Rodgers defends Anfield skipper Gerrard in wake of growing swipes November 25, 2014 DEFIANT Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists his continued selection of skipper Steven Gerrard is based purely on merit as the Reds prepare for their crunch Champions League clash with surprise package Ludogorets Razgrad tonight. Liverpool face European elimination should they fail to end a dismal four-match losing streak and secure maximum points against the Bulgarian [...]
Wenger takes aim at Usmanov as Arsenal train their sights on wounded Dortmund November 25, 2014 UNDER-FIRE Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has issued a thinly-veiled rebuke to Alisher Usmanov, the club’s second largest shareholder, for breaking ranks and publicly criticising the team. Russian billionaire Usmanov, who owns 30 per cent of the Gunners but is not on the board, accused Wenger of failing to learn from his mistakes after Saturday’s defeat [...]
Bouncer leaves Hughes in coma November 25, 2014 CRICKET was in shock last night as Australia Test batsman Phil Hughes was left in a coma after being struck on the head by a bouncer during his side’s Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground. The South Australia left-hander collapsed as a result of the short-pitched delivery from fast bowler [...]
Twelvetrees in line for England place as Lancaster names squad November 25, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has rewarded the players which arrested a deflating five-match losing streak against Samoa by last night naming an unchanged squad for Saturday’s concluding autumn fixture against Australia at Twickenham. Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees looks likely to compete with Owen Farrell for the inside-centre position after Lancaster confirmed man of the moment [...]
England set to make Finn call November 25, 2014 ENGLAND were last night sweating on the fitness of fast bowler Steven Finn as World Cup preparations intensify today with the first clash in a seven-match series against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The Middlesex seamer has been struggling since Sunday with a groin injury sustained in the training session that replaced his side’s second warm-up [...]
Pellegrini: City can beat Bayern and make last 16 November 24, 2014 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists his team can tonight overcome a patchy start to the season and the suspension of key players to snatch Champions League survival from the brink of extinction. City likely need to inflict Bayern Munich’s first defeat in 19 fixtures at the Etihad Stadium to resuscitate their European hopes and [...]
Wenger Out calls drown out Rodgers protest November 24, 2014 ONE HAS overseen his club’s worst start to a league campaign for 32 years, the other has seen his team slip to 12th in the Premier League having finished second last season. Both have just suffered damaging defeats they’d rather forget. Only by scrolling through Twitter could it have got any more miserable for Arsenal’s [...]
McIlroy rivalling Lewis for Sports Personality gong November 24, 2014 GOLF’S world No1 Rory McIlroy is the favourite to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year after he was named on the 10-strong shortlist last night. McIlroy, who won two Majors and helped Europe successfully defend the Ryder Cup this year, faces competition from newly-crowned Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. The world’s most expensive footballer [...]
Mourinho denies Reus interest as Blues bid for European progress November 24, 2014 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho has quashed speculation linking the Stamford Bridge club with a move for Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus as his side bid to seal Champions League progress against Roberto Di Matteo’s Schalke tonight. Reus, who is ruled out until the new year after tearing ankle ligaments at the weekend, is yet to [...]
Premier League: We have top-four credentials, says Koeman November 24, 2014 ASTON VILLA 1 SOUTHAMPTON 1 SOUTHAMPTON boss Ronald Koeman remains confident his side can maintain their blistering start to the campaign and push for Champions League qualification despite needing a late goal to salvage a point at struggling Aston Villa last night. Villa skipper Gabriel Agbonlahor punished a mistake from Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster to score [...]