As Lewis Hamilton savors back-to-back Japanese victories and the sweetness of matching Ayrton Senna's 41 race wins, his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg faces two long weeks of soul-searching.

Rosberg knows he blew a golden opportunity to close the gap on world champion Hamilton in the Formula One title race on Sunday after failing to turn pole position into 25 points for the second year running at Suzuka.

Theo Walcott says Alexis Sanchez's ability to reproduce the form that terrorized Leicester holds the key to Arsenal's success in the Champions League.

Sanchez netted a brilliant hat-trick to inspire Arsenal's 5-2 thrashing of Leicester on Saturday.

European champions Barcelona begin a two-month stretch without Lionel Messi when Bayer Leverkusen visit the Camp Nou on Tuesday hoping to take advantage of the Argentine's absence.

Messi suffered a torn left knee ligament as Barca squeezed past Las Palmas 2-1 at the weekend.

A Nikola Kalinic hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Inter Milan sent Fiorentina top of Serie A for the first time since 1999 as the early season title race was blown wide open on Sunday.

Inter, who have not won the scudetto since their treble-winning feats of 2010, had boosted their early-season scudetto hopes by racing to a 10-point lead over defending champions Juventus after winning their opening five games.

Former world champion Fernando Alonso's frustration boiled over after finishing out of the points at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, as he vented his fury at misfiring McLaren's mechanical problems.

As cars sped past him early in the race at Suzuka, the Spaniard barked over the cockpit radio: "It's embarrassing, very embarrassing!"

Lewis Hamilton blazed to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg on Sunday to strengthen his grip on a third world title.

The Briton, who is chasing back-to-back Formula One championships, opened a 48-point gap over Rosberg with five races left after putting on a masterclass at Suzuka.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA leader Michel Platini are under investigation by FIFA's independent ethics committee and could face suspension, media reported Sunday.

Switzerland's Schweiz am Sonntag weekly said it had information indicating that the two most powerful men in football were in the sights of the ethics committee and could soon be suspended.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admitted he owed a debt of gratitude to substitutes, Ramires and Willian who were responsible for the fightback which earned a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.

Chelsea were trailing 2-0 and seemingly heading for their fifth defeat in eight games when Ramires sparked the recovery with a long-range shot in the 79th minute.

Brendan Rodgers said that he would ignore the voices of those who do not want him to manage Liverpool after his team's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield.

Speculation about Rodgers' position has been mounting, with Liverpool great Mark Lawrenson claiming that one defeat from the games against Villa, FC Sion and derby rivals Everton would lead to his dismissal.

Harry Kane expressed relief at ending his goal drought in Tottenham Hotspur's 4-1 triumph over Manchester City, but conceded his barren spell had affected him away from the pitch.

The England striker failed to score in his opening seven club games this season before getting off the mark with Spurs' third goal in their victory against City at White Hart Lane on Saturday.