Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he is "optimistic" about making signings in January despite missing out on Erling Haaland.

Haaland has joined Borussia Dortmund from FC Salzburg for around £17.1 million after United turned down the terms of the deal offered by agent Mino Raiola.

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Solskjaer is in the market for a midfielder and a forward to bolster his squad and the Norwegian is refusing to rule out additions in the January transfer window.

"I'm always an optimist," Solskjaer said. "I'm optimistic we can keep players fit and if the right ones become available we do have the resources and I do have the backing from the board, but it's also about getting the right ones. It has to be.

"There's no point suddenly bringing someone else in now for the sake of three or four months if that can disrupt any good feeling or chemistry in the group, because the chemistry in the group is really good.

"It has to be the right type and it has to be a good investment for the long term as well."

United head to Arsenal on Wednesday on the back of consecutive wins over Newcastle and Burnley over Christmas.

Solskjaer will be without Scott McTominay, who is set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury, while Paul Pogba is also a doubt after he missed training on Monday as he continues to build up his fitness following a foot problem.

"If we can keep on improving, one addition and if you get two additions of course that will be competition for places," Solskjaer said.

"That's what you've got to deal with at this club. We haven't had enough because we've had so many injuries.

"We're improving. I think we can see more and more of what we want to be and our identity and what we're good at. We're making games suit our style more and more. We're quite a bit away still from where we want to be but I think we're the youngest team in the Premier League on average."

At some point this season, Liverpool's supporters will be able to enjoy the ride that will, barring an unprecedented loss of form or some strange alignment of the stars in the night sky, take them all the way to the club's first league title since 1990. But right now, despite enjoying a double-digit lead over their closest challengers at the top of the Premier League, nobody connected to the club -- player, fan, director or otherwise -- is daring to speak publicly about ending the 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England again.

It's partly desperation and part fear of failure -- the scars are still raw from Steven Gerrard's slip against Chelsea which as good as cost Liverpool the title in 2014 -- but manager Jurgen Klopp appears to be the only person at Anfield who can see the funny side of the tension that is gripping the Liverpool fan base.

"They are [desperate for the title], Klopp laughs, during an interview with ESPN. "They are, but we cannot change that. We cannot change that it takes time, that you have to work, that you have to play all the games.

"It is not for sure that we will win it. We have a chance obviously. We've created a good base so far, but we have to fight in each game like crazy. Nothing is easy for us."

But are the fans too scared of something going wrong to even dare mention their desire to see the Premier League trophy hoisted aloft by captain Jordan Henderson next May?

"No, no, no, people tell me that constantly," Klopp said. "When I see them, they constantly tell me that. But the only thing what I can say is 'I try' or 'we try.' I cannot promise more. That's how it is.

"When I became champion with Dortmund, it was always the same question. It's always about 'come on, do you want to be champion?' Of course you want to be champion. 'But will you be champion?' I don't know. It's not interesting to me until we are."

One thing that is certain amid all the nervous tension, however, is that no Liverpool supporter would rather have anyone else leading their title charge than Klopp. The 52-year-old German, who ended Borussia Dortmund's nine-year wait for a Bundesliga title back in 2010-11, has become the coach that every other club would dream to have since succeeding Brendan Rodgers at Anfield in Oct 2015. Pep Guardiola might have more trophies on the board than Klopp, but nobody connects to their club's supporters quite like Klopp, and it's difficult to argue that even Guardiola's City have been a more exciting, scintillating team than the current Liverpool side.

Ultimately, Klopp's refusal to allow the pressure that comes with chasing silverware to become a burden shows why he's the perfect man for Liverpool. Expectancy is huge at Anfield, but Klopp has harnessed it as a positive energy -- Barcelona's capitulation in last season's 4-0 Champions League semifinal second-leg defeat is an example of the irresistible force he can create -- and the ability of his team to overcome the disappointment of finishing second on 97 points last season is down to the manager's refusal to focus on the negative.

"Common sense," Klopp said, when asked how he turned finishing second into a positive. "Yes, we were disappointed, but if your main contender is Man City, you can't expect to just get something only because you do your best, because they did it as well.

"We pushed each other through the league and we were disappointed, yes, but of course it helped that we had three weeks later a big final [in the Champions League] for us. It helped, for sure, but the disappointment after the season was not as much as we would maybe expect. And not because we didn't want it. I think everyone saw we really wanted it. Just because we accept the reality. That's how it is. That's what I said before.

"All Liverpool supporters wanted to be champion, and it didn't work out, obviously. We try again and again and it is what we do this year with a slightly better basis than usually. That is all."

There has been no hangover from finishing second. Instead, Liverpool have torn the field apart, winning 18 of 19 games so far in the Premier League. Klopp has built of a team all talents that dominated the ESPN 100, from the world's best goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, a colossus at centre-half in Virgil van Dijk, two world-class full-backs in Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold and a forward line of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane that has proved to be the best on the planet in 2019. And now it has all come together to create arguably the best team in the world.

"We are not dreamers," Klopp said. "We work for the things we want to have and, if you work for it, it's not guaranteed that you get it. It's only chance that you get anything, and that's what we try and that's exactly what we did again.

"The mood was brilliant when we started the season again. We play for everything. The Super Cup is a good example. We didn't know exactly how important it is. When we won it, it felt sensational, but we had no clue before."

The UEFA Super Cup, won via a penalty shootout against Europe League winners Chelsea in Istanbul in August, was the Reds' second trophy of 2019 following the Champions League success against Tottenham two months earlier. Liverpool then added the FIFA Club World Cup in December, beating Flamengo in Doha, Qatar, to become world champions for the first time.

From being a team and a coach who were becoming viewed as "nearly men," Liverpool and Klopp have flipped it around to become a team and coach that might just win everything this season. Two trophies are in the bag and they already have one hand on the Premier League title. Who's to say they won't retain the Champions League and win the FA Cup, too?

But for Klopp, wanting to win again and again is not greed. It is simply a desire to experience glory as often as possible.

"Is it greed? I'm not sure," he said. "It's like this desire you want to have trophies. I don't think it's real greed. We have improved our opportunities obviously with different things, with the players we brought in and to work together for a while of course with more experience. Stuff like this.

"Getting used to different situations more and more [is helpful too]. You know a defeat is a defeat, but if you learn, it still makes sense, like the Champions League final [defeat to Real Madrid] the year before, when [Liverpool] lost that. It's not that we really learned something from the final, but the way to the final or the way to the next final, the experience for me before helped us a lot.

"I really think our desire is immense. It's big, it's massive to win more trophies. If it's greed, I don't know, but yeah. Who cares?"

Despite the insistence around the club, Liverpool are in a good position to sweep the board in 2020. Even Klopp admits that is basic numbers.

"A lot of teams can do that to be honest," he said. "OK, with the Premier League, maybe it's now three teams. I don't know exactly who can win it still, and the Champions League there are still 16 teams who can win it.

"The FA Cup? I don't know exactly how many teams are in still, but that's how it is yes. The good thing is that if you think about it, you don't think we have no chance, and that's a start. We have a chance. But we knew that.

"I remember two years ago, before when we qualified for the Champions League after the Hoffenheim game, we had a meeting. I said to the boys, 'look, in the competition there are maybe 10 clubs who can win the Champions League.' There were more teams in obviously at that moment, a lot of teams are part of it, but about 10 clubs can win it. We are one of them. It doesn't feel in the moment like this, but we are. That's what we should try, and that's how we took the Champions League, for example.

"With the Premier League, it's slightly different and difficult when you see the dominance of Man City for the past three years. You work on that, you hope for it but you don't know exactly. So we are no dreamers. We are just quite positive about our skills and our relationship and the things we do together and the things we want to achieve together.

"So we will see what happens. Nobody knows if we win one of these trophies, but we will work of course."

But unlike those at Liverpool who are facing sleepless nights as the long wait for the title ticks down, Klopp won't be worrying too much.

"I don't have to know when it will be or whatever," he said. "There is a final match day in May sometime, I don't even know exactly when it is.

"So if we are then top of the table, believe me we will celebrate it, but until then we don't have to think about will we really be it or what."

We take a look back at the year in athletics

As 2019 comes to a close and we get ready to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic year of 2020, which athletics moments do you remember the most?

It has been another action-packed year and here we highlight links to AW coverage from the past 12 months as a reminder of some of the biggest news in the world of the sport.

Take a look through the links below and then tell us which stories really stood out for you – get vocal and tweet us @AthleticsWeekly, tag us on Instagram, pop a comment on Facebook or post on our forum.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An angry post-game rant by Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella over clock management late in Sunday's night's overtime loss was "unprofessional along with unacceptable," an NHL official said Monday.

Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations, also defended a referee's decision not to restore more than 1 second to the clock that ticked off after a whistle was blown to stop play with 18.1 seconds remaining in the overtime period against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tortorella argued the whistle was blown at 19.2 and the decision not to reset the clock cost his team the game and led to an injury to goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who left the ice after trying to block a shot in the first-round of the subsequent shootout.

An apparent goal by the Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski at the horn ending the overtime period seemed to seal a victory over the Blackhawks. Instead, it was waved off after a video replay showed the puck crossed the goal line after time expired. Tortorella reasoned that the goal would have counted if the extra 1.1 second had been restored.

Instead, the Blue Jackets lost the shootout and lost Korpisalo for "weeks" with a knee injury, Tortorella said Monday.

"Toronto doesn't step in, refs don't do their freaking job and now we lose a game, and we lose our goalie," Tortorella said in his post-game news conference Sunday, which lasted 45 seconds before he left without taking questions. "So the chain of events, if it was done right, we don't lose our goalie, we win the hockey game."

Tortorella said Monday that he regretted airing his complaints publicly instead of handling it behind the scenes.

Campbell said in a statement that it was a judgment call by the referee, who checked with the clock operator before denying the Blue Jacket's request to restore the time. He said NHL operations didn't see the need to get involved.

Regarding Tortorella's expletive-laced rant, Campbell said "we're dealing with it."

The injury to Korpisalo is devastating to the Blue Jackets, whose remaining goalies have little NHL experience. Korpisalo's backup, Elvis Merzlikins, could get the start on Tuesday night against Florida and former Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

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Follow Mitch Stacy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mitchstacy

Jess Duffin, the senior Australia cricketer, will become the first elite women's player to be covered under Cricket Australia's new policy on parental leave after announcing news of her pregnancy to the cricket board.

The update also means that Duffin will not be in contention for a spot in the Australia team for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, starting February 2020.

Although 30-year-old Duffin last represented Australia in 2015, she was named captain of the team of the season at the last WBBL after scoring 544 runs at an average of 68 for the Melbourne Renegades, making her a serious contender for a spot at the World Cup. Earlier this month, she had also turned down the opportunity to represent Australia A in their upcoming tour.

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2019 was full of exciting adventures and plenty of wonderful memories... July 2020 is going to be even more special, when our very own baby girl is due #BabyDuffin #JellyBean

A post shared by Jess Duffin (Cameron) (@camo1989) on Dec 30, 2019 at 1:35pm PST

"I found out when I was about four weeks (pregnant)," Duffin told AAP. "I was pregnant through the whole Big Bash. When those conversations came up [in the media about Australia selection], I thought, 'well everyone is going to laugh when they find out'. Cricket Australia were obviously stoked, and were like 'we know now why you didn't play the Australia A stuff'."

Under Cricket Australia's new policy - developed in conjunction with the players' association - Duffin will get a 12-month paid parental leave and have a confirmed contract for the next summer. Until she gives birth - in July 2020 - Duffin will also be able to take up non-playing roles within Cricket Australia's system, and is eligible to return to playing whenever she is ready. Duffin is a double-sport athlete who also represents North Melbourne in the AFLW.

CHICAGO -- Only one NBA team will enter 2020 with 30 wins under its belt: the Milwaukee Bucks.

Following Monday's 123-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks reached 30 wins in the earliest calendar date since December 1980, when both the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns accomplished the feat, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau.

Although Milwaukee's goals are much bigger for the season, even this start is impressive to the league's reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who tries to remain even-keeled at all times.

"It's definitely surprising that we won 30 games before January and it's cool but we always can get better," Antetokounmpo said following his 23-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist performance. "We can always do better and we've got to keep improving because the goal is to play late in the season."

Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence (back soreness) during the Chicago trip as Khris Middleton led the way with a game-high 25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Milwaukee held a three-point edge entering halftime then outscored the Bulls 40-25 in the third with five dunks to balloon the lead to as many as 24 points in the second half -- including Antetokounmpo's thunderous one-handed jam over Zach LaVine at 7:19.

After a heated meeting between both teams on the court before the break, where no one was overly demonstrative, the Bucks took it out on the floor when they came out of the locker room.

"Definitely," Middleton said. "When the team tries to get physical and raise their level, we just try to take it to a whole other level. Play our best basketball and be physical without fouling."

Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe also scored 15 points in 16 minutes after missing the past eight games because of a right fibula avulsion fracture.

"It kind of felt good. Khris missed me like always. He actually shed a little tear so it was kind of heartwarming a little bit," Bledsoe said jokingly. "Nah, it was great. They gave me a lot of flak for missing a couple games, but it was fun."

Bledsoe sustained the right leg injury during the Bucks' 127-114 win at Memphis on Dec. 13 and the team went 6-2 in his absence but nobody inside the locker room was foolish enough to believe that his contributions weren't needed for the team to succeed in the long run.

"He's fast. We call him the Ferrari around here,'" Middleton said. "He's just so low to the ground, gets where he wants and he finds guys in traffic, which is a huge advantage for us."

The Bucks will return home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on New Year's Day. Even with the NBA's best record, and their league-leading 10th 20-point victory, the focus is on staying consistent for the long haul.

Milwaukee has yet to lose a game against a team entering the game under .500.

"I mean it's definitely great to have that record, but we know it's just the regular season," Middleton said. "The real thing starts in the playoffs for us, but we can't get there unless we have a great record and we play our best basketball."

Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel left Monday night's 5-2 victory over Ottawa when he crashed into the boards after scoring in the third period.

Guentzel, taking a cross-crease pass from Evgeni Malkin, scored his team-best 20th goal before falling forward awkwardly into the boards behind the Senators' net at 6:55 of the third period.

He appeared to avoid hitting his head full force, but rolled on the ice before getting up and skating off while favoring his right arm/shoulder.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters after the game that Guentzel is being evaluated by team doctors and that the club could have an update on him Tuesday.

"It was really scary," Sullivan said. "Those are always dangerous when you fall that distance from the boards. There's no status on him right now."

Guentzel, 25, had a goal and an assist in the game and leads Pittsburgh this season with 43 points. He had been named as the Penguins' lone All-Star earlier Monday.

December 31: Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder in Adelaide

Our XI: Jake Weatherald, Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson, Alex Carey, Jonathan Wells, Chris Morris, Rashid Khan, Peter Siddle, Arjun Nair, Daniel Sams

NOTE: We might not always be able to tip you off about a late injury (or other relevant) updates

Captain: Alex Carey

Three out of the top five run-getters in the tournament so far are from the Strikers, but Carey's record in Adelaide is strong - 422 runs at 38.20, and a strike rate of 131.56. In the first match held here this season, Carey made 55 from 24 deliveries, and is the ideal man for a crisis as well as accelerating in the end.

Vice-captain: Alex Hales

Hales almost won the Super over for the Thunder against the Sixers. The venue would be ideal for the in-form, big-hitting batsman, who has a strike rateof 153.24 - the most for anyone from the Thunder. It is always advisable to back the power player in a team.

Hot picks

Callum Ferguson

The man in form, Ferguson has scored 156 runs from four innings with two fifties, which is important in the context of fantasy cricket since he racks up bonus points for hitting milestones. Ferguson also strikes at 145.79 and is the most consistent player for his team.

Jake Weatherald

Another in-form, top-order batsman for the Strikers, Weatherald has scored 152 runs from four innings at an impressive strike rate of 153.53. The last time the Strikers played at Adelaide Oval, Weatherald scored 83 from 47 balls with 58 runs coming in boundaries.

Peter Siddle

Siddle has taken three wickets so far, but has gone only at 6.80 runs per over and played a key role in the Strikers win against the Melbourne Stars two matches ago. He is the go-to bowler for the Strikers and he could get some valuable points for his wickets and economy rate.

Value picks

Daniel Sams: Seven wickets at 7.87 per over, Sams is the leading wicket-taker for the Thunder. He has a dot-ball percentage of 45 and his variations could be useful in batting-friendly conditions.

Jonathan Wells: 161 runs from four innings and dismissed just once, Wells is another man in good form. He could be promoted to make best use of the conditions at Adelaide Oval; Wells is a budget pick as well and may provide maximum returns.

Points to note

• Average score while batting first in the last two seasons of the BBL is 171, so don't miss the top-three batsmen from the two sides.

• Spinners concede 7.82 runs per over, while striking once every 28 balls.

• Pacers concede 8.64 runs per over, but strike once every 21 balls.

Trevor Penney has been named West Indies' assistant coach in white-ball cricket for two years. He will work on the team's fielding in this period, starting on January 2, 2020, when preparations begin for the home series against Ireland.

Penney, 51, comes with the vast experience of having worked with several international teams, including India, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and USA. He has also worked with Queensland in Australian domestic cricket and Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers at the IPL. He has experience of working in the Caribbean, with CPL teams St Lucia Zouks, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and, most recently, Barbados Tridents. He was part of the Tridents' staff in their campaign-winning run in September-October.

"I'm thrilled and excited to be given this opportunity to work with this brilliant bunch of cricketers and staff led by Kieron Pollard and Phil Simmons," Penney was quoted as saying in a Cricket West Indies media release. "I've been lucky enough over the last few years to work with several members of the squad and the Caribbean is like 'home away from home' for me being involved in the CPL.

"We have two big T20 World Cups coming up [in Australia 2020 and India 2021] and it's my aim to try and improve everybody and be as good as we can and hopefully win those two major ICC events."

Simmons, West Indies' head coach, said: "Trevor is an excellent coach and has demonstrated this everywhere he has worked. He has huge experience with Sri Lanka and India at the highest international level, and in most T20 leagues around the world including the CPL. He brings enormous energy and is very well respected by all the players."

With Penney's appointment, West Indies' support staff line-up is as follows:

Phil Simmons (head coach), Roddy Estwick (assistant coach), Trevor Penney (assistant coach), Monty Desai (batting coach), Ronald Rogers (strength and conditioning coach), Denis Byam (physiotherapist), Rawl Lewis (team manager), AR Srikkanth (team analyst), Zephyrinus Nicholas (massage therapist) and Philip Spooner (media manager).

West Indies' next assignment is the three ODIs and three T20Is against Ireland, starting on January 7 in Bridgetown.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Veteran sports car racer Ryan Eversley will partner with up-and-comer Taylor Hagler to co-drive a Honda Civic Type R TCR fielded by LA Honda World Racing in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.

The team is the defending TCR winner of the four-hour event, winning with Tom O’Gorman and Shelby Blackstock last year. Hagler, a 24-year-old driver from Bulverde,Texas, will make her IMSA debut at Daytona Int’l Speedway on Jan. 24.

Hagler began racing two years ago in Spec Miata and NASA Pro Racing’s HPDE to Racing Program, winning Rookie of the Year while placing fifth of 69 drivers in the NASA Texas Spec Miata championship. In 2019, she drove a Honda Civic for X-Factor Racing in the TCA category of TC America. Hagler finished fifth in the championship with two podium finishes, scoring her first professional podium in the opening round at Circuit of The Americas.

“I am so excited to race in IMSA in 2020 with LA Honda World Racing and Honda Racing HPD,” said Hagler. “I’ve had a chance to try the Honda Civic Type R TCR a few times and I’m looking forward to driving it at Daytona.  I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to drive it on a more regular basis and I’m so pleased that LA Honda World Racing has provided this opportunity for 2020.  The team won here last year so there is just a bit of pressure to hit the ground running.”

Eversley has an extensive resume that stretches back to his start in the sport working as a mechanic before he got his first shot behind the wheel. The Atlanta-area driver has diversified his competition portfolio to include everything from race-winning runs behind the wheel of the Acura NSX GT3 to jumping Super Trucks. Eversley also has extensive and recent experience in the TCR ranks as he returns to IMSA for a full season campaign once again.

“I’m happy to be continuing my association with Honda and HPD for my 11th season,” said Eversley. “The LA Honda World team has won a lot of races and I’ve admired what they’ve accomplished from a competitors standpoint and I know they’re going to be great to work with. Taylor and I are ready to go and looking forward to getting the season started in our No. 77 Honda Civic Type R.”