Danny Drinkwater has joined Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season, the Villa Park club have announced.

We all enjoy feasting on football over the festive period, but the congestion of the last fortnight has forced a dagger into the heart of the FA Cup third round.

How very West Ham. The club’s owners twice gave Manuel Pellegrini an ultimatum that he must win his next match to avoid the sack, and twice saw their side win.

Pep Guardiola’s annoyance at a passive first-half performance dampened the Manchester City manager’s mood despite ultimately running out comprehensive victors against Aston Villa.

Jack Grealish has stressed the importance of Aston Villa cutting out the mistakes following Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth.

As Fulham found out last season, spending is no guarantee of survival in the Premier League.

Aston Villa have announced the permanent signing of Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings.

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Brazilian striker Wesley Moraes for a club-record fee, believed to be worth around £22million.

If Aston Villa’s decision to release Glenn Whelan hardly came as a complete shock to the veteran, he was still taken aback by the manner in which he found out.

The battle for promotion from the Championship reaches a crescendo this weekend with at least eight teams still dreaming of making it into the Premier League and two able to seal it right now. But how well prepared are any of the sides for what could lie ahead?

Conor Hourihane proved the match-winner as Aston Villa continued their charge towards the Championship play-offs with an eighth successive win on Saturday.

Mick McCarthy confirmed potential Ireland recruit Patrick Bamford has agreed to meet him in the coming weeks.

Scott Hogan has seen enough clean slates to roof a housing estate but the Aston Villa striker is hopeful of a few more as he looks to kickstart a career that has been starved of momentum at club level and with the Republic of Ireland.

Smith, a lifelong Villa fan, leaves Brentford, while Terry moves into coaching having just announced his retirement as a player. Jesus Garcia Pitarch has also been appointed as sporting director.

Derby are in the hunt for their sixth manager in three years following Gary Rowett's departure to Stoke.

Watching Didi Hamann and the RTÉ football panel in recent weeks question Pep Guardiola’s standing as a coach for remaining stuck on just the two Champions League titles in a career that’s barely a decade old, we were reminded of the opening scene in March to Madness, the esteemed John Feinstein’s season-long study of about the only championship in world team sport that’s as hard to win as football’s famous cup with the big ears.

“His personality and character ticked all the boxes for us.”

Jubilant Ian Holloway took a swipe at the QPR fans who left early after his side's dramatic stoppage-time comeback against Brentford.

Australia's parliament could legalise gay marriage this year if the government is allowed to let the public vote in a referendum, a senior minister has said.

Australia's ruling party has rejected a push to allow politicians to decide whether the country should recognise gay marriage.

Chelsea 4 Brentford 0: As impressive as Antonio Conte’s revival of Chelsea has been, Asmir Begovic is ready to sacrifice a role in the club’s bid to complete a league and cup double in favour of regular first-team football.

A year that featured the glorious high of scoring Ireland’s winner against Italy in Lille ended in frustrating fashion for Robbie Brady as the Dubliner was sent off in Norwich City’s 0-0 Championship draw at Brentford on Saturday.

Steve Bruce is the new Aston Villa manager, the club have confirmed.

Aston Villa have sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo after just 123 days, the club have announced.

With the post-Robbie Keane era now fully under way, much attention will be paid to the strikers in Martin O’Neill’s latest squad announcement today and, in particular, whether he sees fit to include Brentford’s Scott Hogan who is currently joint-top scorer in the Championship with six goals this season.

Alan Judge’s Euro 2016 dream is almost certainly over after the midfielder broke his leg in Brentford’s 3-1 Championship win at Ipswich on Saturday.

Patience has been a necessity at club level for late bloomer Alan Judge, so waiting for his international debut to eventually arrive tomorrow against Switzerland is not an issue for the 27-year-old.

Boro back top after gritty win over Wednesday

Watching Des Bishop travelling and breaking China the other week, it struck us just how far a certain sport has travelled as well.

This time it won’t quite feel like walking on eggshells with Roy around.

IF you want an insight into how Monaghan beat Donegal we could sum it up in two words: Siya Bafuna.

A man has appeared in court in Britain charged with assault after he threw a snowball at a police officer.

Irish players Brian Barry-Murphy, Derek Geary and Alan Quinn are among 13 players who have been released by boss Chris Turner, who has delivered his promise to wield the axe at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Chris Turner has wasted little time in wielding the axe by releasing eight out-of-contract players at Hillsborough.

SIXTEEN heavyweights, some of whom have never stepped inside a ring before, will battle it out in what promoters have billed Fight Club night after the bare-knuckle film.