Premier League: Cesc’s Chelsea tonic leaves QPR sick April 12, 2015 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0 CHELSEA 1 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho conceded his team had been lucky after needing a last-gasp winner from midfielder Cesc Fabregas to win the west London derby and inch closer to the Premier League title. Queens Park Rangers looked to have earned a vital point in their battle to avoid relegation [...]
Premier League: Rampant United dent City title defence and Pellegrini prospects April 12, 2015 MANCHESTER UNITED 4 MANCHESTER CITY 2 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini accepted blame but refused to discuss the growing threat of dismissal after suffering an emphatic derby defeat to resurgent Manchester United yesterday. Faltering Premier League champions City took the lead through Sergio Aguero but were soon overrun by rampant United, shipping goals from Ashley [...]
Arsenal are hunted, Arsene Wenger warns April 12, 2015 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has challenged his team to win their six remaining Premier League games and ensure that they are not caught by either of the Manchester giants. The Gunners go into Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Reading on the back of eight consecutive league victories, after which they face Chelsea at Emirates Stadium. [...]
Leeds United: A Red Bull Salzburg fan sheds light on life following a fizzy drink’s football club April 10, 2015 Could Leeds United one day have Red Bull affixed to their name? Rumours that the renowned energy drink brand is interested in a takeover of English football’s beleaguered giants have circulated since 2013, even in spite of Red Bull’s repeated denials the suggestion still seems to have wings. Earlier this week Dylan Thwaites, chief executive of [...]
Sport Comment: Future looks uncertain in Wild West of football agents April 9, 2015 IT WAS an astonishing Easter weekend of football, full of action and mouth-watering goals of the highest class. But after being persuaded by someone other than Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to spill his guts to the BBC, young forward Raheem Sterling was not one of those heroes. I am sure he will reflect on that [...]
Chelsea firm up Asian links with move for striker April 9, 2015 JAPAN forward Yoshinori Muto insists Chelsea have lodged a bid for him but that he is yet to decide whether to swap the J-League for Stamford Bridge this summer. Muto, 22, can play anywhere along the front three and has scored 17 goals in 43 appearances for FC Tokyo, as well as once in 11 [...]
We don’t need to sell Wilshere, warns Wenger April 9, 2015 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has warned midfielder Jack Wilshere’s suitors that the club’s financial strength means that their days of selling key players to rival clubs are behind them. Manchester City are said to be interested in Wilshere, having already raided the Gunners for Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna [...]
Stewart: Pietersen’s a good fella and is playing better by the day April 9, 2015 Surrey boss plans era of success SURREY director of cricket Alec Stewart insists mercurial batsman Kevin Pietersen is starting to showcase the form to revive the county’s fortunes and which may yet persuade selectors to revive his England career ahead of this summer’s Ashes. Pietersen resumed training with Surrey on Monday, having returned to the [...]
In-form United to put the boot into struggling derby rivals April 9, 2015 BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS THE MANCHESTER DERBY DERBY DAY arrives in the North-West this Sunday as a resurgent Manchester United look to heap even more pressure on their stuttering neighbours Manchester City. A look at recent history – whether in the league or in the derby itself – can tilt thoughts to either the red or [...]
Fifa world rankings: Wales’ staggering performance against the odds summed up in two charts April 9, 2015 Wales' football team have risen to their highest ever Fifa world ranking thanks to a strong start to their quest for qualification for Euro 2016. Rising to 22nd in the world, Wales are now ranked above countries such as the Ivory Coast, Russia, USA, Australia and Ghana. After winning three of five games in Euro [...]