Holt completes Villa loan switch while Stoke seal double swoop January 14, 2014 NEW Aston Villa striker Grant Holt is relishing a return to the Premier League after completing a surprise loan switch from Wigan yesterday. Holt has struck just two goals in 21 matches since his £2m summer move from Norwich to the FA Cup holders. But Villa boss Paul Lambert has swooped to bring in the [...]
Giant-killing Kidderminster set up Sunderland tie in round four January 14, 2014 NON-LEAGUE Kidderminster set up an FA Cup fourth round trip to Premier League strugglers Sunderland with a 3-2 win at Peterborough last night. Tommy Rowe opened the scoring for Peterborough, sixth in League One, in the third round replay, but goals from Michael Gash and Jack Byrne shortly after half-time put Harriers ahead. Britt Assombalonga [...]
Townsend close to Spurs return January 14, 2014 FOOTBALL: Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, who has missed the last six matches with a hamstring injury, scored during a 45-minute cameo appearance as Spurs beat Newcastle 4-1 in an Under-21s Premier League match yesterday.
Premier League: Arsenal back on top with Villa victory January 13, 2014 ASTON VILLA 1 vs ARSENAL 2 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has told his players to forget what is going on elsewhere and focus on winning after they returned to the top of the Premier League last night. Two first-half goals in less than a minute from midfielder Jack Wilshere and striker Olivier Giroud were enough [...]
Ronaldo beats Messi to world player award January 13, 2014 A TEARFUL Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to his Real Madrid and Portugal team-mates upon receiving the Ballon d’Or for 2013 yesterday, ending Lionel Messi’s four-year reign as governing body Fifa’s world player of the year. The 28-year-old gained 1,365 points in the vote cast by national captains and coaches, plus members of the global football [...]
Matic set for Chelsea return with De Bruyne poised to exit January 13, 2014 CHELSEA are closing in on the £21m signing of midfielder Nemanja Matic, less than three years after his departure from Stamford Bridge. The 25-year-old was used as a makeweight in the £21m deal to sign central defender David Luiz from Benfica in August 2011. But the Serbian has since shot to prominence and was named [...]
Pardew escapes disciplinary action January 13, 2014 FOOTBALL: Newcastle manager Alan Pardew learnt yesterday he will face no action from the Football Association for his expletive-laden rant at Manchester City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini in Sunday’s match. Pardew was incensed after a goal from midfielder Cheick Tiote was contentiously ruled out for offside by referee Mike Jones, who will not officiate in the [...]
Premier League: Pardew sorry for foul rant at Pellegrini January 12, 2014 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 vs MANCHESTER CITY 2 NEWCASTLE manager Alan Pardew was forced to apologise for an expletive-laden tirade at opposite number Manuel Pellegrini yesterday as Manchester City reclaimed top spot in the Premier League. Pardew, 52, was caught on camera calling Pellegrini, 60, a “f****** old ****” in a touchline row that followed the [...]
Sport Comment: Old-school thrills abound beyond top flight January 12, 2014 LET’S hazard a guess at some of the things that annoy you about Premier League football. Players feigning injury, players kicking the ball out of play to allow other players who aren’t injured to get treatment, referees insisting on free kicks being taken from exactly the right spot, and without a rolling ball, referees demanding [...]
Giroud lauded as Arsenal look to go top again January 12, 2014 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has hailed returning striker Olivier Giroud ahead of tonight’s game at Aston Villa, where a win would see the Gunners reclaim top spot in the Premier League. The north Londoners will be especially keen to take three points away from Villa Park after the rest of the division’s top seven teams [...]