President George W Bush for the second time was chosen as Time magazine’s Person of the Year, after winning re-election and “reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style” – a reference to his cowboy image.

A woman charged with killing an expectant mother and cutting the baby from her womb was showing the child off to people at a café and to her pastor hours before she was arrested, residents said.

Man Utd 5 Crystal Palace 2

Chelsea moved six points clear at the top of the Barclays Premiership with an emphatic 4-0 hammering of struggling Norwich at Stamford Bridge.

Middlesbrough 3 Aston Villa 0

Bolton 0 Man City 1

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has launched an attack on former referee Jeff Winter after the retired official branded Robbie Savage a “coward” after a bust-up with Aston Villa skipper Olof Mellberg.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech insists referee Graham Poll must be suffering “an uneasy conscience” after allowing Thierry Henry’s free-kick at Highbury, but he admits any appeal would be pointless.

Referee Graham Poll came under renewed fire today as goalkeeper Petr Cech blamed him for costing Chelsea victory at Highbury by allegedly reneging on a promise to blow his whistle before Thierry Henry’s free-kick.

Former referees’ chief Philip Don has defended Graham Poll’s decision to allow Thierry Henry to score with a quick free-kick against Chelsea yesterday.

Graham Poll, who was criticised by Jose Mourinho for allowing Thierry Henry’s audacious free-kick at Highbury, was today revealed as the official who gave Chelsea pre-season refereeing advice.

Southampton 2 Middlesbrough 2

Man Utd 0 Tottenham 0

Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy admitted his side lacked the quality required to overcome Gillingham after being held to a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 2

Newcastle 2 Birmingham 1

Birmingham-born Darren Carter struck twice to ensure a comfortable passage into the fourth round of the FA Cup for Steve Bruce’s side, who brushed off the absence of the suspended Robbie Savage.

Mighty Manchester United face the humiliating prospect of an FA Cup visit to Exeter on January 18 after the plucky non-leaguers wrote themselves into the history books at Old Trafford.

Castres 58 Harlequins 13

Seal proposed to supermodel fiancee Heidi Klum on a mountaintop in the Canadian ski resort of Whistler.