Jan 132017
 

• Costa misses game at Leicester after clash with fitness coach
• Chelsea will refuse to sell their top scorer

Diego Costa has been dropped from the Chelsea squad for Saturday’s Premier League fixture at Leicester City, after a row that involves a massive offer made to him from a club in the Chinese Super League.

The volatile striker has also clashed with one of the Chelsea fitness coaches over an injury that he feels he has been carrying, and he did not travel to Leicester with his team-mates on Friday. Costa has not trained fully this week and the manager, Antonio Conte, has become involved in the argument.

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Jan 132017
 

• Lens reportedly said relegation may help hasten move to Fenerbahce
• ‘It’s disgracefully disrespectful,’ says Moyes of loan player’s comments

David Moyes has branded Jeremain Lens “disgracefully disrespectful” after the Sunderland winger, on a season’s loan at Fenerbahce, was quoted as saying he hoped his parent club would get relegated.

The Holland international, previously with PSV Eindhoven and Dynamo Kyiv, was quoted in the Turkish media suggesting that Sunderland dropping into the Championship might help facilitate his ambition of a permanent move to the Istanbul club.

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Jan 132017
 

Only Chelsea and Tottenham have won more league games at home this season than Burnley so Southampton face a tall order at Turf Moor, especially as Claude Puel’s side are still struggling in front of goal. Former Burnley player Jay Rodriguez will be hoping to put that right to end a miserable run of three consecutive league defeats. Graham Searles

Kick-off Saturday 3pm

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Jan 132017
 

• Gabriel Jesus’s registration at the Football Association not complete
• Vincent Kompany could play at Everton after two months out

Gabriel Jesus must continue to wait for his Manchester City debut but Vincent Kompany could return at Everton on Sunday. Jesus officially joined City from Palmeiras this month but his registration has not yet gone through.

“He cannot play – papers,” Pep Guardiola said of the 19-year-old Brazil international. “When Palmeiras and the FA solve the problems he will be able to play.” Most of the paperwork has been done and City are confident the remainder will be completed soon, meaning Jesus could be available to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League next weekend. The issue may not have overly concerned Guardiola this week, however, with the manager having said the forward needs to build up match fitness in training.

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