Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday, Dec 26

Reuters

Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday: - - - - SOCCER English Premier League (1500 unless stated) Hull City v Manchester United (1245) Aston Villa v Crystal Palace Cardiff City v Southampton Chelsea v Swansea City Everton v Sunderland Newcastle United v Stoke City Norwich City v Fulham Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion West Ham United v Arsenal Manchester City v Liverpool (1730) Manchester City host Liverpool with top spot up for grabs LONDON - Leaders Liverpool face the daunting prospect of an away trip to Manchester City with Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton all hoping to keep pace in a full schedule of Premier League matches. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect from 1500 GMT/10 AM ET, 500 words) - - - - CRICKET Australia v England, fourth test, Melbourne (to 30) Johnson late strikes thrill record crowd at MCG MELBOURNE - Mitchell Johnson's late double strikes fired up a world record test crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and left England a rocky 226 for six after Kevin Pietersen threatened to win the opening day of the fourth Ashes match for the tourists. (CRICKET-ASHES/, moved, by Ian Ransom, 600 words) - - South Africa v India, second test, Durban (to 30) Kallis to quit tests after second match against India South Africa's Jacques Kallis, the greatest all-rounder of his era, will retire from test and first-class cricket after the Boxing Day match against India in Durban, the country's cricket board said. (CRICKET-SAFRICA/KALLIS, moved, 600 words) - - Century stand puts India in control DURBAN - A second-wicket century stand between Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara put India in control after they went to tea at 163 for one on a lifeless wicket on the opening day of the second test against South Africa on Thursday.. (CRICKET-INDIA/, updates throughout, 500 words) - - - - NFL Ten teams still in playoff hunt One of the wildest and most unpredictable regular seasons ever in the NFL will conclude on Sunday with 10 teams still in the hunt for the last four playoff spots. (NFL-PLAYOFFS/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2000 GMT/3 PM ET, by Mark Lamport-Stokes, 650 words) - - Factbox on NFL playoff picture (NFL-PLAYOFFS/ (FACTBOX) - - - - NBA Clippers and Trail Blazers meet in Western showdown Two of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers, meet up in Portland in two of four games on the NBA schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0630 GMT/1:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0101 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) (Duty Editor: Justin Palmer)