Champions League: Sanchez now ready to play starring role August 27, 2014 ARSENAL 1 BESIKTAS 0 Arsenal win 1-0 on aggregate ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger insists Alexis Sanchez is ready to shoulder the team’s goalscoring burden after the Chile forward paid off a huge chunk of his £35m transfer fee by securing a place in the Champions League group stage last night. Sanchez struck in first-half injury [...]
Puncheon riddle as Warnock gets Palace job again August 27, 2014 CRYSTAL Palace are expected to hand new manager Neil Warnock money to spend before Monday’s transfer deadline after appointing the veteran boss for a second time yesterday. Warnock, who led Palace from 2007 to 2010, has agreed a two-year deal after seeing off competition from former West Brom manager Steve Clarke to succeed Tony Pulis [...]
Harry’s Rangers go for a Burton as Vincelot guns down League Cup royalty in late Midlands salvo August 27, 2014 QPR’S sluggish start to the campaign ground to a pedestrian pace after Harry Redknapp’s side crashed out of the Capital One Cup following a shock second-round defeat at League Two Burton Albion last night. The Loftus Road club have failed to score in their two Premier League game so far this season having misfired against [...]
Poch’s puzzle is solved by Fazio August 27, 2014 TOTTENHAM boss Mauricio Pochettino insists the defensive flexibility provided by the signing of Federico Fazio is imperative if Spurs are to remain durable this season. Spurs have shelled out £8m to secure the services of the 27-year-old Argentine from reigning Europa League champions Sevilla, with Fazio agreeing a four-year deal. Another Spurs shut out in [...]
Football Comment: Identity: City have it, United in dire need of it August 27, 2014 CONFESSION time: I must admit I did not think Manchester City would get stronger this season, given their modest summer business, but after just two games I may have to eat my words. The champions could easily have dropped points at Newcastle or at home to Liverpool but have hit the ground running, won two [...]
Cook offers no excuse as England fail to halt brutal Indian assault August 27, 2014 DEFLATED England skipper Alastair Cook refused to pull any punches after his side wilted under a brutal onslaught from world champions India during a 133-run thrashing in the second one-day international at Cardiff yesterday. Indian batsman Suresh Raina smashed a blistering ton while sharing destructive partnerships with Rohit Sharma and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who [...]
Murray refuses to be distracted from his philosophy at US Open August 27, 2014 BRITAIN’S Andy Murray will be sticking to his game-plan irrespective of a first-round wobble when he returns to US Open action against German qualifier Matthias Bachinger today. The unheralded Bachinger had never won a grand slam match before a straight-sets win over Czech Radek Stepanek in round one and will face the former Wimbledon champion [...]
Capital One Cup: Van Gaal humbled as MK Dons ditch United August 26, 2014 MK DONS 4 MANCHESTER UNITED 0 TROUBLED Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has reiterated his stance there will be no instant remedy to the club’s woes after the Dutchman’s miserable start to life in the Old Trafford dugout continued with a Capital One Cup humiliation at MK Dons last night. United were taken to [...]
Lacklustre Watson out of US Open after thrashing at hands of Cirstea August 26, 2014 BRITISH No1 Heather Watson set her sights on consolatory doubles success after being dumped out of the US Open singles draw in the first round by Romanian Sorana Cirstea. Watson lasted just 54 minutes and won just 12 per cent of points on her second serve as she lost 6-1, 6-1 to Cirstea, who at [...]
Losing place among Euro elite not unthinkable, says Wenger August 26, 2014 MANAGER Arsene Wenger is banking on Arsenal’s Champions League pedigree giving them an edge in tonight’s make-or-break play-off clash against Besiktas at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners approach a tie poised at 0-0 from last week’s torrid first leg in Turkey without suspended top scorer Aaron Ramsey and injured striker Olivier Giroud and captain Mikel Arteta. [...]