bbc--2020-12-21--Chelsea 3-0 West Ham: Tammy Abraham scores twice in Blues win

Last updated on .From the section Premier League Tammy Abraham scored twice as Chelsea ended their recent mini-slump by beating West Ham United at Stamford Bridge to move up to fifth in the Premier League .
Timo Werner spurned a couple of good chances to add to the hosts ' lead but he played his part in his side 's second 12 minutes from time as his scuffed shot was turned in by Abraham .
The Chelsea striker , back in the side in place of Olivier Giroud , then netted another barely two minutes later when he was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loose ball and curl home after Christian Pulisic had missed a simple header from a cross .
The scoreline somewhat flattered Chelsea with West Ham having been the better side for large periods , but the visitors paid the price for a lack of a cutting edge as they finished the game without a shot on target .
Victory means Chelsea have 25 points - one behind fourth-placed Everton - while West Ham remain 10th on 21 points .
`` We 'd dropped off slightly and it was important in this game we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frank Lampard .
`` There were loads of things for the team to show their character - we want more . ''
An ankle injury to left-back Ben Chilwell , which saw him come off early in the game , was a minor blemish on the evening for Lampard , who also has right-back Reece James out with a knee problem .
`` We hope both their injuries are not that bad and they will be in and around it for those Christmas fixtures , '' he said .
• None Follow reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday 's other Premier League match Chelsea started this month being talked about as potential title contenders .
They had topped the table after a win over Leeds , but losses to Everton and Wolves had left them in eighth and desperate to rediscover their early season form .
Silva 's early goal helped settle the nerves a little but their play soon became scrappy and West Ham took control instead .
However , Chelsea found the Hammers enduring a rare off day in front of goal - this was only the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side had failed to score in the Premier League - and when Abraham slid in their second late on the Blues were able to breathe a sigh of relief .
It was a much-needed win for Lampard 's team , with the only real frustration the continued disappointing form of Werner in front of goal .
This was the eighth game in a row that the Germany international has failed to find the back of the net , with misses at the end of both halves very much those of a striker low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort from a good position at Lukasz Fabianski , then heading on to the crossbar when it looked easier to score .
`` That 's the period Timo is in , '' added Lampard .
`` It 's unfortunate but he 's getting in the positions - when one goes in it will be a run for him .
Tammy and Oli [ Giroud ] both bring different things .
Tammy did his thing today and that 's what we needed . ''
An off day for the Hammers West Ham have developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat under Moyes this season and quite rightly have their eye on finishing towards the upper end of the Premier League .
A win at Chelsea would have seen them leapfrog their opponents in the table , but that rarely looked likely as they struggled to create in the final third .
The presence of Michail Antonio in attack was missed as Sebastian Haller - who scored one of the best goals of the season so far in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out - was largely ineffective against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal was also the first time that West Ham 's normally well-drilled defence had conceded from a set-piece in 2020-21 , underlining that this was a bad day at the office for them .
`` It was a harsh scoreline but we were not good enough in our box and we were n't good enough in their box when we had the opportunities , '' Moyes said .
`` Any small decisions did not go for us ; the flow always went in Chelsea 's favour tonight .
`` The players played really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far this season .
For the majority of it we played very well , but we did n't do enough where it matters : the boxes . ''
Abraham out in front - the stats • None Chelsea have lost just one of their past 13 home Premier League games , winning 10 and drawing two .
• None West Ham failed to score for the first time in their past 10 away league matches , losing for just the third time on the road in that period .
• None Chelsea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other team in the Premier League this season ( eight ) .
• None West Ham are the last Premier League team to concede from a set-piece this season .
They last did so on 1 July , also against Chelsea , when Willian scored direct from a free-kick .
• None Moyes is without a win in any of his 16 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge , the joint-highest tally of any manager never to win at a stadium in the competition - level with his own record at Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made his 50th Premier League appearance for Chelsea on Monday , becoming the youngest English player ( 21 years 346 days ) to reach this milestone for the club since John Terry in January 2002 ( 21 years 36 days ) .
• None Abraham has scored 25 goals for Chelsea since the start of last season , seven more than any other Blues player .
• None Werner has failed to score in his past seven starts for Chelsea , his longest such run in club competition since September 2016 , between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine ) .
Chelsea travel to Arsenal in the league on Saturday , 26 December ( 17:30 GMT ) , while West Ham host Brighton on Sunday , 27 December ( 14:15 ) .
• None Stream all the goals and highlights from a huge day of Premier League games now

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Tammy Abraham's goals were his sixth and seventh of the season
Tammy Abraham scored twice as Chelsea ended their recent mini-slump by beating West Ham United at Stamford Bridge to move up to fifth in the Premier League.
Back-to-back defeats had seen the Blues slip down the table but they made the ideal start on Monday as Thiago Silva powered home a header in the 10th minute.
Timo Werner spurned a couple of good chances to add to the hosts' lead but he played his part in his side's second 12 minutes from time as his scuffed shot was turned in by Abraham.
The Chelsea striker, back in the side in place of Olivier Giroud, then netted another barely two minutes later when he was in the right place to pick up the loose ball and curl home after Christian Pulisic had missed a simple header from a cross.
The scoreline somewhat flattered Chelsea with West Ham having been the better side for large periods, but the visitors paid the price for a lack of a cutting edge as they finished the game without a shot on target.
Victory means Chelsea have 25 points - one behind fourth-placed Everton - while West Ham remain 10th on 21 points.
"We'd dropped off slightly and it was important in this game we came back," said Chelsea boss Frank Lampard. "There were loads of things for the team to show their character - we want more."
An ankle injury to left-back Ben Chilwell, which saw him come off early in the game, was a minor blemish on the evening for Lampard, who also has right-back Reece James out with a knee problem.
"We hope both their injuries are not that bad and they will be in and around it for those Christmas fixtures," he said.
Chelsea nervy but back to winning ways
Thiago Silva's goal was his second for Chelsea this season
Chelsea started this month being talked about as potential title contenders. They had topped the table after a win over Leeds, but losses to Everton and Wolves had left them in eighth and desperate to rediscover their early season form.
Silva's early goal helped settle the nerves a little but their play soon became scrappy and West Ham took control instead.
However, Chelsea found the Hammers enduring a rare off day in front of goal - this was only the second time this season that David Moyes' side had failed to score in the Premier League - and when Abraham slid in their second late on the Blues were able to breathe a sigh of relief.
It was a much-needed win for Lampard's team, with the only real frustration the continued disappointing form of Werner in front of goal.
This was the eighth game in a row that the Germany international has failed to find the back of the net, with misses at the end of both halves very much those of a striker low on confidence, first hitting a tame effort from a good position at Lukasz Fabianski, then heading on to the crossbar when it looked easier to score.
"That's the period Timo is in," added Lampard.
"It's unfortunate but he's getting in the positions - when one goes in it will be a run for him. Tammy and Oli [Giroud] both bring different things. Tammy did his thing today and that's what we needed."
An off day for the Hammers
Chelsea 3-0 West Ham: Moyes says Hammers 'didn't do enough where it mattered'
West Ham have developed into a disciplined and difficult side to beat under Moyes this season and quite rightly have their eye on finishing towards the upper end of the Premier League.
A win at Chelsea would have seen them leapfrog their opponents in the table, but that rarely looked likely as they struggled to create in the final third.
The presence of Michail Antonio in attack was missed as Sebastian Haller - who scored one of the best goals of the season so far in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out - was largely ineffective against the hosts' defence.
Silva's early goal was also the first time that West Ham's normally well-drilled defence had conceded from a set-piece in 2020-21, underlining that this was a bad day at the office for them.
"It was a harsh scoreline but we were not good enough in our box and we weren't good enough in their box when we had the opportunities," Moyes said.
"Any small decisions did not go for us; the flow always went in Chelsea's favour tonight.
"The players played really well. This was our biggest test so far this season. For the majority of it we played very well, but we didn't do enough where it matters: the boxes."
Chelsea 3-0 West Ham: Lampard praises Blues' 'character' after win
Abraham out in front - the stats
Chelsea have lost just one of their past 13 home Premier League games, winning 10 and drawing two.
West Ham failed to score for the first time in their past 10 away league matches, losing for just the third time on the road in that period.
Chelsea have scored more goals from corners than any other team in the Premier League this season (eight).
West Ham are the last Premier League team to concede from a set-piece this season. They last did so on 1 July, also against Chelsea, when Willian scored direct from a free-kick.
Moyes is without a win in any of his 16 Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge, the joint-highest tally of any manager never to win at a stadium in the competition - level with his own record at Liverpool's Anfield.
Mason Mount made his 50th Premier League appearance for Chelsea on Monday, becoming the youngest English player (21 years 346 days) to reach this milestone for the club since John Terry in January 2002 (21 years 36 days).
Abraham has scored 25 goals for Chelsea since the start of last season, seven more than any other Blues player.
Werner has failed to score in his past seven starts for Chelsea, his longest such run in club competition since September 2016, between spells at Stuttgart and RB Leipzig (nine).
What next?
Chelsea travel to Arsenal in the league on Saturday, 26 December (17:30 GMT), while West Ham host Brighton on Sunday, 27 December (14:15).
Player of the match Thiago Silva Thiago Silva with an average of 7.45 Chelsea Chelsea Chelsea
West Ham West Ham United West Ham United Chelsea Avg Squad number 6 Player name Thiago Silva Average rating 7.45 Squad number 9 Player name Abraham Average rating 7.11 Squad number 10 Player name Pulisic Average rating 6.88 Squad number 15 Player name Zouma Average rating 6.72 Squad number 7 Player name Kanté Average rating 6.65 Squad number 19 Player name Mount Average rating 6.62 Squad number 28 Player name Azpilicueta Average rating 6.51 Squad number 16 Player name Mendy Average rating 6.38 Squad number 17 Player name Kovacic Average rating 6.29 Squad number 33 Player name Emerson Average rating 6.09 Squad number 5 Player name Jorginho Average rating 5.70 Squad number 11 Player name Werner Average rating 5.65 Squad number 29 Player name Havertz Average rating 5.64 Squad number 21 Player name Chilwell Average rating 5.39 West Ham United Avg Squad number 41 Player name Rice Average rating 6.56 Squad number 20 Player name Bowen Average rating 6.04 Squad number 28 Player name Soucek Average rating 5.93 Squad number 5 Player name Coufal Average rating 5.92 Squad number 1 Player name Fabianski Average rating 5.84 Squad number 21 Player name Ogbonna Average rating 5.67 Squad number 4 Player name Balbuena Average rating 5.49 Squad number 9 Player name Benrahma Average rating 5.39 Squad number 3 Player name Cresswell Average rating 5.09 Squad number 18 Player name Fornals Average rating 5.03 Squad number 16 Player name Noble Average rating 5.01 Squad number 24 Player name Fredericks Average rating 4.73 Squad number 22 Player name Haller Average rating 4.29
Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text Line-ups Chelsea Formation 4-3-3 16 Mendy 28 Azpilicueta 15 Zouma 6 Thiago Silva 21 Chilwell 7 Kanté 5 Jorginho 19 Mount 10 Pulisic 9 Abraham 11 Werner 16 Mendy
28 Azpilicueta
15 Zouma
6 Thiago Silva
21 Chilwell Substituted for Emerson at 9' minutes
7 Kanté
5 Jorginho Substituted for Kovacic at 66' minutes
19 Mount
10 Pulisic Substituted for Havertz at 84' minutes
9 Abraham
11 Werner Substitutes 1 Arrizabalaga
2 Rüdiger
4 Christensen
17 Kovacic
18 Giroud
20 Hudson-Odoi
23 Gilmour
29 Havertz
33 Emerson West Ham Formation 4-2-3-1 1 Fabianski 5 Coufal 4 Balbuena 21 Ogbonna 3 Cresswell 28 Soucek 41 Rice 20 Bowen 16 Noble 18 Fornals 22 Haller 1 Fabianski
5 Coufal
4 Balbuena
21 Ogbonna
3 Cresswell
28 Soucek
41 Rice
20 Bowen Substituted for Fredericks at 90' minutes
16 Noble
18 Fornals Substituted for Benrahma at 66' minutes
22 Haller Substitutes 7 Yarmolenko
9 Benrahma
11 Snodgrass
15 Dawson
23 Diop
24 Fredericks
25 Martin
31 Johnson
35 Randolph Referee: Chris Kavanagh Match Stats Live Text Post update Match ends, Chelsea 3, West Ham United 0. Full Time Second Half ends, Chelsea 3, West Ham United 0. Substitution Substitution, West Ham United. Ryan Fredericks replaces Jarrod Bowen. Post update Timo Werner (Chelsea) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by N'Golo Kanté. Substitution Substitution, Chelsea. Kai Havertz replaces Christian Pulisic. Post update N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Post update Foul by Sébastien Haller (West Ham United). Post update Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea). Post update Mark Noble (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. goal Goal! Goal! Chelsea 3, West Ham United 0. Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the bottom left corner. Post update Attempt saved. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mason Mount with a cross. goal Goal! Goal! Chelsea 2, West Ham United 0. Tammy Abraham (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Timo Werner. Post update Attempt blocked. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mason Mount. Post update Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea). Post update Vladimir Coufal (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Post update Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half. Post update Foul by Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United). Post update Foul by Emerson (Chelsea). Post update Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Post update Attempt saved. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Christian Pulisic. Page 1 of 4 rewind previous Navigate to the next page next Navigate to the last page forward


bbc--2020-12-21--I had a very bad time in the summer - Messi

Last updated on .From the section European Football Lionel Messi says his failed attempt to leave Barcelona in the summer has affected his form this season .
But Barcelona refused , saying said his 700m euro ( £624m ) release clause had to be met .
`` I dragged everything into the start of the season a bit , '' Messi , 33 , told Spanish television channel La Sexta .
`` The truth is right now I 'm feeling fine , but in the summer I had a very bad time . ''
Messi equalled Brazil legend Pele 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by scoring for Barcelona in Saturday 's draw against Valencia .
It was Messi 's ninth goal in 17 appearances this season for Barcelona , who are fifth in La Liga .
Messi , who can leave Barcelona for free when his contract runs out at the end of the season , is able to negotiate with other clubs from 1 January .
Barcelona interim president Carlos Tusquets , who took over until elections in January after Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned in October , has said that `` economically speaking '' Messi should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barcelona 's players agreed to wage cuts in November that will save the 26-time La Liga champions 122m euros ( £110m ) .
`` Right now I 'm feeling good and looking forward to fighting for every competition we have ahead , '' said Messi .
`` I know the club is in a difficult moment at institutional level and on the pitch and everything surrounding Barca right now is difficult , but I 'm feeling excited . ''

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Messi has been at Barcelona for the whole of his club career
Lionel Messi says his failed attempt to leave Barcelona in the summer has affected his form this season.
In August the Argentina forward said he wanted to exercise a clause in his contract which he said allowed him to leave on a free transfer.
But Barcelona refused, saying said his 700m euro (£624m) release clause had to be met.
"I dragged everything into the start of the season a bit," Messi, 33, told Spanish television channel La Sexta.
"The truth is right now I'm feeling fine, but in the summer I had a very bad time."
Messi equalled Brazil legend Pele's record of 643 goals for a club by scoring for Barcelona in Saturday's draw against Valencia.
It was Messi's ninth goal in 17 appearances this season for Barcelona, who are fifth in La Liga.
Messi, who can leave Barcelona for free when his contract runs out at the end of the season, is able to negotiate with other clubs from 1 January.
Barcelona interim president Carlos Tusquets, who took over until elections in January after Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned in October, has said that "economically speaking" Messi should have been sold in the summer.
Barcelona's players agreed to wage cuts in November that will save the 26-time La Liga champions 122m euros (£110m).
"Right now I'm feeling good and looking forward to fighting for every competition we have ahead," said Messi.
"I know the club is in a difficult moment at institutional level and on the pitch and everything surrounding Barca right now is difficult, but I'm feeling excited."


bbc--2020-12-21--Can anyone dethrone the 'King' and his Lakers? NBA season preview

When the NBA season tips off on Tuesday - with the Los Angeles Lakers among the teams in action as they face the Los Angeles Clippers - it will mark the end of the shortest pre-season in US professional sporting history .
As is tradition , the members of the title-winning team will each be given a diamond-encrusted ring on opening night to mark their achievement .
Yet Covid-19 restrictions mean the celebration will be a quiet one - as the Staples Center will be empty .
This will be an NBA campaign with a difference .
There will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 82 .
Some arenas will have fans while others wo n't .
Only the first half of the season 's schedule has been published .
And the season is scheduled to end in May .
Here are a few of the narratives , players and teams that may play a key part in where the championship trophy ends up .
• None LISTEN : The Lost Lakers - why it took 10 years to win again • None Black Lives Matter and basketball 's role in discussion on racism It 's testament to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documented hard work that , at the age of 35 , he is still considered the league 's best player .
This will be his 18th season as a professional .
When James signed for the Lakers in 2018 , he said trophies would follow .
Last year , he delivered on that promise .
A large portion of the credit , though , must be awarded to his running-mate Anthony Davis .
The Lakers have refreshed their roster - with some believing the team is better than last year .
The talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is theirs to lose rather than anyone else 's to win .
Indeed , the biggest threat to the Lakers ' championship credentials could be the team they share a building with - the Los Angeles Clippers .
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have a point to prove after their push for glory ended in September .
The bookies ' favourite last season , they limped out of the play-offs against the Denver Nuggets - losing the best-of-seven series 4-3 .
Southern California News Group Lakers reporter Kyle Goon : `` The Lakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bench , to a unit that needed that .
And I think their passing has got better too , if you look at guys such as Dennis Schroder and Pau Gasol .
So , I like the punch-up offensively .
`` Their problem may be on the defensive end ; they have lost a few guys who were very good defenders .
Another thing that 's important : they won it last year , so the pressure is off them in that aspect .
They have plenty of guys who know how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot . ''
The return of the 'Unicorn' There are some in basketball circles who believe the title of best player in the game is a direct toss-up between James and Kevin Durant .
While James has the better all-round game , Durant is considered by far the better scorer .
The Brooklyn Nets forward is listed at 6ft 10in and is at times referred to as a 'unicorn ' - someone equipped with an almost mythical skillset .
Durant is deadly from almost anywhere on the court and has the ball-handling skills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has been out of the sport for a long time .
When Durant made his debut for the Nets on 13 December in pre-season , it came 552 days after he last graced an NBA court .
The 32-year-old suffered an Achilles tendon injury while playing for the Golden State Warriors , his previous team , in June 2019 .
He signed soon afterwards for the Nets , who have been waiting eagerly to discover just what he can produce for them .
His on-court chemistry with Nets point guard Kyrie Irving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all eyes will be watching to see if Durant is anywhere near the player he was before the injury lay-off .
It would take a brave man to bet the house on the Brooklyn Nets being championship contenders .
However it may take a braver man to bet against Durant .
Giannis ' getting the big bucks from the Bucks A decade ago , Giannis Antetokounmpo was selling sunglasses and trinkets on a beach in his native Greece to raise money to help support his family .
Earlier this month , he signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a five-year contract extension worth $ 228.2m ( £170.1m ) with the Milwaukee Bucks .
The 26-year-old could be the face of the NBA for a long time to come .
He is the league 's reigning Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) and defensive player of the year .
Now the challenge for him is to prove he can do it when it counts most - in the post-season .
Without an NBA title since 1971 , the Bucks have made a huge investment in the power forward .
And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's place among the greats might be questioned if he can not at least get them close to a title .
Jim Owczarski , Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel/USA Today : `` To keep the two-time MVP on the team for the foreseeable future helps solidify their chances to remain a true Eastern Conference contender .
He is ostensibly just hitting his prime at 26 years and has already built a Hall of Fame resume .
`` It took Michael Jordan seven seasons and LeBron James nine [ both were 27 years old ] to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual dominance .
It 's about that time for Antetokounmpo and , really , playing for rings is what separates the top 1 % of the 1 % in sports . ''
Stephen Curry is thought of as the best shooter the game of basketball has ever seen… and it appears he has been using the pre-season games to remind the world that he 's not done yet .
The 32-year-old is a three-time NBA champion and the key to any hopes of a resurgence from the Golden State Warriors .
His 'Splash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss another season through injury , so Curry 's leadership skills will be tested as he attempts to guide a relatively young team through the ups and downs of an NBA season .
Luka Doncic is the early bookies ' favourite to be the upcoming season 's MVP .
The 20-year-old Slovenian led the Dallas Mavericks further into last year 's play-offs than anyone expected .
In just his second season he averaged 28.8 points , 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists .
Anything close or even better than that and the best player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is another contender , with a commentator once joking that he scored 25 points just by getting out of bed .
The Houston Rockets ' talisman has led the NBA in scoring for the past three seasons , and is much loved in the city - but there is talk he wants out of the franchise , with Brooklyn or the Philadelphia 76ers possible destinations .
Still if the Rockets refuse to trade him , expect another year of raining buckets .
In a year which saw athletes from across the sporting spectrum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , basketball and the NBA were on the frontline of that charge .
After discussions between the players and league representatives , all courts were emblazoned with the 'Black Lives Matter ' logo and players wore anti-discrimination slogans in place of their names on their jerseys after the death of American George Floyd .
Floyd , 46 , died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
Footage of the arrest in May showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd 's neck while he was pinned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for three days at Disney World in Florida - starting on 26 August and led by the actions of the Milwaukee Bucks - in direct response to the shooting of Jacob Blake .
Earlier that month Blake , a black man , was left paralysed after being shot multiple times by a white police officer in Wisconsin .
After games resumed , entire teams took the knee during the US national anthem .
Going into the new campaign , the NBA pre-season games have been played without any slogans on the courts or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being done behind the scenes .
After several meetings between executives and player groups , NBA teams have made a commitment to speaking up against social injustices and discrimination .
As part of that commitment , several arenas were used as polling stations in the November 2020 US elections , with the NBA explaining this was intended `` to allow for a safe in-person voting option for communities vulnerable to Covid '' .
Teams also regularly take part in initiatives aimed at supporting local communities .
The 2020 NBA Draft may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet the general consensus was that there is plenty of talent out there .
James Wiseman , drafted by the Golden State Warriors , stands 7ft tall , and is seen as a player who could prove there still is space for the big man in a game increasingly dominated by long-range shooters .
LaMelo Ball , working under the tutelage of Michael Jordan at the Charlotte Hornets , has looked exciting in pre-season with his vast array of flashy passing .
But the name we are likely to hear most is Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 draft first overall pick .
• None Stream all the goals and highlights from a huge day of Premier League games now

The LA Lakers ended a decade-long wait for a 17th NBA title in October
When the NBA season tips off on Tuesday - with the Los Angeles Lakers among the teams in action as they face the Los Angeles Clippers - it will mark the end of the shortest pre-season in US professional sporting history.
Just 72 days earlier, the Lakers - led by LeBron James - had celebrated winning the NBA title at Disney World in Florida. Now, they are getting ready to start again.
As is tradition, the members of the title-winning team will each be given a diamond-encrusted ring on opening night to mark their achievement. Yet Covid-19 restrictions mean the celebration will be a quiet one - as the Staples Center will be empty.
This will be an NBA campaign with a difference. There will be 72 regular-season games instead of the usual 82. Some arenas will have fans while others won't. Only the first half of the season's schedule has been published. And the season is scheduled to end in May.
Here are a few of the narratives, players and teams that may play a key part in where the championship trophy ends up.
King James' reign set to continue?
It's testament to LeBron James' natural-born talent and his documented hard work that, at the age of 35, he is still considered the league's best player. This will be his 18th season as a professional.
When James signed for the Lakers in 2018, he said trophies would follow. Last year, he delivered on that promise. A large portion of the credit, though, must be awarded to his running-mate Anthony Davis.
The Lakers have refreshed their roster - with some believing the team is better than last year. The talk around the league is that this title is theirs to lose rather than anyone else's to win.
Indeed, the biggest threat to the Lakers' championship credentials could be the team they share a building with - the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have a point to prove after their push for glory ended in September. The bookies' favourite last season, they limped out of the play-offs against the Denver Nuggets - losing the best-of-seven series 4-3.
Southern California News Group Lakers reporter Kyle Goon: "The Lakers have added scoring, especially off the bench, to a unit that needed that. And I think their passing has got better too, if you look at guys such as Dennis Schroder and Pau Gasol. So, I like the punch-up offensively.
"Their problem may be on the defensive end; they have lost a few guys who were very good defenders. Another thing that's important: they won it last year, so the pressure is off them in that aspect. They have plenty of guys who know how to win, and that counts towards a lot."
The return of the 'Unicorn'
Kevin Durant (bottom right) has faced a long road to recovery after rupturing an Achilles in his right leg in 2019
There are some in basketball circles who believe the title of best player in the game is a direct toss-up between James and Kevin Durant.
While James has the better all-round game, Durant is considered by far the better scorer. The Brooklyn Nets forward is listed at 6ft 10in and is at times referred to as a 'unicorn' - someone equipped with an almost mythical skillset.
Durant is deadly from almost anywhere on the court and has the ball-handling skills some smaller guards could envy.
But he has been out of the sport for a long time. When Durant made his debut for the Nets on 13 December in pre-season, it came 552 days after he last graced an NBA court.
The 32-year-old suffered an Achilles tendon injury while playing for the Golden State Warriors, his previous team, in June 2019. He signed soon afterwards for the Nets, who have been waiting eagerly to discover just what he can produce for them.
His on-court chemistry with Nets point guard Kyrie Irving could be the difference maker - but all eyes will be watching to see if Durant is anywhere near the player he was before the injury lay-off.
It would take a brave man to bet the house on the Brooklyn Nets being championship contenders. However it may take a braver man to bet against Durant.
Giannis' getting the big bucks from the Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant players in the NBA over recent years
A decade ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo was selling sunglasses and trinkets on a beach in his native Greece to raise money to help support his family. Earlier this month, he signed the richest deal in US basketball history - a five-year contract extension worth $228.2m (£170.1m) with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 26-year-old could be the face of the NBA for a long time to come. He is the league's reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) and defensive player of the year. Now the challenge for him is to prove he can do it when it counts most - in the post-season. Without an NBA title since 1971, the Bucks have made a huge investment in the power forward.
And while success may not come immediately, Antetokounmpo's place among the greats might be questioned if he cannot at least get them close to a title.
Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel/USA Today: "To keep the two-time MVP on the team for the foreseeable future helps solidify their chances to remain a true Eastern Conference contender. He is ostensibly just hitting his prime at 26 years and has already built a Hall of Fame resume.
"It took Michael Jordan seven seasons and LeBron James nine [both were 27 years old] to win their first titles after long runs of individual dominance. It's about that time for Antetokounmpo and, really, playing for rings is what separates the top 1% of the 1% in sports."
The other guys…
Stephen Curry ranks third in the NBA all-time three-pointers made list
Stephen Curry is thought of as the best shooter the game of basketball has ever seen… and it appears he has been using the pre-season games to remind the world that he's not done yet.
The 32-year-old is a three-time NBA champion and the key to any hopes of a resurgence from the Golden State Warriors.
His 'Splash Brother' Klay Thompson is likely to miss another season through injury, so Curry's leadership skills will be tested as he attempts to guide a relatively young team through the ups and downs of an NBA season.
Luka Doncic is the early bookies' favourite to be the upcoming season's MVP. The 20-year-old Slovenian led the Dallas Mavericks further into last year's play-offs than anyone expected.
In just his second season he averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists. Anything close or even better than that and the best player award could be his.
James Harden is another contender, with a commentator once joking that he scored 25 points just by getting out of bed.
The Houston Rockets' talisman has led the NBA in scoring for the past three seasons, and is much loved in the city - but there is talk he wants out of the franchise, with Brooklyn or the Philadelphia 76ers possible destinations.
Still if the Rockets refuse to trade him, expect another year of raining buckets.
Black Lives Matter
In a year which saw athletes from across the sporting spectrum use their voices to highlight social injustices, basketball and the NBA were on the frontline of that charge.
After discussions between the players and league representatives, all courts were emblazoned with the 'Black Lives Matter' logo and players wore anti-discrimination slogans in place of their names on their jerseys after the death of American George Floyd.
Floyd, 46, died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Footage of the arrest in May showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck while he was pinned to the floor.
Play was also suspended for three days at Disney World in Florida - starting on 26 August and led by the actions of the Milwaukee Bucks - in direct response to the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Earlier that month Blake, a black man, was left paralysed after being shot multiple times by a white police officer in Wisconsin.
After games resumed, entire teams took the knee during the US national anthem.
Players were able to wear slogans from a league-approved list on the back of their jerseys
Going into the new campaign, the NBA pre-season games have been played without any slogans on the courts or player jerseys.
However, much work is being done behind the scenes. After several meetings between executives and player groups, NBA teams have made a commitment to speaking up against social injustices and discrimination.
As part of that commitment, several arenas were used as polling stations external-link in the November 2020 US elections, with the NBA explaining this was intended "to allow for a safe in-person voting option for communities vulnerable to Covid".
Teams also regularly take part in initiatives aimed at supporting local communities.
Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans players took a knee before the first game of the NBA's restart
Rookie watch
The 2020 NBA Draft may have lacked a standout name this year. Yet the general consensus was that there is plenty of talent out there.
James Wiseman, drafted by the Golden State Warriors, stands 7ft tall, and is seen as a player who could prove there still is space for the big man in a game increasingly dominated by long-range shooters.
LaMelo Ball, working under the tutelage of Michael Jordan at the Charlotte Hornets, has looked exciting in pre-season with his vast array of flashy passing.
But the name we are likely to hear most is Anthony Edwards at the Minnesota Timberwolves - the 2020 draft first overall pick.


bbc--2020-12-21--Referee Mason 'just not good enough' - Nuno upset after Wolves lose at Burnley

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said referee Lee Mason `` is not good enough '' after his side 's 2-1 defeat by Burnley .
It is the second time Mason has officiated Wolves this season and Nuno says he is a `` point of distraction '' and `` worsens the flow of the game '' .
`` It is his job .
He has to improve , he has to get better , '' he told BBC Sport .
`` Football is a physical game , a game of contact and referees taking the decisions and being fair .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whistle ; Lee Mason is not good enough .
`` It is n't about the major , crucial decisions .
It is the way he handles the players - both teams lose their focus , they are always arguing the decision .
`` He must improve because the game requires good refereeing and good handling of the game so the players are able to keep on performing . ''
Despite Nuno 's frustrations , Burnley boss Sean Dyche suggested Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho could have been sent off for what he perceived as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager did not refer to any specific incidents in his criticism of Mason , but added that the referee - who also took charge of his side 's 1-1 draw with Newcastle United in October - `` did not have the quality for a Premier League game '' .
While it is difficult to statistically measure how well a referee lets a game flow , Mason has given fewer free-kicks for fouls than the majority of Premier League referees this season .
He has awarded an average of 19.8 fouls per game this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lower average - although the 26 fouls he gave in Wolves ' loss to Burnley was higher than the overall league average of 22.7 per match this term .
`` This is a problem , we know .
We had Lee Mason before , '' Nuno told Sky Sports .
`` It is not about the crucial mistake or decisions , it is about how he handles the game .
`` The players get nervous - he whistles from the noises from the players .
We are talking about the best competition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality to whistle the game .
`` I told him I hope he does not whistle a game of ours again .
He can not control the players ; the players are constantly arguing .
The other referees let the game flow . ''
• None Stream all the goals and highlights from a huge day of Premier League games now

Burnley 2-1 Wolves: Referee Mason 'not good enough' in 'tough' defeat says Nuno
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo said referee Lee Mason "is not good enough" after his side's 2-1 defeat by Burnley.
Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood were on target for Burnley before Fabio Silva pulled one back for Wolves from the penalty spot in the 89th minute.
It is the second time Mason has officiated Wolves this season and Nuno says he is a "point of distraction" and "worsens the flow of the game".
"It is his job. He has to improve, he has to get better," he told BBC Sport.
"Football is a physical game, a game of contact and referees taking the decisions and being fair. But the referee is not good enough to whistle; Lee Mason is not good enough.
"It isn't about the major, crucial decisions. It is the way he handles the players - both teams lose their focus, they are always arguing the decision.
"He must improve because the game requires good refereeing and good handling of the game so the players are able to keep on performing."
Despite Nuno's frustrations, Burnley boss Sean Dyche suggested Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho could have been sent off for what he perceived as a stamp late on.
The Wolves manager did not refer to any specific incidents in his criticism of Mason, but added that the referee - who also took charge of his side's 1-1 draw with Newcastle United in October - "did not have the quality for a Premier League game".
While it is difficult to statistically measure how well a referee lets a game flow, Mason has given fewer free-kicks for fouls than the majority of Premier League referees this season.
He has awarded an average of 19.8 fouls per game this campaign, with only two referees registering a lower average - although the 26 fouls he gave in Wolves' loss to Burnley was higher than the overall league average of 22.7 per match this term.
"This is a problem, we know. We had Lee Mason before," Nuno told Sky Sports. "It is not about the crucial mistake or decisions, it is about how he handles the game.
"The players get nervous - he whistles from the noises from the players. We are talking about the best competition, but he does not have the quality to whistle the game.
"I told him I hope he does not whistle a game of ours again. He cannot control the players; the players are constantly arguing. The other referees let the game flow."


bbc--2020-12-21--'You need fighters, not victims' - Arteta not thinking about quitting Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he has no plans to walk away from his job and feels he has the support of the club .
`` I do n't like to think about those steps [ walking away ] because then I will be thinking in a negative way and I can not do that , '' said Arteta .
`` At the moment , I have to try to be as positive as I can . ''
Arteta was speaking before Arsenal host Manchester City on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals .
`` We 're going through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want to be thinking of is more problems coming up in the next few months .
I 'm not in that state of mind , '' he said .
`` I know the responsibility that I have and why I am here .
Everybody knows that from a few months ago , this was n't going to be resolved really quickly .
I think that 's the consciousness of everybody at the club . ''
Arteta was appointed by the Gunners in December 2019 and led the club to winning last season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side have struggled this season and scored just three goals in their past seven league outings .
He insisted there was `` unity '' in the dressing room and the atmosphere is `` as good as it can be when we are all hurting because results in the Premier League are hurting us '' .
The Spaniard added : `` From within the club everything I am feeling is just support , encouragement and total confidence that we will get through this together .
`` A club of this stature deserves the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone is going to question what is happening .
`` I am the most responsible one in terms of results , so I have to accept that . ''
'You need fighters and you do n't want any victims' Arsenal go into the game with City on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Everton and without striker Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang , who has a calf injury .
Arteta says he does not read `` all the comments '' about his side and urged his players to do the same .
`` If I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they are positive or negative , it would drive me mad , '' he said .
`` My suggestion to every player is exactly the same .
All the time it happens with social media as well because you can not control who is writing or what their intentions are , so it is a very dangerous thing to do . ''
Asked what he was like as a player when things were n't going his way , the former midfielder said : `` I liked to look around me , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players and I wanted to see fighters .
`` Normally when that happens , you have two types of people : fighters and victims .
`` You need fighters and you do n't want any victims .
Victims bring excuses , victims bring negativity and they start to blame anything that is happening around them or is not going their way .
`` You need people who fight , people who contribute and people who are ready to give everything to the club in this moment . ''
• None Stream all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Premier League games now

Arteta led Arsenal to victory in the FA Cup last season
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he has no plans to walk away from his job and feels he has the support of the club.
The Gunners have failed to win any of their past seven Premier League games, losing five and drawing two, as they have dropped to 15th in the table.
"I don't like to think about those steps [walking away] because then I will be thinking in a negative way and I cannot do that," said Arteta.
"At the moment, I have to try to be as positive as I can."
Arteta was speaking before Arsenal host Manchester City on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
"We're going through a lot of difficulties, the last thing we want to be thinking of is more problems coming up in the next few months. I'm not in that state of mind," he said.
"I know the responsibility that I have and why I am here. Everybody knows that from a few months ago, this wasn't going to be resolved really quickly. I think that's the consciousness of everybody at the club."
Arteta was appointed by the Gunners in December 2019 and led the club to winning last season's FA Cup.
However, his side have struggled this season and scored just three goals in their past seven league outings.
He insisted there was "unity" in the dressing room and the atmosphere is "as good as it can be when we are all hurting because results in the Premier League are hurting us".
The Spaniard added: "From within the club everything I am feeling is just support, encouragement and total confidence that we will get through this together.
"A club of this stature deserves the best and when it is not happening, everyone is going to question what is happening.
"I am the most responsible one in terms of results, so I have to accept that."
Arsenal players still have belief - Arteta
'You need fighters and you don't want any victims'
Arsenal go into the game with City on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Everton and without striker Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who has a calf injury.
Arteta says he does not read "all the comments" about his side and urged his players to do the same.
"If I started to read all the comments, whether they are positive or negative, it would drive me mad," he said.
"My suggestion to every player is exactly the same. All the time it happens with social media as well because you cannot control who is writing or what their intentions are, so it is a very dangerous thing to do."
Asked what he was like as a player when things weren't going his way, the former midfielder said: "I liked to look around me, whether it's the staff, coaches, players and I wanted to see fighters.
"Normally when that happens, you have two types of people: fighters and victims.
"You need fighters and you don't want any victims. Victims bring excuses, victims bring negativity and they start to blame anything that is happening around them or is not going their way.
"You need people who fight, people who contribute and people who are ready to give everything to the club in this moment."


bbc--2020-12-22--Covid: US Congress passes long-awaited deal for coronavirus aid

The deal was announced on Sunday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , a Republican .
Speaking on Monday ahead @ @ @ @ @ said : `` None of us think this legislation is perfect , but a big @ @ @ @ @ the incredible amount of good it will do when we send it to the president @ @ @ @ @ people have waited long enough . ''

The deal was announced on Sunday by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican. Speaking on Monday ahead of the vote, he said: "None of us think this legislation is perfect, but a big bipartisan majority of us recognise the incredible amount of good it will do when we send it to the president's desk. The American people have waited long enough."


bbc--2020-12-22--Coronavirus: EU tries to agree response to new UK strain

The US already has restrictions in place that prevent most non-US citizens who have been in the UK and some @ @ @ @ @ 14 days from entering .
It is yet to follow suit with a ban on @ @ @ @ @ , but two airlines - British Airways and Delta - will only allow passengers who @ @ @ @ @ to fly to New York 's John F Kennedy airport .

The US already has restrictions in place that prevent most non-US citizens who have been in the UK and some other countries for the last 14 days from entering. It is yet to follow suit with a ban on all travellers from the UK, but two airlines - British Airways and Delta - will only allow passengers who test negative for the coronavirus to fly to New York's John F Kennedy airport.


bbc--2020-12-21--Covid: Wuhan scientist would 'welcome' visit probing lab leak theory

A Chinese scientist at the centre of unsubstantiated claims that the coronavirus leaked from her laboratory in the Chinese city @ @ @ @ @ BBC she is open to `` any kind of visit '' to rule it out @ @ @ @ @ Prof Shi Zhengli comes as a World Health Organization team prepares to travel to Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ investigation into the origins of Covid-19 .

"To say that we didn't do enough is absolutely correct," Peter Daszak told the BBC. "To say that we failed is not fair at all. What we should have been doing is 10 times the amount of work on these viruses."


bbc--2020-12-22--Paul Whelan: Grim life of US 'spy' in Russian labour camp

`` I have no higher priority in what 's left of the Trump administration than to advocate for Paul and @ @ @ @ @ can to get him released , '' Ambassador Sullivan said .
`` But we have @ @ @ @ @ to terms that would be reasonable for any US administration to agree on . ''

"I have no higher priority in what's left of the Trump administration than to advocate for Paul and to do all we possibly can to get him released," Ambassador Sullivan said. "But we haven't been able to come to terms that would be reasonable for any US administration to agree on."


bbc--2020-12-22--Karima Baloch: Pakistani rights activist found dead in Toronto

She had been living in Canada since 2015 after seeking asylum , saying her life was in danger in Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ as an activist was a decade earlier in 2005 in Balochistan 's Turbat area , @ @ @ @ @ over missing persons carrying the picture of one of her missing relatives .

She continued to campaign in exile for the rights of people in Balochistan, both on social media and in person. And the threats followed her, according to Lateef Johar Baloch, a close friend and fellow activist who also lives in Toronto.


bbc--2020-12-22--West Point faces worst cheating scandal in decades

Some cases were dropped for lack of evidence or because the cadets dropped out , while several others face hearings @ @ @ @ @ fellow students to determine if they will be penalised or expelled .

Some cases were dropped for lack of evidence or because the cadets dropped out, while several others face hearings before a board composed of fellow students to determine if they will be penalised or expelled.


bbc--2020-12-22--Trump order: New federal buildings must be 'beautiful'

The head of the institute , Robert Ivy , said in a statement : `` Though we are appalled with @ @ @ @ @ move forward with the design mandate , we are happy the order is n't as @ @ @ @ @ . ''

The head of the institute, Robert Ivy, said in a statement: "Though we are appalled with the administration's decision to move forward with the design mandate, we are happy the order isn't as far reaching as previously thought."


bbc--2020-12-22--Thai man revives baby elephant with CPR after motorbike accident

The baby elephant stood up after about 10 minutes and was taken to another site for treatment , reported Reuters @ @ @ @ @ to the accident site in the hope of finding its mother .
It has escaped @ @ @ @

The baby elephant stood up after about 10 minutes and was taken to another site for treatment, reported Reuters, before it was returned to the accident site in the hope of finding its mother. It has escaped serious injuries too.


bbc--2020-12-22--Covid: Vatican says coronavirus vaccines 'morally acceptable'

`` All vaccinations recognised as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that @ @ @ @ @ does not constitute formal co-operation with the abortion from which the cells used in production @ @ @ @ @ '' the Vatican 's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced in a statement @ @ @

"All vaccinations recognised as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that the use of such vaccines does not constitute formal co-operation with the abortion from which the cells used in production of the vaccines derive," the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced in a statement on Monday.


bbc--2020-12-22--Ancient mummified wolf pup in Canada 'lived 56,000 years ago'

By comparing data from the wolf 's DNA and an analysis of her tooth enamel , they found she was @ @ @ @ @ died between 56,000 and 57,000 years ago .

By comparing data from the wolf's DNA and an analysis of her tooth enamel, they found she was likely to have lived and died between 56,000 and 57,000 years ago.


bbc--2020-12-22--In pictures: Planets Jupiter and Saturn cross paths

It might be Christmas , but for keen stargazers this was the time when Jupiter and Saturn crossed paths in @ @ @ @ @ their closest point on 21 December .
Photographers have been out recording the moment .

It might be Christmas, but for keen stargazers this was the time when Jupiter and Saturn crossed paths in the night sky, reaching their closest point on 21 December. Photographers have been out recording the moment.


bbc--2020-12-22--Are forest fires unlocking radiation in Chernobyl?

An exclusion zone has keep the area surrounding the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster hidden from public view @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 there were a record amount of forest fires in the area .
The @ @ @ @ @ the blazes in the radioactive forests agreed to speak to BBC anonymously , scared of @ @ @ @ @ accounts expose a month of chaos in which fires almost reached the nuclear reactors .

An exclusion zone has keep the area surrounding the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster hidden from public view for many years. But in 2020 there were a record amount of forest fires in the area.
The firefighters sent in to tackle the blazes in the radioactive forests agreed to speak to BBC anonymously, scared of losing their jobs.
Their accounts expose a month of chaos in which fires almost reached the nuclear reactors.
Journalism: Zhanna Bezpiatchuk and Charlotte Pamment
Produced by Charlotte Pamment, Tui McLean and Zhanna Bezpiatchuk
Edited by Charlotte Pamment and Tui McLean
Graphics: Joe Payne, Stelios Thoukidides, Denis Korolev
Satellite analysis support: Ana Lucia Gonzalez


bbc--2020-12-22--The best albums and songs of 2020: Fiona Apple, Cardi B, Bob Dylan and Dua Lipa

Five albums into her career , Fiona Apple has had enough .
`` Kick me under the table all you @ @ @ @ @ shut up , '' she seethes on Under The Table .
Later , on Heavy @ @ @ @ @ `` I 've been sucking it in so long / That I 'm bursting at @ @ @ @

Apple's vocals were recorded in her house with no edits, so you hear everything from the chairs creaking to her dogs barking. It gives the album a raw, unfiltered quality as she traces her past, from the school friend who told she "had potential" (Shameika) to making friends with her partner's mistresses (Ladies).


bbc--2020-12-22--Bedford woman 'lost hands and feet' as Covid led to sepsis

A woman who had her hands and feet amputated after coronavirus led to pneumonia , which then caused sepsis , @ @ @ @ @ to her `` second life '' despite the challenges .
Caroline Coster , 58 , @ @ @ @ @ was put into a medically-induced coma for a month and nearly died twice after catching @ @ @ @ @ She was forced to retire from teaching and is adapting to her new life , @ @ @ @ @ dangers of people not taking coronavirus seriously .
Mrs Coster said : `` My first @ @ @ @ @ second life is also going to be good .
It 's going to be different @ @ @ @ @ be good .
`` It is a serious illness and if it 's not serious @ @ @ @ @ be serious for the old person who lives next door .
Or your mum .
@ @ @ @ @

A woman who had her hands and feet amputated after coronavirus led to pneumonia, which then caused sepsis, says she is looking forward to her "second life" despite the challenges.
Caroline Coster, 58, from Bedford, said she was put into a medically-induced coma for a month and nearly died twice after catching the virus in March.
She was forced to retire from teaching and is adapting to her new life, but has warned of the dangers of people not taking coronavirus seriously.
Mrs Coster said: "My first life was good. My second life is also going to be good. It's going to be different but it's gonna be good.
"It is a serious illness and if it's not serious for you, it might be serious for the old person who lives next door. Or your mum. Or your grandma."


bbc--2020-12-21--How tech can just about save Christmas Day

However , there are ways around this .
Family members or groups could take it in turn singing verses to @ @ @ @ @ , or they could participate in online events such as the one planned by Rock @ @ @ @ @ of choirs .

However, there are ways around this. Family members or groups could take it in turn singing verses to their favourite carols and songs, or they could participate in online events such as the one planned by Rock Choir, a UK-wide collective of choirs.


bbc--2020-12-21--Coronavirus, Brexit, Christmas: How a dramatic week in the UK unfolded

Unlike the first lockdown in the spring , there have been no signs of panic buying - lettuce might be @ @ @ @ @ the event of any shortages , but that is clearly not alarming the British public @

So here's where we are with that: the European Union and the UK are still negotiating over a trade deal that would set out the terms for their future relationship. These talks have been going on for a while and even extended on a few occasions, but now a hard deadline is looming.


bbc--2020-12-22--The science behind virus mutations and why they matter

The deletion may give some clues to how the variant evolved , perhaps in a patient with a weakened immune @ @ @ @ @ fight off the virus enabling it to linger in the body for several months , @ @ @ @ @ .

"Meanwhile, most of us believe that the existing vaccines are likely to work to some extent to reduce infection/ transmission rates and severe disease against both the UK and South African variants - as the various mutations have not altered the S protein shape that the current vaccine-induced antibodies will not bind at all."


bbc--2020-12-22--Tech trends in 2021: Fast planes and homeworking

`` Security is definitely part of our predictions when it comes to working from home activity , and that could @ @ @ @ @ just an extra line , but maybe a separate router , maybe a router with @ @ @ @ @ services on top , even things like IT support because a smaller company might not @ @ @ @ @ person , '' says Marina Koytcheva , vice-president of forecasting at CCS Insights .

"Security is definitely part of our predictions when it comes to working from home activity, and that could be a package. Not just an extra line, but maybe a separate router, maybe a router with security, maybe some other services on top, even things like IT support because a smaller company might not have a remote IT support person," says Marina Koytcheva, vice-president of forecasting at CCS Insights.


bbc--2020-12-21--Christmas 'in jeopardy' for UK travellers after ban

`` We do n't get enough time together as a family , so we wanted to make the most of @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We want our son to spend as much time as possible with his @ @ @

"We don't get enough time together as a family, so we wanted to make the most of it." he said. "We want our son to spend as much time as possible with his English grandparents.


bbc--2020-12-22--Fifa lodges criminal complaint against former president Blatter

Last updated on .From the section Football Fifa has lodged a criminal complaint against former president Sepp Blatter over the finances of a museum in Zurich , Switzerland .
It is the latest allegation of financial impropriety against Blatter , who resigned from his post as president in 2015 amid a corruption scandal .
The 84-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing .
Fifa , football 's world governing body , say Blatter 's previous administration cost them 500m Swiss francs ( £420m ) to renovate `` a building that the organisation does n't own '' , while also `` locking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfavourable terms '' .
`` Given the massive costs associated with this museum , as well as the general way of working of the previous Fifa management , a forensic audit was conducted in order to find out what really happened here , '' said Alasdair Bell , Fifa 's deputy secretary general ( administration ) .
`` That audit revealed a wide range of suspicious circumstances and management failures , some of which may be criminal in nature and need to be properly investigated by the relevant authorities .
`` We came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice other than to report the case to state prosecutors , not least because the current management of Fifa also has fiduciary responsibilities to the organisation and we intend to live up to them , even if those before us dismally failed to . ''
The complaint has been sent to the Zurich prosecutor , and Fifa says it will `` continue to cooperate with the authorities in Switzerland and elsewhere so that those people who damaged football are held accountable for their actions '' .
The museum project began in 2013 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fifa president for 17 years , announced his resignation .
In response , Blatter 's lawyer Lorenz Erni , says Fifa 's accusations are `` baseless and vehemently repudiated '' .
Blatter is currently serving a six-year ban from all forms of football .

Last updated on .From the section Football
Blatter was ejected from his post as Fifa president in 2015
Fifa has lodged a criminal complaint against former president Sepp Blatter over the finances of a museum in Zurich, Switzerland.
The complaint relates to the involvement of Blatter and other former officials in the Fifa museum project.
It is the latest allegation of financial impropriety against Blatter, who resigned from his post as president in 2015 amid a corruption scandal.
The 84-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing.
Fifa, football's world governing body, say Blatter's previous administration cost them 500m Swiss francs (£420m) to renovate "a building that the organisation doesn't own", while also "locking itself into a long-term rental agreement on unfavourable terms".
"Given the massive costs associated with this museum, as well as the general way of working of the previous Fifa management, a forensic audit was conducted in order to find out what really happened here," said Alasdair Bell, Fifa's deputy secretary general (administration).
"That audit revealed a wide range of suspicious circumstances and management failures, some of which may be criminal in nature and need to be properly investigated by the relevant authorities.
"We came to the conclusion that we had no choice other than to report the case to state prosecutors, not least because the current management of Fifa also has fiduciary responsibilities to the organisation and we intend to live up to them, even if those before us dismally failed to."
The complaint has been sent to the Zurich prosecutor, and Fifa says it will "continue to cooperate with the authorities in Switzerland and elsewhere so that those people who damaged football are held accountable for their actions".
The museum project began in 2013, two years before Blatter, who was Fifa president for 17 years, announced his resignation.
In response, Blatter's lawyer Lorenz Erni, says Fifa's accusations are "baseless and vehemently repudiated".
Blatter is currently serving a six-year ban from all forms of football.


bbc--2020-12-22--Man Utd expect to complete Diallo transfer in January despite new rules

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd Manchester United are confident they will be allowed to complete the £19m signing of teenage Atalanta winger Amad Diallo at the beginning of January .
United agreed a deal to sign the 18-year-old Ivorian in October .
However , they allowed him to remain with Serie A side Atalanta for the first half of the season .
The Governing Body Endorsement agreement has been agreed by English football 's governing bodies and the Home Office .
As Diallo now has an Italian passport , United feel that will help him through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Diallo has been a regular on the bench for Atalanta but has made only two appearances so far this season .
His last involvement for the club is expected to be in Wednesday 's Serie A encounter with Bologna .
His first appearance for United is uncertain .
He is not eligible for the FA Youth Cup and the club 's Under-23 side does not have a game until 18 January .
However , with more substitutes allowed on the bench for first-team matches , it is possible Diallo could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially as Odion Ighalo 's loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua comes to an end next month .

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
Amad Diallo has played for Atalanta in the Champions League this season
Manchester United are confident they will be allowed to complete the £19m signing of teenage Atalanta winger Amad Diallo at the beginning of January.
Brexit means new rules governing the signing of overseas players - the points-based Governing Body Endorsement agreement - start from 31 December.
United agreed a deal to sign the 18-year-old Ivorian in October.
However, they allowed him to remain with Serie A side Atalanta for the first half of the season.
The Governing Body Endorsement agreement has been agreed by English football's governing bodies and the Home Office.
As Diallo now has an Italian passport, United feel that will help him through the process, which was announced earlier this month.
Diallo has been a regular on the bench for Atalanta but has made only two appearances so far this season.
His last involvement for the club is expected to be in Wednesday's Serie A encounter with Bologna.
His first appearance for United is uncertain. He is not eligible for the FA Youth Cup and the club's Under-23 side does not have a game until 18 January.
However, with more substitutes allowed on the bench for first-team matches, it is possible Diallo could be fast-tracked into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad, especially as Odion Ighalo's loan from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua comes to an end next month.


bbc--2020-12-22--Concussion affects 20% of professional players in England

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union One in five professional rugby union players in England suffered concussion during the 2018-19 season , according to the latest medical figures released by the Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) .
In 2018-19 , 20.4 % of players sustained at least one match concussion .
It is an increase from 16 % in the 2017-18 season .
The report analysed 407 games and 763 players from 12 Premiership clubs .
For the eighth consecutive season , concussion was the most commonly reported match injury .
In total , there were 166 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The frequency of concussions - measured by the number of incidents per 1000 hours of playing time - is the second highest it has ever been .
The highest recorded concussion incidence was 20.9 per 1000 hours in 2016-17 .
The report said medical staff were able to identify more head injuries in 2018-19 following the introduction of a real-time pitch-side video system in the Premiership .
`` Improving the detection of these complex injuries to ensure safe removal of concussed players remains a priority , as is developing and evaluating strategies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby recommends seeking specialist neurological opinion following a second diagnosed concussion during a 12-month period .
England 's World Cup winner Steve Thompson is among the players who have started a legal process against English and Welsh rugby union authorities and World Rugby , saying the sport has left them with permanent brain damage .
They have all been diagnosed with the early signs of dementia and say repeated blows to the head are to blame .
Global governing body World Rugby and the Rugby Football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` player safety very seriously '' .
The Welsh Rugby Union ( WRU ) say it `` supported and endorsed the World Rugby comment on the subject '' .

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
I can't remember England games at World Cup, says 2003 winner Thompson
One in five professional rugby union players in England suffered concussion during the 2018-19 season, according to the latest medical figures released by the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Several former players launched a legal case in December against rugby authorities for alleged negligence in relation to dementia caused by playing.
In 2018-19, 20.4% of players sustained at least one match concussion.
It is an increase from 16% in the 2017-18 season.
The report analysed 407 games and 763 players from 12 Premiership clubs.
For the eighth consecutive season, concussion was the most commonly reported match injury.
In total, there were 166 match concussions and 38 training concussions.
The frequency of concussions - measured by the number of incidents per 1000 hours of playing time - is the second highest it has ever been. The highest recorded concussion incidence was 20.9 per 1000 hours in 2016-17.
The report said medical staff were able to identify more head injuries in 2018-19 following the introduction of a real-time pitch-side video system in the Premiership.
"Improving the detection of these complex injuries to ensure safe removal of concussed players remains a priority, as is developing and evaluating strategies to reduce concussion incidence," it said.
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby recommends seeking specialist neurological opinion following a second diagnosed concussion during a 12-month period.
England's World Cup winner Steve Thompson is among the players who have started a legal process against English and Welsh rugby union authorities and World Rugby, saying the sport has left them with permanent brain damage.
They have all been diagnosed with the early signs of dementia and say repeated blows to the head are to blame.
Global governing body World Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) say they take "player safety very seriously". The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) say it "supported and endorsed the World Rugby comment on the subject".


bbc--2020-12-22--Tottenham: Why Harry Kane is the ultimate team player

Tottenham have lost twice in the past seven days , and it 's no coincidence that Harry Kane had a quiet game on both occasions .
His attacking contribution with nine goals and 10 assists in 14 Premier League games for Tottenham this season has been amazing and is a big reason they are at the top end of the table - when he plays well , Spurs usually do too .
It is the England captain 's all-round game that has really impressed me in the past few months , though , because I have noticed what he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
I still see Kane as a goalscorer - you have to , because of the sheer number he gets - but it shows how good he is that he is also a creator and defender for Spurs .
It is rare to see such an effective , attacking all-rounder in any circumstances , but on top of that he is the ultimate team player too , willing to do whatever is asked of him .
We already knew Kane was a phenomenal goalscorer before this season , and it is nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ link up play either , but what he does in his own penalty area is often overlooked .
Liverpool 's last-gasp winner last week was the only corner that Spurs have conceded from in the Premier League this season , out of the 73 they have faced .
That 's because Kane has been doing such a good job in there , standing in and around the six-yard box and right in the middle of the goal .
Kane does n't pick an opposition player up , he is just there to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area - and the number of times he does it is incredible .
In December 's victory against Arsenal alone , he won four headers from Gunners corners , and often he charged out of the area to follow up play as his side tried to break too .
I used to have to help defend corners and free-kicks and hated having to run 80 yards back to get in position , but it is not just from set-pieces that Kane does the dirty work , or even when his side are protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October , Spurs were 3-0 up when , just before half-time , Kane spotted Vladimir Coufal 's run from right-back and sprinted back from the halfway line to make a brilliant last-ditch block in his own box to stop a certain goal .
That kind of effort takes its toll on a forward , because it is such hard work to keep running up and down the pitch , but you would never know that with Kane because he just sees it as part of his game , when not every superstar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot like Shearer and Sheringham This Tottenham side is set up to play to Kane 's strengths , which is what any striker would wish for , but his unique skillset means it has been working really well for the team , not just him personally .
The obvious part of that is the goals he makes .
Kane 's assist rate has rocketed this season , and his understanding with Son Heung-min is incredible .
They are both world-class forwards , and are so in tune with each other 's game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of what the other is doing before the ball arrives , and it is just a matter of one of them picking the other out .
The fact that Son is so clinical means that few of the chances he makes for him are wasted , and vice versa .
Their partnership reminds me of the one I was lucky enough to have with Teddy Sheringham for England .
He knew exactly what I was going to do , and I was the same was him .
I had some excellent striker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Teddy was brilliant because he was so clever .
He did not have great pace , but it did n't matter because he thought a second or two ahead of everyone else and he knew exactly when to pick his pass .
He was unbelievable at dropping deep and finding me and , as a striker , it makes such a difference when you know that pass is coming .
If Teddy was deep and got on the ball , or was about to , I knew he would be trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run .
When you watch Son with Kane , he does exactly the same .
Kane sees the pass , and he can play it too It is a sign of how good any player is that , even if the opposition know what he is going to do , they still find it difficult to stop him .
That was the case for Teddy , and it is the same for Kane now .
Liverpool were probably the first team to nullify him , in the first half at Anfield , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had to focus on his defensive work .
Kane is usually so hard to mark because teams do n't know whether he is going to take a touch and turn and run with the ball himself , or play a ball over the top for Son or someone else to get on the end of .
He has done both things time and time again this season .
His long passing is one of the things that makes him special .
Any striker could come deep looking for the ball like Kane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vision or ability to hurt teams from their own half , like he did when he saw Son breaking forward down the left and released him to score Tottenham 's first goal against West Ham ( below ) .
Defenders ca n't stay tight to Kane , because he is good enough to turn them and get away from them , and also because of the gaps they would leave behind .
We saw that against Manchester City last month , when both centre-halves were stupid enough to follow him as he started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which gave Son the space to run in behind on to Tanguy Ndombele 's pass and put Spurs 1-0 up .
Kane showed a different part of his game for Tottenham 's second goal in that match , this time when City were naive enough to leave him in space as he came back into his own half to collect the ball from Toby Alderweireld , and this time he turned and carried it forward .
Son was off again in front of him , as you would expect , but Kane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was running into space to his left to score .
The really impressive thing about Kane this season is that he has done all of this extra work for the team without it affecting his scoring rate .
He has not found the net in the past two games , but his goals-to-minutes ratio still holds up compared to previous campaigns .
A lot of strikers do change their game as they get older , often because they do n't have any choice .
I became more of a hold-up player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of my work between the 18-yard lines rather than running out wide and hitting the channels .
I had to do that , because I had a couple of serious injuries and I lost a yard of pace .
Fortunately there is no sign of that happening with Kane .
He is only 27 and while he is adding different aspects to his game and growing into a more rounded striker , he is doing it without losing the most important thing - goals .
He is playing the Sheringham role , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign of what a fantastic player he is , and how well he is managing his game .
He is choosing the right moments to get forward , then has the same superb finishing ability when he gets there .
In the same game against Arsenal I mentioned earlier , he won the ball five times in his own area and only touched the ball twice in the Gunners box - but scored with one of them .
The statistics do show he is getting in the box - or at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than usual , but he is still getting away a similar amount of shots as he has done in past seasons , and with the same end product too .
His scoring numbers are brilliant and have been for many years .
If he stays fit , I do n't see his goals or his assists ever drying up for very long , which is a big reason why I do n't see Tottenham going away in the title race .
Liverpool are a phenomenal side but I think Spurs will still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10-12 games of the season , and with Kane in their side then of course they have a chance .
• None Stream all the goals and highlights from a huge day of Premier League games now

Tottenham have lost twice in the past seven days, and it's no coincidence that Harry Kane had a quiet game on both occasions.
I still think Spurs are serious title contenders despite those defeats by Liverpool and Leicester, but for them to start firing again after Christmas, they will need Kane back on top form.
His attacking contribution with nine goals and 10 assists in 14 Premier League games for Tottenham this season has been amazing and is a big reason they are at the top end of the table - when he plays well, Spurs usually do too.
In all competitions in 2020-21, Kane has scored 15 goals and made 13 assists in 21 games. He has already beaten his best total of seven Premier League assists from the 2016-17 season
It is the England captain's all-round game that has really impressed me in the past few months, though, because I have noticed what he does at the other end of the pitch too.
I still see Kane as a goalscorer - you have to, because of the sheer number he gets - but it shows how good he is that he is also a creator and defender for Spurs.
It is rare to see such an effective, attacking all-rounder in any circumstances, but on top of that he is the ultimate team player too, willing to do whatever is asked of him.
Kane the defender - a key man at corners
Harry Kane clears James Tarkowski's header off the line in Tottenham's 1-0 win over Burnley in October, the same game where he set up Son Heung-Min to score the winner. Kane has made more headed clearances (20) than any other forward in the Premier League this season
We already knew Kane was a phenomenal goalscorer before this season, and it is nothing new for him to drop deep to link up play either, but what he does in his own penalty area is often overlooked.
Liverpool's last-gasp winner last week was the only corner that Spurs have conceded from in the Premier League this season, out of the 73 they have faced.
That's because Kane has been doing such a good job in there, standing in and around the six-yard box and right in the middle of the goal.
Most headed clearances by forwards, Premier League 2020-21 1. Harry Kane (Tottenham) 20 2. Oli McBurnie (Sheff Utd) 14 =3. Andy Carroll (Newcastle) & Patrick Bamford (Leeds) 10 5. Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 9 =6. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) & Karlan Grant (West Brom) 8
Kane doesn't pick an opposition player up, he is just there to win the ball if it comes into that area - and the number of times he does it is incredible.
In December's victory against Arsenal alone, he won four headers from Gunners corners, and often he charged out of the area to follow up play as his side tried to break too.
I used to have to help defend corners and free-kicks and hated having to run 80 yards back to get in position, but it is not just from set-pieces that Kane does the dirty work, or even when his side are protecting a narrow lead.
Against West Ham in October, Spurs were 3-0 up when, just before half-time, Kane spotted Vladimir Coufal's run from right-back and sprinted back from the halfway line to make a brilliant last-ditch block in his own box to stop a certain goal.
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho praises spirit and work rate of Harry Kane after 1-0 Burnley win
That kind of effort takes its toll on a forward, because it is such hard work to keep running up and down the pitch, but you would never know that with Kane because he just sees it as part of his game, when not every superstar striker would.
Son and Kane is a lot like Shearer and Sheringham
This Tottenham side is set up to play to Kane's strengths, which is what any striker would wish for, but his unique skillset means it has been working really well for the team, not just him personally.
The obvious part of that is the goals he makes. Kane's assist rate has rocketed this season, and his understanding with Son Heung-min is incredible.
Harry Kane and his Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min have linked up to score and assist 12 Premier League goals for each other already this season - the record is 13, set by Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn in 1994-95. "Harry and Son are not just going to break that record, they will smash it," Shearer said.
They are both world-class forwards, and are so in tune with each other's game that they have a picture in their head of what the other is doing before the ball arrives, and it is just a matter of one of them picking the other out.
The fact that Son is so clinical means that few of the chances he makes for him are wasted, and vice versa.
Their partnership reminds me of the one I was lucky enough to have with Teddy Sheringham for England. He knew exactly what I was going to do, and I was the same was him.
I had some excellent striker partners at club and also international level but Teddy was brilliant because he was so clever. He did not have great pace, but it didn't matter because he thought a second or two ahead of everyone else and he knew exactly when to pick his pass.
Euro 96: Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham hit the golf course
He was unbelievable at dropping deep and finding me and, as a striker, it makes such a difference when you know that pass is coming.
If Teddy was deep and got on the ball, or was about to, I knew he would be trying to find me so I would make my run. When you watch Son with Kane, he does exactly the same.
Kane sees the pass, and he can play it too
It is a sign of how good any player is that, even if the opposition know what he is going to do, they still find it difficult to stop him. That was the case for Teddy, and it is the same for Kane now.
Liverpool were probably the first team to nullify him, in the first half at Anfield, but only because they were so dominant and he had to focus on his defensive work.
Kane is usually so hard to mark because teams don't know whether he is going to take a touch and turn and run with the ball himself, or play a ball over the top for Son or someone else to get on the end of. He has done both things time and time again this season.
His long passing is one of the things that makes him special. Any striker could come deep looking for the ball like Kane does, but not many have his vision or ability to hurt teams from their own half, like he did when he saw Son breaking forward down the left and released him to score Tottenham's first goal against West Ham (below).
Defenders can't stay tight to Kane, because he is good enough to turn them and get away from them, and also because of the gaps they would leave behind.
We saw that against Manchester City last month, when both centre-halves were stupid enough to follow him as he started high up the pitch then dropped in, which gave Son the space to run in behind on to Tanguy Ndombele's pass and put Spurs 1-0 up.
Kane showed a different part of his game for Tottenham's second goal in that match, this time when City were naive enough to leave him in space as he came back into his own half to collect the ball from Toby Alderweireld, and this time he turned and carried it forward.
Son was off again in front of him, as you would expect, but Kane waited and instead fed Giovani lo Celso, who was running into space to his left to score.
Kane keeps scoring goals too
The really impressive thing about Kane this season is that he has done all of this extra work for the team without it affecting his scoring rate. He has not found the net in the past two games, but his goals-to-minutes ratio still holds up compared to previous campaigns.
Harry Kane in the Premier League (per 90-minute average) Season Assists Chances created* Goals Shots Shot conversion Touches in area 20-21 0.7 1.4 0.7 3.9 16.7% 4.3 19-20 0.1 0.9 0.6 2.8 22.2% 4.4 18-19 0.2 1.1 0.6 3.8 16.7% 5.8 17-18 0.1 0.9 0.9 5.4 16.3% 6.7 16-17 0.3 1.4 1.0 3.9 26.4% 5.4 15-16 0 1.1 0.7 4.2 15.8% 5.4 14-15 0.1 0.9 0.7 3.9 18.8% 5.9 *Chances from open play
A lot of strikers do change their game as they get older, often because they don't have any choice.
I became more of a hold-up player later in my career, and did more of my work between the 18-yard lines rather than running out wide and hitting the channels. I had to do that, because I had a couple of serious injuries and I lost a yard of pace.
Fortunately there is no sign of that happening with Kane. He is only 27 and while he is adding different aspects to his game and growing into a more rounded striker, he is doing it without losing the most important thing - goals.
He is playing the Sheringham role, but still scoring too. That's a sign of what a fantastic player he is, and how well he is managing his game. He is choosing the right moments to get forward, then has the same superb finishing ability when he gets there.
In the same game against Arsenal I mentioned earlier, he won the ball five times in his own area and only touched the ball twice in the Gunners box - but scored with one of them.
Harry Kane had set up Son Heung-min to score Tottenham's opener against the Gunners, and the South Korean retuned the favour before half-time. Kane has now scored 11 goals in the north London derby, more than any other player in the fixture's history.
The statistics do show he is getting in the box - or at least touching the ball in there - slightly less than usual, but he is still getting away a similar amount of shots as he has done in past seasons, and with the same end product too.
His scoring numbers are brilliant and have been for many years. If he stays fit, I don't see his goals or his assists ever drying up for very long, which is a big reason why I don't see Tottenham going away in the title race.
Liverpool are a phenomenal side but I think Spurs will still be in the hunt come the final 10-12 games of the season, and with Kane in their side then of course they have a chance.
Alan Shearer was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.


bbc--2020-12-23--Trump urges Congress to amend 'wasteful' coronavirus aid bill

The package of measures is linked to a bigger government spending bill , which includes foreign aid funding as well @ @ @ @ @ measure to fund federal agencies for the next nine months .
Those agencies will have @ @ @ @ @ vetoes or refuses to sign it by midnight next Monday .

The package of measures is linked to a bigger government spending bill, which includes foreign aid funding as well as a $1.4tn spending measure to fund federal agencies for the next nine months. Those agencies will have to shut if the president vetoes or refuses to sign it by midnight next Monday.


bbc--2020-12-22--Dr Deborah Birx: White House virus expert quits over holiday travel

In an interview with US news network Newsy aired on Tuesday , a masked Dr Birx did not specify when @ @ @ @ @ but said she would help the incoming Biden administration and `` and then I will @ @ @

In an interview with US news network Newsy aired on Tuesday, a masked Dr Birx did not specify when she would stand down, but said she would help the incoming Biden administration and "and then I will retire".


bbc--2020-12-23--Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation

What did the aide and the attorney do ?
And what about the two congressmen ?
What 's the reaction @ @ @ @ @ ?
The security firm said its guards were acting in self-defence , but witnesses and @ @ @ @ @ that the shooting was unprovoked .
Two children were among the dead .
Why have @ @ @ @ @ been controversial ?

Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation Published 23 December 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia
Donald Trump has issued pardons to 15 people including two figures convicted of lying to the FBI during an inquiry into the US president's campaign.
Ex-campaign aide George Papadopoulos and attorney Alex van der Zwaan are among those who received the presidential clemency.
Mr Trump also pardoned four security guards involved in a 2007 massacre in Iraq and two ex-congressmen.
He is expected to issue more pardons before leaving office next month.
It is common for outgoing presidents to use their right to issue pardons, which wipe out convictions.
What did the aide and the attorney do?
George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan both served brief jail sentences.
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about the timing of meetings with alleged go-betweens for Russia during the run-up to the 2016 election.
He was the first former Trump aide to be arrested in the Russia investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
He falsely claimed that he had met two individuals with Russian connections prior to working with Donald Trump's campaign but had in fact met them after joining.
On Twitter, he thanked President Trump and said the pardon meant "the world to me and my family".
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by George Papadopoulos Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post by George Papadopoulos
Van der Zwaan also admitted making false statements during the Mueller investigation. Mr Trump has repeatedly dismissed the Mueller investigation as "a hoax".
"Today's pardon helps correct the wrong that Mueller's team inflicted on so many people," the White House said in a statement.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Are presidential pardons Trump's secret weapon?
And what about the two congressmen?
Also pardoned were former Republican lawmakers Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter.
Former New York congressman Collins, a staunch supporter of Mr Trump, pleaded guilty in 2019 to charges of insider trading. He has been serving a 26-month prison sentence.
Earlier this year, former California congressman Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in jail for misusing campaign funds.
What's the reaction to the Blackwater guards pardon?
Four former Blackwater security guards - Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard - were among those pardoned.
They were convicted by a US federal judge of shooting dead 14 Iraqi civilians in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in 2007.
Image source, AFP Image caption, The 2007 incident in Baghdad's Nisoor Square caused an international outcry
The guards opened fire with machine-guns in a square while escorting a US diplomatic convoy.
The security firm said its guards were acting in self-defence, but witnesses and relatives of those killed maintain that the shooting was unprovoked. Two children were among the dead.
The incident caused international outrage and sparked a debate over the role of defence contractors in war zones.
Slatten was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder, while the others were sentenced to between 12 and 15 years in prison.
There was no immediate response from the Iraqi government, but Hina Shamsi of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said Mr Trump had "hit a disgraceful new low with the Blackwater pardons".
"[The guards'] actions caused devastation in Iraq, shame and horror in the United States, and a worldwide scandal," she added. "President Trump insults the memory of the Iraqi victims and further degrades his office with this action."
Why have some of Mr Trump pardons been controversial?
As well as the 15 full pardons, Mr Trump commuted all or part of the sentences of five other people.
Last month, the president pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
However, Mr Trump has so far been less enthusiastic in using his right to grant clemency than any of his recent predecessors, according to the Pew Research Center.
Barack Obama, whom Mr Trump replaced in 2017, granted 212 pardons and 1,715 commutations - the most since President Harry Truman in the 1940s and 1950s. By contrast, Mr Trump has now granted more than 40 pardons.
Trump's use of presidential clemency has caused controversy because of the nature of his pardons and commutations, the research centre said.


bbc--2020-12-23--Nasa's Mars rover and the 'seven minutes of terror'

The sequence looks much the same as was used to put Nasa 's last rover , Curiosity , on the @ @ @ @ @ ago .
However , the navigation tools have been improved to put Perseverance down in @ @ @ @ @ landing zone .

The sequence looks much the same as was used to put Nasa's last rover, Curiosity, on the surface of Mars eight years ago. However, the navigation tools have been improved to put Perseverance down in an even more precisely defined landing zone.


bbc--2020-12-23--Starved at sea: The people with nowhere to land

More than 200 Rohingya refugees are believed to have died or gone missing at sea in 2020 in search of @ @ @ @ @ UN Refugee Agency , UNHCR , says more than a third of those who made @ @ @ @ @ camps in Bangladesh to Malaysia and Indonesia were children .
Many starved at sea on @ @ @ @ @ being turned away at their final point of destination , due to Covid-19 restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ fled their homes in Myanmar to escape persecution and returning to Bangladesh by sea has @ @ @ @ @ refusing to allow most boats to dock in the country 's mainland .
These are @ @ @ @ @ survived .
Reporter : BBC South Asia correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan .
Produced by Peter Emmerson @ @ @ @ @ .
Additional filming and production by Omar and Mohammad Faruk .

More than 200 Rohingya refugees are believed to have died or gone missing at sea in 2020 in search of a better life.
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, says more than a third of those who made the perilous journeys from refugee camps in Bangladesh to Malaysia and Indonesia were children.
Many starved at sea on boats operated by smugglers before being turned away at their final point of destination, due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The Rohingya Muslims had already fled their homes in Myanmar to escape persecution and returning to Bangladesh by sea has been complicated, with authorities refusing to allow most boats to dock in the country's mainland.
These are the stories of some who survived.
Reporter: BBC South Asia correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan. Produced by Peter Emmerson. Animation by Davies Surya. Additional filming and production by Omar and Mohammad Faruk.


bbc--2020-12-23--Covid: France rewards frontline immigrant workers with citizenship

`` Health professionals , cleaning ladies , childcare workers , checkout staff : They all proved their commitment to the @ @ @ @ @ now the turn of the republic to take a step towards them , '' the @ @ @ @ @ junior minister for citizenship , said on Tuesday .

"Health professionals, cleaning ladies, childcare workers, checkout staff: They all proved their commitment to the nation, and it is now the turn of the republic to take a step towards them," the office of Marlene Schiappa, junior minister for citizenship, said on Tuesday.


bbc--2020-12-23--Stranded hauliers face 'a few days' at UK border

If you are reading this page and ca n't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version @ @ @ @ @ submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay @ bbc.co.uk .
@ @ @ @ @ age and location with any submission .

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.