Henrikh Mkhitaryan comes in from the cold to fire Manchester United into Europa League last 32 – but Southampton crash out in late drama December 8, 2016 Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has praised the resilience of Henrikh Mkhitaryan after the playmaker’s first goal for the club ushered them into the last 32 of the Europa League with a 2-0 win at Zorya Luhansk on Thursday night. Mkhitaryan – making only his only fifth start, having struggled to win over Mourinho following a [...]
This lively adaptation of Pride and Prejudice squeezes twenty characters out of two actors December 8, 2016 Jane Austen’s novels are about the macrocosm in the microcosm. They are about the discreet play of agendas that turn a regency drawing room gathering into an epic battle of wills, for those lively enough to read between the lines. Johannah Tincey’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice explores this polite, compact ferocity by casting two [...]
Once in a Lifetime at the Young Vic review: Harry Enfield fails to set fire to this dated Hollywood comedy December 8, 2016 Recent years have seen a slew of productions about Hollywood, from the magic of its inception in Travelling Light to its seedy latter days in Speed-the-Plow. Falling chronologically between the two is George S Kaufman’s bawdy 1930 comedy Once in a Lifetime, which charts the upheaval brought about by the arrival of the “talkie”. In [...]
Buried Child at Trafalgar Studios: Ed Harris shines in this searing portrait of a decaying America that’s the perfect prelude to Trump December 8, 2016 Buried Child, first performed in 1978, feels like it was written for the dog days of 2016. Sam Shepherd’s quietly crushing portrait of entropy and despair is concerned with those disillusioned white working classes that have dominated the news agenda since 8 November. It’s about the death of the American dream in the wake of [...]
Dominant domestically, crushed on the continent: Why the Atlantic League is back on the agenda for clubs like Celtic December 8, 2016 If you're ever going to win the European Cup, then this is the day and this is the place.” Those were Jock Stein’s parting words to his Celtic side in 1967 before they became the first British club to become kings of Europe with a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan. More likely intended as a rallying [...]
“It’s the best Christmas present I could get”: England batsman Keaton Jennings struggling to absorb whirlwind ascent after hitting a century on his Test debut December 8, 2016 England debut star Keaton Jennings toasted an early Christmas present after his century helped the tourists make an encouraging start to the must-win fourth Test against India in Mumbai on Thursday. Jennings, who only joined up with the squad as injury cover this week, looked an old hand in an assured 112 that put England [...]
Sport England: Women playing sport in England hits all-time high, but people from poorer backgrounds missing out December 8, 2016 More women in England are playing sport than ever before, new research from Sport England shows. An all-time high of 7.21m women played sport regularly in the year to 30 September, nearly half of the total 15.97m — a 229,000 increase on last year and 1.88m more people than when London won the right to host [...]
Arsene Wenger says Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez not for sale but Arsenal boss offers “no assurances” over contract talks December 8, 2016 Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will not sell star duo Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, but stopped short of promising fans the club would secure them to new contracts. Both players' contracts expire at the end of next season and the pair are believed to be holding out for a significant pay rise from the Gunners before agreeing to [...]
Anthony Joshua already eyeing up mega-fights in 2017 ahead of Eric Molina showdown December 8, 2016 World champion boxer Anthony Joshua is already preparing for tougher battles to come ahead of his second world title defence against American Eric Molina on Saturday. With Joshua odds-on to extend his career record to 18 knockout wins when he takes on the 34-year-old in Manchester, the unbeaten IBF heavyweight champion is looking ahead to future assaults to his title from a [...]
Southampton and Leeds United named best academies in English football for producing high earning players December 8, 2016 Southampton and Leeds United are the best breeding grounds in England for footballers on a super salary in excess of €100,000 (£85,000) per week. The two clubs are the only English academies to be able to boast of more than one player currently among the game's 112 highest earners, according to a new study from [...]