Premier League: Mourinho talks up title as edgy Blues pull away March 22, 2015 HULL CITY 2 CHELSEA 3 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho admits he is now “pretty confident” of clinching the club’s first Premier League title for five years after inching six points clear with a nervy victory in Hull yesterday. The Blues needed a late winner from substitute Loic Remy after squandering an early two-goal lead, earned [...]
Premier League: Gerrard sorry for instant red card March 22, 2015 LIVERPOOL 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 2 LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard apologised to team-mates, supporters and manager Brendan Rodgers after being sent off just 40 seconds after coming off the bench in yesterday’s defeat to Manchester United. Gerrard was dismissed for stamping on Ander Herrera early in the second half, as the Reds saw their five-match winning [...]
Premier League: Ramsey: QPR need a miraculous run of form March 22, 2015 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1 EVERTON 2 QUEENS Park Rangers interim boss Chris Ramsey admitted his side require a freakish upturn in results in order to avoid relegation after slumping to their ninth Premier League defeat in 10 matches against Everton yesterday. Tottenham loanee Aaron Lennon scored the visitors’ winner after QPR substitute Eduardo Vargas netted [...]
Football Comment: Chelsea home but United in form March 22, 2015 THE COMPETITIVENESS of the Premier League means it is never over until it’s mathematically decided, but I cannot see Jose Mourinho letting it slip from here. The title is Chelsea’s; it’s now about who finishes second, third and fourth. Chelsea’s win at Hull yesterday was massive. They’d got away with a couple of poor performances [...]
Farah sets new European best in half-marathon March 22, 2015 DOUBLE Olympic champion Mo Farah enjoyed an early birthday present as he won the Lisbon Half Marathon in a new European record time yesterday. The long-distance runner clocked 59 minutes and 32 seconds as he pipped Kenyan Micah Kogo. The time was 20 seconds quicker than Spaniard Fabian Roncero’s previous best over 13.1 miles, set [...]
Cook slips to first-class fail March 22, 2015 ENGLAND Test skipper Alastair Cook marked his return to first-class cricket with an uninspiring score of three while representing the MCC against Yorkshire in the domestic season’s curtain-raiser in Dubai yesterday. The 30-year-old was trapped LBW by ex-England seamer Ryan Sidebottom in the third over of the day, although did last longer than his former [...]
Refs’ chief in plea for video March 22, 2015 REFEREES’ chief Mike Riley has called for English football to adopt video technology to enable officials to make more accurate decisions, following the controversial sending off of West Brom’s Gareth McAuley. West Brom manager Tony Pulis made a similar plea after referee Neil Swarbrick mistakenly dismissed McAuley instead of team-mate Craig Dawson early in the [...]
England have shown World Cup winning potential, insists Carling March 22, 2015 FORMER captain Will Carling insists England’s ultimately forlorn Six Nations title bid showcased snapshots of the quality needed to dismantle any opponent during this autumn’s World Cup. Stuart Lancaster’s side finished as championship runners-up for the fourth successive year after falling tantalisingly short of holders Ireland on points difference, despite dispatching France 55-35 on a [...]
Last-gasp Sarries dispatch holders Exeter to claim LV=Cup silverware March 22, 2015 SARACENS match-winner Ben Spencer insists the club’s underpinning unity came to the fore as his side secured the LV=Cup with a last-gasp 23-20 victory over defending champions Exeter at Franklin’s Gardens yesterday. Scrum-half Spencer, who received his first career yellow card shortly before the break, slotted over a last-minute penalty after two tries from full-back [...]
Schmidt revels in title tension March 22, 2015 IRELAND coach Joe Schmidt believes the manner of his side’s heart-stopping Six Nations triumph will prove a sizeable investment, despite causing short-term palpitations. Holders Ireland claimed back-to-back titles for the first time since 1949 after beating Scotland 40-10 at Murrayfield, a points differential which England ultimately failed to overhaul against France. Schmidt said: “It was [...]