Goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, part of the first great Liverpool side under Bill Shankly, has died aged 77, the club announced yesterday. Lawrence, affectionately known as ‘The Flying Pig’ for his acrobatic saves despite being of portly build, was a member of the side that won two league titles in 1964 and 1966, not missing a match in the latter campaign. He also won the FA Cup in 1965. Capped three times by Scotland, Lawrence only missed four league matches from 1963 to 1969. He conceded only 24 goals in the 1968/69 season, which was a record for the lowest conceded at the time in the old First Division. However, the emergence of Ray Clemence in the late 1960’s heralded the end of his tenure as first choice, and after being dropped for an FA Cup tie in the 1970/71 season he left for nearby Tranmere Rovers, managed by his former Liverpool teammate Ron Yeats.
He made a total of 390 appearances for Liverpool. Lawrence finished his playing career at non-league Chorley. After hanging up his boots, he returned to the same factory he had worked in prior to playing for Liverpool, remaining there until he retired.
Roy Evans, the former Liverpool coach and manager who was a player during Lawrence’s time at the club, paid tribute to the “gentleman” dubbed one of football’s first sweeper-keepers.

Thuram blasts Italian authorities over Matuidi racism
World Cup winner Lilian Thuram has blasted the handling in Italy of the racist abuse directed at Juventus winger Blaise Matuidi during the Italian champions' 1-0 win at Cagliari on Saturday, asking why more wasn't done to support his countryman on the night. "We are not tackling the issue of racism as we should be," said Thuram, who won two Italian league titles in five years at Juventus. "Why did the referee not stop the match, why don't the white players leave the field when Matuidi is insulted? If no-one asks these questions, the situation will be the same 20 years from now."
Frenchman Matuidi revealed after Juve's win in Sardinia that he had been the subject of racist chanting. After hearing abuse from the stands late in the first half Matuidi rushed to referee Giampaolo Calvarese, but the official ignored his pleas to intervene and Medhi Benatia and Paulo Dybala had to calm their teammate down.
Cagliari apologised to the 30-year-old the following day but then went unpunished for the incident by Serie A, with a disciplinary report on Tuesday saying that "no determination can be made with regard to Cagliari for the deplorable expressions of racial discrimination of which Juventus player Blaise Matuidi reports he was the subject". Saturday's abuse follows similar racist chants directed at Matuidi during Juve's 3-1 win at Verona late last month, for which Verona were fined 20,000 euros ($24,000) by the Italian league.

Nainggolan back in Roma
fold for Inter clash
Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan will return to action against Inter Milan on January 21 after being dropped by his Serie A side as punishment for his rowdy end of year celebrations. The 29-year-old Belgian international received a hefty fine and sat out last Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat against Atalanta after posting a video of himself on Instagram smoking, drinking and swearing on New Year’s Eve.
“There’s no problem with Nainggolan.
Radja will be a starter against Inter,” coach Eusebio Di Francesco confirmed yesterday. Roma sorely missed the talented midfielder as they fell behind city rivals Lazio into fifth place — 12 points behind leaders Napoli — in the Serie A title race which resumes after a two-week break on January 21. Roma resume their Champions League campaign with a last 16 first leg trip to Shakhtar Donetsk  on February 21.

Khedira fears Juventus
supremacy under threat
German international midfielder Sami Khedira believes Juventus face the biggest threat this season to their Serie A supremacy. Juventus last year became the first team to win six consecutive Serie A titles and are just one point behind leaders Napoli midway through this campaign.
“This year is different from last year and two years ago. At the top of Serie A there are a lot of strong teams and all at the same level,” the 30-year-old former Real Madrid player said.
“Napoli but also Inter, Roma and Lazio, and of course Juventus. For this reason it will be even harder to win the Scudetto, we have to work harder than ever to try to take it home. “I think it will be more complicated to repeat this season.”

Wenger’s constant gardener
a novel experience
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will sit among the Chelsea fans for Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final first-leg clash but he will be fortunate to be sitting beside his gardener as he did last season — although he admitted he did not recognise him.
The cerebral 68-year-old Frenchman, whose side will bid to bounce back after crashing out of the FA Cup to second-tier Nottingham Forest, is serving another touchline ban just as he did last February when the two sides met in the league.
Wenger is obliged to sit with the home supporters at Stamford Bridge, although he will be protected by two security guards. However, Wenger received an unexpectedly warm welcome when he took his seat beside the corporate area in February last year and was offered a handshake by a Gunners supporter. “I said ‘Good afternoon’ and he replied, ‘I’m your gardener at your house’,” Wenger was quoted as saying in The Times. “I didn’t even know him. I do have a big garden,” added Wenger.
That was as good as it got for Wenger as his side slumped to a 3-1 defeat to the eventual champions, leading to taunting from gloating Chelsea fans sitting with him. “I must tell you that was a bad experience,” said Wenger. “Very uncomfortable. I felt awkward, yes. It was not a pleasant experience.”