Carlo Ancelotti adds to Chelsea managerial uncertainty as Italian appears ready to replace Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich December 16, 2015 Chelsea look set to spare manager Jose Mourinho the axe before Saturday’s match against Sunderland as the list of potential replacements for the under-fire Portuguese appears to dwindle. Mourinho took training as usual yesterday despite growing uncertainty over his position following Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester, a result that left the struggling champions one point [...]
Fifa crisis: Sepp Blatter compares investigation into controversial £1.3m payment to the Inquisition December 15, 2015 Embattled Fifa president Sepp Blatter has compared the internal investigation that threatens to bring an abrupt end to his 17 years as the head of football’s world governing body to the Inquisition. Blatter’s remarks come as he prepares to appear before Hans-Joachim Eckert, the head of the adjudicatory chamber of Fifa’s ethics committee who could [...]
Jose Mourinho is not the only one to blame for Chelsea’s crisis but looks to be on borrowed time December 15, 2015 It's surreal – possibly the most surreal fall from grace I can remember witnessing in football – but the aim for Chelsea and their under-fire manager Jose Mourinho now has to be survival. They have gone from champions to relegation candidates in a matter of months and their performance level is unrecognisable from last season’s [...]
Jordan Spieth has matched Tiger Woods’s best but Rory McIlroy will be back in 2016 December 14, 2015 Now that the last golf ball of 2015 has been struck in anger, it’s time to reflect on a remarkable and significant season that has at times felt like a changing of the guard. Former world No1 Tiger Woods has admitted that he may be finished as a force, and there have to be doubts [...]
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham handed shot at revenge after being handed European rematches against Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Fiorentina December 14, 2015 Arsenal and Chelsea face familiar foes in the Champions League after they were once again drawn against their European nemeses Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Manchester City were dealt a kinder hand in the last 16, in the form of a tie with Dynamo Kiev, the away leg of which will be played behind closed doors [...]
Arsene Wenger says Olivier Giroud is at the top of his game as in-form striker fires Arsenal to top of Premier League December 13, 2015 ASTON VILLA 0, ARSENAL 2 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger backed Olivier Giroud to keep confounding his critics after the striker capped a fine week by firing the Gunners to the top of the Premier League. Giroud’s first-half penalty and a breakaway second by midfielder Aaron Ramsey saw Wenger’s men overtake Manchester City and Leicester – until [...]
Euro 2016: England have a good chance of reaching the semi-finals, says Football Association chairman Greg Dyke December 13, 2015 Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has tipped Roy Hodgson to lead England to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 but insists suggestions of a new contract for the head coach are premature. Dyke famously foretold the Three Lions’ early exit from last year’s World Cup when he made a tongue-in-cheek throat-slitting gesture after they were drawn [...]
Anthony Joshua ready to wait for Tyson Fury after beating Dillian Whyte with seventh-round knockout December 13, 2015 Newly-crowned British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua insists he is in no hurry for a world title fight despite coming through the sternest test yet of his credentials. Joshua took several blows and was taken more than twice as far as in any of his previous 14 professional bouts before knocking out former amateur rival Dillian [...]
Erik Lamela hat-trick helps Tottenham to Monaco romp and easier path in Europa League December 10, 2015 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4, MONACO 1 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino hailed Erik Lamela after the Argentinian’s whirlwind hat-trick swept Spurs into the Europa League’s last 32 as group winners last night at White Hart Lane. Midfielder Tom Carroll scored the other – his first for the club – as the north Londoners continued their fine start to [...]
Ian Bell will benefit from being dropped by England for South Africa tour, says Alastair Cook December 10, 2015 He may have been axed from the Test team for the winter tour to South Africa, but England captain Alastair Cook insists batsman Ian Bell’s international career is far from over. Cook said he had been struck by Bell’s determination to win back his place since it was announced last month that he would not [...]