Champions League: Wenger finds silver lining as Arsenal face nightmare draw December 11, 2013 NAPOLI 2 vs ARSENAL 0 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger did his best to look on the bright side after a nervy night ended with his 10-man team being plunged into a nightmare draw for the knockout stage of the Champions League. Late goals from former Gunners target Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon took Wenger’s men [...]
Defiant Prior excited by chance to defy history and save Ashes December 11, 2013 ENGLAND wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior insists the chance to make Ashes history can inspire them to mount an unlikely fightback against Australia in the third Test in Perth tomorrow. Two baffling displays of batting ineptitude have left the tourists on the brink of surrendering the urn with two games to spare, though form is not the [...]
Blood-spinning for Vertonghen December 11, 2013 TOTTENHAM plan to use the controversial treatment blood-spinning to hasten defender Jan Vertonghen’s recovery from an ankle ligament injury. The technique – legal under world anti-doping laws but deemed controversial because its effectiveness is disputed – involves drawing blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to increase the number of platelets, which aid healing, before [...]
London Irish set for buyout December 11, 2013 PREMIERSHIP Rugby club London Irish are today expected to confirm a takeover by a consortium led by a recycling and waste management tycoon. Mick Crossan, whose company Powerday already sponsor the Exiles, is believed to be the main figure in an Irish group set to take charge of the struggling outfit. Retaining stars such as [...]
Champions League: Mourinho criticises long-ball tactics but Chelsea top group December 11, 2013 CHELSEA 1 vs STEAUA BUCHAREST 0 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho has demanded his side play more attractive football and score more goals, despite finishing top of their Champions League group with last night’s win over Steaua Bucharest. The Blues took the lead through Demba Ba after just 10 minutes at Stamford Bridge, yet despite controlling [...]
Gilchrist issues choke warning December 11, 2013 AUSTRALIA’S inexperience could see them choke now that victory is within their grasp, their former wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has warned. England’s dominance of the last three series means few of the home team have successfully finished an Ashes series. Gilchrist believes they may start to feel the pressure. “It’s a challenge for the Australian team, [...]
Hull press ahead with Tigers rebrand December 11, 2013 FOOTBALL: Hull City owner Assem Allam has defied fan opposition by formally applying to the Football Association to change the Premier League club’s name to Hull Tigers. The change would take effect next season and anger supporters who have campaigned to retain their current name under the slogan “City Till We Die”. Allam, who took [...]
Johnson: Athletics will never be clean December 11, 2013 ATHLETICS: Track great Michael Johnson believes athletics will never be clean and that the Olympics is the only thing keeping the sport alive. “In real life you’ll always have people who cheat. It’s unrealistic to expect athletics to be drug-free,” he said. “Without the Olympics, athletics would be dead. We need to look at a [...]
Champions League: Pellegrini in gaffe storm as City enjoy famous win December 10, 2013 BAYERN MUNICH 2 vs MANCHESTER CITY 3 MANCHESTER City boss Manuel Pellegrini was last night at the centre of a riddle over whether he made a costly miscalculation that soured an otherwise landmark Champions League victory over Bayern Munich. City recovered from a disastrous start that saw them go two goals behind inside 12 minutes [...]
Swann in firing line as Flower wields axe for third Test December 10, 2013 ENGLAND head coach Andy Flower has warned he is ready to be ruthless as he attempts to plot an unprecedented Ashes fightback – and hinted that spinner Graeme Swann could be a surprise casualty. Flower yesterday made plain his dissatisfaction at England’s meek surrender in the first two Tests, which have left them facing the [...]