City handed tough start to Premier League title defence June 18, 2014 CHAMPIONS Manchester City have been handed a tricky start to the 2014-15 Premier League season with head-to-heads against the rest of last season’s top four in their first five games. After travelling to Newcastle when the campaign kicks off on 16 August, City then host last season’s runners-up Liverpool in their opening game at the [...]
Kouyate enticed to West Ham by Carroll presence June 18, 2014 WEST Ham chairman David Sullivan has set manager Sam Allardyce the target of a top-10 Premier League finish after opening the chequebook again for Anderlecht’s Cheikhou Kouyate. The Senegal-born player, 24, can play at centre-back or as a defensive midfielder and is thought to have cost the Hammers in the region of £6m. Kouyate’s signing [...]
Premier League fixtures 2014-2015: How does your team do in the first game? June 18, 2014 Champions Manchester City will kick off the defence of their Premier League crown with a trip to Newcastle, while newly promoted Burnley host Chelsea in their first game back in the big time. Louis Van Gaal's opening match in charge of Manchester United sees him come up against Swansea at home, while Arsenal welcome Crystal [...]
Sturridge: I’ll be happy to see Suarez in crunch clash June 16, 2014 WITH Uruguay striker Luis Suarez having declared himself fit for Thursday’s win or bust clash with England, his Liverpool strike partner is relishing their head-to-head but has warned the two-time World Cup winners are by no means a one-man team. Suarez played no part in his country’s surprise defeat to Costa Rica due to recent knee [...]
Chelsea pounce after Gunners reject Fabregas June 12, 2014 WORLD Cup winner Cesc Fabregas has revealed former club Arsenal turned down a chance to bring him back to north London before Chelsea secured his services in a £27m deal. Fabregas, set to feature in Spain’s World Cup opener against Holland tonight, yesterday finalised a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge. When the 27-year-old moved from [...]
Homegrown factor (at Arsenal) makes Cesc Fabregas more useful to Chelsea June 12, 2014 It's not just incisive midfield play and experience on the big stage that make Cesc Fabregas attractive to Chelsea, who have today signed the former Arsenal captain from Barcelona for £30m on a five-year deal. Fabregas’s value to the Blues has increased markedly since the club decided to part company with two of its [...]
World Cup 2014: Wayne Rooney fires warning shot at Italy ahead of opener June 11, 2014 England striker Wayne Rooney has warned Saturday’s World Cup opponents Italy: “underestimate us at your peril”. Italy dumped England out of the 2012 European Championship via a penalty shootout, though had outplayed Roy Hodgson’s team during a goalless 120 minutes with midfielder Andrea Pirlo their star turn. Two years on, questions are still being asked [...]
The World Cup’s six economic lessons June 11, 2014 THE WORLD Cup is a fascinating lesson in economics, as well as football. The best teams and players have fought gladiatorial battles to reach Brazil, and the competition is about to get even more intense. So before they get lost amid the excitement of the tournament, here are six fundamental economic lessons to take home. [...]
Sport Comment: For Milner and England, see Michalak and French rugby June 8, 2014 CONSUMED by optimism, most of you reading this will be in front of a television next Saturday evening, believing that a combination of Steven Gerrard’s drive, Gary Cahill’s determination and the odd flash of brilliance from Wayne Rooney and/or Daniel Sturridge will upset Italy and kick-start England’s World Cup challenge in style. However, if things [...]
Liverpool agree £10m deal for Can June 5, 2014 FOOTBALL: Premier League runners-up Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen central midfielder Emre Can. The 20-year-old, who joined Leverkusen from Bayern Munich last summer, has a £10m release clause. The move has been agreed in principle and is set to go through when the transfer window re-opens next month.