Wilkommen bei den Schatten » Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star

Sunday will be the first time Diego Costa and Chris Smalling have clashed in club football - but the Manchester United defender had the upper hand when the pair met on the international stage. Striker Costa was suspended for the 0-0 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United at Old Trafford in December, and missed both fixtures between the clubs last season with hamstring injuries.However, he did come up against Smalling when Spain hosted England in a friendly last November. Spain eventually ran out 2-0 winners, but the game was goalless when Costa was substituted on 64 minutes. This will be Costas first-ever game against Manchester United. Hell hope it goes better than his previous encounter with Louis van Gaal - Costa and Spain were on the end of a 5-1 group stage defeat to the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup.However, Costa has rediscovered some good form and has flourished under interim boss Guus Hiddink with five goals in six Premier League appearances under the Dutchman. That is a marked improvement on his goal ratio under Jose Mourinho this season. Diego Costa under Mourinho and Hiddink in Premier League Under Mourinho Under Hiddink 14 Apps 6 3 Goals 5 394 Mins/goal 102 14.3% Shot conversion rate 29.4% 52% Shooting accuracy 47% 1.5 Attempts/game 2.8 55 Sprints/game 65 Overall, Costa is taking twice as long to hit the back of the net this season compared to last, scoring a goal every 211 minutes compared to a goal every 104 minutes. Diego Costa - 2014/15 v 2015/16 in Premier League Last season This season 20 Goals 8 104 Mins/goal 211 35% Shot conversion rate 21% 64% Shooting accuracy 50% 2.2 Attempts/game 1.9 Only one of Costas eight league goals this season have come against a side currently in the top eight - good news for fifth-placed Manchester United - against Arsenal two weeks ago. It was a similar story with his 20 league goals last season as only three came against last seasons top six. Chris Smalling has been Manchester Uniteds top defender this season Smalling, meanwhile, is Manchester Uniteds top appearance maker in all competitions this season, starting 35 of their 36 games. Hes played every minute of 23 of their 24 league fixtures, only missing Uniteds 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in December due to a groin injury. Rise of Smalling From non-league to Englands best defender, we chart the rise of Chris Smalling Smalling has made the most clearances (128) and made the most interceptions (62) for United in the Premier League this season. Englands top centre-backs Player Clearances/game Interceptions/game Tackles won/game Duels won/game Aerials won/game Smalling 5.6 2.7 1.4 5.6 3.3 Jones 2.4 1.3 0.7 3.2 2.0 Stones 3.5 1.9 1.3 4.8 1.4 Jagielka 7.8 2.4 0.7 4.8 2.7 Cahill 5.1 2.3 0.8 2.9 2.9 Terry 3.8 1.7 0.7 3.3 2.1 Smalling has been a major contributor to United having the second best defensive record in the Premier League this season, conceding just 21 goals in 24 games. The 26-year-old has been involved in 12 clean sheets in the league this season, more than any other player. Most clean sheets in Premier League this season Smalling - 12Bellerin - 11Cech - 11Hart - 11 Smalling has faced last seasons top-six sides six times in the Premier League this season and has contributed to clean sheets in four of these games, including the 0-0 against Chelsea at Old Trafford in December. Most clean sheets in Europes top five leagues Atletico Madrid - 14PSG - 14Angers - 13Inter - 13Bayern - 12Man Utd - 12 Costa will be looking to extend Hiddinks nine-match unbeaten run since re-joining Chelsea in December, but will have to be at his best to find a way past Smalling. Watch Chelsea v Man Utd live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday Also See: Man Utds stylish response Hiddink: Costa was provoked NHL Jerseys China . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Store . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. http://www.jerseyscheapnhl.com/?tag=cheap-patrice-bergeron-jersey .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. Cheap NHL Jerseys From China . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Cheap New York Rangers Jerseys . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. MIAMI -- Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda figures to be a rested and dangerous pitcher on Sunday against the Miami Marlins.Maeda will be pitching on six days rest, which was pretty much his schedule in his native Japan.The 28-year-old is 14-8 this season with a 3.29 ERA. But in starts where he pitches on at least five days rest, he is even better (3.14 ERA in 89 innings).With the extra day, Kenta has performed, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. But whatever situation we put him in, he is going to perform.Indeed, if not for Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, Maeda would likely be the National League Rookie of the Year. Seager is hitting .318 with 39 doubles, three triples and 66 RBI.It has been 20 years since the Dodgers have had one of their players win the NL Rookie of the Year award.Consider that two-decade drought over. It will be Seager.Perhaps it is fitting that Seager and Maeda are considered the NLs top two rookies this year because the Dodgers have prided themselves on their minor-league system for decades.Starting in 1992, the Dodgers organization burst with pride, producing five straight Rookie of the Year winners. That fab five consisted of first baseman Eric Karros in 92 followed by catcher and eventual Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, outfielder Raul Mondesi, pitcher Hideo Nomo and outfielder Todd Hollandsworth.Since the NL started honoring its top rookies in 1949, no other organization has ever won that award more than two years in a row.In fact, the Dodgers had streaks of more than two in a row twwice -- 92-96 and also 79-82.dddddddddddd That latter streak included pitchers Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe and Fernando Valenzuela as well as second baseman Steve Sax.Seager and Maeda fit in just fine with all those names. And Maeda has fit seamlessly into the rotation of the Dodgers, who have gone 17-10 in games he has started.Another win could be coming Sunday as the Dodgers face Marlins rookie right-hander Jose Urena, who is 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA.Urena lost his most recent outing 4-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.It seemed like Jose was up in the zone more than we had seen in his previous couple of outings, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. He had more unfavorable counts, more off-speed up in the zone -- stuff like that.If stuff like that continues Sunday, that could be another loss for the Marlins (70-72), who already have been projected to have less than a two percent chance of making this years playoffs. Miami has lost 11 of its past 15 games.Meanwhile, the Dodgers (80-61) have a comfortable lead in the NL West, and they just got outfielder Andre Ethier (broken leg) off the disabled list for the first time all year.Its possible that the left-handed-hitting Ethier could make his first start of the year against Urena.The return of Ethier is a boost to the Dodgers, who have placed 28 different players on the disabled list this year, the most in the majors since at least 1987. ' ' '