AC Milan's woeful start to the season got even worse after having two players sent off in a 2-1 loss at struggling Udinese in Serie A on Sunday.

The loss heaped more pressure on Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, although he remained defiant despite starting the season with just one win and three defeats in Serie A.

Robin van Persie's penalty kick gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory over 10-man Liverpool on Sunday, settling a heated Premier League meeting between the fierce rivals after emotional tributes were paid to the Hillsborough disaster victims.

Van Persie beat Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in the 81st minute after Antonio Valencia was fouled by Glen Johnson to secure United's first win at Anfield since December 2007.

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho believes that his former club Chelsea could struggle this season without striker Didier Drogba.

Mourinho signed Drogba when he was Chelsea manager but the Ivorian left Stamford Bridge in the summer after an eight-year stay which saw him win three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League.

Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola insisted Friday that he is happy living the family life in New York for now as he kept the guessing game about his future in football wide open.

Speculation is rife about the next job of the man who won everything at Barcelona since he decided to take a break from the sport after coaching his last game in May.

Sir Alex Ferguson has called for calm ahead of Manchester United's emotionally-charged clash against bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

United manager Ferguson is well aware that the eyes of the football world will be on Anfield this weekend for the 186th installment of the English game's most volatile grudge match.

China's Ma Qinghua was hopeful of securing another Formula One outing with HRT after coping with a tough practice session on a wet, floodlit Singapore Grand Prix street circuit.

Two weeks after becoming the first Chinese driver to race in a Formula One practice session, when he placed last in Italy, Ma again trailed the field on Friday evening.

Roberto Mancini has warned his Manchester City stars that Arsenal are real contenders for the Premier League title and pose a serious threat to the champions at Eastlands on Sunday.

City suffered a disappointing draw with Stoke last weekend and then crashed to a dramatic 3-2 defeat against Spanish champions Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Ten members of the 2016 Olympics organizing committee have been sacked for stealing computer files relating to the organization of the 2012 London Olympics, a Rio 2016 spokesman told AFP on Friday.

The Rio employees, who had been working alongside London staff during the summer Olympics and Paralympics, had downloaded internal documents without authorization.

Tottenham had two goals disallowed in a 0-0 draw at home to Serie A joint leader Lazio in their opening game of the Europa League group stage on Thursday, while defending champion Atletico Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win at Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

United States international Clint Dempsey had a goal ruled out for offside halfway through the first period, before Steven Caulker saw his header struck off for his push on Lazio's Stefano Mauri.

European Union sports ministers sought Thursday to forge a united front against match-fixing to combat what they consider one of the most serious threats to modern sports.

At a meeting in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia, they called for "dissuasive, effective and proportionate" criminal and disciplinary sanctions against offenders, especially in serious, cross-border cases.