Defoe treble keeps up flying start and sends Spurs to top August 19, 2009 HULL (1) vs TOTTENHAM (5) ENGLAND hero Jermain Defoe scored the first Premier League hat-trick of the season as Tottenham ensured there was no repeat of last season’s horror start. Spurs bagged just two points from their first eight games of last season, but have enjoyed a storming start to this campaign by following up [...]
Chelsea claw back to defeat Black Cats August 18, 2009 SUNDERLAND (1) vs CHELSEA (3) THE new Premier League season may be only four days old, but Chelsea, many pundits’ tips for the title, are already sitting pretty at the top of the table after rallying to sweep aside Sunderland. Black Cats summer signing Darren Bent gave the visitors a scare by pouncing to notch [...]
SPORT IN BRIEF August 18, 2009 Wolves spoil Martinez homecomingFOOTBALL: A header from Andy Keogh gave newly-promoted Wolves a 1-0 victory at Wigan and their first away win in 30 Premier League matches. The Republic of Ireland forward nodded in off the post in the sixth minute to spoil Roberto Martinez’s first home game in charge since returning to the Latics [...]
The beautiful game? It’s nothing without lawyers August 18, 2009 IT is hard to imagine the chant of “we love lawyers” rolling down the Kop, but as another season kicks off, football may be surprised to know that it owes the legal profession a considerable debt. It was a solicitor, Ebenezer Cobb Morley, who had the idea to form an organisation that became the Football [...]
How Mr Wigan has put JJB and the City behind him to live the dream August 16, 2009 EVAN at 72 Wigan serial entrepreneur Dave Whelan still gives an impression of a man in a hurry. Whelan moves at a sprightly pace between tables in the director’s box at Wigan Athletic, the Premier League football club he owns, and his trim figure still hints at a man who played professional football for Blackburn, [...]
New boy Seb hails dream Spurs debut to stun Reds August 16, 2009 NEW signing Sebastien Bassong hailed his “perfect debut” after earning Tottenham a dream Premier League start against title contenders Liverpool. Just ten days after completing his £8m move from Newcastle, Bassong met Luka Modric’s free-kick for his first goal in English football to ensure his side claimed a prized early-season scalp. Full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto gave [...]
Rooney set 20-goal target to fire United August 16, 2009 SIR ALEX FERGUSON backed Wayne Rooney to fire 20 goals for Manchester United this season after his solitary first-half strike put paid to brave Birmingham at Old Trafford. The England striker got the champions up and running with a 34th minute winner from close range after seeing a header hit a post. His 99th goal [...]
The big kick-off is a blackout for some August 13, 2009 WITH the football season starting in earnest tomorrow, ESPN, the Disney-owned broadcaster, is proudly trumpeting its coverage on all four pay television platforms, BSkyB, Virgin Media, BT Vision and Top-Up TV. ESPN, which has taken over the rights to 46 live Premier League matches from the now defunct Setanta, agreed deals with all the main [...]
Chelsea can stop United’s historic four-in-a-row bid August 13, 2009 THE Community Shield is never of major significance to the top managers, but it’s one-nil to Carlo Ancelotti after his first tussle with likely title rival, Sir Alex Ferguson. The sides looked very evenly matched, but Cristiano Ronaldo is a huge loss for United and if they get a couple of injuries to big players, [...]
Phillips: United don’t scare us August 13, 2009 KEVIN PHILLIPS insists newly-promoted Birmingham City have nothing to fear when they open their new Premier League account with a visit to Manchester United on Sunday. Veteran striker Phillips, 36, is back in the top-flight after a two-year absence having won back-to-back promotions with West Brom and then the Blues. His reward is a daunting [...]