Faustino Asprilla – the former Newcastle and Colombia striker turns 47.

Jens Lehmann  – the ex-Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper is also 47.

Patrik Berger – the former Liverpool, Aston Villa and Czech Republic midfielder celebrates his 43rd birthday.

Steffen Iversen  – The former Tottenham and Norway striker is 40 today.

Aleksandar Kolarov – Manchester City’s Serbian defender is 31.

Wilfried Zaha  – Crystal Palace’s winger celebrates his 24th birthday.

Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of several US cities to protest against the election of Donald Trump. Many shouted the slogan “Not my president”. Others burned orange-haired effigies of the businessman. Mr Trump will become the 45th US president after securing a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton. He is due to meet current White House incumbent Barack Obama for talks aimed at ensuring a smooth transition. Mr Obama – who had branded Mr Trump “unfit” for office and campaigned against him – urged all Americans to accept the result of Tuesday’s election. “We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country,” he said. Defeated Mrs Clinton also told supporters Mr Trump had to be given a “chance to lead”. Despite their calls, protesters gathered in several cities across the country.

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Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a deal tying him to Nike “for life”. The extension comes in the same week the 31-year-old penned a new five-year deal with Real Madrid, which will see him earning a reported £365,000-a-week after tax, but if reports are to be believed the Nike deal is similar to LeBron James’ – meaning it’s worth around $1 billion. Whether or not those reports are correct, Ronaldo’s bank account is sure to see more than the £14.1 million his previous Nike contract earned him each year. The two-time Ballon D’Or winner’s love affair with Nike started back in 2003 with the boots he wore in a friendly for Sporting Lisbon against Manchester United, recording two assists in a 3-1 win against his future employers. Ronaldo just released his latest pair of Nike boots, inspired by that pair and the game that changed his life “forever”. Nike have not confirmed the length or value of the contract, although Ronaldo’s comments about a deal for “life” were posted to their YouTube channel. A spokesman told The Sun: “The successful partnership between Nike and Cristiano Ronaldo will continue well into the future with a new, long-term contract.”

The institution of Chelsea’s robust 3-4-3 system has been nothing short of a revelation. When Chelsea were trailing 3-0 at half-time against Arsenal, no one could’ve foreseen the series of five successive clean sheets that would follow, attaining the maximum 15 points available in the process. Despite the impracticality and the unlikelihood of this absurd turn of events, this is exactly what the Pensioners have achieved. A side tainted with defensive ineptitude and a frustrating tendency to concede ‘soft goals’ have been transformed into a rigid and formidable defensive unit, currently flaunting the second best defensive record in the league. This evolution has been utterly staggering, especially considering the pitiful standards achieved last season. One of the most prominent beneficiaries and influencers of this new system has been Victor Moses.

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