Arsene Wenger is concerned Henrikh Mkhitaryan may have suffered a hit to his confidence after a largely-disappointing stint at Manchester United.

Arsenal’s lead candidate to replace Alexis Sanchez, Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has agreed personal terms with Gunners chiefs - leaving it to their Bundesliga club counterparts to finalise a deal, the Daily Mirror reports.

A group of hackers claim to have shut down the website of the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament in protest at organisers holding it in the "dictatorship" of Gabon.

Opec yesterday predicted that the global oil market will be more balanced in the second half of this year as demand rises and rival supplies falter, echoing views expressed by ministers at the group’s meeting earlier this month.

Liverpool pulled off an incredible fightback on another breathless European night at Anfield to reach the last-four of the Europa League.

Arsene Wenger has said Theo Walcott is likely to pen a new deal at Arsenal very soon — and has backed him to score plenty of goals this season.

Africa Cup of Nations preview

Republic of Ireland exile Darron Gibson has revealed the thought of Champions League nights at Goodison is driving him to help Everton reach Europe’s elite competition.

World and European champions Spain were dumped out of the Olympic tournament by Honduras last night.

Brazil coach Mano Menezes praised the performance of new Chelsea signing Oscar after the midfielder played a starring role in their 3-2 win over Egypt at the Millennium Stadium.

Gabon 1 Switzerland 1

FIFA are facing a dispute over the release of three players for the Olympic football tournament.

THIS has been an extremely difficult tournament to cover. Anybody who’s attempted to move from one venue to another is already feeling the effects of a night spent huddled on an airport floor, or squashed into a packed train for an overnight journey. Little wonder there are swathes of empty seats at stadiums for the first time at a European Championship since 1996.

There have been four direct free-kicks scored in this Cup of Nations.

What this tournament has shown, more than anything else, is the value of cohesion, of having a well-drilled side that knows its plan.

Ghana made certain of their progress into the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations where they will face Tunisia as they held Guinea to a 1-1 draw, a result that also sent Mali through as Group D runners-up.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his third goal in as many games as co-hosts Gabon confirmed top spot in Group C with a 1-0 win over Tunisia in the Africa Nations Cup in Libreville last night.

Angola 0 Ivory Coast 2

THIS has been the tournament that restored the glee to the Cup of Nations.

Another thrilling day’s action at the Africa Cup of Nations culminated with Tunisia and co-hosts Gabon booking their places in the quarter-finals thanks to late winning goals.

Morocco 1 Tunisia 2

EQUATORIAL GUINEA is not a football nation. Or at least, that’s what everybody said before the start of the 28th Cup of Nations, which the tiny former Spanish colony is co-hosting with Gabon.

BRITAIN will abstain from the United Nations vote on the Palestinian bid for statehood, Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament yesterday.

Real Madrid midfielder Kaka today earned a recall to the Brazil squad for the first time since the 2010 World Cup finals for the international friendlies against Gabon and Egypt.

THOUSANDS of people were beheaded, poisoned or hanged in 23 countries around the world in 2010, according to the annual death penalty report published by Amnesty International.

Arsenal striker Jay Simpson is keen on a permanent move to Hull if the two clubs can agree a fee, according to the player’s agent.

Arsenal have signed defender Laurent Koscielny from French side Lorient.

Mohammad Idrissou put Cameroon on course for a spot in the African Nations Cup quarter-finals with a late winner in a topsy-turvy Group D clash against Zambia.

THIS year’s African Nations Cup threw up another upset yesterday as Gabon took down one of the tournament favourites, Cameroon, in the first Group D game.

Republic of Ireland striker Caleb Folan is set to leave Hull City by the end of the month.

Morocco have lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for the award of a 3-0 victory in a World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier with Togo, who they believe fielded an ineligible player.

Ivory Coast became the second African nation to qualify for the 2010 World Cup tonight after a second-half strike from Chelsea star Didier Drogba earned them the point they needed to secure their place in South Africa.

Tottenham are hopeful of centre-back Sebastien Bassong being fit of the Barclays Premier League clash against Manchester United on Saturday despite missing Cameroon’s midweek clash against Gabon.

Gabon’s main opposition parties demanded that authorities conduct a recount of a disputed election the government said was won by the son of the country’s long-ruling president.

The head of Gabon’s senate has been sworn in as the Central African nation’s interim president, the first time in more than four decades that power has been held by anyone other than the late leader Omar Bongo.

A top government official in the West African country of Gabon went on record to deny news reports that the country’s long-time president is dead.

Bolton 1 Hull 1

Striker Daniel Cousin is Hull’s only doubt for tomorrow’s crucial Barclays Premier League clash against Portsmouth.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has demanded improvement from his players after defeat to Hull ruined his 12th anniversary at the club.

Rangers striker Daniel Cousin is ready to move to England this summer, according to his agent Willie McKay.

FIFA have refused to authorise Daniel Cousin’s £3 million move from Rangers to Fulham, Rangers have stated.

Rangers boss Walter Smith admits Daniel Cousin’s £3m move is “in the balance” but hopes the striker is granted permission by FIFA to sign for Fulham.

Hibernian 1 Rangers 2