England quartet rewarded April 14, 2010 CRICKET: Wicketkeeper Matt Prior has been named among four Englishmen as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year. Prior, overlooked by England for the World Twenty20 squad, joins the elite list – inaugurated in 1889 – by fellow Ashes winners Stuart Broad, Graham Onions and Graeme Swann. Australia’s Michael Clarke is also named.
Rose blooms for Spurs as sad Gunners pay the price April 14, 2010 TOTTENHAM (2) v/s ARSENAL(1) ROOKIE Danny Rose capped a dream full debut for Tottenham with a goal-of-the-season contender which surely puts paid to Arsenal faint title hopes. The England under 21 midfielderreturned a Manuel Almunia clearance with an unstoppable 35-yard volley to give Harry Redknapp’s side a 10th minute lead. Gareth Bale added a second [...]
Magical Malouda has put Chelsea in box seat April 14, 2010 THREE weeks ago I thought Chelsea were going to throw the Premier League title away. Elimination from Europe was followed by a draw at Blackburn, and they looked short of confidence and mired in a poor pattern of play. But they have surprised and impressed me with the way they have responded. Now they are [...]
City’s Mancini hoping United are at full strength for derby April 14, 2010 MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini is hoping Manchester United talisman Wayne Rooney recovers in time for Saturday’s derby – because he does not want Sir Alex Ferguson to have any excuses if they lose. City go into the clash at Eastlands in ebullient spirits, having smashed 14 goals in their last three Premier League games. [...]
Jagielka error saves Villa in the draw which neither team wanted April 14, 2010 ASTON VILLA (2) v/s EVERTON (2) AN INJURY-TIME own goal from Phil Jagielka salvaged a point for Aston Villa, although Martin O’Neill’s men lost more ground in the race for fourth place. Victory would have seen Villa leapfrog Liverpool to within five points of fourth-place Manchester City, but Tim Cahill’s headed opener from Leighton Baines’ [...]
Barca’s promise not to bid for Cesc April 14, 2010 BARCELONA top brass have promised not to make a summer bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, says chairman Peter Hill-Wood. The Spain midfielder is widely expected to return to his old club one day, but Hill-Wood is adamant the Catalans do not want him yet. “There was a private conversation that took place in the [...]
Usmanov ups his stake in Arsenal April 14, 2010 ALISHER Usmanov, Arsenal’s second largest shareholder, has spent almost £390,000 on upping his stake amid fresh speculation about the club’s future. The Russian steel magnate bought 37 shares at £10,500 each to increase his shareholding from 26.29 per cent to 26.31 per cent. It moves him closer to the 30 per cent threshold that would [...]
Anelka eases anxiety as Bolton make Blues sweat April 13, 2010 CHELSEA (1) v/s BOLTON (0) WELL, he may not have got too much wrong in his 23 years in charge at Manchester United, but Sir Alex Ferguson was certainly wide of the mark here. His assumption that Bolton would be “easy” for Chelsea couldn’t have been further from the truth as Owen Coyle’s industrious Trotters [...]
Van Persie could start as Wenger ponders a gamble April 13, 2010 TOTTENHAM v/s ARSENAL ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger admits he is taking a gamble by throwing Robin van Persie back into action in tonight’s crunch north London derby, but is toying with the idea of handing him a starting role. Striker Van Persie is back in the squad for a match that both sides view as [...]
Arsenal ownership takes fresh twist as Kroenke takes control of NFL side April 13, 2010 MYSTERY surrounding the future of Arsenal has deepened after the club’s largest investor Stan Kroenke decided to snap up the remaining shares in his American football franchise St Louis Rams. The US billionaire’s move casts doubt on his ability to launch a takeover of the Gunners, just hours after it seemed the Premier League outfit’s [...]