Worcester Warriors have signed New Zealand-born centre Jackson Willison for the 2016-17 season.

The 27-year-old is currently with French Top 14 club Grenoble.

 "Jackson is a talented athlete who will add some firepower to our midfield," said director of rugby Dean Ryan.

Image source, Getty Images

Barnsley have signed full-back Aidy Whiteuntil the end of the season after he was released by Rotherham United.

The 24-year-old was loaned to Barnsley in November and has made seven appearances in all competitions for the Tykes.

Image source, Getty Images

This week, Alan Curtis was tasked with managing Swansea for the remainder of the season. He starts that with an FA Cup third-round tie at Oxford on Sunday.

He has just had this to say to the press...

"A cup run is always nice and we want to get back on a run now, so it is important that we start that this weekend. We have to have one eye on Wednesday’s game [against Sunderland in the Premier League] so there will be changes. Whatever team we put out it will be a strong side.

“It will also enable a couple of players to have some game time in a fantastic competition. It will be a difficult game. Oxford play good football, it’s a nice stadium there - we’re very much looking forward to the challenge.”

Image source, PA

Manchester United and England forward Wayne Rooney has picked a starting XI made up entirely of Star Wars characters. You can find a video of him doing so on the Daily Mirror website., external That is all.

Image source, Reuters

Jonathan Legard
BBC Radio 5 live

The season after Liverpool did the Double in Kenny Dalglish's first season, the Cup holders were taken to a second replay after two goalless draws against Luton. 

There were no penalty shootouts in 1987. So just 48 hours after the original replay at Anfield, Liverpool - clearly wishing they were anywhere else but on Luton's reviled plastic pitch - crashed out 3-0 in front of a hugely partisan home crowd because of Luton's ban on away fans.

I remember thinking post match interviews would be difficult. Not a bit of it. Liverpool players were happy to vent their fury and contempt for the surface.

Image source, Rex Features

Jonathan will be reporting at Arsenal v Sunderland on Saturday for 5 live. 

More from Claudio Ranieri on the FA Cup third round tie against Tottenham:  “It will be a blend of players. Our mentality won’t change. We go to win. If Tottenham are better, well done to them.

“Pochettino is doing a good job. Their squad's fantastic. When we drew with Tottenham I felt they were something special

“I've been in a lot of fantastic stadiums. Never Wmbley. This is a dream but our focus is on the match, not the dream.”

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has been talking about new 19-year-old signing Demarai Gray from Birmingham City, who could make his debut on Sunday.

“I didn’t know Gray before our friendly with Birmingham. He played so well and we wanted him from that moment.

"He is young, he’s got good quality and he can grow a lot with us.

“He can play as a winger, he’s fast and has good skills. One-on-one he’s good. He’s perfect for us

 “He's able to play Sunday. The league's our priority but we think about the cup. I think about the players who haven’t played.” 

Now we hear from Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri ahead of Sunday's trip to White Hart Lane in the FA Cup third round.

Ranieri says Jamie Vardy will not be involved after having minor groin surgery. Midfielder Matty James has recovered from a long term injury and will be ready by the end of the month. While winger Jeffery Schlupp will also return at the end of January.

"Vardy is OK,  He’s working with the physio today and he should be ready for our next Premier League game.

"Matty James was great for the under-21. He played well and maybe he’ll be ready for us in the middle or end of January.

"Ben Chilwell stays with us because I have only Fuchs at left back and I have Schlupp as a winger.

“I think at the end of January, Schlupp will be ready."

Juliette Ferrington
BBC Sport

"Newcastle boss Steve McClaren had this to say about tomorrow's FA Cup tie with Watford: 'We always want to give it a go no matter what team we play, and I think the position we are in I don't think it matters if it's a Cup game or League game tomorrow, it's an important game. 

'It's really trying to follow up that performance from last week and take it into this game and hopefully get a result. We need to gather momentum and tomorrow is an opportunity to do that. 

'I think we have one or two players who have niggles and it's a big risk, so we have to got to decide to play them or not and what the risk is. Tomorrow you can guarantee that it will be the strongest team we can possibly put out without taking a huge amount of risk.'"

Juliette Ferrington
BBC Sport

"Steve McClaren was asked about speculation linking Newcastle with a move for their former striker Loic Remy. 'We can't disclose that, that's private and as I say if anything does happen with players and you can name all the individuals and we will be denying every one because nothing it happened as yet," he said. 

'We're just going to do our business like we normally do our business which is privately and not to get everybody excited or get expectations too high. It's part of the theatre. 

'The January window is a media frenzy to put names out there, as I say we'll quietly go about our business as normal.'"

Image source, Juliette Ferrington

Alastair Yeomans
BBC Radio 5 live

Stoke City v Everton 2002.

This was memorable rather than a favourite.

The Britannia Stadium was covered in freezing fog.

Before the game I lost my footing in what was a damp press box. Before I knew it I was on my back several rows of seats below – and I hadn’t touched a drop I promise. My back and pride were hurt though.

Consolation came later when a well-known commentator, who had played up throughout the afternoon, was still stuck in the car park an hour after the game as I limped back to my car.

It’s not all glamour in the Cup….   

Image source, Getty Images

Alastair will be reporting on Hartlepool v Derby on Saturday (15:00 GMT) for BBC Radio 5 live.

Steve McClaren isn't too pleased with the draw that Newcastle got in the FA Cup. 

"Watford is probably one of the toughest away game you can have" he said. "It's not going to be easy."

"You can guarantee that it will be the strongest team we can possibly put out without taking a huge amount of risk." 

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Juan Mata cries at films, fall asleep easily and get's lost in Manchester.

Ander Herrera likes to watch six football games in a row, likes to dance and is forgetful,

And they both hate travelling on airplanes.

That is what we learned from Mata's latest Youtube video., external

Guus Hiddink has played down the training ground incident between Diego Costa and Oscar and now Chelsea have posted this picture of the pair smiling and laughing on the club's Instagram., external

Image source, Chelsea

Bill Rice
BBC Radio Manchester

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal isn't threatened by Pep Guardiola's announcement he wants to manage in England when he leaves Bayern Munich next summer. 

The former Barcelona boss has been linked with Manchester City, Chelsea and United if he does decide to come to the Premier League, but the Dutchman was keen to point out his contract at Old Trafford runs until the summer of 2017.

Image source, Getty Images

Van Gaal also had a warning for Belgian winger Adnan Januzaj who returned from a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund this week - while he said he believes in Januzaj's talent the Dutchman said he is likely to play for the club's reserves on Monday night and will need to prove his quality.

As for if his own players confidence will be restored after the win over Swansea, the Dutchman says wait and see as "one swallow does not make a summer". 

Louis van Gaal on the FA Cup: "The FA Cup is very difficult to win, we saw that last year against Yeovil and Cambridge United, every match is difficult to win, that’s why Manchester United have struggled in the last few years – last year we lost to Arsenal and they were the winner."

Image source, Getty Images

Great Britain have missed out on a place in the final of the Hopman Cup.

Australia beat France 11-9 in a mixed doubles third set tie break after the tie had been level at 1-1 after the singles rubbers.