Plans for league restructure scrapped by FA, Dier brands alleged Herrera elbow ‘ridiculous’ and Newcastle coach struggles with Geordie lingo

1. Football League officials have scrapped plans to introduce a fifth league into the professional game and take the number of clubs from 92 to 100 after the proposal, which would mean extra weekends being used, was deemed ‘no longer viable’ by the FA.

2. Wayne Rooney is expected to be fit for Manchester United’s game against Arsenal at Old Trafford. Having missed England’s 2-2 draw against Spain with an injury, the striker is likely to feature for Jose Mourinho’s men on Saturday lunchtime.

3. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier claims Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera elbowed him in the face during the match between the two sides at Wembley. 22-year-old Dier said ‘he elbowed me in the face, I can’t see why; to me, it’s just ridiculous’.

4. Lionel Messi has lead a media boycott by Argentina’s players over allegations made by a local radio reporter that fellow striker Ezequiel Lavezzi smoked marijuana after a training session. Messi and the 25-man Argentina squad walked out of the press conference after their 3-0 win over Columbia in protest.

5. Nick Cushing says his Manchester City ladies team ‘must dominate’ if they are to progress in their Champions League tie against Brondby. The newly crowned English champions hold a slender 1-0 lead going into the second leg in Denmark tonight.

6. It seems one member of Newcastle’s coaching staff is having problems with the language. Having joined fellow Spaniard Rafael Benitez on Tyneside, Michael Anita has no issues with English, but Geordie is a whole different kettle of fish (DailyMail).

7. One fan summed up life as a supporter of the England national team at the moment perfectly with a flag during the Wembley friendly with Spain (Mirror).

8. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more surreal for Jamie Vardy after his rise through non-league through to winning the Premier League with Leicester and representing England, it now seems possible that Prince Harry’s girlfriend could play his wife in an upcoming biopic about the Foxes’ hitman (LeicesterMercury).

9. A newspaper has used statistical analysis to compile the best eleven players who are yet to play for England. Of course, you can prove or disprove anything with statistics…87.5% of the time (DailyStar).

10. And finally…A pair of young fans have recreated famous images of some of the modern game’s more colourful characters, including Mario Balotelli’s ‘Why Always Me?’ t-shirt and Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick (WhoAteAllThePies).

By Chris Horricks (@chrishorricks31).