Haskell back in England frame October 29, 2014 ENGLAND back-row James Haskell is ready to be unleashed against world champions New Zealand in their opening clash of the autumn programme after recovering from a mystery illness which left him hospitalised. The 29-year-old Wasps skipper was admitted to Charing Cross Hospital with suspected meningitis and lost 5kg in a week. Haskell has missed the [...]
Wooing could hit buffers over tax break issue October 29, 2014 LONDON – or its chief powerbrokers, at any rate – loves NFL, and gridiron’s top brass appear to be pretty keen on the capital. No longer does it feel like a question of if the city gets its own franchise, but when. There are still big hurdles to overcome, not least the logistic puzzle of [...]
Capital One Cup: Lamela agitates Poch before inspiring Spurs October 29, 2014 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 BRIGHTON 0 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino laughed off a half-time rant at Erik Lamela after the £30m playmaker inspired their progress to the Capital One Cup quarter-finals last night. Lamela and in-form Harry Kane downed Brighton and set up a tie with Newcastle, but only after the Argentina star, brought on at [...]
Newcastle youth proves too strong for City October 29, 2014 HOLDERS Manchester City were dumped out of the Capital One Cup by resurgent Newcastle United last night as Alan Pardew’s youthful side claimed a convincing 2-0 victory. Teenage forward Rolando Aarons gave the visitors an early lead before Moussa Sissoko settled matters as Newcastle set up a quarter-final clash at Tottenham. City boss Manuel Pellegrini was [...]
Capital One Cup: Blues kids can learn from best, insists Mourinho after cup scare October 28, 2014 SHREWSBURY TOWN 1 CHELSEA 2 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourino believes the club’s youngsters have the perfect role models from which to learn after the Blues reached the Capital One Cup quarter-final by edging past League Two high-flyers Shrewsbury Town at the New Meadow last night. An own goal from Shrewsbury defender Jermaine Grandison inside the [...]
No place for Three Lions among world elite October 28, 2014 ENGLAND’S lowly standing in world football was underlined yesterday when Three Lions players again failed to make the 23-man longlist for the Ballon d’Or award for the year’s best player. It is the second successive year in which no Englishman has been nominated – a far cry from heady 2009, when Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, [...]
Burrell will have autumn impact, insists Lancaster October 28, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has conceded centre Luther Burrell is unlikely to figure in his side’s opening clash of their autumn programme against world champions New Zealand. The 26-year-old, who has seven international caps to his name, was withdrawn shortly after half-time during Northampton’s European Champions Cup victory against Ospreys at Franklin’s Gardens on [...]
England chiefs back exceptional Trott for international comeback October 28, 2014 REJUVENATED batsman Jonathan Trott will have the opportunity to take a significant step towards resuming his international Test career in the new year after being summoned for England Lions duty yesterday. The 33-year-old has not featured for England since an abrupt departure from last winter’s Ashes debacle with a stress-related illness but has been named [...]
Balotelli inspires late Reds win as Fulham collapse October 28, 2014 MUCH-MALIGNED striker Mario Balotelli inspired a late salvage operation as Liverpool kept alive their Capital One Cup hopes with a last-gasp 2-1 victory against Swansea at Anfield last night. Liverpool, who are off the pace in the Premier League and struggling to reach the knockout phase on their Champions League return, found themselves a goal [...]
Pochettino seeking remedy to Spurs slump October 28, 2014 IF AUGUST bank holiday weekend already feels like a lifetime ago then spare a thought for the managers in opposing White Hart Lane dugouts for tonight’s Capital One Cup fixture. Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino, having won his first two Premier League games in charge, has tasted top-flight victory just once in seven attempts since [...]