No Godolphin return for Al Zarooni January 13, 2014 HORSE RACING: Disgraced trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni will never work for Godolphin again, according to its owner Sheikh Mohammed. Al Zarooni is serving an eight-year ban for administering banned anabolic steroids to 22 horses in his care. But Sheikh Mohammed said: “They gave him eight years and I gave him a lifetime, finished. He comes [...]
Trump falls to Fu at first hurdle January 13, 2014 SNOOKER: World No4 Judd Trump suffered a surprise first round exit at the Masters yesterday, losing 6-5 to Marco Fu at Alexandra Palace. The 24-year-old fought back from 5-4 down to force a deciding frame, where a break of 78 sent Fu into the quarter-finals. Scotland’s Stephen Maguire also booked his place in the last [...]
Premier League: Pardew sorry for foul rant at Pellegrini January 12, 2014 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 vs MANCHESTER CITY 2 NEWCASTLE manager Alan Pardew was forced to apologise for an expletive-laden tirade at opposite number Manuel Pellegrini yesterday as Manchester City reclaimed top spot in the Premier League. Pardew, 52, was caught on camera calling Pellegrini, 60, a “f****** old ****” in a touchline row that followed the [...]
England misery drags on January 12, 2014 Cook accepts blame after Australia dish out another beating ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook admits that he must start setting a better example to his fellow top-order batsmen, after the tourists were comprehensively beaten once again in Australia yesterday. Having succumbed to a whitewash 5-0 defeat in the Ashes, England began their one-day international series with [...]
Sport Comment: Old-school thrills abound beyond top flight January 12, 2014 LET’S hazard a guess at some of the things that annoy you about Premier League football. Players feigning injury, players kicking the ball out of play to allow other players who aren’t injured to get treatment, referees insisting on free kicks being taken from exactly the right spot, and without a rolling ball, referees demanding [...]
Heineken Cup hopes hanging in the balance for off-colour Sarries January 12, 2014 SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall is eyeing victory against Connacht next weekend in order to restore his side’s reputation among Europe’s elite following yesterday’s 21-11 Heineken Cup defeat to Toulouse. The Aviva Premiership leaders trailed 12-8 at the break as Chris Ashton’s unconverted try and an Owen Farrell penalty was trumped by four Jean-Marc [...]
Giroud lauded as Arsenal look to go top again January 12, 2014 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has hailed returning striker Olivier Giroud ahead of tonight’s game at Aston Villa, where a win would see the Gunners reclaim top spot in the Premier League. The north Londoners will be especially keen to take three points away from Villa Park after the rest of the division’s top seven teams [...]
Care could miss England’s Six Nations opener January 12, 2014 INJURY-HIT England are sweating on the fitness of Danny Care ahead of next month’s Six Nations after the scrum-half twisted an ankle in Harlequins’ 13-16 Heineken Cup defeat to Clermont on Saturday. Head coach Stuart Lancaster is already without eight key squad members through injury ahead of the opening match with France on 1 February. [...]
Premier League: Penalty call was harsh on Stoke, admits Rodgers January 12, 2014 STOKE CITY 3 vs LIVERPOOL 5 LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers admitted his side were fortunate to gain the pivotal second-half penalty which gave them the edge in yesterday’s eight-goal thriller. Having thrown away an early two-goal advantage, captain Steven Gerrard restored Liverpool’s lead from the spot after Raheem Sterling tumbled in the box with defender [...]
Murray warning over Aussie heat January 12, 2014 BRITAIN’S Andy Murray fears a heatwave forecast to push temperatures into the 40s could jeopardise his Australian Open campaign, which begins tonight against Japan’s Go Soeda. Murray trains in Miami during the winter to acclimatise to hotter conditions but admits it bears no comparison with the demands of the year’s first grand slam in Melbourne. [...]