Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce admits he is not looking forward to Monday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Blyth Spartans.

Manchester City are set to trigger a clause in Roque Santa Cruz’s contract by offering Blackburn Rovers 18m for the Paraguay striker in the January transfer window.

Promising young Arsenal forward Jay Simpson has joined West Brom on loan until the end of the season. The 19-year-old is available for the FA Cup tie against Peterborough.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has hit out at the January transfer window, branding it ‘destructive’ - but admits he is keen to use it in a bid to bolster his relegation-threatened side.

AZ Alkmaar are weighing a move for Blackburn defender Andre Ooijer, but are wary of upsetting the balance of a squad which finished the first half of the season top of the Eredivisie.

Manchester City will kick-start the January sales by agreeing a fee of 18million with Blackburn for Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz in the next 24 hours.

Peter Reid’s hopes of winning his first silverware with Thailand were dashed by a last-gasp goal from Vietnam’s Le Cong Vinh in the Southeast Asian Championship final.

Peter Reid’s hopes of winning his first silverware with Thailand were dashed by a last-gasp goal from Vietnam’s Le Cong Vinh. Reid’s men trailed 2-1 from the home leg of the Southeast Asian Championship final.

A post-match confrontation in the tunnel between Palace’s Nicky Carle and Bristol City’s Michael McIndoe overshadowed a hard-fought encounter.

Coventry’s in-form strikers helped beat Sheffield Wednesday after goals from Clinton Morrison and Robbie Simpson gave them their first victory at the Ricoh Arena since October.