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Young: Poor finishing cost Manchester United at Stoke 

Click here to edit text Manchester United winger Ashley Young has blamed the Red Devils' poor finishing for Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Stoke City.

David Moyes was able to field Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata in the same side for the first time at the Britannia Stadium but two goals from Charlie Adam secured the narrow victory for the hosts.

The result leaves United in seventh place in the table, six points behind Liverpool in fourth, and Young was frustrated with the failure to convert despite the team's 19 attempts on goal.

He told MUTV: "Adam's goal was a tremendous strike but, even after that, we always knew we were going to be in the game. We played until the final whistle but we're disappointed we could not get the second goal.

"We talked about getting to the byeline and getting the ball into the box but the frustrating thing is that we did not finish it off and that cost us.

"We've got to take the positives out of [it] and get ourselves back into the game. With creating all those chances, we have to take them. On numerous occasions we got to the byeline, got the ball into the box and we just wanted it to go in but, on another day, we would have had three or four.

"Their goals were a deflection and one of those that comes out of the blue with a long-range screamer but it's obviously disappointing to lose when you have created so many chances."

The former Aston Villa star also lamented the injuries to Phil Jones and Jonny Evans and had been convinced that United would find a route to victory after Robin van Persie levelled for United just after half-time.

"To lose two defenders in the way we did, after so many players came back to fitness, is also disappointing but, after we got that goal early in the second half, I thought we would go on to win," he continued. "It was not meant to be and there is a lot of disappointment in the dressing room.

"It was really windy, even in the warm-up, but it's just one of those things you have to deal with - it's always like that when you come here normally!"

Arsenal are targeting a central midfield signing in the final days of the window after being rocked by Ramsey's injury blow.

Arsene Wenger is in the market for a midfield operator who can protect the defence and link with the team’s attacking players.

The Frenchman played down the severity of Ramsey’s new thigh injury in the immediate aftermath of Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Southampton on Tuesday 

There are also growing doubts about Jack Wilshere’s recovery from his latest ankle problem after he saw a specialist in London on Tuesday. The England international has been ruled out of Arsenal’s league match against Crystal Palace on Sunday and is also now rated doubtful for the crunch clash against Liverpool six days later.

With Mathieu Flamini expected to receive a four-match ban for the two-footed lunge that earned him a red card against Southampton and Mikel Arteta feeling regular pain his calves, there is a growing midfield crisis at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger’s targets could include Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi and Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin, who has been closely tracked by the Gunners’ scouting team over the last 18 months.

Arsenal are hoping to sign two new players before the window shuts on Friday night. 

The Gunners are still hopeful of brokering a deal for Draxler this week, while they are laying the groundwork for a Jung deal this summer should contract rebel Bacary Sagna not sign a new agreement.

There is likely to be some frenzied activity at the Emirates in the coming days as Wenger attempts to maintain his team’s title challenge.

Ramsey’s injury is an especially severe blow to Arsenal's hopes of winning the title and progressing beyond the last-16 stage of the Champions League. They face Bayern Munich in the first leg on February 19 at the end of a demanding 11-day run of fixtures in which they play Manchester United and Liverpool twice.

The 23-year-old broke down during a training drill on Monday when he aggravated a tendon under his thigh muscle. He was immediately sent for a scan, which revealed on Tuesday that he is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks.

Wenger later confirmed the bad news, although he refused to give a timeline on the player's return. "Ramsey is out for longer than we expected," Wenger said after the Southampton match. "He had a little setback in training, it's the same muscle. I hope it's not for too long but certainly not [available] for Sunday's game."

Ramsey had already been out since suffering a grade two thigh strain in Arsenal’s Boxing Day win over West Ham.

He had been Arsenal’s outstanding contributor in the first half of the season, scoring 13 goals in 26 Premier League and Champions League matches.

Marcello Lippi believes Juventus lack the quality to challenge for top honours in Europe and thinks it is unlikely any Serie A team will win the Champions League in the next decade.

The reigning Italian champions failed to get out of the group stage this season as Real Madrid and Galatasaray proved to be too strong, after last term's elimination to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

And Lippi forecasts the disappointing trend for Italian clubs to continue for the foreseeable future.

"The current Juventus has a lot of quality, enough to win the Serie A title again," Lippi was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

"But they are still missing something to be successful in Europe. Generally speaking, I think that it will be very difficult for any Italian team to win the Champions League in the next 10 years or so."

The current Guangzhou Evergrande coach then went on to discuss the potential departure of Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba and reminded the Juventus faithful that the Bianconeri regularly cashed in on key players during his time at the club.

He added: "I don't know whether Juventus will sell Pogba or Vidal at the end of the season. All I know is that my Juventus sold one or two important players each year..."

Pogba has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, while Vidal has caught the attention of a number of Premier League clubs.

Barca have faced more serious problems than Rosell resignation - Martino

      Barca coach Martino has played down the significance of former president Sandro Rosell's resignation in midweek, saying his players have overcome more serious issues in the past.

The 49-year-old left his post amid controversy over the summer signing of Neymar, saying he feared for the safety of his family after gun attacks on their home while they were on holiday.

However, Martino insists that his players have been through worse, having witnessed former team-mate Eric Abidal and ex-coach Tito Vilanova battle cancer.

"Over the last few years, they have faced more serious problems; health issues of team-mates and coaches," the Argentine told reporters after their straightforward 3-0 win over Malaga on Sunday night.

"The answer is not to talk but to do it on the pitch. It's been difficult to be professional and be focused this week, but we'll try until the last moment."

Lionel Messi failed to net against Malaga and has now not scored in La Liga since the end of September, but Martino says he has no worries over his compatriot's contribution.

"He can absolutely do as he pleases. Assist, press, move ... he can do it all. He attracts a lot of attention from the opposition," the Blaugrana boss pointed out.

"He sees passes and that he hasn't scored is not important."

Barcelona's next game is the second leg of their Copa del Rey tie with Levante on January 29, with kick-off scheduled for 22:00CET.

Barcelona 3-0 Malaga: Blaugrana end turbulent week on top of the table

Barcelona returned to the summit of La Liga with an ultimately straightforward 3-0 win over Malaga at Camp Nou on Sunday night.

The Catalan giants dropped to third in the table after Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid won earlier in the weekend, but reclaimed their place at the top of the table with a thoroughly convincing performance.

After consecutive Liga draws against Atletico and Levante – the first time Barca went two league games without winning since May 2011 – Gerardo Martino's side dominated the first half and took the lead through Gerard Pique in the 40th minute, his second goal in as many matches.

Barca would have led by more if it were not for the brilliance of Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero, but goals from Pedro and Alexis Sanchez in the first 20 minutes of the second half sealed the result.

Lionel Messi did not score, as his league scoring drought extended to 120 days, but new president Josep Maria Bartomeu, watching from the stands, would not have minded as Barca dominated from start to finish.

Barcelona were again without Andres Iniesta (left knee) and Neymar (ankle), but that did not stop the defending champions, who were denied by the woodwork in the sixth minute when Alexis' clipped effort hit the left post.

Duda forced Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes into a diving save with a curling free kick but the hosts were dominating, and only a sloppy first touch robbed Messi of a goal, as he lobbed wide, before Caballero clawed away a Dani Alves shot from a tight angle.

Caballero then kept out Jordi Alba and Flavio Pereira cleared Pedro's goalbound header, and while Valdes had to react quickly to keep out Marcos Angeleri's header, the chances kept coming for Martino's men.

Alba flicked onto the roof of the net before Pique finally broke the deadlock, as Xavi's corner was flicked on by Alexis, allowing the defender to chest down and power his shot past Caballero.

The goalkeeper denied Cesc Fabregas on the stroke of half-time and Alba made an important clearance after the break, restricting Bartlomiej Pawlowski a free shot on goal following Vitorino Antunes' cross.

Alexis and Fabregas were frustrated by Caballero again before Pique nodded a Xavi corner onto the post. But Pedro killed the game off in the 55th minute when he showed great skill before curling past Caballero with his right foot.

Duda's long-distance effort forced Valdes to scramble back, but a terrific Messi run led to Barca's third, as Pedro unselfishly squared for Alexis to tap in at the far post just after the hour mark.

Messi had a free kick narrowly go over, as his search for a league goal continued, while Caballero saved superbly to keep out Fabregas in the dying stages, but three goals were more than enough for Barcelona.