Just as I can't travel to Liverpool without thinking of The Beatles, so I can't travel to Los Angeles without thinking of The Beach Boys. Their songs of beaches, baggies, boards and bikinis painted a picture of a sun-kissed paradise, and their voices sounded as bright and as laid-back as California itself. This time I was travelling specifically to discover the people and places that inspired the band. Their songs sounded as bright as a sun-kissed paradise, their voices sounded as laid-back as California itself . I started in Hawthorne where the three Wilson brothers - Brian, Carl and Dennis - were raised, and joined up with guitarist Al Jardine and vocalist Mike Love to form a group. The Wilson family home on 119th Street, where the boys taped their first single Surfin' in 1961, was demolished to make way for Interstate 105. The rest of the street remains though, its neat lawns, porches and fluttering flags reminders of the group's clean-cut All-American origins. A redbrick memorial now stands at the site of the Wilson house, with a bas-relief frieze showing the group carrying a surfboard and a plaque noting that the music conceived here 'broadcast to the world an image of LA as a place of sun, surf and romance'. Hawthorne is indeed a place of sun (263 days a year) but no surf and little romance. It's a charmless city that expanded on the back of the post-war aviation industry (Los Angeles International is only five miles away). I could see why the teenagers of the 1950s would get 'bugged' driving 'up and down the same old strip'. Hawthorne Boulevard, with its low-rise jewellery shops and furniture stores, is no place for the young. The Pizza Show added a splash of colour when it arrived in 1956 and became a home from home for the fledgling Beach Boys. I started in Hawthorne where the three Wilson brothers - Brian, Carl and Dennis - were raised, and joined up with guitarist Al Jardine and vocalist Mike Love to form a group . Now run by the son of the original owner, it retains its kitsch medieval Italian interior, with wrought iron chandeliers, tiled awnings and mock grilled windows. Foster's Freeze, another gathering place, is a blue-roofed fast-food outlet that offers food from one service hatch and ice cream from another. When I arrived Louie Louie, a 1963 hit by The Kingsmen, was playing over speakers in the overhang. This was the very 'hamburger stand' where Brian Wilson saw a girl pull up in her father's Thunderbird and had the inspiration for Fun Fun Fun. Hawthorne High School, around the corner on El Segundo Boulevard, is where the Wilson boys and Jardine attended. The Beach Boys came back to play the 1969 prom and honoured the institution in their song Be True to Your School. The nearest surfing beach to Hawthorne is Manhattan, but the best is Huntington Beach, better known as Surf City USA. Here the sand is soft, the surf is year-round, and the broad beaches stretch for more than eight miles. Other than Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys were famously non-surfers, but they were smart enough to observe the burgeoning ocean-side culture and knew there was mileage in chronicling it. They mentioned Huntington Beach in Surfin' Safari. The city of Huntington Beach makes much of its surfers. There's a Walk of Fame, a Hall of Fame and a small International Surfing Museum. The sports shops sell everything from boards and wetsuits to sunglasses, caps and jeans. My hotel, the Waterfront Beach Resort, had a surfboard in the foyer and doorknob signs that read Wiped Out rather than Do Not Disturb. It was cold and overcast on my first morning but by 8.30am there were already more than 100 surfers bobbing about in the ocean. From the pier I could watch them mounting their boards and waiting patiently to ride in on the most powerful of the tall, grey waves. As if on cue, a local surf music tribute band, The Breakaways dressed in faded blue denims and short-sleeved Hawaiian shirts, began playing at the pier entrance. An even better insight into surf culture and music came a few days later when The Surfaris drummer David Raven took me to an outdoor gig in Irvine, Orange County, where he played with bassist Jay Truax (ex-Nomads), and guitarists Ron Eglit (Dick Dale and his Band) and Paul Johnson (The Bel-Airs). They called themselves The Legends Surf Band. We picked up Johnson from his apartment. He was wearing a baseball cap, blue jeans and sandals and had a black patch over his left eye. On the drive down he told me his story. As a 15-year old schoolboy in 1961 he'd composed a hit tune called Mr Moto for The Bel-Airs. That summer, when playing at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Redondo Beach, a leading surfer came over to him and said: 'Wow, man! Your music sounds just like it feels out on a wave. You should call it surf music.' So he did. Other than Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys were famously non-surfers, but they were smart enough to observe the burgeoning ocean-side culture and knew there was mileage in chronicling it . When The Beach Boys adopted this sound the hard-core sports crowd initially shunned them. 'As long as they posed as surfers they were resented by those in the true beach culture,' Johnson told me. 'But when they went on to celebrate California youth culture at large by singing about cars and cruising, that broadened their appeal. After that, even surfers appreciated them.' When The Beach Boys started recording their focus shifted from Hawthorne to Hollywood. They signed with Capitol Records, whose 13-storey circular tower at 1750 Vine Street, built in 1956, has become an LA landmark. Legend has it that the architecture was based on the image of a bunch of singles stacked on the spindle of a record player. The night I visited, Arcade Fire were playing a promotional set on a specially built platform outside the tower. The Beach Boys' earliest albums were recorded at Capitol but by the time of Surfer Girl and Little Deuce Coupe, they were also recording around the corner at United and Western (6050 Sunset Boulevard). Now called Ocean Way Studios, this is where they recorded their 2012 comeback album That's Why God Made The Radio. In 1965, Brian Wilson bought the then-modern 1448 Laurel Way in Beverly Hills with its great views over the LA basin. That summer, when playing at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Redondo Beach, a leading surfer came over to him and said: 'Wow, man! Your music sounds just like it feels out on a wave. You should call it surf music' It was here that he notoriously built himself a huge sandbox in the living room to stimulate his creative juices. (The video for Sloop John B was filmed in the garden pool.) Two years later he moved to 10452 Bellagio Road in the more upmarket gated community of Bel Air. Several Beach Boys' albums, including Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, 20/20 and Surf's Up, were partially recorded here, while Charles Manson, a fringe figure on the LA music scene in 1969, visited to tape songs that he'd written. In songs such as Little Deuce Coupe, Shut Down, Little Honda, and Fun Fun Fun, The Beach Boys explored the parallel teenage subculture of cruising and hot-rodding. Illegal street racing still takes place but usually in the early hours of the morning, and it's a crime even to be a spectator. Custom car shows tend to happen out in the desert rather than in the city. But at the Petersen Automotive Museum (6060 Wilshire Boulevard) it's possible to see everything from hot rods and deuce coupes to Thunderbirds and Chevrolets. Spread over two spacious floors, there are plenty of cars from the era The Beach Boys celebrated - a peach-coloured 1957 Lincoln Premiere once owned by Jayne Mansfield, a black 1957 Chrysler, and a wonderful boat-sized 1959 red Cadillac Convertible. The hot rod section has a classic Deuce Coupe customised from a 1932 Ford. Appropriately the museum cafe, Johnny Rockets, is a 50s-style diner with red plastic seating, chrome surfaces and neon signs. On my final day I headed north on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu.  There's probably no road that better embraces the joys of LA - steep hills and canyons to one side, broad beaches and ocean to the other . On my final day I headed north on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. There's probably no road that better embraces the geographical joys of LA - steep hills and canyons to one side, broad beaches and ocean to the other - and no drive is better suited to a Beach Boys' soundtrack. The group even recorded a song about it in 2012. Beyond Malibu lies Paradise Cove. A left-hand turn took me a mile down a hill to a private beach edged with cliffs where the group was photographed for the cover of 1962's Surfin' Safari, and again two years later for All Summer Long. Paradise Cove is now home to one of the world's most luxurious trailer parks. Film directors, screenwriters, models and Hollywood actors such as Minnie Driver and Matthew McConaughey have swapped bricks and mortar for transportable homes with a view. A surfboard-shaped sign ironically declared No Surfboards. The warning was somewhat redundant as beaches can be private but the sea is free and, anyway, the waves are so mild that no serious surfer would choose it. Maybe that's why The Beach Boys came here - and why they kept their shirts and jeans on during the shoot. Getting there . Virgin Holidays (virginholidays.co.uk, 0844 557 3859) offers five nights at the Hilton Waterfront Resort Hotel in Huntington Beach from £915pp. This includes return flights from Heathrow, accommodation on a room-only basis and car hire. For further information on Los Angeles visit discoverlosangeles.com.

Songs of beaches, boards and bikinis paint picture of sun-kissed paradise . Steve Turner travelled to see the people and places that inspired the band . Trip started Hawthorne where the three Wilson brothers were raised . Other than Dennis Wilson, The Beach Boys were famously non-surfers .

soaked Southern California paradise I thought I would experience when I was about 12.
Well, I'm not sure that happened exactly as I imagined it. A little, maybe, but in a different way.
It did, however, have a certain kind of paradise all right - paradise for food lovers.
We ate so well - and I was so happy - that even if I can't actually picture myself on a beach with a baggie, there were plenty of beach-themed metaphors in my head.
We stayed in Marina del Rey, about 15 miles from downtown LA and close to the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. The beach we found was gorgeous, full of locals and a bit wild, with loads of sand - the one thing I have missed since I have been in New York. I didn't mind the lack of waves. In the absence of a beach, I had been swimming most days in hotel pools, which were not really designed for lap swimming. This meant I could do very short lengths without feeling like I was going to drown. Not that I had planned any major training while I was in LA. It was only day five of six before my triathlon and I was really just there for the food.
The Beach House in Brentwood provided the perfect base. Brentwood is a nice suburb, not too far from the action in LA, but on the other side of Venice Beach from Santa Monica (which is more of a touristy area). Our Airbnb was in Mar Vista, a nice, up-and-coming area on the outskirts of the city and it only took about 15 minutes to go downtown, so we had a bit of fun exploring different areas.
For food, the first stop was on Melrose Avenue, in Hollywood. We wanted to do some shopping, and one of the top-rated restaurants in LA was right on our route.
I am not sure how I missed the fact that this was a place where you could go eat for free, but that is what we did. We had lunch at Gracias Madre, an organic, vegan restaurant that was a favourite of the late Amy Winehouse.
We had a delicious mushroom enchilada, and the food was tasty but the service - well, you only get what you pay for, I guess (although to be fair, the service here was better than at some other places).
I was more impressed with the coffee. A really well-made coffee made


Controversial letters sent to IRA fugitives granting them an amnesty from prosecution may have been illegal, a damning Parliamentary report has found. A Commons select committee said the so-called ‘comfort letters’, which assured 187 Republican terror suspects they were no longer being hunted by the police, should never have been written. In a highly-critical report, it said the ‘one-sided secretive scheme’ – which victims said effectively handed paramilitary fighters 'get out of jail free' cards – had damaged the integrity of the UK criminal justice system. Scroll down for video . A Commons select committee has said the ‘comfort letters’ scheme which was set up by Tony Blair's (pictured) Labour government in 2000, should never have been written and may have been illegal . MPs investigating the scandal said the scheme, set up by Tony Blair’s Labour government in 2000, had caused further hurt for the families of those killed during the Troubles. At least 95 recipients were linked to almost 300 murders. But the letters – sent to the so-called ‘on the runs’ after pressure from Sinn Fein – only came to light during the trial of John Downey, the man accused of the Hyde Park bombing in 1982. The trial collapsed in February last year when it emerged the 63-year-old had been told he would not face prosecution for the blast that killed four soldiers and seven horses in London. A review by Lady Justice Hallett concluded in July that the letter scheme, established as part of the peace process, was not unlawful but that there were 'significant failures' in how it operated. Britain's then Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) meets Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (R), and chief negotiator Martin McGuinness in 2005 - the letters were sent to so-called ‘on the runs’ after pressure from Sinn Fein . But today the Commons’ Northern Ireland Affairs Committee published a blistering report raising serious questions about the legality of the highly-divisive scheme. The report said: ‘It is questionable whether the 'on-the-runs' (OTR) scheme was lawful or not, but we believe its existence distorted the legal process. ‘We accept that there was a difficult peace process going on at the time, but believe that there still has to be transparency and accountability in government and in the legal process.’ It found that ‘damage has undoubtedly been done to public confidence in the criminal justice system’. The committee, which took evidence from 55 witnesses, including ex-prime minister Mr Blair, also blasted the decision not to appeal the Downey ruling . This had placed ‘preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system over the public interest involved in continuing the trial of someone accused of carrying out multiple murders,’ it said. IRA terror suspect John Downey (pictured) was wrongly sent an immunity letter causing his trial for for the 1982 Hyde Park bombing to collapse . The report also said the people of Northern Ireland had been ‘kept in the dark to the greatest possible extent’ by the Government. The report said that during the peace process, Sinn Fein had pushed for ‘comfort letters’ to be issued and had received promises from Mr Blair. But while working hard to ensure those pledges were kept, Mr Blair did so without telling other Northern Ireland party leaders about the exact nature of the scheme, the report said. Committee chairman Laurence Robertson said the victims of the Troubles and their families had been ‘let down’. He said: ‘Our priority is to serve the victims and their relatives, whom we believe to have been let down by HM Government by the way in which this scheme has operated. ‘If any scheme had been put in place at all, which is questionable, it should have been properly introduced and correctly administered. It also should have been open and transparent. This scheme was none of those things. ‘Regardless of the intentions, this scheme has caused further hurt to people who have suffered far too much already, and has led to further suspicions being raised.’ The report branded ‘wholly unacceptable’ the Government's failure to identify those IRA members who had been charged or convicted who obtained Royal Prerogatives of Mercy during the peace process. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has reiterated that the Government was no longer standing by the ‘on the run’ letters and that those who had received them could no longer rely on them as a defence. It comes after six IRA terror suspects thought to be behind some of the worst atrocities committed on mainland Britain are facing major new police investigations despite receiving letters granting them immunity. A Northern Ireland Office spokesman said: ‘The letters were only ever a statement of the facts as they were understood at the time, as to whether or not an individual was wanted for questioning by the police. ‘They were not intended to preclude investigation or prosecution based on new evidence emerging, or on the basis of a fresh assessment of the existing evidence. The Government is today repeating its statement that recipients of the letters should cease to place any reliance on them.’

Letters sent to IRA fugitives granting them amnesty may have been illegal . Parliamentary report has looked at controversial so-called 'comfort letters' The scheme was set up by Tony Blair’s Labour government in 2000 . They told 187 Republican terror suspects they were no longer being hunted . At least 95 of those recipients were linked to 300 murders during Troubles . MPs have now decided the letters should never have been written . Report said scheme has damaged integrity of UK criminal justice system .

 they did not have to face the courts unless they took up arms again, were probably unlawful.
The panel also expressed concern at the level of collusion in Northern Ireland and said the peace process was suffering as a result. Labour chairman of the home affairs committee Keith Vaz told the BBC: ‘The evidence we have received leads us to the conclusion that these are illegal acts.’ The 18-month inquiry into the so-called letters of comfort to suspects in Northern Ireland was ordered last September by the Commons home affairs committee following an outcry over the issue.
The letters, addressed to suspects who had escaped to the Republic, informed them they had been exonerated from prosecution if they took up arms against Britain again.
Mr Vaz said the committee was unable to conclude exactly who wrote the letters, but that it would be ‘highly unlikely’ they were issued without the consent of the police.
Tory MP Peter Bottomley, the chairman of the committee, said the letters had had a ‘chilling effect’ on the peace process. ‘We found that, as a result of these letters of comfort, there had been a reduction in the willingness of Republican paramilitaries to enter into political negotiations with Loyalist paramilitaries,’ he said. ‘This is extremely important because without that exchange of information it cannot go forward.
‘That is what the peace process is about. If that isn’t possible and there is not the trust on the part of the paramilitaries to be able to talk, what is there to do? The peace process could be in jeopardy.’
Mr Vaz said the Northern Ireland process of justice was suffering because of a lack of political consensus on the issue. ‘The peace process in Northern Ireland is currently suffering and we believe this is largely as a result of the failure to have a fully agreed process of justice in Northern Ireland,’ he said. ‘The letters of comfort sent to Loyalist paramilitaries effectively killed off any potential for a successful outcome to the current talks.’
It is understood that in 2005 the letters were sent by PSNI chiefs who said they had been issued with the agreement of the Northern Ireland Office. But the PSNI has said in the past that the letters were sent without the approval of their Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan.
In September 2006 Sir Ronnie and Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley and Republic of Ireland Taoiseach Bertie Ahern signed a deal giving effect to the so-called


It was supposed to be all about AP McCoy — the biggest name in jump racing on his final day riding at the Cheltenham Festival. But instead, Gold Cup day 2015 shone a spotlight on a jockey in Nico de Boinville who has ridden fewer winners in his career than the 19-time champion rides in three months. Carlingford Lough, 40-year-old McCoy’s final Gold Cup mount, finished a fading ninth behind Coneygree, the novice chaser representing 10-horse trainer Mark Bradstock and his assistant, wife Sara. Tony McCoy's wife Chanelle (left) passionately willed him on to claim his third Gold Cup victory . But her relentless optimism soon turned to sheer sadness as her husband crossed the finish like in ninth place . Jockey Tony McCoy could not crown his final Cheltenham Festival with a Gold Cup win . McCoy did get a Gold Cup round of applause but it came as he walked around the paddock before the race. Looking down at his friend and colleague Ruby Walsh, who had yet to be united with his Gold Cup ride Djakadam, McCoy quipped: ‘They think I’ve won.’ No, AP, they were just hoping. Ultimately, McCoy did get on the winner’s podium but that was to present the trophy to the team behind Next Sensation, winner of the concluding AP McCoy Grand Annual Chase. Not surprisingly, the Michael Scudamore-trained Next Sensation, ridden by Scudamore’s brother Tom, had received a quieter reception than McCoy’s fourth-placed Ned Buntline. A crowd close to 70,000 had cheered and chanted his name as McCoy brought his mount down the famous walkway off the track. There were not many who had sneaked away to beat the traffic. And while they did not get the result they wanted, McCoy did at least break the habit of a lifetime for them. The man for whom winning is the only thing that matters, punched and waved the air. The defeat of Carlingford Lough, however, came as no surprise. After the Gold Cup, McCoy conceded he had anticipated his fate on arriving at the track when overnight rain was turning the ground soft. Tony McCoy and Ned Buntline gave it a good go on the 19-time champion jockey's final Festival ride . An emotional McCoy after his last ever ride at the Cheltenham Festival . The big screen at Cheltenham displayed a tribute to the retiring jockey . ‘I knew when I got here this morning that it was always going to be against him,’ McCoy said. ‘He is a horse who likes good ground and it was always going to be too much of a drag. ‘For a horse who is slow he has a little bit of a kick at the end but not when the ground is like that.’ McCoy then paid generous tribute to the winning team. ‘The Bradstocks have done a wonderful job,’ he said. ‘They have proved that if they get the horse, they can do the job. To win the Gold Cup with a novice is a fantastic performance.’ For the uninitiated, a novice is a horse that had not won in a particular category — hurdles or steeplechase — before the start of the season. Even if it does then win a race, the horse remains a novice until the end of that season. Animals who record their first win in March or April may still contest novice events until October 31. As for McCoy, it was just one of those days as he failed to add to Thursday’s Ryanair Chase victory on Uxizandre, who goes down as his 31st and final Festival victory. Hargam, rated one of his best chances of the week but another wrong-footed by the rain, swung for home with a chance in the Triumph Hurdle but finished third behind Nicky Henderson stablemates Peace And Co and Top Notch. McCoy was presented with a photo album of his Cheltenham career after his final fling at the Festival . McCoy, in the middle of the picture, walks out of the Cheltenham weighing room for the last time . Strongly-backed Princely Conn was staying on when badly hampered and slipped back to 13th in the County Hurdle while Fletchers Flyer, McCoy’s mount in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, was a non-runner. And just when McCoy wanted the racing gods to smile on him, they frowned instead as Ned Buntline was hindered by a faller four out. McCoy said: ‘All through the week people have been amazing and I appreciate it. I have always tried to look forward but now I am going to have to look backwards as I have nothing to look forward to.’ Five rides at Uttoxeter this afternoon, including the favourite in the Midlands National, will be on his mind this morning but his admiration for Coneygree and his team was well deserved. The 7-1 shot was in front at the first fence and never headed in a display of controlled jumping at speed that no rival could live with. Five of the 16 starters were pulled up, including 2013 winner Bobs Worth and last year’s victor Lord Windermere, who started at the back and never looked like defending his title. Last year’s runner-up On His Own was Coneygree’s closest pursuer for most of the race but faded to fourth. One by one they cracked as Coneygree saw off Djakadam and Road To Riches with the equine equivalent of a McCoy-type performance.

AP McCoy's final Gold Cup mount, Carlingford Lough, finished ninth . Jockey finished fourth in concluding AP McCoy Grand Annual Chase . McCoy presented trophy to the team behind winner Next Sensation .

.
The precocious 21-year-old has been winning big races at the Festival for years in the absence of the sport's leading light. But this year, McCoy decided to retire from the sport and so the stage was set for the man who had been there waiting in the wings.
De Boinville has been working on the flat for AP's father, Barry, for a long time and has followed his lead to become one of British Racing's most promising prospects.
On Gold Cup day, he claimed a second Grade One victory as he steered the 4-1 favourite Don Poli to a narrow victory over Josses Hill, ridden by his old boss, McCoy.
Having led by four lengths at the third last fence, De Boinville still looked to be losing control — but he got back on track to eventually win by a head, despite being a short-price favourite.
It was an incredible performance from one of British racing's new stars and we caught up with De Boinville to find out more about his big day out.
How was your Cheltenham?
"It's been the best day ever! I've wanted to be a jockey since I was three years old and to win two Grade Ones at a Cheltenham is unbelievable. To have done it with Don Poli was even more special.
"It was amazing to do that for my father and then for Barry to win his Grand National on Don't Push It last year. It's been unbelievable."
What did your boss Barry say to you about riding Don Poli?
"Just to be there and take in as much as you can from him. He was fantastic all day. He knows the horse so well.
"Don Poli was absolutely fantastic and he jumped the last perfectly. Barry said 'he always jumps that last' and they were right.
"The way he jumped that and Don Poli is just the best horse in the world at that fence so I was confident.
"When he got beat on the turn of the last, I thought 'oh no, he's gone' but he's just so brave. He's a fantastic horse."
What did it feel like riding Don Poli?
"I thought it was good! He can be a bit spooky but he can also be quiet at home and I was nervous to be honest. But when he can go and gallop with his ears


Jordan Henderson had never been beaten as Liverpool captain. He had won eight, drawn one, and lost none, yet Sod's law dictated that record had to be ended by their great rivals. Liverpool lacked a leader in the first half, prompting Brendan Rodgers to bring Steven Gerrard on at half-time, and Henderson handed him the armband, as per. No sooner had Gerrard put it on his left bicep than he had to give it back, as he was sent off after just 38 seconds, and his deputy led Liverpool in their first Barclays Premier League defeat of 2015. Jordan Henderson had a tough afternoon as captain as Manchester United inflicted his first defeat as skipper . Steven Gerrard receives a red card after just 38 seconds in the second half after coming off the bench . The sent off  Gerrard throws the captain's armband to Henderson after being sent off early in the second half . Henderson gets the armband back after relinquishing it to Gerrard for just 38 seconds of the second half . It was in June 2012 that Henderson received criticism, namely from Joey Barton, after being selected in England's squad in place of the injured Frank Lampard. 'If Henderson got in,' Barton wrote, 'any Englishman not currently in the squad has to feel aggrieved.' Sir Alex Ferguson echoed that in 2013, writing in his book that the midfielder ran from the knees. Henderson is a different animal these days, however. Thierry Henry deems his transformation 'truly unbelievable', while England manager Roy Hodgson calls it 'meteoric'. He has grown into a leader and was preferred in the starting XI to Gerrard - the man that scored twice and celebrated by kissing the camera at Old Trafford in March 2014. Yet that authority was absent amid a dire first 45 minutes. United, with Angel di Maria on the bench, were all over the team that had not been beaten in the Premier League since December 14. By the 20th minute, Liverpool had one shot to their name - an effort from Daniel Sturridge that never troubled David de Gea. The visitors had 64.8 per cent possession, too. One-sided, to say the least. Henderson was captain of Liverpool on Sunday as they lost against their great rivals United . Daniel Sturridge (from left to right), Philippe Coutinho and captain Henderson kick off after a United goal . Henderson battles with Marouane Fellaini for the ball during Liverpool's Premier League defeat at Anfield . Henderson's heat map shows his involvement was patchy against United at Anfield on Sunday . Click here for stats, heat maps and more from Sportsmail's Match Zone service . Even by the 30th minute, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet had more touches than Henderson. It wasn't working against Louis van Gaal's quite brilliant team, and a change was needed. Liverpool had lost the four previous games in the Premier League when trailing by half-time, and Gerrard emerged from the tunnel, kitted with the captain's armband already on. His stamp on Ander Herrera meant they would be the underdogs for some 44 minutes, and Henderson could sense his unbeaten record  was about to end. Liverpool, to their credit, battled like a team that had not been beaten since late 2014. Yet  it was too little, too late, even after Daniel Sturridge gave them a glimpse of hope. That goal in the 69th minute was their first shot on target, but they could not find a second. Henderson, then, has become Gerrard's natural replacement, and will be required for the next three games against Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United in his absence. Liverpool captain Gerrard's stamp on Ander Herrera saw him sent off at Anfield after just 38 seconds . Gerrard gave the armband back to Henderson as he was sent off against Liverpool's great rivals United . Gerrard's heat map against United as Liverpool failed to get into the Champions League race .

Jordan Henderson had never been beaten as Liverpool captain . He handed the armband to Steven Gerrard who came on  at half-time . Gerrard was sent off after just 38 seconds for a stamp on Ander Herrera . Henderson was handed the armband back and led the 10-man team . Daniel Sturridge's goal in the 69th minute was Liverpool's first on target . Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United: Juan Mata double settles the match .

 manager Jurgen Klopp to change a formation and captain. A Liverpool fan in the away end shouted "Henderson, you've won it all. Now win this." He did exactly that, scoring the opener with a thundering header and then adding the clincher with a composed finish.
Liverpool needed an all-time great performance just to reach the final. They didn't get one, but it was more than enough. In the end, there was no real need for Liverpool to get to full throttle against a side that had just made their first Champions League final for nearly 10 years. It was their 13th consecutive game without defeat in all competitions. They had beaten Real Madrid, Napoli and Manchester City to reach Paris, where they have lost just once in the 15 months they have been playing here. They were better than City in the Champions League final last year and better than Juventus in the semi-finals, and they were far better on this night.
They were also better than Chelsea in London on Thursday – their reward for an utterly dominant run in the Premier League. Liverpool's players stood side-by-side in front of the away fans, the trophy gleaming between them, before bowing in thanks to their fans. They had won this competition for the seventh time, equalling Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. It is the first since 2005, though that was the European Cup, the competition these teams started playing for in 1955. This one was 12 years ago, when they were beaten by Milan.
"It is very special," said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, his team 25 points better off in England than the Italians this season, and unbeaten. "It was not an easy group. Milan was very strong. And I think Juventus in the last year was very strong. Real Madrid is a big team with three Champions Leagues (and) Chelsea won the league (and) were close to winning the FA Cup, so (this competition) has big value. You have to be very good to win it."
Liverpool have been. They were 16 games unbeaten in all competitions until Chelsea beat them in midweek, a defeat that ended their run in the Europa League, too. The Reds lost three times in the league all season – two to Leicester and then Manchester City at the end of March. All 10 defeats in the league came before that, but Liverpool have won 23 out


Along with Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, she towered high for decades as one of the pillars of French fashion. Now iconic designer Jeanne Lanvin, who died in 1946, will be honoured in a new exhibition opening this week at the Paris City Fashion museum at the Palais Galliera. The show will be inaugurated by Paris' Mayor Anne Hidalgo and celebrates Lanvin being the oldest fashion house still operating in France, now under the creative direction of Alber Elbaz. Dresses by Jeanne Lanvin featured in the new exhibition opening this week at the Paris City Fashion museum at the Palais Galliera reveal her love of vibrant colours . Lanvin opened her bridal department in 1909 and her gowns became popular with prestigious customers who favoured her designs, pictured, using ivory silk chiffon embroidered with pearls and gold metallic threads . Lanvin, pictured in Paris in 1938, used travel diaries, swatches of ethnic fabrics and a vast library of art books to feed her curiosity and inspire her to create different patterns and designs . It's a rich legacy has spanned the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and the new exhibition charts the rise of the company founded by Lanvin after she opened her first store in 1889. The designer was born in Paris in 1867 and after training to be a dressmaker, she then became a milliner with dreams of opening her own fashion house. After she made her dream a reality, she was a pioneering working mother as she established her business whilst caring for daughter, Marguerite. The displays in the new exhibition, which will run till 23 August, reveal her love of colour and the Asian influences seen in her embroidery and decorative work. 'My Fair Lady' from 1939 features a large bias-cut ribbon that stands out against the white fabric of the dress . An absinthe green silk satin dress from the twenties, embroidered with glass beads and Swarovski crystals . There are more than one hundred pieces in the exhibition that reveals how Lanvin's rich legacy has spanned the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries . It will feature more than a hundred exhibits from the collections of the Palais Galliera and the Lanvin Heritage, revealing how Lanvin could lend her creative talent to children's clothes, bridal wear and accessories. In 1927, she celebrated her daughter Marguerite's thirtieth birthday with the creation of the legendary perfume Arpège. The famous logo designed by Paul Iribe, depicting the couturière with Marguerite, is displayed on the round bottle created by Armand Rateau. The same logo is still featured on Lanvin creations to this day. Lanvin used travel diaries, swatches of ethnic fabrics and a vast library of art books to feed her curiosity and inspire her to create fabrics, patterns and exclusive colours - with her favourite shade a blue that become known as Lanvin blue. A attendee admires the My Fair Lady gown that was inspired by French 18th century-style dresses . By the thirties, Lanvin was championing high waisted dresses with belts like this one for a smart, tailored but still feminine look . Her styles helped set the trends across the decades from ample skirts in the early 20th century to Art Deco designs in the twenties. Nadja Swarovski, member of the Swarovski executive board who are supporting the exhibition, said: 'We are honoured to partner with the Palais Galliera in supporting the first retrospective dedicated to Jeanne Lanvin, one of the greatest figures of Parisian haute couture. 'Swarovski was founded in 1895, just six years after Mme Lanvin established her house, and she used crystals to adorn the luxuriously embellished evening gowns which became her trademark. 'This inspiring exhibition pays tribute to the skill, inventiveness and creativity of a great artist who captured and expressed the spirit of her time, and celebrates over 125 years of extraordinary fashion heritage which continues to thrive under Alber Elbaz.' Lanvin had a taste for black and white designs with geometrical effects  - a trend which dominated the thirties . The exhibition will be open until 23 August and Lanvin's current creative director Alber Elbaz hopes people will come away saying "I love Jeanne Lanvin" Elbaz himself commented: 'For this exhibition, we began to look at the clothes, the dresses, the inside of the dresses, and the feelings that we picked up from them. The whole question was to work out how to display them. 'For many years I've worked on the windows of our boutiques, and I love doing it. But doing an exhibition in a museum is a different kind of undertaking, because it involves a different vocabulary. 'Never having done an exhibition, I wanted to learn all I could from Olivier Saillard and his team. We had two options: either to be historical and do a very academic retrospective with a succession of dates; or to follow our feelings, to love and admire the clothes, touch the visitors’ heart through the sheer beauty of these garments, and finish the exhibition kind of up on a cloud. 'I think we have managed to create an exhibition around the dream of fashion. What I am hoping for is to hear the visitors say "I love Jeanne Lanvin".'

Jeanne Lanvin, who died in 1946, will be honoured in a new exhibition . Opens this week at the Paris City Fashion museum at the Palais Galliera . Shows how fashion house has spanned three centuries .

 week at the Musée Bourdelle in Paris, marking the centenary of her birth.
On Saturday, the museum in the fashionable 16th Arrondissement neighbourhood will open to the public its new exhibition dedicated to Lanvin in partnership with the Musée de la Mode et du Textile and the association Jeannes Lanvin. The exhibition will highlight the creations of this pioneering woman born in Asnières on June 4, 1867, who was trained as a seamstress by her mother, and a business-woman by a chance move that led her to create what would become one of the largest fashion houses in France.
Lanvin will feature a large number of rare and unique pieces such as dresses, hats, accessories and other items from the "Grande Couture" workshops. Among the many firsts attributed to Lanvin, the exhibition will highlight her iconic style of using high-quality materials and fine craftsmanship to create a unique style of dressing.
The exhibition will showcase two of the 12 models she designed to mark her 80th birthday in 1937. These include a dress based on a design that Jeanne Lanvin had dreamed of creating since her youth. The dress was inspired by the legendary costume designer Christian Dior, who designed a dress based on the fairy-tale for which Lanvin had designed costumes.
Lanvin is also responsible for inventing the idea of haute couture as we know it today. As a business-woman and dressmaker, she made custom dresses for women such as Yvonne d'Alencon (later the Duchess of Aoste) and Queen Alexandra of Britain. The first woman to start her own fashion house, she made clothes for the Empress Eugenie of France in 1859, who became her first client and would go on to become a great supporter of the fashion house. This was not to be the last royal client.
Lanvin was famous for her sense of style, which reflected her personality as a woman who was modern and independent as well as her sense of entrepreneurship that saw her buy the "Grande Couture" workshop on Avenue George V in 1915. This acquisition would lead to her expansion into the lingerie market and her development as a brand. Among the many items in this sector displayed in the exhibition is a unique piece on display, a 1914 lace nightgown. Another highlight is a dress made of black wool decorated with gold braid and pearls for the Empress – who used to love wearing


(CNN)There is only one likely outcome for Baghdad's current military offensive to reclaim Tikrit: defeat for ISIS. The campaign to restore central government authority over the restive Salahudin province is seen as both symbolic and strategic for Baghdad which has invested too much already for it to afford losing this battle. ISIS are said to have booby-trapped much of the city in an attempt to slow down the government assault. However, the task at hand has been made easier for Baghdad given that most civilians in Tikrit have already fled -- both to Kurdistan in the north as well as south to Baghdad -- leaving behind mostly ISIS jihadists who defend the city, according to Iraqi constitutional specialist Zaid al-Ali, who is from the city. Initial reports of the multi-pronged attack on Tikrit have been encouraging. Iraqi forces have already cleared a number of areas on the outskirts and are expected to continue advancing towards the city center as both heavy artillery and helicopter gunships pound ISIS militants who have taken up defensive positions. Another crucial element for the success of this battle will be the varied make-up of the groups involved in the fight. The joint Iraqi forces fighting to retake Tikrit include Iraqi troops, members of the mainly Shia Hashd al-Shabi paramilitary force, members of the Sunni Sons of Salahuddin brigades, and other Sunni tribal fighters. The offensive involves around 30,000 fighters in all. Although the campaign is Iraqi-led, help from outside is also going to play an important role. Though the United States has not conducted any airstrikes in this campaign yet, this may well change as the battle develops. Iran, in stark contrast to the U.S., provided Iraq with immediate and much-needed military assistance when the security crisis escalated last June. The Iranians are heavily invested in this current campaign and are also not going to let the Iraqis lose. Unlike in Syria, the Americans and Iranians both share a common enemy and a common friend in Iraq, but due to wider political considerations neither Washington nor Tehran will admit that there is any form of tacit cooperation in Iraq. However, the campaign for Tikrit is just another front where such cooperation is likely to be already happening behind the scenes. Baghdad will make use of U.S. intelligence that will almost certainly be shared with the Iranian officers who are advising the Iraqi army. General Qasim Suleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, who has played a key role in the fight against ISIS, was reported to be near Tikrit just hours after the military campaign was officially launched. Iran provides military advice, support and weapons not just through the central government in Baghdad but also directly to a number of increasingly powerful Shia militia groups that now operate under the state-sponsored paramilitary committee, the Hashd Al-Shabi, known as the "Popular Mobilization Units." The two key Iraqi leaders of this paramilitary command, Hadi al-Ameri and Abu Mehdi al-Mohandis, were also pictured together with General Fadhil Barwari, the commander of Iraq's elite Special Operation Forces. Though there are few civilians left in Tikrit, all eyes will be on the Iraqi security forces -- and especially the Shia militias --- to see if abuses are carried out once the enemy is routed. Prime Minister Abadi already warned the anti-ISIS fighters to protect civilians and properties in the area and also gave the "misled" ISIS militants a last chance to lay down their arms before the troops made their advance. The battle is an especially emotional one for the Shia soldiers and fighters as Tikrit is the site of the Camp Speicher massacre last June, where 1,700 Shia soldiers were captured, separated from their Sunni comrades and then summarily executed in an atrocity that was documented by ISIS as a powerful propaganda film. However, it is encouraging that both Shia and Sunni fighters are supporting the army in its effort to defeat ISIS. The cooperation between Shia and Sunni fighters will be crucial not just in the ongoing offensive in Tikrit but will also set the stage for further cooperation in the strategic campaign to recapture Mosul. Politically, these groups may not see eye-to-eye and of course there remain deep ethno-sectarian tensions in Iraq and beyond, but regardless of these differences they all view ISIS as a common threat and enemy that must be defeated. To be sure, the Sunni tribesmen involved in this campaign are more anti-ISIS than they are pro-government, but that they can work with the pro-government Shia militias is both good news and good progress for a country believed to be ripping itself apart along ethno-sectarian lines.

Likely outcome for Baghdad's current offensive to reclaim Tikrit is defeat for ISIS, writes Hayder al-Khoei . Al-Khoei: Crucial element for success will be varied make-up of the groups involved in the fight . Both Shia and Sunni groups view ISIS as a common threat and enemy that must be defeated, he adds .

, but it has become one of the most desperate actions Iraq has taken in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group.
"It's a very difficult moment for them," said Michael Gordon, a US military analyst who was embedded with Special Operations units in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. "They're not only dealing with fighting in the city, but also the logistical challenge of pulling together a large force and getting enough supplies and ammunition in the middle of summer."
The offensive to reclaim Mosul, the city that was declared "free" of ISIS a year ago, has become a symbol of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's efforts to push back against the extremist group that seized control of significant parts of the north and west of Iraq in 2014.
The campaign, which launched in August and is still ongoing, has the blessings of most Arab leaders and international allies. The problem for Baghdad is that much of the local leadership in Salahudin and Nineveh provinces are members of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which is fighting a long-running insurgency for autonomy in northern Iraq, and is seen by some Iraqis as a proxy of their historic rival Iran.
That means that much of the current fighting is being done by forces that are viewed as foreign and often have little loyalty to Baghdad. The Iraqi government is already struggling to contain the domestic uprising of the semi-autonomous province of Kurdistan, and the Salahudin campaign could only make the situation worse.
"It's a tough situation for the Iraqi leadership, because the Kurdistan forces are not loyal to the Iraqi government," Gordon said.
That also has the potential to put US-Iraqi security cooperation at risk. While Iraqi special forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters are fighting together on the ground, the two are members of rival political entities. And while Baghdad may be in favor of the recapturing of the Iraqi city of Mosul, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is eager to claim it for their own.
An "unwilling" alliance
Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government have long had tense political relations.
Despite agreeing that all of Iraq's provinces have the right to self-determination, the current Iraqi leaders and Kurdish leaders are not on the same page on the question of what self-determination is. Baghdad views any movement toward Kurdish independence as a betrayal of the national unity that has emerged from the American military presence


A South Australian man holidaying in Vanuatu reportedly survived on a diet of flying fox and small native birds after bunking down with locals in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam. Three days before the category five cyclone hit 45–year-old Andrew Brooks travelled south to Tanna Island in the hopes he could climb the active Yasur volcano. The thrill seeker got more than he bargained for as the powerful cyclone hit in the early hours of the morning killing 16 people across the nation and demolishing almost everything in its path. Scroll down for video . The category five cyclone ravaged small villages completely wiping out the grass huts the villagers call home . Mr Brooks, along with 60 villagers and a score of tourists, sought refuge in a concrete school building and waited for the howling wind to stop. He sat huddled with the villagers for four or five hours while the cyclone tore through, destroying the grass huts that made up the village. He told The Advertiser the wind was incredibly loud, almost like a ‘freight train or jet plane.’ Mr Brooks waited for aid with around 60 villagers at the foot of Yasur volcano after Cyclone Pam hit . After the winds stopped Mr Brooks soon realised he was stranded and spent the next five days cut off from civilisation at the foot of the volcano. It was at this stage the villagers discovered that all the gardens and cooking houses were destroyed by the sheer force of the winds. He said they managed to find some rice vegetables and chicken which sustained them for a day or two before he was gobsmacked by what he was served next. After running out of food villagers offered Mr Brooks flying fox which he said was nice, but tough . Mr Brooks was in the southern region of Vanuatu when Cyclone Pam hit . He was presented with a cooked flying fox but knowing food was limited Mr Brooks said he was in no position to turn his nose up to warm meat . He said the resourceful villagers fashioned missiles from lengths of wood to strike down unsuspecting birds and bats. “Any time anything flew past, whether it was a finch or a flying fox, there’d be this hail of sticks thrown at it,” he told reporters. “They were getting finches and baby pigeons and eating them. And one morning they got a flying fox, which is quite large, and they cooked it up with rice and gave me a serve and they ate the rest. Villagers fashioned missiles from lengths of wood to strike down unsuspecting small birds and bats . He didn’t complain about his interesting diet and said it was ‘quite tasty’ but tough, likening the flavours to that of chicken. Although he was happy not to be starving he said he had concerns about the villagers health and safety after the cyclone left them with nothing. “There are lots of young babies in the area and they were saying, ‘Our babies are going to die and the old people are going to die’, because it’s so remote and they’re at the end of the road so they’re going to be the last to get aid, probably,” he said. He reported that villagers were having to hike 4 kilometers up mountains to get fresh water. Mr Brooks said villagers were concerned about the large population of young children on the island . Mr Brooks is worried the villagers will have trouble bouncing back from the disaster, adding that he hopes aid reaches the ‘far-flung villages’ like the one that sheltered him. Although no one he was with sustained injuries, people in nearby villages weren’t so lucky with a mother and son perishing after they were struck with debris. Mr Brooks said he intended to return to Vanuatu in the future to thank the villagers who sheltered and fed him. These revelations came as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop pledged Australia’s long term support for Vanuatu during a visit to the Pacific nation. 'The Australian government and the Australian people will continue to support you in your time of need' Accompanied by the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, she strongly indicated that Australia would make a substantial contribution to the longer term rebuilding of the devastated nation. "Prime Minister I want to assure you that the Australian government and the Australian people will continue to support you in your time of need, not only in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, but I know that your long term recovery efforts will take some time." Ms Bishop arrived Sunday morning to tour the cyclone relief centre in the capital Port Vila. She said Australia has sent over 11 military planes carrying lifesaving supplies and humanitarian support personnel.

Andrew Brooks, 45, was holidaying in Vanuatu when Cyclone Pam hit . He was stranded with about 60 villagers who took refuge in an old school . After running out of food Mr Brooks was forced to experiment . He said they ate flying fox, bats and small native birds . Julie Bishop landed in Vanuatu on Sunday morning . She pledged Australia's long term support for the devastated island nation . Life saving supplies and humanitarian support have arrived in Vanuatu .

old Paul Robinson and his wife were in the South Pacific nation after being invited over by local friends to enjoy the warm weather.
While many tourists escaped to Vanuatu by boat, the couple were staying at a local resort, but when the storm hit on March 14 they headed for a nearby village.
Cyclone Pam has battered the country, bringing “catastrophic devastation” and killing at least 10 people, including four on remote Tanna Island, The Australian reported.
In a message to his parents, Mr Robinson said, as The Daily Mail reported, that he and his wife had been sleeping in a small concrete house at the back of the resort, but “no cyclone could stop the bats flying in and out of the roof”.
A “nervous and scared” Mr Robinson tried to sleep in the roof of the house but after two nights decided he couldn’t stay, saying he had an “abnormal fear of heights”.
While Mrs Robinson opted to remain in the house, Mr Robinson made a bed from local plants for the two nights he spent at the village – at least 30 people from the area had stayed at the small gathering place for safety.
“We were just hoping for the best. The locals were very hospitable and welcoming. We were safe,” Mr Robinson said.
“For two nights we were here in a small house with only a cement floor. The walls weren’t too high, just the length of my hips. We were sleeping in mosquito nets and I wasn’t scared or anything, but I wouldn’t go in the roof at night. The bats would come out and fly all over me,” he told his parents by phone.
“There were a lot of locals here. The first night it didn’t start to get real bad until about 2am. I didn’t even wake up the whole time. I just couldn’t go in the roof.”
Mr Robinson said his wife felt sick from the food they were eating, and when he suggested a native bird might be a more nourishing meal she agreed.
“As we were running from the cyclone we saw birds just swooping down, but we never stopped to shoot them.
“There are all sorts of birds flying around, and people were shooting them at the village. They are about 70% edible.
“The next night was the worst night; it was a bit like being in a washing machine. It got up to


Dark sunglasses were the order of the day for Australia's triumphant cricket team on Monday as they paraded the World Cup trophy to hundreds of fans at a public reception after a night of heavy partying at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With voices hoarse and complexions pasty after a few snatched hours of sleep, players grinned and sometimes grimaced as their team mates battled to communicate their elation to a relentless MC and a large media throng. 'A little hungover,' Australia's retiring one-day captain Michael Clarke said at Melbourne's Federation Square, when asked how he felt a day after his team's crushing seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the final. Australia captain Michael Clarke holds aloft the Cricket World Cup trophy alongside his team-mates as thousands of jubilant fans thronged Federation Square in Melbourne to celebrate Sunday's triumph over New Zealand . Clarke made his final one-day international appearance at the MCG on Sunday, leading Australia to a seven wicket win over New Zealand . Under cloudless skies in Melbourne, Clarke and Australia marked a fifth World Cup triumph after successes in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007 . Green and gold confetti showered the players as they showed off the trophy in Federation Square . 'I think I speak for everybody in that sense. 'No, look, I think we're extremely proud. The fact there was a lot of expectation and added pressure put on us at the start of the tournament being a home World Cup was something we embraced from the first ball of the tournament. 'And I think the boys should be really proud of what we've achieved.' Clarke enjoyed a fairytale finish to his one-day career, hitting a team-high score of 74 in front of a record crowd of over 93,000 and making bowling changes that led to immediate wickets. Australia have yet to name a successor but Steve Smith, who led the test team against India and enjoyed a fine World Cup with the bat, is expected to take the reins. '(Clarke) was a great captain. He's been an aggressive captain on the field, sets aggressive fields. He's got to be somebody that we'll definitely miss,' Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson told reporters. David Warner (left) signs autographs for the huge assembled crowd as Australia once again claimed cricket's biggest prize . Mitchell Starc was one of many Australian players who donned sunglasses after a heavy night of partying following Sunday's win . Warner is all smiles as he goes into the sea of green and gold to sign a few autographs for delighted fans . Wearing their winner's medals around their necks, the Australia team share a joke on stage as they reflect on their triumph . Shane Watson grins as he signs autographs for lucky fans in sunny Melbourne, scene of Australia's fifth World Cup victory . Australia have now won four of the last five World Cups, their quarter-final loss to eventual champions India at the 2011 tournament the only interruption to their dominion over one-day cricket dating back to 1999 in England. Along with Clarke, who will continue to captain the test side, a number of seasoned players are likely to have played their last World Cups, including Johnson, all-rounder Shane Watson and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. But Australia will be able to retain the bulk of their squad and such is their record of regeneration and innovation, they will back themselves to defend their title in England in 2019. Left-arm seamer and player of the tournament Mitchell Starc, already a frightful prospect for most batsmen, is 25 and can only get better if his fitness allows. Mitchell Starc, who was named the Player of the Tournament, poses with the trophy and two Emirates stewardesses . Steve Smith, who saw Australia home with a half-century on Sunday, poses for a selfie with smiling fans during the celebrations . Starc allows fans a closer look at the handsome Cricket World Cup trophy, which now bears Australia's name for the fifth time . Glenn Maxwell poses for a selfie with fans to add to his collection as the party gets into full swing in Melbourne . Captain Michael Clarke lifts the World Cup trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday after Australia's seven-wicket success . Fireworks explode above the MCG as Australia receive the trophy amid a shower of confetti on Sunday . Steve Smith (right) and Shane Watson celebrate after the former knocks off the winning runs to seal Australia's triumph . He will not be short for quality fast bowling company, with Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Faulkner all under 26, not to mention a fit James Pattinson, who missed selection for the World Cup by dint of a lack of preparation after a long battle with injury. Australia may not want for batsmen either, with David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Smith all easily young enough for a tilt at back-to-back trophies. Though the personnel will be important, Australia's drive to remain top of the heap will be essential as teams plot their downfall over the next four years. Opening batsman Warner laid any doubts about that quality to rest. 'Our goal is to be number one in all formats,' he said. Coach Darren Lehmann posted this picture of the Australian celebrations continuing into the early hours in Melbourne . Lehmann wrote 'still going with the Kings and going hard' as he posted this picture of the players marking the sunrise . Some of the players took the opportunity to read about themselves in the morning papers as the partying continued through the night . The partying was reminiscent of England's after winning the Ashes in 2005, enjoyed especially by Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen .

Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets to win their fifth Cricket World Cup in Melbourne on Sunday . The team paraded the trophy to thousands of jubilant fans in Federation Square in the city on Monday . Captain Michael Clarke, who played his final ODI, admitted that the team were 'hungover' after a night of partying . Clarke hit 74 to help Australia close down a target of 184 before enjoying a standing ovation from 93,000 crowd . CLICK HERE for all the latest cricket news and reaction to this year's World Cup .

eyes still sore from the afterparty the night before, the champions donned the team blazers, ties and hats and posed for photographs under the Cup as the gathered media tried to avoid tripping over the massive trophy and each other. "This is where it all started," said Australian captain Ricky Ponting. "This is the home of cricket and this is where we want to be -- as world champions on our home soil." It was a day which had many firsts for the Australian team. Among the highlights were a champagne spray, Ponting's tearful speech at the end and, on another level, the emergence of some of the most promising young cricketers in the game. Australia's celebrations got off to a shaky start when it was revealed that a member of the team had misplaced the cup for four hours on Saturday -- although the captain was adamant on Monday that it had never really been lost. "Not lost, misplaced -- but not lost," said Ponting. "The fact of the matter is it was on somebody's phone the whole time." "For us it's a case of now let the party begin." Australia's 10th World Cup triumph was a fairytale tale of the sort weaned on tales of underdogs triumphing over superior sides. It was also a triumph of team over individuals, as the Australians finally did what they'd planned to do for more than two years -- get their hands on that trophy. In their 21 previous attempts in World Cup finals they'd come up short against the West Indies in 1975, England in 1992, Pakistan in 1999 and India in 2003. But in 2007 they came up with a plan to finally get past the Kiwis and, after their opening four group matches saw them collect a maximum of seven points, the ploy looked like it might fail. It was after Australia's defeat to New Zealand in the Super 8 stage, their third defeat in the tournament, that their coach, Tim Nielsen, changed the way his side thought about the match. He put the New Zealanders in the spotlight and told the Australians that they were the favourites to beat them -- and the change in attitude began to bear fruit. "It gave us more confidence. Our confidence had dipped a little bit after the loss to New Zealand, and the fact that we were talking up the opposition was an important point for us." After three successive victories the


A fifth of patients turning up in A&E have minor ailments including sore throats, athlete's foot and headlice, according to an analysis. It calculates that more than four million visits a year are unnecessary and cost the NHS £290million annually. In the worst cases, doctors have reported patients showing up because they were hungover, their false nails were hurting or they had paint in their hair. The problem is largely caused by the fact that patients are finding it increasingly difficult to see their GP, particularly out of hours. A fifth of patients turning up in A&E have minor ailments including sore throats, athlete's foot and headlice, a study has found (file picture) Many go to A&E in the knowledge that they will at least be seen by a doctor that day, even if they have to wait four hours. Even Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted taking his children to casualty at the weekend rather than making an appointment with a GP. But the unnecessary visits are adding to the pressures of busy departments and diverting staff from treating patients who are very seriously ill. It all came to a head in January when 13 hospitals declared major internal incidents in a two-day period as they were unable to cope with the numbers coming through the door. An analysis of data from 15 A&E units by the consultancy firm IMS Health found that 19 per cent of admissions were for what are known as self-treatable conditions. These include coughs, colds, muscle sprains, athlete's foot, headlice or babies with colic. The data covers one in 10 of the A&E units across England so, if the trends are the same, an estimated 4.1million of the 21.7million visits last year were for minor ailments. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has admitted taking his children to casualty at the weekend rather than making an appointment with a GP . Experts are urging patients to keep their medicine cabinets well stocked and to make better use of their pharmacists, where they can be seen and offered advice and treatment. Matthew Speers, chief executive of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain , which represents the manufacturers of over the counter medicines and commissioned the research said: ‘It is vital that the NHS raises awareness of the range of different services available to people and when to access them appropriately. ‘Pharmacists are well placed to provide advice to people with minor conditions, who don’t need to visit the GP or A&E, thereby ensuring they receive the support they need, without diverting NHS resources from people who really need them.’ He added that the NHS was facing a ‘crisis’ because staffing levels and finances were unable to cope with the needs of the steadily rising and aging population. ‘This cannot continue and that’s why we are calling for immediate action.’ But Dr Cliff Mann, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, which represents A&E doctors, said attempts to divert patients did not work. Dr Mann, an A&E consultant at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Dorset, added that the ‘A&E brand is well-known and trusted’ so ‘patients will continue to attend’. He said the only solution was to install GP clinics at A&E units so patients with minor ailments could be sent there, leaving staff to deal with the more serious cases. Figures show that 21.7million patients attended A&E in 2013/14, a rise of more than a third in a decade. And the NHS has missed its target for ensuring 95 per cent of patients are dealt with within four hours every week for the last six months. In November, Jeremy Hunt admitted in the Commons he had taken his own children to A&E ‘precisely because I didn’t want to wait until later on to take them to a GP’. ‘If parents have an unwell child who needs medical attention A&E provides a trusted service.’

A fifth of A&E patients have self-treatable conditions such as athlete's foot . More than four million visits a year are unnecessary and cost £290million . Doctors have even had patients turn up at A&E because they are hungover . Problem is largely caused by difficulty in getting an appointment with a GP .

 million.
Researchers found that common, simple problems accounted for 20 per cent of admissions and, if they were dealt with properly, could be treated outside hospital.
The report, based on data from 2005, is the first independent investigation into the phenomenon, although earlier studies have shown similar results.
It is likely to fuel the debate about Britain's £3 billion-a-year waste in unnecessary visits to hospitals.
The researchers warned that the Government's reforms to the NHS, which are currently in the consultation phase, were not "a panacea to solve the problem".
The National Audit Office, the Government watchdog, found that the cost to the NHS of such visits, as a proportion of total admissions, had risen from 0.3 per cent in 2003/4 to 0.7 per cent in 2005/6.
It estimated that the cost to the NHS of unnecessary visits to A&E departments was £290 million, with the total cost including the additional costs of treating patients from the ambulance service, GPs and primary care, totalling £750 million in 2005/6.
But the cost is almost certainly much higher.
The authors of the report, from the Health Foundation, a health research think-tank, said they were "very aware" that the actual figure for unnecessary A&E use was likely to be far higher.
The Government, they said, was not collecting the data. The researchers "took the best estimate" they could.
The study has found that the most common causes of admissions through A&E are wounds and burns, chest infections, and lower gastrointestinal complaints.
The most common symptoms are cough, sore throat, back pain and headaches.
These are generally "more serious and costly" when people come to A&E rather than being dealt with in primary care.
Around 2.2 per cent of patients are admitted with head injuries, 1.8 per cent for diarrhoea, and 0.4 per cent for athlete's foot, the report found.
"Many common problems are not urgent, and can be treated by GPs, pharmacists, dentists or at the patient's home," said Dr John Appleby, the Health Foundation's chief economist.
"This is especially important in this economic climate, when overstretched NHS services are facing enormous demand."
He said the NHS needed to learn from these changes. "The NHS needs to


(CNN)It was always going to take an extraordinary performance from a very talented swimmer to beat Michael Phelps at his favorite event in an Olympic final. For more than a decade, the great American had vanquished all comers in the 200 meters butterfly on both the world and Olympic stage, but then along came Chad le Clos. When the South African chased down Phelps in the final 50 meters of the race to snatch a dramatic fingertip victory by 0.05 seconds he created one of the defining moments of the 2012 London Olympics. As a 12-year-old, le Clos had gazed into his television set at home in Durban watching in awe as Phelps, widely regarded as the greatest swimmer of all-time, won six Olympic gold medals at Athens in 2004. So perhaps it's not surprising that lining up alongside his hero in an Olympic final eight years later took on a slightly surreal air. "My dream was always to swim like Michael Phelps so when I raced against him in the final it was actually a crazy feeling," le Clos tells CNN's Human to Hero series. "When I touched at 150 (meters) I think I was 1.5 meters behind him. When I turned I actually looked at him underwater and I thought I was him -- I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but I saw myself as him going past someone else." "I remembered how he used to come off the last turn and, you know, smoke everyone ... I thought, he's done this for so many years and I remembered that when I was swimming. I don't know what it was but it was magical." The mind-altering moment quickly morphed into a life-changing experience for the then 20-year-old who edged out Phelps in the final stroke. "It was such a huge moment for South Africa. Obviously, to represent your country is a huge honor but to beat Michael Phelps at the Olympics was amazing," he says. "As a young kid everyone wants to be like their heroes but you don't actually think one day that you're going to beat them." The remarkable victory was memorable not just for le Clos' reactions -- which went from joy to disbelief immediately after the race -- but for those of his father Bert, whose elated response and subsequent TV interview have become an enduring part of the swimmer's story. The excitable tribute to his "down-to-earth, beautiful boy," which included repeated mentions of the word "unbelievable," touched the hearts of viewers and turned le Clos senior into something of a household name himself. "I never knew my father was such a celebrity until like five, six days after the Games -- I was so wrapped up in (my own) bubble," le Clos explains. "We were walking down the street and everyone was taking photos of me, but I couldn't find my dad, and I saw him and there were a line of people taking photos of him and I was like: 'Dad! You are stealing my thunder here. C'mon!' It was incredible. "Everywhere he goes he's that famous dad and that's amazing because he really is. Nothing was put on for the cameras -- that's how he is back home. To my other brothers and sister he's a great dad." Success in the pool has been rich reward for Bert, who steered the Chad towards swimming when a football career looked more likely. "My parents were hugely influential in helping me make decisions throughout my life, especially my sporting career," he says. "When I was young I played football until I was about 13 or 14 years old -- I played for the state team (Natal). I had to make a decision and my dad realized that I was a better swimmer, even though my family had a football background. "Ninety-nine percent of fathers would have told their son to play football ... I still thank him every day for helping me make that decision." There is now another le Clos in the pool -- teenager Jordan is hoping to follow in his brother's large footsteps, having already competed at South Africa's national championships. "You know, 2020 is very important to me," says Chad. "Hopefully my brother can make the Olympics then and swim in the same relay team." Originally a breaststroker, le Clos switched to butterfly after he tore both his abductor muscles (in the groin) in 2008 when he was 16 years old. "Butterfly movement is really different. It's unlike freestyle or other strokes where it's very, very technical. I compare it to dancing -- I'm a terrible dancer! -- it's about getting your hips right, your kick is very important. I just really enjoy it. It's a fast stroke, so I guess the injury was a blessing in disguise for me." While swimming's toughest stroke remains his favored discipline, le Clos has also struck gold in the individual 200m freestyle -- at the short-course world championships in Doha last year -- and the 400m medley (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. But it is butterfly where he has dominated in recent years. After pipping Phelps in the 200m in London, le Clos had to settle for silver behind the American in the 100m, but he hasn't missed a stroke since. A 100m and 200m double at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona was followed by gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland last August. He capped a brilliant 2014 in December with three more titles (50m, 100m and 200m) at the short-course worlds in Doha before being crowned FINA World Male Swimmer of the Year -- an award he is incredibly proud of. "The Olympic gold will always be there and it will be the most outstanding moment of my life, but to win the 2014 Swimmer of the Year award was up there. Not many people have won the Ballon d'Or of swimming, so it was a very special moment for me." For le Clos, who turns 23 in April, the best is almost certainly yet to come with another Olympics fast approaching. He concedes that it will be "very, very difficult" to get anywhere near Phelps' record haul of 18 Olympic gold medals (and 22 overall), but he may get the chance to race him one more time. Phelps, who announced his retirement following the 2012 London Games, made a shock return to the pool last year although things haven't exactly gone to plan -- the "Baltimore Bullet" is serving a six-month ban imposed by USA Swimming after he was arrested for drink-driving last September. The ban has put his planned appearance at this year's FINA World Championships in doubt, but Phelps is still hopeful of qualifying for his fifth Olympics in 2016. "I really, really hope that he and his team decide to swim in Rio, I really believe it will be great," le Clos told Reuters last year. "It's added motivation for me ... with Michael back, it's really sparked my fire, so to speak. I don't think he will be worse in Rio, I think he'll be back where he wants to be. He's a champion in all respects but I believe I can beat him again." If he can, then le Clos will have taken a giant step towards his ultimate aim of swimming and sporting immortality. "I want to cement myself in the sport as one of the greats. In swimming terms, I want people to remember Chad le Clos -- the guy that not only beat Michael Phelps, but who is the best fast swimmer of all time," he says. "In South Africa we have a rich history of great champions -- rugby players, cricket players, a lot of great golfers -- so I'm among really tough competition, but I believe that after 2016 and 2020 I can hopefully be the greatest."

South African swimmer stunned Michael Phelps at 2012 London Olympics . After defeating his childhood idol, le Clos has dominated 100m and 200m butterfly . His father Bert is also famous for joyful celebrations following son's win in London . The 22-year-old is hoping to square up to Phelps again at Rio in 2016 .

 200 meter freestyle, and for the past four years the only person who came close was fellow American Ryan Lochte.
So it was no surprise that Sunday, a race for the ages took place on the Olympic Aquatics Stadium pool in Rio de Janeiro -- Phelps' last chance to win a gold medal.
It seemed Lochte's opportunity.
Phelps started behind the leaders as he prepared to make history, but 15-time gold-medal winner and 28-year-old Lochte was already back, setting off in a furious sprint which would help him take the lead going into the first lap. Lochte was a lead dog of the field as he powered into the 50-meter sprint, and was first out of the water.
Phelps knew he would have to race his own race.
"It's a four-year-long battle for me, it's a four-year-long race between me and him. At the end of the day, I'm just going to try to pull ahead."
Swimming's King of Gold would not allow himself to be beaten.
Lochte pulled ahead 50 meters, but it was too early for a lead to be taken seriously.
Lochte finished the first lap in the lead, but Phelps was still there.
At the end of the first lap, Lochte had the lead by 1.24 seconds, with Phelps coming in a distant third.
This race would be something special, something nobody had ever done. Phelps, who came into the Games having already racked up 22 medals, 18 of them gold, wanted one more. It was still unclear how, but the swimmer who once swam a perfect 100 meter freestyle race wanted to end on a high note -- to give the crowd something to remember.
With 500 meters to go, Phelps made his move.
Lochte was still in front, but Phelps was getting closer and closer with every stroke. With 400 meters to go, Lochte was just under one second ahead of Phelps. This race had to be the most thrilling 25 meters in Olympic history, and the crowd, which included Phelps' mother, watched the race closely. Phelps could do it. With every stroke, his fans hoped, every stroke his chance of going out on a high grew.
With 100 meters to go, Lochte was the first to take the turn


A high-profile Ukip MEP has been expelled from the party after her chief of staff was filmed allegedly attempting to make fraudulent expense claims. Ukip last night said Janice Atkinson and her assistant Christine Hewitt had been kicked out for ‘bringing the party into disrepute’. A disciplinary hearing was held yesterday following allegations that Miss Hewitt had obtained a £3,150 invoice for a drinks party that cost £950 in a bid to ‘repatriate’ extra money from the EU. Scroll down for video . Ukip  said Janice Atkinson (pictured)  and her assistant had been kicked out for ‘bringing the party into disrepute’ Miss Atkinson, who is an MEP for the South East, had also been due to stand at the General Election as the candidate for the Folkestone and Hythe constituency. Police last week launched an investigation into allegations over the women’s event hosted by Mrs Atkinson at Ukip’s spring conference in Margate, Kent. Guests at the party, which was attended by Nigel Farage’s wife Kirsten, drank champagne, cocktails and dozens of bottles of wine. The event reportedly cost £950 and was paid by Mrs Atkinson’ chief of staff Christine Hewitt on credit card, but she later returned to the restaurant and was given an invoice for £3,150. Mr Farage said last week that he was 'deeply shocked' by the allegations and described it as 'one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things I've ever seen in my life' She was allegedly filmed telling an undercover reporter: ‘The idea is we overcharge them slightly because that’s the way of repatriating (the money).’ Nigel Farage was left reeling last week after losing three election candidates in less than 24 hours. The Ukip leader was left 'deeply shocked' after suspending MEP Janice Atkinson. Hours later the party confirmed a second senior figure, the party's candidate for Scunthorpe Stephen Howd, had been suspended following an 'alleged incident at his workplace'. The final blow came when the party's candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Jonathan Stanley, sensationally quit claiming he was sick of the 'open racism and bullying' in the party. Mr Farage last week said: ‘I was deeply shocked when I saw it. It was one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things I've ever seen in my life.’ The party yesterday held a disciplinary hearing chaired independently by somebody from the legal profession with representatives of the national executive of Ukip. Last night in a statement, Mrs Atkinson said: 'I am deeply disappointed by today’s decision and fully intend to appeal. ‘I was elected to represent the constituents of the south-east of England and I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf and for the best interests of our country.' A Ukip spokesman said: ‘Janice Atkinson MEP and Christine Hewitt, assistant to Janice Atkinson, have been found to have brought the party into disrepute. ‘As a result they have been expelled from the UK Independence Party. They have 14 days to appeal. ‘This means that Ms Atkinson no longer represents UKIP in the European Parliament and she will no longer be our prospective parliamentary candidate for Folkestone and Hythe.’ Mrs Atkinson, pictured with Nigel Farage as the South East England region results of the European Parliament elections were declared last year, was elected as an MEP last year after joining Ukip in 2011 . Mrs Atkinson was elected as an MEP last year after joining Ukip in 2011. The 52-year-old found herself in hot water last year after she was recorded by TV cameras calling the wife of a Ukip supporter ‘a ting tong from somewhere’. She insisted the comments were naive rather than malicious and said she was ‘incredibly sorry’ for offending the woman. In December it emerged that she owed more than £2,000 in child support to her ex-husband despite previously criticising ‘feckless families’ who have more children than they can afford. She has also been pictured sticking up her middle finger stuck up to a camera and was accused of swearing at protesters. Ukip also lost Candidate for Scunthorpe Stephen Howd (left) and candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Jonathan Stanley, (right) within 24 hours of Mrs Atkinson's suspension . Ostentatious breastfeeding . Farage: 'It isn't too difficult to breastfeed a baby in a way that isn't ostentatious.' Immigrants causing traffic jams . Farage: 'It took me six hours and 15 minutes in the car to get here. It should have taken three-and-half to four. 'That has nothing to do with professionalism. What is does have to do with is a country in which the population is going through the roof, chiefly because of open door immigration and the fact the M4 is not as navigable as it used to be.' General secretary sex scandal . Ukip general secretary Roger Bird suspended over allegations of impropriety with candidate Natasha Bolter in December. He claimed they slept together, she denied it. Doubts later emerged about her CV, with Oxford denying she studied there and questions about her teaching qualifications . Rate an immigrant game . A Ukip game emerged last year asking supporters to rate 'blacks, Muslims and Eastern Europeans' in a game – with prizes of cash and a Ukip golf umbrella. Weeding out the lunatics . Ukip candidates chief David Soutter revealed he spent half his time 'weeding out the lunatics, the people who shouldn't be there.' Candidate quits over 'poofter' comments . Kerry Smith was forced to quit as Ukip candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock in December after being taped mocking gay party members as 'poofters', joking about shooting people from Chigwell in a 'peasant hunt' and referring to someone as a 'Chinky bird'. Taking money from Brussels . Ukip secures a £1.5 million pot of taxpayers' cash by forming a new European-wide political party .

Janice Atkinson and her assistant Christine Hewitt were kicked out of Ukip . A disciplinary heard that Hewitt  obtained a £3,150 invoice for a £950 party . Allegedly told undercover reporters it was to repatriate money from EU . A Ukip spokesman said the pair had brought the party into 'disrepute'

 the party into disrepute’. They say the incident occurred around a month ago and has been referred to the police. But Mrs Atkinson, a former teacher, yesterday told the Telegraph she was sacked in December, only days after joining the party. It means that Ms Hewitt, a former councillor in East Cambridgeshire, remains in her £62,000-a-year job. Mrs Atkinson and her son were filmed by the Telegraph last month after she failed to declare her parliamentary expense claims for her 2014 allowance to the House of Commons. As a MEP with a £65,000-a-year job in the European Parliament, the mother-of-two, who lives in London, also claimed £28,000 from her second job as a local politician. A Ukip spokesman said: ‘We are unable to comment on individual case.’ Mrs Atkinson was elected on June 11, one of seven MEPs to represent the South East – the lowest total from any one region. She was appointed as the party’s London spokeswoman, but only in September. Mrs Atkinson has been suspended from membership while an investigation by party officials looks into the incident. She said: ‘I was suspended on December 4 – less than two weeks after starting my new job. ‘I have been told by party officials that it is because of an incident in which I was not involved. It’s a load of rubbish.’ She added: ‘I was suspended a month ago, but the story came out last week.’
Mrs Atkinson, 51, the youngest ever London Assembly member, won £12,000-a-year from her local authority of Southend-on-Sea. She earned more than three times that at the European Parliament. Mrs Atkinson earned £40,000 from the local authority between 2010-2014 as the councillor for Southend West. Her claims were found by the Sunday Telegraph, which has had access to the expenses files. The paper also found she claimed a total of £16,000 from the European Parliament. Mrs Atkinson declined to answer questions about the case and told a Sunday newspaper: ‘It’s between me and the party’. It is not thought she will be fined and will probably only face an internal party investigation. A spokesman said: ‘Janice Atkinson was suspended on December 4 for the serious disciplinary offence of fraud – an offence that has been referred to the Metropolitan Police.’


Even Fernando Torres wasn’t relegated to the reserves. But for £250,000-per-week Radamel Falcao – perhaps the most handsomely-rewarded second-string striker in history – this was the ultimate indignity. Does he feel an injustice, angry with Louis van Gaal for such a degrading demotion? Or is there an acceptance that his powers have faded? In fact, they’ve gone out like a light. Radamal Falcao has scored just four goals since arriving at Manchester United . His latest run out was for the Under 21s as they faced Tottenham on Tuesday night . At least with fellow £50million flop Torres his decline was something of a slow burn, occasionally illuminated by a flicker of glories past. Sadly, for Falcao, there is no sign of him emerging from the darkness at Old Trafford. An unused substitute as Manchester United struggled for a goal (Falcao has scored more than 200 in his career) during their 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final, the Colombian was back at the Theatre of Nightmares 24 hours later for an Under 21 fixture against Tottenham. He wasn’t there to cheer on the club’s next generation, he was lining up alongside them. United insist it was a fitness exercise. But fitness is allied to form, and Falcao certainly doesn't boast the latter right now. Falcao fluffed his lines and missed several chances during a win over QPR back in January . The striker has spent plenty of time warming the bench at Old Trafford . Louis van Gaal must decide whether to take up the option to buy Falcao at the end of his loan spell . He failed to score against Spurs, fluffed one chance and was then withdrawn – a synopsis which could well be applied to the majority of his outings since his £6m loan move from Monaco. The beauty of that arrangement – and it’s something of an ugly truth – is that United are not committed to making his stay permanent and there is zero chance of them doing so after his failure to impact, four goals from 19 appearances his sorry return. Compare that with the 70 strikes from 91 matches for Atletico Madrid and his demise is given some numerical context. Falcao drew a blank against League One Preston in the FA Cup last month . He also struggled against Cambridge from League Two in the previous round . Celebrations have been few and far between for Falcao, pictured here after scoring against Leicester . River Plate . 2005-06 - Games 11 Goals 7 . 2006-07 - Games 20 Goals 3 . 2007-08 Games 39 Goals 19 . 2008-09 Games 35 Goals 16 . Porto . 2009-10 Games 43 Goals 34 . 2010-11 Games 42 Goals 38 . 2011-12 Games 2 Goals 0 . Atletico Madrid . 2011-12 Games 50 Goals 36 . 2012-13 Games 41 Goals 34 . Monaco . 2013-14  Games 19 Goals 11 . 2014-15 Games 3 Goals 2 . Manchester United . 2014-15 Games 19 Goals 4 . It was, of course, in the colours of Atletico that Falcao smashed a devastating hat-trick past Chelsea in the European Super Cup of 2012. Every tribute in the wake of that demolition job determined that Falcao was ready-made for the Premier League – pace, power, potency, he had the lot. Even his pre-Madrid existence supported the assertion that he was the continent’s most feared goal-getter. There were 72 goals from just 87 games at Porto, winning with them a Portuguese title, cup and Europa League, a prize he defended the following season in Spain. His spells at Porto and Atletico were bookended by River Plate and Monaco, where again his ratio was as good as one-in-two. But it was that move to Monaco which proved fateful in the loss of Europe’s finest front man. With a transfer fee of £52m and salary of around £15m, there were obvious accusations – defended by Falcao – behind his motivation. However, it was the knee injury suffered in January of last year which robbed him of a place at the World Cup and, on the evidence of this season, a whole lot more than a mere ticket to Brazil. Falcao was on holiday during the World Cup as he missed out following a long injury lay-off . Falcao scored goals for fun during his days as an Atletico Madrid player . He won the Europa league with Porto in 2011 and again with Atletico the following year . Falcao is still a Monaco player having signed for Manchester United on a season-long loan . Gone are the razor-sharp reactions of body and mind. Gone is the swagger, the confidence, the belief that he is the best. Sound familiar? Over four, long years at Chelsea we witnessed the regression of Torres. In the end he left having scored just 20 league goals in 110 games. Falcao will be lucky if he leaves United with 20 league appearances, let alone goals. Torres, of course, now resides back at Atletico, his connection with the club affording him a second chance. At 29 and with his best days very much behind him, perhaps a similar fate awaits Falcao.

Radamel Falcao has scored four goals since arriving at Old Trafford . Manchester United are unlikely to take up the option to buy him . He was forced to play for the Under 21s against Spurs on Tuesday . Falcao drew a blank for the second string . His fall from the top is the most spectacular since Fernando Torres . CLICK HERE for all the latest Manchester United news .

ity.
The Colombian’s knee-buckling, stomach-turning, jaw-clenched cameo as a substitute in United’s 0-0 draw against Olympiakos came shortly before a £13m bid for a player who has not scored a Premier League goal since October 2015.
The arrival of Paul Pogba was meant to transform the Premier League’s most expensive, and indeed most expensive-ever, team, but, rather than give a signal that United are about to embark on a spectacular period of success, the signing has merely underscored their deficiencies.
Jose Mourinho’s United have looked second rate so far this season and, having paid an initial £89m for the 23-year-old France international, with the full £115m to come in 2019, if they fail to deliver this season then the knives could be out.
Falcao, despite that fee, is the ideal fall guy for Mourinho. He came into the club to lead the line, but is now barely on the periphery, barely on the substitutes’ bench.
“My dream is to win the Premier League and, of course, the Champions League. After that, I don’t know,” said the 31-year-old after a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
His manager, who at times last season was even less complimentary about the striker, had previously hinted Falcao could leave in January, but, for a player who, in his 17 goals in just three Premier League games last season, helped lead United to a third-placed finish in the league, it comes as no surprise.
It is unlikely United will go back to the drawing board any time soon, or even give him another opportunity. There will be no Champions League for the Premier League runners-up this season, but, in any case, he may struggle to break into the starting line-up, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford all ahead of him, as well as Anthony Martial if his price tag drops.
As Pogba prepares to play with his former Monaco colleague Bernardo Silva, whose contract with Sporting Lisbon was cancelled early, Falcao will be left wondering what might have been. He has struggled to replicate his previous form in England.
On the pitch, there are signs that the striker’s injuries are beginning to make an impact. His goal return, even with Monaco, was never great