England v Ireland Six Nations stats preview: Figures show Eddie Jones’ kicking jibe towards Joe Schmidt is misguided February 16, 2016 Eddie Jones has described visitors Ireland as a “risk averse” team that more often not than opts to concede possession ahead of his first match at Twickenham as England head coach. “They kick 70 per cent of their ball away,” said the Australian. “If they want to do that, good luck to them. It has [...]
Champions League: Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink warns Eden Hazard to forget possible Paris Saint-Germain move as teams prepare to meet again February 15, 2016 Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has urged Eden Hazard to forget any prospect of a big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain and focus on proving he is fit again by helping to halt the in-form French champions. Hazard appeared to give his suitors fresh hope when he said it would “difficult to say no to PSG” in a [...]
FA Cup final tickets to be cut by £5 each as Football Association responds to growing fan unrest at match-day costs February 15, 2016 Football Association chiefs have cut ticket prices for this year’s FA Cup final and semi-finals amid supporter unrest at the growing cost of attending top-level matches. All tickets for the 21 May showpiece have been reduced by £5 while seats at the two semi-finals in April, which are also held at Wembley, have been cut [...]
Vaughn Taylor leaves a decade of choppy waters behind to finally catch wave of success again February 15, 2016 A seismic week in the golfing world it may not have been, but it did throw up a lovely story of a player putting more than a decade of struggle on off the course behind him with a long overdue win. That man was Vaughn Taylor, a former world top 40 player around the time of [...]
Ronnie O’Sullivan deliberately avoids 147 break because £10,000 prize was “too cheap” February 15, 2016 Maverick five-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has admitted to sabotaging his own chance at making a maximum break of 147 because the £10,000 prize on offer was too low. O’Sullivan grinned as he opted for the pink, rather than an achievable black, off the penultimate red ball as he coasted to a first-round victory at the [...]
Manchester City 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2: Pochettino grants Spurs fans permission to dream of Premier League title glory February 14, 2016 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino granted his side’s supporters permission to start dreaming of a first top-flight crown since 1961 after they asserted their title credentials with victory at fading Manchester City. Playmaker Christian Eriksen struck a late winner after teenage substitute Kelechi Iheanacho had levelled to cancel out Harry Kane’s opener from the penalty spot following [...]
Italy 9, England 40: Jones revels in Joseph class after Red Rose thrash Azzurri to boost Grand Slam hopes February 14, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones hailed Jonathan Joseph’s match-winning credentials after the Bath centre plundered a second-half hat-trick to boost his side’s quest for a Grand Slam with victory over Italy in Rome. The “good hiding” which Jones had demanded that England dish out to their rivals was looking a bleak prospect in the 53rd [...]
Arsenal 2-1 Leicester: Arsene Wenger hails Danny Welbeck return as super-sub strikes winner in title duel on comeback from 10-month injury lay-off February 14, 2016 Arsenal 2-1 Leicester Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger toasted an 11th-hour decision to include fit-again Danny Welbeck after the striker climbed off the bench to head a stoppage-time winner against title rivals Leicester on Sunday. Welbeck marked his first appearance following a 10-month injury lay-off with his first Premier League goal since December 2014 after fellow sub [...]
Arsenal 2-1 Leicester: Proud Ranieri gives players a week off despite defeat in top-of-the-table clash February 14, 2016 Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has given his team a week’s holiday to recover from a morale-sapping blow to their hopes of completing a fairytale Premier League title triumph. A 2-1 defeat at rivals Arsenal cut their lead to just two points with 12 games remaining, as the Gunners and second-placed Tottenham stepped up their chase of [...]
Aston Villa 0, Liverpool 6: Humiliated Garde questions Villans’ fighting spirit after six-goal hammering February 14, 2016 Aston Villa boss Remi Garde admitted that he was left humiliated as Liverpool ran riot to inflict his relegation-threatened side’s heaviest home defeat in the Premier League era. Goals from striker Daniel Sturridge, making his first league start since Jurgen Klopp took charge of Liverpool in October, and James Milner gave Liverpool a 2-0 half-time [...]