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A boost for Manchester City as they look to close the seven-point gap between themselves and Premier League leaders Chelsea - striker Wilfried Bony is in town.

The 26-year-old was signed from Swansea for an initial fee of £25m on 14 January - but his arrival was delayed as he was on duty with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. To make his appearance at their training ground, City have posted a picture on their Instagram page., external

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Would you kick your grandma to win a game of football?

According to Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke, Pirates utility man Tom Lockyer would.

The 20-year-old defender-midfielder scored the only goal in Saturday's victory over Grimsby, and Clarke said of the Rovers youth player: "He epitomises everything I want at the football club.

"He'd kick his own grandma if it meant winning a football match. I can't speak highly enough of the kid."

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The agency AFP - along with Spanish media, external - is reporting that two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will retire at the end of 2016.

"After 2016, what I can say for now, is that I don't see myself racing," the 32-year-old Spaniard is quoted as telling a news conference. We've not had this one confirmed, so we'll keep an eye on it.

James Wood:, external Ian Holloway blaming the police when Leeds beat Millwall on Saturday.

Ryan Thomas:, external David Haye's broken toe.

David Haye blamed a toe injury suffered in training for his 2011 heavweight world title unification defeat against Wladimir Klitschko. Boxing promoter Frank Warren subsequently accused Haye of being a "cry baby".

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The Welsh Open championship is just under way in Cardiff - with Ronnie O'Sullivan beginning his title defence against Australia's Vinnie Calabrese. You can follow the action right now by clicking the 'live coverage' tab at the top of this page.

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World number six Judd Trump says it is "more or less an impossible job" to attract British youngsters to snooker.

Trump, 25, compared snooker's profile in Britain with that of China, where he says the sport is seen as "cool".

"Snooker has taken such a step down I am not sure it will recover unless five Ronnie O'Sullivans come along at the same time," the Bristolian tells BBC Sport.

World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) chief Jason Ferguson strongly rejects the claims.

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From Mike in Nottingham, via text: I suffered a dip in form, having returned to playing in goal, and blamed it on my gloves. I'd bought a new set part-way through the season which didn't have as much grip as a previous pair, and all confidence to come from crosses went. Subsequently dropped and changed my brand of choice!

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Northampton boss Jim Mallinder says he would have no concerns over using George North against Bath this weekend.

The winger was left out of the Wales squad for Sunday's Six Nations win over Scotland, after taking two blows to the head against England the week before.

North passed all tests for concussion before the Scotland game but was granted an "extended recovery period".

"I think he's playing really well for us, so I'm very happy," Mallinder tells BBC Radio 5 live. "He has taken a knock but I believe he has passed all of his tests and come through fine and he's fit and raring to go."

Kevin in East Kilbride, via text: I once had a promising football career as a youngster until an ingrown toenail left me sidelined. When I returned, I was never the same player although the smelly toenail was gone and the Mrs was happy...

One word, Kevin: Urrrrggggggh. Thanks for the contribution, though. We're asking for your oddest reasons for sporting failure, after Irish golfer Peter Lawrie put down his loss of form to withdrawal symptoms as he tried to give up fizzy soft drinks.

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Gibbs is also confident that new signing Gabriel Paulista will overcome his lack of English to be a Premier League success at Arsenal - having made his debut in yesterday's 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Middlesbrough.

"He looks like he has been playing at this level for a long time," said Gibbs of the Brazilian centre-back, signed from Spanish club Villarreal in January. "He has settled in straight away, embraces the physical side of the game and that is what we want from a centre-half.

"Gabriel doesn't speak any English at the moment and it was the same with Alexis Sanchez when he came. But it won't take him long - we have brushed him up on a few of the sayings for him to get used to."

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Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs thinks they have the squad to compete in the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League over the last three months of the season.

England midfielder Jack Wilshere is on the verge of a return after three months out with ankle surgery, and Arsene Wenger's squad is approaching full strength.

Gibbs says: "We need a big squad and we certainly have the squad to compete on three fronts at the moment. We are just hungry to defend the FA Cup."

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Ireland captain William Porterfield says his side's four-wicket win over West Indies shows what they can do against top-class opposition.

"It would be nice to have more fixtures like this outside of the four-year World Cup cycle," says Porterfield.

The opening batsman added that he dislikes his side being termed as "an Associate nation or minnows".

"Cricket seems to be the only sport in which labels like 'Associate' are used, rather than just having a straightforward ranking system. It's frustrating but it is what it is."

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Lotus team principal Gerard Lopez has suggested Formula One's lack of big-name sponsorship could be as a result of its "archaic management".

"According to the experts I meet regularly, and who invest in other sports, Formula One remains the only activity offering a global platform likely to attract world companies. And yet there seems to be some sort of blockage.

"Why do these potential sponsors never make the leap when they are not really undaunted by the amounts requested in F1? What's holding them back? Is it because of the sport's archaic management and organisation?"

LJ Messam:, external I once volunteered myself to be subbed for a poor game as I was suffering from nipple chaffing. The swine made me play on.

Ciaran Boast:, external Swindon lost 5-0 to Cheltenham in the FA Cup and 2-0 at Sheff Utd in the league. It was the kit, apparently.

Ah, come on, Ciaran, that Swindon third kit's lovely*.

*It's not lovely.

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Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has praised the professional response of winger Jack Nowell to being left out of England's matchday squad for their two Six Nations games so far.

Nowell scored his fifth try in seven games for the Chiefs this season in their 46-17 Premiership win over Newcastle at the weekend.

"He wants to play for England, he's part of the senior group and he goes up there training at the beginning of the week and has to come back. His attitude when he's back has been absolutely fantastic," Baxter said.

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Heather Watson has suffered a disappointing return to WTA Tour action as she was beaten by world number 132 Kateryna Kozlova in the first round at the Dubai Duty Free Championships.

In her first tour match since losing to Tsvetana Pironkova in the opening round of the Australian Open last month, the British number one was broken once in the first set and three times in the second by the 20-year-old Ukrainian qualifier in a 6-4 7-5 defeat.

Jon Welsh is set to miss the rest of Scotland's Six Nations campaign after fracturing his hand during Sunday's 23-26 defeat against Wales at Murrayfield. The Glasgow Warriors prop needs surgery, the Scottish Rugby Union says.

Prop Gordon Reid is to have a scan on a knee injury, and will also go through World Rugby's return-to-play protocol after receiving a blow to the head during the game, which is being treated as concussion. Scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, who finished the game, has developed mild symptoms of a possible delayed concussion and will be treated in the same way.

Wasps have announced that former England fly half Andy Goode is to prolong his playing career and join London Irish next season.

Goode, 34, the Aviva Premiership's second-highest points scorer, who had been offered only a coaching role with Wasps next season, will join the Exiles for the 2015-16 season.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: "We would have loved for Andy to stay at Wasps in a coaching capacity next season, but we fully understand his decision to play on."

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Bradford City striker Jon Stead, who scored his side's second goal as they beat Sunderland 2-0 in the fifth round yesterday, is still feeling the effects of his efforts, as he told BBC Radio 5 live this morning.

The 31-year-old said: "It feels fantastic. I'm a bit battered, bruised and tired, but it was a fantastic occasion for the club and the city."

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BBC Match of the Day host Gary Lineker tweets:, external Looking forward to the draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals, and in particular the choice of our televised games.

Well, quite. BBC One is the place to be for that, at 19:30 GMT, ahead of our live coverage of Preston's fifth-round home tie with Manchester United. Like you, we can't wait to see who Bradford City get in the last eight either.