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      in Soccer

      Arsenal vs Fulham: Arteta’s men host Cottagers in Premier League London derby – stream, kick-off time, team news

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      ARSENAL face their next test in the Premier League this season against Fulham. The Gunners picked up six points from six to start the season but haven’t been at their best in both games.
      Bukayo Saka scored in Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest on the opening dayCredit: Getty
      Bryan Mbeumo has scored three goals at the start of the Premier League seasonCredit: GETTY
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      They beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 in their opener before scraping by Crystal Palace on Monday night.
      Fulham, meanwhile, got off to the perfect start as they overcame Everton on the opening day.
      But they were badly beaten 3-0 at home to West London rivals Brentford last weekend.
      And it doesn’t get easier for them as they travel to the Emirates next against an Arsenal side who are going for Premier League title glory.

      When is Arsenal vs Fulham?

      Arsenal’s clash with Fulham will take place this weekend on Saturday, August 26.
      The match will kick off at 3pm BST.
      The game will be held at the Emirates Stadium.

      Is Arsenal vs Fulham on TV?
      Arsenal vs Fulham will NOT be shown on TV in the UK because of the 3pm blackout rule.
      You can, however, keep up to date with the game through our live blog on SunSport.
      Team news
      Arsenal will still be without Gabriel Jesus with Eddie Nketiah expected to continue up front.
      Most read in Football
      Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the game as he is suspended following his red card against Crystal Palace.
      Aleksandr Mitrovic has completed his move to Al-Hilal so Fulham will continue with Raul Jimenez or Carlos Vinicius in attack.
      Odds

      Arsenal – 2/9
      Draw – 5/1
      Fulham – 10/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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      in Soccer

      Who is Alan Lambourn? Voice of Soccer Saturday football results

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      THE weekends just wouldn’t be the same without Sky’s Soccer Saturday.But some footy fans may wonder about Alan Lambourn – the famous voice of the football results.
      Alan Lambourn reads the results out on Soccer SaturdayCredit: Getty
      Who is Alan Lambourn?
      Soccer Saturday is broadcast from midday on Sky Sports News and usually airs for six hours.
      The programme begins with the host and four regular in-studio pundits previewing the weekend’s matches, reviewing recent results and debating current issues in football.
      However, it wouldn’t be the same without Alan Lambourn who reads the results after the matches have taken place.
      He is on hand to deliver all the results from all the league fixtures that have gone on throughout the UK on that day.
      Read more on Soccer Saturday
      One of his most famous lines was when Alan said: “Another fifty pence in the meter, and off we go!”
      He made the quip after changing from one league to another took a long time.
      Who presents Soccer Saturday?
      Simon Thomas
      Former Blue Peter presenter Simon Thomas took over from legendary host Jeff Stelling, who departed Sky Sports at the end of 2023 season.
      There had been much speculation over who would fill the void with fellow Sky presenters Jules Warren and Caroline Barker also understood to be in the running.
      Most read in Football
      Thomas quit full-time broadcast work in 2017 following the tragic death of his wife Gemma.
      She passed away just three days after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
      Thomas, who was born in Norwich, had worked in the broadcasting industry for 18 years but took time off to look after his son.
      He left his role as lead football presenter of Sky in the process but, shortly before landing the Soccer Saturday gig, returned to work by freelancing for various platforms and channels.
      Meanwhile, Stelling called time on his position as host of Soccer Saturday after 30 years in May 2023.
      Studio pundits
      Every Saturday Thomas is joined in the studio by pundits who give their take on the day’s scores.
      The studio pundits are a mix of sports stars and experts:

      Alan McInally
      Michael Dawson
      Matt Murray
      Jamie Mackie
      Lee Hendrie
      Clinton Morrison
      Kris Boyd
      Sue Smith
      Mike Dean More

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      in Soccer

      What happened to Pep Guardiola, why will he miss the Sheffield United game?

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      PEP GUARDIOLA’S Manchester City side have been excellent so far this season, but they’ll have to make do without him for the next two weeks. City beat Burnley on the opening day 3-0 before overcoming Newcastle 1-0 in a close match last weekend.
      Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City’s next two matchesCredit: EPA
      The Premier League champions take on newly-promoted Sheffield United on Sunday in their next match.
      But Guardiola won’t be on the touchline for it due to an emergency medical reason.
      Why is Pep Guardiola missing the Sheffield United game?
      Guardiola will miss the game against Sheffield United because he has undergone emergency back surgery.
      Man City released a statement which read: “Pep Guardiola has today undergone a routine operation on a back problem.

      “The Manchester City boss has been suffering with severe back pain for some time lately, and flew out to Barcelona for emergency surgery performed by Dr Mireia Illueca. The surgery was a success, and Pep will now recover and rehabilitate in Barcelona.
      “In his absence, assistant manager Juanma Lillo will oversee coaching of the first team on the training field and will assume duties on the touchline until Pep’s return. He is expected to return after the forthcoming international break.
      “Everyone at Manchester City wishes Pep a speedy recovery, and look forward to seeing him back in Manchester soon.”
      Guardiola will also miss the game against Fulham on Saturday, September 2.
      Most read in Football
      The international break takes place the weekend after, so Guardiola’s next appearance on the touchline will be on September 16 against West Ham. More

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      in Soccer

      When is the Champions League group stage draw? Stream FREE, TV channel, start time as Man Utd and Arsenal await fate

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      THE return of the Champions League is fast approaching and all the usual European powerhouses are keen to find out their group stage opponents. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City capped off their historic Treble win with victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final last year.
      Manchester City won the 2022/23 Champions LeagueCredit: GETTY
      City will be keen to make it back-to-back wins in the huge European tournament next campaign.
      Elsewhere, Premier League sides Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle will also take part in next season’s Champions League.
      The Toon will feature in the prestigious competition for the first time since the 2002/03 season.
      When is the Champions League group stage draw?

      The Champions League group stage draw will take place on Thursday, August 31.
      The draw is set to begin at 5pm UK time.
      The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will host.

      READ MORE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
      What channel is the Champions League group stage draw on and can it be live streamed FREE?

      The Champions League group stage will be live streamed for FREE on the UEFA.com website.
      TNT Sports are also likely to broadcast the draw.

      What are the Champions League seedings?
      Pot 1

      Manchester City
      Sevilla
      Barcelona
      Napoli
      Bayern Munich
      Paris Saint-Germain
      Benfica
      Feyenoord

      Pot 2
      Most read in Champions League

      Real Madrid
      Manchester United
      Inter Milan
      Borussia Dortmund
      Atletico Madrid
      RB Leipzig
      Porto
      Arsenal

      Pot 3

      Shakhtar Donetsk
      Red Bull Salzburg
      AC Milan
      Lazio
      Red Star Belgrade
      One ‘League Path’ winner

      Pot 3 or 4

      Celtic
      Real Sociedad
      Two ‘Champions Path’ winners
      One ‘League Path’ winner

      Pot 4

      Newcastle
      Union Berlin
      Lens
      Two ‘Champions Path’ winners

      Newcastle secured Champions League football by finishing fourth last seasonCredit: Reuters
      When does the Champions League group stage start?

      The Champions League group stage will begin on Tuesday, September 19.
      The group stage will last for 12 weeks.
      The final match day of the group stage will begin on Tuesday, December 12.

      Read More on The Sun
      Champions League group stage schedule
      Here is the full schedule of the Champions League group stage:

      Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
      Matchday 2: 3/4 October 2023
      Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
      Matchday 4: 7/8 November 2023
      Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
      Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023 More

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      in Soccer

      Is Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest on TV? Red Devils hope to put Spurs defeat behind them in tasty Prem clash – team news

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      MANCHESTER UNITED will be determined to bounce back from their Tottenham tragedy when they face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.A second-half strike from Pepe Matar Sarr followed by an own goal by Lisandro Martinez saw Spurs beat the Red Devils last weekend.
      Manchester United were comfortably beaten by TottenhamCredit: Alamy
      And this comes off the back of a poor performance at Wolves despite escaping Old Trafford with a 1-0 win.
      However, fans could be in for a treat as Erik ten Hag is expected to finally add mega-summer signing Rasmus Hojlund to the fold.
      But it won’t be an easy ride for the Danish superstar as he comes up against a Forest side fresh from a Sheffield United triumph.
      When is Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest?

      Manchester United and Nottingham Forest will face off on Saturday, August 26.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 3pm BST.
      Old Trafford in Manchester is the allocated arena for this huge fixture and it can host approximately 74,310 fans.
      Goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot was enough to help United see off Forest when the sides last met in April.

      Read more on Man Utd
      Is Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest on TV?

      Unfortunately, Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest will NOT be broadcast live on TV in the UK.
      This is due to the Saturday 3pm football blackout law.
      However, SunSport will have minute-by-minute coverage of the entire action through our live blog.

      Team news
      Erik ten Hag confirmed that Rasmus Hojlund is “available” for the Nottingham Forest clash but the Manchester United boss doesn’t expect the mega-summer signing to be 100 percent fit.
      Rasmus Hojlund could make his debut against Nottingham ForestCredit: Getty
      Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Amad Diallo (knee), Tom Heaton (knock) and Tyrrell Malacia (muscle) all continue to be sidelined, while Harry Maguire (knock) remains a doubt.
      Elsewhere, Forest gaffer Steve Cooper looks set to be without the quartet of Felipe (knock), Ola Aina (groin), Omar Richards (leg) and Wayne Hennessey (knee).
      Most read in Football
      Latest odds

      Man Utd 3/10 to win
      Draw 17/4
      Nottm Forest to win 9/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes are correct at time of publication More

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      in Soccer

      Chelsea vs Luton: Blues look to bounce back from Hammers horror show against Prem new boys – stream, TV, team news

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      CHELSEA welcome Premier League freshmen Luton to West London THIS weekend – and pressure is mounting on Mauricio Pochettino.Goals from Nayef Aguerd, Michail Antonio and Lucas Paqueta saw the Blues suffer a 3-1 defeat to West Ham last Sunday.
      Moises Caicedo failed to impress on his Chelsea debutCredit: Rex
      And British record signing Moises Caicedo got off to the worst possible start having conceded a penalty less than 20 minutes into his debut.
      However, Pochettino will be confident that his men can get their first win of the season against a Luton side who were dismantled by Brighton on the opening weekend.
      But the Hatters’ stadium refurbishment has given them the advantage of more rest time than the Blues.
      When is Chelsea vs Luton?

      Chelsea’s Premier League fixture against Luton will take place on Friday, August 25.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 8pm BST.
      Stamford Bridge in West London is the allocated arena for this match and it can host approximately 40,341 fans.
      The Blues ran out 3-2 winners when the sides last met in a 2022 FA Cup 5th round encounter.

      Read more on Chelsea
      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Chelsea vs Luton will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK.
      Coverage is set to commence from 7pm BST – a whole hour before kick-off.
      Fans also have the option to stream the match through NOW TV.
      Alternatively, SunSport will have minute-by-minute coverage of the entire game through our live blog.

      Team news
      Chelsea’s injury woes continue as it has now been confirmed that Carney Chukwuemeka is expected to be unavailable for around six weeks after undergoing knee surgery.
      Carney Chukwuemeka sustained a knee injury against West HamCredit: Rex
      And the midfielder will join Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Armando Broja, Benoit Badiashile, Malang Sarr, Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana who are all already in the Blues treatment room.
      Meanwhile, Luton boss Rob Edwards has some injury issues of his own as Dan Potts, Gabriel Osho, Jordan Clark and Reece Burke are set to miss out.
      Most read in Football
      While former Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley is in a race against time to feature at Stamford Bridge again.
      Latest odds

      Chelsea to win 1/4
      Draw 24/5
      Luton to win 9/1

      *Odds from Ladbrokes are correct at time of publication More

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      in Soccer

      Who is former Man City defender Pablo Zabaleta and where is he now?

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      PABLO Zabaleta is a former professional footballer from Argentina. He has had an impressive career that has included playing for two top Premier League clubs.
      Pablo Zabaleta played as a right backCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Who is former Man City defender Pablo Zabaleta?
      Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod was born on January 16, 1985, and is an Argentinian former professional footballer.
      He was born in Buenos Aries to Jorge Zableta and Laura Girod.
      He is of Spanish descent and has a tattoo of his mother’s name on his chest.
      Zabaleta was able to work on both sides of the pitch as a full-back and was known for his tenacious style of play.
      Read more on Pablo Zabaleta
      However, he mainly played as a right back.
      He most famously played for Manchester City for nine years – captaining the club in 2013.
      Zabaleta signed for City in 2008 and made 230 appearances across all competitions.
      During his time there he scored nine times, won the Premier League title in 2012 and 2013, was an FA Cup winner in 2011, FA Community Shield in 2012, and twice won the League Cup in 2014 and 2016.
      Most read in Football
      He left the club in 2017 after signing for fellow Prem side West Ham United.
      He hung up his boots in October 2020 at the age of 35.
      In June 2018, Zabaleta joined the BBC’s Match Of The Day 2018 World Cup team.
      He returned to Match Of The Day in 2022 for the World Cup in Qatar.
      He has also covered La Liga for ESPN.
      Since January 2023, he has served as the assistant manager of Albania’s national football team, under head coach Sylvinho.
      During his career, Zabaleta was also an international star with his home nation Argentina.
      Zabaleta made his senior debut in 2005 and took part in the 2008 Summer Olympics where the team received a gold medal.
      He wasn’t selected by head coach Diego Maradona for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but was part of the 2014 squad in Rio, Brazil.
      He played in the final against Germany, as his team lost 1-0.
      At the 2015 Copa America in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the cross which allowed Sergio Agüero to score the only goal in the game allowing them to defeat Uruguay.
      Zabaleta married journalist Christel Castaño in 2013 and the couple have two children – Asier and Julen.
      What other clubs did Pablo Zabaleta play for?
      Zabaleta began his career at San Lorenzo – Argentine Primera Division – where he stayed from 2002-2005.
      In 2005, he moved to Barcelona when he joined Espanyol.
      He made 79 appearances for the Spanish side, winning the Copa Del Rey and reaching the Uefa Cup final.
      He then played for Man City from 2008-2017, before joining West Ham on a free transfer.
      He made 73 for the London club but failed to net any goals.
      Zabaleta announced his retirement from professional football after 18 years in 2020.
      Read More on The Sun
      What is Pablo Zabaleta’s net worth?
      Zabaleta’s estimated net worth is $18million (£14m).
      This will have been earned through his football and TV careers. More

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      in Boxing

      When is Tyson Fury’s next fight?

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      TYSON FURY is set to box one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts.But when will Fury’s next fight take place and what is his boxing record? Here’s everything you need to know.
      Tyson Fury’s next fight is against Francis NgannouCredit: Getty
      When is Tyson Fury’s next fight?
      Tyson Fury’s next fight is against Francis Ngannou on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
      The Gypsy King will face his mixed martial arts rival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a bout to decide who takes on Mike Tyson’s old moniker of the Baddest Man on the Planet.
      Ngannou’s Saudi showdown with Fury will be a ten-round affair, although the Brit’s WBC heavyweight title won’t be on the line.
      The bout will happen in a standard boxing ring – not the metal cage Ngannou made his name in with the UFC.
      Read More in Sport
      Discussing the highly-anticipated event, Fury said: ”As soon as that bell goes, it’ll be bombs away!
      ”This guy is supposed to be the hardest puncher in the world, but let’s see how he reacts when he gets hit by the Big GK.
      “I can’t wait to get back out there under the lights. I’m looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft.
      “Francis looked tough when he jumped in the ring after the Whyte fight, but there is no one tougher than me, and you’ll all see that in devastating fashion on October 28.”
      Most read in Boxing
      Also commenting on the upcoming fight, Ngannou said: “I’ve been waiting to meet Tyson in the ring for the past three years.
      “My dream was always to box, and to box the best.
      “After becoming the undisputed MMA Heavyweight Champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet…
      “All I will say to Tyson for now is he better dance in that ring because if I touch him, he’s going to sleep.”

      What is Tyson Fury’s boxing record?
      Tyson Fury has a 33-0-1 record and has garnered a serious reputation amongst the boxing community.
      Following a controversial draw in 2018, The Gypsy King completed a sensational comeback in the sport when he battered Deontay Wilder in their rematch to win the WBC world title in 2020.
      It handed the American his first professional defeat, and also maintained Fury’s own unbeaten record, before the Brit went on to stop Wilder in the 11th round of their thrilling trilogy bout in 2021.
      He has since gone to beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora. More