Champions League: Rodgers backs selection calls after Real loss November 4, 2014 REAL MADRID 1 LIVERPOOL 0 LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers insisted the performance of his much-changed side vindicated team selection despite seeing the Reds slip to a narrow defeat against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu last night. France striker Karim Benzema netted the only goal of the game in the first half, his 41st Champions [...]
Bath pair look set for debuts as Lancaster turns to Sarries rookie November 4, 2014 UNCAPPED Bath duo Semesa Rokoduguni and Anthony Watson look set to make their England bows after being retained in head coach Stuart Lancaster’s 23-man squad for the opening autumn international against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. Props Joe Marler and David Wilson have also been included after the front row pair overcame minor injury [...]
Toure vows to combat racism as police probe messages November 4, 2014 MANCHESTER City’s Yaya Toure has labelled racist abuse aimed at him on Twitter “a disgrace” and insisted repeated attacks will not dent his resolve to fight discrimination. The Ivory Coast midfielder said football appeared to attract such behaviour more than other sports, adding that he feared young players could be driven away from social media. [...]
Real not sole Madrid team to soar in Europe November 4, 2014 SPANISH champions Atletico Madrid assumed control of Group A after establishing a three-point lead at the summit following their 2-0 victory over Swedish outfit Malmo at the Swedbank Stadion last night. A strike in each half from Koke and Raul Garcia earned Diego Simeone’s Primera Division side their third successive Champions League success to move [...]
Pavey cites age as funding lost November 4, 2014 EUROPEAN champion Jo Pavey suspects her age is the principal reason for omission from the list of athletes set to receive National Lottery funding through UK Sport for the forthcoming season. The 41-year-old has enjoyed a successful year after winning European 10,000m gold and Commonwealth 5,000m bronze in Glasgow although British Athletics fail to see [...]
Moore grasps Melbourne Cup triumph but two horses dead November 4, 2014 THREE-TIME champion jockey Ryan Moore enhanced his global reputation by guiding home German-trained horse Protectionist and claiming victory in the 154th running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse yesterday. England’s Moore surged to a four-length win ahead of British rival Red Cadeaux, which finished second for a third time, and New Zealand runner Who [...]
Roddick on why Murray should fear Federer, still the greatest of all time November 4, 2014 RESURGENT Roger Federer’s flirtation with returning to the peak of men’s tennis is further proof that he is the greatest of all time, according to former world No1 Andy Roddick. Federer may have won the last of his 17 grand slams more than two years ago, be on the wrong end of a 23-10 head-to-head [...]
Mourinho sorry for condemning Chelsea support November 4, 2014 APOLOGETIC Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has admitted he overstepped the mark in condemning the Stamford Bridge atmosphere at the weekend but insists his motives were borne out of affection for the club. Mourinho angered some of the Chelsea faithful by complaining of a lack of noise from the stands during their narrow 2-1 Premier League [...]
England suffer World Cup blow as Anderson faces injury lay-off November 4, 2014 ENGLAND’S preparations for next year’s World Cup suffered a setback after Lancashire seamer James Anderson was yesterday ruled out of the upcoming one-day tour to Sri Lanka with a knee injury. Anderson will miss the seven-match series, which gets underway in Colombo on 26 November, as the 32-year-old continues his rehabilitation on a pre-existing left [...]
Premier League: Warnock fumes as Palace slump towards danger November 3, 2014 CRYSTAL PALACE 1 SUNDERLAND 3 CRYSTAL Palace boss Neil Warnock blamed poor officiating last night after defeat to fellow strugglers Sunderland pushed his 10 men to within one place of the drop zone. On a night when some Palace fans used the match to protest against Premier League plans to stage games overseas, Warnock was [...]