From the Back Pages, December 6: England errors could be more than drops in ocean

Before the start of this series, various suits from Cricket Australia were adamant that there would be no interference in what pitches their groundsmen would look to prepare. Adelaide’s Damian Hough is determined to prove the point, producing the kind of surface that, were he employed at an English Test ground last summer, would have earned him a generous end-of-season bonus from Andy Flower. (The Times)

Despite falling 12 points off the Premier League leaders after defeat to Everton, Manchester United have been backed by both Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho to mount a title challenge in the months to come after neither would rule out the reigning champions. (The Independent)

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has said that he wants to stay with the Reds to help them achieve their target of Champions League qualification. (Mirror)

Fifa has admitted that the handover date for the São Paulo stadium due to host the opening match of the World Cup finals has slipped to mid-April and warned “there is no plan B”. (The Guardian)

Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, believe the club’s finances are strong enough to survive missing out on Champions League qualification this season, despite warning investors last month that current revenue forecasts depend on a top-three finish in the Premier League. (The Telegraph)

Edinson Cavani has suggested that Luis Suarez is better than Gareth Bale by claiming his fellow Uruguayan would justifiably command a world-record transfer fee if he leaves Liverpool. (Daily Mail)

BORUSSIA DORTMUND have spoken out about their plans to retain as many of their current stars as possible but have admitted that certain players could still leave the club. (The Express)