I cannot tell you, you know this! No comment."

Kylian Mbappe rescued a late victory for Paris Saint-Germain on their return to Ligue 1 action as his injury-time penalty seized a 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Wednesday.

The league leaders had looked destined for a draw at Parc des Princes after captain Marquinhos had cancelled out his opener with an own goal and Neymar had been sent off for consecutive bookings.

But a 96th-minute spot-kick for the France international, just under a fortnight on from his hat-trick in defeat for France in the World Cup final, ensured his side avoided dropping points for the third time this season.

It marked a major reprieve for Christophe Galtier's side, who were without Qatar 2022 winner Lionel Messi in the French capital, and struggled to convert their early dominance into a more comfortable result.

Erling Haaland haunted his hometown club with a second-half brace as Manchester City beat Leeds United 3-1 on their return to Premier League action on Wednesday.

Haaland – who was born in Leeds when his father Alf-Inge represented the Whites – missed two good chances as the champions dominated the first half, but Rodri poked them ahead on the stroke of half-time.

The Norwegian striker was not to be denied after the break, tapping home following an error from home captain Liam Cooper before doubling up with a right-footed finish.

That meant Haaland reached 20 Premier League goals in record time on his 14th appearance, helping City move back into second place despite Pascal Struijk's consolation.

City almost went ahead inside 36 seconds, but Illan Meslier got a hand to Haaland's chipped effort after the striker was released Nathan Ake.

The Leeds goalkeeper made another one-on-one save from Haaland on the half-hour mark, before Jack Grealish missed two glaring opportunities to break the deadlock – the second a dire mishit from Rico Lewis' cut-back.

However, the hosts' resistance was finally broken in first-half stoppage time, with Rodri pouncing to bundle home when Meslier denied Riyad Mahrez following a flowing City move.

Leeds were masters of their own downfall five minutes after the restart, as Cooper's sloppy pass allowed Grealish to steal possession and tee up Haaland for a simple finish.

Haaland had his second of the game just past the hour, Meslier failing to keep his powerful right-footed shot out.

Leeds cut the deficit 17 minutes from time when Struijk headed Sam Greenwood's corner beyond Ederson, though City managed to see out the win despite Joe Gelhardt threatening.

Derek Carr will not start the Las Vegas Raiders' final two regular-season games, marking the possible beginning of the end of the veteran quarterback's nine-year tenure with the franchise.

Coach Josh McDaniels made the announcement on Wednesday, with Jarrett Stidham to make his first NFL start in place of Carr when the 6-9 Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

McDaniels cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention.

"It's more about the opportunity," McDaniels said of the decision. "We're all accountable to where we're at, and I think this is more about an opportunity to see a guy that we haven't seen play in a situation like this against a couple of good teams, really good teams."

Stidham, a fourth-round pick for the New England Patriots in 2019, has seen spot duty in 11 previous NFL appearances. The 26-year-old has completed 32 of 61 passes (52.5 per cent) with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Carr has started all but two of the Raiders' 144 regular-season games since winning the starting quarterback job as a rookie in 2014.

Both he and the offense have struggled lately, however.

The three-time Pro Bowler was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in last week's 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carr has been picked off nine times in his last six starts and has completed 55 per cent or less of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.

Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.

"It's never on one person," McDaniels said following the Pittsburgh loss. "I know that statistic gets applied to one person, but certainly there's other factors.

"Look, that's not good enough. And for us to be able to win at this time of the year and be productive, offensively you have to throw the ball better than what we've thrown at times here in the last month and a half."

Speculation will now turn to whether Carr has played his final game in a Raiders uniform. His $32.9million base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster three days after the Super Bowl, while the team can save over $29m by releasing him before then.

McDaniels said Carr will be inactive as the third quarterback for Sunday's game, with rookie Chase Garbers to be promoted from the practice squad to serve as Stidham's backup.

"Derek was great," McDaniels said when asked how Carr handled the decision. "He understands the scenario that we're in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys. He'll do anything he can to help them."

Marco Verratti has committed his future to Paris Saint-Germain after signing a new deal until 2026.

The Italian midfielder's previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, but the 30-year-old has committed for a further two years at the Parc des Princes.

Verratti joined PSG from Pescara in 2012 and has won eight Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France trophies and six Coupe de la Ligues.

He told the club's website on Wednesday: "It gives me great pride to extend my contract with Paris Saint-Germain. I arrived in Paris more than 10 years ago, in this city that I consider my second home. I have always received a lot of support from the club and the fans since I started and I am very grateful for that.

"It was obvious to me that my story would continue to be written here. I hope to win many more trophies in the red and blue shirt."

The announcement came just before Verratti made his 399th appearance for PSG against Strasbourg, and in his 10-and-a-half seasons in France he has 67 goal involvements (11 goals, 56 assists).

Prior to that game, no midfielder in Europe's top five leagues had made more passes than Verratti's 1,806 so far this season, while of those to have made at least 500 passes, only Toni Kroos (94.65) and Leandro Paredes (94.05) had a better accuracy percentage than his 93.80.

Devin Booker will miss at least four weeks of action after suffering a groin strain.

The Phoenix Suns star pulled up just four minutes into the 128-125 overtime defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day.

Booker had missed the previous three games with groin soreness, and he appeared to suffer a recurrence early on at Ball Arena before leaving the court.

The Suns confirmed on Wednesday that Booker will miss at least four weeks, at which time he will undergo further evaluation.

The 26-year-old has been in fine form this season, averaging a career-high 27.1 points per game, and he scored 58 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in his previous appearance prior to the brief cameo against the Nuggets.

Booker will have to wait to surpass Steve Nash to claim top spot for franchise three-pointers, needing to add just seven more to his current total of 1,045.

Dusan Vlahovic "should have done more" at Juventus, according to former Fiorentina team-mate Borja Valero.

The Serbia striker joined the Bianconeri for €70million in January, having scored 41 goals in 64 appearances for La Viola since the start of the 2020-21 season.

But the 22-year-old has subsequently struggled to kick on, despite finishing as the second-highest scorer in Serie A last term with 24 goals - a tally only bettered by Lazio's Ciro Immobile (27).

Vlahovic has only netted 16 times in 36 games for Juve with a groin injury hampering his progress this season, while also limiting his participation for Serbia at the World Cup in Qatar. 

Valero played alongside Vlahovic at Fiorentina during the 2020-21 campaign, and the ex-midfielder is disappointed with his former team-mate's spell in Turin.

"The Bianconeri fans had very high expectations of Vlahovic, especially for everything he had done in Florence," he told DAZN.

"Considering the amount that Juve paid to get him, it's true to say that I expected more from him. He should have done more."

Novak Djokovic's imminent return to the Australian Open will be good for tennis, according fellow great Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic arrived in Australia this week and will compete in the first of two Adelaide International tournaments before the opening grand slam of 2023 begins on January 16.

In January this year, the 21-time grand slam winner was deported from Australia after being prevented from participating at the last edition of the event, having initially been granted a medical exemption to enter the country despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

There were concerns Djokovic would then be banned from entering Australia again, but a change in border entry rules means travellers are no longer obliged to provide evidence of their vaccination status.

While Djokovic's presence may represent a blow to Nadal's hopes of defending the title he clinched in the Serbian's absence last year, the Spaniard is pleased to see him taking part.

"Novak is here, it's good for tennis, probably good for the fans," Nadal said. "Let's see. [Having the] best players on court is always better."

Meanwhile, 22-time grand slam champion Nadal saw his former long-time rival Roger Federer retire this year, but he is not looking to follow suit despite being plagued by injuries in recent months.

Asked whether his upcoming appearance at the Australian Open could be his last, the 36-year-old said: "As a professional, you never know. Hopefully not.

"I mean, when you are at the age of 36, you never know when it's going to be the last one. It's obvious, but I don't like to talk about that because I am not in that mood now.

"I'm just focused on trying to play at the highest level possible and giving myself a possibility to keep being competitive, to fight for anything.

"That's my goal now, I'm not thinking about it being my last time here. If that's the last time, let's try to enjoy it as much as possible and try to create something special.

"I am happy doing what I am doing. I'm looking forward to still doing this."

For most fantasy leagues, Week 17 brings the end of the campaign.

The number of players traditionally held out of action to protect against injury in the raft of games with no playoff implications in Week 18 means it is too risky to hold fantasy championships on the final week of the regular season.

Hence, most fantasy title games will take place this week, and those involved may spend the days prior to the upcoming kick-offs agonising over which players to put in their line-up.

Often players who appeared unlikely fantasy stars at the start of the year emerge as league winners, and here Stats Perform picks out four such players and a defense whose contributions could decide the destination of fantasy titles. 

Quarterback: Justin Fields, Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

The dynamism Fields brings as a runner always gave him potential fantasy upside and he has harnessed that spectacularly in 2022. Fields had been a top-10 fantasy quarterback every week since Week 6 before he was held in check by the Buffalo Bills last Saturday.

While the Lions are in the mix for a playoff spot, their defense, which gave up an astonishing 320 rushing yards to the Carolina Panthers last week, is not well-equipped to slow down Fields, who should be expected to bounce back and deliver a championship-game tilting display.

Running Back: Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders vs. Cleveland Browns

Robinson was frustrated by the San Francisco 49ers' outstanding defense last time out, but he is unlikely to meet much resistance from a Cleveland defense that is allowing the seventh-most yards per rush (4.87) in the NFL.

Between Weeks 12 and 15, only Miles Sanders (5.98) averaged more yards per carry than Robinson (5.69) among running backs. He hit a large speed bump in the Bay Area but, back in the friendly confines of FedEx Field against an opponent already eliminated from playoff contention, Robinson is in a good position to get back on track in a must-win game for the Commanders.

Wide Receiver: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks

Wilson's production was submarined by the struggles of namesake Zach Wilson against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

In a game the Jets cannot afford to lose, they will have Mike White back at quarterback in Seattle, setting Wilson up for a bounce-back game against an opposing defense that is very amenable to passing attacks.

Since Week 12, Wilson has racked up 24 receptions for a first down, tied for the third-most in the NFL. The Seahawks have allowed the seventh-most passing plays of at least 20 yards (49) and, despite possessing some talented rookie cornerbacks, do not have the means to stop White and Wilson rekindling their rapport.

Tight End: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans

Engram received one of the more modest deals during the Jaguars' free agency splurge, but his signing has paid dividends over the last three games, in which only two players – Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown – can claim to have tallied more receiving yards than his 337.

The Texans are playing hard down the stretch and claimed only their second win of the season in Tennessee last weekend, but their defense is still the 10th-worst by yards per pass play allowed. Look for Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence to take advantage with an aerial attack that will heavily involve Engram.

Defense/Special Teams: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos

Despite being very inexperienced in the secondary, the Chiefs' defense sits an impressive 11th in the NFL by yards per play and, as Kansas City look to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the race for the one seed in the AFC, gets a favourable matchup with Denver's dismal offense.

The Broncos' 33.9 per cent Success Rate on offensive plays is the worst in the NFL and a Chiefs defense that has forced the third-most negative plays (103) in the league should relish going against Denver's beleaguered attack.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts could yet return this week after missing his team's defeat to NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys.

The first-time Pro Bowl selection and MVP contender sprained his shoulder in a game against the Chicago Bears earlier this month.

Gardner Minshew started in his place as the Eagles lost to the Cowboys on Christmas Eve, although head coach Nick Sirianni had been reluctant to rule out Hurts, "the toughest guy I know", early in the week leading up to the game.

And Sirianni is giving Hurts the opportunity to prove his fitness again ahead of taking on the New Orleans Saints, with the Eagles still one win shy of guaranteeing the division title and the NFC first seed.

"Does he have a chance? Of course he does," Sirianni said. "We'll see what happens as the week progresses."

The Eagles coach was also asked to explain his previous claim that Hurts "heals fast".

"If you and him went up, and you shot baskets together, he'd whoop you," Sirianni said. "If you guys went out, and you raced against each other, he'd whoop you.

"If you guys went out and tried to throw the football, to see who's more accurate, he'd whoop you. And so his body heals faster than yours."

Arsenal must pay close to £100million (€113.2m) to sign Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to the club's vice director Carlo Nicolini.

The Ukraine international has garnered interest from Europe's top clubs following his impressive Champions League displays, recording three goals and two assists in six appearances.

Mudryk is also Shakhtar's top scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League this season with seven goals, while no player in the league has registered more assists (seven).

Premier League leaders Arsenal have reportedly had an initial bid rejected for the 21-year-old, who recently stated he was a fan of head coach Mikel Arteta's style of play and followed their results.

Nicolini confirmed negotiations with the Gunners were ongoing, but suggested they would require an offer close to triple figures to complete the deal.

That would potentially mean breaking the record fee for a transfer involving a player moving to a Premier League club, which was set when Jack Grealish left Aston Villa for Manchester City in 2021 (£100million).

It would also be the most expensive such transfer this season after Antony's £82million-move (€95m) to Manchester United from Ajax.

"I confirm that Arsenal is one of the most active teams," Nicolini told Calcio Mercato. "When there is an interested company, we ask: 'Make a proposal and when we have it in hand we start to negotiate.'

"As we have always said, to deal with Mudryk, you need an important offer. Arsenal may have made such an offer, but there is negotiation.

"Players were sold that the clubs wanted to sell and that we consider no stronger than Mudryk with a valuation of around £100million, so we consider no less than £60million.

"I am not the one to make the figure, I have no particular indications from the company, but the director has said that we need an important offer closer to Grealish than for Antony. If the cash figure is £40million, it is not even taken into account."

James Maddison has seen a specialist after suffering another knee injury on his return from the World Cup, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers revealed.

Maddison sustained an injury in Leicester's final Premier League game before Qatar 2022 at West Ham last month, but he was still named in Gareth Southgate's squad for the tournament.

Only Erling Haaland (21), Harry Kane (14), Ivan Toney (13) and Kevin De Bruyne (12) have bettered Maddison's tally of 11 goal involvements in the Premier League this term, but he was one of just four unused England outfielders in Qatar.

Having been strongly linked with a January move to Newcastle United, Maddison sat out Leicester's 3-0 Boxing Day defeat to the Magpies with another injury, which will require specialist treatment.

Speaking at a press conference to preview Friday's Premier League trip to Liverpool, Rodgers said: "He won't be available for the game. 

"He was with Mark [Waller], our doctor, getting some specialist advice in London. I'll wait to hear from them later on.

"He hasn't trained with the squad. He was clearly getting treatment out [in Qatar] and the England medical team deemed him okay to train.

"He was available for games [for England]. He's come back here, looked to do some work, and then felt a pain in a different part of his knee."

Leicester produced a dire display in Maddison's absence against Newcastle, conceding three first-half goals in a home Premier League game for the first time since doing so against Manchester United in September 2003.

The 13th-placed Foxes are four points clear of the Premier League's bottom three ahead of Friday's game at Anfield, where they are winless in their past 11 top-flight visits (D2 L9).