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. [...]
Oosthuizen earns narrow victory January 12, 2014 GOLF: Former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen claimed a one-shot victory at the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in Durban yesterday. The South African birdied the final two holes to card 18 under par overall at the first European Tour event of the season.
Bunting wins his first world title January 12, 2014 DARTS: England’s Stephen Bunting beat compatriot Alan Norris 7-4 in the BDO World Darts final last night to claim the first world title of his career. The clash, held at Lakeside, was level at 3-3 at the interval, yet Bunting stormed ahead after the break to take the crown.
England turn to fresh faces as Six Nations work begins January 9, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has challenged fly-halves Stephen Myler and George Ford to stake a claim for a place in next year’s World Cup squad following their inclusion in the 35-man party to prepare for the Six Nations. No10 Toby Flood’s international career is virtually over after Lancaster, who has a policy of not [...]
Tough-talking Allardyce vows to lead troubled West Ham to safety January 9, 2014 UNDER pressure West Ham manager Sam Allardyce came out fighting yesterday and vowed to turn his team’s season around in the face of growing frustration from supporters. Those who travelled to Manchester City on Wednesday night vented their anger at the Hammers boss during the 6-0 thrashing, while former captain Julian Dicks said he felt [...]
Crisis is down to penny pinching, say United fans January 9, 2014 MANCHESTER United’s woes are not the fault of new manager David Moyes but the inevitable consequence of reduced investment in players since the Glazer takeover, according to a leading fans’ group. The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) argues that a run of three consecutive defeats and the seemingly certain loss of the Premier League title [...]
Goode calls on Sarries to clear mental hurdle January 9, 2014 SARACENS full-back Alex Goode insists his team-mates must overcome a mental barrier to beat Toulouse in Sunday’s crucial Heineken Cup clash. The French side, four-times champions of Europe, emerged with a narrow 17-16 win when the top two teams in Pool 3 met at Wembley in October. And Goode feels a full 80-minute performance from [...]