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General Sports News

Arteta out for season

Author: Rose Young
Date: 23/02/2009

Everton have confirmed that Mikel Arteta ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee during Sunday's goalless draw at Newcastle United and will play no more football this season.

The influential Spanish midfielder suffered the injury after only three minutes of the stalemate and had to be stretchered off the pitch.

Arteta was forced to endure a series of scans on his knee which confirmed the extent of the damage.

Victor Anichebe is still waiting to discover the extent of his injury after Kevin Nolan's horror tackle on him in the same game.

The young Everton striker had to be substituted just before the interval while Nolan received a straight red card from referee Lee Mason for the tackle.

Meanwhile, the Toffees' Merseyside rivals, Liverpool, have received a boost with the news that Steven Gerrard will travel to Spain for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

The Reds skipper has been out of action for three weeks with a hamstring problem but came through an initial fitness test at a specially arranged training session on Monday morning.

In cricket, Matt Prior will miss the fourth Test between England and West Indies so that he can be with his wife, Emily, who gave birth to the couple's first son on Monday morning.

It is anticipated that the wicketkeeper will return to the Caribbean in time to feature in the fifth Test, which starts at the Queen's Park Oval on March 6.

Tim Ambrose, who replaced Prior as wicketkeeper for ten Tests in 2007, comes into the team.

In rugby union, Wales coach Warren Gatland has named Gavin Henson on the substitute's bench for Friday's Six Nations clash with France in Paris.

The controversial Ospreys star replaces Andrew Bishop in the squad while Shane Williams has recovered from his ankle injury and returns to the starting line-up.

Jamie Roberts is fit enough to play despite sustaining a shoulder injury in the win over England and will start on Friday.

A calf injury had forced Henson to miss the wins against Scotland and England and he was one of six players involved in a controversial night-out last week.

Britain's number one tennis player, Anne Keothavong, has broken into the top 50 of the world rankings and betting pundits are predicting a good run at Wimbledon in June.

The 25-year-old, who is the first British woman to break into the world's top 50 since Jo Durie 16 years ago, moved up four places to 48 after recent semi-final appearances in Memphis and Auckland.

Finally, in rugby league, Hull have snapped up the highly-rated New Zealand and Tongan Test forward Epalahame Lauaki on a three-year contract.

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