City handed tough start to Premier League title defence June 18, 2014 CHAMPIONS Manchester City have been handed a tricky start to the 2014-15 Premier League season with head-to-heads against the rest of last season’s top four in their first five games. After travelling to Newcastle when the campaign kicks off on 16 August, City then host last season’s runners-up Liverpool in their opening game at the [...]
Kouyate enticed to West Ham by Carroll presence June 18, 2014 WEST Ham chairman David Sullivan has set manager Sam Allardyce the target of a top-10 Premier League finish after opening the chequebook again for Anderlecht’s Cheikhou Kouyate. The Senegal-born player, 24, can play at centre-back or as a defensive midfielder and is thought to have cost the Hammers in the region of £6m. Kouyate’s signing [...]
McIlroy opts for Ireland in 2016 Games dilemma June 18, 2014 FORMER world No1 golfer Rory McIlroy has brought to an end years of speculation by committing to playing for Ireland and not Britain at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Northern Irishman, 25, revealed he had agonised over the decision but opted to stick with the country he has previously represented at the World Cup and [...]
England make seven changes June 18, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster will hand Saracens wing Chris Ashton his first start since November in Saturday’s third and final Test against world champions New Zealand. Ashton’s inclusion is one of seven changes, with Kyle Eastmond set to play at centre alongside Manu Tuilagi, Freddie Burns named at No10 with Owen Farrell out injured [...]
Watson powers past Pennetta June 18, 2014 TENNIS: British No1 Heather Watson took the biggest scalp of her career yesterday, beating world No12 Flavia Pennetta 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Aegon International quarter-finals in Eastbourne.
Injured Wiggins out of Swiss Tour June 18, 2014 CYCLING: Four-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins yesterday withdrew from the Tour of Switzerland, having injured his thigh during a crash on stage four. Germany’s Tony Martin leads by six seconds after five stages.
Leading Light to spoil royal party in Gold Cup June 18, 2014 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS DAY THREE OF ROYAL ASCOT FOR MOST the highlight of last year’s Royal Ascot was seeing the Queen’s Estimate win the Ascot Gold Cup – a race still regarded by traditionalists as the centrepiece of the whole five days. Ryan Moore rode the Sir Michael Stoute-trained mare into the record books, becoming [...]
Cannock Chase looks a typical Stoute prospect in Tercentenary June 18, 2014 SIR MICHAEL Stoute has a powerful army of progressive horses this year and I think he has an excellent chance of landing this afternoon’s Group Three Tercentenary Stakes (3.05pm) with CANNOCK CHASE. Now, those of you who just like to follow ratings won’t agree with me, as Cannock Chase has a handicap mark of 97 [...]
Mukhmal the value to upset O’Brien hotpot The Great War June 18, 2014 PUNTERS have had the best of the early battle with the bookmakers and those attending Ladies Day today will be hoping to get off to a flyer in the Norfolk Stakes (2.30pm). The banker for many will be Aidan O’Brien’s The Great War, who was the ante-post favourite for the Coventry Stakes before surprisingly being [...]
England can kick-start World Cup campaign against Uruguay June 18, 2014 BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS URUGUAY V ENGLAND ENGLAND and Uruguay arrive in Sao Paulo knowing a loss will leave their World Cup dreams hanging by a thread. Being beaten in the first game of the tournament is bad enough – according to football data specialists 21st Club, only four teams since 1998 have reached the knockout [...]