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      in Soccer

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Blues look to get back to winning ways in Premier League as pressure mounts on Roy Hodgson

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      CHELSEA travel to London rivals Crystal Palace for a huge Premier League clash on Monday night.The Blues were in action in midweek as they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in an FA Cup replay to secure their spot in the fifth round.
      Chelsea beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the FA Cup on Wednesday nightCredit: GETTY
      Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is under pressureCredit: GETTY
      Mauricio Pochettino saw a much-improved performance from his side on Wednesday night and will be hoping they can now take it into the league.
      Chelsea have been on the receiving end of back-to-back heavy defeats in the Premier League and find themselves 11th in the table.
      Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson’s position as Crystal Palace boss has reportedly been under threat after the Eagles were thrashed 4-1 by bitter rivals Brighton last time out.
      When is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will take place on Monday, February 12th.
      Kick off will be at 8pm GMT.
      Selhurst Park will host.

      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      What TV channel is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on and can it be live streamed?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League.
      Sky Sports customers can live stream the match via the NOW app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the action from Selhurst Park.

      Team news
      The hosts have been dealt a major blow after Roy Hodgson confirmed that starman Michael Olise suffered a “serious” hamstring injury during the 4-1 defeat to Brighton.
      Defender Marc Guehi suffered a knee problem last weekend and will miss Monday’s clash with Chelsea.
      Eberechi Eze will also be unavailable alongside long-term absentees Rob Holding, Cheick Doucoure and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
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      For Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile was forced off during the closing stages against Villa in midweek, and it is a doubt for Monday night.
      Fellow defender Levi Colwill could return to the squad after missing the last four matches with a tendon injury.
      Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has made a partial return to training and could make the bench for Chelsea’s trip to Selhurst Park.
      Long-term absentees Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana remain out.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Crystal Palace – 18/5
      Draw – 27/10
      Chelsea – 3/4

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

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      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: New date CONFIRMED, UK start time, TV channel, stream, PPV price, undercard for huge fight

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      TYSON Fury is once again set to fight for the undisputed heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk after postponing the original date. Fury suffered a nasty gash above his right eye in sparring earlier this month and saw his clash with Usyk on February 17 go up in smoke as a result.
      Fury and Usyk went head-to-head at a press conference late last year
      Tyson Fury suffered a cut that postponed the Usyk fight on February 17Credit: X @Queensbury
      Usyk revealed he missed the birth of his daughter at the beginning of the year to focus on training camp for Fury, but now he has to refocus on a new date.
      Fury holds the WBC title in boxing’s glamour division, while Usyk is in possession of the WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine straps.
      The pair have been on a collision course to fight for 18 months, following Usyk’s rematch win over Anthony Joshua in August 2022.
      Fury only just overcame boxing debutant and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou last October, as he was knocked down in stunning fashion before going on to win the bout on points.

      And Fury’s latest scuffle in sparring with heavyweight Agron Smakici, which saw an 11-stitch cut open up below his eyebrow, will be another confidence booster for Usyk.
      The Ukrainian is looking become the first man in history to win undisputed titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight – and he’s just one win away.
      A victory for Fury, on the other hand, would set up an all-British mega-bout with Anthony Joshua, who takes on Ngannou himself on March 8.
      When is Fury vs Usyk?

      Fury vs Usyk will now take place on Saturday, May 18 after the original date of February 17 was postponed.
      The Gyspy King has three months to recover from his injury, and if there are any more pull-outs this time around, a £7.9million fee will be paid to the opposing fighter.
      The fight will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
      Expect main event ring-walks to get going from around 11pm BST, with the main card likely to start from 6pm BST.

      Most read in Boxing

      What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Fury vs Usyk will be broadcast on THREE channels here in the UK.
      You can watch the clash on TNT Sports Box Office, Sky Sports Box Office and on DAZN PPV.
      A price for the event has yet to be confirmed.
      You can stream the action from the TNT Sports Box Office app, Sky Sports Box Office app, or the DAZN app, all of which are available onto your mobile, tablet and Smart TV.

      Fury vs Usyk full card
      It has yet to be confirmed whether the original undercard will go ahead on the new date.
      But this is likely to be the scheduled night of fights:

      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – undisputed WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles
      Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace – IBF super-featherweight title
      Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis – vacant IBF cruiserweight title
      Moses Itauma vs Ilja Mezencev
      Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan Safar
      Bakhodir Jalolov vs TBA
      Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
      David Nyika vs TBA

      Fury and Usyk have been in negotiations to fight since December 2022Credit: Reuters
      What has been said?
      “I just smiled,” Usyk said upon hearing of the postponement news.
      “And said ‘OK – I will finish my training and I will do my work stretching my back’.
      “Tyson. Hi, my brother. Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone.
      “I’m still happy – things happen, it’s life,” he said.
      “I’m very happy because I now go to Ukraine. I see my two daughters and my wife. I go to my church and pray. A little bit of rest and back to my camp.”
      Fury said of the postponement: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition.
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      “I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed.
      “I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” More

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      in Soccer

      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast – Afcon 2023 final: Kick-off time, team news as hosts face Osimhen and Co in huge showpiece clash

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      IVORY COAST take on Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations final on Saturday.The host nation reached the final after edging out the DR Congo 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sebastien Haller.
      Sebastien Haller scored the winning goal against DR CongoCredit: AFP
      Nigeria beat South Africa to reach the finalCredit: EPA
      The former West Ham striker volleyed an unconventional strike over and past Lionel Mpasi in the second half.
      The Ivorians held out to seal the win and set up the final against Nigeria.
      They enjoyed their celebrations in the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé as Chelsea legend Didier Drogba also got involved.
      Nigeria made their own way to the last two after a tense clash with South Africa in the semi-final.
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      The Super Eagles looked to have done the job inside 90 minutes thanks to William Troost-Ekong’s penalty.
      However, extra time was forced as Teboho Mokoena also converted from the spot.
      A penalty shootout was needed to separate the sides as Nigeria scrapped though.
      The matter of the trophy will be decided at the Olympic Stadium.
      Most read in Football
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      Ivory Coast has had an up-and-down tournament, having lost two of their group games.
      They only qualified as one of the best third-placed teams which saw them sack manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament.
      Watch Chelsea legend Didier Drogba’s wild celebrations as Ivory Coast storm into Africa Cup of Nations final
      The nation made a loan enquiry to appoint Herve Rennard from the French women’s team.
      He did not take the role and forgotten Premier League flop Emerse Fae took on the job and has had a great impact.
      The tournament has been full of thrills throughout, as former Manchester United flop Bebe and ex-West ham star Arthur Masuaku scoring brilliant free-kicks.
      Meanwhile, Morocco star Youssef En-Nesyri had to celebrate his goal from the bench, and Yves Bissouma playing while suffering from malaria.
      Team news
      Nigeria star Victor Osimhen was passed fit to play against South Africa despite initial concerns over an abdominal injury.
      He should be fine to face Ivory Coast in the final on Saturday.
      Meanwhile Ola Aina, Moses Simon and Calvin Bassey all escaped bookings in the semi-finals and are available for selection.
      Ivory Coast will welcome back trio Serge Aurier, Odilon Kossounou and Oumar Diakite after they complete their suspensions.
      Who will be the star men?
      Sebastien Haller is playing two years on from his cancer diagnosisCredit: AP
      Victor Osimhen is one of the world’s best strikerCredit: AP
      Sebastien Haller will want to play a key role for the Ivory Coast in the final.
      The former Hammer scored the decisive goal in the semi-final to take with his first of the tournament.
      He will have some stern competition, however, as Nigeria has its own attacking talisman.
      Osimhen may have only scored once during his six appearances, but he will be keen to add to that tally.
      The Napoli striker is considered one of the most prolific in Europe and could fire Nigeria to Afcon glory on Saturday.
      What have the managers said?
      Jose Peseiro wants to lead Nigeria to glorlyCredit: AFP
      Emerse Fae was appointed midway through the tournamentCredit: AP
      Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro has always insisted that when he took the job, he had one aim, and that was to win Afcon.
      He told BBC Sport Africa: “When I signed the contract, I said I want to win the Afcon.
      “Either way, I don’t know if everybody believed or not. I have believed since the first moment.
      “We haven’t won nothing until now – we want to win the Afcon.”
      Ivory Coast manager Emerse Faé has claimed that it is a “dream” to have led the team to the final.
      He said: “We are happy, we’re really moved. It’s like a dream, when you go back two weeks to the defeat here against Equatorial Guinea.
      “It was hard then to imagine that we might qualify for the final of our own Afcon.”
      SunSport prediction
      Nigeria 1 Ivory Coast 3
      When is Nigeria vs Ivory Coast?

      Nigeria’s big Afcon final clash with Ivory Coast will take place on Sunday, January 11.
      The game will kick off at 8pm UK time.
      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football and BBC Three in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go app, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The game is also available to stream for FREE from the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence.

      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Odds

      Nigeria – 31/20
      Draw – 19/10
      Ivory Coast – 2/1
      Nigeria to lift trophy – 3/4
      Ivory Coast to lift trophy – 2/1

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

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      in Soccer

      Nigeria vs South Africa – Afcon semi-final: Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana look for final spot – stream, TV, team news

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      NIGERIA will face South Africa in the semi-final of Afcon TONIGHT.The Super Eagles booked their place in the last four with a 1-0 win over Angola on Friday.
      Ademola Lookman was the difference maker against AngolaCredit: GETTY
      Ronwen Williams was the hero for South Africa against Cape Verde with four penalty saves in the shootoutCredit: AP
      Former Premier League star Ademola Lookman was the difference maker with a thumping strike on 40 minutes.
      Nigeria have won the Nations Cup three times, with their last tournament triumph coming in 2013 when they beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
      The Super Eagles will face South Africa in this year’s semi-final after the latter booked their spot in the last four with a win over Cape Verde.
      Bafana Bafana shot-stopper Ronwen Williams was the hero after he became the first goalkeeper to save four penalties in an Afcon shootout.
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      When is Nigeria vs South Africa?

      Nigeria vs South Africa will take place on Wednesday, February 7th.
      The match will kick off at 5pm GMT.
      The Stade de la Paix in Bouake will host.

      What TV channel is Nigeria vs South Africa on and can it be live streamed?

      Nigeria vs South Africa will be broadcast live on BBC Two and Sky Sports Main Event.
      You can live stream the match for FREE on BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV license.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen was taken off late on against Angola on Friday night with an apparent injury.
      However, the Napoli striker was pictured walking freely away from the stadium after the match.
      Most read in Football
      Hugo Broos will be hoping his South Africa side came through their gruelling 120-minute quarter-final unscathed.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Nigeria – 3/5
      Draw – 5/2
      South Africa – 6/1

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

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      in Soccer

      Ivory Coast vs DR Congo – Afcon semi-final: Hosts take on underdogs for spot in final – stream, TV channel, team news

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      IVORY COAST are on step away from reaching the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 final on home territory. The Elephants have been brilliant so far but will have to be at their best again to get past plucky underdogs DR Congo.
      Ivory Coast beat Mali to reach the semi-finals of Afcon 2023
      DR Congo’s Arthur Masuaku celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s third goal against Guinea
      Ivory Coast overcame Mali in sensational circumstances in the quarter-finals to reach the Afcon semis.
      Two goals, once in the 92nd minute and again in the 120th minute sealed their meeting with DR Congo.
      The Leopards, meanwhile, beat Guinea 3-1 and even knocked out Egypt on penalties in the last-16.
      When is Ivory Coast vs DR Congo?

      Ivory Coast’s clash with DR Congo takes place TONIGHT at 8pm GMT.
      The match will be held at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Ivory Coast vs DR Congo will be broadcast live on BBC Three and Sky Sports Football.
      You can live stream the match for FREE on BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV license.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Ivory Coast will be without suspended Serge Aurier for their huge semi-final.
      Simon Adingra scored the equaliser against Mali last week and could get a start here alongside Sebastian Haller.
      And Ibrahim Sangare could return to the XI in place one Franck Kessie.
      Most read in Football
      For DR Congo, they could be without former Chelsea man Gael Kakuta, but they’ll ne more worried about Arthur Masuaku’s risk of suspension for the final.
      Odds

      Ivory Coast – 21/20
      Draw – 9/5
      DR Congo – 5/2
      Ivory Coast to qualify – 8/15
      DR Congo to qualify – 27/20

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

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      in Soccer

      When is Uefa Nations League 2024/25? Draw, schedule, TV channel, kick-off times for international tournament

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      ENGLAND have yet to win a Uefa Nations League tournament, and they won’t be able to do it this time around either. The Three Lions were unceremoniously dumped out at the group stage last time out after a 4-0 thrashing at home to Hungary.
      Gareth Southgate will want to see more from his side should he remain manager beyond Euro 2024Credit: Getty
      England ended their campaign with a 3-3 draw against Germany.
      Gareth Southgate’s side have yet to reach further than the semi-final stage, which they reached in the 2019, losing 3-1 to Holland.
      Now they’ll be hoping they can advance from League B, where they could come up against Erling Haaland’s Norway.
      When is the draw?

      The Uefa Nations League draw takes place on Thursday February 8 2024.
      The draw will be held in Paris, France.
      It will get underway from 5pm UK time.

      Who could England play?
      England are in League B, and will be drawn against three other teams from each Pot.

      Pot 1: Austria, Czechia, England, Wales
      Pot 2: Finland, Ukraine, Iceland, Norway
      Pot 3: Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Montenegro
      Pot 4: Georgia, Greece, Türkiye, Kazakhstan

      When is the Uefa Nations League?

      Matchday 1: 5-7 September 2024
      Matchday 2: 8-10 September 2024
      Matchday 3: 10-12 October 2024
      Matchday 4: 13-15 October 2024
      Matchday 5: 14-16 November 2024
      Matchday 6: 17-19 November 2024

      Knockout round play-off draw: November 2024
      Knockout round play-offs: 20-25 March 2025
      League A quarter-finals: 20-25 March 2025
      Final tournament: 4-8 June 2025

      Most read in Football
      What channel is the UEFA Nations League?

      England games at the Uefa Nations League will be shown live on Channel 4 in the UK.
      You can live stream the action for FREE from the All 4 app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The rest of the games are available to watch on Viaplay in the UK. More

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      in Soccer

      Why do Brentford have hearts on their shirts tonight against Man City?

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      BRENTFORD take on Manchester City tonight in the Premier League and they’ll be gunning for a big victory. The Bees have been buoyed by the return of Ivan Toney to their starting line-up, but City have an ace up their sleeve too.
      Brentford will have hearts on their shirts tonight for the fixture against Man City
      Pep Guardiola’s side will have Erling Haaland in the XI for the first time since the end of 2023.
      But at home, Brentford will fancy their chances of an upset.
      Eagle-eyed fans may also notice something different Thomas Frank’s players’ shirts tonight.
      Brentford players will have a heart emblazoned on their chests, but it’s nothing to do with Valentine’s Day.

      Why do Brentford have hearts on their shirts tonight?
      Brentford have a partnership with the Heart of West London, spreading awareness about cardiac health in the process.
      Thousands of pounds of have been raised to fund research into cardiac health at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity.
      Brentford’s technical director Robert Rowan, died at the age of 28 in 2018 after suffering a a fatal cardiomyopathy episode.
      Now Brentford are doing their all to have fans learn how to react to potentially life-saving situations.
      Most read in Football
      The heart on Brentford’s chests tonight will be filled with a CPQR code, which fans can scan from their TVs at home.
      At the stadium the code will be on the matchday programmes and on t-shirts which fans can purchase.
      The QR code will take you to a short, step-by-step CPR tutorial video by Resuscitation Council UK. More

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      in Soccer

      England’s final fixtures before Euro 2024 CONFIRMED with Three Lions heading to Newcastle for first time in 19 years

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      ENGLAND’S final fixtures before Euro 2024 have been revealed. And they’re heading to St James’ Park for the first time in 19 years.
      Gareth SouthgateCredit: AFP
      Gareth Southgate’s team have just two fixtures left before Euro 2024 begins, for which they are currently joint 4/1 favourites with France.
      First of all, Southgate’s team will head to Newcastle to play Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday June 3 with a 7.45pm kick-off.
      The Three Lions will be hoping for a repeat of their last visit to The Toon in the 2005 Fifa World Cup qualifier, when they beat Azerbaijan 2-0 with David Beckham and Steven Gerrard hitting the target.
      It’ll be an historic night with it being the Three Lion’s first ever match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who themselves need to beat Ukraine in March’s play-offs to secure their place at Euro 2024.
      READ MORE ON ENGLAND
      Five days later, England will head to Wembley Stadium for their sixth ever meeting against Iceland on Friday June 7 for another 7.45pm start.
      The traumatic loss against the minnows in 2016, who were then ranked 34th in the world, prompted a management overhaul and Southgate took over just a few months later.
      England redeemed themselves in 2020 when they beat Iceland 4-0 behind-closed-doors at Wembley, with Phil Foden and Declan Rice getting their first goals for England.
      Iceland still have a play-off against Israel to contend with, and will be hoping to have secured their place at Euro 2024 when they hit Wembley.
      Most read in FootballENGLAND FIXTURES BEFORE EURO 2024Bosnia and Herzegovina – St James Park, Monday June 3, 7.45pm.

      Iceland – Wembley Stadium, Friday June 7, 7.45pm.

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      Southgate said: “We’re really looking forward to taking the team back to the North East and to a city that is synonymous with football in this country.
      “We will follow that with another special occasion at Wembley allowing our fans the opportunity to give us a final send off before we head to Germany for another exciting summer.
      “Both opponents in June are sure to provide stiff competition and play an important part in our preparation for the tournament.”
      Euro 2024 will see Germany hosting a major international tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup, when England missed three penalties against Portugal in the quarter-finals.
      Does Gareth Southgate have to win EURO 2024 to be a GREAT England manager?
      After finishing top in their qualifying group, the Three Lions were placed in Pot 1, meaning they avoid group-stage matches against Portugal, France, Spain, Belgium and the hosts.
      They’re in Group C along with Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia, with all the action kicking off in Germany on June 14. More