The best moment today came after the game. I was cycling away from the ground when I spied a young lad, blonde hair, maybe 9 or so, proudly presenting the world with a large white shirt: DIARRA 19 it said on it. "Is that from today?" I asked him. "Yep," he beamed back, like he'd just won the lottery.

The best moment today came after the game. I was cycling away from the ground when I spied a young lad, blonde hair, maybe 9 or so, proudly presenting the world with a large white shirt: DIARRA 19 it said on it. "Is that from today?" I asked him. "Yep," he beamed back, like he'd just won the lottery.

I like Roberto Martinez as a manager and Wigan Athletic as a football club. If someone told me Arsenal would lose to Wigan on Monday but win the remaining four and secure third spot I'd take it, especially if it helped the visitors stay up. But the simple fact of the matter is that no one is offering such a deal.

I like Roberto Martinez as a manager and Wigan Athletic as a football club. If someone told me Arsenal would lose to Wigan on Monday but win the remaining four and secure third spot I'd take it, especially if it helped the visitors stay up. But the simple fact of the matter is that no one is offering such a deal.

The tragedy that occurred in Port Said on Wednesday evening has overshadowed all else in world football this week, and this is a subject that we will be returning to when the dust has settled on a disaster so appalling as to be almost incomprehensible. Reports from Egypt have been pouring across the world via social media, and we would urge anyone reading this to bear in mind when reading reports on this subject elsewhere in the media that the events of this week are representative of broader political issues in Egypt than mere football rivalries.

Liverpool Face Latics At DW

Will Carroll get a start?... Liverpool make the short trip to the DW Stadium on Wednesday to face a rejuvenated Wigan side. Martinez's team are still hovering around the bottom of the table but some inspired performances of late have given them some much needed confidence.

Will Carroll get a start?...
Liverpool make the short trip to the DW Stadium on Wednesday to face a rejuvenated Wigan side. Martinez's team are still hovering around the bottom of the table but some inspired performances of late have given them some much needed confidence.

Team news: Rodallega doubtful and Reds could rest Bellamy

Emmerson Boyce definitely out for Latics

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-12-20 12:05:00 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Nothing became the Under-20s World Cup like the leaving of it. I got it wrong (yet) again. A terrific and genuinely competitive third-place play-off was followed by a fine final - Brazil beating Portugal 3-2 in a relative thriller for such occasions. Or at least, I have to assume it was a relative thriller for such occasions.

Lineups are in:

Arsenal: Starters: Wojo, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Cesc, Nasri, Theo, Van PersieBench: Shea, Denilson, Arshavin, Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh, Bendtner.

Wigan: Starters: Al Habsi, Gohouri, Gary Caldwell, Steven Caldwell Figueroa, Thomas, Diame, Stam, Watson, N'Zogbia, Rodallega Bench: Pollitt, McCarthy, Di Santo, Gomez, McArthur, Boyce, McManaman

No surprises for us there, it's exactly the team I, and everyone else, predicted.