The Sport Matrix: Saturday 31 January 2015

Reds loan move for Ings is thwarted

Liverpool’s efforts to buy Burnley striker Danny Ings in the January window and loan him back to the Lancashire club have been thwarted as any such move would contravene Premier League rules. Liverpool could push further for a permanent move in the transfer window, which ends on Monday, but Burnley are confident they can keep hold of the forward until the summer.

Carrick ruled out but Fletcher leaves

Manchester United’s injury worries have returned after Michael Carrick was ruled out for a month with a calf strain. The England international’s return to the team in November coincided with six successive league victories for Louis van Gaal’s side. Despite the injury, United are prepared to allow Darren Fletcher to join West Ham. Defender Sadiq El Fitouri has joined the club on an 18-month deal.

Jeptoo doping ban casts big shadow

Rita Jeptoo, three-time winner of the Boston Marathon and the two-time Chicago champion, has been handed a two-year doping ban in a case that has cast a shadow over Kenya’s distance runners. The 33-year-old tested positive for EPO last September, weeks before winning in Chicago. She has been banned until October 2016 and misses this year’s world championships and next year’s Rio Olympic Games.

Ferrari boss calls new car ‘sexy’

It’s a racing car. It’s red. It may look nicer than last year’s Ferrari model, which isn’t difficult, but ... sexy? Really?

It is if you are the Ferrari team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, who was in awe of the new machine, the snappily titled SF15-T, to be driven by four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.

Arrivabene said: “Last year we had an ugly car and it was a non-winning car on top of this. I like this year’s car in terms of aesthetics. I don’t know about the performance, but it’s really sexy.”

The team principal is hoping to win two grands prix this year. “I don’t want to say we are going to win the World Championship, but we are committed at least to win two races,” he said.

England in final but Johnson awaits

A 125-run partnership by James Taylor and Jos Buttler helped England beat India and book a place in tomorrow’s Tri-Series final with Australia. However, Ashes nemesis Mitchell Johnson is back in the Aussie side after a long lay-off and eyeing the variable bounce in the wicket.