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      in Soccer

      Wales 1 Mexico 0 LIVE REACTION: Gareth Bale on for last 10 mins as Welsh see off poor Mexicans thanks to Kieffer Moore

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      WALES have beaten Mexico for the first time ever – in Chris Gunter’s 100th international game, thanks to Kieffer Moore’s stylish finish.Gareth Bale was on the bench for the first 80 minutes but did get some more game time in his legs as the Dragons tried out some new talent.

      FINAL SCORE: Wales 1-0 Mexico

      Stay up to date with every kick from Cardiff in our live blog, below…
      THAT’S ALL FROM CARDIFF
      Wales picked up a famous 1-0 victory over Mexico at the Cardiff City Stadium in an international friendly match.
      The Dragons’ victory marked the first ever time they beat the Latin Americans after five efforts on the same night that Chris Gunter amassed 100 caps.
      The hosts ended El Tri’s 10-match unbeaten run, which extended all the way back to September 2019, thanks to Kieffer Moore’s winner.
      Moore picked up a clever pass from Jonny Williams while unmarked inside Guillermo Ochoa’s box and found the back of the net with a smooth finish after 11 minutes.
      Mexico came close to an equaliser twice with HirvinG Lozano who was denied by an impressive Wayne Hennessey.
      The visitors almost stole a late equaliser when Jesus Corona failed to hit the target from close range on the final minute of stoppage time.
      That’s all from us here in Cardiff, have a great night!
      GETTY IMAGES
      THAT’S A KIEFFER
      Wales picked up an impressive victory over Mexico thanks to Kieffer Moore’s winner.
      Moore got a clever cross from Jonny Williams, who found him unmarked inside Mexico’s box.
      The Cardiff star got a neat touch and finished off Guillermo Ochoa with a fine finish.
      Check it out:
      Kieffer Moore has given Wales the lead over Mexico with this smart finish šŸ‘ŒšŸ“󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳ó æWatch live on Sky Sports PL šŸ“ŗpic.twitter.com/b549qyqjutā€” Sky Sports (@SkySports) March 27, 2021

      GUNTER REACTS
      Wales star Chris Gunter reached 100 international caps and revealed he was always after that record especially when he reached 90 appearances for the national team.
      Gunter said: “I want to turn up and play for Wales, so once you get to the 90s then of course you want to get to 100.
      “I wanted to do it in the end for my family, for my friends who I know will be extremely proud.
      “It’s a shame no one could be here, but they don’t need to tonight”
      GETTY IMAGES
      WHAT’S NEXT
      Wales regained some confidence following Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Belgium away.
      The Dragons are now set to take on the Czech Republic in a World Cup qualifier at home on Tuesday.
      The Welsh players will then rejoin their clubs before coming back on June 5 for an international friendly with Albania.
      They will then kick off their delayed Euro 2020 campaign
      GETTY IMAGES
      FOR THE RECORD
      Wales picked up a fantastic result against Mexico even though key players, like Ben Davies, Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey, were missing – Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu also weren’t part of the starting line-up.
      El Tri came into the match having been enjoying a 10-match unbeaten streak, which extended all the way back to September 2019 when they lost 4-0 to Argentina in a friendly.
      Tata Martino’s men had amassed a staggering nine wins as well as five clean sheets along the way, with their most notable victory being a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in Amsterdam last October thanks to Raul Jimenez’s goal.
      Mexico had scored 26 goals and conceded just seven throughout that undefeated run.
      Oh, and tonight’s result also marked Wales’ first ever victory over the Latin Americans after five efforts!
      GETTY IMAGES
      STATS
      Mexico dominated a staggering 75.3 per cent of possession throughout the match but failed to produce anything substantial as they were outdone by a defensive masterclass by Wales boss Rob Page.
      El Tri produced a total of eight shots, but only two were on target, and most of them took place during the second half.
      The Dragons, who introduced Gareth Bale late into the match, had four shots, one of which was on target.
      Wales picked up an impressive result even though they missed key players, such as Ben Davies, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen and Bale, who was benched for most of the match
      FT: WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      Wales picked up an impressive victory over Mexico in an international friendly at Cardiff City Stadium.
      The hosts opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Jonny Williams played a low cross off the right flank and found Kieffer Moore completely unmarked inside the box where he got a neat touch and beat Guillermo Ochoa with a fine finish.
      The visitors complained that Matthew Smith was offside during the build-up that led to the Dragons’ goal.
      Mexico had a couple of chances to equalise with Hirving Lozano, who was denied both times by Wayne Hennessey’s foot.
      El Tri got close to a late equaliser in the last minute of stoppage time when a free-kick found Jesus Corona unmarked inside the box but his shot was way off the mark.
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      AND THAT’S ALL FROM CARDIFF!!!!!!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      90+4 WHAT A CHANCE!
      Herrera whips in the free-kick and a Mexico player gets a header that sends the ball back to Corona, who is completely unmarked inside the box.
      The Mexican strikes but completely misses the target!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      90+4 Norrington-Davies drops Sanchez just a few yards away from Hennessey’s box.
      A very promising opportunity coming up for Mexico!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      Mexico aren’t playing like a team that wants to equalise…
      Salcedo just carelessly headed the ball out for a corner-kick even though it was bouncing out for a goal-kick!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      90 Just four more minutes to go until full-time.
      Expect Mexico to put together one-last ditch effort to equalise – plenty of time for the visitors…
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      87 SUBSTITUTION
      Wales have to make an necessary switch as Connor Roberts comes on for Jonny Williams who appears to have picked up a knock and can’t continue
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      84 SUBSTITUTION
      Mexico make another late change as Lainez takes Alvarez’s place
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      83 A tiny little tussle takes place down the right flank.
      Lozano has heated words with Norrington-Davies and gets to the defender’s face.
      But the Wales star isn’t bothered at all and walks away with a smile on his face while the Mexico ace keeps on shouting
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      81 SUBSTITUTION
      Well, what do you know…?
      Turns out we ARE going to see Bale who comes on for Matondo for the last few minutes of the game
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      80 So far, Wales have put together a defensive masterclass.
      They have closed all sorts of space for Mexico to produce a dangerous situation.
      Even the attackers have been rock-solid when the visitors try to play off the back
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      78 SUBSTITUTION
      Mexico manager Martinez makes two more changes in hope of a last-gasp equaliser.
      Dos Santos replaces Pineda and Arteaga takes Gallardo’s place
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      77 CHANCE!
      Hello!
      Pineda tries a lovely low shot just a few yards off the edge of the box and just misses Hennessey’s bottom left corner!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      75 Mexico continue to control possession and tempo in Cardiff.
      But they are definitely not playing like a team that hasn’t lost since 2019…
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      73 Mexico can’t create any danger against Wales while time is running out.
      Remember, the Dragons have never been able to beat El Tri before!
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      70 Tempo has slowed down in Cardiff as Wales have pushed back and are trying to strike on the counter.
      But Mexico still can’t get much going on when they move up front
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      68 It’s almost like Mexico want Wales to push them back with the way they move the ball around in defence.
      Ochoa almost gave away a corner-kick and Salcedo is now playing too deep for a holding midfielder.
      Wales are pretty comfortable after Lozano’s double opportunities
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      65 SUBSTITUTION
      Wales boss Page makes another double switch, and it still doesn’t involve Bale.
      Johnson and Neco Williams come on for Roberts and Lawrence respectively
      WALES 1-0 MEXICO
      62 SUBSTITUTION
      Mexico boss Martinez makes a double save to shake things up!
      Pizarro replaces Rodriguez and Sanchez takes Guardado’s place
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

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      in Soccer

      Serbia 2 Portugal 2 LIVE REACTION: Cristiano Ronaldo FURIOUS as visitors robbed last-minute goal clearly over the line

      by

      PORTUGAL threw away a two goal lead in Belgrade as Cristiano Ronaldo threw his captain’s armband on the floor.The biggest name in the sport was raging after a last-minute goal that clearly looked over the line was NOT GIVEN by officials, which would have given Portugal a 2-2 lead.

      FINAL SCORE: Serbia 2-2 Portugal

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      Stay up to date with each twist and turn from Belgrade with our live blog…
      THATā€™S ALL FROM THE RAJKO MITIC STADIUM
      What a fantastic game of football but all the talking points were right at the death.
      Portugal found themselves two up before half-time through two Diogo Jota headers and the result was beyond doubt at that point.
      But whatever Dragan Stojkovic said to his players at the interval, must have worked because they got a goal within 30 seconds of the restart.
      And it was a goal scored by Aleskandar Mitrovic which was his 39th in Serbian colours, making him the out-and-out top goalscorer for the nation.
      The home teamā€™s tails were up and it wasnā€™t long before the substitute Nemanja Radonjic picked out Filip Kostic for the equaliser.
      Serbia would continue to put more pressure on the Portuguese but there was a sense of cautiousness from both sides resulting in the match fizzling out.
      Until Milienkovic decided to get himself sent off in stoppage time after a reckless challenge on Danilo Pereira.
      And then if that wasn’t controversial enough, Ronaldo thought he had the ball in the back of net moments later but the referee was adamant that it never crossed the line.
      The Portuguese marksman threw down his captainā€™s armband in frustration but after seeing the replays, you can see why.
      Maybe people wonā€™t complain so much about VAR now.
      Thank you for sticking with me tonight, enjoy the rest of your weekend!
      Credit: EPA
      RONALDO’S STATEMENT
      The Portuguese skipper took to Instagram to express his feelings towards the incident.
      Ronaldo said: “Being captain of the Portugal national team is one of the greatest pride and privileges of my life. I give and will always give my all for my country, that will never change, but there are difficult moments to cope especially when we feel like an entire nation is being harmed. Head up and face the next challenge! Come on Portugal!”

      RON OUT OF LUCK
      Can anyone guess Ronaldo’s mood when his goal was ruled out?
      Credit: EPA
      Credit: EPA
      RESULTS AROUND EUROPE
      There were some shock results tonight but the pick of the bunch is Ireland’s defeat to Luembourg.
      The World Cup qualifiers is the gift that keeps on giving.

      NEXT UP
      Serbia travel to Azerbaijn on Tuesday 30th March.
      As for Portugal, they’ll be hoping to forget about tonight when they travel to Luxembourg on the same day.
      UNBELIEVABLE
      The whole of Portugal right when they realise that Cristano Ronaldo’s goal should of stood.

      UPDATED QUALIFIYING CHART
      A draw means that the table stays the same at the top but Luxembourg’s shock win over the Republic of Ireland puts fires them right up the table.

      FULL TIME STATS
      The Eagles started off the game slowly and didn’t control the ball as much as Portugal but they were more effective in their play which is why Serbia had more shots on goal.

      STALEMATE
      Portugal will feel hard done by but for both teams to share the spoils seems about right.

      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      WHAT AN END TO THE GAME THAT WAS!
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL!
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      90+3. First of all Nikola Milenkovic slid in recklessly on Danilo Pereira and was sent off rightfully so.
      And then Bernardo Silva took a quick free-kick finding Ronaldo in acres of space at the back-stick.
      He then hit it on the volley past the keeper and the ball rolled slowly towards the goal.
      But Stefan Mitrovic scrambled back and scooped it off the line.
      However, the Portuguese captain felt that it had crossed the line and threw his armband down in anger when the ref waved play on.
      OH MY OFF THE LINE!
      CRISTIANO RONALDO CAN’T BELIEVE IT!
      WHERE IS VAR WHEN YOU NEED IT?!
      RED CARDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
      SUCH A SILLY CHALLENGE!
      SERBIA’S NIGHT ENDS SOUR!

      THREE MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME!
      CAN SOMEONE STEAL IT?!
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      88. Renato Sanches ran the length of the field showing an incredible burst of speed.
      But he ran out of space and Portugal are running out of time.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      87. Huge round of applause for the record breaking Aleskandar Mitrovic as he makes way for Luka Jovic.
      This will be a night he remembers forever.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      85. The tempo of the game has slowed down with both teams lacking quality in the final third.
      But you feel as if someone could sneak a winner here.
      FANTASTIC FILIP
      Filip Kostic celebrating the equaliser which stunned everyone in the Portuguese ranks.

      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      80. Another roll of the dice for Serbia.
      Filip Djuricic comes on for the captain Dusan Tadic and Mihailo Ristic replaces Filip Kostic.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      76. There’s a bit more urgency in Portugal’s play now having being under pressure for large periods of the second half.
      Fernando Santos won’t be happy with how his team surrendered the lead.
      But he’ll know that there is enough quality on the field for his players to snatch the three points.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      74. Ronaldo hasn’t got his shooting boots on tonight.
      The captain picked up the ball from the left-hand side before cutting in and shooting.
      But the shot went well wide leaving his team-mates in frustration.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      72. The Portuguese head coach is introducing some fresh faces himself.
      Joao Cancelo who has struggled this second half comes off for Nuno Mendes.
      And Renato Sanches replaces Sergio Oliveria.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      67. Dragan Stojkovic made two subs in Maksmimovic and Radonjic, both having major impacts on the game so far.
      It sets this one up for a fantastic finish.
      MITROVIC THE MARKSMAN
      Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrating the goal which inspired Serbia’s comeback.-

      Ā 
      Serbia hit Portugal on the counter attack with some tiki-taka style football.
      The ball was then played through to Filip Kostic and once he got into the one-one-one position, the winger slipped it under Lopes.
      Inspirational come-back from the home side and now it is really game on.
      SERBIA 2-2 PORTUGAL
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

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      in Soccer

      Henry quits Twitter as Arsenal react, Liverpool in battle with two clubs for Malen ā€“ Chelsea and Spurs transfer news

      by

      ARSENAL legend Thierry Henry has quit Instagram and Twitter in protest at abuse suffered by top sporting stars. Meanwhile Liverpool are still pursuing a transfer move for Dutch forward Donyell Malen, along with the two Milan clubs.
      And we’ve got all the build-up to this weekend’s World Cup qualifiers after England’s 5-0 win over San Marino last night.
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      Stay up to date with all the latest football news in our rolling blog…
      JORGIN-GO?
      Chelsea star Jorginho has raised doubts about his future at Stamford Bridge by admitting he ‘misses’ Naples.
      The 29-year-old, who was signed from Napoli in 2018, has also complained about the ‘cold’ London weather.
      He said: “There are no words to describe how much I miss Naples.
      “‘Who wouldn’t miss Naples? It’s so cold in London, they don’t even know what the sun is.”
      Jorginho has played 126 times for Chelsea since arriving at the club in 2018Credit: EPA
      REMINDER
      A reminder of one of the big stories of the last couple of days.
      Manchester United have reportedly made a Ā£68.5million enquiry for Atletico Madrid winger Marcos Llorente.
      What do we make of that?
      Llorente could be involved in a big money move this summerCredit: AFP
      PIERRE-SHAPED
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has shocked fans by getting a new hair style on international duty.
      The Arsenal forward was sporting the fresh look on social media after Gabon qualified for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
      Aubameyang shared his new hair style on InstagramCredit: Instagram @willy.aubameyang
      The 31-year-old shared an Instagram story by Willy Aubameyang, his half-brother and former international colleague, featuring his new box braids.
      The 34-year-old tagged recording artists Travis Scott and Sean Paul in the post, who are believed to be the inspiration behind the fresh trim.
      The older sibling was also sporting the braids, posting the caption: “New song coming soon.”
      JESUS INTEREST
      Chelsea are reportedly looking to secure a deal for Porto midfielder Jesus Corona this summer.
      According to The Mail, the Blues are hoping to reach an agreement for the 28-year-old before June.
      Corona has scored three times in 40 games for the Portuguese side so far this season.
      Corona could find himself at Stamford Bridge this summerCredit: Getty
      WILL-ING TO IMPROVE
      Arsenal star Willian has admitted that he is enduring the worst spell of his career this season in North London.
      But the Brazilian, 32, is determined to show Gunners fans his best form.
      Willian has failed to score in 30 appearances so far for ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Asked if this is the ā€˜worst professional moment to date, he said: ā€œI think so.
      ā€œI feel ready to reach the level I reached at Chelsea.
      ā€œThat is my goal, what I hope for, especially at the end of the season.
      ā€œI will try to do my best to help Arsenal in the best way possible, and reach the level I had when I was playing at Chelsea.ā€
      AL NOT WELL ON TYNESIDE
      Newcastle striker Miguel Almiron has said he wants to play for a team that ‘fights more’ amid speculation over his future.
      The Magpies forward has struggled since arriving at the club and could well leave this summer.
      And recent comments to Paraguayan radio station ABC Cardinal, he made a bizarre set of comments.
      He said: “I would like to play in a team that fights more,” before then adding “Here I am happy and I feel comfortable.”
      Almiron has netted just 13 times in 78 games for NewcastleCredit: AP
      WE WANT KOU
      Liverpool have reportedly made an ‘informal offer’ of around Ā£34.2million for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
      The Senegalese defender has been with the Serie A side since 2014, impressing throughout his stint with the club.
      But he has frequently been linked with a move to several European giants.
      And now The Express believe Liverpool have put a proposal to Napoli for Koulibaly to sign for them this summer.
      Koulibaly could finally move away from Napoli this summerCredit: Getty
      SHOPPING HAAL
      Real Madrid are reportedly set to sell six first team stars in a bid to bring in either Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.
      Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Gareth Bale, Isco, Vinicius Jr and Raphael Varane could all be on their way out of the Bernabeu in order to free up funds for a superstar signing.
      Marcelo and Varane are two of six players who could be forced out this summerCredit: Getty
      There is no doubt a clear-out is needed at Madrid.
      However, is spending a huge amount on just one or two players really the way forward?
      DON OF ANFIELD
      Liverpool are eyeing a move for PSV forward Donyell Malen this summer, according to The Star.
      The 22-year-old Dutchman left Arsenal in 2017 as a teenager, but has thrived ever since.
      Malen has scored 51 goals in 110 games for PSV and is now on the radar as a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
      Liverpool have struggled for goals recently and Malen is reportedly seen as someone who could arrest that issue for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
      Malen could fix Liverpool’s woes in front of goalCredit: Getty
      LUKING BACK
      Chelsea will consider a sensational swoop to re-sign Romelu Lukaku if they fail in their transfer pursuit of Erling Haaland, according to reports.
      But the Inter Milan striker doubts he will make a return to the Premier League.
      Lukaku officially left Chelsea for Everton way back in 2014Credit: Getty
      The Blues are desperate to bring in a new No9 when the summer window opens withĀ HaalandĀ their first choice.
      But with the Borussia Dortmund man wanted by plenty of Europeā€™s top clubs, it is thought Chelsea areĀ preparing a list of back-up options.
      And according toĀ The Telegraph, Thomas Tuchel is considering going for Lukaku.
      KEANE ON JUDE
      Manchester United legend Roy Keane has labelled Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham ‘the complete midfielder’ after his performance for England against San Marino on Thursday.
      The former Red Devil said: “Bellingham looks like a complete midfielder.
      “He’s still a kid playing regularly in Germany.Ā 
      “He’ll be disappointed with missing the chance, but at 17 he has nice composure, happy to break forward, very good night’s work.
      “He will be disappointed with the chance, he tries to complicate it when he should just side-foot it.”
      Bellingham was superb for England earlier this weekCredit: Getty
      NO TIME TO BE SAD
      Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has vowed to ‘keep fighting’ despite the Premier League champions’ difficult run of results.
      The Reds are currently down in seventh place, five points off the top four, but Mane remains passionate in his belief they can turn things around.
      Mane’s form has dropped off this season following a stellar spell with the RedsCredit: Getty
      He told The Mirror: “We have to deal with the situation and not stop believing, but keep fighting, keep our motivation and go again.
      “When you are a fighter you never try to make excuses, we are here to find solutions. Being together with my teammates always gives me high energy.Ā 
      “In football ā€“ and in life in general ā€“ you can’t expect anything and for years and years this complicated situation has not happened.
      “We have always been successful, but now this has happened and we can see it is like how life is.”
      FINAL PLEA
      Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made one final plea with the owners of the club to agree a new deal with Georginio Wijnaldum.
      The Dutch midfielder’s contract runs out this summer and he has been linked with a number of clubs including Barcelona and Inter Milan.
      Wijnaldum has been a crucial player for Klopp’s side for the best part of five yearsCredit: AFP or licensors
      But, according to 90Min Klopp has tried to make a last ditch play to keep him at Anfield.
      Wijnaldum joined Liverpool from Newcastle back in 2016 and has played 226 times for the Premier League champions, scoring 22 goals.
      ERL OF CATALUNYA
      Erling Haaland could be set to join Barcelona in the summer, according to The Express.
      The Norwegian superstar has been linked with a move to several Premier League sides including Manchester United and Manchester City.
      Haaland has been linked with a host of the European superpowersCredit: Getty
      But despite the Catalan giants’ financial difficulties, they are now being rumoured as potential suitors for the Borussia Dortmund striker.
      Haaland has scored 39 goals for club and country already this season and is now widely regarded as one of the best forwards in the world.
      DAN THE MAN
      Former Newcastle United defender Danny Simpson has completed his move to Championship side Bristol City.
      The 34-year-old has agreed a deal that will see him join The Robins until the end of the season.
      Simpson has finally found a club to link up with until the end of the seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      He will also link up with former Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson.
      Simpson has been without a club since he left Huddersfield Town at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
      RICHARDS’ EUROS XI
      Micah Richards recently picked his England starting XI for the Euros (in The Mail).
      GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton)
      RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
      CB: John Stones (Manchester City)
      CB: Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
      LB: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
      CDM: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
      CM: Mason Mount (Chelsea)
      CM: Phil Foden (Manchester City)
      RW: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
      ST: Harry Kane (Tottenham)
      LW: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
      Do you agree?
      NO BALE OUT
      Gareth Bale is set to cost Real Madrid Ā£13MILLION in wages alone next season.
      The Welsh winger 31, confirmed he will return to Real Madrid next season after just a year in North London under Jose Mourinho.
      Bale is set to return to the Bernabeu at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      He has failed to nail down a regular starting shot on his return to Tottenham, playing just 12 Premier League games.
      And now the Spanish giants will have to suffer with paying Bale Ā£13m – even if he sits on the bench.
      He earns around Ā£650,000-a-week at the Bernabeu – with Los Blancos desperate to ship him out on a permanent deal.
      CAVANI SET TO LEAVE?
      Uruguayā€™s assistant coach Mario Rebollo has urged Edinson Cavani to leave Manchester United at the end of the season.
      Cavaniā€™s father recently revealed that his son ā€˜does not feel comfortableā€™ at Old Trafford as his one-year deal looks to come to an end.
      Cavani has scored seven times in 22 games for Man Utd this seasonCredit: Getty
      The club has the option to extend that deal until 2022, but Rebollo feels the striker should depart at the end of the current campaign.
      ā€œIt helps the national team if Cavani goes to Boca or wherever,ā€ Rebollo told 2 De Punta.
      ā€œThe priority is that he plays where he is comfortable and with a good competitive level. If heā€™s close to here itā€™d be great, but if heā€™s not comfortable he would not bear it much.ā€
      RAB GRAB
      Manchester City will reportedly fight it out with Barcelona this summer for Juventus star Adrien Rabiot.
      The French international midfielder, 25, spent time with theĀ CitizensĀ during his youth days back in 2008.
      Rabiot could be about to return to England after 13 years awayCredit: AP
      Now the Premier League leaders want to bring him back to the club.
      Juventus are believed to be looking to offload a number of big earners once the transfer window re-opens.
      The Old Lady have endured a poor campaign due to already being out of the Champions League and trailing Serie A leaders Inter Milan by ten points.
      RASHFORD OUT OF WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
      Marcus Rashford has returned to Manchester United in a huge blow for England boss Gareth Southgate.
      The Three Lions manager will be without the forward and Arsenal star Bukayo Saka for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers due to injury.
      Rashford’s injury means he misses out on the final opportunity to play for England ahead of the Euros
      Rashford, 23, reported for England duty this week with a knock after he was forced off in Unitedā€™s Europa League win at Milan.
      He missed the clubā€™s FA Cup defeat to Leicester on Sunday and also sat out his countryā€™s 5-0 win over San Marino yesterday.
      The aceā€™s injury has been further assessed at St Georgeā€™s Park with his national manager Southgate remaining hopeful he would be fit in time to face Albania and Poland.
      However, the FA have now announced that he will head back to United to continue his rehabilitation.
      PROB-ROM WITH SERGIO
      Sergio Romeroā€™s wife Eliana Guercio does not want to leave Europe, according to reports.
      The Manchester United outcast has been heavily linked with a move to Argentine giants Boca Juniors but his wife ā€“ who slammed the Red Devils just five months ago ā€“ may put a stop to the switch.
      Credit: PA
      During the transfer saga,Ā Guercio, 43, blasted United for showing a lack of respectĀ to the loyal stopper.
      She posted on Instagram: ā€œSergio Romero worked hard for his club. Last trophy they won, they lifted it with him.
      ā€œHe helped the team reach four finals/semi-finals and then he was on the bench, only to lose them all. It is time for them to return the opportunity and let him go.
      ā€œRESPECT FOR ONCE!!!! [sic].ā€
      CALLING DYB
      Arsenal reportedly want Paulo Dybala to replace Martin Odegaard at the Emirates this summer.
      The Norwegian is set to return to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign after his short loan spell with the Gunners.
      Dybala has been linked with a move away from Serie A for several yearsCredit: AP
      And Juventus and Argentina forward Dybala has been identified by Mikel Arteta as a possible alternative to Odegaard, according to The Mail.
      Dybala, 27, has scored 98 goals in 244 games for Juventus since joining the club in 2015.
      LAUR AND ORDER
      Laura Woods has slammed ‘bonkers’ sexist trolls that give her and others vicious abuse online.
      She said: “I do feel pressure to do it right. I have watched women drown in positions in which they havenā€™t been given support. I have seen what that has done to womenā€™s reputations.
      Woods has hit back at the trolls who continue to abuse herCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      “We are all striving for equality but the reaction to a woman on screen or radio is still not equal. A producer once told me that women reporters have higher to fall from.
      “It stuck with me. Itā€™s not just what you say, itā€™s how you look, the way your voice sounds.
      “I have had it all in tweets and stuff. You are underweight. You are overweight. You have too much make-up. You look tired. Men have to deal with scrutiny, too. I know. But their knowledge is never attacked in the same way.
      “Women have transitioned into some sports such as cricket incredibly well. But what is it about football that people canā€™t accept something if itā€™s coming out of a womanā€™s mouth?
      “Women can be brain surgeons. They can save your life. They can go to the moon. But they canā€™t give you an opinion about football. Itā€™s bonkers.”
      HAALAND OR MBAPPE
      Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are the two ‘main objectives’ for Real Madrid this summer, according to Marca.
      Mbappe and Haaland are widely considered two of the best forwards in the worldCredit: Getty
      The pair, who have both been prolific so far this season, have been linked with moves away from Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
      And Madrid are said to be linked with both of them as the look to continue their re-build following a difficult 12 months.
      However, a return for Cristiano Ronaldo is thought to be off the table despite his uncertain future at Juventus.
      HOLD-LING ON
      A reminder of our exclusive from last nightā€¦
      Manchester United are open to a sensational return for Jesse Lingard this summer ā€“ including talks over a contract extension.
      Lingard has been re-called to the England set-up since joining West Ham on loanCredit: Getty
      The England midfielder has been in stunning form over the past few months since joining West Ham on loan until the end of the season.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been hugely impressed with his performances, and is a long-time fan of the 28-year-old despite freezing him out.
      And United will assess whether to bring him back into the Old Trafford fold before the summer, while not ruling out giving him a new deal.
      He has a little more than a year left on his Ā£100,000-a-week terms, and the club could be willing to offer him a new three-year contract.
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

    • 263 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd women win at Old Trafford for first time, Juventus want Pogba in SWAP deal, Lingard contract ā€“ transfer LATEST

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED women have won at Old Trafford for the first time after beating West Ham 2-0.Meanwhile Juventus are reportedly keen on a swap deal for Paul Pogba to return to Turin.
      Stay up to date with our blog, below, for all the latest from Old Trafford…

      FREE BETS: GET OVER Ā£2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

      REMINDER
      A reminder ofĀ one of the big stories of the last couple of days.
      Manchester United have reportedly made a Ā£68.5million enquiry for Atletico Madrid winger Marcos Llorente.
      What do we make of that?
      Llorente is a highly-rated talent in SpainCredit: AFP
      KIT CONTROVERSY
      Manchester United’s home kit for next season has reportedly been leaked online.
      The plain adidas design has no pattern but opinion was split among fans ā€“ particularly over the version which included their new sponsor TeamViewer.
      The leaked Man Utd kit caused a lot of talk on social media

      Opinion was split among the way the TeamViewer sponsorship looks
      Images claiming to depict the Red Devilā€™s home kit next season were uploaded by footyheadlines.
      And it seems like adidas have copied Nikeā€™s style from this season by placing the club logo and their own badge in the centre of the shirt.
      Englandā€™s home kit and Tottenhamā€™s yellow installment this season are both styled in the same fashion.
      The Three Lionsā€™ strip in particular is already being hailed as a modern cult classic.
      QUESTION TIME
      Quesiton for Man Utd fans – who would you rather sign between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe?
      Haaland looks far more likely, but if you could have either, which one would you go for?
      Mbappe and Haaland are two of the hottest prospects in world footballCredit: Getty
      JOSH AND BECKS
      Anthony Joshua paid a visit to Manchester United legend and former England captain David Beckham as he continued to enjoy himself in Miami.
      Goldenballs appeared to be giving the boxing star a tour around his new pride and joy – his Inter Miami football team.
      Beckham, 45, posed for a snap with Joshua on the pitch of the Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale and wasted no time in sharing it on Instagram.
      He captioned it with: ā€œSo happy to have the champ in townā€¦ WELCOME TO MIAMI.ā€
      Joshua and Beckham posed for a photo in MiamiCredit: Instagram @davidbeckham
      RECAP
      Quick re-cap of today’s big stories relating to Man Utd:

      Man Utd make approach for Atletico Madrid winger Marcos Llorente for Ā£68.5million
      Barcelona join race for Borussia Dortmund striker and Man Utd target Erling Haaland
      Midfielder Jesse Lingard could be set to return to Man Utd at the end of the season despite successful loan spell with West Ham

      KEANE ON JUDE
      Manchester United legend Roy Keane has labelled Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham ‘the complete midfielder’ after his performance for England against San Marino on Thursday.
      The former Red Devil said: “Bellingham looks like a complete midfielder.
      “He’s still a kid playing regularly in Germany.Ā 
      “He’ll be disappointed with missing the chance, but at 17 he has nice composure, happy to break forward, very good night’s work.
      “He will be disappointed with the chance, he tries to complicate it when he should just side-foot it.”
      Bellingham was superb for England earlier this weekCredit: Getty
      SLATING G-NEV
      Former Valencia keeper Santiago Canizares has slammed Gary Neville for the way he spent his time in charge of the club.
      Neville lasted just four months with the Spanish side and was sacked having won just three of his 16 La Liga games.
      Neville had a horrid time as Valencia boss back in 2015Credit: Getty
      And Canizares has now proceeded to blast the Man Utd legend for the way he went about his role as head coach.
      He told The Mirror: “That man treated the opportunity to coach Valencia as a joke. He is not worthy of my opinion, nor any of my respect.”
      RIGHT FER ME
      Sir Alex Ferguson has said some of his signings as Manchester United manager ‘weren’t the best’ as he reflects on his 27 years at the club.
      During his 27 years at Old Trafford the Scot signed football geniuses like Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona.
      Ferguson signed Ronaldo way back in 2003Credit: Getty
      But it goes without saying there were others he was less proud of.
      He said: “Some players I had were absolute natural footballers, with natural talent.
      “But there were other players who shared my determination, who maybe werenā€™t the best players but they made themselves the best players, because they had something inside them too.”
      CAVANI SET TO LEAVE?
      Uruguay’s assistant coach Mario Rebollo has urged Edinson Cavani to leave Manchester United at the end of the season.
      Cavani’s father recently revealed that his son ‘does not feel comfortable’ at Old Trafford as his one-year deal looks to come to an end.
      Cavani has scored seven goals in 22 games for Man Utd this seasonCredit: Getty
      The club has the option to extend that deal until 2022, but Rebollo feels the striker should depart at the end of the current campaign.
      ā€œIt helps the national team if Cavani goes to Boca or wherever,ā€ Rebollo told 2 De Punta.
      ā€œThe priority is that he plays where he is comfortable and with a good competitive level. If heā€™s close to here itā€™d be great, but if heā€™s not comfortable he would not bear it much.ā€
      ERL OF THE LAND
      Erling Haaland’s price tag has been set as Ā£154million by Borussia Dortmund.
      Manchester United have been linked with the Norwegian for some time, even before he signed for the German club.
      Haaland has scored 39 goals for club and country already this seasonCredit: Getty
      But they will have to pay nearly double their record transfer fee if they want to secure the 20-year-old sensation.
      Would Man Utd fans want to shell out that kind of money for him?
      PROB-ROM WITH SERGIO
      Sergio Romero’s wife Eliana Guercio does not want to leave Europe, according to reports.
      The Manchester United outcast has been heavily linked with a move to Argentine giants Boca Juniors but his wife ā€“ who slammed the Red Devils just five months ago ā€“ may put a stop to the switch.
      Romero is trying to leave Old Trafford due to his lack of game timeCredit: PA
      During the transfer saga,Ā Guercio, 43, blasted United for showing a lack of respectĀ to the loyal stopper.
      She posted on Instagram: ā€œSergio Romero worked hard for his club. Last trophy they won, they lifted it with him.
      ā€œHe helped the team reach four finals/semi-finals and then he was on the bench, only to lose them all. It is time for them to return the opportunity and let him go.
      ā€œRESPECT FOR ONCE!!!! [sic].ā€
      NOT KEANE
      Manchester United legend Roy Keane has been linked with a sensational return to Celtic as manager but will hope it goes more smoothly than his single season as a player there.
      Keane, 49, is currently the favourite to succeed Neil Lennon.
      And while he enjoyed his time at Celtic and playing for the “brilliant fans”, he admits in retrospect that he remains EMBARRASSED by this time there.
      He told an audience of fans in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast two years ago: ā€œI really enjoyed Celtic even though I done f*** all up there.
      ā€œI signed for Celtic in December and physically I hadnā€™t kicked a ball in two or three months, Iā€™d left United with a broken foot.
      Keane spent the final season of his playing career at CelticCredit: Getty
      ā€œI go straight into a game up there, I tear my hamstring twice. I never justified my role at the club ā€” if anything Iā€™m embarrassed by my time at Celtic.
      ā€œWhat I really enjoyed at Celtic was, it was nice just to be in a different dressing room.
      ā€œI had great craic with the United lads but the Celtic boys ā€” Neil Lennon, Petrov, Varga ā€” I really enjoyed the dressing room at Celtic.
      ā€œCeltic fans must be looking at me going, ā€˜you were rubbishā€™, but it was nice to get a taste of Celtic, brilliant fans.
      ā€œBut obviously Iā€™m a professional footballer and then the struggle came and I saw the specialist about my hip and I had a year left on my contract.
      ā€œI had to go into Celtic every day with my injuries and I was embarrassed. I was ashamed to be going in picking up wages.ā€
      MENTAL TOUGHNESS
      Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he called for a ‘mental toughness’ in his players while forging his career as a manager.
      Ferguson is arguably the greatest British manager of all-timeCredit: PA
      Speaking to United’s official website, he said: “I go back to one of my first defeats as a manager, at 32 years of age. I didnā€™t expect it. I went into the game eyes wide open, that this was going to be easy.
      “We lost 5-2 to Albion Rovers. I was the manager of East Stirling, the players were on Ā£5 a week, or something like that.
      “I came home and I said ‘if I donā€™t get Alec Ferguson in my team, Iā€™m not going to succeed’. So I made sure that my players had a mental toughness about them, from that moment on.”
      HOLD-LING ON
      A reminder of our exclusive from last night…
      Manchester United are open to a sensational return for Jesse Lingard this summer ā€“ including talks over a contract extension.
      Lingard has been re-called to the England squad since joining West Ham on loanCredit: Getty
      The England midfielder has been in stunning form over the past few months since joining West Ham on loan until the end of the season.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been hugely impressed with his performances, and is a long-time fan of the 28-year-old despite freezing him out.
      And United will assess whether to bring him back into the Old Trafford fold before the summer, while not ruling out giving him a new deal.
      He has a little more than a year left on his Ā£100,000-a-week terms, and the club could be willing to offer him a new three-year contract.
      CEK YOURSELF
      West Ham have issued a hands off warning to Manchester United for Tomas Soucek.
      The Red Devils are said to be interested in acquiring his services after a super first full season with the Hammers.
      Soucek netted a hat-trick for Czech Republic earlier this weekCredit: Getty
      Soucek joined West Ham on a permanent deal for Ā£19million but has already been linked with a move away.
      However, West Ham’s first team coach Stuart Pearce has shut down transfer rumours.
      “No, heā€™s happy here and heā€™s not going anywhere, thatā€™s for sure,” Pearce toldĀ talkSPORTĀ of Soucek.
      “Heā€™s been brilliant here, Iā€™ve got to say. Dave [Moyes] brought him into the club in January of last season and since then heā€™s just been brilliant.
      “Heā€™s got a wonderful attitude to work, on his days off he comes in to work, heā€™s just really an absolute pleasure to work with.
      “As a man he is top quality. He and [Vladimir] Coufal, the two Czech boys, theyā€™ve both been brilliant.
      “And Tomas can be a handful, too. England will face Czech Republic in the [Euro 2020] group stages and his ability in both boxes is very, very good.”
      CLOS-ARR
      Manchester United were very close to signing Watford striker Ismaila Sarr last summer before talks broke down over a Ā£40million fee.
      Watford’s former technical director Filippo Giraldi told the Here We Go podcast: “We were extremely close, I was personally negotiating with them.Ā 
      Sarr has scored 15 goals in 64 appearances for WatfordCredit: Getty
      “We weren’t able to reach an agreement. And I think Ismaila is very young, he will arrive for sure.Ā 
      “He missed probably an opportunity, but I think also for his football to stay here and get 10 goals and 10 assists, he’s deciding the league. I think for Watford in the condition they are at the moment it’s luck he stayed.Ā 
      “I love Ismaila because he has the ability to affect the game every time he plays, and that’s quite rare.Ā 
      “You see fast wingers becoming more and more important in physical leagues like the Premier League. I remember last year against Manchester United and Liverpool, he was the one with Gerard Deulofeu on the other side affecting the game and deciding the game every time.
      “This type of player are players you have to try to maximise and protect them as much as you can.”
      MAKING THEIR MARC
      Manchester United have reportedly made an approach for Atletico Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente.
      The Red Devils are set to make a Ā£68.5million offer for the Spaniard and doubled his wages in the process.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recognises his side are too heavily reliant on Bruno Fernandes going forward and so wants to address that issue in the summer window.
      Llorente has netted ten times in 35 appearances for Atletico this season, the first time he has hit double figures in a single campaign.
      Llorente featured for Spain against Greece earlier this weekCredit: AFP
      OLE’S AT THE WHEEL
      Manchester United are preparing to hand Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a new contract, even if they end the season without a trophy.
      The Red Devils are hoping they can cap a strong campaign with the Europa League crown.
      But if they fail to triumph in Europe, The Telegraph have reported that Solskjaer will still be honoured with a new deal.
      Man Utd finished fourth in the Premier League under the Norwegian last season and have progressed under his management, currently sitting second in the table.
      Solskjaer is set to remain at United for the foreseeable futureCredit: Getty
      DREAM COME TRUE
      Katie Zelem says leading Man United Womenā€™s team out at Old Trafford will go down as one of the most thrilling experiences of her career.
      Zelem told SunSport: ā€œI think it’s, it’s quite hard to say, in a structured way what this means for me.
      Zelem cannot wait to lead her team out at Old Trafford
      ā€œIā€™ve visited the Theatre of Dreams since I was young and been to numerous games that we’ve won and we’ve lost with good experiences and bad ones.
      ā€œWhen I watched the men’s team walk out onto the pitch when I was young, I used to think ‘my god that must be amazing. And now it’s me doing it.
      ā€œI think it is something I definitely couldn’t have imagined, but it’s definitely high up on my list of achievements.
      “I’m sure it is with a lot of the other girls in the team.ā€
      DEAL FOR DALOT
      AC Milan are reportedly interested in making Diogo Dalot’s loan move a permanent one.
      The Manchester United wide player has featured 24 times for the Serie A giants so far this season, scoring two goals.
      And according to Corriere dello Sport, the Italian side are now looking at acquiring his services long-term.
      However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is thought to want Dalot to return at the end of the campaign, so prising him away from Old Trafford could cost a substantial amount of money.
      Dalot could be on the move this summerCredit: Getty
      KA-PAU
      Manchester United have left Real Madrid fuming over their pursuit of Villarreal defender Pau Torres, according to reports.
      The Red Devils are targeting a new centre-back this summer, to play alongside skipper Harry Maguire.
      Torres (left) has turned Man Utd heads with his performances this seasonCredit: EPA
      Emerging at the top of their wishlist is Ā£52million-rated Torres, who has impressed for boyhood club Villarreal.
      And the delighted 24-year-old is ‘determined’ to move to the Premier League.
      But the developments have angered Madrid chiefs, ‘who can’t believe’ that United have ‘stolen’ their target away.
      According to El Desmarque, club president Florentino Perez is ‘very angry’ at the situation.
      They claim that the 74-year-old has ‘earmarked’ Torres as a potential replacement for Sergio Ramos this summer.
      ON GARD
      Manchester United are open to a return for Jesse Lingard this summer with talks over a contract extension possible.
      Lingard was rewarded for his excellent form on loan at West Ham by starting in England’s win over San Marino.
      Jesse Lingard made his international return for EnglandCredit: Getty
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been very impressed with Lingard’s contribution for the Hammers.
      And United will decide whether to bring him back into the Old Trafford fold before the summer, while not ruling out giving him a new deal.
      He has a little more than a year left on his Ā£100,000-a-week terms, and the club could be willing to offer him a new three-year contract.
      RASH BACK
      Marcus Rashford has returned to Manchester United after failing to recover from his foot injury.
      Rashford did not feature in England’s 5-0 victory over San Marino at Wembley.
      Marcus Rashford has returned to Manchester UnitedCredit: Reuters
      The FA have announced Rashford will head back to United to continue his rehabilitation.
      United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be sweating on his forward’s fitness for a crunch run of fixtures in April.
      They face Granada in the Europa League quarter-finals while they look to secure second place in the Premier League.
      United are next in action when they welcome Brighton to Old Trafford on April 4.
      BAILL OUT
      Manchester United have put contract talks with Eric Bailly on hold.
      The Sun revealed the defender has grown frustrated at falling behind Victor Lindelof in the pecking order at Old Trafford.
      Eric Bailly’s future at Old Trafford is uncertainCredit: EPA
      A United insider said: “Eric has had enough now.Ā 
      “He simply doesnā€™t feel wanted or respected by the manager.
      “Eric doesnā€™t believe he gets any answers or explanation about the way he is treated and feels he is the easy option to leave out.”
      Bailly’s contract expires in 2022 and the defender could be set to leave United this summer.
      NOT EVEN TOP FOUR
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to earn a major pay rise with a contract worth Ā£10million a year.
      But the Red Devils boss is still lagging behind the top managerial earners in the Premier League.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is lagging behind several managers in the salary stakesCredit: Getty
      Solskjaer will only rank fifth highest earner once he signs his contract.
      Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola is top dog in the money rankings earning a whopping Ā£20m-a-year.
      Jurgen Klopp is next on the list taking home Ā£15m after last season’s Premier League triumph.
      Jose Mourinho also earns Ā£15m at Spurs while Carlo Ancelotti’s salary at Everton is also higher than Solskjaer’s at Ā£11.5m.
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying LIVE: Verstappen posts early quick time with Hamilton in hunt in Q1 ā€“ latest updates

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON is back as he looks to become the first man in history to win eight F1 world championships.The Brit is taking part in qualifying NOW as all the drivers look for the prime slots on the grid for tomorrow’s Bahrain Grand Prix in the opening round of the F1 season.

      Get Lewis Hamilton to make PODIUM at F1 Bahrain GP at 20/1!

      HAMILTON FINALLY GETS ON TOP
      The world champion tops the timesheets for the first time this weekend.
      Have Mercedes made improvements? Were they sandbagging after all? Verstappen in P2, but has damage to the floor of his car.
      Q2 IS GO
      Busy track. Valtteri Bottas is first out. The majority of the bigger teams opting for the media tyres, which they will start the race on tomorrow.But can one of the midfield teams cause and upset using the quicker, soft tyre?
      Q1 IS DONE BLOW FOR VETTEL – RUSSELL THROUGH
      Those drivers eliminated are: Mick Schumacher, Nicholas Latifi, Esteban Ocon, Sebastian Vettel and Nikita Mazepin.
      VERSTAPPEN HAS A WOBBLE
      The Red Bull man goes quickest and is looking good at the top of the timesheets.
      But he has just gone wide of the track and now broken some of his floor. Will that have an impact on his lap time for qualifying?
      SUPER STUFF FROM TSUNODA
      The AlphaTauri rookie, Yuki Tsunoda, has a mega lap and sets the second-quickest time after Max Verstappen.
      BUSY TRACK
      The pitlane comes alive as cars pull out from their garages. Plenty of early action with just 10 minutes remaining of Q1.
      SPAIN FOR MAZEPIN
      The Russian driver has lost control and spuns his Haas at Turn 13. Not a great start for his F1 career.He is back into the pits for some new tyres.
      RUSSELL IS FIRST OUT
      The Williams man is on track. What can he do? Will he make it into the top 15?
      HERE WE GO QUALIFYING FOR THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON
      Can Red Bull keep up their excellent start with a pole? Or will Mercedes strike back?Who else will make the top 10? Can Fernando Alonso challenge on his return?And how will George Russell go in his Williams.
      AND THERE WE HAVE IT!
      Max Verstappen with Red Bull fastest again with 1m 30.577s in P3.
      Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton second with 1m 31.316s and Pierre Gasly with AlphaTauri third on 1m 31.583s.
      Huge advantage for Red Bull going into the first qualifying session of the season later on.

      TWO MINUTES TO GO!
      Last chance for the drivers to squeeze a lap in before P3 comes to an end.
      AS IT STANDS!
      This is how the top 15 stands with just five minutes of P3 to go.

      VERSTAPPEN GOES QUICKEST!
      Max Verstappen and Red Bull take the big advantage ahead of qualifying by clocking a 1m 30.577s on the softs.
      Hamilton now 0.739s behind with Gasly in third.
      DO IT DAN!
      Daniel Ricciardo has been told to brake deeper into turn one.
      He is losing time under the brakes which is a surprise but those are his instructions.
      JUST 12 MINUTES TO GO!
      So Hamilton and Bottas fastest so far with Sergio Perez third as Verstappen pulls out the pit with a shiny new set of soft tires on.
      HAMILTON GOES QUICKEST!
      The Brit hits 1m 31.316s just moments after Bottas went top.
      Bottas’ lap was half a second slower but things starting to come together for Mercedes.

      WHAT VETTEL WAS THAT?!
      Sebastian Vettel is struck in the face with a piece of equipment that seemed to come loose from the front left corner of his car.
      The German got on the radio and let his team know but it remains unclear exactly what it was.
      GASLY GOES QUICKEST!
      The Frenchman records the fastest P3 time we’ve seen.
      A 1m 32:321s for AlphaTauri.
      The track temperature is also plummeting to around 44 degrees.

      OH NO NORRIS!
      McLaren’s Lando Norris also complains about front locking.
      It seems to be a recurring problem throughout the teams so far ahead of this season opener in Bahrain.
      MAZE-SPIN!
      Nikita Mazepin mimicks Leclerc spins out.
      Nothing serious, slides onto the gravel but heads straight back to the pit.

      FER GOD SAKE!
      Fernando Alonso complained to his team that ‘front locking was a problem’ heading into turn one.
      The Spaniard was heard reporting back to his team as he clocked more than 2.3 seconds slower than Verstappen’s lead marker.
      LAND AHOY!
      Lando Norris had time to wave at his pal Carlos Sainz as he whizzed past him on Bahrain practice.

      VERSTAPPEN QUICKEST!
      It is a 1m 32.933s for Hamilton.
      And it stands until Verstappen pips it with a 1m 32.617s.
      HARD MAN MAX!
      Max Vertsappen is out on the hard tires.
      Most drivers have been out on the softs until now but the Red Bull man has a fairly used looking hard set on.
      BONJOUR CHARLES!
      Charlses Lecler and Lewis Hamilton are out on the track.
      The Brit looks extremely comfortable already with much more rear stability.
      He’s managed four tenths quicker than his team-mate Bottas already even though the Finn’s time got deleted.
      And Leclerc spins out on turn three!!!
      He tells his team: “The grip is incredibly low!”
      But no damage and he makes his way off the gravel and back onto the tarmac.

      Load more entriesā€¦ More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Boxing

      Parker vs Alexander LIVE: Stream free, TV channel, undercards for Frank Warren fight night

      by

      BOXING continues this weekend in the capital as Zach Parker faces Vaughn Alexander.Willy Hutchinson will then face Lennox Clarke tomorrow.

      The Parker vs Alexander card gets underway from 7pm UK time TONIGHT.
      Parker vs Alexander is live on BT Sport 1 HD and BT Sport Ultimate.
      You can live stream both fight nights from the BT Sport app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      EEĀ customers can getĀ BTĀ SportĀ INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits –Ā simply log in toĀ EEĀ and chooseĀ BTĀ SportĀ app.

      Parker vs Alexander FULL CARD

      Zach Parker vs Vaughn Alexander
      Danny Ball vs Sam Gilley
      Brad Foster vs Alvaro Rodriguez
      Sam Maxwell vs Ben Fields
      Dennis McCann vs Luis Moreno
      David Adeleye vs Mladen Manev
      Jason Harty vs Kearon Thomas
      Edward Donavan vs Matthew King

      PARKER VS ALEXANDER
      Alexander aggressive early but Parker looks the slicker in round one.
      Switching-hitting early and showing off his reactions.
      Jab working nicely for Parker, finding home as Alexander just walks forward.

      YES HE MCCAN
      Denis McCan was in fine form as he won every round against Moreno.
      The future looks bright for the young bantamweight.
      Up next in the nightā€™s headliner is Zach Parker
      Take a bow šŸ‘Dennis McCann wins every round against Luis Moreno. That’s nine wins out of nine. A big bantamweight future lies ahead šŸ™Œ pic.twitter.com/6e1Ju8OEZ9ā€” Boxing on BT Sport šŸ„Š (@BTSportBoxing) March 26, 2021

      UP NEXT
      Super-middleweight Zach Parker faces American Vaughn Alexander.
      Parker is closing the gap in the WBO rankings, and hopes to be mandatory for the Canelo vs Billy Joe Saunders winner.
      Coming up next! Zach Parker is making his BT Sport debut in our main event.He’s primed to make a statement to the world middleweight scene šŸ˜¤ pic.twitter.com/8TP3Qzv2Ktā€” Boxing on BT Sport šŸ„Š (@BTSportBoxing) March 26, 2021

      McCANN VS MORENO
      The fight goes the full eight rounds and it was all class from McCann, who bossed the action behind his jab.
      He rounded off a great performance with a knockdown in the final round, catching Moreno coming in.
      McCann move to 9-0 in his career.
      It’s all Dennis McCann. He gets a nice knockdown for good measure in the final round šŸ‘The bantamweight continues to show his class with each fight šŸ”„ pic.twitter.com/lGA7DhW4UKā€” Boxing on BT Sport šŸ„Š (@BTSportBoxing) March 26, 2021

      McCANN VS MORENO
      Really composed performance by young McCann who is showing his class.
      The southpaw jab is working wonders and McCann’s body shots are also looking lethal.
      Final two rounds here.
      McCANN VS MORENO
      After three rounds it’s all McCann, who can’t miss with his jab.
      He’s looking for the left hook around the side and is edging closer.
      Moreno is still a live challenger, but finding himself outboxed
      McCANN VS MORENO
      Really controlled opening round from McCann, behind his jab.
      He showed lovely footwork at times and a shot over the top appeared to catch Moreno’s attention at one point.
      McCann also went to the body well as he eased through the first three minutes.
      UP NEXT
      Rising bantamweight star Dennis McCann makes his return to fight experienced Mexican Luis Moreno.
      Southpaw McCann is 8-0 and highly touted by veteran promoter Frank Warren.
      So much so, that he has received comparisons to Prince Naseem Hamed.

      SUN IS SHINING
      Sunny Edwards will challenge for his first world title on April 30.
      He faces IBF champion Moruti Mthalane with Mick Conlan on the undercard.
      Edwards is 15-0 and his brother was WBC flyweight world champion.

      AD ENOUGH
      Highlight of David Adeleye’s KO.
      A perfect left hook to the body left him opponent wanting to stay down.
      Adeleye, who has sparred Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, moved to 5-0.

      FOSTER VS RODRIQUEZ
      We go the distance… Foster did all he could to try and force the stoppage but Rodriquez proved resilient.
      Foster now pushes himself up the IBF rankings after winning the International title on points.
      A world title shot will be in his sights soon.

      FOSTER VS RODRIQUEZ
      Heading into the final round and it’s been all Foster.
      He’s landed some really good right hands, combinations too, but Rodriquez is showing why he’s never been stopped in his career.

      FOSTER VS RODRIQUEZ
      Through six rounds and it’s much of the same, Foster is pushing the action but Rodriquez is doing his best to spoil.
      The Spaniard is also doing a lot of showboating but not much actual fighting.
      Foster is landing the occasional right hand over the top.
      FOSTER VS RODRIQUEZ
      Really positive start for Foster, who has been on the front foot for the first three rounds.
      Rodriquez is more bothered about running away from trouble than fighting back.
      It could leave it hard for Foster to get the stoppage, but he’s in complete control as it is.
      UP NEXT
      Brad Foster, the British and Commonwealth super-bantamweightĀ champion, faces Spaniard Alvaro Rodriguez.
      Foster, who works at Tesco during the night, challenges for the Ā IBF International title.
      He is also an ex-kickboxing champion.

      He’s 20 years of age and unbeaten at bantamweight. The name is Dennis McCann. He’s bidding to improve the record of British boxers against Mexican fighters in 2021, very soon.Next up, @DavidAdeleye šŸ”„ pic.twitter.com/U67AveY4kuā€” Boxing on BT Sport šŸ„Š (@BTSportBoxing) March 26, 2021

      ADELEYE VS PRESTON
      And it’s all over – just like that!
      Adeleye’s first punch thrown with intent floors Preston – who made his debut – and the left hook was enough to see the ref count to ten.
      It was a nice slip followed by a left hook to the body, and Adeleye improves to 5-0.
      UP NEXT
      Heavyweight David Adeleye returns for his fifth professional fight.
      As well as his heavy hands, Adeleye is known for sparring with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the past.
      He fights Dave Preston next.

      MAXWELL VS FIELDS
      Maxwell takes the decision, fairly wide on the card but he was made to work for his win.
      He remains unbeaten and will still look to challenge for the British and Commonwealth titles in the future.
      MAXWELL VS FIELDS
      The fight goes the full eight rounds and Fields certainly came to win having came in as a late replacement.
      He came forward throughout but did have a point deducted for holding.
      Maxwell was the cleaner and more efficient fighter, but was given a hard night’s work as we go to the scorecards.
      MAXWELL VS FIELDS
      Fields has been more aggressive the last three rounds and letting his hands go on the inside.
      Still, Maxwell looks the slicker puncher but is being made to work here.
      We enter the second half of the fight now.
      MAXWELL VS FIELDS
      All one way traffic with Maxwell on the front foot, with Fields covering up.
      Maxwell is letting his hands go but is finding it hard to break through Fields guard.
      Going into the fourth and promoter Frank Warren can be heard shouting encouragement to Maxwell.
      UP NEXT
      Sam Maxwell, who twice boxed but lost to Vasiliy Lomachenko in the amateurs, faces Ben Fields.
      Maxwell was due to challenge for the Commonwealth and British super-lightweight titles, but his opponent pulled out.
      So he returns against replacement Fields.

      BALL VS GILLEY
      And your winner is… Danny Ball, who retains his WBC international welterweight title.
      Ball will feel he was the more active fighter in there, and did not stop coming for all ten rounds.
      Gilley will feel gutted, having rallied well in rounds while looking razor sharp.
      The real winner was the fans, as that was non-stop action.

      BALL VS GILLEY
      And it goes the distance, capping off ten really exciting rounds, and leaving it really close to call.
      Gilley was the sharper puncher, and looked to be fading at one point before rallying down the stretch, finding more success on the front foot.
      But Ball was constant throughout and landed some really telling shots over the top.
      Both were swinging right till the end, summing up the thrilling fight as it goes to points.
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

    • 163 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      4pm Marcos Llorente ā€˜Ā£68.5m bidā€™, Haaland LATEST, Solskjaer ā€˜set for Ā£10m-a-year new contractā€™

      by

      MAN UTD are stepping up their pursuit of Erling Haaland, with reports from Spain suggesting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is regularly calling his fellow Norwegian.Meanwhile the Red Devils have reportedly made a Ā£68.5m bid for Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente.
      Stay up to date with our blog, below, for all the latest from Old Trafford…

      FREE BETS: GET OVER Ā£2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

      SKILL SCHOOL
      David De Gea showed off his fancy footwork on international duty with Spain.
      Not bad for a keeper!

      ROY’S THE BHOY
      Here’s how Celtic could look under Roy Keane.

      SOL WARMING
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been nominated for the Prem manager of the month for March.
      #PL Player of the Month nomination āœ…#PL Manager of the Month nomination āœ…@LukeShaw23 and Ole’s hard work in March hasn’t gone unnoticed! šŸ‘#MUFCā€” Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 26, 2021

      SPEEDSTER
      Manchester United ace Brandon Williams blamed his dad for speeding at 85mph in a Ā£50,000 Mercedes as he was slapped with a Ā£1,000 fine.
      But the left-back, 20, managed to avoid any points on his licence after being defended by celebrity lawyer Nick “Mr Loophole” Freeman.
      Williams, who rakes in around Ā£40,000-a-week, was instead given a Ā£1,000 fine and ordered to pay Ā£720 costs at Mold Magistrates’ Court.
      The lawyer, who has represented other celebs including David Beckham, successfully argued there were special reasons not to impose penalty points on his licence.
      JPs heard how cops sent Williams a form to his home in Manchester as was the registered driver of the Mercedes GLE 300.
      But his dad Paul filled out the form and admitted being the driver of the car when it was clocked doing 85mph in a 70mph zone.
      LLOR & ORDER
      Manchester United are ready to entice Marcos Llorente to Old Trafford by doubling his wage packet, according to reports.
      Spanish outletĀ ASĀ write how theĀ Red DevilsĀ have already launched a Ā£68.5million bid for the Atletico Madrid midfielder.
      Marcos Llorente could double his money at Old TraffordCredit: AFP
      Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is eager to bolster his attacking midfield options with his side relying heavily on the creativity of Bruno Fernandes.
      The Norwegian has also appeared to lose faith in summer signing Donny van de Beek with the Ā£35m man making just two league starts.
      Llorente, 26, is eyed as the ideal man bolster United’s midfield options having scored 10 and assisted nine this season.
      The Spaniard is thought to be happy at the Wanda Metropolitano and was not considering a transfer having emerged as a key player under Diego Simeone.
      But reports in Spain add how United are ready to double his wage packet to Ā£180,000-a-week to entice him to England.
      LIN-GENIUS
      Do you see the likeness between this shot of Manchester United’s on-loan ace Jesse Lingard and these classic Messi and Maradona photos?

      SHAW THING
      Manchester United and England left-back Luke Shaw has been nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month.
      The former Saints man has been in phenomenal touch this season, earning a Three Lions recall.

      HAAL OF A FEE
      Borussia Dortmund will reportedly demand Ā£154MILLION for their star striker Erling Haaland this summer.
      A whole host of Europe’s biggest clubs are interested in the free-scoring sensation, with Manchester United heading that queue
      Manchester United will need to break the bank to land Erling HaalandCredit: AFP
      Since joining Dortmund from RB Leipzig in January 2020, the 20-year-old has scored 49 goals in as many games.
      In all competitions this season Haaland has netted 33 times in 31 games. He has scored ten goals in just six Champions League matches.
      According to ESPN, Dortmund are asking for Ā£154m for the Norway international.
      In the summer of 2022 a clause kicks in that sees Haaland available for just Ā£65m – but Dortmund hope the huge interest around him will lead to clubs stumping up more than double that.
      As well as United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all believed to be interested in signing the powerful frontman.
      OVER THE BLUE MOON
      Chelsea have been named the Premier League team of the decade.
      The International Federation of Football History & Statistics have been crunching the numbers as the 2011-2020 decade came to an end.

      Barcelona came out in top as their best club of the decade.
      But in England, it was Chelsea that reigned supreme.
      The Blues won two Premier League titles, in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
      They also achieved their crowning glory in 2012, when they won the Champions League on a dramatic, historic night in Munich.
      Chelsea won the FA Cup that same season, as well as in 2018, while they picked up a solitary League Cup in 2015.
      AND BARCA
      Barcelona have joined Manchester United in the transfer race for Andre Silva.
      The Eintracht Frankfurt striker, 25, is in red-hot form this season and attracting plenty of interest.
      Andre Silva has Barca chasing himCredit: Reuters
      And according to Bild via Marca, Barcelona are plotting a summer swoop.
      Silva came through at Porto before joining AC Milan, but was shipped out on loan at Sevilla and then Eintracht.
      Then he made the switch to the Bundesliga side permanent in 2020.
      The 38-cap Portugal international is enjoying a fine season this term with 22 goals and seven assists in 26 appearances. He also picked up the player of the month for January.
      Reports earlier in March suggested United and Atletico Madrid are very keen on the 6ft 1in frontman – especially with Edinson Cavani’s Old Trafford future in doubt – with the two clubs leading Arsenal in the race for his signature.
      HOOPS KEANE
      Celtic have held talks with Manchester United legend Roy Keane over the vacant manager’s job at Parkhead, according to a report.
      SunSport exclusively told you earlier this month how Keane wanted to become Celtic’s new manager.
      Roy Keane has been out of management for a decadeCredit: Getty
      The Republic of Ireland icon hasn’t been in charge of a club since his departure from Ipswich in 2011.
      However, he has spent time as assistant to Hoops legend Martin O’Neill during his time in charge of Ireland and Nottingham Forest.
      And the brutal Sky Sports footie pundit is seeking a return to the duggout, with the 49-year-old keen on replacing Neil Lennon.
      In a latest development, the Daily Mail claim the former Celts midfielder has held discussions with the club’s hierarchy over the hotseat role.
      It is reported the Manchester United legend is among a number of candidates under consideration by Dermot Desmond & Co.
      JESS A MINUTE
      Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard was buzzing to be back in an England shirt after two years out of Gareth Southgate’s squad.
      The West Ham loanee started the 5-0 win against San Marino.

      AWAY DAYS
      Prem clubs will urge the Government to allow up to 1,000 away fans among the crowds for the last two sets of matches this season.
      Top-flight club bosses have agreed to switch the planned penultimate set of matches into the final midweek of the campaign, after the May 17 date set by PM Boris Johnson for crowds to return.
      The fixture swap means each Premier League club will have one home game in front of supporters, with the number capped at the lower figure of 10,000 fans or a quarter of the groundā€™s full capacity.
      But it was envisaged that only home supporters ā€“ in virtually all cases season ticket holders who have been locked out, apart from a handful of lucky supporters, since last March ā€“ would be allowed through the turnstiles.
      And at yesterdayā€™s meeting of the 20 ā€˜shareholderā€™ clubs, it was agreed to ask the Government for a change of policy that would allow visiting fans to attend.
      The final set of fixtures includes a potential relegation decider between Fulham and Newcastle, with the capacity set at 4,000 supporters while Craven Cottage is still a partial construction site.
      Other matches in the penultimate set of games include a possible top-four clincher between Chelsea and Leicester.
      CL HELL
      Manchester United legend Gary Neville and former FA chief David Bernstein have warned the ‘obscene’ gap between Europeā€™s rich and poor clubs will only be widened by Uefaā€™s planned Champions League revamp.
      And they also fear the Carabao Cup and FA Cup will be sacrificed on the altar of the financial demands of Europeā€™s wealthiest elite.
      Neville and Bernstein are leading members of the Our Beautiful Game Group which is calling for the establishment of an independent regulator to run English football.
      And in its latest submission, the group revealed its deep concerns over the impact of Uefaā€™s proposals to expand the Champions League from 125 matches per season to 225.
      That concept for the post-2024 shape of the European game is expected to be confirmed by the end of next month and the Group said: ā€œUefaā€™s planned reforms are likely to accentuate and embed the deep financial inequality already existing.
      ā€œThe gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ will grow with broadcasting rights skewed even more towards the very top clubs.”
      ROY’S TROUBLES
      Roy Carroll revealed he ‘would have died from drink’ after becoming an alcoholic.
      But now the former Manchester United goalkeeper is determined to help others tackle their struggles.
      Roy Carroll opened up on his battle with the bottleCredit: Pacemaker
      Carroll, 43, spent four years at Old Trafford between 2001 and 2005 – he also had spells with Wigan, West Ham and Olympiacos.
      The 45-cap Northern Irish international returned to football to play for Irish outfit Dungannon Swifts this January – after being hit hard by lockdown restrictions.
      In an honest interview with the Daily Mail, the stopper – who joined FC Mindwell last year alongside Keith Gillespie, a club set up for men with mental health issues – said: “I just want to give something back because I went through a really bad time with depression and alcohol. I want people to understand it’s okay to talk.
      “I’ve been off the drink now for ten years in June. It’s a habit, you get into a routine.
      “It can happen to anybody with depression and drinking quite heavily in the house: nothing else to look forward to, just having a couple of beers.
      “It gets worse the longer lockdown is. You have a few drinks and more drinks the next night. That’s you, you’re addicted.”
      PAUL’D HIS SOCKS UP
      Paul Pogba has bagged some stunners for Manchester United this season.

      MAG-NIFICENT
      Harry Maguire will help tackle obesity and mental health issues in schoolkids as they finally return to grassroots football.
      The Manchester United captain is joined by his counterpart from the women’s team, Katie Zelem, to lead the campaign.
      Harry Maguire is leading the way with the next generationCredit: Getty
      Outdoor football comes back for youngsters again on Monday as part of the next step of the unlocking of coronavirus restrictions.
      And Manchester United are keen to play their part in supporting children, many of whom have seen their health deteriorate due to the lockdowns.
      As reported by The Times, Maguire and Zelem are headlining a campaign to encourage parents and coaches to ‘be kind’ and ‘encouraging’ to kids – with a focus on participating, rebuilding confidence and fitness rather than winning.
      GOOD MORNING RED DEVILS FANS
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly set to be rewarded with a new Ā£10million-a-year contract. The Manchester United boss is contracted at Old Trafford until 2022 but club chiefs are poised to hand him a new deal.
      The 48-year-old is set for a significant Ā£2.5m rise on his current contract.
      Jesse Lingard set up a goal for England on his international return against San Marino. Lingard, who is on loan at West Ham, provided an assist for Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a lively display during England’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier win.
      Marcus Rashford did not feature with the striker still not fully fit after his foot injury.
      United midfielder Scott McTominay played the whole game for Scotland as they twice equalised to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Austria.
      Roy Keane is the odds-on favourite to become the next Celtic manager. The outspoken pundit finished his playing career at Celtic Park.
      In transfer news, West Ham coach Stuart Pearce dismissed reports of midfielder Tomas Soucek joining Manchester United. The Czech Republic star scored a hat-trick in the midweek win over Estonia.
      Giovanni Galli, the man who set up Amad Diallo’s trial with Atalanta, believes the new United winger can be challenging for the Ballon d’Or within five years.
      United legend Rio Ferdinand has bizarrely told Newcastle fans to stump up Ā£300m to buy out owner Mike Ashley if they hate him so much.
      Nicky Butt reportedly left the club after ‘friction’ with the newly-appointed director of football John Murtough.
      SunSport exclusively revealed Derby boss Wayne Rooney is interested in adding Butt to his coaching staff.
      MCTOMINAY HELPS SCOTS EARN POINT
      Scott McTominay played the whole game as Scotland battled to earn a 2-2 draw at home to Austria.
      The Manchester United midfielder lined up in Steve Clarke’s side as they needed two equalisers to deny Austria.
      Scott McTominay celebrates John McGinn’s late equaliserCredit: PA
      Sasa Kalajdzic twice gave Austria the lead but Scotland would not be denied.
      Grant Hanley’s header made it 1-1 and with just five minutes left a stunning overhead kick from John McGinn earned a point.
      LINGARD ASSIST
      It has been a lively display from Jesse Lingard and the Manchester United attacker has just set up England’s fourth goal.
      Lingard’s pass set up a simple tap-in for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to make it 4-0 against San Marino.
      Jesse Lingard set up England’s fourth goalCredit: Getty
      Lingard’s display has certainly justified Gareth Southgate’s decision to bring him back into the England squad.
      LINGARD CHANCE
      Jesse Lingard has just missed a big chance to get on the scoresheet for England.
      The Manchester United attacker was rewarded with a start for England after his strong form on loan at West Ham.
      Jesse Lingard spurned a big chance in the first halfCredit: Reuters
      But Lingard spurned the chance to score after missing his half volley from Ben Chilwell’s cross.
      England are currently 3-0 up with goals from James Ward-Prowse, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Raheem Sterling.
      NO CZECH OUT
      West Ham coach Stuart Pearce has dismissed talk of Manchester United target Tomas Soucek going anywhere.
      Soucek has been a revelation for the Hammers and enhanced his value with a hat-trick in the Czech Republic’s win in Estonia.
      Tomas Soucek has been linked with Manchester UnitedCredit: Reuters
      The midfielder has caught United’s eye but Pearce insists his future remains with West Ham.
      Pearce told talkSPORT: ā€œNo, heā€™s happy here and heā€™s not going anywhere, thatā€™s for sure.
      ā€œHeā€™s been brilliant here, Iā€™ve got to say. Dave (Moyes) brought him into the club in January of last season and since then heā€™s just been brilliant.
      ā€œHeā€™s got a wonderful attitude to work, on his days off he comes in to work, heā€™s just really an absolute pleasure to work with.
      RASHFORD MISSING
      No real surprise but Marcus Rashford is not fit to play for England in their World Cup qualifier with San Marino.
      The Manchester United striker is not involved due to his foot injury but may be available for their two matches next week.
      Marcus Rashford is not in England’s squad tonightCredit: Getty
      But Jesse Lingard, who is on loan at West Ham, has been rewarded with his impressive form with a start.
      The attacker will be hoping to make a big impact on his international return.
      United players Dean Henderson, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are on the bench for Gareth Southgate’s side.
      BALLON D’IALLO
      Manchester United whizkidĀ Amad Diallo has been tipped to challenge for theĀ Ballon d’Or within five years – by the man who set him on the road to stardom.
      Former AC MilanĀ and Italy keeper Giovanni Galli believes the winger, 18, just needsĀ to add strength to his unique skills.
      Amad Diallo has been touted for a huge futureCredit: Getty
      Galli, who arranged the attacker’s trial with Atalanta, told Goal: “Amad is unique but he must make himself stronger.
      “At the same time, he must make sure he does not lose his speed, which is a quality that distinguishes him from others.
      “In short, I think he has all the qualities to be a candidate for the Ballon dā€™Or in the next five years.”
      RASHFORD DOUBT
      We’re a couple of hours away from England starting their World Cup qualification campaign at home to minnows San Marino.
      Will Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford be involved?
      Marcus Rashford could miss tonight’s gameCredit: PA
      The 23-year-old has not been training with the England squad due to a foot injury.
      England boss Gareth Southgate said: “Marcus has been very keen to be with us. He obviously wasn’t with us so much in the autumn.”
      But with two more games over the next week including a crucial clash with Poland it is unlikely England will take any risks over Rashford’s fitness.
      Load more entriesā€¦ More

    • 213 Shares199 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix practice LIVE: Second Practice . Verstappen quickest in FP1, Hamilton FOURTH ā€“ updates

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON is back as he looks to become the first man in history to win eight F1 world championships.The Brit stormed to title number seven last year, matching Michael Schumacher, and Mercedes will be hoping for more of the same after signing a bumper new deal with the Brit.

      Get Lewis Hamilton to make PODIUM at F1 Bahrain GP at 20/1!

      SUNRISE, SUNSET
      Join us later this afternoon for another hour-long session.
      Expect plenty of race runs in FP2 following that remarkably clean shakedown first practice.
      The floodlights will be on when the session gets underway at 3pm.
      Credit: Getty
      FP1 TOP 10
      1 – Verstappen2 – Bottas3 – Norris4 – Hamilton5 – Leclerc6 – Perez7 – Gasly8 – Sainz9 – Ricciardo10 – Giovinazzi

      VERSTAPPEN TAKES FP1
      A solid start from Max Verstappen in what is admittedly a rather unrepresentative session, given the day-night switch in Bahrain.
      Valtteri Bottas takes second before Lando Norris sits third to separate to two Mercedes cars.
      FINAL TIMES COMING IN
      No quicker from Bottas but he does appear set to finish above his team-mate in this session.
      BIG MARGIN?
      A healthy three-tenth lead for Verstappen and that came on new Softs.
      Replays also showed a fairly big tow from the car in front down the straight as he began the lap, which would have shaved off a bit of time.
      MAX POWER
      And there is the fastest time of the session from Verstappen, clocking 1:31.394.
      FINAL FIVE MINUTES
      Verstappen darts around the Mercs on his out lap while they cool down.
      Currently seventh, expect that to change as he begins another quick attempt.
      HAMILTON THIRD
      Hamilton misses the apex at the final turn and ends up 0.024 off Norris.
      No such problems for Bottas as he goes top with a 1:31.692, two tenths clear.
      What can the Red Bulls do in reply?
      TOP 10 WITH 10 TO GO
      1 – Norris2 – Leclerc3 – Gasly4 – Hamilton5 – Sainz6 – Ricciardo7 – Verstappen8 – Bottas9 – Perez 10 – Giovinazzi
      YU GO YUKI
      “C’mon I’ve got f****** traffic!”
      Yuki Tsunoda delivering our first furious radio message of the season after going a touch wide at the final turn in dirty air.
      How we’ve missed this.
      BACK RUNNERS
      We don’t know the run plans, making these assessments rather limited.
      But a look at the bottom of the timesheet suggests who may be struggling for points in 2021.
      Both Williams and Haas cars are in the bottom five.
      Esteban Ocon’s Alpine sits 20th with Fernando Alonso not far higher, in 14th.
      FINAL 15 COMING UP
      This session has flown by with tonnes of on-track action to keep an eye on.
      A few minor slips here and there but drivers are doing very well to keep it on the road so far, with there also no big technical issues to speak of.
      That second point may well be a product of the rule continuity from last year, with these cars certainly evolutions rather than revolutions.
      Credit: Splash
      RICCIARDO GOING FOR IT
      The McLarens begin to show off their stuff with Ricciardo chasing Norris’ fastest time.
      Just over half a second off his team-mate, he goes third overall.
      VETTEL DOES BETTER
      Sebastian Vettel locked up on his last run but re-emerges to clock in the seventh-best time.
      FUEL OF IT
      A reminder that we do not know the fuel loads each team runs during practice.
      If any team knows they have a veritable jet-powered car this year and doesn’t want to show it yet, that is well within their right.
      LANDO HOPE AND GLORY
      Hamilton runs wide at Turn 4 and doesn’t enjoy Turn 14 as he puts in a time over a second off his best.
      Meanwhile, Lando Norris arrives in 2021 with a 1:31.897 to go first, some three tenths clear of the previous top time.
      HAMILTON OUT AGAIN
      The Merc is back out with the same set of Soft tyres.
      The teams have eight sets to play with but, given the unrepresentative nature of these times just mentioned, Hamilton is on an interesting run plan.

      TOP TEN AT HALFWAY
      1 – Hamilton2 – Verstappen3 – Bottas4 – Perez 5 – Leclerc6 – Gasly7 – Norris8 – Tsunoda9 – Sainz10 – Vettel
      HOW MUCH DOES THIS SESSION MATTER?
      Typically this is a rather unrepresentative session for the race itself, which takes place at night time with the circuit currently bathed in 30-degree heat during the mid-afternoon.
      But the 2020 first practice session did see Lewis Hamilton lead Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez – a top three which could well have held in the race bar the latter two’s issues on the Sunday.
      Credit: Getty
      FIRST SIGN OF THE HAAS
      Mick Schumacher is putting in his first run on an F1 GP weekend.
      Everywhere you look right now there are iconic firsts, comebacks, and epic narratives taking place!
      LEWIS GOES FASTEST
      How many times will we be writing that sentence this season?
      With a 1:32.214, Lewis Hamilton is back top, with the front-four going: Merc, Red Bull, Merc, Red Bull.
      Best of the rest right now is Charles Leclerc, just under seven tenths off Lewis.
      WILLIAMS TRIBUTE
      A heartfelt message on the Williams halo this weekend with a famous quote from Murray Walker.
      The British commentator, much loved by fans worldwide, died at the age of 97 earlier this month.
      Murray’s comments after Damon Hill’s world title win for Williams is one of many iconic moments from his long career in the sport.
      “I’ve got to stop because I’ve got a lump in my throat.”

      VERSTAPPEN GOES TOP
      Max Verstappen nudges ahead in a very tight top four already at this stage.
      The Dutchman’s 1:32.591 holds a one-tenth advantage over Valtteri Bottas, who has put himself between Verstappen and a new time from Perez.
      That Hamilton time is still only two tenths off the top, though.
      LAYING DOWN A MARKER
      Lewis Hamilton already beaming around Sakhir on the Softs, and puts in the fastest time so far.
      His 1:32.844 is almost four tenths clear of Sergio Perez in the Red Bull.
      WELCOME BACK FERNANDO
      It is great to see Fernando Alonso back in F1, especially after coming trough his bike crash scare earlier in the year.
      Credit: Getty
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