LONDON (AP) ― Chelsea kept its three-point lead at the midpoint of the Premier League season Sunday despite a 1-1 draw at fourth-place Southampton.Chelsea benefited from a collapse by defending champion Manchester City, which squandered a 2-0 lead at home to draw 2-2 with 19th-place Burnley.Chelsea yielded a goal in the 17th minute as Sadio Mane raced onto a pass from Dusan Tadic and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Eden Hazard struck for Chelsea just before halftime, running on

TAMPA, Florida (AP) ― The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wound up winners after a season-ending loss.Drew Brees shrugged off three interceptions ― two of them stopping promising third-quarter drives ― to throw for 281 yards in the New Orleans Saints’ 23-20 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.With the loss, Tampa Bay (2-14) locked up the first pick in next spring’s draft.“It’s been a long year,” first-year Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith said. “When you’re down there that’s one consolation, I guess, from the se

South Korean baseball club Doosan Bears announced Monday they have re-signed their right-hander Dustin Nippert, bringing back the steady starter for his fifth season in the Korea Baseball Organization.The Bears said Nippert has agreed to a $1.5 million deal to return to the Seoul-based club. Foreign players are only allowed to sign one-year contracts with the KBO clubs.Nippert, 33, has gone 52-27 with a 3.25 ERA in 107 appearances for the Bears and holds the record for most victories by a foreig

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia has left Olympic women's figure skating champion Adelina Sotnikova off its roster for next month's European championships.Sotnikova missed this week's Russian nationals with an ankle injury, but there had been speculation her Olympic achievements could persuade the Russian Figure Skating Federation to give her a place.``The team roster was selected exclusively on the basis of the sporting principle, according to the results of the Russian championship,'' federation presiden

Michael Vick still thinks of himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Not only that, the 34-year-old New York Jets backup feels he can still play for at least another two years. Where he’ll be is the big question.Vick is a free agent after this season, with his one-year deal with the Jets expiring. He hasn’t ruled out returning to New York, but he didn’t sound all that enthusiastic about the possibility, either.“I don’t know, I couldn’t say right now,” Vick said. “I’d have to talk to my age

LONDON (AP) ― Crystal Palace fired Neil Warnock after only four months in charge on Saturday, becoming the first English Premier League manager to lose his job this season.The 66-year-old Warnock’s second spell in charge of Palace ended with the London club in the relegation zone after just one win in 12 Premier League matches.Palace said that Warnock’s assistant, Keith Millen, will be in charge for Sunday’s game against Queens Park Rangers as caretaker manager.One of the most outspoken, colorfu

GUANGZHOU, China (AFP) ― China on Saturday said it does not have the “best chance” to win the 2015 Asian Cup, held in Australia in January, after its 23-man squad was unveiled.“We are not the favorite, we do not have the best chance,” China’s head coach Alain Perrin said in response to a question from AFP.“What I know is that the players are ready to give the best they can,” Perrin said, adding that “anything was possible.” China survived a scare before scraping into the Asian Cup on goal differ

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― There is a very different feel to Christmas Day at Liverpool this season. Twelve months ago, Liverpool was top of the Premier League ― always a significant milestone in the English game ― and playing the most exciting brand of football in the country. With striker Luis Suarez pouring in goals and Brendan Rodgers being hailed for his managerial qualities, the club was gearing up for its first genuine title challenge for years. There is little to celebrate this Christmas

LONDON (AFP) ― British cycling Olympic gold medalists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny are engaged to be married, she tweeted on Thursday.Trott, 22, who won team pursuit and omnium gold at the London Olympics, said Kenny had given her the perfect Christmas present.“Merry Christmas everyone. I’ve had the most amazing couple of days thanks to @JasonKenny107 and the whole family #engaged,” she tweeted.Kenny, 26, like Trott won two gold medals in London in the team sprint and the individual sprint to add

The South Korean men's national football team will begin its quest for the elusive AFC Asian Cup title on Saturday, with an eclectic mix of veterans and neophytes hoping to end the country's long drought at the top continental competition.   The 2015 Asian Cup will kick off Jan. 9 in Australia. According to the Korea Football Association (KFA), South Korea, coached by former German international Uli Stielike, will leave for Sydney on Saturday and set up its base camp there.   Stielike unveiled S