Manchester United reach only their second League Cup Final in 12 years.
They beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in the semi-final 2nd leg to go through 3-2 on aggregate.
Leicester City sack manager Craig Levein and Leroy Rosenior leaves Torquay United.- Manchester United reach only their second League Cup Final in 12 years. They beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Old Trafford in the 2nd leg of their Carling Cup Semi-Final to go through 3-2 on aggregate. Louis Saha nets the winner.
- Leicester City sack manager Craig Levein. The Foxes are in the bottom three of the Championship and haven’t played below the second-tier since being elected to the Football League in 1894. They’ve won only one of their last 15 league games and last night’s 0-1 loss at Plymouth Argyle was their sixth Championship reverse in a row. The former Scottish international arrived at the Walkers Stadium in November 2004 after an impressive spell at Heart of Midlothian. Coaches Peter Houston and Kenny Black are also leaving so assistant manager Rob Kelly is named caretaker manager and he will be assisted by goalkeeping coach Mike Stowell.
- Following last night’s defeat by Rochdale which sent them back into League Two’s bottom two, Torquay United announce that manager Leroy Rosenior has left Plainmoor by mutual consent. He had been in charge of the Devon club for three and a half years. Chairman Mike Bateson says: “We have decided that a parting of the ways is in the best interests of both parties. It’s disappointing that it has had to end because Leroy and I had a great working relationship.” Former Exeter City boss John Cornforth is installed as caretaker manager.
- Peterborough United suspend manager Mark Wright and launch an internal investigation. The League Two club make no further comment but local newspaper reports suggest the former Liverpool defender allegedly made racist remarks towards his playing staff. In 2001 when manager of Oxford United, he was fined after being found guilty of making racist comments towards referee Joe Ross.
- Ashley Cole fails in his attempt to get the Court of Arbitration to judge his appeal against a £75,000 fine for breaking Premier League rules. The Arsenal and England left-back received the fine after discussing a possible move to Chelsea while still under contract.
- Southampton halt in-form Crystal Palace at St Mary’s, but fail to win again after a 0-0 draw in The Championship. Palace remain fifth and are unbeaten in eight league and cup games.
- Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann calls up 28 players for fitness tests at the end of January as moves nearer to finalising his World Cup plans. The squad to meet on 30-31 January is: Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, England), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart). Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel (VfB Stuttgart), Robert Huth (Chelsea, England), Marcell Jansen (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Hanover 96), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund), Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen), Lukas Sinkiewicz (Cologne), Christian Woerns (Borussia Dortmund). Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Sebastian Deisler (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Fabian Ernst (Schalke 04), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen). Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke 04), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Mike Hanke (VfL Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)
- World Cup qualifiers Togo cannot progress to the Quarter-Finals of the African Cup of Nations after losing 0-2 to Cameroon. Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o scores both the Indomitable Lions goals. Also in Group B, Angola are held to a goalless draw by DR Congo in a very physical game in Cairo.