Premier League Diary: Sky start making regions fight one another for glory

Say what you like about Sky Sports – within the bounds of libel laws and common decency, obviously, you filthy-mouthed animal – but they know how football works. They know where the buttons are; they know what makes the ordinary fan tick. To any other television company, this weekend’s Premier League scheduling might have been a curiosity, something to mention in passing. But Sky, bouncing from the success of Red Monday a few months ago, saw their chance to create a whole new institution from whole cloth:

Football: Guardiola - I have made mistakes

Pep Guardiola has admitted he has made a number of mistakes since his appointment as Manchester City boss.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has acknowledged a number of his decisions since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium have not paid off, while he is adamant he is not trying to change the English game.

Manchester City Fan View: Difficult week highlights unique pressure on Pep Guardiola

Manchester City gave their manager Pep Guardiola reason to smile again at the end of what has been the Spaniard’s most difficult week since moving to England in July. His side eased past West Ham in the FA Cup third round on Friday, ending their visit to The London Stadium with a 5-0 win; the performance was as impressive as the result and the manager was glowing afterwards.

It was a welcome change to the image he put out last week. Despite victory over Burnley at weekend, the boss gave a smattering of sulky interviews that earned him a great deal of criticism that filled column inches and radio phone-in’s for days. He was in the wrong, but the reaction was over the top.

 

Mahrez named African Player of the Year

Leicester City and Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez has been named as the African Player of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Mahrez, who played a starring role in Leicester's shock 2015-16 Premier League title triumph, overcame competition from last year's winner, Borussia Dortmund and Gabon star Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, and Liverpool and Senegal forward Sadio Mane.

A total of 361 votes saw Mahrez best Aubameyang's return of 313, while Mane attracted 186 backers in third.

Premier League transfer window 2017 LIVE: All the ins and outs

Welcome to day 6 of the January Transfer Window.

Yahoo Sport’s Stanley Accrington has already rounded up the biggest rumours and gossip in his column today, some stories far more believable than others but all handled in Stan’s trademark manner.

Today’s big name is Antoine Griezmann who apparently has been offered the same wages and bonus structure as Paul Pogba to sign for Manchester United…