Villa faces lengthy injury lay-off December 15, 2011 FOOTBALL: Barcelona’s Spanish striker David Villa faces a race to be fit in time for next summer’s European Championships after he suffered a fracture to the tibia in his left leg yesterday. Villa, who is set to spend up to five months on the sidelines, suffered the injury in Barca’s 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final [...]
Westwood shoots career best 60 December 15, 2011 GOLF: England’s Lee Westwood shot a magnificent career best 12-under-par 60 to lead the Thailand Golf Championship yesterday. Westwood holds a five-shot lead over American John Daly.
London beefs up security for 2012 December 15, 2011 OLYMPICS: London will be protected by 13,500 military personnel during next year’s Games – twice as many as had been predicted. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said security would remain police-led but the Armed Forces would make a “significant contribution”.
City can bounce back after their first defeat December 15, 2011 IT has been a tough couple of weeks for Manchester City after being dumped out of the Champions League by Napoli and then tasting defeat for the first time in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Monday night. They didn’t perform badly in either game, though, and Roberto Mancini will be desperate for his [...]
Act Of Kalanisi too big at 16/1 for the in-form Newland yard December 15, 2011 CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls sends a powerful team to Ascot tomorrow headed up by Big Buck’s who looks impossible to oppose in the Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle (2.30pm). The eight-year-old is looking for his 14th consecutive win, but we’re not going to get rich backing him at 1/4. Nicholls also saddles the well-fancied Prospect [...]
Fulham Fall at the last December 14, 2011 Cottagers out of Europa League after throwing away two-goal lead and conceding in injury-time FULHAM 2 vs ODENSE BK 2 CRESTFALLEN Fulham manager Martin Jol admitted he was bitterly disappointed after watching his side crash out of the Europa League in agonising circumstances last night, following Djiby Fall’s 93rd minute equaliser. Fulham were cruising at [...]
MATCH ANALYSIS December 14, 2011 KEY MOMENT Kerim Frei, the 18-year-old Swiss starlet, enjoyed a reputation enhancing night, but one moment of over indulgence at the death cost his side a place in the knockout stages. With the clock ticking down the young winger would have been well advised to have taken the ball to the corner flag, rather than [...]
Four jockeys among 11 found guilty of corruption December 14, 2011 JOCKEYS Paul Doe and Greg Fairley have been banned from racing for 12 years for breaching rules after a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) probe into alleged corruption. Fellow riders Kirsty Milczarek and Jimmy Quinn received two-year and six-month suspensions, respectively. Fairley and Doe were charged with the most serious rule-breaches, of deliberately ensuring horses did not [...]
England talk won’t distract Harry from Spurs project December 14, 2011 SHAMROCK ROVERS vs TOTTENHAM TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp insists he is fully focused on ensuring Champions League football returns to White Hart Lane next season and will not be distracted by ongoing talk of him succeeding Fabio Capello as England head coach. Redknapp, who has turned Spurs from relegation candidates into Champions League quarter finalists [...]
Villa won’t join Chelsea and Torres is staying put December 14, 2011 BARCELONA manager Pep Guardiola has denied suggestions striker David Villa will join Chelsea in January. The Spain international started last weekend’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid on the substitutes’ bench and was reported to have fallen out with team-mate Lionel Messi earlier this season. But Guardiola insists the 30-year-old, who signed a four-year deal upon [...]