City can see off challenge of visiting Gunners January 15, 2015 BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS MAN CITY V ARSENAL AND NEWCASTLE V SOUTHAMPTON MANCHESTER City are the form team in the Premier League after 12 games unbeaten and will be disappointed not to be top. Having been level on points with Chelsea on New Year’s Day, courtesy of seven straight wins, their lack of available strikers and [...]
FA Cup: Four-goal Spurs fightback avoids FA Cup anguish January 14, 2015 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4 BURNLEY 2 TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino believes a swift recovery from Burnley’s early two-goal blitz proved pivotal as his side revived their FA Cup hopes with a stunning comeback at White Hart Lane last night. Eight-time winners Tottenham were indebted to Paulinho, Etienne Capoue and Vlad Chiriches netting their first strikes of [...]
Defoe prepares to face Spurs in Sunderland bow January 14, 2015 ENGLAND striker Jermain Defoe could make his Sunderland debut against former team Tottenham on Saturday after closing in on a return to English football last night. Defoe is believed to have successfully completed a medical ahead of a transfer from Toronto FC, just five months after leaving White Hart Lane for the Major League Soccer [...]
‘Basketball has all the attributes to be Britain’s true second sport’ January 14, 2015 The NBA’s Ben Morel tells Frank Dalleres about their plans to expand in London IF YOU are lucky enough to be among the 20,000 or so witnessing the NBA’s dazzling roadshow tonight at the O2 then you are probably either a celebrity or quick out of the blocks. Tickets for the match between the Milwaukee [...]
I can rule Europe after Manchester City transfer, says £28m Wilfried Bony January 14, 2015 MANCHESTER City’s newest recruit Wilfried Bony is hoping that his record-breaking £28m move will help him to realise his dream of winning the Champions League. The Ivory Coast striker yesterday officially completed his transfer from Swansea to the Premier League title-holders for a fee of £25m plus £3m in potential extras – a club record [...]
FA Cup: Allardyce pleas for clean sheets after cup thriller January 13, 2015 WEST HAM UNITED 2 EVERTON 2 (West Ham win 9-8 on penalties) WEST HAM boss Sam Allardyce reiterated the need for his defence to register a greater proportion of clean sheets after the Hammers threw away another lead before navigating an enthralling cup tie 9-8 on penalties at Upton Park last night. Spanish keeper Adrian [...]
Hodgson forced to cancel planned dinner date with England players January 13, 2015 ENGLAND boss Roy Hodgson was last night forced to cancel a dinner meeting with his players after various Premier League clubs objected to the concept due to busy fixture schedules. Hodgson had planned to organize a get-together at the end of the month to conduct a tactical review of November’s 3-1 friendly win over Scotland, [...]
Stifling Ings key to Tottenham’s FA Cup progress January 13, 2015 TOTTENHAM defender Eric Dier insists shackling the attacking potency of Burnley’s England Under-21 striker Danny Ings is pivotal to his side navigating tonight’s FA Cup third round replay at White Hart Lane. Burnley salvaged a replay last week after Wales hitman Sam Vokes shrugged off a nine-month injury nightmare to cancel out Nacer Chadli’s opener. [...]
Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea named as the “most stable” teams in the Premier League January 13, 2015 Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea have been named as the most stable clubs in the Premier League in a new study from the CIES Football Observatory. The study, which looks at how player turnover affects a club’s performance, found that a more settled or “stable” squad would be more likely to achieve success. On [...]
Allardyce bangs drum for Carroll England call-up January 12, 2015 WEST HAM boss Sam Allardyce has backed towering hitman Andy Carroll to earn an England recall as his side prepare to face Everton in tonight’s FA Cup third round reply at Upton Park. Carroll has been blighted by injury since the Hammers stumped up a club record £15m to secure his services on a permanent [...]