Former Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti is not on Arsenal's list of potential managerial candidates, sources have told ESPN.

The Italian was sacked by Napoli despite guiding them to the Champions League knockout stage, following a dreadful run of form domestically, which had seen them plummet to seventh in Serie A.

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Arsenal recently parted company with manager Unai Emery and are looking for a replacements, with reports having suggested Ancelotti could become their next permanent boss.

However, sources have told ESPN Ancelotti, 60, does not fit the profile of manager Arsenal are looking for, while they are not convinced by his most recent experiences.

He was sacked by Bayern Munich in 2017 and then Napoli midway through his second season with both clubs languishing outside the Champions League places.

Furthermore, according to ESPN sources, Arsenal have received several applications for the vacant role and in the process of conducting interviews in order to narrow down the list.

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are in no rush to make a permanent managerial appointment and want to ensure they hire the right candidate rather than the first one. They are ready to give caretaker boss Freddie Ljungberg time to prove himself.

Ancelotti first shot to prominence was when he led Parma to a second place finish in Serie A in 1997 and, following a short spell at Juventus, spent eight seasons at AC Milan, where he won the Champions League on two occasions.

He then won a Premier League and FA Cup double with Chelsea before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and won a Ligue 1 title. He added another Champions League title at Real Madrid in 2014 before spells at Bayern and Napoli.

Atalanta have made history as they qualified for the Champions League knockout phase despite failing to win any of their first four matches following a 3-0 win away at Shakhar Donetsk on Wednesday.

Gian Piero Gasperini's men lost each of their first three matches, before earning a creditable draw away to Manchester City and beating Dinamo Zagreb to give themselves a chance of progression.

And, in their debut Champions League campaign, they produced an impressive display to earn a victory away to a side who compete in the competition regularly.

After squandering plenty of chances, Atalanta opened the scoring on 66 minutes through Timothy Castagne before Dodo saw red for Shakhtar 11 minutes later.

On 80 minutes, Mario Pasalic made the result secure when he nudged home Ruslan Malinovskyi's free kick. Robin Gosens added a third in stoppage time, capitalising on a dreadful defensive error.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Even though Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said his relationship with Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is "in a good place," Kingsbury wishes he had handled Mayfield's situation differently when he coached the quarterback at Texas Tech in 2013.

"Obviously, I'd like to have that gone differently and handled things differently," Kingsbury said Wednesday. "You live and you learn, and I'm just glad we're in a good place now.

"Any of those guys I've ever worked with, I want [them] to be successful and I appreciate the work that I was able to do with them."

Kingsbury's Cardinals will face Mayfield's Browns at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.

At the Browns' facility in Berea, Ohio, Mayfield agreed with Kingsbury's assessment of their relationship.

"It was a long time ago. We've talked since. Played against him a few times since. It's exactly that: We're in a good place," he said.

Asked why, Mayfield said: "Passage of time, conversation, I think all of the above. It's in the past. What happened happened and we've moved forward."

Mayfield, who walked on to the Red Raiders as a freshman, transferred to Oklahoma after the 2013 season because he felt Kingsbury did not communicate well with him after he suffered a knee injury following a 5-0 start.

Mayfield told ESPN in 2014 that he was "clueless as to why I wasn't playing" when Texas Tech began losing once he was healthy, and that there was a lot of uncertainty on a week-to-week basis about where he stood with Kingsbury. What sealed his decision to transfer, he said then, was when Texas Tech couldn't commit to offering him a scholarship for his sophomore season.

The two have since worked out their differences, Kingsbury said.

"Yeah, we've talked," Kingsbury said. "We're in a good place, and [I'm] always excited to see how he's playing and his career and what he's done. Being at ground zero of that deal and where it started to where it is now is phenomenal. You got to give him all the credit in the world. Every level he goes to, he continues to excel and prove people wrong."

Kingsbury said he spoke to Mayfield at this year's Kentucky Derby.

"He knows how I feel about him as a player, as a person ... [and] has for a number of years," Kingsbury said.

When Kingsbury recruited Mayfield to Texas Tech amid offers from New Mexico, Florida Atlantic, Rice and Washington State, "you could see [Mayfield was] very talented," Kingsbury said. "We already had a quarterback committed, but [we] really liked what we saw and continued to recruit him and stay on him. We felt like he could play at a high level, and it worked out."

The game will feature another reunion, as Mayfield will be going against Cardinals rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, his teammate at Oklahoma.

Murray was Mayfield's backup in 2017, when Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy. Murray became the starter in 2018 -- after Mayfield became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft -- and also won the Heisman Trophy en route to becoming the No. 1 selection in the draft.

"They'll be fired up for this one," Kingsbury said. "There's no doubt. Yeah, they'll both be ready to rock."

Mayfield and Murray are close friends off the field; Murray attended Mayfield's wedding and often refers to him as "Bakes."

Kingsbury said the two are very similar.

"Very competitive, obviously it starts there," Kingsbury said. "Both are winners, have been winners their entire life. Hate to lose at anything. Kyler is more of an introvert than Baker, but both effective leaders in their own right."

ESPN's Jake Trotter contributed to this report.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Cornerback Janoris Jenkins tweeted a disparaging remark in response to a critical fan Wednesday while the New York Giants were on the practice field.

Jenkins was not practicing because of an ankle injury. He was defending his play this season while his teammates were on the field. Jenkins took exception to a fan who asked why the stats Jenkins was using to showcase his effectiveness weren't contributing to any wins.

"I can only do my job.. retard," Jenkins tweeted.

Coach Pat Shurmur, when asked after practice about Jenkins' injury and his tweet, wasn't happy about his top cornerback's social media activity.

"I was just made aware of it as I was going through the injury report, and he shouldn't be tweeting during practice," Shurmur said.

Jenkins was not in the locker room during media availability Wednesday.

This isn't the first time Jenkins' words have gotten him into a precarious position. Earlier this month, he expressed his displeasure with his role after a loss to the Green Bay Packers, questioning why defensive coordinator James Bettcher wasn't using him to follow the opposition's top receiver.

Jenkins spoke with Bettcher and Shurmur last week, and all parties involved downplayed the incident. They said they were on the same page, and Jenkins played well Monday night -- albeit in a different role, as he was the Giants' primary nickel cornerback out of the slot against the Eagles. Jenkins played almost exclusively on the outside during the first 12 weeks of the season.

This also isn't the first time Jenkins has gotten into trouble because of Twitter. He called out receiver Terrelle Pryor after a game in 2016, firing off a pair of obscene tweets that downplayed Pryor's performance during a matchup between the Giants and Cleveland Browns earlier that day.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma will not play Wednesday against the Orlando Magic because of a sprained left ankle, the team announced.

The three-year veteran injured his ankle nearly two weeks ago against the Washington Wizards but had continued to play on it through soreness and discomfort, the team said.

The Lakers' medical staff stepped in to hold him out against the Magic as the Lakers begin a five-game road trip, hoping the ankle can heal fully before Kuzma plays more games. His status is considered day-to-day.

It's been a difficult season thus far for Kuzma, dubbed the third member of the Lakers' big three alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, after the team was able to hold on to him during negotiations for their blockbuster deal with New Orleans in the offseason.

A string of injuries, starting with a stress reaction in his left ankle suffered during USA Basketball training camp in the summertime -- the same ankle that is currently injured -- has slowed the 24-year-old's progress as a young star on the rise.

Through 20 games, Kuzma is averaging 11.1 points on 43.3% shooting while playing 23.1 minutes per night. Last season he averaged 18.7 points on 45.6% shooting while playing a bigger role on a lesser team, playing 33.1 minutes per game.

Kuzma has repeatedly spoken to the media in recent weeks about his patience being tested this season. A team source told ESPN that he has experienced more upheaval in his role than the team anticipated; Davis is playing fewer minutes at the 5 because JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard have filled that role so well. When Davis plays the 4, it pushes Kuzma out of the ideal stretch role he provides (he has lifted his 3-point percentage from 30.3% a year ago to 36% this season) and challenges him to make the most of playing out of position.

While Kuzma will miss the Magic game, the team anticipates the return of Avery Bradley, who missed the last 13 games with a stress reaction in his right leg. He is officially listed as probable.

Rajon Rondo, who sat out Sunday's win over Minnesota with tightness in his left hamstring, is listed as questionable.

If the Los Angeles Lakers' early-season success seemed fickle thanks to a cupcake schedule that was lean on tough opponents and practically devoid of back-to-backs, their past five games were a proving ground.

After a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers ripped off four straight wins by a combined 74 points against the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves. Those five teams are now a combined 63-54.

This is a look back at key moments from those games, as the Lakers survived their first real test to reach a 21-3 record that's tied for No. 1 in the league.

MORE: NBA Power Rankings Week 8

Superstar trash talk

Dec. 8: Lakers 142, Timberwolves 125

After becoming the first Lakers duo to combine to score 70-plus points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, it was time for a little trash talk between LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Overhearing James mention his son, Bronny, Davis saw his opportunity to rib James for the half-court lob the four-time MVP threw during L.A.'s win over the Timberwolves on Sunday night. It was so off-target that the ball hit off the side of the backboard.

"Bronny's a better passer than you," Davis said, referencing the play James shared earlier in the day on Instagram.

"He's a better passer?" James said with incredulity. "He might be a better shooter."

Davis then spelled out how Bronny got his man the ball with his alley-oop, while his dad ended up with a turnover.

"That was your fault," James said, realizing the joke. "What'd you tell me at the beginning of the year when you weren't getting enough lobs? 'Throw that b---- anywhere.'"

A Melo reunion and a viral collision

Dec. 6: Lakers 136, Trail Blazers 113

In the third quarter, on his way to 31 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds in 34 minutes, James inadvertently trucked into Moda Center server Katy Stevens, who was taking drink orders from fans seated in her courtside section.

"Honestly, I felt a bump and I was like, 'Oh, it's a referee,' and then I look and I'm like, 'Holy cow, it's LeBron James,'" Stevens said. "I don't get starstruck very often, but LeBron James, I mean, he's the Michael Jordan of today's basketball. He's incredible."

James lifted Stevens up, dusted her off and put his arm around her to make sure she was OK before turning his focus back to the game.

"He was like, 'I'm sorry, baby. Are you OK?' He had his arm around me, and I thought to myself, 'Well if he's going to put his arm around me, I'm going to put my arm around him,'" Stevens said. "It will be something that I will remember forever."

The broadcast cameras caught the whole thing, with some of Stevens' courtside customers whipping out their phones to show her the viral clip.

The win closed out the Lakers' road trip 3-0, and they improved to 11-0 away from Staples Center.

It also offered one more opportunity for James to square off against fellow 2003 draftee Carmelo Anthony. And though they're both in their 17th season, they've arrived at different points, via different roads.

"I mean, my career is my career. His career is his career," Anthony told ESPN. "We will always be linked, some way, somehow. But when it just comes to the game of basketball, I think obviously we have two totally different careers, we had two totally different paths. The teams that we were on were totally different. The players that we played with were completely, totally different. So other than just being connected from being friends and brothers, there's nothing [there]. No similarities."

'I need a drink'

Dec. 4: Lakers 121, Jazz 96

The Lakers found a new way to win in Utah, the first for James since 2010. The bench outscored the Jazz reserves 47-19, but perhaps more impressive, it outscored James and Davis 47-46. Rajon Rondo (14 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds) just missed a triple-double, Kyle Kuzma scored 13 and Dwight Howard offered up a tidy 7 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks in 19 minutes.

"Our goal was to, coming into the season, have a great home record and be .500 on the road," Davis said. "In order to win a championship, you have to win on the road, which is tough to do."

After the win, the Lakers passed a menu around the locker room, ending up in LeBron's hands. He ordered a double-breasted chicken, sautéed spinach and roasted corn.

But James was looking for more than just food after a back-to-back in Denver and Utah, two of the tougher road arenas in the league. With the team not flying to Portland until the next day, it was time to venture out into the rainy Salt Lake City night.

"I need a drink is what I need," he said. "Where are we going tonight?"

The Avery challenge

Dec. 3: Lakers 105, Nuggets 96

When Avery Bradley went down with a hairline fracture in his right leg on Nov. 15, Vogel was faced with two concerns: How would the Lakers keep their defense afloat without their best ball-hawking guard? And how would Vogel keep Bradley's spirits up after another injury threatened to derail all the work done to become a key contributor this season?

Vogel had an idea: the Avery challenge.

"I said, 'Hey, you know, we're going to be without Avery for a while,'" Vogel said. "'And if that just means our defense is going to go to hell, we're in trouble. We need to learn to get it done without him out there.'"

With Bradley, the Lakers had the No. 1 defensive rating in the league. In every game without Bradley, the team was tasked with exceeding the current mark for the league's best defensive rating in honor of their feisty shooting guard.

L.A. started off its three-game road trip by holding Denver to 40.7% shooting from the field and overwhelming the Nuggets on the glass 56-35 as Davis' Defensive Player of the Year campaign unofficially tipped off in a successful Avery challenge.

"I was a little embarrassed when [Vogel] said it," Bradley said with a sheepish grin when asked about the challenge. "But, no, it's cool, man. I think it challenges us every single day, every single game. We have the personnel to be able to be the No. 1-rated defensive team, and so I think coach is just trying to motivate us and make it fun at the same time."

Blowout lessons

Dec. 1: Mavericks 114, Lakers 100

The Lakers' big first-half lead turned into a double-digit loss to the Mavericks after a 25-8 Dallas blitz in the third quarter. The defeat snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Lakers and called into question just how strong that streak was in the first place.

More troubling than any outside perception was Vogel admitting his team lost its focus when some calls didn't go the Lakers' way, making it easier for the Mavs to blow the game wide-open.

"I think our guys got consumed with that a little bit," Vogel said. "We've been really sharp and really consistent, but during that stretch, we weren't, and it cost us the game."

When the Lakers raced out to an 11-2 start to the season, Kuzma asked if the team strength was as tangible as the wins suggested.

"We have the best record, but I don't feel like we're the best team just because I know how much room we have to grow," Kuzma said at the time.

Fast-forward to the Wolves game, and Vogel wasn't just being asked if his team was the best in the league. A reporter wanted to know if he thought the Lakers can be one of the best teams of all time.

"Not really allowing myself to go there," Vogel said before the game. "To me, I wake up every day, zero and zero. I'm asking my team to do the same. And, you know, to look only at the game in front of us."

With more than a quarter of the season in the books, the Lakers are looking at an .875 winning percentage. It would result in 72 wins -- the second-most all time -- if they keep it up.

MORE: NBA Power Rankings Week 8

Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, a former player who called Chicago White Sox games for 34 years, won the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick award for excellence in broadcasting on Wednesday.

The 78-year-old was an outfielder and first baseman from 1963-71 for the Kansas City Athletics, Boston, Cleveland and Washington, then had a 43-season broadcast career. Known for his home run call, "You can put it on the board, yes!" and for giving Frank Thomas his nickname "the Big Hurt," Harrelson was proud to be called a "homer."

He retired from broadcasting in 2018.

"I am truly humbled to receive the greatest honor for any broadcaster in baseball," Harrelson said in a statement released Wednesday. "It is very humbling to join the impressive list of past recipients, including all of the voices who educated and entertained generations of Chicago fans over the years."

He started broadcasting for the Red Sox (1975-81) and switched to the White Sox in 1982. Harrelson became Chicago's general manager after the 1985 season, left after one year and became a New York Yankees' broadcaster in 1987.

He returned to the White Sox broadcast crew in 1989 and stayed through 2018. He is a five-time Emmy Award winner.

Harrelson will be recognized at the Hall in Cooperstown, New York, during an awards presentation on July 25, a day before induction ceremonies.

"Hawk is so deserving of this tremendous honor," White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "His passion for baseball is unmatched, and he has entertained generations of White Sox fans with his stories, experiences and insight. He cared passionately about the White Sox and like our fans, took every win and loss to heart."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ATLANTA, Ga. – Yamaha Motor Corporation USA will support Estenson Racing’s effort in American Flat Track competition for the 2020 season.

The team has signed a multi-year deal with JD Beach, who will lead the campaign in the all-new SuperTwins class, while 2017 AFT Singles champion Kolby Carlile steps up to the premier class alongside Beach aboard the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT.

The team has also signed Mikey Rush for a two-pronged threat in the AFT Singles class with young phenom Dallas Daniels.

Returning for his second year with Estenson Racing, 2020 will be Beach’s first full-season in American Flat Track. With multiple road race titles on his resume, the Owensboro, Ky., resident has his sights set on a SuperTwins crown.

Beach pulled double duty with the team in 2019, competing in the premier classes of both AFT and MotoAmerica. The dirt track and road racer made history with his first AFT Grand National win at the Super TT in Arizona, which was also the first victory for a Yamaha Twin since 1981.

Beach then backed it up the following weekend at Virginia International Raceway with his first MotoAmerica Superbike win, becoming the first rider to top the podium during the same season in the premier class of both disciplines since Nicky Hayden in 2002.

He ended the year in AFT with two wins and three podiums.

“I’m really looking forward to being back with the Estenson Racing crew. I think we kind of got started on our back foot last season,” Beach said. “We were hoping for more, but we still managed a few wins, and within the Twins team a few podiums. I think the changes to the team and the new personnel are going to help a lot. We’re all putting in a lot of work this winter to come out next season swinging. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Carlile made the transition to the Twins ranks last season, competing both in the new AFT Production Twins class and AFT Twins. He had a solid rookie year in spite of injury and made a late-season charge for the Production Twins title, ultimately ending the year third in the Production championship with two wins and six podiums.

The “Flying Tomato” also showed strength in the premier class on the TTs, making all four main events. Carlile now looks forward to stepping up to the SuperTwins full-time in his fourth season with the Estenson Racing squad.

“2020 is going to be an awesome year for me. I learned a lot last year racing the Twin in the Production Twins class and winning a few rounds,” said Carlile. “This year I’ll be racing in the new AFT SuperTwins class full-time on the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07. The guys I’ll be racing against week in and week out are the fastest guys in the world and I feel like I’ve always benefited from racing the best there is. The team also has some new members that are going to be huge additions in the development of the bike.

“Going into the new year, I’ve been taking a few months away from racing to allow me to focus on getting my knee in better condition,” he added. “The races are a bit longer this year for me, and the intensity is up from what I have raced before, so being in top physical condition is important. I have an awesome teammate in JD Beach. I’ve grown up learning from him and I don’t plan on stopping now. I look forward to doing my best to improve the bike, the team, and myself in 2020.”

The newest member of the team, Mikey Rush jumped straight into the premier class of AFT in 2009 and scored his first win in 2013 at the Daytona Short Track.

After some tough years in the privateer ranks, he made the move to the AFT Singles class and had a standout season in 2019, finishing second in the championship with four wins and seven podiums.

Returning with the team is 2019 AFT Singles rookie of the year Dallas Daniels. The 16-year-old turned heads last season with a dominant debut win at the Peoria TT.

He then went on to back it up with two more podiums to finish the year just outside the top 10, despite only turning pro mid-season.

With a strong four-man lineup ready to go, team owner Tim Estenson feels his team is primed for success going into the new year.

“My roots in racing, in motorcycling in general, have been with the Yamaha brand, so I’m really happy to have Yamaha USA’s increased support for our American Flat Track effort,” said Estenson. “Last season, we were able to accomplish my dream of returning a Yamaha Twin to the top of box for the first time in nearly forty years with JD Beach’s win in Arizona. Going into the new season, along with the support we are receiving from Yamaha, we’ve made some key additions to our staff and technical program. We’ve had some success early on with our young team and I look forward to building on that in 2020 to fight for the championship.

“I’m really happy to have JD back on board with us and especially full time this year in American Flat Track,” he continued. “I also look forward to seeing Kolby step up full-time in the SuperTwins class. He brought us our first championship and it has been great to see him progress in the sport with our team. On the AFT Singles side, Dallas had a great rookie season in 2019 and I look forward to his continued growth in the sport. I’m also really excited to have a title contender like Mikey Rush join our team. He has a great story and has showed a lot of character and perseverance over the years as a privateer in the sport.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Premium Motorsports announced Wednesday that Brennan Poole will pilot the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE full time in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020.

The upcoming season will mark Poole’s Cup Series debut.

“I’ve been working towards this moment since I was five and feel blessed to have the caliber of people surrounding me that I have in this next chapter of my racing career,” Poole said. “I look forward to the opportunity to showcase our sponsor partners, both new and existing, who are supporting me at the highest level of NASCAR competition.”

One of racing’s top emerging talents, in 2015 Poole made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, scoring a top-10 in his first NASCAR start.

Poole then competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, where he accumulated eight top five and 36 top 10 finishes, advancing deep into the playoffs in both championship seasons.

In 2019, Poole ran a limited schedule in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, where he finished second to 2019 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch while contending for the win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May

On his way to securing a seat in NASCAR’s premier series, Poole earned the designation as “The Bull” for charging to the front of any series in which he competed.

“I’m very happy to welcome Brennan and his group to the Premium Motorsports family,” said team owner Jay Robinson. “Brennan is a very talented and dedicated young man, I believe he has a very bright future in the NASCAR Cup Series.”