this year.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Homer Bailey (biceps) is scheduled for another bullpen session Wednesday. Its still possible that hell make a start or two before the year is out, Pric

Their Champions League goal achieved, Arsenal set out to further their momentum as they begin a busy holiday fixture list Saturday at home versus Stoke City.The Gunners (9-4-1) finished atop their Champions League group for the first time since 2011-12 courtesy of a 4-1 victory at FC Basel on Tuesday. Lucas Perez, who his disappointed since his much-hyped arrival from Deportivo La Coruna at the transfer deadline, notched three goals as Arsenal beat out PSG for Group A honours.The immediate good news for Arsenal is that Barcelona and Atletico Madrid cannot be drawn as possible opponents for their two-legged round of 16 knockout tie come February. Though, the glass half-empty supporters will be quick to point out manager Arsene Wenger has been dumped in the round of 16 for six consecutive years, including by AC Milan the last time they won a qualifying group back in 2011-12.On the flip side, Arsenal could be pitted against Spanish La Liga leaders Real Madrid, reigning three-time Europa League champions Sevilla and Bayern Munich. The perennial German power put the Gunners to the sword in both 2012-13 and 2013-14, advancing on away goals in 2013 and straightforward the following year.I dont even know who we can get because I dont know the results of the night, but as I told you before, we can still have a difficult draw, he told the teams official website. It will be difficult but we will have less guilt because we feel weve done the job by finishing first, and we play our second game at home. Thats what we wanted. After that, I said that there is not much difference in the draw, certainly not at the moment.Arsenal will now have nearly two months to stake their claim to be a contender for the Premier League title and enter this match in second place, three points behind Chelsea. The Gunners are 9-4-0 in league play since opening with a loss to Liverpool and claimed a derby pelt last Saturday with a 5-1 victory at West Ham United.Alexis Sanchez set up Mesut Ozil for the first goal of that contest, then scored three around one by Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain as they ran riot on the Hammers with four goals in the final 20 minutes. Sanchez has looked comfortable both leading the line and playing off Olivier Giroud, and with five goals to spark Arsenal to wins in the last two matches, there is no one in the Premier League in finer form at the moment.He has all the ingredients that you want for a centre forward, Wenger said of when asked about Sanchez playing as a central striker. We all would love his qualities to play there. And I think as well, now, he is convinced that its his best position and in every game he has that as well.He maintains that focus and will always kill you when he can. He can always deliver something special because he can dribble, has a short backlift, and he has pace. So thats why hes interesting.Sanchez -- who has 11 league goals and 13 in all competitions -- has two and two assists in three lifetime matches against Stoke, bagging a brace in a 3-0 win Jan. 11, 2015. That began Arsenals current three-match unbeaten streak (2-1-0) versus the Potters in which they have not conceded a goal.The Gunners have a 315-minute shutout streak against Stoke dating to Jonathan Walters goal on the stroke of halftime that proved to be the match-winner for the Potters in a 3-2 victory Dec. 6, 2014.Stoke City (5-4-5) have put their early season struggles long behind them as they enter this match in the top half of the table. The Potters shook off an 0-3-4 start by posting wins in five of their last seven matches (5-1-1) and are seeking a third straight victory on the trot after blanking Watford and Burnley.Walters and Marc Muniesa scored 15 minutes apart in the first half to power Stoke past the Clarets 2-0 last Saturday, and the Spanish defender has filled in ably for injured talisman Ryan Shawcross in the two victories -- which coincide with his first two league starts of 2016-17.With a busy December that has the Potters also making trips to Anfield and Stamford Bridge, the pressure is on to further the momentum to stay in the top half of the table.Were back in the top half at the moment with five tough games against top teams coming up, so we will need to be strong if we are to show people that we are capable of moving higher in the table, Muniesa told Stokes official website. We are in a very good mood at the moment and everybody will be needed.One player not available for this match will be first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, who is still recovering from a fractured ankle suffered playing for England. Butland, expected to challenge Joe Hart for the No. 1 England shirt, was held out of Stokes U-23 match last weekend as a precaution, but an MRI taken showed no damage and he could return to the senior side by Boxing Day.He has had his MRI scans and as far as Im aware its one of those where its nowhere near as complicated or as bad as the last time it happened to him, assistant coach Mark Bowen said on BBC Radio Stokes Sport at Six show. The biggest concern when coming back from an injury of such ilk is the mental state as well as anything else, not just the physical state.Stoke also will not have the services of defender Geoff Cameron, who has been sidelined by a knee injury. Arsenal are without influential holding midfielder Santi Carzola and first-choice wide back Hector Bellerin, though he and Per Mertesacker have resumed practicing with the team.Arsenal have won all eight top-flight meetings between the teams by a combined 19-3 scoreline, posting five clean sheets while scoring at least two goals in six of those victories. Wholesale Shoes Cheap . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Air Max 2000 Sale . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/air-jordan-29-sale/ . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Air Max 95 Sale . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Air Max 360 Sale . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. CHICAGO -- Dexter Fowler hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the seventh inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Monday night.Fowlers line drive into center field capped a three-run rally for the Cubs after they were shut down by Tim Adleman most of the night. It also made a winner of Jason Hammel (15-9), who pitched seven solid innings.Jason Heyward added a two-run homer in the eighth as the Cubs moved seven games ahead of Washington for the best record in the National League, lowering their magic number for clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs to five. Thats the only major goal still out there during the regular season for major league-leading Chicago after it secured the NL Central title last week.Brandon Phillips homered for last-place Cincinnati, which has lost five of six. Joey Votto went 2 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk, increasing his batting average since the All-Star break to .416.The Reds allowed three more homers to run their season total to 242, breaking the major league record of 241 belonging to the 1996 Detroit Tigers.The Cubs (95-55) were coming off a lackluster series against the Brewers, dropping three of four while celebrating their division title, and manager Joe Maddon met with his hitters before facing the Reds to talk to them about making the most of the final part of the season.Its unusual being in this position like we are right now, Maddon said after the meeting. So youve got two weeks of baseball, major league baseball, left in September, so lets work on some stuff. Lets work on things that we need to work on individually or as a group.There was no sign of any carry-over from the meeting before Addison Russell led off the seventh with a drive to left for his 21st homer. Willson Contreras crushed another homer with one out, tying it at 2 and chasing Adleman from the longest start of his rookie year.Chris Coghlan greeted Blake Wood (6-4) with a double to right. After pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella popped out, Fowler made it 3-2 with his only hit of the game.dddddddddddd.Hammel, trying to win a spot in Chicagos postseason rotation, allowed four hits and walked one during his best outing in a month. The right-hander went 1-4 with an 8.61 ERA in his previous five starts.Hector Rondon worked the eighth before Aroldis Chapman finished for his 15th save with the Cubs and 35th on the year. It was Chapmans first career appearance against Cincinnati, which traded the hard-throwing closer to the New York Yankees last December.PACKING THEM INThe paid attendance of 39,251 ran the Cubs season total to 3,028,965 with five home games left in the regular season. Its the franchises first time drawing more than 3 million since 2011, and the ninth time at Wrigley Field overall.GETTING A CHANCEReds right-hander Josh Smith will make his first start of the season Tuesday. Manager Bryan Price said the game would have a bullpen flavor to it.The Reds need a starter after playing a doubleheader Saturday.Its a good opportunity, said Smith, who threw 62 pitches Saturday. I enjoy starting. Its what I was used to until this year.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Homer Bailey (biceps) is scheduled for another bullpen session Wednesday. Its still possible that hell make a start or two before the year is out, Price said. ... A day after saying CF Billy Hamilton (oblique) was improbable to return this season, Price put SS Zack Cozart (knee) in the same category. Were certainly not going to rush him through the rehab process, Price said.Cubs: OF Jorge Soler (tightness on his right side) could be available to pinch hit on Tuesday, according to Maddon. ... Right-handed reliever Pedro Strop, who is coming back from knee and groin injuries, is on track to pitch in a simulated game soon.UP NEXTSmith (3-1, 4.97 ERA) will be opposed by Cubs LHP Jon Lester (17-4, 2.40), who is 8-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last 11 starts.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '