New injury worry for Scots

The preparations to the match at the Pittodrie have been bordering on farcical after almost half of Scotland's squad pulled out, prompting the Scottish Football Association to announce six call-ups on Sunday.

St Johnstone midfielder Davidson and Paul Caddis were additional call-ups on Monday morning, but Levein has since revealed in his pre-match press conference that the former is suffering with an ankle injury.

Wigan midfielder James McArthur and Motherwell defender Steven Saunders have therefore been asked to travel up to Aberdeen in case Davidson cannot shake off his injury.

"Murray Davidson is here and has a slight ankle knock," said Levein. "We'll see how he trains tonight. He is the only one I've got any concerns about.

"We've asked James McArthur to join the squad just in case something happens to Murray and he can't be involved.

"James will join us this afternoon and if Murray does make it we will just have an extra young player in the squad."

Levein has also revealed there were another five players unable to accept a late call-up because of injury, but he has also insisted the match was not a waste to time.

Harrison faces BBBC probe

Harrison barely threw a punch before being stopped in three rounds, with the 39-year-old being criticised for his performance.

And the British Board of Boxing of Control have confirmed that they will now "have to consider" withholding some or all of Harrison's purse for the fight.

"It is a very difficult course to take to stop someone getting paid when they have just frozen," said BBBC secretary Robert Smith.

"But rescinding some of the Audley Harrison's purse is something which we will have to consider.

"You have to bear in mind it was such a letdown for the 22,000 at the MEN Arena and the thousands watching at home.

"The board have rescinded purses when we feel a fighter has not tried. He did nothing all night.

"I think it would be extremely harsh to withhold money from him. However, the board will look at it when all the reports come in. But I wouldn't have thought so."

David Haye three stone lighter

The WBA champion tipped the scales at the 15st ½lb, his lowest weight yet as a heavyweight at Friday's weigh-in at the Lowry Theatre in the Manchester.

Harrison, in contrast, was just two pounds lighter than his career heaviest, at a whopping 18st 1½lbs - a daunting 42½lbs heavier.

With Lennox Lewis in the attendance, the challenger was first on the scales and was booed by some sections of the 1,000-strong crowd.

David Haye came in second sporting a t-shirt with 'No You Can't' emblazoned across the front and literally hopped and off the scales. He kept that off for the rest of the weigh-in, while Harrison was quick to put his back on.

When MC Gary Logan read out Haye's weight there was an audible gasp, but the champion insists his lightness does not mean he is going to hit and run as he did with Nikolai Valuev.

"Adam (Booth) said before we started training that if I hit all of my targets in the gym, if I did all the training that he wanted me to do and I didn't get any injuries that I would come in at around 15 stone," he said.

Lewis Hamilton fastest in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice

Lewis Hamilton laid down a marker for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by producing the fastest lap in the Friday practice.

The McLaren driver, who has a slim chance of winning the title in the Sunday's season-ending race, went round in one minute, 40.888 seconds at Yas Marina.

Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, third in the standings, was second quickest with a 1:41.145 while Ferrari's championship leader Fernando Alonso was third.

Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber was 0.427 seconds off the pace in the fourth.

With teams not obliged to reveal the exact fuel loads their cars are carrying during practice, it is difficult to read too much into the results.

But it does appear that McLaren may have the pace to match Red Bull and Ferrari come race day and that is essential if Hamilton is to have any hope of lifting his second Formula 1 crown.

The Englishman sits fourth in the drivers' championship, 24 points adrift of Alonso with 25 awarded for a win.

So he must triumph on Sunday and pray that Alonso finishes out of the scoring, or his dreams are over for another year.

For Alonso, who has won three of the last five races, the situation is far more desirable. Finish first or second and the title is his. He is bidding for a third drivers' championship and his first for Ferrari.

If, however, Alonso finishes third or worse, victory for Webber would see the 34-year-old Australian clinch his maiden title. Webber is currently second in the standings, eight points behind Alonso.

Vettel won in Brazil last time out to keep himself in with a shout but, in trailing Alonso by 15 points, he needs to win and hope the Spaniard finishes fifth or worse.

Drogba looking forward

The Ivory Coast international started on Sunday's 2-0 loss at Liverpool on the bench following concerns over his fitness, but he is expected to be named in the starting XI for his side's meeting with the Fulham on Wednesday.

Drogba is relieved to finally have his illness resolved and is now itching to return to scoring ways in the league, having not netted since 3rd October versus Arsenal

He told the club's official website: "When you don't know exactly what it is and it's not treated it can come and go, and you have some weeks when the fever can be high, so that's what I had, but now it will be better.

"Unfortunately we only found out [on Monday] it was malaria, but it was for a month now. Now we know exactly what it is so we can go forward."

He added: "Obviously I want to score every game, but when you can't, when you're not 100 per cent, it's better to try a way to help your team-mates, maybe creating assists, maybe defending a little bit more, it's not a problem for me.

"I think I'll get better and start to score again, and if that's what people want I think I can do that!"

Meanwhile, Blues winger Florent Malouda is eager for a rapid response by his side following their setback against Liverpool.

Murray battles back in Paris masters

Andy Murray fought back from a set down to beat the David Nalbandian and move into the third round of the Paris Masters.

The Scot was caught cold at the start of the match as his opponent dominated proceedings both from the back of the court and up at the net.

Opting to change his tactics after losing a one-sided first set, Murray played his way back into the match as he looked to dictate from the net whenever possible.

It paid dividends as he pinched a tight second set and he finished it strongly in the decider to triumph 2-6 6-4 6-3.

"Yeah, it was very difficult," he told afterwards. "I had to change my game completely.

"I had to serve and volley pretty much the whole of the second set because I couldn't win a point from the back of the court - he was moving me around everywhere.

"Maybe it's something I need to look to do more often.

Lakers can win 73

If you’ve followed the NBA long enough, you know there’s a talent requirement that the past champions have had on their way to glory.

The number is 2.5.

With the exception of the 2004 Pistons, you can make the case that whatever team was left standing at the end had two legitimate stars, plus one major contributor on the roster. As Nate McMillan attested Sunday, the Lakers clearly have the number covered and then some.

Following the thrashing of his Trail Blazers by the league’s racing-fuel-octane-level offense, the Blazers’ coach offered up a statement that left no room for interpretation.

"Lamar Odom, right now, he’s an All-Star," said McMillan.

Throw in Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and a new-and-improved Shannon Brown to the already-solid rotation and it looks as though the Lakers have a serious shot at a league-record 73 wins.

Lakers have the fewest set of the back-to-backs (15) and don't truly face a test until Miami brings its show to town on Christmas Day.

So if the Lakers can stay healthy and continue clicking on all cylinders, who's really going to stop them?

Brandon Roy, Portland’s All-Star guard who was harassed by Ron Artest into a miserable 1-of-6 shooting night on Sunday, was clearly frustrated at his performance after the Blazers' 129-96 meltdown in L.A.