The Sport Matrix: Friday 5 December 2014

United set to spend £100m in summer

Manchester United are prepared to spend another £100m next summer as they continue the squad overhaul they believe is needed to return them to the top of British football. United are trying to find two elite players for every position, and centre-halves Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund, Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin and Southampton’s right-back Nathaniel Clyne are acquistions who would improve the club in weak areas.

Oscar: Chelsea feel Drogba’s impact

Chelsea are unbeaten in 23 games in all competitions and looked assured in their win over Spurs on Wednesday. Didier Drogba scored one and set up another, and Oscar enthused about his impact, saying: “He speaks not just with me, but with the attacking players. He scored so many goals for Chelsea. He really pushes the young players.”

Liverpool to start work on Anfield

Liverpool have revealed that work is to start on an expansion of Anfield which they believe will increase annual match-day revenues by £20m per season. The £114m project will begin next month and be ready in the summer of 2016. The Main Stand expansion will add 8,500 to the capacity – taking the overall figure to about 54,000.

Whip-swapping jockeys hit with ‘shock’ five-day riding ban

Davy Russell and Phillip Enright have been banned for five days after Russell appeared to ask Enright to give him his whip during the Powerstown Handicap Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

The Gold Cup-winning jockey lost his stick after making a mistake at the first hurdle on odds-on favourite Leave At Dawn. As they turned into the straight Enright, on Backinyourbox, handed him the whip.

The bans rule them out of the first three days of the Christmas festivals. Russell said: “It wasn’t premeditated and I’ll have to think about it because it has come as a bit of a shock. I don’t really know the rights and wrongs of it.” Both riders finished out of the frame behind the 10-1 winner Stay With It.

Greene fears over Russian doping

Dai Greene has raised fears the Russian doping scandal which emerged on Wednesday could be swept under the carpet unless radical steps are taken by global athletics chiefs to tackle the problem. It has been alleged that a systematic doping programme is in place in Russia. “This has to be dealt with,” said Greene.