Pellegrini: City can make history and defeat Barca without Toure February 23, 2015 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists his reinvigorated team can upset the odds and beat Barcelona in the Champions League tonight despite the absence of inspirational midfielder Yaya Toure. City have suffered without Toure, failing to win five of six games while he was on Africa Cup of Nations duty last month. They scored just [...]
Chelsea bidding to overturn Matic red for cup final February 23, 2015 CHELSEA are expected to appeal Nemanja Matic’s red card against Burnley on Saturday in the hope that the midfielder will be cleared to play in the Capital One Cup final this weekend. Matic was dismissed for his angry reaction to a challenge from the visitors’ Ashley Barnes in the 1-1 draw. The Blues, who face [...]
Goode ready to face Ireland after Brown suffers concussion setback February 23, 2015 SARACENS full-back Alex Goode looks set to start England’s pivotal Six Nations showdown with Ireland in Dublin on Sunday after Mike Brown suffered a setback in his recovery from concussion. Harlequins No15 Brown was knocked unconscious in a collision with Italy centre Andrea Masi at Twickenham in England’s last clash but appeared on course to [...]
Golf Comment: Lahiri has earned his shot at Masters debut February 23, 2015 AS FAR as winning bonuses go, they don’t get much better than a Masters debut, which is what Anirban Lahiri effectively cemented with victory on home soil at the India Open on Sunday. The setting might have been familiar but it was far from easy for Lahiri to claim his second title in the space [...]
Why Thorgan Hazard’s departure is typical of Chelsea’s lucrative transfer policy February 23, 2015 It would be easy to write off Thorgan Hazard’s time at Chelsea as a failure. Eden’s younger brother has joined Borussia Monchengladbach on a permanent basis, having failed to make a single first-team appearance for the Blues since his arrival in 2012. Yet with reports suggesting Chelsea have recouped £8.8m for a [...]
Premier League: Allardyce: Give more fouls to honest players February 22, 2015 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 WEST HAM UNITED 2 FRUSTRATED West Ham boss Sam Allardyce accused Tottenham’s players of regularly accentuating challenges of minimal contact during his side’s two-goal surrender at White Hart Lane yesterday. The Hammers surged into a commanding lead thanks to a Cheikhou Kouyate header and Diafra Sakho strike before Spurs rescued a point [...]
Football Comment: No sympathy for reckless Matic February 22, 2015 FIRST and foremost, Nemanja Matic will have been one of the first names on the Chelsea team sheet this season along with Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas and will be sorely missed in next Sunday’s Capital One Cup final against Tottenham at Wembley. He is very much a launchpad for what Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea do [...]
Premier League: Rodgers revels in Liverpool’s surge towards top four February 22, 2015 SOUTHAMPTON 0 LIVERPOOL 2 LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers believes his side overcame a sizeable hurdle in their quest for Champions League qualification after beating fellow top-four challengers Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium yesterday. Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho curled home a stunning early opener while England forward Raheem Sterling ensured maximum points by firing past Saints [...]
Lack of attacking thrust dents Exiles bid for top-fight safety February 22, 2015 LONDON Irish interim head coach Glenn Delaney demanded greater attacking potency from his side after Leicester maintained their hopes of a top-four finish with a narrow 12-6 victory at the Madejski Stadium yesterday. Leicester have failed to score a try in over 300 minutes of top-flight rugby but led 9-3 at the break thanks to [...]
Premier League: Leicester’s Pearson unconcerned by job speculation as Foxes held February 22, 2015 EVERTON 2 LEICESTER CITY 2 LEICESTER boss Nigel Pearson brushed off further speculation over his job security after a late Matthew Upson own goal denied the Foxes a pivotal victory in their relegation scrap at Goodison Park yesterday. Upson turned Christian Atsu’s cross into his own net with two minutes remaining after bottom of the [...]