Vickery urges England to turn on the power by recalling Tuilagi February 22, 2012 FORMER England captain Phil Vickery believes head coach Stuart Lancaster must be bold enough to tinker with a winning team and unleash Manu Tuilagi against Wales in Saturday’s pivotal Six Nations clash. Despite Lancaster’s tenure having commenced with victories away from home against Scotland and Italy, both performances were depressingly reminiscent, despite the significant change [...]
Rampant City to welcome Tevez back into the fold February 22, 2012 MANCHESTER CITY 4 vs PORTO 0 MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini is ready to integrate Carlos Tevez back into his first team squad, but the Argentina striker faces an uphill struggle to win back his place on the evidence of last night’s crushing Europa League victory over Porto. The Premier League leaders stormed into the [...]
Broad happy to count on Cook February 22, 2012 ENGLAND Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad insists his authority would not be undermined were he to hand one-day skipper Alastair Cook his first cap in the shortest format of the game since November 2009 today. Cook, who presided over a surprising 4-0 whitewash over Pakistan in the ODI series, has been added to the Twenty20 squad [...]
Couch and Barrow seal bronze February 22, 2012 BRITAIN celebrated its first medal success at the Olympic Aquatics Centre last night after Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch took bronze in the 10metre synchronised platform. The pair scored 83.52 with their final dive – a back 2.5 somersaults, 1.5 twists – to pip the Australian duo of Alex Croak and Melissa Wu and create [...]
Pearce ponders options ahead of Holland test February 22, 2012 ENGLAND interim manager Stuart Pearce will today name his first senior squad ahead of next week’s friendly against Holland at Wembley. The Under-21 boss has avoided having to handle one potential hot potato after John Terry, stripped of the armband last month, was ruled out for two months on Tuesday with a knee injury that [...]
Rooney out of Ajax return leg February 22, 2012 FOOTBALL: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will miss tonight’s Europa League last-32 second leg match against Ajax with a sore throat. United lead 2-0 from the away leg.
England Legends to face Ireland February 22, 2012 RUGBY UNION: Martin Corry and Jason Robinson are among England Legends set to face Irish Legends at The Stoop on 16 March. Tickets start at £5 and proceeds go towards the RFU Injured Players Foundation and other rugby causes. See www.quins.co.uk for details.
Villas-Boas on brink as Blues sunk in Naples February 21, 2012 NAPOLI 3 vs CHELSEA 1 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas lurched closer towards the Stamford Bridge exit door last night but defiantly insisted he would still be at the helm by the time Napoli arrive in west London in three weeks’ time hoping to terminate his side’s remote hopes of Champions League glory. The 34-year-old’s decision [...]
MATCH ANALYSIS February 21, 2012 CITY A.M. VERDICT A barmy match which could have seen Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge with an advantage ultimately leaves them facing an enormous task to prolong their involvement in this season’s Champions League MAN OF THE MATCH It seems almost unfair that a nation in Argentina which boasts the likes of Lionel Messi and [...]
PLAYER RATINGS | CHELSEA February 21, 2012 PETR CECH Made several impressive saves early on but went walkabout for Napoli’s killer third goal 7/10 BRANISLAV IVANOVIC Guilty of ball-watching for Cavani’s goal and was hardly seen as an attacking outlet 4/10 DAVID LUIZ By no means his poorest performance but still at fault for Lavezzi’s second goal 5/10 GARY CAHILL A real [...]