Alan Pardew eager for Crystal Palace to adopt tiki-taka style for new Premier League season August 11, 2016 Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has promised a new brand of football this season with a slant towards the tiki-taka style pioneered by reigning La Liga champions Barcelona. The Eagles have bolstered their squad with the close season signings of former Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, defender James Tomkins from West Ham and Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda. [...]
Title rivals must be desperate to spend so much, says Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino August 11, 2016 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes the club’s Premier League title rivals’ summer spending sprees are evidence of desperation. Manchester United have led the way with a world record £89m deal for Paul Pogba, while Manchester City have also shelled out around £150m and Chelsea remain in the market having spent £65m. “When you spend a lot [...]
Olympics must watch events: Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah, Danny Willett, Andy Murray and more…there’s plenty to watch this weekend August 11, 2016 The Rio Olympics could catch fire this weekend when a long list of familiar faces and returning heroes make their Rio bows. Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Jo Pavey, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Usain Bolt and Greg Rutherford are all in action. Excited yet? Here’s what not to miss this weekend. Friday Rio’s Olympic Stadium will stage competition for the first [...]
Horse racing betting: Take on Orion’s Bow with Richard Fahey’s Nuno Tristan at Ripon August 11, 2016 We are in the middle of a brief quiet spell in racing, but York’s Ebor meeting takes centre stage next week and The Punter will be covering all four days. The big betting race this weekend is Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid (Saturday 3.55pm) which is sandwiched between the Steward’s Cup and next month’s Ayr Gold Cup. David [...]
Premier League betting: Toothless Tigers set to feel the full force of fearless Foxes August 11, 2016 Newly-promoted teams normally arrive in the Premier League full of hope and confidence for the season ahead. That can’t be said for play-off winners Hull, though, who start the campaign with a caretaker manager, a host of injuries and an army of angry fans. It’s been a disastrous close season for the Tigers and I [...]
Premier League betting: Absent Arsenal players will give Liverpool reasons to be cheerful August 11, 2016 The first match of the season is a time for optimism, with all football fans dreaming that this could be their year. Sometimes those dreams even come true – just ask Leicester. Such hopefulness is thin on the ground at Arsenal, however, with supporters fearing the club has gone backwards over the summer. Chelsea, Liverpool and [...]
History boy Max Whitlock savours success alongside idol Kohei Uchimura – but more medals could be in store August 11, 2016 He could yet leave Rio with more precious metal, but Max Whitlock insists he has already accomplished one life goal by becoming the first British gymnast to win an all-around medal at the Olympics since 1908. Whitlock made up for the disappointment of missing out on the podium in the team event earlier this week [...]
England v Spain: Sam Allardyce to face off against fellow international newbie Julen Lopetegui in November friendly August 11, 2016 Sam Allardyce will face fellow new international manager Julen Lopetegui in his first big test as England boss when his Three Lions side play 2010 World Cup winners Spain on 15 November. England will play host Lopetegui's Spain at Wembley in their final match of 2016, four days after a World Cup qualifying match against Scotland. The last time the [...]
Government urged to lift ban and allow Premier League clubs to introduce safe standing August 11, 2016 Sport Minister Tracey Crouch has come under renewed pressure on the eve of the new Premier League season to allow England’s leading clubs to reintroduce standing areas at their stadia. A report published today by think tank the Adam Smith Institute (ASI) says the use of “safe standing” sections is backed by most top-flight teams [...]
Global investors increasingly drawn to English football’s booming bargain bin August 11, 2016 Wealthy Premier League clubs and extravagant transfers such as Manchester United’s world record deal for Paul Pogba may hog the limelight, but canny investors are increasingly taken by England’s less glamorous teams. Four in 10 clubs in the three divisions below the top flight fielded approaches from potential investors in the last year, and that [...]