Southampton manager Claude Puel believes having less time to prepare his team for matches has been detrimental to his side's league form after European weeks,

Southampton's Europa League fate will go down to the final group game after losing away to Sparta Prague, and his side have won only two of the four matches following a Europa League fixture.

He said: "It is always difficult to play after a Europa game because of the break you get after the game. 

"You only get two days to prepare and you get one less day for recovery from the Champions League. 

"But we are happy to play these games, we have to adapt to this situation. We need to show our character and quality to get some points."

Image source, Reuters

Hampshire Police has said its detectives are investigating non-recent child abuse "within the football community". 

The statement came after Cheshire Police revealed that "a growing number of disclosures" had been made to the force and Northumbria Police said it was investigating an allegation by an unnamed former Newcastle United player that he was abused in the club's youth system.

 A string of former footballers have come forward since Andy Woodward became the first to speak out publicly last week about abuse he suffered at the hands of convicted child abuser Barry Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach. 

Everton manager Ronald Koeman believes it will take time for him to have a significant impact on how he gets his Everton team to play.

Although sitting in seventh place, his side have only won one match in their previous seven league games and the Dutchman knows time is precious as a football manager.

He said: "We have our opinion on the way we like to play, but we have things to change and it is a project, 

"We like to play a little different than how Everton have done in the last couple of years. You cannot change everything in two months. We need more time and that is difficult as you do not get time in football."

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Katie Taylor says she wants to do the same for women's professional boxing as Ronda Rousey has done for UFC.

Ireland's Taylor, a five-time world and 2012 Olympic champion, makes her pro debut at Wembley Arena on Saturday.

"I'd love to win a world title, unify the belts and win belts at higher weights," she said. I'd like to do what Ronda Rousey has done in UFC, become a big name in professional boxing and raise the profile of the sport.  

Image source, Getty Images

Some quotes here from Tony Bellew, talking about his all-British heavyweight fight with David Haye, which will take place on 4 March in London.

“I'm not under any illusions, I know exactly what I am going up against, it's big risk, big reward," said Bellew.

“He hasn't been in a hard fight for over five years. The last time he had a gut check, he failed it. Going into this fight I 100% know that he does not want it as much as me and he is not going to be as brave as me.

"He thinks he can beat me up in one round with one hand. He's in for a rude awakening, because if this fight gets hard, and I expect it to be the hardest night of my life, this clown expects a walk in the park and he's in for a bad night.” 

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Puerto Rico's Orlando Cruz wants to win the WBO lightweight title from Terry Flanagan in Cardiff on Saturday "for all the gay athletes in the world".

The 35-year-old is aiming to become the first openly gay boxer to win a world title when the takes on the 27-year-old Englishman, who is making the fourth defence of the belt he won last July.

"It's a big moment for me, my community and my country," said Cruz, who fought for the WBO featherweight title in 2013, losing to Orlando Salido.

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David Moyes has been speaking about Steven Gerrard, who announced his retirement from football on Thursday.

"He is a big miss for Liverpool but he will go on to something else," said the Sunderland manager who during his time as manager of Everton often had to pit his wits against a Liverpool side captained by Gerrard.

"I'm glad he has finished because he was really difficult to play against. In the derby matches he would be the first one to kick you," he said. 

"He could pass, score, do all the things in the game. Him and Jamie Carragher were the heartbeat of the club. He is a big miss for Liverpool but he will go on to something else."

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Some quotes from David Haye, who will be fighting Tony Bellew in an all-British heavyweight clash in London on 4 March.

“The public demand for me to violently knockout Tony Bellew was simply too strong,” said Haye.

“The country is fed up of his constant yapping. Even in his home town of Liverpool, I would be stopped in the street by people begging me to spectacularly send him into retirement.

“Bellew is completely delusional if he thinks he can beat me. He still thinks he's on the set of Creed and there will be some kind of Rocky style happy ending. But come March 4th at The 02 in London I will bring reality crashing down on him."

Image source, Getty Images

Former two-weight world champion David Haye is to take on current WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew.

The fight will take place in the heavyweight category, meaning Bellew's belt will not be on the line.

League Two's bottom-placed side Newport County have signed Ivory Coast international defender Abdoulaye Meite.

The 36-year old has joined the South Wales club on non-contract terms and he is eligible to play against Blackpool on Saturday.

Capped 48-times by his country, Meite has previously played in England for Bolton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Doncaster Rovers.

Meite, who started in the 2004 UEFA Cup final, is a free agent after being released by Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Manchester City will go top of the Premier League if they win their early kick-off at Burnley on Saturday but the Champions League was still on Pep Guardiola's mind at the City Football Academy this afternoon.

City are through to the last 16 with a game to spare following their draw against Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday.

Given Barcelona and Celtic were also in the group, qualification did seem a fairly straightforward task when the draw was made but Guardiola does not agree.

"People believe it is easy but the Champions League is tougher than it is before," he said. "In the future it will happen that big teams will not qualify."

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Cammy Bouse: Got to be Lionel Messi surely? A few thousand pounds for his growth hormone treatment and they got the best player ever.

Andrew Kemp: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free from PSG! Must be worth a mention.

Nicola: €7m for Azpilicueta in today's market is a bargain, can play nearly anywhere! Must be one of the 1st names on the team sheet!

Keep your comments coming in via #bbcsportsday on Twitter or on the Match of the Day Facebook page., external

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been giving his thoughts on former England captain Steven Gerrard, who announced his retirement from playing earlier this week.

"I thought he would play to 40, maybe he has some joint problems," says Wenger. "He had the qualities every midfielder dreams of having.

"He could score goals, cross, dribble, shoot, had pace, commitment, motivation. He is a massive player and on top of that he was loyal to Liverpool, a quality you do not find too much these days." 

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Chelsea manager Antonio Conte believes his side's lack of European football has helped his team to find a system and shape to suit his squad, who are top of the Premier League.

The Italian reverted to 3-4-3 system after a poor start to the season and the Blues are now topping the table after six consecutive victories.

Conte said: "After the change in system we found more balance. It's important we continue to work. I see the players are very happy.

“It is good we have time to prepare for games, but I would prefer to be in the Champions League."

Image source, Reuters

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been talking about Jack Wilshere, on loan at Sunday's opponents Bournemouth, although the England midfielder will not be playing.

Wenger is asked if he has spoken to Wilshere since his move to the south coast.

"Not since he left," says Wenger. "Every week I ask how he played and I can watch him on television."

There have been stories in the last two days of Wilshere quoted as saying he wants Bournemouth to win the game, but Wenger is not concerned.

He adds: "That is usual. When you sign for a club you are committed to the season and you can't say you want that team to lose the game."

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Although Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany faces a spell on the sidelines, manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out using back-in-favour Yaya Toure in a defensive role to replace him.

“Yaya can play in many positions but I think we have other options to play there at centre-back," said Guardiola. 

"He played there in Barcelona once, the Champions League final against Manchester United, because we have a lot of problems there. We didn't have players. He played amazing.

“Yaya will play in more attacking positions - to decide the last pass, to score goals, for our build up in the last third of the pitch. Maybe it can happen but I have other options. Fernandinho can play there, Sagna can play there."

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Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola will approach their visit to Turf Moor with care, fully aware that the home side were 1-0 winners when they last met there in 2015.

"We can't forget [Burnley] beat Liverpool, lost in the 93rd minute against Arsenal and drew at Old Trafford," said Guardiola. "What they do, they do really well."

Guardiola is also asked about City securing a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

He added: "We are where want to be. In the last 16 of the Champions League. We are so happy. The Champions League is tougher than before."

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Everton manager Ronald Koeman heads back to his former club Southampton for the first time on Sunday since leaving them in the summer and hopes the Saints fans will "respect" him for what he did during his time at St Mary's.

He said: "It is nice (to be heading back), because me and the technical staff had a great time over there.

"It is special because in the last two seasons I had a great time and the club was very successful - I was proud of that period.

"I hope they (the fans) will respect me. I had a great time and, after my career, I will look back and (think) I had a great time there but I am the Everton manager now and we both need the points."

Image source, PA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he is "surprised and amazed" at the abuse revelations that have shocked football.

A number of players have revealed they were abused by ex-Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell, who has served three jail sentences for child sex offences.

Asked about the stories, Wenger replied: "We try inside our club absolutely everything to keep it out of football.

"We have to trust the inquiry to do their job and punish people that have not behaved well."

Asked whether the revelations break the trust people have in football coaches, Wenger replied: "I don't think from one example you can question hundreds of thousands of coaches. It happened in schools, colleges, French churches."