Silva, not Balotelli, is real reason for City’s collapse April 10, 2012 LARGER than life Mario Balotelli has borne the brunt of the blame for the collapse of Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge, but he is just one of the reasons for their dramatic slide, and not the biggest. Losing influential midfielder Yaya Toure in January during the African Cup of Nations was a massive loss [...]
QUEEN’S IS STILL KING OF WIMBLEDON WARM-UPS FOR MURRAY April 10, 2012 BRITISH No1 Andy Murray has given Queen’s Club a much-needed boost after agreeing a five-year deal with the tournament. Domestic tax laws on endorsement income have led to stars such as Rafael Nadal opting out of the pre-Wimbledon event. Reigning champion Murray, though, is sticking with the tournament he loves. The Scot said: “I’m looking [...]
RFL boss lands Wimbledon job April 10, 2012 TENNIS: Rugby Football League chairman Richard Lewis has been appointed chief executive of Wimbledon. After 10 years in charge, Lewis, who is also chair of Sport England, said he felt “a mixture of sadness but also excitement at taking up another exciting opportunity”.
Big Buck’s aims to extend run April 10, 2012 HORSE RACING: Big Buck’s will face seven rivals in the BGC Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday as he goes for a 17th consecutive win. Owner Andy Stewart is confident that his fine form will continue, insisting his charge is in top shape. He said: “Obviously he had a race at Cheltenham [the World Hurdle], [...]
Malaysia date for Arsenal tour April 10, 2012 FOOTBALL: Arsenal will kick off their pre-season tour of Asia with a game against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on 24 July, the club have confirmed. The Gunners will then face Premier League rivals Manchester City in Beijing’s iconic Bird’s Nest stadium on 27 July, before finishing the tour in Hong Kong on 29 [...]
Champions League fight to go to wire, says Di Matteo April 9, 2012 FULHAM (1) vs CHELSEA (1) Chelsea boss predicts tight battle after late Dempsey goal denies Blues top-four boost CHELSEA manager Roberto di Matteo expects the four-way skirmish for two Champions League places to remain unresolved until the final day of the season, after local rivals Fulham dented their hopes last night. Midfielder Frank Lampard’s penalty [...]
Beaten English readjust targets April 9, 2012 SARACENS boss Mark McCall has backed his team to bounce back from European disappointment and focus on their Aviva Premiership title defence, starting this weekend at London Irish. Defeat against Harlequins at Wembley 10 days ago followed by a 22-3 Heineken Cup exit to Clermont Auvergne on Easter Sunday leaves the domestic champions with just [...]
SYNCHRONISED TARGETS HISTORIC DOUBLE April 9, 2012 CHELTENHAM Gold Cup winner Synchronised has one of racing’s oldest records in his sights after he was confirmed as one of 48 acceptors for Saturday’s Grand National. JP McManus’s charge is bidding to become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to win both races in the same year, and will again be ridden [...]
Redknapp concedes third place to Arsenal April 9, 2012 TOTTENHAM (1) vs NORWICH (2) TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp has all but conceded defeat in the battle for third place after their late-season slump deepened with a shock home defeat to Premier League surprise package Norwich. Goals from Anthony Pilkington and Elliott Bennett, either side of Jermain Defoe’s equaliser, condemned Spurs to a fourth defeat [...]
He got lucky, but Watson deserved his win April 9, 2012 THE WEEKEND saw a fantastic Masters, by my reckoning one of the best for many years, which culminated in a great and thoroughly deserved maiden Major victory for Bubba Watson. Apart from his first shot at the 10th during that decisive play-off, which veered into trouble in the trees, the American played fantastically well throughout [...]