The Big Friday Premier League Quiz

Australian striker Joel Griffiths has signed with China s Shanghai Shenhua in a move that will pair him with ex-Chelsea man Nicolas Anelka.

The widely-expected announcement is another big signing for a Shenhua side that appears determined to win their first silverware since 2003.

Friday s announcement comes after the 32-year-old turned down a renewal offer from Beijing Guoan, where he has spent the last three years.

During his time in the capital city, Griffiths scored 27 goals in 76 appearances on the way toward the 2009 Chinese Super League championship as well as a second-place finish last year.

I played against Shanghai Shenhua as a Beijing player before, and I thought they are one of the best clubs in China, Griffiths said at the announcement.

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If there’s one gaming franchise that Warner Bros. can generally rely on to perform well, it’s Mortal Kombat. Sure, the fighting franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years, but there’s a reason that it has grown into arguably the biggest fighting game franchise around, having delivered a number of stellar, standard setting fighting games over the course of multiple decades. In fact, the last decade and a half or so has been almost a second golden age for Mortal Kombat, with the franchise having hit a rich vein of form ever since it rebooted itself in 2009, following which it has generally enjoyed widespread critical acclaim and commercial success with each of its outings.

With Mortal Komb…

Out-of-favour Bayern Munich centre-back Breno could be set to join Serie A club Lazio on a free transfer.

Lazio are believed to be keen to add depth to their defence in the close-season transfer window, with 22-year-old Breno in their sights, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Breno joined Bayern from Sao Paulo in January 2008, but the centre-back has struggled to make an impact at the club due to a string of injuries.

Arson charges relating to a fire which broke out at his home in September 2011 have raised further questions over his future with Bayern.

The Brazilian s contract is due to expire at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, and Bayern appear to have no intention of offering Breno a new deal.

He could leave the Bundesliga giants on a free …

QPR head coach Chris Ramsey remains hopeful of securing Premier League safety, despite facing the daunting prospect of a trip to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Loftus Road outfit sit seven points adrift of safety with three matches left to play fixtures against Newcastle United and Leicester City to follow their trip to the Etihad Stadium.

QPR could even be relegated by the time they take to the pitch this weekend, should fellow strugglers Aston Villa, Newcastle, Leicester City and Hull City all win at home on Saturday.

As long as there are points to be played for, you have to believe you can do it,  said Ramsey. The mood in the squad is very good, as it always has been.

We understand we have a very big task ahead of us but we’re going to go out wit…

Rafael Benitez has ruled out the possibility of leaving Napoli to return to former club Liverpool.

The Spaniard s deal as Napoli head coach expires in June and talks on a new contract are on hold.

Benitez still has family on Merseyside having enjoyed a six-year spell as Liverpool manager between 2004 and 2010, leading the club to the UEFA Champions League title in 2005.

Liverpool have made an underwhelming start to the season and have just 14 points after 11 matches.

Subsequently there have been rumblings that the club may look to replace Brendan Rodgers in the Anfield dugout, but Benitez who visited Liverpool during the international break insists he is not considering leaving his post at the Stadio San Paolo.

If I go to Liverpool, everyone says…

Ivan Perisic is a target for Chelsea and Manchester United / image via goal.com

Ivan Perisic did not move from Inter Milan to Manchester United last summer as everyone expected, but the Croatia international could be going to England after all. According to the media in Italy, Inter have agreed to let Ivan Perisic leave the club this summer, but on one condition the player is expected to help Nerazurri book a place in the next season s Champions League.

The Croatia winger has been linked with a move to England for a while now, as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal were all mentioned to be in recent attempts to sign the experienced player. However, nothing ever materialized. Inter now feel they could let the 30-year-old move on as they continue competing in Champions…

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola welcomed the result of elections in Catalonia on Thursday that gave pro-independence parties a majority in the Spanish region.

Guardiola has been vocal proponent of Catalan independence, recording a campaign video for the Junts pel Si party before regional elections in 2015 and speaking at a rally in favour of a referendum on the region s future in July this year.

When that referendum arrived in October, it was declared illegal by the national government in Madrid and the aftermath of a vote in favour of secession from Spain plunged the country into a constitutional crisis.

The Catalan parliament was dissolved, leading to this week s fresh elections, and prominent pro-independence politicians Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart wer…

Boss Vera Pauw said her players were bowing out as “world stars” after the Republic of Ireland’s debut Women’s World Cup campaign concluded with them securing a historic point.

Having seen their last-16 hopes end following a 1-0 loss to co-hosts Australia and 2-1 defeat to Canada in their opening two matches, Ireland’s final match at their maiden major tournament ended in a 0-0 draw against Nigeria in Brisbane.

Asked how it felt for the Girls in Green to have claimed their first ever World Cup point, Pauw told RTE Sport: “It’s a fantastic feeling.

Couldn t be prouder

We ll be back | |

— Ireland Football (@IrelandFootball)

“They are 11-time African champions and I think we really had the better play. They always look…

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New coach Giampiero Ventura will not have an easy task on his Italy debut as the Azzurri play host to star-studded France at Stadio Comunale San Nicola in Bari. Les Bleus failed to lift the Euro 2016 title on home soil and will be looking to show a response to the disappointing defeat in the final with a win over their old rivals.

Italy

The Italian national team haven’t exactly enjoyed too much success of late, and it’s now been ten years since they lifted their last major trophy. After Cesare Prandelli led the Azzurri to a second-place finish at the Euro 2012, his side crashed out in the group stages at the 2014 World Cup before showings some improvement under Antonio Conte. Italy defied the odds …

Gillingham and their chairman Paul Scally have been found guilty by the Football Association of an act of race victimisation  and fined £75,000.

The charges were brought against Gillingham and Scally in October, in relation to the sacking of former striker Mark McCammon.

London-born Barbados international striker McCammon represented the club for three years before having his contract terminated in 2011.

He subsequently won an appeal for unfair dismissal due to racial discrimination at an employment tribunal in 2012 a ruling that saw McCammon awarded £68,000 in damages and that was upheld the following year.

A statement on Friday from the FA read: Gillingham FC and its chairman Paul Scally have been fined £75,000 each, subject to any appeal, after FA…