Pieter Jansz Saenredam, Church of Santa Maria della Febbre, Rome
“Liverpool’s disastrous season plunged to new depths as they suffered a humiliating FA Cup exit at Anfield to Reading. The Reds lost Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to injuries and were stunned by the Championship side, who forced extra-time before substitute Shane Long headed the winner in this third round replay. Gerrard had seen a shot deflected home by Reading defender Ryan Bertrand to give Liverpool the lead in the final seconds of the first-half.” (ESPN)

Liverpool hit new low as Reading triumph at Anfield
“This time there is no one else to blame but the players and manager of Liverpool FC. Mountainous debt, divided owners, balancing acts in the transfer market and injuries have excused, explained or disguised so many failings at Anfield this season but no more. Beaten, and deservedly so, at home in the third round of the FA Cup by a Reading team under caretaker management and languishing fourth from bottom of the Championship. Rafael Benítez will be lucky if the next email sent by a Liverpool director in Dallas is simply abusive.” (Guardian)

Liverpool woe as Torres out for six weeks
“Liverpool’s hopes of salvaging their season have suffered a serious setback with key trio Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun all being sidelined. The club confirmed this afternoon the three players, all injured in last night’s humiliating FA Cup loss to Reading, will be out for varying lengths of time up to six weeks.” (Independent)

Liverpool trio hit by injuries to Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun
“Torres, who limped off during the FA Cup third-round defeat to managerless Reading at Anfield, is set to be out for up to six weeks as he prepares to go under the knife.” (Telegraph)

Fernando Torres’ surgery decision will have major implications for Liverpool and Spain
“Torres faces a choice of immense significance for Liverpool. Club or country? Who has more to play for in 2010. If the prolific forward does what is best for Spain, and misses two months of the new year on surgery and rehab, then certain other members of the Liverpool squad with one eye on South Africa might be tempted to ease up, conserving their energies for a potentially momentous summer.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)

“When the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Angola tomorrow, many African soccer fans will ignore it. Instead they will keep gathering in “show houses”, “chicken parlours” and cinemas across the continent to watch the English Premier League. This may be more than a change in viewing habits. Just possibly, it could signify that the brief era of nationalism in Africa is ending.” (FI – Simon Kuper)

“A somewhat belated Happy New Year to anyone who happens across these pages, pages that have incidentally been jolted into life by Gordon’s frantic activity in the transfer market of late. Yes, while the annoying levels of snow we’ve received gave Boro a fortuitous opportunity to postpone a potentially tricky home game against Swansea, our manager has used his time well, raiding the coffers of his old club, Glasgow Celtic, for players.” (Smog Blog)

Cameroon
“Anyone fancying a flutter on an African team to do the unthinkable and win this year’s World Cup may be thinking twice about dipping into their pocket after the first round of matches in the Nations Cup. So far, little Malawi – the tournament’s rank outsiders – have managed to muster more points than the combined tally earned by World Cup finalists Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.” (BBC – Piers Edwards)

African viewpoint: Soccer power
“In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Sola Odunfa considers the power of football in Nigeria and why it is the opium of the masses. Once again it is time for mass hysteria in Nigeria. The only enterprise that pulls Nigerians together irrespective of ethnicity, religion or politics is under way.” (BBC)

Algeria stay in the hunt
“Algeria kept their hopes of progress in the African Nations Cup alive as they edged past Mali in Cidadela .
England’s World Cup opponents had lost 3-0 to Malawi in their opening Group A encounter but Rafik Halliche’s header saw them bounce back in style.” (ESPN)

Dhaouadi earns point
“Zambia and Tunisia failed to take advantage of Group D rivals Cameroon’s shock African Nations Cup loss to Gabon as the two nations had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Lubango.” Algeria stay in the hunt
(ESPN)

“Be proud of the effort this team put in today. Even though it was too little, too late, Barcelona took on and defeated Sevilla 1-0 tonight at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan but ultimately it was not enough, as we are knocked out of the Copa del Rey 2-2 on the away goals rule (which I find to be bullshit, and have never liked even if it did benefit us on occasion. This however is a rant for another day). A somewhat tense and irregular first half was followed by a thrilling nonstop second, which is the best forty-five minutes of football I have seen so far this season, even if only one goal resulted and we did not come away with the desired result.” (The Offside)

Sevilla vs Barca, Copa Del Rey 2nd Leg Full Highlight
(All About FC Barcelona)

“For a league which draws snores and a national team which draws derision, those Italians must be doing something right. Everywhere you look in England, they just keep popping up. From all the way at the tippety-top of the English national team down to the Championship, there’s an Italian to be found.” (The Offside)

“This summer’s World Cup in South Africa isn’t just the biggest event on the sporting calendar, it’s also the biggest marketing opportunity of the year. Eight out of 10 people around the world are expected to watch the four-week competition and broadcast rights alone are estimated at $2.7 billion. Billions more will be spent by the global brands that have signed up as official sponsors and are banking on the tournament to give revenues a welcome boost.” (WSJ)