Celtic stretches lead in Scotland

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP): Celtic beat 10-man Aberdeen 3-0 away on Tuesday to move provisionally eight points clear of Glasgow rival Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Andrew Considine was sent off for Aberdeen in the second minute and although Anthony Stokes missed the resulting penalty, Gary Hooper capitalized by putting Celtic ahead in the 12th.

Mark Wilson and Stokes, making amends, completed the win for the visitors. Rangers, which plays third-place Hearts on Wednesday, has three games in hand over Celtic.

In the other game on Tuesday, St. Johnstone beat bottom club Hamilton 2-0.

  

Rooney brace keeps Man United 5 points clear

LONDON (AP): A brace from Wayne Rooney in a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa kept Manchester United five points clear at the top of the Premier League, but Arsenal and Chelsea stayed in touch with the unbeaten leaders with come-from-behind victories on Tuesday.

Rooney scored with virtually the first and last kicks of the first half at Old Trafford to help United to a convincing win that equaled the club's record of 29 straight league matches without defeat.

Second-place Arsenal came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 at home thanks to goals by Andrey Arshavin and Laurent Koscielny.

Chelsea produced an attacking masterclass in the absence of new record signing Fernando Torres to beat Sunderland 4-2 away, moving one point adrift of third-place Manchester City, which will have played a game more after it visits Birmingham on Wednesday.

Wigan remained in the relegation zone after being held 2-2 by West Bromwich Albion in Tuesday's other game.

It was only Rooney's fourth and fifth league goals in a disappointing season for the England striker, who has struggled to reproduce the form of last season.

"Goals always help strikers," United manager Alex Ferguson said of Rooney. "He's always had a great appetite to play ... and he's got his rewards eventually."

Rooney latched onto United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar's long clearance to control beautifully and strike a 20-yard shot into the net to open the scoring after just 48 seconds.

His second came just before halftime, slotting home from eight meters after Nani had crossed the ball across the penalty area.

England striker Darren Bent pulled a goal back for Villa in the 58th, his second since joining the midtable club from Sunderland this month, but Serbia ceter back Nemanja Vidic regained United's two-goal cushion with a powerful volley five minutes later.

French center back Koscielny completed Arsenal's comeback at Emirates Stadium, heading in the winner in the 76th minute to keep the Gunners firmly in the title race.

Arshavin had equalized in the 70th, eight minutes after coming on as a substitute for Tomas Rosicky, to cancel out a contentious opener scored by Everton striker Louis Saha.

Replays showed Saha was offside when he ran onto a pass from Seamus Coleman that came off Koscielny before reaching the France striker.

"We were not sharp until Everton scored," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It was more a victory of a team with a fantastic spirit and a never-say-die attitude. I'm very happy because this is maybe the aspect of the team that has been questioned the most."

Torres was unable to play for Chelsea as he wasn't registered in time following his British-record 50 million pounds ($81 million) move to the London club from Liverpool on Monday.

But the defending champions didn't struggle for goals without the Spain striker at the Stadium of Light, with Frank Lampard's penalty and Salomon Kalou's tidy finish overturning a fourth-minute lead given to Sunderland by Phil Bardsley.

Kieran Richardson's free kick in the 26th brought the home side level but second-half goals by John Terry and Nicolas Anelka saw Chelsea home.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said his side's return to form could have come too late to retain the title.

"If Manchester United continue their run, it's difficult to close the gap," said Ancelotti, after Chelsea's third win in a row.

Substitute Marc-Antoine Fortune scored West Brom's equalizer against Wigan in the 79th minute, preventing the visitors climbing out of the bottom three.

Peter Odemwingie put West Brom ahead but Charles N'Zogbia's deflected free kick made it 1-1 and Ben Watson's hopeful cross into the box found the corner to give Wigan the lead.

  

Barca, Madrid on verge of making Copa de Rey final

MADRID (AP): Barcelona and Real Madrid are on the verge of meeting in the Copa del Rey final.

Both teams head into the return leg of the semifinals holding the advantage. Record 25-time champion Barcelona leads Almeria 5-0 before Wednesday's game, and Madrid won 1-0 at defending champion Sevilla.

The domestic cup competition could be Madrid coach Jose Mourinho's only chance to win silverware this season. In the league, Barcelona leads Madrid by seven points.

Madrid, which has won all 16 games played at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, hasn't won any trophy for two-plus seasons. It won its 17th - and last - Copa del Rey in 1993.

The final is scheduled for April 20 - four days after the pair meet in the league.

  

Tickets sold out for Ronaldinho's debut

SAO PAULO (AP): All 37,000 tickets available for Ronaldinho's debut with Flamengo on his return to Brazilian football have been sold.

It took only two days for fans to buy all the tickets for Flamengo's match on Wednesday, Ronaldinho's first since transferring from AC Milan to the popular Brazilian club earlier this year.

Flamengo will face Macae in the Guanabara Cup, the first stage of the Rio de Janeiro state championship.

Ronaldinho is not expected to play the entire game at Engenhao stadium, however, as team trainers say he is still not in the best physical condition.

The two-time world player of the year is returning to Brazilian football after 10 years in European football.

  

Scotland picks uncapped duo for Northern Ireland

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP): Scotland called up Blackburn defender Grant Hanley and Aberdeen striker Chris Maguire for the first time Tuesday for next week's international against Northern Ireland.

"Grant is a young lad who has impressed in the short time he has been involved in the Premier League matches," Scotland coach Craig Levein said. "I've watched him four times and he has all the attributes to be a top-class center back."

Levein also picked Leeds winger Robert Snodgrass in the 22-man squad for his team's first match in the Nations Cup - which is played over four months in Dublin and also features Wales and Ireland.

Levein added that he had left out Dundee United striker David Goodwillie because he was charged by police last month over a sexual attack on a woman.

"It's an awkward situation to be placed in," Levein said. "He has a cloud hanging over his head just now. I thought long and hard about it and I believe I've made the right decision."

Scotland plays Northern Ireland on Wednesday, a day after host nation Ireland hosts Wales in Tuesday's tournament opener.

Scotland squad:

Goalkeepers: Cameron Bell (Kilmarnock), Craig Gordon (Sunderland), Allan McGregor (Rangers).

Defenders: Phil Bardsley (Sunderland), Christophe Berra (Wolves), Gary Caldwell (Wigan), Grant Hanley (Blackburn), Alan Hutton (Tottenham), Danny Wilson (Liverpool), Mark Wilson (Celtic).

Midfielders: Charlie Adam (Blackpool), Barry Bannan (Aston Villa), Scott Brown (Celtic), Kris Commons (Celtic), Graham Dorrans (West Bromwich Albion), Darren Fletcher (Manchester United), Lee McCulloch (Rangers), James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion).

Forwards: Chris Maguire (Aberdeen), Kenny Miller (Bursaspor), Steven Naismith (Rangers), Robert Snodgrass (Leeds).

  

Woodgate close to Spurs return after 14 months out

LONDON (AP): Jonathan Woodgate could play for Tottenham for the first time since November 2009 after being picked in the squad for Wednesday's Premier League match against Blackburn.

After 14 months out with a career-threatening groin injury, the 30-year-old Woodgate could return in central defense because Tottenham captain Ledley King needs to have surgery on a groin problem that has kept him out since October.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp says King is "nowhere near ready to play." Defenders Younes Kaboul and William Gallas are injured and Michael Dawson is suspended.

Woodgate was omitted from Tottenham's Premier League squad at the start of the season because of his persistent injuries.

His last appearance was in a 9-1 win over Wigan.

  

Chelsea shifts direction with signing of Torres

LONDON (AP): Fernando Torres' arrival at Chelsea in the biggest move of a record-breaking January transfer window for the Premier League heralds a change in direction by the Blues in more ways than one.

English clubs spent a huge 225 million pounds ($362 million) in a month, but only because Chelsea laid out more than 70 million pounds ($112 million) to emphatically end its loudly trumpeted but short-lived intention to rely upon homegrown players.

And having spent 50 million pounds just ($80 million) on Torres, the Blues will have to adapt their tactics to play to the strengths of a forward who is very different to regular strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Drogba has been arguably the Premier League's most complete striker over recent seasons and the lone spearhead of Chelsea's attack, but he will have to learn to play with a partner to avoid being displaced by a player who lacks his physical presence but compensates with greater speed.

Anyway, the Ivory Coast veteran's loss of form following a bout of malaria is one of the reasons Chelsea needed a new striker.

Chelsea's 42 goals this season make it the third-highest scoring team in the Premier League, but 19 of those goals came from its first five matches.

Even if manager Carlo Ancelotti keeps Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka playing wide in support of a lone striker, Torres' selection ahead of Drogba would require the midfield to create a more regular supply of balls along the ground. Torres is a skilled header of the ball but is not as adept at challenging burly defenders in the air as Drogba is when fit.

"After this, there are no more steps forward," Torres said. "This is the top level. The target for every footballer is to try and play at one of the top-level clubs in the world and I can do it now."

With 81 goals in 142 games for Liverpool and the only goal in Spain's 2008 European Championship win over Germany, Torres is the proven topflight scorer Chelsea needed to re-ignite its flagging attempt to retain the Premier League and FA Cup titles it cruised to last season.

"This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him," Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said. "We have long admired the talents of a player who is a proven goalscorer in English football and Fernando's arrival is a sign of our continuing high ambitions."

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez was widely recognized as the most expensive player in English football until Monday.

Manchester City has never confirmed the cost of his 2009 transfer, which has since been reported as costing about 47 million pounds. With a contract at Liverpool that ran until 2013, Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich was forced to beat that to get Torres.

David Luiz's signing from Benfica should also help improve an uncharacteristically porous defense, but Chelsea's spree helped disguise the fact that - despite smashing the 2008 record for 175 million pounds (then $347 million) spent in a single January window - most Premier League clubs were more parsimonious than usual.

According to accountancy firm Deloitte, only Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa spent more than 10 million pounds ($16 million), and the quartet's spending on six players totaled 80 percent of the overall outlay.

Liverpool's cash came from the sale of Torres and Ryan Babel and went on strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, Manchester City spent big on Edin Dzeko thanks to the largesse of its Abu Dhabi owners, and Villa owner Randy Lerner was apparently spooked by the prospect of relegation into paying about 20 million pounds ($32 million) for Darren Bent.

"Whilst Premier League club revenues have never been higher, we were surprised to see more than 200 million pounds spent in a January window for the first time, particularly after only around 30 million pounds was spent in January last year," said Dan Jones, partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group. "This was a particularly polarized window, with only a few clubs flexing their financial muscles on what was a deafening final day of an otherwise quiet window."

  

Argentina beats Chile 3-2 in U20s

AREQUIPA, Peru (AP): Argentina came from a goal down to defeat Chile 3-2 on Thursday in the second round of South American qualiyfing for the Under-20 World Cup.

Bryan Carrasco gave Chile and 1-0 lead in the 16th minute, but Argentina broke the match open with second-half goals from Facundo Ferreyra, Juan Manuel Iturbe and Nicolas Tagliafico. Felipe Gallegos scored late for Chile.

Argentina was poor in the first half, but got a boost when Ferreyra converted a disputed penalty in the 50th. Iturbe scored in the 62nd, beating several defenders in a solo run from midfield and then slotting home from 10 meters. Tagliafico took advantage of a defensive lapse in the 73rd with Gallegos scoring a minute into stoppage time.

In another Thursday match, Edson Montano's 60th-minute goal gave Ecuador a 1-1 draw with Uruguay. Camilo Mayada put Uruguay up 1-0 in the 17th.

Ecuador and Uruguay have each picked up four points in two second-round games. Argentina has three and Chile has lost its first two matches.

Tournament favorite Brazil was to face Colombia in a late match.

All six teams in the second round play each other once with the top four advancing to the U20 World Cup later this year in Colombia. The top two advance to the 2012 London Olympics.

  

Roma ready to sell to US businessman Di Benedetto

ROME (AP): Roma says it's ready to negotiate a sale to American businessman Thomas Di Benedetto, a part owner of the parent company of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool.

Members of Roma's management have been in the United States for over a week to try to find buyers, and chose Di Benedetto's company Di Benedetto AS Roma LLC ahead of four other offers.

A club announcement on Thursday said the American company "present themselves as the most competitive offer."

The two parties hope to conclude the deal within two weeks.

Di Benedetto was a partner in the Fenway Sports Group, formerly New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Red Sox, Fenway Park, Liverpool, New England Sports Network and Roush-Fenway Racing.

  

Ecuador-Uruguay 1-1 in U20 qualifier

AREQUIPA, Peru (AP): Edson Montano's 60th-minute goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Ecuador against Uruguay on Thursday in the second round of South American qualifying for the Under-20 World Cup.

Camilo Mayada gave Uruguay a 1-0 lead in the 17th.

Ecuador and Uruguay have both picked up four points from two second-round games.

All six teams in the second round play each other once with the top four advancing to the U20 World Cup later this year in Colombia.

The top two advance to the 2012 London Olympics.

Thursday later games were Argentina vs. Chile and tournament favorite Brazil against Colombia.

  

Inter Milan beats Bari 3-0, up to 3rd in Serie A

ROME (AP): Inter Milan moved up to third in the Serie A following a 3-0 win over Bari on Thursday.

Inter was seven points behind leader AC Milan, with a game in hand.

The only game on Thursday was a bland affair until midway through the second half when Houssine Kharja produced a rare moment of inspiration for his first goal since arriving on loan from Genoa at the end of the transfer window.

Giampaolo Pazzini then scored his third in two games since signing from Sampdoria, and just before the final whistle Wesley Sneijder was left unmarked for the third.

"It isn't easy, but the three goals I have scored in two games has helped us win twice," Pazzini said. "We had a good first half and tried to keep the tempo high. We lacked a bit of rhythm, but improved in the second half."

Bari had the best chance of the first half when Sergio Almiron forced Inter 'keeper Julio Cesar into a sprawling save with a powerful free kick.

After the break neither side improved, though Alessandro Parisi made Cesar pull off another save and Sneijder blasted over from close range.

Inter took the lead in the 70th and gave the game some spark. The Moroccan played a return pass with Samuel Eto'o and fired a low shot into the corner of the goal past Jean-Francois Gillet.

Three minutes later Parisi went close again, but Cesar pushed his powerful volley away for a corner.

With 10 minutes remaining Cesar again came to Inter's rescue by stopping Alessandro Gazzi's effort.

In injury time Pazzini cut in from the left and lashed a shot past Gillet and then Sneijder had time and space to score his first league goal of the season.

  

Milan coach Allegri spoiled for choice in attack

ROME (AP): AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is finding out the hard way that four into three doesn't go.

Since signing Italy striker Antonio Cassano in the transfer window, Allegri has had to juggle his attacking options by deploying two from Cassano, Alexandre Pato and Robinho alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Pato is the player most at risk of losing his starting place for Milan's trip to Genoa on Sunday, after a run of injuries and poor performances.

In Tuesday's 0-0 draw against Lazio the Brazilian made way for Cassano just after the hour and earlier in the season he complained about his relationship with Ibrahimovic.

"There is no problem with Pato," Allegri said. "I took him off because the defense was closing him down quickly and Cassano works better in tight spaces."

Milan is unbeaten in its six league games since the start of 2011 with three wins and three draws and is five points clear at the top of Serie A in pursuit of its 18th Italian championship.

The addition of Cassano, Mark Van Bommel, Urby Emanuelson and Nicola Legrottaglie during the transfer window has added greater depth to the squad, while a number of players are likely to return from injury and suspension in the next few weeks.

"The next match will be tricky, however we will have two or three players back and this is very important for us," Allegri said. "I hope that (Kevin-Prince) Boateng, (Gennaro) Gattuso, (Clarence) Seedorf, Van Bommel and (Andrea) Pirlo will be back."

Second-place Napoli missed a chance to close the gap on Milan in midweek by slumping to a 2-0 loss to Chievo Verona.

New signing Giuseppe Mascara is likely to be included in the squad for the home fixture with Cesena and is confident that he can help Walter Mazzarri's side recover immediately.

"I saw the match but I'm sure it is just a hiccup," Mascara said. "It is difficult playing every three days but we have to be confident in ourselves.

"We are fighting for something very important, but I have found a very unified group of players."

Defending champion Inter Milan hosts last year's runner-up AS Roma, which is without suspended France center back Philippe Mexes.

Inter coach Leonardo meanwhile has a similar problem to his AC Milan counterpart. Giampaolo Pazzini scored twice on his Inter debut last weekend and Samuel Eto'o took his league tally to 13 in the 3-2 victory over Palermo.

The Brazilian can also turn to last year's leading scorer Diego Milito and Goran Pandev up front as he tries to close the gap on Inter's city rival.

"Of course we look at the table, but we aren't obsessed with it," Leonardo said. "We have still got a lot of matches until it is over and we know how hard it is to win just one game.

"We are just thinking about getting into a place where we can challenge and then we will see."

Fiorentina is boosted by Adrian Mutu's return to the squad for its fixture at Parma. The Romania striker was suspended after walking out on the team in early January.

Sinisa Mihajlovic's team beat Genoa on Wednesday to relieve the pressure on its beleaguered coach, after fans had protested outside the stadium following defeat to Lazio at the weekend, but Fiorentina is still without a win on the road since early Feb. 2010.

"These three points are massive and it is an important win," Mihajlovic said after the victory. "The guys gave everything - heart and determination - and this is how they should play."

On Saturday, it's: Udinese vs. Sampdoria; Cagliari vs. Juventus.

Also Sunday, it's: Bologna vs. Catania; Brescia vs. Bari; Lazio vs. Chievo Verona; and Lecce vs. Palermo.

  

Kenny Dalglish: Andy Carroll is worth the money

LIVERPOOL, England (AP): Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish criticized the negative reaction to the club's purchase of Andy Carroll, predicting Thursday that the striker will live up to the tag of being the eighth most expensive player in football history.

Eyebrows were raised across the sport with Liverpool's 35 million pound ($56 million) signing of Carroll, who has played just 41 times in the Premier League and once for England.

Established international stars such as David Villa, Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko have moved clubs for less.

Dalglish, however, said he is confident the 22-year-old striker, who joined on Monday from Newcastle and wouldn't be recognized in many countries outside England, will prove his worth.

"The price might be a bit more than what some people think it should be but every single person has got to justify their wages and their costs," Dalglish said. "I'm sure he can do that for us.

"I'd like to reassure Andy we are more upbeat about Andy coming than I think yourselves (the media) are, because every question seems to have negativity in it. We don't see any reason whatsoever to be negative in any way shape or form."

Carroll, who was officially presented as a Liverpool player on Thursday along with Luis Suarez, is currently out with thigh injury and isn't expected to return to action for another two or three weeks.

When he does make his debut, Carroll said he will not be daunted by the price tag and by taking over the No. 9 jersey left by Fernando Torres, who moved to Chelsea on Monday for a British-record fee of 50 million pounds ($81 million).

"It was a lot of money but I'm sure I can do what I need to do to prove the money was worth it," Carroll said. "I'm here to score goals and create chances for the team, and that's what I can do.

"Time will tell. Obviously Torres was a great player but I need to concentrate on my own game and play my football."

Suarez made his debut for Liverpool on Wednesday, coming off the bench to score the second goal in the team's 2-0 win over Stoke at Anfield.

  

Neville: I was becoming a passenger at United

MANCHESTER, England (AP): Gary Neville says he decided to quit football when he realized he was becoming "a passenger" in Manchester United's team.

The former England defender announced on Wednesday he was retiring with immediate effect, ending a career in which he won the Champions League and eight Premier League titles among other trophies.

Neville, speaking to United's in-house TV channel, says it was his much-criticized performance in a Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion last month that convinced him to quit.

Neville says "after that game on New Year's Day, I felt I'd reached the end."

Neville added on Thursday "there was always a period where I felt I was contributing. Once you've lost that ... you don't want to be a passenger."

  

Estudiantes coach Sabella confirms resignation

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP): Alejandro Sabella stepped down as Estudiantes coach on Thursday, a day after tendering his resignation.

"I'm going, I'm going," he said on Thursday as he drove away from Estudiantes' training site after informing club officials of his decision.

Sabella's exit could be a blow for the Argentine club, which was the defending Apertura champion and won the Copa Libertadores title under Sabella only 18 months ago.

Sabella has not spoken publicly about his decision, but he was known to be unhappy with club officials for not making offseason signings for the team, which was led by midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron.

Sabella has said he wanted help at striker and on defense.

Estudiantes has just a just a week to get organized and find a coach. The club plays the first match of the new Clausura on Feb. 11 against Newell's Old Boys.