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 [...]
Chelsea pay Neal respects November 24, 2014 CHELSEA yesterday paid tribute to former boss John Neal who passed away at the weekend aged 82, describing him as the manager who “turned the team around from our very lowest point”. Neal, who also managed Middlesbrough and Wrexham, replaced Geoff Hurst at the Chelsea helm in 1981 with the club still stricken by deep [...]
Hamilton: I toasted title with watermelon juice not bubbly November 24, 2014 Britain’s new F1 champion stayed sober for second title celebration CHAMPAGNE may have rained down in the immediate, giddy aftermath of his Formula One world championship victory, but Britain’s Lewis Hamilton insists that is as boozy as Sunday’s title celebrations got. The clean-living racer from Stevenage revealed yesterday that he toasted his second title with [...]
Lancaster: Ford has earned right to start Australia Test November 24, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has confirmed he is set to retain George Ford at fly-half when his side conclude their autumn programme against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday. Bath No10 Ford is now the man in possession after impressing on his first international start as England ended a deflating run of five successive defeats [...]
Golf Comment: Sublime Stenson 100 per cent ready for a first Major triumph November 24, 2014 TWELVE months ago Henrik Stenson played a brilliant approach to the 18th hole at the DP World Tour Championship to ensure he rounded off a landmark season with another victory. It also won him the European Tour’s shot of the year prize. But on Sunday, back in Dubai again, he mustered an even better effort, [...]