A tiny sampling of the thousands of pets awaiting adoption in New Jersey.

It's that time of year again, when we spend enormous sums on pets that can't tell us they hate what we got them.

Here's just a sampling of some of the good, the bad and ... the other gifts available for your pets in 2018.

 

A 'medium dog bowl' from one company costs $32 plus shipping; it must be a water bowl because there's a molded bone sticking up in the middle of it around which the dog would otherwise have to eat. My dog enjoys her water just fine out of a 32-cent Tupperware bowl.

Another company is selling a 'Riviera Dog Bed' for only $398. The picture shows a dog that can't weigh more than 20 pounds taking up most of it. Meanwhile, a name-brand queen size mattress sells for $239, and your dog would prefer to be on a human mattress anyway, as you well know.

There's a pillow that has 'Santa, I've Been a Good Cat' stitched into it and selling for $68. No cat I've ever owned slept on a pillow and the last time I checked, they can't read anyway.

That doesn't mean all pet gifts are ... curious. I also found a beautiful embroidered pet Christmas stocking that comes with the pet's name for $29. And in the spirit of the season, there's a bag of rawhide bones that look exactly like candy canes for $15.99.

And before you picture a doting senior like me as the purchaser of such things, take note: according to a survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers and reported on mercurynews.com, "people in the 17- to 21-year-old age group -- which PwC calls "mature Generation Z" -- will spend an average of $71 on their pets this holiday season."

"Urban dwellers in large cities will spend about the same," the article goes on to note, "followed by fathers between the ages of 22 and 35, who will spend $70 on their pets."

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

This summer, the forward helped lead France to the 2018 World Cup, becoming just the second teenager to score a goal in the final.

LUKA MODRIC WINS 2018 BALLON D'OR

For a decade, there have been only two names on the Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Monday night in France, a player has finally broken the stranglehold that duo held over the golden trophy.

For the first time since Kaka in 2007, there is a new name on the award for best footballer on the planet. Luka Modric, the diminutive midfielder who helped Real Madrid win its third straight UEFA Champions League title and captained Croatia to a 2018 World Cup runner up finish, beat out Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann to scoop up the Ballon d'Or.

It is the third individual award for 33-year-old Modric this season, after he won the FIFA Golden Ball as the top player at the 2018 World Cup, and the 2018 FIFA Best Men's Player award.

"It's a unique feeling, I'm happy, proud and it's an honor," Modric said on the podium. "I just want to thank all those who helped me to be here tonight. I thank my team-mates, my coaches, the staff and Real Madrid, all those who work there, the coaches and team-mates in the national team, the ones who voted for me and my family, which allows me to blossom as a person.

"Always have dreams. I wanted to play in a big club, win titles, the Ballon d'Or is all I could dream about as a child. It is an honor to win it tonight. It is a great pleasure to be here around these players. I keep thinking, I'm trying to get used to being part of this group of exceptional players who have won the Ballon d'Or in history. It's a great pleasure to be part of this group.

"Throughout my career I understood that work, persistence, believing in yourself, is the basis for expressing your talent. I like a saying; the best is never easy. For me, it was not easy. It was necessary to seize the opportunities."

Lionel Messi finished fifth in the voting, the first time the Barcelona and Argentina player has been outside the top three since 2006.

KYLIAN MBAPPE WINS INAUGURAL KOPA TROPHY

Kylian Mbappe's whirlwind career continued its ascent Monday, after he was named the first winner of the Kopa Trophy, presented to the top U-21 player in the world.

The award is named after France and Real Madrid star Raymond Kopa, winner of the 1958 Ballon D'Or.

Since the start of 2017, the 19-year-old has won some of the most prestigious awards there are in world football. He was named to the UEFA Champions League team of the tournament in 2016-17, after he led Monaco to the semifinals. Later that season, after his transfer to PSG, Mbappe won the 2017 Golden Boy trophy, 

This summer, the forward helped lead France to the 2018 World Cup title, becoming just the second teenager to score a goal in the final (Pele, 1958). Mbappe scored four goals for France in the tournament, and won the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player award, as well as earning a spot on the FIFA Dream Team 11.

Mbappe also finished fourth in the Ballon D'Or voting Monday.

Arsenal jumps into top 4 with emphatic win over Spurs; Hughes sacked

MIDWEEK PREMIER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

Tuesday

Bournemouth vs. Huddersfield, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Brighton vs. Crystal Palace, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Wes Ham vs. Cardiff City, 2:45 p.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Watford vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Wednesday

Burnley vs. Liverpool, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Everton vs. Newcastle United, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Fulham vs. Leicester City, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Wolverhampton vs. Chelsea, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Manchester United vs. Arsenal, 3 p.m. (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Tottenham vs. Southampton, 2:45 EST (NBC Sports Gold)

F.A. CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW RESULTS

Bolton Wanderers vs. Walsall OR Sunderland

Millwall vs. Hull City

Gillingham vs. Cardiff City

Brentford vs. Oxford United

Sheffield Wednesday vs. Luton Town

Manchester United vs. Reading

Everton vs. Lincoln City

Tranmere Rovers OR Southport vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Preston North End vs. Doncaster Rovers

Newcastle United vs. Blackburn Rovers

Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace vs. Grimsby Town

Derby County vs. Southampton

Accrington Stanley vs. Ipswich Town

Bristol City vs. Huddersfield Town

Wrexham vs. Leicester City

Fulham vs. Oldham

Shrewsbury Town vs. Stoke City

Solihull Moors OR Blackpool vs. Arsenal

Manchester City vs. Rotherham

AFC Bournemouth vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

West Ham United vs. Birmingham City

Woking vs. Watford

Burnley vs. Barnsley

QPR vs. Leeds United

Sheffield United vs. Barnet

Norwich City vs. Portsmouth

Middlesbrough vs. Peterborough United OR Bradford City

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Liverpool

Aston Villa vs. Swansea City 

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Dale Tiongson's upset and Patrick Brucki's clincher helped the Tigers upset the nation's No. 8 team. Pat Glory, Matt Kolodzik and Kevin Parker also won for Princeton

There was a strong indication at the beginning of the 2018-2019 wrestling season that Princeton University could field one of its strongest wrestling teams ever. 

A heralded freshman class spear-headed by Delbarton two-time state champion Pat Glory and the country's No. 1-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, Matt Kolodzik, meant the Tigers were primed to take a big jump. 

Last Friday, Princeton took that jump, defeating No. 8 Lehigh, 21-19, in a road dual at sold-out Grace Hall. 

"It was probably the program's biggest win ever," said Princeton coach Chris Ayres, who was a Lehigh wrestler and assistant coach. "We've never beaten them there, and 1968 was the last year Princeton beat them period and we've wrestled them a lot of times." 

N.J. in national college rankings

Princeton took a couple close losses early in the dual as freshman Marshall Keller (141) and Quincy Monday (157) both fell by a point, and it seemed like the match was trending towards finishing like the Tigers' 22-18 loss at Wisconsin 12 days earlier. 

But then sophomore Dale Tiongson upset No. 11 Cole Walter, 5-3, at 165 pounds, and the Tigers could see their way to the upset. Freshman Travis Stefanik (174) held seventh-ranked Jordan Kutler to a decision, which enabled junior Kevin Parker's technical fall at 184 and Patrick Brucki's 7-4 win over Jake Jakobsen at 197 to clinch the dual. 

Brucki was ranked seventh in the country and Jakobsen 15^th.  Glory (125) and Kolodzik (149) won by technical fall, earning key bonus points.

"Dale was our MVP 100 percent," said Ayres. "Sometimes progression is not a gradual steady curve. You make big jumps and he made a big jump in the Lehigh match. He stayed in the fight. He smelled blood and kept the heat on. It was exciting." 

Ayres said the groundwork for the win at Lehigh started in the previous match. Princeton lost to No. 3 Iowa, 31-10, before falling to Wisconsin, which was then ranked 15^th, 22-18. 

Wisconsin is now 6-0 and ranked 10th, but Ayres felt like the match slipped through their fingers. 

"The Wisconsin match was a tough one to take," admitted Ayres. "But an interesting thing happened. ... I don't lay into teams much. We didn't wrestle terribly, but there were three matches that could have gone our way and didn't and I let them know that. Then I went down to the locker room myself. 

"When the team got down there, Pat Glory made a statement, said he wanted to talk to everyone and he said the team had to decide what they wanted to be. A couple other guys talked and at that point I really felt like they took ownership of the team, and it was a pretty cool moment. 

"I think when we look back at this season, it will be pre-Iowa trip and post-Iowa trip. We came out of that trip a different team." 

Princeton has another chance this weekend to build on the Lehigh victory, wrestling No. 14 Virginia Tech and Virginia. A pair of wins should keep the Tigers in the national Top 20 to stay - and not just for this year considering they don't have a senior in their lineup.

Princeton is currently unranked by the NCAA but is 14th by FloWrestling and is 13th as a tournament team by Intermat.

"When you say you belong among the top 10 teams in the country, you need validation and Lehigh gave us that," said Ayres. "Our guys know the schedule in front of them. It might be the toughest in the country. But we're not going into any of these matches asking how are we going to win this match? We know we can."

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Like our NJ.com High School Wrestling Facebook Page.

Can the Reds keep the pressure on Manchester City until the two teams meet January 3?

After 15 match weeks, there is a two-horse race for the Premier League title.

Sure, one could say that Tottenham, with 33 points sitting in third, could make a second half charge. Or that maybe Arsenal or Chelsea, with just two losses sitting on 31 points apiece, could turn some of their draws into wins in the new year.

But it will not matter.

None of those three teams, nor any team under them in the standings, will finish within 10 points of the top two (and that might be massively generous; it might be more like 15-20.)

Manchester City and Liverpool have yet to lose a game in the league. But there is a definite gap in class between the two squads. The Cityzens' second team 11 would most likely be in the top four, while the Reds may be a key injury away from falling back.

With 23 matches left to play, Liverpool has to stay healthy to mount a challenge.

Can the Reds keep the pressure on Manchester City until the two teams meet January 3?

MIDWEEK RESULTS

Tuesday

Bournemouth 2-1 Huddersfield

Brighton 3-1 Crystal Palace

West Ham United 3-1 Cardiff City

Watford 1-2 Manchester City

Wednesday

Burnley 1-3 Liverpool

Everton 1-1 Newcastle United

Fulham 1-1 Leicester City

Wolverhampton 2-1 Chelsea

Manchester United 2-2 Arsenal

Tottenham 3-1 Southampton 

MIDWEEK'S THREE STARS 

Diogo Jota, Wolverhampton

Attacking midfielder helped drag Wolves back into the contest with Chelsea. Jota then scored the winner in the 63rd minute.

Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool

The center back had an assist, but was also a rock at the back for Liverpool in the 3-1 win over Burnley. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.76 rating.

Callum Wilson, Bournemouth

The rise of the Cherries continues, and Wilson has led the way at the top of the formation. His first half goal proved to be the winner for Bournemouth Tuesday. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.00 rating.

Luka Modric wins Ballon d'Or, while Kylian Mbappe wins inaugural Kopa

RELEGATION BATTLE FOR THE AGES IS BREWING 

With the most lucrative TV deal in the history of the sport kicking in next season, the incentive to stay in the Premier League has never been higher.

While the race at the top of the table may be done by early April, unless Liverpool can sustain pressure, the relegation battle is shaping up to be one of the tightest in league history.

After 15 games, seven teams sit within four points of each other from 14th to 20th. West Ham United in 13th, with 18 points, seems to have righted the ship, while Wolverhampton in 12th seems to have enough quality to survive into its second season back in the top flight.

The teams that are currently in danger are Newcastle United (14th, 13 points), Crystal Palace (15th, 12 points), Cardiff City (16th, 11 points), Huddersfield Town (17th, 10 points), Southampton (18th, nine points), Burnley (19th, nine points), and Fulham (20th, nine points).

There is still a long way to go, and this could look differently after the packed festive period and with managerial changes that will ultimately occur (and have already started). 

Can any one of these teams make a mini run up the table in the next month towards safety? Many of these teams will play each other before the F.A. Cup third round starts January 7.

Which three teams will be relegated? That picture might not be clear until the final minutes of the season.

MANCHESTER CITY WEEKLY PREMIER LEAGUE UNBEATEN WATCH

Did Manchester City lose midweek?

No, although Watford pushed the Cityzens over the final 30 minutes and could have come away with a draw.

But the Hornets never found the tying goal, and Manchester City now has 41 points from 15 games (13 wins and two draws).

This Saturday, City will have its toughest test until the Liverpool match January 3. The Cityzens will travel to London to face Chelsea, which was shocked midweek by a Wolverhampton team that had been reeling.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Saturday

Bournemouth vs. Liverpool, 7:30 a.m EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Arsenal vs. Huddersfield Town, 10 a.m. EST (CNBC and Fubo.tv)

Burnley vs. Brighton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Cardiff City vs. Southampton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Manchester United vs. Fulham, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

West Ham United vs. Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Chelsea vs. Manchester City, 12:30 p.m. EST (NBC and Fubo.tv)

Leicester City vs. Tottenham, 2:45 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Sunday 

Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton, 11 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Monday

Everton vs. Watford, 3 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

The food shopping experience hasn't changed a lot over the years.

We already have drones delivering online purchases in some parts of the country. You have to admit - you probably didn't think you'd live to see the day.

Yet it's interesting that supermarkets are remarkably similar today to the experience a succession of generations have had over the years.

Think about it. The manual cash register (and its almost musical sound) has been replaced by bar code scanners ... but the process of your purchases passing along a conveyor as you move through the thin checkout line is hardly different.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Items are still arranged in rows of shelves that we push shopping carts up and down. The carts themselves may be made of plastic instead of metal but the design has barely been altered.

Fruits and vegetables are still open to be chosen individually; meats and fish are neatly arranged in refrigerated displays. It's an experience we had as children that our own children -- and likely their children - have been and will be able to share.

Here's a gallery of vintage photos of supermarkets in New Jersey. And here are links to more vintage photo galleries of supermarkets and food stores in the Garden State.

Vintage N.J. photos of supermarkets

Vintage photos of supermarkets and food stores in N.J.

Vintage photos of neighborhood food stores in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Copa Libertadores second leg (2-2 aggregate) River Plate vs. Boca Juniors, 2:30 p.m. EST

Saturday

Bournemouth vs. Liverpool, 7:30 a.m EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Arsenal vs. Huddersfield Town, 10 a.m. EST (CNBC and Fubo.tv)

Burnley vs. Brighton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Cardiff City vs. Southampton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Manchester United vs. Fulham, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

West Ham United vs. Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Chelsea vs. Manchester City, 12:30 p.m. EST (NBC and Fubo.tv)

Leicester City vs. Tottenham, 2:45 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Sunday 

Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton, 11 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Monday

Everton vs. Watford, 3 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Manchester City and Liverpool in two-horse race Premier League race

OTHER NOTABLE MATCHES

Friday

Serie A

Juventus vs. Inter, 2:30 p.m. EST (ESPN+)

Sunday

Copa Libertadores Final, leg two (2-2 on aggregate)

River Plate vs. Boca Juniors, 2:30 p.m. EST (Telemundo, FOX Deportes, and Fubo.tv)

MLS Cup Final

Atlanta United vs. Portland Timbers, 8:00 p.m. EST (FOX and Fubo.tv)

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Perseverance, determination could lead to NFL for the former Hamilton star

PISCATAWAY - The lobby of the Hale Center was anything but bustling the other afternoon.

Occasionally a football player in winter sweats would emerge from the weight room and head toward the parking lot. Moments later a few female athletes walked toward the glass doors, eyes fixated on cell phones.

Saquan Hampton

To their right are glass cases displaying artistic hardware from bowl games. Among them the 2005 Insight Bowl, a shootout against local favorite Arizona State. The 2006 Texas Bowl, a season highlighted by a national upset of No. 3 Louisville and the final Associated Press ranking at No. 12.

Also, the 2007 International Bowl in chilly Toronto with a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl win over N.C. State. The 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl win over Central Florida.

Five straight bowl games. Those were the days.

Saquan Hampton doesn't really remember them. He had just turned 10 and was in elementary school in Hamilton, enjoying his own football experiences and still a few years from an outstanding football career at Nottingham High School.

His football experiences in the Rutgers program have been a bit different. Having redshirted freshman year in the fall of 2014, Hampton will graduate this month with a degree in Labor Studies. Though he leaves having been a senior captain, he leaves without having played in a bowl game; not even on a winning team.

Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley runs right at Hampton during their Nov. 17, 2018 game at Rutgers. (Joe Hermitt | PennLive)

Over his four seasons the Scarlet Knights compiled an overall record of 11-37. They won four Big 10 games. This year was the worst.

They won one game. They lost 11 straight.

And they didn't just lose. They lost by scores of 58-0, 78-0, 49-0, 39-0. And 41-0 (to Indiana, no less).

Still, the college experience isn't all about statistics. There were four-plus years on campus, academic success, friends made, memories stored into emotional glass cases.

"I'm leaving here a better man,'' Hampton said, sitting on a black leather couch in a lobby that screams bright red. "I would say I'm smarter. They help mold you here, help develop you. I think that's the biggest thing. It prepares you for life. You go through adversity here, and in life that happens.''

Yes, stuff happens.

He missed a handful of games with injuries. But he did put up some numbers. His interception at Michigan State was the fifth of his career. He started 27 games at free safety, was in on 177 tackles.

He led both vocally and by example, a defensive leader with a keep-pushing attitude that was both effective and challenging as the losses continued. He tried to maintain the energy, keep the team motivated, the team united. Especially this season. Especially the final month.

The season ended two weeks ago, 14-10 at Michigan State. Rutgers had the game, but did not hold on. The week before it hosted Penn State. Inspired or not, Penn State won 20-7. A few weeks prior Rutgers lost 18-15 to Northwestern, which last week played in the Big 10 Conference championship game.

The last game, Hampton's last college game, may have hurt the most.

"Devastating,'' is how he put it. "For a player like me, who hates to lose any game; my last game. But I left it all on the field. I will miss being with my brothers, my guys. That's the biggest thing.''

Saquan Hampton (left) and Janarion Grant (now with the Baltimore Ravens) smile during a 2017 practice. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media)

Across the lobby on a large wall screen, highlights repeated, some with a background of the alma mater. "On the banks of the old Raritan, my boys..."

Later this week he will blend into the alma mater. From there, he hopes to continue playing football.

"I feel like I still haven't reached my full potential yet. I feel like I had my best season. I feel like I have a lot more in me that I'm going to show. I'm going to go 110 percent,'' he said about his pursuit of a pro football career.

Whenever that ends, Hampton might pursue a career related to fashion.

He's admits he's quite the dresser. "I would say so," he said with a smile. Teased that his winter jacket and hoodie did not suggest that, he laughed. "Yeah, this is sweat pants and just chillin' clothes.''

Perhaps more immediate was his black beanie with gold letters spelling out the word, "transition."

He is in the process of hiring an agent and then relocating to a training site in preparation for Pro Days this winter.

Seems just only yesterday he was finishing his scholastic career, one which included a Central Jersey Group 3 title as a junior and reaching the Group 4 semis as a senior.

So what advice would 22-year-old Hampton give to 17-year-old Saquan?

"I would say persevere. There's gonna be some ups and downs, but you have to be able to bounce back. That's the most important thing. It goes so fast. It's crazy. The whole process,'' he added, "is just growing up and perseverance.''

The Bluebirds now have three wins in their last five matches, after Paterson's 74th minute goal gave them a 1-0 win over reeling Southhampton.

City has fallen!

It took a N'Golo Kante thunderbolt, and a David Luiz tally late in the second half, as Chelsea took out Manchester City Saturday afternoon.

The loss for the Cityzens ends their unbeaten run to start the 2018-19 Premier League at 15 matches, and has the defending champion sitting behind the new leaders, Liverpool.

The Reds took care of Bournemouth in the early match, and now have to turn their attention to Tuesday's must-win UEFA Champions League contest with Napoli.

Tottenham and Arsenal each won as well, to tighten up the top four race. Along with Chelsea, the three London teams are separated by two points in third through fifth. 

Arsenal in fifth sits eight points clear of Manchester United, which finally got a win in the league after three straight draws, albeit against a Fulham team that was happy to sit back and roll over on the road.

SATURDAY RESULTS

Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool

Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield

Burnley 1-0 Brighton 

Cardiff City 1-0 Southampton

Manchester United 4-1 Fulham

West Ham United 3-2 Crystal Palace

Chelsea 2-0 Manchester City

Leicester City 0-2 Tottenham

SATURDAY'S THREE STARS

Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea

The right back was everywhere for the Blues, in their stunning victory over City. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.94 rating.

Marcus Rashford, Manchester United

Ran his socks off all match; the attacker had two assists, then scored in the final minutes with a stunning near post strike. Rashford was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.94 rating.

Mo Salah, Liverpool

Hat trick hero led Liverpool to the top of the table. Salah was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 10 rating.

Manchester City and Liverpool in two-horse race Premier League race

WEST HAM INTO TOP 10, CARDIFF UP TO 14TH 

After a terrible start to its campaign, West Ham is now in the top half of the table after a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. The Hammers scored all three of their goals in the second half.

Cardiff City has also started to figure out the Premier League. The Bluebirds now have three wins in their last five matches, after Callum Paterson's 74th minute goal gave them a 1-0 win over reeling Southhampton.

MANCHESTER CITY WEEKLY PREMIER LEAGUE UNBEATEN WATCH

Did Manchester City lose this weekend?

YES.

The Cityzens were stunned at Stamford Bridge, 2-0 by Chelsea.

Not only did Manchester City lose its first Premier League match of the season, but it dropped into second spot in the table behind Liverpool, the lone unbeaten team left. 

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton, 11 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

MONDAY SCHEDULE

Everton vs. Watford, 3 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Pets throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Last week, I wrote about the money pet owners will spend on gifts for their furry friends this holiday season. But, what are the options for people on a budget -- or, for those, like me, who are just plain cheap?

Livingonthecheap.com has some suggestions for low-cost, and even no-cost, pet gifts.

Some household items make great cat toys. If you were going to throw out old shower curtain rings, toilet paper cardboard tubes or just plain empty boxes, your kitty can have hours of fun with them instead.

A simple homemade dog toy can be made by inserting an empty plastic water bottle into an old sock, then tying a knot in the end. Dogs love the crunching sound.

If it's okay for your dog to have peanut butter, give him or her the old plastic jar before you throw it out; it'll provide lasting fun for your dog and for you watching.

Those little bell balls that were all the rage on shoelaces can be tied to a doorknob with string to make cat toys all around your house.

Finally, you can make a durable pull toy for your dog by braiding long strips of old clothes.

The authors will have a free "book talk" on Tuesday, Dec. 11

Longtime trustees, researchers, and now authors and educators of the Stoutsburg Cemetery Association, two African-American women are on a mission to preserve their history with a book. 

Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills are the authors of, "If These Stones Could Talk: African American Presence in the Sourland Mountains."

The authors will have a free "book talk" on Tuesday, Dec. 11

The book's cover

The authors tell stories of a minority black community, and their graves, in a predominantly white region of central New Jersey, Hopewell, where they offer a window into a part of New Jersey's past that is largely missing from the historical records.

"The authors place these stories in the larger context of American history in the areas of slavery, the Civil War, freedom, and civil rights," says James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. 

"Part genealogy, part history, and part personal memoir, rooted in an amazing amount of research, the book brings to light a rich past that had almost been lost," says McPherson.

The women started their research to work on their book in 2006 when they got a call for help about the then unofficial burial ground that was targeted for bulldozing.

Soon after, they began a search through the woods for gravestone markers and they also started rummaging through land deeds, making relentless phone calls to state officials, archeologists and reporters, as they began their research.

The authors embarked on a journey through the past to document the land's hallowed purpose. Kirkus Review has called their mission a "detective-labor-of-love."

Both women have been board members of the Stoutsburg Cemetery Association that is nestled in New Jersey's Sourland Mountain region. They have deep familial ties with the area because some of their ancestors are buried there.

Their book describes how the Stoutsburg Cemetery was purchased by three black men in the early 1800s as a location to bury blacks with honor and dignity. 

Buck and Mills' forays into historic preservation work convinced them to go further into connecting African American history to local and national history books, and to even house a museum.

"Our vision for the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) is to bring awareness about the African American presence and their contributions to this region," says Buck.

"Through partnership with D&R and the Sourland Conversancy we intend to preserve and sponsor programs and events about the native ecology, plants and insects from the Sourland Mountains. We are working hand-in-hand with D&R Greenway and the Sourland supporting their vision and working to preserve our history and culture in the Sourland Mountain region."

D&R Greenway Vice President Jay Watson, said: "D&R Greenway is working to preserve lands near the proposed Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum in the area, near their site to support the museum project."

New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman reinforces the mission of the authors.

"Humanity is prone to the unfortunate habit of forgetting, avoiding and altogether rewriting history, particularly when it falls into uncomfortable territory," the congresswoman said. 

She praised their book for collecting "an important and often forgotten history of central New Jersey, (and) preserving it permanently so that everyone can understand the diverse tapestry of our past."

The authors' "book talk" will take place Tues. Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. at the D&R Greenway Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton. Interested people can rsvp@drgreenway.org, or call 609-924-4646.

Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, PSG, and Porto won their respective groups, while Real Madrid has already clinched its group before tomorrow.

All four Premier League sides will advance into the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, after both Tottenham and Liverpool scraped out the results they needed on match day six.

Both teams finished as runners-up, and will head into Monday's round of 16 draw (6:00 a.m. EST UEFA.com and Fubo.tv).

Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, PSG, and Porto won their respective groups, while Real Madrid has already clinched its group before play tomorrow. The other three groups will be decided in action Wednesday. 

TUESDAY RESULTS

(* Group winner, # Group runner up, ^ UEFA Europa League spot)

Group A

Club Brugge^ 0-0 Atletico Madrid#

Monaco 0-2 Borussia Dortmund*

Group B

Barcelona* 1-1 Tottenham#

Internazionale^ 1-1 PSV Eindhoven

Group C

Red Star Belgrade 1-4 PSG*

Liverpool# 1-0 Napoli^

Group D

Galatasaray^ 2-3 Porto*

Schalke 04# 1-0 Lokomotiv Moscow

TUESDAY'S THREE STARS

Raphael Guerreiro, Borussia Dortmund

The attacking midfielder had a brace to win the group for Dortmund, which may be a dark horse in this tournament. Guerreiro was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.62 rating.

Kylian Mbappe, PSG

Recent Kopa winner led the Parisian side through Group C. Mbappe had a goal and two assists, and was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.07 rating. 

Neymar, PSG

A stunning goal for the superstar, plus an assist. He rated out at an 8.67 on Whoscored.com 

Chelsea stuns Manchester City; Man. United routs hapless Fulham

PORTO'S 16 POINTS TOP GROUP D, DORTMUND WINS GROUP A

Porto will be the lone Portuguese side into the round of 16 for the second season running, after it demolished what was meant to be the group of life with five wins and a draw from six matches. Three different goal scorers set the tone.

In Group A, Borussia Dortmund got a brace from Rafael Guerreiro to beat Monaco, while Atletico Madrid could not break down Club Brugge. The German side joins Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich in Monday's draw.

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

(All times 3 p.m. EST unless noted)

Group E

Ajax vs. Bayern Munich (Galavision and Fubo.tv)

Benfica vs. AEK Athens

Group F

Manchester City vs. Hoffenheim

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Lyon

Group G 

Real Madrid vs. CSKA Moscow, 12:55 p.m. EST (TNT and Fubo.tv)

Viktoria Plzen vs. Roma, 12:55 p.m. EST (Galavision and Fubo.tv)

Group H 

Valencia vs. Manchester United (TNT and Fubo.tv)

Young Boys vs. Juventus (Univision and Fubo.tv)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR WEDNESDAY

There is one spot left for Monday's round of 16 draw, and that will go to either Lyon or Shakhtar Donetsk in Group F.

In the Fubo.tv Match of the Day, the two sides will battle it out on the final day of the group stage, to see which side will move on into the next round.

Lyon can still win the group with a win and a Manchester City loss, but the French team has to go on the road to Ukraine. The first focus needs to be to get any kind of result, as a loss to Shakhtar will see Lyon drop into third place, and the Ukrainian side go through as group runner-up.

The other three groups will just determine first place or runner-up finishes, plus the third place teams that will drop into the UEFA Europa League round of 32 draw.

Group E should be see the best match of the day, as Ajax will host Bayern Munich with the top spot on the line. A win for Ajax will mean the Dutch club tops the group.

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Currently, before the draw Monday, Manchester City is the favorite to win the title at 3.5/1. Barcelona is 5/1, Juventus (6/1), and PSG (7/1)

While 15 of the 16 UEFA Champions League knockout stage teams had been decided before a ball was kicked Wednesday, there was still one spot up for grabs.

Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk played out their 90-plus minute drama in the winter conditions of the Ukraine, with an orange ball, and snowflakes falling onto the pitch.

Nabil Fekir came up with the moment of magic his Lyon side needed, to ensure its advancement into the next round. For Shakhtar, like seven other third place teams that played Tuesday and Wednesday, it is a trip into the UEFA Europa League starting in early February.

Manchester City made sure it won Group F, while Manchester United put on another dud performance, which ended up costing the side, as Juventus lost in Switzerland.

The Champions League group stage is over; come Monday, the 16 teams that advanced will know who they will face in a two-legged tie over three weeks.

WEDNESDAY RESULTS

Group E

Ajax 3-3 Bayern Munich

Benfica 1-0 AEK Athens

Group F

Manchester City 2-1 Hoffenheim

Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Lyon

Group G

Real Madrid 0-3 CSKA Moscow

Viktoria Plzen 2-1 Roma

Group H

Valencia 2-1 Manchester United

Young Boys 2-1 Juventus

GROUP WINNERS

Borussia Dortmund

Barcelona

PSG

Porto

Bayern Munich

Manchester City

Real Madrid

Juventus

GROUP RUNNERS-UP

Atletico Madrid

Tottenham

Liverpool

Schalke 04

Ajax

Lyon

Roma

Manchester United

WEDNESDAY'S THREE STARS

Nabil Fekir, Lyon

His 65th minute goal sent the French side into the round of 16. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.33 rating.

Alejandro Grimaldo, Benfica

The left back had the game winner for the Lisbon side. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.28 rating

Leroy Sane, Manchester City

A brace for the left-sided attacker gave the Group F title to the Cityzens. Sane was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.69 rating.

UEFA Champions League match day 6: Liverpool, Spurs scrape through

AJAX, BAYERN MUNICH PLAY OUT THE MATCH OF THE ROUND

Two red cards, six goals, and a 3-all thriller proved that both Ajax and Bayern Munich can do some damage in this tournament.

Ajax will be the team no group winner wants to see pulled out of the pot Monday in Nyon, as the Dutch side has proven it can play with the best of Europe.

Bayern Munich, who will be without Thomas Muller in the first leg of the round of 16 after his 75th minute red card for a flying kick to the back of the head of Nicolas Tagliafico, will also be one of the favorites moving on, in what looks to be the most wide open tournament in a half decade.

Currently, before the draw Monday, Manchester City is the favorite to win the title at 3.5/1. Barcelona is 5/1, with Juventus (6/1) and PSG (7/1) the next two in line.

Three-time defending champions Real Madrid sit at 11/1.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR MONDAY

Which teams will match up with each other, as the round of 16 draw takes place at 6 a.m. EST (UEFA.com and Fubo.tv)?

There could be some heavyweight matchups, as teams are limited with who they can be drawn against in this round. No team from the same country can be matched with each other, and teams can not be matched with a team from their group stage.

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

A truly memorable decade.

If you're not in your 40s or older, you likely don't remember Arthur C. Clarke, a British historian, inventor and writer who hosted a number of television shows in the 1980s. Clarke also co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

In the 1960s, those who looked to what the future might bring tended toward "Jetsons" visions of 21^st century America, complete with cities in the clouds and flying cars. Clarke made some of his predictions in 1964 as to what life might be like 50 years later and, unlike his contemporaries, many of his predictions were spot-on.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

While not naming them, Clarke foresaw both internet and cellular technology by noting that people of the future would have instant contact with anyone anywhere on earth and that business could be conducted from any location in the world. He saw what we call telecommuting as becoming available to many workers.

Clarke predicted robotic surgery and noted that surgeons on one continent could treat patients on another. He saw people volunteering for cryogenic suspension and saw bioengineering, including cloning of animals, as scientific fact in the future.

Clarke almost perfectly described 3D printers being able to "replicate" solid items and predicted that computers, barely out of the vacuum tube era in 1964, would eventually be able to start thinking for themselves ... artificial intelligence.

Here's a look at the way things were in New Jersey back when those concepts were science fiction, not fact. And here are links to more galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage photos of the 1950s in N.J.

Vintage photos of N.J. in the 1960s

Vintage photos of the 1970s in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Arsenal has not lost a match in three months, and has a 22-match unbeaten run in all competitions to defend against the relegation threatened Saints.

When Wolverhampton was promoted to the Premier League, there were many people that thought the Wolves would be a top 10 team, and possibly challenge for a spot in the UEFA Europa League.

But the grind of the top flight had seen the Wolves fall into the doldrums for much of November.

But as Saturday showed, Wolverhampton is a dangerous team. The Wolves won their third straight, 2-0 over Bournemouth, to move into the top half of the table.

Bournemouth, however, has fallen back to the pack after a hot start to its campaign. The Cherries have now lost six of seven.

In the early match, Manchester City shook off its first loss to move back into first place, beating an Everton team that has been average for much of the year.

The late match saw West Ham win its fourth straight match for the first time in almost four years, while Fulham continued to struggle at the bottom of the table.

Four of the top six play Sunday, before the Carabao Cup quarterfinals take the stage Tuesday and Wednesday.

SATURDAY RESULTS

Manchester City 3-1 Everton

Crystal Palace 1-0 Leicester City

Huddersfield Town 0-1 Newcastle

Tottenham 1-0 Burnley 

Watford 3-2 Cardiff City

Wolverhampton 2-0 Bournemouth

Fulham 0-2 West Ham United

SATURDAY'S THREE STARS 

Gerard Deulofeu, Watford

A goal and an assist for the winger, who has settled in nicely with the Hornets. Deulofeu was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.40 rating.

Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City

His brace helped move the Cityzens back to the top of the table. Jesus was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.58 rating.

Luka Milivojevic, Crystal Palace

Captain had the game winner for the Eagles, as they start their climb up the Premier League table. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.29 rating.

Champions League: Fekir's goal in snowy Ukraine sends Lyon through

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Brighton vs. Chelsea, 8:30 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Southampton vs. Arsenal 8:30 a.m. EST (NBC Gold)

Liverpool vs. Manchester United, 11 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR SUNDAY

The second, fourth, fifth, and sixth place teams will be in action Sunday.

Arsenal has not lost a match in three months, and has a 22-match unbeaten run in all competitions to defend against the relegation threatened Saints.

Chelsea sits above the Gunners on goal difference, and will try to keep pace with the top three teams. Tottenham has opened a five-point gap in third place.

Finally, the most hated rivals in England will take the pitch at Anfield, as Liverpool looks to move back to the top of the table with a won over Manchester United.

The Red Devils come in 16 points behind Liverpool after just 16 matches, which is unacceptable in any season. Will a heavy defeat continue to sink Jose Mourinho's tenure in charge, or will the manager be able to set up his team to pull off another result?

UEFA DRAWS MONDAY WITH SIX PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS 

Monday, both UEFA competitions will hold their knockout stage draws in Nyon, Switzerland.

The Champions League draw (6 a.m. EST UEFA.com and Fubo.tv) will see four English clubs involved: Manchester City as a group winner, and Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham as group runners-up.

The Europa League draw (7 a.m. EST UEFA.com and Fubo.tv) will have two more English sides: Arsenal and Chelsea.

Manchester City (18/5) is the current betting favorite to win the Champions League, while Chelsea (9/2) and Arsenal (6/1) are the two favorites to win the Europa League.

HAS PULISIC STALLED AT DORTMUND? IS HE PREMIER LEAGUE BOUND?

Ryan Baldi wrote an interesting article here, detailing what the right winger has fought through this season with the current Bundesliga leaders. Pulisic has fallen behind Jadon Sancho in the pecking order, but has multiple suitors around the Premier League.

Imagine the marketing coup for Manchester United (or Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool) if they can sign the top American player in the world. 

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Dogs and cat throughout New Jersey await adoption.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or developments that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own. Adoptapet.com offers these suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cats' cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your local shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can always use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoptions sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets. Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to get involved but it provides immeasurable assistance.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Manchester City, as the lone group winner from England, will start on the road. The Cityzens will visit Schalke 04.

The Champions League round of 16 draw, and the Europa League round of 32 draw, took place Monday in Nyon, Switzerland.

They set up the first round of the four month knockout stages, which will end the European club football season. The Europa League final will take place May 29 at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan, while the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium (home of Atletico Madrid) will host the Champions League final June 1.

The introduction of VAR for both tournaments from the round of 16 on to the finals adds a new wrinkle, and should be interesting to watch.

Real Madrid has won the last three Champions League titles, and will start its knockout stage defense against Ajax.

The four English sides in Champions League, three of which will open at home in the two-legged ties which will start either February 12-13 or 19-20, will have some tough match ups.

Liverpool will face Bayern Munich, Manchester United will take on Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain, while Tottenham will see Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Manchester City, as the lone group winner from England, will start on the road. The Cityzens, the current favorite to win the tournament, will visit Schalke 04.

There are two more English teams in the Europa League, and they are the two betting favorites to win the competition and earn an automatic berth into next season's Champions League (if it is not in the top four of the Premier League).

Arsenal will visit Belarus to take on BATE Borisov, while Chelsea will head to Sweden to take on Malmo.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW RESULTS 

(All first round legs played at first team listed; all first leg times 3 p.m. EST.) 

First leg, Tuesday, Feb. 12; second leg Wednesday, March 6.

Manchester United vs. PSG

Roma vs. Porto

First leg Wednesday, Feb 13; second leg Tuesday, March 5.

Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund

Ajax vs. Real Madrid

First leg Tuesday, Feb. 19; second leg Wednesday, March 13

Lyon vs. Barcelona

Liverpool vs. Bayern Munich

First leg Wednesday, Feb. 20; second leg Tuesday, March 12.

Schalke 04 vs. Manchester City

Atletico Madrid vs. Juventus

Premier League: Wolves win 3rd in a row over struggling Bournemouth

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW RESULTS

(All matches played Thursday, February 14 and 21)

Viktoria Plzen vs. Dinamo Zagreb

Club Brugge vs. Salzburg

Rapid Wein vs. Internazionale 

Slavia Praha vs. Genk

Krasnodar vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen 

Zurich vs. Napoli

Malmo vs. Chelsea

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Eitracht Frankfurt

Celtic vs. Valencia

Stade Rennais vs. Real Betis Balompie

Olympiacos vs. Dynamo Kiev

Lazio vs. Sevilla

Fenerbache vs. Zenit St. Petersburg

Sporting vs. Villareal

BATE Borisov vs. Arsenal

Galatasaray vs. Benfica

SUNDAY PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS 

Southampton 3-2 Arsenal

Brighton 1-2 Chelsea

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United

SUNDAY RECAP

Southampton snapped Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten run, and also moved out of the relegation zone, with a thrilling 3-2 win. The win was Ralph Hasenhuttl's first at the helm for the Saints, since he took over from Mark Hughes.

Eden Hazard scored his eighth goal, and had his ninth assist, to lead Chelsea three points clear of the Gunners in fourth place. Those numbers for Hazard put him in elite European company: only Lionel Messi has a better start to his season.

Finally, Xherdan Shaqiri came on as a substitute and scored two deflected goals, to lead Liverpool back to the top of the table with its first league win over Manchester United in five years.

CARABAO CUP SCHEDULE

(All matches on ESPN+)

Tuesday

Leicester City vs. Manchester City

Middlesborough vs. Burton Albion

Wednesday

Arsenal vs. Tottenham

Chelsea vs. Bournemouth

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Mourinho was fired Tuesday morning, with the Red Devils sitting in sixth place, 11 points behind fourth place Chelsea and 19 points out of first place.

Much has been made of the famous "Third season syndrome" that has plagued Jose Mourinho in his later career.

Maybe there is some truth to it.

After all the acrimony in the dressing room, the shots at the board over a lack of spending in the summer, and some terrible performances on the pitch, a first loss to Liverpool in almost five years was the last straw for Ed Woodward and the Manchester United board.

Mourinho was fired Tuesday morning, with the Red Devils sitting in sixth place, 11 points behind fourth place Chelsea and 19 points out of first place. He was the fourth manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired after the 2012-2013 season, the last time Manchester United won the Premier League title.

A club statement issued on the website read:

"Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect.

"The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.

"A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."

Assistant coach Michael Carrick will take charge of the team on an interim basis, until a caretaker manager can be hired by the club sometime this week.

There have been reports lately that Mourinho had lost 90 percent of the dressing room, and club record signing Paul Pogba was one that has been mentioned often. Pogba has started the last three Premier League matches on the bench, and did not play in the 3-1 loss to Liverpool Sunday.

The midfielder posted smiling pictures on Twitter and Instagram after the firing, with the words, "Caption this!" before deleting it later. Pogba has since come under heavy criticism for the posts.

But he is just one of several players that had reportedly become disillusioned with Mourinho, and the manager's style of play.

Champions League draw: Manchester United vs. PSG, Real Madrid vs. Ajax

The firing comes almost three years to the day Mourinho was fired by Chelsea. The Blues, who were the reigning champions, started the 2015-16 campaign terribly, and sat in 16th place when Mourinho was fired on December 17, 2015 in his third season back with the club.

He lasted one day longer at United, getting the boot on December 18, in his third year with the Red Devils. 

The club will wait until the summer to appoint its next full-time manager, with Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino the favorite for the position. Pochettino is well liked by the ownership, but will come at a heavy compensation price.

The caretaker manager for the rest of the season has multiple people in the frame, including club hero Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, former player Laurent Blanc, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, and even ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

***

The reaction all over has been interesting.

Adam Newsom of the Football Whispers website spoke of Mourinho's need for a break from football.

Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United legend Gary Neville spoke on Sky Sports News about the decision.

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

Millville is home to the nation's largest holly orchard.

By now, holiday music has been playing on the radio and in stores for weeks. Some people can't get enough; others can't wait until it's over.

Lisa Hatala ready to rock out on her brand new Schroeder piano in 1964.Courtesy of the Hatala family 

There was a time when it was almost an obligation for a top-selling artist to release a Christmas-themed single or album.

Sometimes, it didn't represent the artist's best work. Esquire magazine ran an article in 2016 that included one writer's list of the worst Christmas songs of all time (by well-known artists, that is). The list includes "Wonderful Christmas Time" (Paul McCartney and Wings), "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Bruce Springsteen) and "Oh Holy Night" (Christina Aguilera).

How about the best? We'd have to base that on sales, and music sales have become a lot less simple to count.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

There was a time when sales simply meant the number of records purchased; now, with the internet, things have had to change. There are downloads instead of straight purchases and then there's streaming - according to new parameters set by the Recording Industry Association of America, for example, 150 streams of a song equals one paid download.

So with that in mind, here are the top 10 Christmas songs of all time through 2017, according to Billboard:

10.  "Last Christmas" (Wham!) 1984

9.  "White Christmas" (Bing Crosby) 1943

8.  "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) 1996

7.  "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Andy Williams) 1963

6.  "A Holly Jolly Christmas" (Burl Ives) 1964

5.  "Feliz Navidad" (Jose Feliciano) 1970

4.  "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms) 1956

3.  "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" (Nat King Cole) 1953

2.  "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Brenda Lee) 1964

1.  "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (Mariah Carey) 1994

Here's a gallery of New Jerseyans celebrating Christmas through the years. And here are links to more Christmas galleries you might enjoy.

Vintage N.J. Christmas photos

Vintage photos of celebrating Christmas in N.J.

More vintage photos of celebrating Christmas in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

Solskjaer scored one of the most memorable goals in club history, sticking his boot out in the third minute of second half stoppage time

In Wales late Saturday afternoon, there will be a new face in charge of Manchester United, but one who is familiar to fans of the Red Devils around the world.

The "Baby-faced Assassin" Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals for Manchester United in 366 appearances for the club, has taken over from Jose Mourinho on a caretaker basis for the rest of the 2018-19 season. He currently serves as the head coach of Norwegian Eliteserien side Molde, which finished second this past season. 

Solskjaer scored one of the most memorable goals in club history, sticking his boot out in the third minute of second half stoppage time to send the ball into the top of the net in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final. The goal completed a crazy injury time comeback for the Red Devils, as they won their second European Cup, 2-1 over Bayern Munich, to complete the treble (Premier League, F.A. Cup, and Champions League titles all in one season.)

Ironically, Solskjaer's first match in charge comes away to Cardiff City, the first team he managed in the Premier League. He took over Bluebirds on January 2, 2014, as they languished in the relegation zone in their first Premier League season. After the club was relegated in 20th place, Solskjaer left the club on September 18, 2014.

The weekend starts a furious two-week period of matches that will see the teams play four Premier League matches, and culminate with the third round of the F.A. Cup January 4-7.

PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Friday

Wolverhampton vs. Liverpool, 3 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Saturday

Arsenal vs. Burnley, 7:30 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Bournemouth vs. Brighton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Chelsea vs. Leicester City, 10 a.m. EST (CNBC and Fubo.tv)

Huddersfield Town vs. Southampton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Newcastle vs. Fulham, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

West Ham United vs. Watford, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Cardiff City vs. Manchester United, 12:30 p.m. EST (NBC and Fubo.tv)

Sunday

Everton vs. Tottenham, 11 a.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Jose Mourinho sacked by Manchester United

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2

With five games in two weeks for the Premier League sides, which teams can get results with their squad players?

It is amazing what can happen if a team is set up to attack.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's debut as Manchester United manager could not have been any better, as the Red Devils got goals from four different players in a rout of Cardiff City, the team Solskjaer was relegated with in his first Premier League head coaching role.

Now, the question has to be asked whether the move should have been made earlier in the season. Can United make a run over the next month to challenge the top four? 

But the shock result of the afternoon came from the other side of Manchester, as City went down at home to Crystal Palace. It took a wonder goal from Andros Townsend, and a huge defensive effort in the final 15 minutes while under siege from the Cityzens, to move the Eagles six points clear of the relegation zone.

In other matches, Jamie Vardy may have saved Claude Puel's job, while Southampton has come to life under its new manager.

Which team will be the next to make a managerial move?

FRIDAY RESULT

Wolverhampton 0-2 Liverpool

SATURDAY RESULTS 

Arsenal 3-1 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton

Chelsea 0-1 Leicester City

Huddersfield Town 1-3 Southampton

Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace

Newcastle United 0-0 Fulham

West Ham United 0-2 Watford

Cardiff City 1-5 Manchester United

SATURDAY'S THREE STARS

David Brooks, Bournemouth

The midfielder stopped the rot for the Cherries. Brook's brace lead Bournemouth, and he was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.04 rating.

Jesse Lingard, Manchester United

Two goals and an assist for Lingard, who helped lead United's newfound attack. He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with a 9.64 rating.

Andros Townsend, Crystal Palace

There might not be a better goal scored this season than the one Townsend scored (3:30 mark here). He was the Whoscored.com Man of the Match with an 8.59 rating.

Jose Mourinho sacked by Manchester United

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Everton vs. Tottenham, 11 a.m EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

WEDNESDAY BOXING DAY SCHEDULE

Fulham vs. Wolverhampton, 7:30 a.m EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Burnley vs. Everton, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Crystal Palace vs. Cardiff City, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Leicester City vs. Manchester City, 10 a.m. (NBC Sports Gold)

Liverpool vs. Newcastle, 10 a.m. (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Manchester United vs. Huddersfield Town, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Tottenham vs. Bournemouth, 10 a.m. EST (NBC Sports Gold)

Brighton vs. Arsenal, 12:15 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

Watford vs. Chelsea, 2:30 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

Southampton vs. West Ham United, 2:45 p.m. EST (NBC Sports and Fubo.tv)

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

With five games in two weeks for the Premier League sides, which teams can get results with their squad players?

Can Southampton continue its renaissance under Ralph Hasenhuettl? The Saints have won two in a row to move up to 16th in the table, and will host a West Ham team that had its four-game winning streak broken Saturday.

Will Leicester City keep winning to keep Claude Puel in a job? There were reports that his job was in danger, and he had the rest of the festive period to turn around Leicester City. Puel surely will take solace in the huge 1-0 win Saturday over Chelsea, and the Foxes will have their next two matches at home, against Manchester City and Cardiff City.

Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean His weekly podcast, Box to Box Football, can be found on iTunes here https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/box-to-box-football/id1208561351?mt=2