Premier League: Skrtel reopens old wounds as Arsenal falter December 21, 2014 LIVERPOOL 2 ARSENAL 2 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger blamed a hangover from last season’s 5-1 humiliation for a lukewarm performance and another late surrender at 10-man Liverpool yesterday. Goals from defender Mathieu Debuchy and striker Olivier Giroud cancelled out Philippe Coutinho’s opener and put the Gunners on course to take all three Premier League points [...]
Records tumble as Wasps enjoy home comforts December 21, 2014 WASPS fly-half Andy Goode hailed the perfect start to life in Coventry as records tumbled during his side’s bonus-point 48-16 victory over London Irish at yesterday’s Ricoh Arena curtain-raiser. Goode set a new Premiership record by scoring 33 points – the 34-year-old successfully kicked eight penalties and two conversions to add to a second-half touchdown [...]
Hayden lambasts Pietersen’s England exile December 21, 2014 FORMER Australia batsman Matthew Hayden yesterday labelled ex-England skipper Kevin Pietersen’s enforced exile from international duty “ludicrous”. The 34-year-old is England’s highest run-scorer across all formats of the game but saw his central contract terminated in February following last winter’s dismal Ashes tour, before releasing his controversial book KP: The Autobiography in October. Pietersen remains [...]
Sport Comment: Squad’s better but Gunners lack balance December 21, 2014 IT WAS no 5-1, but in its own way yesterday’s draw at Anfield was another reminder of just how far Arsenal are from being capable of mounting a concerted Premier League title challenge. For all the money spent during the summer – £80m on Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and others – the Gunners’ level of [...]
Chelsea bid to exorcise last season’s Britannia ghost and re-establish Premier League cushion December 21, 2014 TABLE-TOPPERS Chelsea head into tonight’s Premier League clash with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium aiming to re-establish a three-point cushion at the Premier League summit. Reigning champions Manchester City hauled themselves level with the Blues courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with goal difference the only [...]
Premier League: Poyet’s Johnson whim results in Pardew wearing unenviable tag December 21, 2014 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 SUNDERLAND 1 SUNDERLAND boss Gus Poyet admitted he contemplated substituting Adam Johnson shortly before the former England winger proved the last-gasp match-winner in yesterday’s Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle at St James’ Park. Johnson rounded off a swift Black Cats’ counter-attack in the 90th minute as Sunderland extended their unbeaten run against Newcastle [...]
Ali aides calm fears after boxing icon hospitalised by pneumonia December 21, 2014 FEARS for the health of boxing great Muhammad Ali have resurfaced after he was hospitalised with pneumonia. The 72-year-old three-time world heavyweight champion was admitted on Saturday, though his spokesman indicated Ali was expected to make a quick recovery. “Because the pneumonia was caught early, his prognosis is good with a short hospital stay expected,” [...]
Exclusive: Liverpool still in mix for top four, insists Barnes December 18, 2014 CRISIS club Liverpool can still finish in the top four this season but only if the Anfield hierarchy maintains faith in under-fire boss Brendan Rodgers, according to Reds great John Barnes. Rodgers’ position has become precarious just months after falling agonisingly short of the Premier League title, following the club’s worst start to a domestic [...]
Instagram post KOs Balotelli for Arsenal match December 18, 2014 CONTROVERSIAL Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is set to miss Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal after he was last night handed a one-match ban for an offensive social media post. Balotelli was also fined £25,000 and ordered to attend an education course for republishing an image of video game character Super Mario that contained the [...]
Sport Comment: Mike Ashley taking the biscuit in rations row December 18, 2014 MIKE Ashley may not – on the face of it – have much in common with Marie Antoinette, but he is similarly distanced from the reality of the eating habits of the common people. The Newcastle United owner and vastly wealthy Sports Direct founder has allowed his spiky relationship with the media at St James’ [...]