Category: More Sports

‘He has shown leadership qualities’ – Wenger says Giroud deserved captaincy

The Arsenal manager says the hard work and patience of his French striker made him an ideal candidate to inherit the armband against Preston Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his decision to make Olivier Giroud captain against Preston North End was a reward for the striker’s patience and hard work. Giroud continued his run of good form, scoring for the fourth straight game as he helped his side to a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

On-the-whistle report: Watford 2 – 0 Burton Albion, no cup upset as Brewers suffer injuries

Burton Albion’s attentions turn solely to the Championship as they were knocked out of the FA Cup at the third round by Premier League Watford, who ran out 2-0 winners at Vicarage Road. A much-changed Brewers line-up went a goal down after 21 minutes as Brandon Mason’s excellent low cross from the left across the box was met by Christian KABASELE , who was left with a simple finish from close range with Albion’s defence and goalkeeper scrambling.

Nigel Clough says he made mistake with Burton Albion formation in FA Cup loss at Watford

Nigel Clough says he set Burton Albion out with the wrong formation in the FA Cup third-round defeat to Watford on Saturday. The Brewers – who lost 2-0 after goals from Christian Kabasele and Jerome Sinclair – lined up in a 3-5-2 from kick-off at Vicarage Road, with John Brayford, Kyle McFadzean and Tom Flanagan the three central defenders and Marcus Harness and Lloyd Dyer taking up the two wing-back slots.

Real honour Cristiano Ronaldo’s record

Cristiano Ronaldo was honoured by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu yesterday in a ceremony to mark the Ballon d’Or award he earned last month for world player of the year – the fourth Golden Ball he has won. Cristiano Ronaldo then went on to help Real Madrid tie Barcelona’s Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten in all competitions by crushing Granada 5-0.

Transfer News: Conte reveals Chelsea plans, Man Utd bombshell,…

“They went on loan and it’s important to wait this month [to see] what happens, to evaluate the situation in the right way and then make the solution for the club, for the players above all. “It’s important to evaluate these players and then make the best decision for the players, for the team, for the club and for me.”

Our greatest ever captain! Arsenal fans praise Olivier Giroud …

“Arsenal star Olivier Giroud made it 2-1 with a deflected shot after a beautiful back-heel assist by Lucas Perez” The Frenchman made it 2-1 with a deflected shot after a beautiful back-heel assist by Lucas Perez on the 89th minute. The Gunners struggled throughout the match as they were trailing in the first-half following a goal by Preston’s Callum Robinson.

Djokovic beats Murray to successfully defend Qatar title

” Defending champion Novak Djokovic successfully defended his Qatar Open title by beating top-seeded Andy Murray 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 on Saturday. The dramatic match, which showcased the best of men’s tennis for 2 hours, 54 minutes, required Djokovic to need four match points – three in the second set and one in the third – to prevail.

Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet win Hopman Cup title for France

Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet clinched France’s second Hopman Cup title, beating Americans Coco Vandeweghe and Jack Sock 4-1, 4-3 in the deciding mixed doubles match in the tournament final on Saturday. Earlier, Vandeweghe beat Mladenovic 6-4, 7-5 after Gasquet saved a match point in the third-set tiebreaker and held on for a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 win over Sock to give France the early lead in the exhibition tournament.

Wayne Rooney’s best goals for Manchester United

Wayne Rooney, centre, produced an audacious overhead kick against Manchester City in February 2011 which is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s greatest goals Rooney enjoyed a startling start to life at Old Trafford, launching himself into the footballing stratosphere with a debut hat-trick. Two fine first-half efforts were followed by a superb David Beckham-esque free-kick seven minutes after the break.

Mladenovic, Gasquet give France its 2nd Hopman Cup title

Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet clinched France’s second Hopman Cup title, beating Americans CoCo Vandeweghe and Jack Sock 4-1, 4-3 in the deciding mixed doubles match in the tournament final on Saturday. Earlier, Vandeweghe beat Mladenovic 6-4, 7-5 after Gasquet saved a match point in the third-set tiebreaker and held on for a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 win over Sock to give France the early lead in the exhibition tournament.

France beat United States to win Hopman Cup

REUTERS: Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet beat Coco Vandeweghe and Jack Sock of the United States to win France’s second Hopman Cup title in Perth on Saturday. Gasquet, who saved a match point in the third-set tiebreak, gave France the early lead by beating Sock 6-3 5-7 7-6 in a thrilling match lasting two and a half hours.

Mike Tyson to train Chris Brown for Soulja Boy boxing match

The 27-year-old singer and Atlanta rapper – who are embroiled in a bitter feud and have exchanged blows on social media – will take their fury inside the ring in March and Mike has agreed to train Chris. 50 Cent, 41, arranged for Mike to help with Chris’ training after he placed a bet for $100,000 with Floyd Mayweather, 39 – who is training Soulja Boy – that Chris will win and he posted a video on Instagram of the conversation between him and Mike.

Dimitrov vs Nishikori in Brisbane; Murray-Djokovic face off in Doha

IMAGE: Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov reacts after winning his match against Canada’s Milos Raonic at the Brisbane International semi-final at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on Saturday. Photograph: Steve Holland/Reuters ulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov upset top seed and defending champion Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International on Saturday to set up a title clash against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.

Klopp reveals Henderson is in line to make Liverpool return against Man Utd

The midfielder has been out of action since injuring his heel during the Reds’ 1-0 Premier League win over Manchester City on New Year’s Eve Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson could make his return from injury against Manchester United later this month, manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed. Henderson, 26, suffered a heel injury during his side’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Premier League on New Year’s Eve.

Nishikori Beats Wawrinka, Reaches First Brisbane Final

Kei Nishikori corrected his bad record in Brisbane International semifinals by beating U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 , 6-3 on Saturday to reach the final for the first time at the season-opening tournament. Wawrinka, who won the Chennai tournament in India in the first week of the season for the three previous years, had treatment on his lower left leg at the end of the first set tiebreaker and twice again in the second set.

Wenger: Xhaka not a dirty player

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists Granit Xhaka is not a dirty player despite the midfielder’s indifferent start to life in England. The 24-year-old arrived at Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in the off-season with a reputation as a rough player.

Arsenal will extend Cazorla and Mertesacker deals, Wenger confirms

The players’ contracts are nearing expiration but the Frenchman insists their time at the club is not coming to an end any time soon Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the club are likely to use their option to extend Santi Cazorla and Per Mertesacker’s expiring contracts. Cazorla, 32, has been heavily linked with a return to La Liga, with Atletico Madrid reportedly keen to sign him, while Mertesacker has caught the attention of former clubs Werder Bremen and Hannover.

Guardiola: Manchester City must believe they can beat any team

The manager was delighted with his side’s thrashing of West Ham in the FA Cup on Friday and hopes his side take confidence from the display Pep Guardiola says Manchester City’s players and fans must believe they can beat any team after they thrashed West Ham 5-0 on Friday. City have struggled for consistency since the arrival of Guardiola, but they were in fine form at London Stadium as they booked their ticket for the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Defending champ Djokovic to face top-ranked Murray in final

Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived five match points to beat Fernando Verdasco and set up a final against top-ranked Andy Murray, who had far less trouble winning his semifinal as he recorded a seventh straight victory against Tomas Berdych. On another day of chilly and windy weather Friday, Djokovic prevailed 4-6, 7-6 , 6-3 after the 42nd-ranked Verdasco, a crafty left-hander and former top-10 player, controlled the first two sets until the latter stages of the tiebreaker.

BNP Paribas Open – BNP Paribas Challenge Registration Begins

Registration for the 2017 BNP Paribas Challenge, the singles pre-qualifying event for the BNP Paribas Open, begins today and will run through February 17. The Challenge is slated for February 27 – March 4 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, with one male and one female participant advancing to the qualifying draw of the 2017 BNP Paribas Open. First through quarterfinal round matches will be best of three sets with a 10-point match tiebreak played for the third set, while semifinal and final matches will be best of three sets.

Raonic beats Nadal, keeps Brisbane title defence on track

Rafael Nadal was up a set and had a break point against defending champion Milos Raonic when he sent a forehand just wide. Raonic made the most of the reprieve, holding serve in that fifth game of the second set and then attacking Nadal’s serve in the eighth to swing the momentum his way in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win Friday at the Brisbane International.

Raonic beats Nadal, keeps Brisbane title defense on track

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning a point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning a point in his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic of Canada at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.

Chris Brown to Box Soulja Boy Over Social Media Feud

A social media war between Chris Brown and Soulja Boy will apparently be settled in the ring with the help of boxer Floyd Mayweather . Both hip-hop stars have announced that they’ve signed on for a three-round bout that will be televised on pay-per-view and promoted by Mayweather’s companies.

Ana Konjuh, Lauren Davis to meet in Auckland WTA final

Eighth-seeded Ana Konjuh prevented a complete rout of seeded players at the ASB Tennis Classic when she beat 2016 runner-up Julia Goerges 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday to join American Lauren Davis in the final. Seven seeds had fallen by the time Konjuh took the court for her semifinal against Goerges, who was in hot form after eliminating former world No.

Will Serena Williams Return As the No. 1 Player in 2017?

Serena Williams lost a second-round match at the ASB Classic on Wednesday, but it will only awaken the American superstar to find her form before the Australian Open draw on Jan. 13. After not playing competitive tour tennis since the U.S. Open and all but relinquishing her No. 1 ranking to Angelique Kerber, Serena is putting on her game face.

Matip boost for Liverpool

Joel Matip has been hampered by an ankle problem since joining Jurgen Klopp’s side in the summer on a free transfer The defender has been sidelined with an ankle ligament problem since the 2-2 draw with West Ham on December 11. Matip, 25, who underwent surgery on his ankle in the summer before joining on a free transfer after his contract expired with Schalke, admitted he may have aggravating an existing problem. “It’s getting better and in a few days I hope I’ll be back in full training,” the German-born Cameroon centre-back told the club’s official website.

9-man Athletic beats Barcelona 2-1 in Copa del Rey

Barcelona’s two-year reign of the Copa del Rey was in jeopardy after it lost to a nine-man Athletic Bilbao 2-1 at a packed San Mames Stadium on Thursday. Athletic played a man down from the 74th minute, and two men down from the 80th because of red cards in a drama-filled first-leg match in the round of 16. Aritz Aduriz scored and set up another goal in the first half for Athletic, and Lionel Messi scored for Barcelona from a free kick early in the second half.

Everton agree naming rights deal for Finch Farm training ground…

Barcelona beaten in first game back after winter break by nine-man Athletic Bilbao as Enrique’s men suffer Copa del Rey shock If you’re happy in the hotel, stay there! Mourinho under no pressure from Manchester United to check out despite six months in the Lowry Woods admits he wasn’t sure he would ever play competitive golf again as former world No 1 targets 107th win Messi, Ronaldo and Griezmann named in UEFA Team of the Year but Premier League stars fail to make the cut EDDIE JONES TALKS TO SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Every game England are working on a plan to beat the All Blacks – if we lose a few battles it will help win the war Future of British Grand Prix under threat as Silverstone could pull out of hosting the race due to rising costs ‘He’s like a brother to me’: Costa plays down bust-up with Pedro after Chelsea pair argue on the pitch in Spurs defeat After Spurs’ win over Chelsea … (more)

Everton agree naming rights deal for Finch Farm training ground…

Barcelona beaten in first game back after winter break by nine-man Athletic Bilbao as Enrique’s men suffer Copa del Rey shock If you’re happy in the hotel, stay there! Mourinho under no pressure from Manchester United to check out despite six months in the Lowry Woods admits he wasn’t sure he would ever play competitive golf again as former world No 1 targets 107th win Messi, Ronaldo and Griezmann named in UEFA Team of the Year but Premier League stars fail to make the cut EDDIE JONES TALKS TO SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Every game England are working on a plan to beat the All Blacks – if we lose a few battles it will help win the war Future of British Grand Prix under threat as Silverstone could pull out of hosting the race due to rising costs ‘He’s like a brother to me’: Costa plays down bust-up with Pedro after Chelsea pair argue on the pitch in Spurs defeat After Spurs’ win over Chelsea … (more)

Classic a reminder of sport’s unpredictability

At the start of this week, no one could have predicted the semifinal lineup that we will have on Friday, with all four players outside the top 40. With two days of the tournament still to play, the top six seeds have gone, including Serena Williams, sister Venus and another former World No 1 Caroline Wozniacki. It’s been a mini-disaster for the organisers, who would have ideally wanted one or two of their big names to be around on Saturday.

Marco Silva will be aiming to keep Hull in the Premier League

The Tigers, bottom of the Premier League after winning only three league games this season, have wasted little time in naming former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos coach Silva as successor to Mike Phelan, who was sacked on Tuesday evening. Portuguese Silva, 39, becomes Hull’s third head coach since winning promotion back to the top flight in May and took his first squad session alongside his coaching staff at the club’s Cottingham training ground on Thursday lunchtime.