Liverpool

SUNDAY'S TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix SPEED7:30 a.m. NASCAR Sprint Cup AAA Texas 500 ESPN3 NBA Minnesota@Toronto NBA6 C. foot. Georgia Tech@Maryland (T) CSN7 NFL Carolina@Washington 51 Ravens@Cleveland 13, 91 Minnesota@Seattle 454 Pittsburgh@Giants 13, 94 Dallas@Atlanta 11, 48:20 PGA Champions: Charles Schwab: final rd. GOLF3:30 M. soccer EPL: Queens Park vs Reading FOXSOC7:25 a.m. EPL: Liverpool vs Newcastle U. FOXSOC10:30 a.m. EPL: Liverpool vs Newcastle U. (T)

Crystal Palace USA starting midfielder Bryan Harkin apparently made an impression on his team's London-based parent club. He was recently called up to train with their first team. The squads from London and Baltimore have played each other twice, in Annapolis on July 15, 2006, and in London on Sept. 7. While the English side was victorious in both games, Harkin's standout performance gained attention. This is the first call-up of a Palace USA player, and the U.S. management is excited.

Boston drama never ends Paul Doyle Hartford Courant This one's not even close — the Red Sox are beyond dysfunctional. Once considered baseball's model franchise after winning two titles in four years, the Red Sox are a mess. The team experienced an epic meltdown in 2011, and management responded by dumping manager Terry Francona before GM Theo Epstein bolted for the Cubs. The answer? Hire Bobby Valentine, a guy whose skin is too thin for Boston. Valentine accurately said the season has been miserable, as players revolted against their manager and the remnants of last year's "chicken-and-beer" collapse still lingered at Fenway Park.