North rested as precaution February 11, 2015 WALES have left wing George North out of the team for this weekend’s Six Nations trip to Scotland in order to give him more time to recover from two heavy blows to the head. Team doctors stressed this week that North had shown no signs of concussion despite appearing to be knocked unconscious at least [...]
Epsom Derby in time shift February 11, 2015 THE INVESTEC Derby at Epsom will start half an hour later than usual this year as organisers look to maximise its television audience. The Derby is due to begin at 4:30pm on Saturday 6 June, while the Oaks, the Friday highlight of the two-day meeting, also moves back 30 minutes. Both races remain fifth of [...]
Manchester United made favourites to break transfer record following record Premier League TV deal February 11, 2015 A bookmakers has made Manchester United the favourite to become the first club to pay a player more than £500,000 a week. Following the Premier League’s record-breaking domestic TV rights deal negotiated with BT and Sky, bookmakers Paddy Power has issued odds on which club will be first to break the salary milestone [...]
Premier League: Spurs rue slip up in race for top-four spot February 10, 2015 LIVERPOOL 3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino insisted his side warranted at least a point after the much-maligned Mario Balotelli climbed off the bench to dent Spurs’ Champions League aspirations at Anfield last night. Goal-shy Balotelli proved Liverpool’s match-winner with his first Premier League goal of the season after the Reds had twice [...]
Premier League: Wenger left to count cost of tainted victory February 10, 2015 ARSENAL 2 LEICESTER CITY 1 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger fears he could be without top scorer Alexis Sanchez and midfielder Aaron Ramsey for extended spells after injuries to the pair tainted the Gunners’ return to the Premier League’s top four last night. Goals from defender Laurent Koscielny and winger Theo Walcott gave Wenger’s men a [...]
Premier League: Ramsey revels in easing QPR’s travel sickness February 10, 2015 SUNDERLAND 0 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 2 QUEENS Park Rangers interim boss Chris Ramsey voiced his pride after guiding the Hoops out of the relegation zone as his side secured their first away victory of the season at fellow strugglers Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last night. On the day owner Tony Fernandes tweeted he [...]
Mourinho hints that Van Persie deserved a ban February 10, 2015 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho flirted with further sanctions yesterday when he appeared to suggest that his players receive unfavourable treatment from football’s authorities. Mourinho questioned why an unnamed Premier League player had escaped a ban for elbowing an opponent when Blues top scorer Diego Costa remains suspended, having been convicted retrospectively of violent conduct. He [...]
Prickly Van Gaal takes Allardyce to task over United long-ball jibes February 10, 2015 MANCHESTER United manager Louis van Gaal has hit back at West Ham boss Sam Allardyce’s long-ball taunts and insists he has statistical evidence that the Hammers are a more route one team. Van Gaal took the unusual step of producing four sheets of diagrams and tables at a press conference yesterday and urged reporters to [...]
Diarra set to bolster West Ham midfield February 10, 2015 WEST Ham boss Sam Allardyce has confirmed the Hammers are close to agreeing a short-term deal with former Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra. Diarra, who has also played Premier League football for Arsenal, Chelsea and Portsmouth, is currently a free agent having seen his contract at Lokomotiv Moscow terminated last August. Allardyce insisted the 29-year-old [...]
England urged to build on their heroics in Wales February 10, 2015 ENGLAND forwards coach Graham Rowntree insists the new heights scaled by his side during their momentous victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium will count for little should they fail to be replicated throughout the Six Nations. The Red Rose have named an unchanged matchday squad to face Italy at Twickenham on Saturday after second [...]