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'To see a titan cut down above your ringside seat is to marvel at monstrous brutality and human purity. It is to experience boxing's ultimate high, while finding sympathy with the abolitionist. Heavyweight boxing - in its purest form - is just so destructive. And so dangerously addictive.

On Saturday at London's O2 Arena, Anthony Joshua went from mildly stimulating to eye-poppingly potent. The frenzied reaction that greeted Joshua's seventh-round knockout of a game Dillian Whyte said it all: heavyweight savagery is boxing's signature dish - and Joshua stuffs fans full of it.'

So starts a fine feature by BBC Sport's Ben Dirs. You can read it in full here.

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New British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua says he would prefer to fight Dereck Chisora next rather than David Haye or Tyson Fury - former and current world champions respectively.

Joshua won his title with a seventh-round knockout of Dillian Whyte, and has a perfect record after 15 fights.

"Why not?" said the 26-year-old when asked about meeting Chisora next.

"I need to be fighting people who are hungry and good enough but who I still have a good capability of beating."

A slightly odd but vaguely interesting fact that you might want to know.

Not a bad weekend for Steve McClaren, whose Newcastle side are out of the relegation zone.

Substitute Ayoze Perez scored three minutes into stoppage time as the Magpies beat Tottenham - Spurs first defeat since the opening day of the season.

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"It's answered the critics we have had over last four weeks and it was a great performance in the second half and a great result," said a rather delighted McClaren.

"That is what we are, a bedrock of discipline and hard work. We have talented players, and they know how to win, we just have to do it consistently."

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Reacting to his inclusion in the England squad to tour South Africa, Steven Finn said: “I’ve been really pleased with the way things have gone with the Lions.

"I’ve bowled my overs and my foot has come through fine. I’m excited by the prospect of linking up with the team out in South Africa.”

It’s not expected that Finn will feature in the first Test in Durban on Boxing Day - but there are just two days between the first and second Test so an extra body will be highly useful to England.

Steven Finn has been brought into England's Test squad in South Africa.

Finn missed the series against Pakistan in the UAE in October and November because of a bone stress injury to his foot.

But the paceman has recovered sufficiently - including playing two T20s with the England Lions in the UAE at the weekend - to join up with the squad in Potchefstroom.

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European Tour veteran Thomas Bjorn has described a proposed merger with the Asian Tour as "the only way forward", despite concern among some Asian players.

Bjorn, who is chairman of the European Tour's tournament committee, said Asian players shouldn't worry about losing playing opportunities if the mega-tour goes ahead.

"A merger is the only way forward," Bjorn said.

"I appreciate some of the (Asian Tour) players are concerned, but they will actually benefit from it. It will provide a great opportunity for the young Asian players." 

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Delight for Jurgen Klopp, not quite the same emotion for counterpart Tony Pulis.

"We're disappointed," said the Baggies boss.

"We showed great resilience and to get done with a deflected goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time is particularly disappointing for the players.

"I can't fault the players. To come to a place like this with their budget, players and standing, we shouldn't be in their league."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called his entire team together after snatching a last-gasp home draw against West Brom to conduct on-field celebrations in front of the Kop.

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Divock Origi's deflected 95th-minute strike rescued a point, which leaves Liverpool ninth in the table, five points off the top four.

"I'm satisfied because it was the perfect finish to the game," said Klopp. "This could prove to be a very special moment for us in the season to strike back against such a team."  

West Brom are 13th, six points above the bottom three.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker

On the evidence of their performance against Arsenal, and from what I have seen in their previous 15 Premier League games this season, I cannot see Aston Villa staying up.

Villa are lacking in quality and are also lacking in confidence, as any team would be in their position. It is looking pretty bleak for them.

They have not won since the opening day of the season, are six points off second-bottom Sunderland and eight points adrift of safety.

By the time the January transfer window opens, they might be as good as relegated.

Olivier Giroud was not the only Arsenal player to reach a notable landmark at Villa Park -Petr Cechhas now kept 169 clean sheets (in 349 games) in the Premier League, equalling David James record (in 223 fewer games).  

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A good day for Olivier Giroud, who coolly side-footed home his 14th goal of the season to become the seventh player to score 50 Premier League goals for Arsenal, achieved in 113 games.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal have now won 10 league games this season and lead the division, a point ahead of Manchester City, who beat Swansea on Saturday, and Leicester, who face champions Chelsea later.

It was a lovely day all round for Wenger. He even made a new friend...

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What a week for Arsenal.

This time seven days ago it was all a bit doom and gloom at the Emirates.

Arsene Wenger's men were about to be knocked out of the Champions League and had only one win from their previous three league matches (losing at West Brom, drawing at Norwich).

What a difference a week makes. A remarkable victory in Olympiakos in midweek was followed by a comfortable 2-0 win over a worryingly average Aston Villa.

Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey got the goals - you'll find the match report here.

For full reaction to the weekend's football, including Arsenal's win over Aston Villa to go top of the Premier League, and Newcastle's late winner at Spurs, download or subscribe to the 5 live Football Daily podcast.  

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If that's not enough for you, you can also download the podcast with full reaction to Anthony Joshua's stunning 7th round knockout of Dillian Whyte on Saturday night. 

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Who the English clubs could face...

Arsenal: Real Madrid (Spa), Wolfsburg (Ger), Atletico Madrid (Spa), Barcelona (Spa), Zenit St Petersburg (Rus).

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Chelsea: Paris St-Germain (Fra), PSV Eindhoven (Ned), Benfica (Por), Juventus (Ita), Roma (Ita) or Gent (Bel).

Manchester City: Paris St-Germain (Fra), PSV Eindhoven (Ned), Benfica (Por), Roma (Ita), Dynamo Kiev (Ukr) or Gent (Bel).

Right, we'll return to the draw later - now let's switch our attention to the Premier League.

Want a handy little graphic displaying all the teams in the last 16? Crikey, you're in luck.

So then, an exciting morning ahead for fans of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Those clubs will learn who they face in the last 16 of the Champions League when the draw is made at Uefa's headquarters in Nyon, in Switzerland in a little under three hours time at 11:00 GMT.

Chelsea and Manchester City will be in pot one having qualified as group winners, meaning either could face French champions Paris St-Germain.

As Group F runners-up, Arsenal are in pot two and - look away now Gunners fans - could potentially face either Real Madrid or Barcelona.