Manchester United opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League even as rivals Man City suffered a shocking reverse at Sunderland on the Boxing Day.
BetandWin, Germany's largest private bookmaker, have Brazil as 4-1 favourites while the odds of hosts Germany were cut to 8-1 from 9-1.
Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney were on target for Manchester United as the Premier League leaders swept aside Sunderland 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday to stay six points clear of champions Manchester City.
Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday.
Substitute Jon-Dahl Tomasson fired Denmark to a late 3-2 victory over England in a pulsating international friendly on Sunday.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has sent a stern warning to rivals that his forwards Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez could emulate his 'Fab four' strikers from the 1999 treble winning season, scoring goals at will.
Neighbours Manchester United and City recorded convincing wins to continue setting the pace in the Premier League but European champions Barcelona dropped points in La Liga. There were plenty of goals in Italy as the Serie A season finally got underway after a players' strike and German leaders Bayern Munich scored seven times in their match against Freiburg.
Goals rained in for Manchester City and Manchester United but Juergen Klopp's first game in charge of Liverpool was solid rather than spectacular with his new side drawing 0-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has pipped the likes of 'Sprint King' Usain Bolt, tennis ace Novak Djokovic and teammate Sachin Tendulkar in the latest list of world's 100 richest sportspersons, released by the Forbes magazine.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder has indicated that he is ready to sign for Manchester United and leave Inter Milan in a club record 35 million pound deal.
Holders Chelsea came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday and earn a replay of their FA Cup quarter-final, inflicting further pain Alex Ferguson's side who have endured a week to forget.
Barcelona, inspired by the peerless Lionel Messi, delivered a soccer masterclass to overwhelm Manchester United 3-1 in the Champions League final and lift the European Cup for the fourth time on Saturday.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's second coming as Brazil manager ended in a defeat as goals from Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard earned a vibrant England side a 2-1 win at Wembley on Wednesday, their first over the south Americans for 23 years.
Manchester United moved a step closer to retaining the Premier League title with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday to move five points clear at the top.
Two Ashley Young goals helped Manchester United slice Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League to two points with a clinical 3-1 win at third-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Robin van Persie was back on target for Manchester United as the Premier League leaders swept aside Sunderland 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday to stay six points clear at the top.
Robin van Persie's stoppage-time free kick snatched a 3-2 victory for Manchester United in a pulsating derby at champions Manchester City to send them six points clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday.
Chelsea came from behind to beat Manchester United 2-1 thanks to Frank Lampard's 79th-minute penalty at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and put the brakes on the visitors' charge towards the Premier League title.
Chelsea blew the title race wide open when they came from behind to beat Premier league leaders Manchester United 2-1 thanks to Frank Lampard's controversial 79th-minute penalty at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Manchester United moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after an extraordinary 4-3 victory at Reading. Third-placed Chelsea surrendered a half-time lead to lose 3-1 at West Ham United while Arsenal were humbled 2-0 by Swansea City.
Striker Javier Hernandez's double helped move Manchester United four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 win at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
Steven Gerrard will become the sixth Englishman to win 100 caps if, as the English Football Association expects, he is passed fit after a scan on his knee to play against Sweden in Wednesday's friendly.
Evergreen Paul Scholes marked his return to Premier League duty with the first goal for Manchester United in a 3-0 home win against Bolton Wanderers as the champions moved level on points with leaders Manchester City on Saturday.
Michael Owen and Javier Hernandez scored second-half goals as Manchester United fought back to beat League One (third division) Southampton 2-1 in their FA Cup fourth-round tie at St Mary's on Saturday.
England missed the chance to go three points clear at the top of World Cup qualifying Group H when they laboured to a 1-1 draw with Poland on Wednesday.
England are likely to field a young, experimental team against world and European champions Spain in their friendly at Wembley on Saturday with squad regulars John Terry, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand all missing for different reasons.
England are not good enough to win Euro 2012 because the players have 'no mobility and can't keep the ball' according to former England defender Gary Neville.
Manchester United have gone in for smart choices, rather than spalshing money on 'big names', says Manu Shankar
English champions Manchester United opened their title defence with a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday while Chelsea could manage a draw only in new coach Andre Villas-Boas' first Premier League match.
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard was named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year
North Korea forward Jong Tae-Se, dubbed the 'People's Wayne Rooney' by Asian media, scored twice for North Korea in a 2-2 draw with fellow World Cup finalists Greece in a friendly on Tuesday.
Nostalgia, the old line goes, is not what it used to be. But as the Premier League gets misty eyed about its 20 years of existence, it appears that great goals are not what they used to be either.
Images from football matches played across Europe over the weekend.
Manchester United are all but certain to retain their Premier League title after opening an eight-point lead by beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on Sunday while second-placed Manchester City crashed to a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Manchester United outclassed Schalke 04 in a one-sided Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday, with goals from Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney securing a 2-0 win for the English side.
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